BEWARE!

Why would God SAY such a thing??! I mean, what in the world could He have in Mind... Saying such a thing? And WHOM, may I ask, is He Speaking to?; me?; you?; "them"?... WHO?

Acts 13:40 (KJS) Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it [possibly a medical term meaning; confirm medically and prove clinically] unto you.

One astonishing Characteristic of the Living-God [by His Own Declared-Revelation] is that He Maintains that His True Test of a man is --how he TREATS God!--. "What?", you say... "don't you have that the 'round-way-tuther"?" Nope; just so!

In fact, it's God Who keeps trying to Tell man that he "turns things upside-down!" [Is 29:16] For instance: it may not SOUND correct to say that man "IS" as he treats God... but it is.

If a man is impatient with God, do you think he will be patient with other mere creatures?; no! And if a man Loves God, shall he then hate what God has Made [others]?; no. It's simple - basic, even.

Jesus TRIES to Tell us this over & over again, as in: "In your patience [Abiding Endurance] possess [win] ye your souls!" [Lk 21:19]

This is why I contend that no man who has not first BEEN "Rightly- Divided" [as Separated, Holy-Unto-The-Lord by Spiritual Circumcision] can Truly "Rightly-Divide" the [Living] Word of Truth as in 2Tim 2:15.

We see this detailed in the [otherwise] rather "cryptic" Statement in 1Cor 2:15 (KJS) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. {judgeth: or, discerneth} {judged: or, discerned}

Such a man has BEEN "Rightly-Divided", and continues or remains or Abides-UNDER the Discipline, Guidance and Instruction of the Spirit of Holiness and Truth. Is it any wonder, then, that he Discerns by the very Spirit OF Discernment [Truth] "all things", while he, like his Master, becomes more & more an enigma and a Mystery to those who prefer their OWN "judgment" to that of God's? [Spirit to Spirit-IN-us]

Paul says in 2Cor 3:6 (KJS) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: --for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. {giveth life: or, quickeneth} And, further, of the Law [apart or separate-from the Spirit] 1Cor 15:56 The sting of death [is] sin; and the strength [power] of sin [is] the law.

But God Says, "I Will WORK a WORK!": WHAT "Work"? Why the Cross and the Resurrection of course. Will man believe [receive] God's WORK? John 6:29 (KJS) Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the --work of God, that ye --believe on him whom he hath sent [and Resurrected]. Remember what Jesus Said about the conversation between the "rich man" and Father Abraham?: Luke 16:30 (KJS) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, --though one [even Christ] rose from the dead.

"BEWARE!; BEHOLD!; WONDER!; --PERISH!"... Why?... because "ye will in NO WISE BELIEVE!" But the New Testament ADDS a Word here to the Text it Quotes from the Old Testament - from: Haba 1:5 (KJS) Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you]. So where's the "Perish"?

Well, you won't find it in the 'immediate' context... but let's look at verses 11 & 12: Haba 1:11 (KJS) Then shall [God's] mind [Heb.= "Ruach"="Spirit"] --change, and he shall pass over, and offend, [imputing] this his power unto his god. 12 [Art] thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? --we shall not die--. [this is one of the 18 "emendations" {changes} of the "Sopherim" or "scribes", and should read: Who diest not!"] O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. {mighty...: Heb. rock established: Heb. founded} This "altering" or "cleaning-up" of God's Prophet's Statement(s) is literal "man-handling" {man-ipulation} of God's Word.

[Please note here that "Repentance" {"Change of Mind"} is a "Change {or Exchange} of Spirit"... even for God! This sheds some Light on God's Promised Repentance {Change of Spirit} from His Vengeance to His Mercy BECAUSE OF the Cross. Ezek 36:27 (KJS) And I will put {Exchange} --my spirit within you {for yours!}, and {My Spirit-IN-you Will} --cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]. God Performs His Promise [Christ-in-us], by His "Repentance" -or- "Spiritual-Exchange", as we Walk-OUT His Love]

By changing the Meaning of God's Intent [by "putting a 'spin' on it"], man WRONGLY-divides the Living-Word of Truth and SLAYS the Life or Spirit in it! Now dead, man proceeds to "feed" this 'death' to others... IN GOD'S NAME; as though it was Life!

We see this clearly Described by God in Isai 29:13 (KJS) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their --fear toward me is taught by the --precept of men: 14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a --marvellous work among this people, [even] a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise [men] shall --perish, and the understanding of their prudent [men] shall be hid. {proceed: Heb. add} AHA! "PERISH!"

If we Love God we'll Love His Living-Word-Will [Truth]. And if we Love His Word, God will Teach our hearts to Fear Him [as HE Means that] by Direct, Inspired [God-Breathed] Revelation. But if we seek the "honor" or "credit" or "glory" or "acknowledgment" or "society" of man RATHER-THAN God's... well, remember how, it IS with a man; HOW he treats God?? Jesus Put it this Way: John 5:44 (KJS) ---How can ye believe, which receive [seek] honour [identity] one of another [from the creature], and seek not [rather than seeking] the honour [Character, Name] that [cometh] from God [the Creator] only?

Only God Gave you a Spiritual Soul and [mortal] life: Only God Can Give you Resurrected NewLife-IN-Christ, His First-Fruits from the dead! God's Breath [Reality] IS His Life-FOR-us... IN-us. His Word Is Truth!

Jesus Asks HARD Questions! Listen to this which He asked Martha: John 11:26 (KJS) Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. --->Believest thou this?

Here Hangs the Believer's Dilemma! WHAT WILL YOU DIE FOR?: LIFE?, or DEATH? Choose the Cross and "die daily" as Paul States in 1Cor 15:31 and as Jesus MANDATES in Lk 14:27 and Lk 9:23 ------ +or+ choose the "life OF death" which lives AND dies unto Death- FOREVER! [You mean I have to choose my own DEATH to LIVE??]

Save self; Lose GOD! Echo those Haunting Words of both Moses and Joshua as in: Deut 30:19 (KJS) I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you ---life and death, ---blessing and cursing: therefore ---choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Tough Word, "BEWARE!" Oh? Any "tougher" than "PERISH!"?? Nope.

But most folks today won't ["Beware; Behold; Wonder!"], any more than those "folks" who had KNOWN Jesus Face to face; before AND after He Died and Rose Again! Powerful thing, unbelief! Where does it GET it's power?; from SELF!

Folks don't want to HEAR [listen to] Jesus's "TOUGH WORDS" about the Daily Cross, and Repentance, and Self-Denial, and how the "Laying-Down of one's life" for Christ, and the Suffering in His Name are as MANDATORY as they are IMPOSSIBLE "apart-from" [Abiding IN] Him. Well... "Same-ole same-ole!"

"BEWARE!... BEHOLD!... WONDER!......... OR PERISH!" Hmmmm.....