Born Again

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes with Jesus. Today’s program is called Born Again. Let’s turn to John 3:1-21,  There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? By the way, the words “born again” mean born from above. Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be? 

Jesus answered and said to him, Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. 

Verse 5, ...Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

Let’s turn to Rom 6:1-23, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is talking about being born of water. Verse 12, Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let’s turn to Eph 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Many say that faith is the gift of God in reference to these verses. But that is not what it’s saying: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; We go back to Romans: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Hallelujah! Born of water: baptized into his death, crucified with Jesus, buried with Him, raised with Him; born of water: your old man, your sinful nature crucified with Him. Repent and be baptized. Turn from your sins. Rom 10:14&15, How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?....You hear the Gospel preached by the Holy Spirit. You are convinced of your sin. You repent and turn from your sins, confessing your sins to God. You believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sins. You confess Him Lord and you believe that He rose from the dead. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Jesus comes to dwell in your heart when you receive Him as your Lord and Savior; when you believe that He is the Son of God. Do you really believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Are you really born again? Have you been born of water? Do you know that you were baptized into Jesus’ death; that you are dead and your life is hid with God in Christ? Paul said, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me. Does Christ Jesus live in you? In John 17 Jesus said, I in them, and you Father in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them as you have loved Me. In Gal 4:6&7 we read, And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. When you repent and turn from your sins and believe on Jesus and his sacrifice on the Cross for you, and confess Him Lord of your life, and submit to water baptism, you are baptized into his death, and you are buried with Him in that water. When you come up out of the water you are raised with Him, and all your past sins, and the old sinner you were remain in the water. Christ then dwells in your heart by faith and He is your Lord. You no longer belong to yourself and the Devil, but He has delivered you and saved you with his own Blood. You belong to Him. You are a new creation in Him, and He begins to lead you in the way He has planned for you. He has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light, and as you continue to walk in that light, He will expose things in you and lead you in further repentance and forgiveness, as He is cleansing your soul and sanctifying you more and more, along with your brothers and sisters, building for Himself a holy temple; his own special people to dwell with Him forever in his Glory. He will be leading you in paths of righteousness, therefore, for his Name’s sake to purify you and to try you to see if you will love Him and his truth and continue with Him, or if you will turn away from following Him to your own destruction. Jesus Christ is going to have a spotless bride; a purified, holy people, separated unto Him. Titus 2:11-14, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself his own special people, zealous for good works. 

Jesus is that light that is come into the world. John 3:20&21, For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God. When you come to Him, your evil ways will be exposed. Will you forsake them and repent and love Jesus and his good way? Or will you turn away from Him because you love your sins and you want to continue in them, thus condemning yourself? Don’t be deceived by the devil and his ministers and their lies about the grace of God. God gave his Son a living sacrifice on the Cross for our sins and raised Him from the dead to justify us; that is his true grace; that we might forsake all evil and walk with Him, receiving the Holy Spirit and being led by Him, denying ourselves and our desires; every day taking up our cross and following Him; doing righteousness. He will lead us to do righteousness; to do the will of the Father. He that does righteousness is righteous. Let no one deceive you. He that practices sin is of the Devil. If you want to continue in any evil way the devil will destroy you. You must forsake all sin and unrighteousness and walk with Jesus in repentance and faith, with a conscience void of offense toward God and man. Paul said, I exercise myself daily to have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. He said, I die daily. What does that mean? He died to himself and his own will and his own desires every day; took up his cross and followed Jesus. If any wickedness shows up in you along the way, you go straight to Him, to his throne of grace, with humility and repentance, and you will find his grace to help you in your time of need. He will grant you grace because you believe in his sacrifice for your sins and his resurrection for your justification. He dwells in your heart by faith. He is with you to help you in your time of need. Just call upon Him. He will hear your prayer if you will humble yourself before Him, for it is written, He grants grace to the humble. But if you want to continue in your pride; if you won’t humble yourself, then you will be brought low. If you still refuse to repent you will perish. God is not a respecter of persons. He has already provided everything for you through the sacrifice and resurrection of his Son. He so loved you that He gave Jesus for you to bear your sins on the Cross of Calvary and save you from the fire and eternal torment reserved for the Devil and his angels and all those that follow him. Make no mistake: the antichrist, the false prophet, and the Devil are all going to be cast into the lake of fire that burns with fire and brimstone, to be tormented day and night forever and ever, with no rest forever. And everyone whose name is not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire with them. If you turn away from Jesus to go after your evil ways, He will blot your name out of his Book and you will perish. Salvation is for those who will continue with Him through thick and thin, all the way to the end, loving Him and serving Him with all their heart, hating evil and loving righteousness. Love endures all things. In order to endure to the end we must love Him and love our brothers and sisters. Love does no evil to his brother, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law.

