CAN THE LORD FEEL YOUR TOUCH?                                                                                     Andy Hollifield 2-17-19

Mark 5:30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

What a story of great faith? Whether it was great faith or desperate faith I don’t know but I do know this; it was enough faith. In her desperate search for a cure for her condition, she had spent all that she had and tried many doctors and had only gotten worse. She had even suffered much at the hands of physicians. Twelve long years she had been searching for a remedy while suffering the whole time. For twelve long years she spent everything she had just trying to get better. For twelve long years she had suffered and for twelve long years, she had all but given up hope of ever being healed. I don’t know what all she had heard about Jesus but I know she had heard enough. She had heard enough that it was worth it to her to take one more chance. It was worth it to fight through that crowd and touch his clothes. She believed if she could just touch his clothes she would be made whole. Verse 33 of Mark 5 tells us that when she touched him, she felt something inside of herself change. She immediately felt the fountain of her blood dry up.

She wasn’t the only one that day that felt a change in themselves. Jesus stopped the crowd and asked who had touched him. In Luke 8, his disciples questioned him for asking because there was a whole multitude that was touching him. This touch had been different. It was a touch of faith. Although he knows everything, he asked so this lady would have opportunity to confess. When all others had denied, she came forward and told him her whole story. She had come fearing and trembling but Jesus told her to go in peace and to be whole of her plague because her faith had made her whole.

While that is a wonderful story of the power of the Lord, that isn’t what I want to focus on. Jesus made the point that he had felt virtue go out of him. Since he told her that her faith had made her whole, I am led to believe that genuine faith gets his attention. One of the definitions of virtue is power. She had enough faith in Jesus to extract power out of his body. My question is this, “Do we have enough faith to extract power from the Lord?” Have we touched him through prayer by faith enough for him to even notice? When was the last time we believed that much and had that kind of faith? Can we touch the Lord by our faith to where he is able to feel it in himself? Do we have enough faith to make our touch any different from all others? We can have. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Just like this lady, her faith in the Lord for what she hoped for produced the evidence of things not seen. No one else had felt it or seen it or knew it to be fact, but she did. Because she is the one that had the faith. Can we touch the Lord by faith enough for him to feel it? Have a blessed day in the Lord!!!

 

FINISHING RIGHT                                                                                                                           Andy Hollifield 2-17-17

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4:7. Very familiar words to anyone that has ever been to a funeral. Usually read-over scripture when you are trying to get to the crown of righteousness in the next verse. We always like to talk about that crown but we don’t want to dwell too much on the fight. Paul never said he won every battle or conquered every foe or rode out every storm fully intact. He just said, “I fought good”. Sometimes we get so wrapped in that crown that we forget that we really are in a fight with a real adversary that is seeking to devour us. This life ain’t a parade ground but a battlefield. It ain’t about marching in a tight little formation all the way to heaven, but its about crawling through a muddy foxhole fighting for the glory of God and trying to win some sin sick soul to the Lord and trying to rescue the perishing and comfort the dying. It’s about facing the storms, and there will be storms, and not losing faith in your God. To be honest with you, when you’re fighting hell by the acre, you’re not worrying about a crown. You’re only concern at that point is survival. Ask a soldier how worried he was about getting medals. He will probably tell you he is proud to have earned them now but at the time he couldn’t care less because he was just worried about the fight. This may rub some folks the wrong way but I am going to say it anyway, it would do us good to focus on the fighting and winning lost souls. Heaven will be there when we get there and right now we just need to be trying to get up a load to take with us.

