…For the Purpose of Prayer! I Peter 4: 7-10

…For the Purpose of Prayer! I Peter 4: 7-10

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms—I Peter 4:7-10

Praying will keep you from sin and sin will keep you from praying.
Engaging in drugs, Pot Smoking and binge Drinking of Alcohol and Sex addictions will never lead you to an activity of Praying. Engaging in Prayer will never lead you to mind altering influences and addictions. "...Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil..." --Matthew 6:13

The Apostle Peter, in light of the Divine Inspiration of the Holy Spirit,  reminds believers the end of all things is near. In light of such a view of the end of all things, how should the believer and elect of God Live? He gives Two beatitudes to keep the Church focused on Prayerfulness “Be Alert” and Be of “Sober Mind”.

“Therefore” in light of the end of all things is near…”Be Alert” this involves watchfulness against the taunts of the sin cursed self to dominate the believer and Watchfulness against the conformity to the world in rebellion against God, His Son, The Word and the Church in conformity to sin and ungodliness.

It follows, if you are not watchful and alert, you will not dedicate your life to prayer. Indeed, you won’t pray at all! The body of sin will seek its control over you and the taunts of the flesh, the world and the devil will seek to immobilize you and keep you from Praying.

The second, beatitude is be of “Sober Mind” The State Arizona, since it legalized Pot smoking, is now having a Marijuana fest, and I can assure you that those who are smoking Marijuana at that festival are of a mind of stupor and dizziness, none of them will engage in activity of Prayer, they will engage in social highness leading them to being foolish and light headed. Henceforth, it follows, that those under the influence of mind altering drugs and Alcohol will never be of a sound mind to Pray! Nor will they engage in the activity of Prayer.

Not so with the Believer, the Elect of God, they are to guard there life and be alert and of sober mind to preserve a life everyday of prayer, to be in communion continually with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, in light of the view and perspective that the end of all things is near!

The reign of Evil is but an Explosion that passes, and afterward Eternal punishment! Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20

The reign and terror of evil is but an explosion that passes and afterwards the terrors of Evil and Satan will have Eternity of God's  wrath punishing the Evil doers!

Genesis 3:15--15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Romans 16:20--The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Satan's head has been crushed by Jesus on the Cross, the striking of the heal in Genesis 3:15 is the sting of Death that Jesus drank of the full cup of God's wrath for the penalty of my sin, Drank it and yet conquered it in His Resurrection.

The serpents head was crushed indeed, yet the reign of evil and terror seems to haunt us from every age and generation--Why?

I look at the head of the serpent crushed, but the body of the serpent is still wiggling around and writhing in great thrashing, and in this thrashing it takes many casualties and sweeps over with many blows of disaster and destruction.

Hence, whenever the reign of terror seems to strike in evil acts of bombings under the ideologies of hatred for liberty in this country and ultimately against those who believe in Jesus Christ, take heart, Oh!  believer!

It is only the serpents body and tail that seeks to paralyze in fear.

But the terror is only but a temporary explosion, once detonated and it is set off, and the perpetrators of such evil acts of terror are either killed or captured, their reign of terror no more!

Though temporary it was, now is the eternal consequence ever so great and there is no escaping, there is no temporary passing over, but only the fearful expectation of God's judgment!

And such is the consequence in all Holiness, justice and eternal condemnation ever unending smoke of their torment going up forever for all those who chose to follow in the evil acts of unbelief in Jesus Christ.

Such an outcome can only be executed by God, alone, for He says in His word: for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord!

Deuteronomy 32:35:
"It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”

In light of such Evil acts of Terror surrounding us, how then should the believer and Elect of God in Jesus Christ live?

According to the Apostle Paul's Exhortation to the Roman Believers, give a listen:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12: 14-21)

Evil is like a reign of terror in a split second explosion that does its damage immediately, yet once it is in a split second done and finished  the perpetrators of those evil acts will ever experience the eternal explosion of God's wrath--and this will never cease! There will be regret but it will be too late to reverse.

Behold! Now is the day of Salvation, now is the time to repent and believe on Jesus and live a life worthy of the eternal calling--even the elect ones chosen by God!

"For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation." --
(2 Corinthians 6:2)

Jesus my Rock! My unshakable Fortress in shakable times! Psalm 62, Matthew 19:16-19

The great confession of Faith in the person of the Eternal Son of God, reveals  Jesus' Divine Nature!

