Not My Will

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes with Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Father, Amen. Thank you Lord, Amen. We bless your holy name! We thank you Lord for this day. Thank you Lord for this program that you’ve given me, that you’ve given for your people, to edify your people, Father; we just thank you Lord. Today’s program is called, Not My Will. 

Let’s turn to Luke 22:39-46, Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation. 

Let’s turn to John 5:30, Jesus said, I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. Mat 12:46-50, While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You. But He answered and said to the one who told Him, Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in Heaven is My brother and sister and mother. 

Mat 7:21-27, At the end of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 

Let’s go to Rom 8:1-8, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Verses 12-14, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 

Love is doing the Father’s will; keeping His Words. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me, Jesus said, every day. Taking up your cross: the Father’s will for you, not your will, is love. Self love, self will, the love of money, the love of pleasure, the love of the world, that’s what we have today, as Paul said it would be in the last days. Jesus said, Because iniquity shall abound, in the last days, most people’s love shall grow cold. This is love: deny yourself, take up your cross: the Father’s will, and follow Jesus; yield to the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus to do the Father’s will every day. You want to watch a football game, and the Holy Spirit is leading you to go to a prayer meeting. Because you love the Father and Jesus, you yield to the Holy Spirit and go to the meeting, denying yourself the pleasure of watching the game, and you meet someone there who later becomes one of your best friends. It was a struggle to deny yourself, and to do the will of God, but it resulted in very good things happening in your life. If you had chosen instead to gratify your desire to watch the game and did not obey the Holy Spirit, you would perhaps have never met that person and you would have missed the blessing. It was a much greater struggle for Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to deny His flesh and to do the Father’s will and go to the Cross for us. We overcome when we deny ourselves and do the will of the Father. Not my will, but yours be done Father. 

Are you doing the Father’s will? Eph 5:17, Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. We find the will of the Father through prayer with the Holy Spirit. We find the will of the Father in the Word of God with the Holy Spirit: the Sermon on the Mount. He will lead us to do His will; we must receive Him, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and learn to yield to Him, to be led by Him to do the Father’s will; to follow Jesus every day. He said, My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me. How do we hear His voice? He speaks to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. In Acts 13 they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, and the Holy Spirit spoke and said, Separate unto Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them to do. They were sent forth by the Holy Spirit; they did the Father’s will, and much fruit came from their obedience. 

Sometimes you have to fast to hear His voice; to understand what the will of the Lord is. If you love Him, you will always want to do His will. Paul said, I die daily, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, (not my will), but Christ lives in me, and the life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. Jesus loves the Father; that’s how He was able to go to the Cross. He loves you; that’s why He suffered and died there. Beloved, we love Him because He first loved us. Loving Him is keeping His Words; doing His Father’s will, denying ourselves; crucified with Him; dead to the world, all it’s pleasures, and the glory of man; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Father. There is great joy and pleasures forevermore at the right hand of the Father. In His presence is fullness of joy! Eternal glory is set before us if we will do the Father’s will!: deny ourselves, take up our cross every day, and follow Jesus! A heart that would chose the pleasures of sin for a season; the glory of this present evil world, over the eternal glory and pleasures of God Almighty in the Kingdom of His beloved Son; a heart that will not humble itself to do the will of the Father; a heart that cannot, or refuses to see that they are bought with a price: redeemed, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from their vain behavior, received by tradition from their fathers, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish; without spot, who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own Blood, is blind!, and they have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins, and they have gone astray as a dog returns to his vomit. Unless God decides to have great mercy on them, they will utterly perish, no matter how much they say, Lord, Lord. Not my will, Father, but yours be done!

John 4:34, Jesus said unto them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. John 5:19&20, Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does… John 5:30, I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. John 6:40, And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 7:16-18, Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. John 8:49, Jesus answered, … I honor My Father… Jesus only did the Father’s will, and He thereby truly honored Him. 