Paul wrote a lot to encourage Timothy and others. I remember preacher Hanley Milby preaching about wounds and scars one time. I think he was actually preaching about dying on the battlefield. He made a statement about his time in the service I believe in Vietnam. He said he would listen to those young soldiers that hadn’t seen much if any action, talking around the fire at night about what they were going to do to the enemy. He said he noticed some older soldiers sitting off by themselves not saying much and he began to talk to them to find out what it was like. One of them apparently told him that he had trouble sleeping and late at night when the clouds hung low and it was cold, his wounds hurt him. He had been through some battles and some he had won and others he had lost and in some of them he had been wounded. They weren’t prancing around the fire bragging, but they were recalling what it really was to have been in a fight. I had a similar experience with an older soldier a couple of weeks after I had announced my calling to preach. I went to a church in West Asheville where a longtime friend of mine was pastoring. After I went in and the usual pleasantries were exchanged, I figured out that although I still went to church with his kids, pastor Warren Williams didn’t know I was preaching. I have never forgot the conversation that night almost 31 years ago. After the greetings and chit-chat I finally asked him if he had heard that I was preaching. He said no he hadn’t heard but that was good that I was. The next thing he said without even looking at me was “it’s a rough row to hoe.” I thought to myself “thanks a lot man. Way to encourage somebody”. But after a short pause, I heard him chuckle and I looked and saw tears streaming down his face and he said “but it’s a glorious one.” I knew when I saw that, that I was talking to an old soldier that had some wounds that hurt him when it got dark in his life. I also knew that he was just trying to fight good and was satisfied with his captain. He then said “well, you can just preach for us tonight.” That was the first church I ever preached in and now looking back, I’m the old preacher now and I have some of those wounds that hurt me when it is dark and the clouds in my life are hanging low. At those times, I am not worried about accolades and honors or even crowns, I am just worried about fighting good.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” Paul goes on to speak about being temperate in all things and keeping his body under subjection so that (27)”…lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” I believe he was simply saying, ” I want to finish right.” “I have fought good but I need to finish right.” After 31 years of ministry I understand what he meant. I have seen too many things and took too many body shots and got the wind knocked out of me, and had too much heartache to just quit and make it all in vain. The older I get the more I realize that I need to finish right. There are some young kids and other folks that have confidence in me that I can’t afford to let down. There are some old saints and old preachers that have believed in me and helped me over the years and pushed me when I started out that I can’t let down. I have got a God that saved and keeps me that I can’t let down. I cannot let all the grace God has given me and all the victories he has won in my battles be for naught. I hear the footsteps behind me of that next generation walking where I am walking trying to find that old path that I have grown up in (Jeremiah 6:16). I have to keep making tracks so they can have somewhere to walk. I was saved right on the tail end of the days when folks truly worshipped and sought after God. I love the position that God has allowed me to be in. I love getting older in the ministry and seeing all the young folks dedicating themselves to the work of the Lord in whatever capacity they are. I want to be like Paul in the fact that I want to be an example that is fit for someone to follow. I don’t plan to finish for a long long time but when I do, I want to finish right. I truly have come too far to turn back now. What once seemed to be everything to me is just a far distant memory somewhere in my past. I am seeing the glow of that city just beyond a few horizons. I am closer than I have ever been. I am probably better than half way home. The Lord let me write a song when I first started preaching called “One Day Closer Home.” Little did I know then that as I got older that song would become more and more precious to me.

I have had too many prayers answered to stop short of the finish line. I am not working to get saved, I am working because I am saved. I am actually working because he is the most worthwhile part of my life and the only part that doesn’t change. Too many times he has let me walk out of hospitals leaving my doctors in amazement of what he has done. Too many times he has delivered me in storms that I was sure were going to take me down. Too many times he has tied the knot at the end of my rope and given me the strength to hold on and when I lost my grip, he held on to me. Too many times have I seen other folks prayers answered in impossible situations and God made it happen. Too many times have I experienced that perfect peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Too many times has that peace kept my heart and mind when it seemed I was about to lose both. Too many times have I heard of a friend having the “Big C” only to hear later that the “C” now meant clear. Just recently with a daughter of a couple I know. I don’t know her but God delivered way beyond what was expected. Too many times have I seen someone at death’s door only to turn and walk away from it and live a while longer. Too many times have I heard about the “good old days of the church are gone” only to know that my God don’t change and see him show up and show out just because he can. Don’t tell me that God ain’t moving like he used to because I still crave what I seen as a kid and although I didn’t fully understand what I was seeing, I realize now that it is all that I want. God will move like that if we want it bad enough to seek it from him. Programs won’t get it. Preaching and outlines and hours of study won’t get it. We’ve got more education, technology, capability, and tools to serve God with than we’ve ever had and have less power and Spirit of God than at any time in the history of man. It’s not all those things that make us spiritual. It’s dedicating ourselves in prayer and seeking God for everything in our lives and walking it when we get off of our knees. It ain’t matching the first letters of all our words in an outline, it’s matching what we do with what God says do. The only way we can know what God wants out of us is to go ask him. Brother so and so’s latest book or his ancient sermon outlines won’t tell me what God wants me to do. They might help our spiritual growth but there is nothing that can possibly replace getting orders from headquarters, straight from the captain to the chaplain. Too many times I have seen it work when we “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.”(Matthew 6:33).