It is also a confession of Faith to believe in the testimony of His Death on the Cross and Resurrection from the Dead.

The confession of Faith  proves to be a great foundation for which the Church is built upon.

Such a Great fortress is an unshakable fortress to which no threat in this life is ever able to shake or destroy.

It is an unshakable fortress and foundation that endures through the ages!

An unshakable foundation and secure refuge that no power on earth is equaled to, or, can compare with, even in the face of bombs, Explosions, earthquakes and Temporal disasters; ever so unshakable to endure throughout every age and generation!

Psalm 62 declares it is for the purpose of the Glory of God to find rest in God alone!

In this Psalm, David likens God to a Rock, for when you go to look at a Mountain, you cannot help but see permanency!

When you go to the Rock, you cannot help but find God to be a Refuge, a place for shelter and protection from the storms and to be shielded from Enemies.

In this Psalm 62, David contrasts the permanency of God's Eternal Nature as a Mighty rock in contrast to the temporary nature of finite man, who is likened to a mere breath;

both lowborn men are a breath and high born men are a lie, to be weighed on the Scale they amount to nothing!

"9 Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. 10 Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase do not set your heart on them"

Jesus Said to Simon, Peter, you are a rock a stone or pebble, upon The Rock—I will be my Church—The Rock Is Jesus,

He Refers Himself as The Rock! He Was declaring His Divine Nature, that Jesus is the Eternal Son of God in the flesh who is Our Salvation and unshakable fortress and Rock to which we can trust!

Peter declared the great confession of Faith given to him by God the Father, concerning  his view of Jesus, That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God! Matthew 16:16-19.

Have you made this great confession upon the Rock, Jesus is the rock that is higher than anyone on this earth, have you made this great confession of faith and placed the pebble of your life upon the Rock of Salvation--Even Jesus Christ, My Great God and Savior! For Everlasting life!

Psalm 62[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.[b]

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God[c];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”

The Depth of Jesus Drinking the Cup from the Union of His Divine and Human Nature Matthew 26:36-46:

The Depth of Jesus Drinking the Cup from the Union of His Divine and Human Nature Matthew 26:36-46:

The Mystery of Jesus Drinking the cup indeed, flows from His Divine Nature. Jesus’ human nature On the Cross endured great agony, pain, suffering and Shed blood. The person of Jesus on the Cross physically suffered with His blood being shed; hands and feet being pierced with 9”nails; His head bloody from the crown of thorns around His head; His back marred beyond recognition by the scourging He endured; His dehydration for thirst—yet did all this include the Cup He was praying about in Matthew 26:36-46?

The mystery of Him drinking the cup flows deeper to the union of His Divine Nature. In Jesus’s Divine Nature did He truly drink of the cup of God’s Eternal wrath for the penalty of my sin! He fully drank not to the point of being subdued and defeated by it, but to the point of Drinking until there was no more drop to drink of God’s wrath, but fully drank it all! And did He leave not one drop to fall but in fully drinking, He did subdue the cup and He did drink it to the Satiety of the Justice of God’s wrath against my sin for all Eternity. Did He ever drink to please God the Father’s will; did He Drink to fulfill the will of God the Father! And He did drink and submitted to the will of God the Father! In that split second agony of fully drinking of the Eternal.

The cup was an eternal Cup and only He who is eternal was qualified to ever drink of this cup. And The Eternal Son of God is the Chosen one from God the Father to Drink from this Eternal cup. Because Jesus is fully human and fully Divine, In the Person of Jesus, the union of His Divine Nature and Human nature fully drank of this Eternal Cup because He is the Eternal Son of God and the Immortal Son of Man!

I fully surrender to the Mystery of the union of the Divine nature of Jesus fully drinking of the Eternal cup of God’s wrath against my sin and do I fully submit to the mystery of Jesus appeasing and Satisfying the Holy Justice of God’s wrath against me sinful nature in fully Drinking the eternal cup of God’s wrath.

After the drink of the eternal cup in satisfying the Holy Justice of God’s wrath, Jesus was not subdued to eternal defeat by it, but did that eternal cup Satisfy His Eternal Divine Nature and did He ever, on the third day, Resurrect in great victory to now offer Eternal life to those whom God the Father gave to God the Son before the foundation of the world, by believing in His Name and Having life in His Name!

