As saints our reach should always exceed our grasp; that is, we should aim to achieve the very works we sometimes think are impossible to accomplish—like continually producing the kind of treasures we can lay up for ourselves in Heaven (e.g., gold, silver, and precious gemstone—useful works). Living a consistent saintly life is the best way to avoid producing incinerable works (e.g., hay, wood, and stray—useless works).
Anyone who has an ear needs to hear that Christ’s overcomer is not just the run-of-the-mill kind of saint, who gets into Heaven with the smell of smoke on him or her (see 1 Corinthians 3:15). To get the heavenly rewards mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, every saint must be the spiritual conqueror (a more than a conqueror) kind of overcomer—a faithful and obedient even unto death kind of saint.
Resistance—pushback (a negative or unfavorable response)—to the mushrooming real and imaginary national and international crises has invaded America. However, resistance for Christians isn’t the kind of pushback being demonstrated. Christian resistance to the Presidency’s attempt to dismantle democracy is achieved by submitting human will to God’s Will, humbling one’s self before God, and resisting the devil (not yielding to Satan’s temptations).
God uses many Jewish traditional customs as teaching tools. The ancient Jewish Wedding Custom is one of those teaching tools. This traditional Jewish custom definitely is a detailed illustration of the Messiah’s (the Bridegroom’s) marriage to His Bride.
What have believers in Christ done with encouragement or exhortation? It is sad that God’s children do not encourage ALL their brothers and sisters in Christ, when they have the opportunities to do so—sad that so many believers, instead, think it is okay to pick and choose the people they will give support to, give hope to, give help to, show love to, inspire, strengthen, and etcetera.