I guess I better close now but I hope that I have said something under the leadership of the Holy Ghost that will help you watch your walk cause someone else is watching it. Finish right! Have a blessed day in the Lord!!!

 

 

WHO TOUCHED ME?                                                                                                                  Andy Hollifield 2-16-17

As I sat in church Wednesday night, something was said about the woman with the issue of blood touching Jesus. That made me start wondering just how many people did actually touch Jesus. That may sound kind of silly until you stop to think about it. He touched a lot of people but how many people actually physically touched him? That may strike you as an unimportant question but it really isn’t. Touch is one of the five basic senses. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Touching is the only sense that involves anything other than our head and one of only two that involve movement you can see; taste and touch. The rest are stationary senses and the tongue is limited in its movement. Touch is the only sense of our major extremities and again one of only three, including the lips, that are capable of initiating contact. Touch is in my mind the only multi-faceted sense of the human body. It determines firmness of a handshake and softness of a baby’s skin. It also detects temperature and texture as well as pain. The other senses except the tongue, which also detects temperature, texture, and pain, all have one basic function for the most part. A human touch can alleviate or inflict pain. It can also calm and soothe and relieve fear and pain. Touch communicates intimacy such as between a mother and a baby. Initiating touch to another person is a deeply personal gesture. Putting your arm around someone’s shoulder may give comfort or make them uncomfortable. Touching someone’s face is a deeply personal gesture. To put it plain, you have to have a special relationship to hug someone and even more intimate to touch their face. That is far more personal than shaking hands. My point in all this is to say that folks that touched Jesus physically had a special bond that others didn’t necessarily have.

In my study unless I missed someone, I found only probably six and possibly eight that actually touched Jesus in a display of either faith or affection while he was alive. There were a lot that touched him in anger. I will try to highlight the good touches for you. This may not seem too important right now but by the time we are done I think you will see it in a whole different light. I know I did. First was Mary and you have to assume Joseph. The bible doesn’t say that he did but it would be a natural assumption based on the prenatal and early childhood care that he provided for Mary and Jesus that Joseph was an affectionate father. Those two to me were kind of no-brainers.

Luke 2:28 tells us that Simeon “came by the Spirit into the temple” when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to be circumcised. The next verse says the “Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God…” Can you imagine the closeness Simeon must have felt with the Savior at that moment? The fact that he was now holding the Lord’s promised Messiah in his hands as he had asked the Lord to allow him to do. He had actually only been promised to see him so holding him was a bonus.

The next was one of the probable ones, with Joseph being the other one, was the prophetess Anna. The bible only says that she seen him and “gave thanks likewise”. It is quite likely that she worshipped him the same way Simeon had only a moments before. She had finally seen come to pass the very thing that she had dedicated her life to. I have a hard time believing that she would just see him and proclaim him to everyone and give thanks and never hold him. It’s possible but not likely. There is also no record of the shepherds touching him in the manger that night but it is very possible they did. The same can be said for the wise men as they visited him in a house some time later.

