So the future gets hard … really hard before he makes all things right.  Christ has told how to expect false messiahs, teachers, prophets and others who will capitalize on this to gather followers out of fear.  But our call is to expect such times and to be dedicated to being Christ’s witnesses through the power of the indwelling Spirt with relentless pride in Christ, even at the cost of our loved ones rejecting or killing us.

Our savior is seated in majesty right now until the Father is finished subjecting all spiritual authorities, rulers and powers to him…. And part of our worship is praising and adoring Him in that majesty and authority and patience.

Praise God that He raises us up after death and that we are forever with him.  And may each of us deeply know and love the power of our Great God and his authoritative Scriptures.

God created and appoints governing authorities for a specific work of providing justice and human flourishing.  Both the people of government and the hearts of people must never allow government or leaders to become greater than their role, laying claim on things that belong to God alone such as glory, divinity, becoming a truth absolute, a hope of the soul or using his church.

The leaders of Israel knew who Jesus was and so-loved themselves that they decided to murder Jesus, the Son of God and the prophesied Messiah, to keep the money, power and honor that really belonged to Jesus and the Father.

At a pivotal point, the most central leadership of Israel meets up with Jesus to attempt to trap him.  This time, he turns the tables and calls their bluff, placing them in a spot where they cannot escape their manipulative ways.

Prayer is a core priority for the believer and his corporate people.  In it God communes with his people, granting them prayers, confidence and answers as they strive to align with him, with particular attention to maintaining a heart of forgiveness to all.

In a stunning fulfillment of prophecy, Christ came to “Save us” (Hosanna), but do we understand and value exactly what he came to save us from or do we still love it.

The new life in Christ is marked by radical Christ-worshiping servanthood of others which only flourishes where idols are repented-of and guarded-against.

To every soul on the planet, Christ holds out the offer of new life. It is a life unending, full of abundance now on earth with present suffering, and full of joy, glory and his love after death. But this offer of life is contingent upon yielding the whole of this natural life at the Cross of Jesus.

God made marriage to be the single occasion in creation where two people permanently become one as a man marries a woman. This oneness pictures and gives foretaste to the union all believers will have with Christ in eternity. God loves the gift of marriage and calls us to invest in it.

In Christlikeness, absolute rejection of sin is essential for us. If we loose that rejection/ repentance…. Soften up and find sin in us to be acceptable, then we have lost our essence… we have lost our way… we are living and worshipping worthlessly because we are pro-sin. So, rather than hold pride in your hearts which causes you to fight over who will be the greatest, hold fast to your sin-hating and be at peace with each other.

Christ has joyfully and intensely bound himself to his trusting followers. How we treat them is a direct treatment of Him.

In a unique account we are able to see the displeasure of Christ in not being believed upon by his followers and the surrounding world and his relentless call to be listened to and fully believed.

On the Mount of Transfiguration we encounter numerous things:

• The centrality of prayer in every aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry

• The true physical glories of Christ underlying his human

• Christ’s prominence in having Moses and Elijah to come meet up with him and affirm his coming work in dying and rising

• The Father’s overwhelming affirmation of the identity Christ and message of Christ as being the greater and final revelation of God