Kyle Whisnant, Becky Whisnant, and Family 2015

God IS

God said:
"This is what the LORD (Yehweh) says ~ Who formed you in the womb: "I Am the LORD who has made all things, who ALONE stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by Myself."
Isaiah 44:24

Jesus ~ God the Son
"... God has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word." Hebrews 1:2-3

Jesus spoke often in gentle words of humility. These words should not lesson our understanding of Who He is. They should greatly exalt our view of Him ~ and our devotion to Him.
"Christ Jesus ~ Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death ~ even death on a cross."
Philippians 2:5-8

Jesus Christ ~ apart from Me
there is no God. There is none besides Me. Turn to Me and be saved all you ends of the earth, for I am God ~ and there is no other. (Isa 44:6, 45:5, 21-22)

Jesus God in the Flesh

"This is what the LORD (Yehweh ~ GOD) says ~ Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
'I AM the FIRST and I AM the LAST. Apart from Me there is no God.'" Isaiah 44:6
This is what Jesus said:
"Do not be afraid. I AM the FIRST and I AM the LAST. I AM the Living One. I was dead, and behold I Am alive for ever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Revelation 1:17-18

 

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'I MYSELF will search for My sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after His scattered flock when He is with them, so will I look after My sheep... I MYSELF will tend My sheep and have them lay down.' declares the Sovereign LORD.'" Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15
Jesus Christ said:
"I Am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11
When Jesus said this He knew the ancient prophecies about Himself, including Ezekiel. He said there was only one flock and one Shepherd. Ezek 10:16
Peter refers to Christ:
"You were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:25

E:60 Penny Hardaway (Full Feature HD)

Read the Word, Learn the Word, Know the Word

If when some one finally comes to see for themselves what the preacher preaches and does, you better make sure what you do is Biblical. 

Never Avenge Yourselves Leave the Wrath To God

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Let God Take His Wrath Upon Those Who Sin Against Him

Charles e Whisnant, Pastor/Teacher

Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.

Never 3361 yourselves 1438 avenging 1556 beloved 27 but 235 give 1325 place 5117 to wrath 3709 it has been written 1125 indeed 1063 Mine (is) 1473 vengeance 1557 will repay 467 says (the) 3004 Lord 2962

KJV: Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18; 1 Samuel 25:26,33; Proverbs 24:17, 18, 19,29; Ezekiel 25:12)

Never - The English definition of never is not ever; not at any time; at no time. It refers to the past or the future.

Beloved (27) (agapetos from agapao = love; agape) means beloved, dear, very much loved.

Do Not Take revenge (1556) Webster's) = to avenge (as oneself) usually by retaliating in kind or degree; to inflict injury in return for (revenge an insult); To inflict pain or injury in return for an injury received. Revenge is an action of inflicting harm or damage on someone else in retaliation forharm or damage inflicted on you., _{http://www.yourdictionary.com/revenge}

Vengeance is something done in revenge. punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense; retribution - the dispensing or receiving of reward or punishment especially in the hereafter . Payback, resprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge. _{http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vengeance}

Forbidden Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 24:29; Romans 12:17,19; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9

BUT LEAVE ROOM FOR THE WRATH OF GOD:

But - Here Paul presents the Spirit enabled, supernatural contrast.

Give place unto wrath.—It seems best to understand this of “the wrath of God” (indicated in the Greek, here as elsewhere, by the use of the article). Stand aside yourself as a mere spectator, and let the wrath of God have free course to accomplish itself as He shall think well. The other most plausible interpretation would be, “Give room to the wrath of your adversary; let it spend itself; resist not evil,” etc., as in Matthew 5:39. The sense, “Allow time for your own anger to cool,” cannot be got out of the Greek. The view first stated is to be preferred.

Wrath (3709 to swell. conveys the picture of a swelling which eventually bursts, and thus describes an anger that proceeds from one’s settled nature. Does not refer to uncontrollable anger to which men are so prone but to God's settled indignation and controlled passionate hostile feeling toward sin in all its various manifestations. Settled indignation means that God’s holiness cannot and will not coexist with sin in any form whatsoever Is not the momentary, emotional, and often uncontrolled anger (thumos - 2372) to which human beings are prone. Is used primarily of God's holy, righteous wrath but occasionally refers to the wrath of men (see Ephesians 4:31)

FOR IT IS WRITTEN: (Deuternomy 32:35 Proverbs 25:21,22 cp Matthew 5:43-47)

For (gar) is a term of explanation = always pause, ponder and query "for" when it is used as a term of explanation, relying on your Teacher, the Spirit, to give you illumination to the meaning of the text and context.