36)Then Jesus *came with them to a place called)Gethsemane, and *said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He *said to them, My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me;)yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40 And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this)cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He *came to the disciples and *said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!” –Matthew 26:36-46

Because of Jesus Christ's Death and Resurrection...

Because of Jesus Christ's Death and Resurrection...

From the Fountain of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ flows this wonderful Creed, without Jesus' Death and Resurrection, the Church would not exist let alone have this Creed! And because of Jesus' Death and Resurrection, I affirm this Creed which flows from God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all three in one, and thus, I believe:

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

He is Risen-The King of Glory: Resurrected and Ascended is Jesus, He is the King of Glory! Acts 10:40-41 Psalm 24: 7-10

He is Risen-The King of Glory: Resurrected and Ascended is Jesus, He is the King of Glory! Acts 10:40-41 Psalm 24: 7-10

He is Risen! He is Risen indeed, My friends!

Believe on Jesus the Messiah, the King of Glory, the Resurrected Savior and Ascended King of glory and be full of great Joy this LORD's Day Resurrection Celebration! May Everyday bring great joy to your life as you Fellowship with Jesus and Enjoy His Resurrected life in you!

The Eternal Son of God in His Divine nature and Human nature, was dead and buried and His Body did not undergo Decay, but 3 days was dead in the tomb hewed out of the clef in the rock--until the Call from God the Father, and the third He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed! Like a bat out of hell he is long, long gone on His Ascended journeys end to take with Him His humanity added to His Divine Nature. Never before did Humanity Share in the glory of the trinity--up until that time, never before was there a human nature sitting at the right hand of God The Father in union with  God the Son's Divine nature!

But in His ascended journey up from His Resurrection on the third day, was the cry to lift up the gates, lift up the Ancient gates, that the king of glory may enter in and take His rightful place of glory that He Shared with God the Father before the foundation of the World, but in union with His glorified Resurrected Human nature--Did God the Son, name His eternal throne with a new name, that the King of glory may sit on His glorious throne, who is the King of glory? Jesus mighty in battle is the king of glory! whose throne is the King of glory, Jesus' throne is the King of glory it is Jesus' throne--never before since His ascension did humanity ever sit on this glorious eternal throne of glory, until the King of glory Sat on it, and who is He who sits of the eternal throne, but it is Jesus Indeed and It is Jesus' throne of Glory!

Acts 10:40-41 reveals God the Father Raising His Son from the dead:
They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

Psalm 24 A Prophecy pointing us to the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus from the Dead and His ascended journey through His glorified body back to the eternal Throne of Glory--the glory that God the Son Shared with God the Father before the foundation of the World; yet, now in His Resurrection and ascension there is added to His eternal Glory the resurrected glory of His Humanity in union with His Divine Nature. The Glory of His Divine nature is now in union with the Glory of His Resurrected Human nature glorified and resurrected, indeed!

What a testimony to Jesus, the king of glory strong and mighty in battle coming back from His victorious battle to open the Ancient Doors that were once locked shut tight!

Only one person was ever qualified to open such ancient doors throughout all of History from the foundation of the world, only one--Jesus, He is the King of Glory! He is the only one who holds the keys of David to open the Ancient Doors, the King of Glory! Jesus mighty in battle broke open wide the jaws of death and the sin nature that had its mighty grip on me; opening the Ancient doors where no one could ever open--But Jesus, mighty in battle, truly opened them in His resurrection and Ascended Journey back to His Glorious throne to sit and turn to God the Father and Say, "I have completed the work you gave me to do, and I lost not one of them you gave me to Save! Here they are written in the palms of my nail Scarred hand"

Psalm 24: 7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty— he is the King of glory.

You Cannot Wash the Feet of others, unless your feet has been Washed by Jesus! John 13:1-5

You Cannot Wash the Feet of others, unless your feet has been Washed by Jesus! John 13:1-5
Thursday March 28, 2013 is Holy Thursday, the night before good Friday, where Jesus gets up from the meal to wash the feet of His Disciples. Jesus washing the feet of His Disciple is most significant for the believer to be made Holy; without it, you cannot be made holy! Jesus’ washing the feet of His Disciples reveals the way to be cleansed and made holy and purified in His Blood alone!

Go to the fountain of the cross where Jesus’ blood runs down from the crown of thorns around His head, down to his face, running down His body, down His feet; where the fountain of His blood flowed; go to the fountain of His shed blood and let His blood cleanse your soul. Let Jesus wash the feet of your soul that He may cleans you, for unless you are cleansed by His blood, you can never wash the feet of others. You must let Jesus Wash your feet in His Blood Shed on the Cross, alone!