I will try to hurry along as much as I can. John 1:29 speaks of his baptism by John the Baptist. Imagine if you will, the honor of getting to baptize the one that brought salvation to the world. Also in the book of John is Mary the sister of Lazarus in John 11:2 and 12:3. She is the one that anointed Jesus body for burial as he was eating with his disciples and Lazarus in their home in Bethany.  She broke an alabaster box of expensive spikenard and annointed his head and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair while she continually kissed them.  Can you imagine the humbleness of her actions and the love for her Savior she must have had to do that? There is a lot of similarities and questions among scholars as to whether or not this anointing in John 12 is the same one as in Luke 7. I personally believe it is Mary the sister of Lazarus in John 12 because they had prepared Jesus a supper, presumably at their home in Bethany.  I believe it is Mary Magdalene in Luke 7 and it possibly took place in the city of Nain, which is the last city named that Jesus had went to. In Luke 7 in the home of Simon the Pharisee, a sinful woman of the city, possibly Nain, also anointed his feet with oil and washed them with her tears and dried them with her hair.  Plus, she had a reputation of a sinful woman and the sister of Lazarus didn’t.  Either way, a lot of the participants were the same and the spirit in which it was done was the same. Also in John 13 is the account of John the beloved leaning on his breast at the last supper.  Another person that touched Jesus.

The last one technically didn’t touch him but (Mark 5:27) only touched the hem of his garment but nevertheless, she touched enough. Jesus said it was her faith that saved her. Also in Matthew chapter 14:35 and 36, many were brought to him that were diseased and desired to touch the hem of his garment and as many as did they were made “perfectly whole”. Aren’t you glad that God don’t do anything part way but they were made perfectly whole.

We also have Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus that took Jesus’ body of the cross and prepared it for burial and put it in the tomb that touched him after his death. That in itself must have been a humbling experience and was a gracious display of love. Joseph had apparently been a long time “secret” disciple of Christ. Matthew 27:57 describes him as a rich man and a disciple. Mark 15 says he was a respected member of council and Luke 23:50-56 tells of an instance where he didn’t consent to the councils actions concerning Jesus. In John 19, he begged the body of Jesus and done the burial in his own tomb along with Nicodemus. In John 3 he had come to Jesus by night and left disappointed by what Jesus had told him. In John 7, it was Nicodemus that reminded his fellow members of the Sanhedrin court that according to the law, a person must be heard before they are judged. Then he appears here in chapter 19 and even provides spices for the burial. Since he is considered as a disciple of Christ, it is obvious that at some point he returned and accepted Christ.

There were many that touched Jesus in anger. It is very likely that since Malchus, the high priest’ servant, had his ear cut off, he may have been the one taking Jesus into custody. We know that Jesus replaced his ear immediately and we don’t hear any more of him. Judas however, kissed the door of heaven that night in the garden and went to hell. Although he was remorseful and tried to return the blood money he had been paid, he never repented to Christ, only in himself. You can repent to yourself and feel remorseful all you want and die and go to hell just like Judas. Unless you repent of your sins to the Lord, you will seal to yourself the same fate as Judas. You have no power to forgive your own sins so it is useless to repent within yourself.

In closing, I want to ask a question; could you be found guilty of touching Jesus? The account of the woman with the issue of blood said that when Jesus knew that virtue had gone out of him he asked, “who touched me?” It goes on to say in Mark 5:33 “But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.” Would Jesus even know if you touched him in a crowd? Something to think about isn’t it? She said in verse 28, “…If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” Unwavering faith yielded impossible results. What others had failed to do, he done without even trying. He can do the same for you. It don’t matter how wrecked your life may seem, you don’t have to go the way of Judas. If you are reading this, God is being merciful and giving you another opportunity to kiss the door of heaven and repent and gain entry. All you have to do is touch him. When you do, he will know it and you will (33) know what is done in you. If you just try to touch him in faith with your prayer of repentance, he will without question touch you and you too shall be made perfectly whole. Have a blessed day in the Lord!!!