Jesus overcame in the Garden of Gethsemane to do the Father’s will and go to the Cross, to suffer there and die for our sins. There He said, Father, if it be your will, take this cup from Me! He knew what was in that cup. Nevertheless, He said, not My will, but thine be done. Because He humbled Himself to do the Father’s will, even unto the death of the Cross, the Father has given Him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in Heaven, on the Earth, and under the Earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The Father said, Those that honor Me, I will honor. The way that we can honor the Father is to follow His Son to do His will; to deny ourselves every day, take up our own cross, and follow Him. If we will be faithful to Him, even in suffering, even unto death, to do the Father’s will, 

in this way we will honor Him, and Jesus said He would honor us: He will give us a crown of life, Hallelujah! In John 12:26 Jesus said, If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes with Jesus at roberthaymes.com . May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth, Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)

 “If…”

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Heavenly Father. Thank you for this day. Thank you Lord. We thank you for this program. Thank you Father, in Jesus name! Bless this program to your people, Amen; give us grace to hear what you are saying by your Spirit.

Today’s program is called “If…” In John 15:10, Jesus said, If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. If you keep My commandments you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. Let’s go to 1 John 1, ok, verse 1, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin, If we walk in the light. If we don’t walk in the light, you see, we don’t have fellowship with God, or with His Son, or with one another, and we won’t be cleansed by Jesus’ Blood.  Verse 9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is walking in the light: the Holy Spirit is leading you to keep Jesus’ Words; you are walking in the Word of God, and He convinces you of a sin; the light exposes a sin in your life; you confess it to God, and He forgives you, because of Jesus’ sacrifice upon the Cross for your sin, and His Blood cleanses you and washes you, through faith in His shed Blood, and you walk on, justified from that sin, with a conscience void of offense toward God and man.  If you have sinned against your brother or sister, you must go to them and confess your fault; make it right with them. Then you can walk on together in the light with Jesus. If you say that you have not sinned, when you have, you deceive yourself, and the truth is not in you. You are not walking in the light, and you don’t have fellowship with God, or with your brother. You can go to a fellowship and smile and talk and sing, but it’s not true fellowship. It’s deceit, and you will not be edified, nor will you be able to edify your brother, until you go back to the “If”; until you fulfill the condition of God’s promise. If you walk in the light, you will have true fellowship; if you confess your sins, you will be forgiven. If you keep Jesus’ commandments, you will abide in His love. He said, If you love Me, keep My commandments. The Apostle John said, For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not grievous.

Jesus said , in John 8:31, If ye continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed; 

and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Continuing involves reading and meditating in His Word, with the Holy Spirit leading you into all truth; teaching you all things, and leading you in doing His Words in your everyday walk. You have read that Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount, (Mat 5:43), You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say unto you, love your enemies; bless those who curse you; do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect. 

So then, one day, the Holy Spirit, as you are denying yourself, taking up your cross, and yielding to Him to follow Jesus and do the will of your Father in Heaven, He brings someone across your path that has been your enemy: someone who hates you, and the Holy Spirit is leading you to love them; to keep Jesus’ Words. If you will do it; if you will yield to the leading of the Spirit, and love that person, and do them good in the situation, then you are loving Jesus; you are continuing in His Word, and His truth will set you free. As you obey, you will overcome, and He will set you free. But, if you refuse to love that person and do them good, you will not be loving Jesus, and you will not be set free. If you want to love that person and obey the Lord, but you feel like you can’t, you can come boldly to Jesus’ throne of grace and ask for grace to help you to love them. If you are willing, and you will humble yourself before Him, He will help you, and you will be able to love your enemy, and you will overcome and be set free. Remember: this is all as you continue to yield to the Holy Spirit, as He is teaching you and leading you in the Words of Jesus.

Let’s turn to Rom 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, notice: if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. As we have said, the Holy Spirit will be leading you to deny yourself in the situation, and keep the Words of Jesus. And as you yield to the Spirit to do so, you will be putting to death the works of the flesh that are in your members. As you yield to the Spirit to love your enemies, you will be putting to death the hatred that may still be in you.