 The Love Of The Truth

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. Today we’re going to talk about The Love Of The Truth. Let’s turn to John 8:31&32, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. In the King James it says, If you continue in my Word, you will be my disciples indeed, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. I thank God for the understanding that He has given me about this scripture. I wish that I had it years ago. But it’s very simple, as we will see as we continue in this program. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and He teaches us the Word of God. And so, as you continue reading and studying God’s Word and seeking Him for understanding, the Holy Spirit will begin to reveal it to you, and as you get understanding; He is the teacher; and you continue in that understanding, He will lead you in different situations for you to do the Word of God; do the Words of the Lord Jesus. And as you continue in his Word; this is what it means to continue in his Word, you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. Let’s turn to 1 John 2:3&4, Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. Let’s go to verses 20-27,   But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing, which is the Holy Spirit, teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. Let’s go to Chapter 3, verses 16-19, By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. Let's go to 1 John 5:3, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. Verse 20, And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 

2 John 1-11, The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. Ok, let’s read 3 John 1-12, The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. Jesus said, If you love me, keep my commandments. John said, This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His Word is the truth. If we love God, we will love his Son, we will love his Word, we will love one another, we will love the truth. Jesus is the truth. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and He is no lie, as we read earlier in 1 John. In 1 Peter 1:22, Peter said, Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, see that you  love one another fervently with a pure heart.  In order for us to keep the commandments of Jesus; to love one another, our hearts must be purified. We must repent from our evil ways, and turn to God with all our hearts and embrace the truth; love the truth, and our hearts will be purified by obeying the truth through the Spirit. Then we can really love one another. Jesus said, Because iniquity shall abound, in the last days, most people’s love will grow cold.

2 Thess 2:1-12, Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. They received not the love of the truth. We must love the truth; we must be valiant for the truth. For the antiChrist spirit is already in the Earth seeking to trample down the truth, and overcome the saints. If we do not love the truth with all our hearts, and continue in it, following Jesus, we will be easily deceived and overtaken by the Beast. It is written here that those that refuse to love the truth, God will send them strong delusions that they may believe the lie, and they will perish. It is not enough to know the truth, it is not enough to speak the truth, we must love the truth to keep from being deceived. The reason people won’t receive the love of the truth is because of the lies which they love that falsely justify their evil deeds which they love. If we love the truth we will love the Father, we will love his Son, and we will love one another. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We love Him because He first loved us, and his commandment is that we love one another, not in word only, but in deed and in truth.

Ask yourself: Do I believe the truth? Do I really love the Lord, and my brothers and sisters in Christ? Or do I really love myself and my pleasures, my money, and the things of this world? The Scripture says, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. Be honest with yourself before God. If that is you, repent! And acknowledge your sins to Him. Draw near to Him to love Him, to love his truth, and He will draw near to you. 1 Cor 2:9, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Let’s turn to John 17:13-23, But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:  I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Verse 24, Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. God has reserved his Glory for those that love Him; that love his truth, and will be sanctified by his Word. His Word is truth; as the Apostle Peter said, those that purify themselves by obeying the truth through the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help you. Jesus said He will lead you into all truth. If we have this blessed hope in us, of Jesus’ soon return and us entering into his Glory, we should be purifying ourselves, preparing to meet Him in the clouds. One shall be taken, and another left. The ones who shall be taken are those who love the truth.

 A Holy Temple In The Lord

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Today’s program is called A Holy Temple in the Lord. Let’s turn to Eph 1:3-6,  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Let’s turn to Eph 2:1-10, And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 

Our salvation is the gift of God: God gave his Son. Eph 2:19-22, Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit; a habitation of God through the Spirit. 

