There are no Jews, no Greeks, etc (people of the church)

The church was established by Jesus. We worship God because of Him. During the Roman regime Emperor Constantine established a state church because he saw a vision of Christ. From then on if anyone decided they wouldn't become a Christian they would be put to death, However this cuts the against the grain of what God wanted. And with a church like this even if there is growth, the people become robots rather than growing in Christ to understand the love of and for God. But what Christians forget is that we are no better than anyone else, whether Roman or Gentiles. (Romans 3:9) and the bible speaks to all of us..Just as Christ called to His followers (Matthew 4:20-22) He calls to me and others. And He exhorts me to forget the past and follow Him. (Matthew 8:22)

I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD

• God tells me to have no others before Him. That includes well-meaning family, church friends and family, spiritual writers, and those who by their actions are God's children. God tells me that if I choose to put these ahead of Him rather than acting as His child, His princess, His yoke then I am being disobedient and not acknowledging that He is the one true God. (Duet 32:39) God tells me that when I focus on others; will for my life, it is much like the Jews focusing on the Temple and the legalism there. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD

I also like to think of God as always being there for me, even when friends and family turn against me. (Job 19:19) And so He always looks with favor and is not ashamed of me when I fail but looks at me as His. He is the one who is in control and it is He who decides what the most fitting reward (inheritance) for us is, (Ps 47:4, Ps 78:68) And we are told to choose to love our brethren, especially in the house of the Lord, for these are His children. There are times when judgment has come on me and it hasn't been pretty. (Isaiah 30:30) But when I see what a mess I have done and a On the other hand He has inflicted diseases or allowed diseases to occur with those that enjoy sinning and will not follow Him. (Gen 12:17)

Who is God ,,,, All Hail the Power (part 13)

God promises to totally defeat His enemies. (Isaiah 20:3, Exodus 15:9) It's because they refuse to repent and realize who He is and how powerful He is. And one of the reasons the Isrealites were taken prisoners by the Assyrians and Babylonians and were sacked by the Romans was that the prophets who came with messages from God were killed by them.(Acts 7:52) And this disbelief culminated with Jesus and with Jesus' death our sins were taken away and all people were given hope of salvation and eternal life if we make Him our Lord. (Isaiah 6:7). It's because of this hope I rejoice. (Psalm 119:162). And God rewards me for standing strong and will continue to do that. (Luke 11:22) And He is faithful and His children are faithful otherwise how could He judge those who are evil? (Romans 3:6) While we were yet sinners He sent His Son to die and rise again. (Romans 5:8) And we are a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17) So we are exhorted to put off our old ways (Ephesians 4:22-24) and find renewal in Him. (Colossians 3:10) My old ways, our old ways, lead us to compete for God's favor. But it's God's grace that lead to my, our, salvation, not what we've done. (Acts 15:11). The LORD promises me and all that He comes to give me and us life. (John 10:10) And what I must realize is two promises: 1) All of His sacrifice and suffering, all of His life is for all of our sakes (Romans 4:25) and 2)We will be saved. (Isaiah 53:11)

Who is God? (all hail the power.... part 12)

But let's not be fooled. As merciful as God is, He still will and cannot look upon sin. In fact, since the beginning this has been so, which is why He banished Adam and Eve from paradise. He, as Deuteronomy 31:17, describes, hides from sinners, that is those whose lifestyle is such that they have chosen that sin is far preferable to trying to live an upright life. And this is the reason life on earth is full of pain (Isaiah 1:15) ALL life while the separation exists between earthly life and life in paradise. This includes people who have accepted Christ and put Him on in baptism. Nothing is further from the truth to assume that all will be rosy for a Christian once His. In fact that's when the warfare begins and the only weapons that God provides us with to combat Satan is putting on the armor of God in prayer and standing firm that God is faithful. (Ephesians 6:10-14) We are His, nothing changes that, but we must act like we are His. We are told to honor Him, (1 Samuel 2:30) to have faith in Him (Mark 11:22), and stand (Ephesians 6:14-17) and know that God will see us through, although as in Psalm 22:6 and again in Matthew 27:29, we will be despised by people. Where after all is our treasure, but in God? (Mark 6:21) And He and His Son give to us freely. (John 10:14-18)

Who is God? All hail the power (part 11)

God chooses us. God chooses our leaders. They may not be our choice but He chooses them because He loves us and because He wants us to learn righteousness and justice. (2 Chronicles 9:8) And that goes for bad leaders, dangerous leaders, leaders with no back bones as well as those who are strong and gracious and fair to all. He wants us to learn to be respectful of our leaders no matter what. (1 Timothy 2:2) In this way we learn that He is really the one in control, and that there is nothing our leaders, good or bad, can do that He doesn't know about or can't counteract. Simply put, He loves us. And in doing this others who aren't Christians can see the great love of God for His people when gracious and loving leaders are put in place. (2 Chronicles 2:11)

Who is God? All hail the Power... (part 10)

God also provides me with comfort from people, as he provided a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24:67. He provides those that will look after me always, emotionally, spiritually and even physically. I have so many friends that I have called upon for advice when I am emotionally confused and physically incapable of performing functions around the house. He has also provided those who give me spiritual strength. And He has provided me with those to whom I feel no one can compare, favorite friends that I will always run to when I need them and who know they can do the same with me.