If you will show mercy, the Scripture says, you will receive mercy. If you will forgive, you shall be forgiven. If you will not forgive, you will not be forgiven. If you will give, it shall be given to you. If you will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all your needs will be added unto you. If you will humble yourself, you shall be exalted; you shall receive grace. If you ask, you shall receive, if you believe. If you will confess Jesus as your Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. If you call upon the name of the Lord, you shall be delivered.

2 Chr 7:14, If My people who are called by My name shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Our land will not be healed if we will not do so. God is not a respecter of persons. If you will meet His conditions, you will receive His promise in your life, and if you refuse to meet His conditions, you won’t receive the promise. It is a false gospel in the Earth that ignores God’s conditions, and He is not unjust that He would require you to do something you are unable to do, with His grace, in order to receive His promise. If you love Him, you will keep His Words, and we love Him because He loved us and gave Himself for us. Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends, Jesus said, and you are My friends if you do whatsoever I command you. God bless you.

Interpretation of a message in tongues:

I am God Almighty. Those of you listening to My servant Rob this day, hearken to My Words that I have given him to speak. Obey My voice and you will receive the promise.

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes With Jesus at roberthaymes.com . May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth, Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)

 The Bread Of Life                                                     

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Heavenly Father! Thank you for this day; thank you for this program that you’ve given me Father. Praise you Heavenly Father! Praise you Jesus! Thank you Lord, Amen! Today’s program is called The Bread Of Life.

Let’s turn to John 6:1, After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. 

The Next Day

Joh 6:24, When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from Heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." And Jesus said to them, "I am the Bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." 

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from Heaven." And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from Heaven'?" Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the Bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from Heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." 

The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from Heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 

Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve. Jesus said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My Blood dwells in Me and I in him.” 

Let’s turn to Luke 22:14, this is at the Last Supper on the Passover, When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes." And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” 

Jesus was born of the virgin Mary; conceived by the Holy Spirit in her womb. Therefore, as the angel Gabriel said to her, that holy Thing which was born of her is called the Son of God. In John chapter 1, verse 14, it is written, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus was tempted as a man, in every way as we are, yet He never sinned. Heb 4:15, For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness; he tried to get Him to sin, because he knew that if Jesus sinned, one time, just once, He would no longer be the spotless Lamb; He could not be offered upon the Cross for our sins. We would all be lost, without any hope of salvation. But Jesus overcame him, Hallelujah!, speaking the Word of God to him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and He continued to overcome every temptation, even in the Garden of Gethsemane: the temptation to not go to the Cross, and to not enter into that great suffering and death for our sins. He overcame there because He loved the Father and He loved us, and He said, over and over, three times, “Not My will Father, but Yours be done.” When His suffering was completed upon the Cross, He said, “It is finished”, and He gave up His Spirit to the Father: He died. He died for our sins. The penalty for sin is death, and Jesus gave His flesh, His body, upon the Cross, to die for our sins. He paid the full price for our sins. His body was the final sacrifice for sin for all time. And His Blood was shed there on the Cross to atone for all our sins. If He did not love the Father; if the Father did not love us; if Jesus had not loved us; if He had not given His flesh and His Blood for us, we would all be doomed to pay for our own sins with our own eternal damnation and torment. We have been deceived by religion for so long, that we don’t realize how serious this is. The penalty for sin against our holy God is death and damnation. When Jesus said, in John 6:53, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you,” this is what He was referring to. He said, in verse 54, “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” He said, in verse 63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The Words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” 

Jesus is that living Bread. He gave His flesh and His Blood when He died on the Cross, and the Father raised Him from the dead on the third day, that those of us who believe in Him might be delivered from sin and death and live forever with Him in His glorious Kingdom. In verse 45, He said, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” Jesus said, “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes With Jesus at roberthaymes.com . May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth, Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)

 Sermon On The Mount / Part 3

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Heavenly Father for this day, and thank you for this program, Sermon On The Mount / Part 3. I pray that you would open our hearts; open our eyes, and open our ears to hear and see what you are saying. This is the third in a three part series on the Sermon On The Mount that the Lord has given me; this will be the final program. I have a lot to speak on, so I’m not going to write out the whole chapter seven first; I’m just going to start in verse 1 and move through it. 