It is written -God said it, that settles it, whether I believe it or not! It is written should put a stop to every complaint or excuse.

Written is in the perfect tense (gegraphtai) which emphasizes the lasting and binding authority of that which was written. It has been written at some point in time in the past (cf Lv 11:44, 19:2, 20:7 were originally inscribed with a stylus by Moses probably on clay tablets under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit circa 1500BC) and it "stands" written.

VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY, SAYS THE LORD: (Ro 13:4; Deuteronomy 32:35,43; Psalms 94:1-3; Nahum 1:2,3; Hebrews 10:30

Do not be deceived, (present imperative + negative ~ stop being deceived, implying some already were being deceived - remember too that when we are deceived, by definition we don't even know it!

The natural instinct is to answer enmity with enmity, and kindliness with kindliness. There are many people of whom we think well and like, for no other reason than because we believe that they think well of and like us. Such a love is really selfishness. In the same fashion, dislike, and alienation on the part of another naturally reproduce themselves in our own minds. A dog will stretch its neck to be patted, and snap at a stick raised to strike it. It requires a strong effort to master this instinctive tendency, and that effort the plainest principles of Christian morality require from us all. The precepts in our text are in twofold form, negative and positive; and they are closed with a general principle, which includes both these forms, and much more besides.

I. We deal with the negative precept.

'Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto wrath.' Do not take the law into your own hands, but leave God's way of retribution to work itself out.

II. Take the positive, -- Follow God's way of meeting hostility with beneficence.

The great object which every Christian man is bound to have in view is to win over the enemy and melt away misconceptions and hostility. It is not from any selfish regard to one's own personal ease that we are so to act, but because of the sacred regard which Christ has taught us to cherish for the blessing of peace amongst men, and in order that we may deliver a brother from the snare, and make him share in the joys of fellowship with God.

III. In all life meet and conquer evil with good.

It implies that in all our lives we have to fight evil, and that it conquers, and we are beaten when we are led to do it. It is only conquered by being transformed into good. We overcome our foes when we win them to be lovers.

Love that is Biblical

LET LOVE BE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY: e agape anupokritos: 

 (2Samuel 20:9,10; Psalms 55:21; Proverbs 26:25; Ezekiel 33:31; Matthew 26:49; John 12:6; 2Corinthians 6:6; 8:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 1:5; James 2:15,16; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:8; 1John 3:18-20 )

Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them (TLB)

Don’t let love be a mere outward show.  (JNT).

Let love be genuine (GWT).

Don’t just pretend that you love others. (NLT)



It is not surprising that Greek literature throws little light on its distinctive NT meaning. Biblical agape love is the love of choice, the love of serving with humility, the highest kind of love, the noblest kind of devotion, the love of the will (intentional, a conscious choice) and not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship. Agape is not based on  pleasant emotions or good feelings that might result from a physical attraction or a familial bond. Agape chooses as an act of self-sacrifice to serve the recipient. From all of the descriptions of agape love, it is clear that true agape love is a sure mark of salvation.

Agape love does not depend on the world’s criteria for love, such as attractiveness, emotions, or sentimentality. Believers can easily fall into the trap of blindly following the world’s demand that a lover feel positive toward the beloved. This is not agape love, but is a love based on impulse. Impulsive love characterizes the spouse who announces to the other spouse that they are planning to divorce their mate. Why? They reason “I can’t help it. I fell in love with another person!” Christians must understand that this type of impulsive love is completely contrary to God’s decisive love, which is decisive because He is in control and has a purpose in mind. There are many reasons a proper understanding of the truth of God's word (and of the world's lie) is critical and one of the foremost is Jesus' declaration that "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love (agape) for one another." (John 13:35).

Agape is God-like love motivated and energized by God (Romans 5:5, Gal 5:22)  and which loves regardless of the circumstances, a deliberate love that decides (enabled by the Spirit and grace) it will keep loving even if it is rebuffed and a love that centers on the needs and welfare of the one loved and will pay whatever personal price is necessary to meet those needs and foster that welfare. We are challenged to live out this highest form of love and to do so with the highest sincerity. How could this be possible except that it be a supernatural endowment?

Our love is to be genuine, not counterfeit. Don't pat another believer on the back and say something that you don't mean. What does this non-hypocritical love look like? Counter to what many seem to believe, it is not "soft" on evil. In context agape abhors evil and clings to good. The mark of love is to hate evil and to hold fast to what is good.