The Power Of The Tongue

This is part of my song " The Power Of The Tongue". The entire song is bible verses. margiewongmusic.com/music 

1 Peter 3:8-4:6New King James Version (NKJV)

Called to Blessing

8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;[a] 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For

“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[b]

1Peter 2:18-23

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,[a] leaving us[b] an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; [c]

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committedHimself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer[d] of your souls.

Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Titus 3:1-11

Hope

New Heavens and a New Earth

17 “See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
    in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
    and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
    will be heard in it no more.

Isaiah 65:17-19

I want to always remember this, that this world we will remember no more. No matter how good or bad times get we will not remember any of it because the glory of God will eclipse all the good and erase all the bad. What a joy, what a hope to have in our Redeemer who lives. That all that we go through here is but for a short time yet all eternity we will be rejoicing and every tear wiped away never to return. 

Isaiah 57:1New International Version (NIV)

57 The righteous perish,
    and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.

Good to Remember

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Pentecostalism

Good Post from facebook:


Michael Houke 11:47am Sep 7
Major errors of Pentecostalism

Characteristics Of the Pentecostal Movement:

1. CULTIC ORIGINS & INFLUENCES - The Word of Faith Movement owes much of its teachings to E.W. Kenyon who was heavily influenced by Mind Science and New Thought Christianity (what became known as Unity School) in the early 1900's.

2. OVERSIMPLIFICATION - Quick and easy solutions to life's problems are offered the believer. There are various "KEYS" or "STEPS" to healing, wealth, financial prosperity, victory in life, etc.

3. ABUSE OF THE BIBLE - A consistent misapplication of Scriptural Texts due to ignorance of Biblical, Systematic, and Historical theology. Analogies, Proof-texting, lack of formal training in Hebrew & Greek all lead to wrong conclusions.

4. FALSE TEACHINGS - WOF teachers promote a wide variety of false teachings regarding Healing, Health, Prosperity, Demons, Salvation and the Atonement.

5. SPIRITUAL PRIDE - Leaders of the WOF REFUSE to dialog with other members of the Body of Christ regarding their teaching. They claim their teachings come by direct revelation knowledge from God and are not subject to human scrutiny.

6. WORLDLY/HUMANISTIC THEOLOGY- WOF presents a distorted vision of God and the Christian life. God is the supplier of financial prosperity, health, and victory when the believer uses their faith. WOF holds the concept that God's children should "eat the best, drive the best, and wear the best." Little emphasis on suffering from Christ, the cross, self-denial.

7. EXPERIENTIALISM - There is a strong emphasis on feeling and emotionalism versus the use of the mind and intellect. Intuitive guidance from the "hidden man of the heart" versus Bible study.

8. HEDONISM - Stress is on man-centered happiness versus God-centered holiness. They strive for heaven-on-earth now. This is evident in their teaching regarding money and possessions. All of the leading WOF teachers are millionaires or multimillionaires.

9. EXCLUSIVISM - Those who do not subscribe to their beliefs are "carnally-minded." They see themselves as "God's Remnant" and/or His "overcomers."

10. POWER RELIGION - The majority of their teachings and conferences center around "power" and the "anointing." There is a stress on teaching the authority of the believer over Satan and demons. Angels are our servants and we are to command them.

11. LACK OF BALANCE - Teachings stress FAITH, HEALTH, WEALTH, GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, DELIVERANCE, SUPERNATURAL POWER, VICTORY. Little theology is taught, no systematic Bible teaching.

Ask Job If Works Can Save

Job 40:6-14-- God’s Challenge to Job
6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

7 “Now prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me:
8 “Would you indeed annul My judgment?
Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?
9 Have you an arm like God?
Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10 Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor,
And array yourself with glory and beauty.
11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;
Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low;
Tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together,
Bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14 Then I will also confess to you
That your own right hand can save you.

Love it. Man cannot through his own efforts or works do anything to merit God's grace, mercy and free gift of salvation. "Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?" How prideful we are to shake our fist at God and tell Him what to do and we don't need Him to be good or righteous. Not one but two Proverbs tell us there is a way that seems right to us but in the end is death (Prov. 14:12, Prov.16:25).  Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away."
 Romans 3:9-11 All Have Sinned
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

10 As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.

Jesus Himself tells us in not one but all three synoptic Gospels that there is no one good but God (Matt. 19:17, Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19)

I admit I shook my fist at God and was angry after the murder of my son. But God is so good, His goodness is so far past comprehending. He still did not leave me or forsake me in my anger and pain. He did not condemn or abandon me up to my own neglect of Him. He stood by me and sent me the help I needed. Gradually I did read His Word again. I am sure I will never fully understand all that happens in life because I can never be omniscient or omnipresent. I have no understanding of the entire picture of the world or universe from beginning to end. But I must trust He does. I had to force myself to read the Bible again and He is so good that every time I read I get insight and gain more strength and compassion, mercy and grace and know He does love me no matter what happens. He does love me. He is good.