Mat 7:1&2, Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Jesus said, in John 7:24, Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Do not judge according to what you see, or what you think you see; according to your own understanding or according to what people say about someone. How do you judge righteously?  According to the Word of God as it is revealed in the situation by the Holy Spirit. In 1 Sam 16, the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel after Saul. Samuel was impressed when he looked upon Jesse’s oldest son Eliab, but the Lord said to him, Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. The Lord said of David, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. So righteous judgment is from the Lord, in His Word; revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Mat 7:3-5, And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck from your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 1 Tim 6:3-5, If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. These are men with planks in their eyes, hypocrites, and they cannot see to get the spec out of your eye. Jesus said in John 8:31, that if we will continue in His wholesome Words, we will be His disciples indeed, and we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free. He that commits sin is the slave of sin, and the slave does not abide in the house forever. The Son abides forever. Therefore, He said, if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. Only someone who has continued with Jesus in His wholesome Words, long enough to be set free themselves, will be able, by the Holy Spirit, to help you get free from whatever specs are in your eyes. The Church is full of preachers who promise you liberty, but they themselves are the slaves of corruption. They cannot help you, but Jesus can, and He will, if you will continue with Him, seeking after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  

Mat 7:6, Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Watch out for dogs and pigs. They don’t care about you. They just want to devour you. Don’t share your precious blessings from the Lord with everyone. Don’t think every so called Christian you meet will appreciate their value. 

Mat 7:7-11,  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Jas 1:2-7, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord… We are asking for the good things of God; for the Holy Spirit; we are seeking righteousness and holiness, and we are putting to death the works of the flesh through serving in the newness of the Spirit, married to Jesus, and through our union with Him, in His love, we are bringing forth much good fruit to the glory of God. 

Mat 7:12-14, Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. We are knocking at the narrow gate. It is narrow and it is difficult. But if we continue asking, seeking, and knocking, the gate will be opened, and the work that the Lord has begun in us will continue unto the day of salvation, as we learn to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  

Let’s turn to 1 Pet 1:3-9,  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 

that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 

The key to the narrow gate; the way to the salvation of your souls, is the love of God. We love the Father and Jesus for what they have done for us to save us from our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us that He would give His beloved Son upon the Cross to suffer and die for our sins, we also ought to love one another. It is that same love that enables us to love our enemies; to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us, and to forgive everyone who has sinned against us, no matter what they have done to us. It is that same love that causes us to have compassion on those that are in need, as God leads us by His Holy Spirit. It is that same love of God that does no ill to his neighbor, and therefore is the fulfilling of the Law. Loving and doing good, as God leads us, when it is difficult and hard, works Jesus’ character in us, for He loved those that were hating Him and crucifying Him. The same love that enabled Jesus to take the cup from the Father’s hand and go to the Cross for us, enables us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus, every day, to do the will of the Father.

Mat 7:19,  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. If you will do these things that I have been speaking of, His Word will bring forth good fruit in your life, that remains. 

Verses 21-27, Jesus said, Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the Rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

So, this is very simple. Jesus made it very clear and simple: you can do this if you will love Him. If you will love the Father and ask them to help you, you can do the Sermon on the Mount. If you are sincere; if you will humble yourself before them, they will respond and grant you grace. It will not be easy. It will be narrow and difficult; you will be broken and changed into a new person, like Jesus. It takes time; it takes righteous paths; it takes staying with Jesus and the Father, and trusting them in loving people. But, if you will, you will be able to stand when the storm comes, and you will make it through that narrow and difficult way into eternal life in the glorious Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you refuse, and will not do His Words, the storm will come to your house too, and you will not be able to stand. The rain will descend; the floods will come; the wind will blow and beat upon your house and it will fall, and great will be it’s fall.  

The religion and doctrines of men is the sand. Jesus said, This people draws near to Me with their mouth and honors Me with their lips, but their heart, ( it’s all about the heart), is far from Me. In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. It is foolish to build your house on sand, because the storm is coming. Jesus is the Rock! In doing His Words, you will be able to stand.