 

ACCIDENTAL MIRACLE                                                                                                              Andy Hollifield 2-15-17

Valentine’s Day is a lot larger holiday than you probably think. According to History.com, more than 62 % of Americans celebrate Valentine’s day by giving cards, flowers, gifts, romantic dinners, and more. Lupercalia was an ancient Roman fertility festival but the Christian church chose mid February to celebrate St. Valentine’s day thus capitalizing on the celebratory festivities of the Roman holiday. Claudius II, emperor of Rome banned marriage at one point for young single men believing that single men made better soldiers. One Christian cleric named Valentine was sentenced to death for continuing to perform marriage ceremonies in spite of the ban around 278 AD. One tradition says that Valentine became fond of his jailer’s daughter prior to his death and left her a card that was signed; love, your Valentine. Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as the day to honor the death of St. Valentine. The holiday became linked with love and romance in the 1300’s and also in part because it was believed that bird’s mating season began on February 14th. Some accounts have the tradition of cards being exchanged occurring first in the 1700’s in Great Britain even though some have the first greetings and letters in the 1500’s. The first mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards in the US appeared in the 1840’s and the holiday quickly caught on. It is estimated that 1 billion cards are sent on Valentine’s Day, more than any other holiday except Christmas. Over 35 million heart-shaped boxes are sold each year as well as over 220 million roses are produced for the holiday for a typical year. Americans alone spend almost 20 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day. That is an average of 130 dollars per person per year. The favorite gifts are Chocolate, flowers, and jewelry in that order. The expenditure for jewelry though, can exceed as much as 4 billion annually. Also, some 6 million couples are likely to get engaged on Valentine’s Day. Of course the little, fat, eagle-eyed, archer Cupid is said to be the child of Venus the Roman Goddess of all things romantic love, beauty, etc…

Now that we have wasted a couple hundred words on totally useless information that you are destined to forget, we will move on to other things about the day. In 1919 UPS was started. Also, the first action that a Medal Of Honor was awarded for concluded on this day. In 1929 the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred in Chicago. In 2000, tornadoes swept through southern Georgia killing 18 people. In 1884, fifteen years prior to becoming president, Teddy Roosevelt’s wife and mother die within hours of each other. Finally, something that affects us all, Penicillin was discovered. Sir Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin. Fleming had left a plate of Staphylococcus bacteria uncovered. He noticed later that a mold had fallen onto the culture and had killed many of the bacteria. Thus penicillin notatum (a mold similar to the one on old bread) was born and was introduced to the country on February 14th, 1929. It was introduced as a way to kill bacterial infections. From this one discovery by accident, many thousands of lives have been saved. Diseases such as diphtheria, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, and typhoid fever are just a few examples of bacterial infections. All of which can be fatal if left untreated.

With all of that said, I am thankful that we have a remedy for these types of infections that are caused by microscopic little things that get in your system and can eventually kill you. We still have a bigger problem though. We will take penicillin for these infections caused by bacteria, but we reject the antibiotic that will cure the infection caused by sin. We have a remedy. The second definition of remedy is; something that corrects or removes an evil of any kind. The word remedy is used in the Old Testament three times and not at all in the New Testament. The scriptures in the Old Testament all say without remedy or no remedy. I believe personally that it is not mentioned in the New Testament because the remedy has a name: Jesus Christ! All throughout the New Testament in example after example we find that Jesus is the remedy for sin. Don’t take my word for it, let’s look at some examples:

In John 4, we find Jesus traveling from Judea back to Galilee, a distance of about 70 miles or two and a half days. It is believed that normally Jews took the other route through Perea, east of Jordan, because of their hatred of Samaritans. But Jesus said he must needs go through Samaria. I believe it was because he had an appointment with a particular woman to tell her all things she had ever done. Also a lot of others believed because of her. Sounds a lot like a remedy for the wreck she had made of her life.

In John chapter 8 there is a woman taken in the very act of adultery. The law required that she be stoned. When they asked Jesus what to do, he calmly told them to let the one without sin throw the first one. When he looked again, no one was there. He told the woman that he didn’t condemn her but not to sin any more. From the jaws of death and an angry mob, to walking away with a clean heart and forgiveness of sin. There hadn’t been a remedy like that before.

There was also another woman in Matthew chapter 9. Although she wasn’t sinful, she had been 12 years in her condition and she had spent all her living on doctors but hadn’t got any better but only got worse. We know that she touched the hem of his garment and that was all it took. She had at long last found her remedy.

In 1 Kings 17 we find a widow that was one handful of meal and a little oil away from starvation. No record of her being a great sinner. She was just a mother trying to care for her son when she met God’s man. After her encounter with him, when she dipped her scoop down in the meal barrel that day she got a lot more than she was asking for. She found a remedy for her situation.