Do Not Be Deceived

This is a letter I wrote to my friends in my Bible study who may not understand my passion when I speak up against evangelical, charismatic churches.

Hi all,

http://ivarfjeld.com/2012/10/29/the-deceptive-talk-of-heidi-baker/

Just a little sampling of what the charismatic movement promotes and how deceptive it is and why I am so passionate against it. I too had these "supernatural" experiences and thought, and was taught, that it was the Holy Spirit's work in us. Yet in these churches, and I went to many, there was very little of Jesus and His work for us on the cross. It was subtle and would pull you in and tell you what your itching ears wanted to hear. Yet in reading the Bible I knew that there were so many errors in these teachings and preachers, yet loved my friends even when they encouraged me to get "drunk in the spirit" and go to Benny Hinn and healing services. 

The year Jeffrey died I went to three different churches for Easter and not one spoke of the love of Christ and His atoning death and resurrection for us. Not one. All large congregations being fed error and pablum, how to live a better life, be a better you, be healthy, prosperous, ask and you will receive because you are a child of God. All about you and nothing about Jesus. Jeffrey died three days after Easter and for me the bottom dropped out. My friends had no answers, the pastors had no time for me to console or counsel. I was abandoned, where was the church? Where was my comfort? What happened? To me the charismatics are fair weather friends indeed. They teach a different gospel, one of health, wealth and prosperity and if you do not have these things they have nothing for you. It is not the gospel of Jesus Christ which is one of suffering and shame, resurrection and glory  "and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together" Romans 8:17.  I am passionate against this movement because it leads people astray and pollutes the truth with a lie.

 The video in the link above, is of a woman who I saw with my friends at Jubilee church in San Jose. She is very compelling and I remember when we went to see her speak there was a man who had trouble walking and she did a "healing" by walking him around the church praying (in tongues, of coarse) for God to heal him. I walked around with her and a few others for at least an hour with this man. Was he healed? No. Did they say he was healed? Of coarse, because it is all part of the deception. They prey on the vulnerable and weak, the desperate and instead of encouraging as Paul did by saying Thy grace is sufficient and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” Eph. 1:3. Instead they take out of context Isaiah 53:5 "by His stripes we are healed". They blanket that to mean you will never be sick again and then have all kinds of unprovable examples of "healings" and people risen from the dead but no proof. A kind of urban legend type of talk. They do not keep it in the context with the first part of the statement  "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." In context it is clear this is not about physical healing but rather spiritual healing. Our transgressions, our iniquities, not our cancer or our infirmities. For our peace with God He was wounded, chastised, bruised, what amazing grace. To demote this to just what we can have for the here and now, the physical rather than the eternal is sad to say the very least and again is leading people astray.

I do not write this for pity but rather for awareness of what is out there and the kind of snare the enemy has trapped so much of the church into today. We really need to be sober and vigilant, redeeming the time for the days are evil and more than ever ready to give every man an answer for the hope that lies within us with gentleness and respect. I am still working on the gentleness and respect part. I know God had me in this movement for a reason and season just like when I was a catholic and now I am here. I know that God is sovereign and I can trust Him because He never will leave me or forsake me. He never has, if it were not for the Lord and His grace, mercy and great love for me, I really don't know how I would have survived this world. His grace really is sufficient. His mercy really is new every morning. He really is the strength of my heart and the lifter of my head. Nothing in my hand I bring only to Thy cross I cling.

 I really did not intend this to be so long. If this helps clarify the church today for you and you think it will encourage and enlighten others feel free to forward it along. When I speak up about this it is never with the intention of “my church is better than yours” but rather to be aware of truth and error. The enemy is always prowling around waiting for those to devour it is our job to cast down every argument and stronghold that lifts itself up against the knowledge of God. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." 2Cor. 10:4-6

Thank you for your support and patience,

God bless,

margie

margiewongmusic.com

Psalm 40- Salvation

Psalm 40 New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Persevering in Trial

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

40 I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.

4 Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust,
And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
5 Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works
Which You have done;
And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
My ears You have opened.
Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.”

9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
10 I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.

11 Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord;
Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12 For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
They are more than the hairs of my head;
Therefore my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15 Let them be confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17 But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.

I read this and can't help but meditate on how great a gift salvation is. Nothing we can do can earn us or obtain for us salvation. It is completely by God's will for us, by God's way for us, His gift of love, grace and mercy to us. We cry out and He hears, He heals, He forgives, He redeems, He saves. Nothing in my hand I bring only to Your cross I cling. 

All His work: He inclined to me, He heard my cry, He brought me up out of the pit, He set my feet upon the rock, He established my steps, He put a new song in my mouth. 

That new song is the Spirit in us that sings out Praise to our God, which we can only say when we are redeemed, forgiven and saved. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1Cor.12:3). And why does He do this? So others will see it and fear and trust in the Lord. How will they know if nobody goes, How will they hear if nobody speaks? (Romans 10:14). 