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes With Jesus at roberthaymes.com . May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth. (2 Cor 13:14)

 Sermon On The Mount / Part 2

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Father, in Jesus’ name, we thank you for this program, Father, the Sermon on the Mount series / Part 2. I pray that you would open all of our ears and our hearts to receive the truth of Your Word this day. Thank you Father.

Let’s turn to Mat 6:1-34, Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. 

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 

Verse 1, Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. You don’t need the honor of men; it is vain. Seek to honor God in all that you do, and He will honor you. Jesus spoke here about doing different things: praying, giving; fasting, to be seen of men, and that is vain. You already have your reward. If men honor you, it means nothing; if God honors you, it means everything. So start by honoring Him in all that you do. Seek to honor God.

Jesus gave us a pattern for prayer, and He said to pray it in secret. We call it The Lord’s Prayer. He said, And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. He said, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Then, He spoke The Lord’s Prayer:  First: honor your Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Second: Ask for His Kingdom to come on Earth; ask for His will to be done here as it is in Heaven. That is how things will truly go well on the Earth and in our lives. Third: Ask for our daily bread. He promised in chapter 6, verse 33, that if we would seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, that all the things we need will be added to us. It doesn’t hurt to give Him thanks in advance. Fourth: Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. If you want to be forgiven, you must forgive those who have sinned against you. If you feel like you can’t forgive someone, that’s the person you really need to seek God to help you to forgive them. Ask Him for His grace in your time of need, because you are definitely in need. If you don’t forgive that person, God will not forgive you. He promised right there in verse 15, that He is not a respecter of persons. If you are not forgiven, you will not be going to Heaven. Remember how Jesus suffered for you upon the Cross, that you might be forgiven: the just for the unjust. You can ask Him to give you love for that person. He loved you when you did not love Him, and He washed you from your sins in His own Blood. 

When you’re not able to forgive someone; you know you need to forgive them, don’t run from it. Ask God to help you to forgive that person; He will do it. He knows if you are willing and He will help you. Ask for grace, when you’re being tempted, ask for grace, when you’re being tempted not to forgive someone, ask for grace to forgive them; ask for grace to help in the time of need, and God will help you. I have experienced this; this is the truth of God’s Word. So the question is, do you love God? Do you love other people; are you willing to walk in love? Or will you harden your heart because you feel like you have a just reason to not forgive someone or to hate them. So, what do you do in your situation? Remember God’s Word; remember He told you to love your enemies; He told you to forgive if you have anything against anyone, that you yourself might be forgiven. So when you get in that situation, ask the Lord, and He will help you, and you will be able, by the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to do the Sermon on the Mount; to forgive if you have anything against anyone.

Ok, let’s go to verse 19, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, …but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven…When the rich young ruler came to Jesus he told Him that he had kept all the law, and he asked Him, what more do I need to do? And Jesus told him, Go sell all that you have and give to the poor and you shall have treasure in Heaven. So that’s how you build up treasure in Heaven: by giving to the poor; giving to those in need. The scripture says it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have. Always, if you have any question about giving, always ask the Lord; He will help you; He will show you. Don’t let someone con you out of what you don’t even have. If you give or pray or fast or do anything else to be seen of men, you have your reward; you have no reward of your Father in Heaven. But if you do it in secret unto Him, not seeking man’s honor, but His only, He will reward you openly. The honor of men is a vain, empty, pursuit. The honor of God has promise, for this life, and for the life to come. So seek to honor Him in all that you do.

Verse 21, For where your treasure is, there will your heart will be also. You don’t want your heart to be on this world and the things of this world. The scripture says, Set your affection on things above, not on things on the Earth. The things above are revealed in the scriptures. Verse 22, The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. If your eyes are on that which is good: on the Word of God and His works, you will be full of His light; it will shine through your life. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If your eyes are continually on that which is evil, you will be full of darkness, and that darkness will blind your eyes, and you will not know where you are going. Verse 24, You cannot serve two masters: God and money. If you will serve God with all your heart and seek His Kingdom and His righteousness in your life, He promises here in these verses that He will take care of all your needs. You don’t even need to think about them. 