Let’s turn to 1 Pet 2:1-12, Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious; coming to Him as to a living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes in Him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, the Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone, and a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Ok, let’s turn to John 2:13-17, Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, Take these things away! do not make my Father's house a house of merchandise! Then his disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house has eaten Me up.

Jesus is zealous for his House. What would you do if the Lord Jesus told you that He was going to come visit you in your house at a certain day and time within the next week. As you looked around your house, you would see things that were messy or disorderly, and you would begin to straighten things up. The more you thought about Him coming, the more you would go about vacuuming and cleaning and setting things in order. Maybe you would even hire a cleaning service to come and do a deep cleaning of the house. Maybe you would even hire a carpenter and a painter to come and really make things beautiful for the Lord. As you continued to prepare for his arrival, if you saw any dirty thing or anything out of place, you would immediately deal with it and make everything as nice as possible to receive the Lord into your house. And, as you looked around, when you had the house fixed up as nice as you could for the Lord, you would probably fall on your knees and on your face and say to Him, Oh Lord, I have prepared my house as best as I can, and yet it is not worthy for you to come into to visit me. Please have mercy on me and grant me grace. Oh Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. Please show me anything in me that is not pleasing to you and cleanse me and wash me so that when you come we can fellowship together here in my house, and I can receive you with joy, and you will be pleased with me. And, as the time drew near for him to come to your house, you would be looking forward with great anticipation; you would be spending much time in prayer, and perhaps fasting, to prepare yourself to meet Him. You might even go out and buy some really nice clothes to wear when He comes. And when the appointed time would come, Jesus would surely come and visit you. My friends there is an appointed time when Jesus will come to your house. How will He find it? Will it be prepared for Him in beauty? Or will He have to overturn some tables, make a scourge and drive out some wickedness. Will He even be able to enter the house? Or will He find it so filthy and defiled that He will have to pass by it. What are you allowing in your house? What are you setting before your eyes? What kind of music is in your house? Is it acceptable to God? What kind of people do you fellowship with? What are we allowing in the Church of Jesus Christ today? What is going on in your house of worship, in your fellowship? Is Jesus welcome in your church? Really? Does the Holy Spirit inhabit your worship in your church? Is it pleasing to Him? Is He present? The Holy Spirit is Holy, and He is the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus. He will not come and confirm a filthy house, where lies are being taught and embraced, and where sin in the house is overlooked.

Let’s turn to Isa 1:2-20, Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O Earth! For the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me; the ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not consider. Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire; strangers devour your land in your presence; and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? Says the Lord. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample my courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow, and for the unborn I would add. Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Amen! Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 

Let’s turn to 2Cor 6:14-7:1, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Titus 2:11-14, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself his own special people, zealous for good works. Make no mistake, God is building a Holy Temple for Him to inhabit forever; a holy people; sons and daughters of the Living God; through the sacrifice of his Beloved Son, who will love Him and serve Him and fellowship with Him and with one another in joyful, perfect communion throughout all eternity; purified, sanctified, justified and glorified; redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb of God. Rev 7:9-17, After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!  All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? And I said to him, Sir, you know. So he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 

Prophecy:

I am with you, says the Lord; those of you listening to my servant Rob, if you will humble yourselves, turn from your wicked ways, and seek my face, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will heal your land, says the Lord.

 Abraham’s Servant

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes with Jesus. Today's program is about Abraham’s Servant. First we’re going to read about Abraham. Let’s go to Gen 15:1-6, After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, and your exceedingly great reward. But Abram said, Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? Then Abram said, Behold, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir! And behold, the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir. Then He brought him outside and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them. And He said to him, So shall your descendants be. And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Let’s turn to Hebrews 11;8&9,  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. By faith Abraham obeyed God. Let’s turn to Gen 12:1-3,  Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. God started to make his own special people right here with Abraham. Here He set him apart to bless him and make him great, and to bring forth out of his loins the children of Israel, the seed of David; to bring forth Jesus Christ through whom all the families of the Earth would be blessed. God knew Abraham. He knew his heart; that he would command his children after him to keep the ways of the Lord. We see this in verse 19 of Genesis 18, For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken to him. Gen 12:6-9, Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, To your descendants I will give this land. And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.  And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.  So Abraham, when he first came into the land, in Shechem, he built an altar and worshipped God. Then when he moved to Bethel, he built an altar and worshipped God. Then when he went to the south, he built an altar and worshipped God. When he came back to Bethel he worshipped God at that same altar which he built previously. Abraham worshipped God. Abraham loved God. That’s why God chose Abraham; it was because of his heart; because he loved God, and God loved him. He knew him. God promised him a son and he believed Him until that promise was fulfilled and Sarah his wife gave birth to Isaac in her old age.  