In 2 Kings 4, we find another widow with a broken heart and a couple of boys on their way to becoming slaves. When Elisha told them to borrow all the vessels they could find, they did. This woman was even the wife of a prophet that had died, but she had a problem she couldn’t fix so God did. In the face of losing all she held dear, she still believed and trusted God and found her remedy.

I have mentioned several cases from sickness to debt to sin sickness such as adultery to just not having enough to feed her family. God is still a remedy, excuse me, THE REMEDY for all of our needs. What is keeping you from going to the great Physician to get your remedy? No need to set there without enjoying your salvation. Penicillin may have been a miracle cure in 1929 but Jesus puts the MIRACLE in miracle cure. When will you accept the antibiotics and get your remedy? It was no accident that the miracle of salvation took place. God is still offering love and forgiveness today. I hope you have enjoyed the history part of this post but I especially hope you enjoyed the rest of it. He is the greatest Valentine you could possibly have. He is the subject of the greatest love story ever told and he is still saying: BE MINE! Have a blessed day in the Lord!!!

 

HERE; HAVE A TASTE                                                                                                                Andy Hollifield 2-15-19 (KJV)

Did you realize the word “taste” is used in the bible 22 times. The first time it is used was the first time that Israel received manna and described its taste as wafers made with honey. The last time is in Hebrews 2:9 where it speaks of Jesus saying “…that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Isn’t it interesting that both of those verses are talking about life-sustaining bread for God’s people?  Five of those times were speaking of “tasting death.” The word “tasting” is not used in the bible and the word “tasted” is used only 8 times.

Psalms 34:8 is a wonderful invitation and it says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalms 119:103 describing God’s word says, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Those exclamation marks show the excitement of the writer. Hopefully by the time you finish reading this you will be able to put some exclamation marks in your testimony.

Do you remember your first taste? The first time you felt the Holy Ghost settle in on your soul like a thick fog on the water on a dark night just engulfing you. Remember that? It was different from anything else you ever felt. It was kind of a strange but yet peaceful feeling and the moment it left you, you immediately wanted it back. Do you remember that? I kind of thought you would. I bet your mind just went back to that place and time didn’t it? Do you know why? Because you tasted him and he was good. That started a craving that hopefully will never be satisfied until we stand face to face with our Savior. Then, it will be eternally how we will feel just engulfed by his presence throughout eternity.

But until we get there, we have to face tomorrow. The psalmist said that his words are sweeter than honey. Honey gets its sweetness from two simple sugars called fructose and glucose. If we want God’s words to be as honey in our lives we also need to combine two simple things; prayer and his word. If we combine those two, it will sweeten our lives to where we will also be revered by those around us because of our sweetness. Jesus called it being as “a city set on a hill.”  If you think that is good listen to this. Most micro organisms do not grow in honey. Therefore it doesn’t spoil if it is sealed, even after thousands of years. Does that sound familiar to you? That is just like us! 2 Corinthians 1:22 speaking of God says “Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Do you what “earnest” means? Listen to this, you’ll love it. “A portion of something given or done in advance as a pledge of the remainder.” Listen to this one: “Anything that gives pleadge, promise, or indication of what is to follow.” Those are according to Dictionary.com. That sounds just exactly like Jesus’ work on the cross doesn’t it? He gave us that comforter which is the Holy Ghost, as just a little testimony of the remainder of what is to come for us. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” What was that promise? John 3:16 “…that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That was when we got put into the jar by the Holy Ghost. It gets better; Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Did you catch that? “Sealed;” that means we don’t spoil and we stay pure, still sweet after thousands of years. Just as preserved as the day we accepted that promise of the holy Spirit. The Promise? Acts 1:11 “…Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Why would Jesus come back after what we put him through because of our sins? To keep his promise in John 14:2-3 after he told his followers prior to his ascension “I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Do you know where I got all of those answers to the questions I asked? I got them from God’s word. That word that is sweeter than honey in my mouth! That word whereby we were begotten unto salvation (Acts 13:33). Preserved throughout eternity without end. Here; have a taste! Have a blessed day in the Lord!!!