I’m here to tell you that you can do the Sermon on the Mount. It starts with a revelation of what the Father has done for you; what Jesus has done for you upon the Cross, and His resurrection from the dead: a revelation of their great love for you: that they would do that for you, even when you were dead in your sins. Once you receive the love that God has for you; once you realize what He has done for you, if you have a heart, you cannot help but love Him, and that love will enable you, by the grace of God revealed in the Gospel to do the Sermon on the Mount, as the Holy Spirit leads you, and in so doing, you will be doing the Father’s will, and your house will be established upon the Rock, and you will be able to stand in the evil day that is coming upon the Earth. I’m going to remind us again of what Jesus said at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, He said, Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, is going into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they that do the will of My Father in Heaven.

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes With Jesus at roberthaymes.com . May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth, Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)

 The Apostles’ Doctrine

Greetings in the name of Jesus! This is Rob Haymes. This is 15 Minutes With Jesus. Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, Jesus said, there am I in the midst of them. To those of you who love Him in truth: mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)

Thank you Lord. We thank you for this program; Father, we thank you. I pray now, Father, in Jesus’ name, that you would open our ears to hear what you are saying; that you would open our understanding, as we speak about The Apostles’ Doctrine. In Acts 2:42 & 43 it is written, concerning the early disciples, And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. They continued steadfastly: the word means, earnest towards, to persevere, to be constantly diligent, to adhere closely to, or to attend continually upon; that’s what we need to do with the apostles’ doctrine. 

I’m going to be speaking a lot from the Epistle to the Ephesians, so if you would like to turn to Ephesians, chapter 1,  Eph 1:1-23, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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. 

He has made us accepted in Jesus by His grace. 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 

The Holy Spirit is given to us as a down payment on our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession. That is the first resurrection, when Jesus returns in the clouds: the hope of glory, when all the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead, incorruptible, and we will be joined together with the Lord, and thus we shall ever be with the Lord.

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 

That’s what we need. We need a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, by the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge of Jesus. 

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. 

Because He humbled Himself, Jesus, to the death of the Cross, the Father has given Him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, in Heaven, on the Earth, and under the Earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Glory! 

Chapter 2, verses 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.

That’s where we were: dead in trespasses and sins.

But God, who is rich in mercy, Hallelujah!, 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,

and remember what we just read, far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named ! Hallelujah! 

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. 

We are not saved by our good works, but, once we are saved, God will give us good works by His Spirit; He will lead us by His Spirit in doing good, especially to those who are of the household of faith, and to the poor. 

Verses 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. 

That is the Church: a holy temple in the Lord; a dwelling place of God. 

Chapter 3, verses 14-21, For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

and this is the only way that this is going to work, you have to be rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

Chapter 4, verses 11-16, And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 

They’re out there: many false prophets. Jesus said, Take heed that you be not deceived.

but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 

Chapter 5, verses 1-11, Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Verses 15-21, See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. 

This is the apostles’ doctrine. If we are going to receive our inheritance, our glorious inheritance in Jesus Christ, we must continue in it steadfastly. These words in the epistles of Paul and Peter and John, and the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, James and Jude, are God’s Words, which He gave by His Holy Spirit. Holy men of God wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. They are God’s Words. It is His doctrine, which He has graciously preserved for us who are called in Him, that we might read it and understand it, with the help and instruction of the Holy Spirit, and give ourselves wholly and diligently to it, that we might be partakers of His grace through the Gospel, and receive our inheritance in His glorious Kingdom: the riches of of the glory of His inheritance in the saints: Christ in you, the hope of glory. Let no man deceive you with empty words, as Paul said, the wrath of God is coming upon all the children of disobedience. In Romans 2, he said,  who will render to every man according to his works. 

2 Cor 5:15, and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Thank you for reading this message from 15 Minutes With Jesus at roberthaymes.com .

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you who love Him in truth, Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)