When it came time for Isaac to have a wife, Abraham sent his eldest servant to go to the city of Nahor, to his people to take a wife for his son. This was a great responsibility which Abraham placed on this man, and a great honor from God. Let’s turn to Gen 24:1-67, Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac. And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came? But Abraham said to him, Beware that you do not take my son back there. The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, To your descendants I give this land, He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, Oh Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, Please let down your pitcher that I may drink, and she says, Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink—let her be the one You have appointed for your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master. And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. 

Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher. So she said, Drink, my lord. Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking. Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge? So she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor. Moreover she said to him, We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge. Then the man, this is very important, then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his mercy and his truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren. So the young woman ran and told her mother's household these things. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. So it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. And he said, Come in, Oh blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels. Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Food was set before him to eat, but he said, I will not eat until I have told about my errand. And he said, Speak on. So he said, I am Abraham's servant. The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has. Now my master made me swear, saying, You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; but you shall go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son. And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me. But he said to me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house. You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath. And this day I came to the well and said, Oh Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink, and she says to me, Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master's son. But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, Please let me drink. 

And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also. So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. So I put the ring on her face and the bracelets on her wrists. And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son. Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the Lord has spoken. And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, Send me away to my master. But her brother and her mother said, Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go. And he said to them, Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master. So they said, We will call the young woman and ask her personally. Then they called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go with this man? And she said, I will go. So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them. Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. 

Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?  The servant said, It is my master. So she took a veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

As we know, through Isaac and Rebekah’s union came Jacob, and through Jacob came the children of Israel, and through Israel came Jesus, in whom all the nations of the Earth are blessed. What was it about Abraham’s servant that God gave him such a relationship with him, and such an honor: to go with the angel of God and receive Rebekah from his kindred and bring her to Isaac, that the blessing of God to Abraham might be fulfilled? Every time that the Lord moved in behalf of his master’s purpose this man bowed himself and worshipped God. In front of whoever he was with he was not ashamed to give thanks and worship God, and his heart was toward his master’s purpose. He was not looking at all to take advantage of the situation for himself. So we should serve our God and Master Jesus, with a pure heart toward his purposes in our lives, and in the lives of others. We are his servants. He bought us with his own Blood; we are not our own. We belong to Him. If we will be faithful to serve Him, as Abraham’s servant served him, we too will be honored by God to serve Him in the establishment of his glorious Kingdom on the Earth. As Abraham built altars and worshipped God everywhere he went, so did his servant worship Him, and so did his children, Isaac and Jacob. So we, as the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, should be thankful to Him and worship the Father and Him in Spirit and truth all our days; everywhere He sends us.

The Lord just spoke to my heart: Those that honor me I will honor. 

 Past, Present, and Future

When you say, all my sins are forgiven, past, present, and future, you are saying that your future sins, which have not yet been committed, are already forgiven, without repentance, and without confessing them to God. As I have said before, if a sin has not been committed it does not exist. Therefore it is impossible to repent of it and to confess it to God. If you say they are already forgiven you are doing away with repentance and confession to God as requirements for receiving his forgiveness. Godly sorrow works repentance. There must be godly sorrow working repentance and confession to God of our sins in order for our hearts to be able to receive the true grace of God through the sacrifice of his Son on the Cross. If there is not a change of our hearts then we are continuing in a condition in which those same sins will continue to manifest in our lives. Jesus said that it is what is in our hearts that comes out of our mouths which defiles us. So we will be therefore continuing in a state of defilement and it will be impossible for us to attain holiness, without which we will not see the Lord.