To The Highest Bidder (part 2)

By Author: Joyce C. Lock
Total Articles: 85
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The antiquity and general acceptance of an opinion
is no assurance of its truth.
-- Pierre Bayle

Let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written,
That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when thou art judged. Romans 3:4

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ...

Adultery: I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 31:32

But as a wife thou committest adultery; taking strangers instead of her husband! Ezekiel 16:32

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. John 12:43

fornication: doing the deeds of your father instead of our Father. John 8:41

uncleanness: despising government; presumptuous, selfwilled, not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 2 Peter 2:10

We are all as an unclean thing; all our righteousnesses as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

lasciviousness: to work all uncleanness with greediness. Ephes. 4:19

Idolatry: stubbornness. 1 Samuel 15:23

witchcraft: rebellion. 1 Samuel 15:23

hatred: bloodthirsty. ...
... Proverbs 29:10; shedding innocent blood. Ezekiel 35:5

variance: causing division. Matthew 10:35

emulations: casting away.

God forbid ... if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Romans 11:11-15

wrath: The law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15

strife: Some preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will. Philip. 1:15

seditions: a pestilent fellow (a mover of sedition); gone about to profane the temple: judging according to our law. Acts 24:5-6

heresies: false teachings. 2 Peter 2:1

Envyings: slaying. Job 5:2; hating one another. Titus 3:3

They slay the widow and the stranger. Psalm 94:6; the desolate. 1 Tim. 5:5; pilgrims. 1 Peter 2:11

murders: hate toward our brothers. 1 John 3:15

They murder the fatherless. Psalm 94:6; the oppressed. Psalm 10:18; him that had none to help him. Job 29:12

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:5

Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. Deut. 27:19

drunkenness: No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. Luke 5:39

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. 2 Peter 3:5

Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 2 Peter 3:6-10

Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Eccles. 10:17

revellings: Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. Exodus 22:28

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you (persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely), for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:11-12

and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:18-20

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Proverbs 4:23

~ * ~

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions,
I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Acts 17:23

Make sure your devotions are given
to none other than the HIGHEST BIDDER.

For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God
speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Deut. 5:26

~ * ~

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. Neh. 5:5

Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all ... that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Jeremiah 7:1-7

~ * ~

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Luke 3:7

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isaiah 58:6-7

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. Luke 3:8a

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 1 Thes. 5:9-10 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament ... Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:19-25

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Ephes. 5:1-14


© 2005 by Joyce C. Lock
http://our.homewithgod.com/heavenlyinspirations/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.
About the Author Joyce C. Lock is a published author, poet, and columnist. In addition, she founded and maintains the email ministries "Heavenly Inspirations" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HeavenlyInspirations/ and "Share a Smile" http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smilesharing/. Joyce's writings encourage us in our relationship with God and each other.