When Jesus came to this world He emptied Himself of all but love and Left His Eternal Glory with the Glory He Had with God The Father before the Foundation of the World. The Apostle Paul Says, He emptied Himself taking on the form of a Servant:
"6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:6-8

John the apostle records the time setting before Jesus washes the feet of His Disciples—It was before the Passover Festival. This Festival signified Deliverance from the Angel of Death; by Sprinkling the Blood of the Lamb on the top of the door post and the sides of the Door posts. This painting of the blood of the lamb, was a type of the benefits of Jesus' death on the Cross; His blood shed painted on the wood of the cross would provide eternal deliverance from the Angel of Death! What a vivid picture of the Cross: the blood of the Lamb was painted on the door posts, before the Angel of Death past over and Israel Left Egypt. They did this on each of their doors, in order that the Angel of Death would Passover the house and not kill the first born from every family of Israel—Yet Jesus, the Lamb of God, His blood would be Shed on the Cross, and He is the Only Begotten Son of God, who drank fully the penalty and cup of God’s Wrath and drank the full cup of eternal anguish of God's Wrath on behalf of His Church, the bride, the elect.

John the Apostle also, reveals Jesus’ Intuitive Knowledge of what He was facing and Time perspective and Plans—“Jesus knew the hour had Come” What was the hour? The hour was the Cross where He would indeed Drink the cup of God’s Wrath—the ultimate example of the bond servants nature was seen in Him being served from the Cup to drink of the cup of God's wrath--the ultimate sentence of Death, not for the benefit of Himself, but for the Benefit of those whom the God Father Gave to Jesus before the foundation of the World that He may, on their behalf, suffer for them and drink Indeed, of the Cup.

The Shed blood of Christ is the purifying water that cleanses our soul, the Cross was the ultimate act of Jesus washing the feet of His Disciples, indeed, of all the Elect and Chosen Bride of Christ, the Church.

John the Apostle in John 13 also reveals Jesus joyful anticipation of Glory and looking beyond the cross with Great joy and excitement to leave the world and go back to the Father and enjoy the Glory He once shared with the Father before the foundation of the world, not for Himself, but to bring with Him, His elect Bride, the chosen, whom the Father gave to Him before the foundation of the world, that they too may share in the glory that He had with the Father before the foundation of the world. Thus, with this background in mind, Jesus got up and washed the feet of His disciples, having great joy of serving them, for He had great joy with the thought of serving them to bring the church, His bride, the elect chosen, the many son's into the intimate fellowship and glory of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 53:11-12 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

While the devil was at work in prompting Judas to betray Jesus, John reveals Jesus' intuitive Knowledge and Sovereignty over the Devils schemes and workings; The Apostle John revealed the Sovereignty of God the Father's Power and authority given to Jesus where all things, including the workings of the Devils prompting and evil running it's full course by having Jesus being delivered by the hands of wicked men to be crucified.

Even under such agonizing and oppressive circumstances, Jesus knew that all this activity was under His power and control. While it seemed according to man, that things were breaking down for Jesus and evil was out of control running its full course, only for it to be defeated at the cross, for Jesus would have His ultimate victory over Sin, Death and the Devil--in His Shed blood, Death and Resurrection. In such circumstances, John reveals That all authority and forces would meet it's demise and be under Jesus Power by way of the Cross.

John writes this by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit; In the revealing of the Ultimate victory that all things are under Jesus’ power by eluding to Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension when John writes:” Jesus knew that Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;”

All this said and understood by John the Apostles eyewitness account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. John reveals the intuitive Knowledge of Jesus and Jesus’ whole Sovereign perspective and mission coming to its final end and completion; with all this going on in Jesus' mind, John the Apostles bears eyewitness to the next shocking act Jesus did:

Jesus Gets up!...to wash the feet of His Disciples; to not only set an example for His disciples to follow, but to induct His disciples into being a part of Jesus’ death and resurrection--by Jesus washing their feet, He was making His disciples a part of His life and reminding them that on their behalf, He would ultimately reveal His selfless love, in having His Body broken and blood shed that they would eat of His body and drink of His Shed blood and be baptized into His Death and enjoy the benefit and blessing of His Resurrected life revealed to them.

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet- John 13:1-17:
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.