How vital to recognize the importance in following only the Lord, to put no man, woman, sect, denomination, organization or other idols above God and His Word (verse 4).

Again the Psalmist stresses there is nothing he can do to earn salvation. Verse 5 his way sacrifices and offerings. "My ears You have opened...Then I said..." God brings us to repentance, the free gift of faith. Not by any works we can do only by His will.

Then the regenerate, saved heart delights to do God's will. Not to earn anything from God, not for selfish motives, but for the joy of knowing the Lord. 

The Spirit within cannot be silenced. It delights to declare God's righteousness, faithfulness and lovingkindness to all. As on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit arrived with tongues of fire to do one thing- declare the wonders of God for all to hear in their own languages.

Still with all the boldness of the Lord within Him the Psalmist knows he is a sinner and unworthy of God's love and mercy, and bowing in humbleness before God pleads for forgiveness (vs 12 my iniquities).

My favorite verse 16 emphasizes the Lord's working of salvation in life. An ongoing process of sanctification. The "purpose driven life" is all about this, to continually say "The Lord be magnified." Not about me, not any work I could ever do no matter how great it might seem in man's eyes. It could never be greater than this one thing "The Lord be magnified." 

While we are here on this earth we will always be poor and needy. What amazing grace that God still thinks upon us and delivers us. 

It is said we live in an age of instant gratification, but even on this point the eagerness of the heart for God to intervene immediately was a cry in David's heart just as it has been in all hearts throughout time. This one thing never changes. Even so, come Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20).

God's Promise

Psalm 34:11-22New King James Version (NKJV)

11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

Good Facebook Post

God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. We must guard against zeal not according to knowledge.

Tongues have ceased because they have fulfilled their purpose in God's plans.
They were a sign to unbelieving Jews that God was at work, and it was a sign of God's judgment on disobedient Israel. In AD 70 the judgment came. Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jews were scattered. The purpose of the sign of tongues was completed.

One of the most important elements of Bible study is CONTEXT.
One of the most significant points of CONTEXT is recognizing matters that pertain uniquely to national Israel.

In the Old Testament God had warned Israel that when she was disobedient judgment would come. Foreign tongues were a sign of judgment.

Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

Jeremiah 5:15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

Deuteronomy 28:49 The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

It is clear in Acts 2 that "tongues" were known foreign languages spoken by those who did not know those languages, but heard by those who did. 120 Jews were gathered on the Day of Pentecost, 120 Jews from the
scattered regions around the Mediterranean. They spoke different languges, and heard God praised in their native tongue. To the Jews, Hebrew was God's language. They had never heard God praised in a foreign tongue.

The idea that tongues were gibberish or ecstatic language is not taught in Scripture. Frankly it was made up by those claiming to restore tongues in the Church.

I Cor 14:22 tells us that tongues were a sign to unbelievers, specifically, unbelieving Jews. Paul was rebuking and correcting the Corinthians for their abuse of spiritual gifts. He said tongues would cease and they did.

Tongues were known foreign languages spoken by those who did not know the language, but those who knew the language heard God praised in their native tongue. It was a sign to unbelieving Jews that God was at work, and it was a warning of judgment on Israel for Disobedience.
Judgment came and the special sign purpose of tongues ceased.

Scripture does not teach of ecsatatic or gibberish tongues, or of a private prayer tongue, or of tongues for self edification. The Corinthians were rebuked for seeking to edify themselves by boasting of the showy gift of tongues instead of using spritual gifts to edify the Body of Christ.

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Signs and Wonders

(This is in response to a man who asked why people are not performing miracles or signs and wonders today and we are not seeing the power of God.)

Jesus said we would do greater works than these (meaning healings). The greatest miracle is that of salvation. This is happening everywhere everyday. What does it matter if you are healed of a disease yet die in your sin unrepentant. 

Matt. 12:38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

Matthew 24:4 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

2Thess.2 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

You ask why are there no miracles as before, it is in scripture we find the answer in Hebrews 2:3-5 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

God was bearing witness to His word of salvation to the apostles and those who heard Him, with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the  Holy Spirit. He was confirming His Word. 

Today we preach the good news of the Gospel: Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Miracles are great and God is still working them for His plan and purpose, but when the people came to Jesus just for the miracles and begged Him to stay and do more what did he say:

Luke 4:42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” 44 And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Luke 9:59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.”

But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

Luke24:46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.

Matt.2818 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Did you believe because you received a miracle or because you received the gift of faith by hearing the Word of God which led you to repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

The greatest work we can do for the Lord is to preach the Word in season and out, 1Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 

 Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,

And their words to the ends of the world.”

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

We see the power of God everyday, Salvation, Salvation, Salvation. This power lasts for all eternity. This is the greatest gift of all. That God so loved the world that whoever shall believe in Him shall not die but have everlasting life.