Believe According To God’s Word

He that believeth on me, as the scriptures hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. John 7:38. It is of most importance that we know who Jesus is in order to properly believe in Him! We do not arrive at His true identity by the opinion of man or by tradition handed down by various religious groups. The Lord said in the text that we must believe in Him "as the scripture hath said." This is a challenge to every honest heart that we lay aside our human ideas and look into the holy scriptures and see what they have to say about this man of mystery. (John 8:23-24). As we take a look into the pages of the Old Testament it would be good to mark these following facts: Not one time can we find where any of the prophets ever spoke of the Trinity! Not one time is the term "persons" mentioned in connection with the Godhead! The Holy two or Holy three are never mentioned! On the other hand we can read where the prophets spoke often of the Holy One . . . but never the Holy two. We read where God spoke of being alone, no God with me, no God beside me, no God after me . . . I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me . . . (Isaiah 45:5) I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour. (Isaiah 43:10-11). We gladly tell you today that some 2000 years ago the Almighty God of the Old Testament became man! The One Lord of all eternity came out of his place and tread upon the high places of the earth (Micah 1:3) God was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14) . . . He preached to the Gentiles, He was believed on in the world and was received up into glory. (1st Timothy 3:16). Yes, the Lord God of the Old Testament is the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament! Jesus Christ is King Emmanuel which means "God with us." (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23) The New Testament tells us that "God laid down His life for us . . . (1st John 3:16) God purchased the church with His own Blood. (Acts 20:28) Truly "God was in Christ" reconciling the world unto himself . . . (2nd Corinthians 5:19). It is no wonder that Thomas called Jesus "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28) Jesus is the true God and eternal life. (1st John 5:20) Praise Him! We ask you today to consider this man that was a stranger in His own world! He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:10) Examine this verse closely . . . There was someone in the world that the world didn't know! The very creator was among men and they knew Him not! He was in the flesh (1st Timothy 3:16, John 1:14) and because he ate, slept, drank, they thought He was only the carpenter's son . . . I thank God because He was the great "I AM" as He stated Himself! He said to the Jews in explaining why He had seen Abraham . . . Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:56- 59) The Jews well knew that the words "I AM" was God's Name to Moses in the long ago. (Exodus 3:14) Truly the man of mystery! Never man spake like this man . . . (John 7:46) He told men of their thoughts and answered questions that were never asked! How great and how wonderful is Jesus, the Lord of lords and Kings of kings, the blessed and only Potentate . . . Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light . . . (1st Timothy 6:14-16). What a shame for men with an open Bible to say that Jesus is only the Son and the second person in the Godhead! How can men make such statements when His word speaks back in no uncertain terms saying, "I (Jesus) am the first and the last." (Revelation 1:17-18) How can men scoff when we declare that Jesus is the Father, The Mighty God and the Almighty? The prophet Isaiah spoke many years ago and told the world that the coming Saviour would be the Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace . . . (Isaiah 9:6). When Jesus met John He said unto him, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:7-8). Indeed it is sinful for any undertaking to be made by mortal man to take away from Jesus Christ that which is His! For men to teach Him to be less than what the Word concludes Him to be is unholy and unacceptable in God's sight! When God became a man some 2000 years ago He was wrapped in human flesh, He was born of the virgin Mary, was called the Son of God . . . As a man He ate, slept, drank, prayed and asked questions. As God He fed the hungry, never closed His eyes to sleep, gave to the thirsty living water, answered His own prayers and answered unasked questions! Do you know Him today? Is He the chief cornerstone? (Ephesians 2:20) Is He the head of the corner? (Acts 4:11) Is He the one and only source of salvation? (Acts 4:12). Think of the time when His disciples humbly asked Jesus to show them the Father! (John 14:8) They said they would be satisfied if He would do this for them! Did the Master mislead them or tell them wrongly? Did He only speak in a parable to keep them guessing? Certainly not! Jesus plainly said, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? (John 14:9) I challenge you today to read these verses with an honest heart and then deny Jesus being our heavenly Father! He is the image of the invisible God . . . (Colossians 1:15) and in HIM dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:8-10) God is a Spirit . . . (John 4:24) He is eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God. (1st Timothy 1:17) Jude spoke of the only wise God our Saviour . . . (Jude 1:25). This Holy God that fills the heavens and the earth (1st Kings 8:27) visited the world below many years ago in the form of a man, His Son, made of woman under the law. (Galations 4:4) The Bible doesn't teach that Jesus pre-existed as a "Son" from the foundation of the world! He pre-existed as the "WORD" which was God . . . (John 1:1) The WORD (God) was MADE flesh . . . (John 1:14). He walked the shores of Galilee as man and God! Not two persons but one person . . . Humanity and Divinity united in one person, The Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory. (1st Corinthians 2:8, 1st Corinthians 15:47) Jesus is the one absolute supreme being in the Godhead! He is the Father, Son and Holy Ghost! He is the head of the church, the lily of the valley, the root and off-spring of David. He is the healer of all diseases, the consolation of Israel and the Bridegroom soon to call for those that wear His Name. Let me urge everyone today to read the scriptures with an open mind and see for yourself that Jesus is the Holy One! Examine the word of God and see that JESUS is the NAME of the Father and all blessings reach us in His Name. When you center your whole mind and attention on Jesus, then you acknowledge the Father! (1st John 2:23) To understand Jesus to be the one and