"1Behold, what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. "
Do you not realize, Beloved, that you have been adopted into God's family?:
"15For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8: 15-17)
This adoption is not just any "sonship", though, because God sees us as "joint-heirs" with Jesus our Lord and Savior.
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8: 29)
and
"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn
from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1: 18)
and then
"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first
begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," (Revelation 1: 5)
Jesus is the first begotten, but we who believe on His name are also begotten from death into life, and so we are brethren with Christ Jesus, seated in heavenly places with Him.
For this reason, John writes:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
With this full understanding of God's love, then we can know and believe:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
You are God's child forever, because God gave us His Son. Do not fear!
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Behold His Son, Become More Like Him
"But we all,
with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
The more that we know Jesus, the more that we understand and rest in His thoughts, His feelings, and see who we are in Him, then the more we are like Him:
God's plan for everyone of us is to be more and more like Jesus His Son:
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8: 29)
We are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18).
God sent His Son, who brought with Himself grace and truth (John 1: 17), and grace and truth are two sides of the same blessed coin, joined together in Christ.
As we see more of Jesus in the Word, as we know Him more, we are transformed from glory to glory, for Christ in us is the hope, the certain expectation of God, that is Christ (Colossians 1: 29).
"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1)
Behold Jesus, know Him more, and this you become more like Him.
The more that we know Jesus, the more that we understand and rest in His thoughts, His feelings, and see who we are in Him, then the more we are like Him:
God's plan for everyone of us is to be more and more like Jesus His Son:
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8: 29)
We are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18).
God sent His Son, who brought with Himself grace and truth (John 1: 17), and grace and truth are two sides of the same blessed coin, joined together in Christ.
As we see more of Jesus in the Word, as we know Him more, we are transformed from glory to glory, for Christ in us is the hope, the certain expectation of God, that is Christ (Colossians 1: 29).
"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1)
Behold Jesus, know Him more, and this you become more like Him.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Even if You Feared, Continue to Behold the Son
"And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with
Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob
were twelve:" (Genesis 35: 22)
Reuben, whose name means "Behold the Son", was the first born of Israel. When he slept with one of his father's concubines Bilhah ("Fear"), then he lost his first-born birthright:
"Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
Reuben, whose name means "Behold the Son", was the first born of Israel. When he slept with one of his father's concubines Bilhah ("Fear"), then he lost his first-born birthright:
"Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
"Unstable as water,
thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then
defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch." (Genesis 49: 3-4)
In the same way, to the degree that we sleep with fear instead of "Beholding the Son" Jesus, then we find ourselves stagnant instead of excelling in our lives.
Despite the shameful incest perpetrated by Reuben, the Holy Spirit communicates to us that Reuben did not cease from being a son of Jacob: "Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. . ."
In the same manner, the Love of God has already transformed us from dead in our trespasses to alive in Christ (Ephesians 2: 1) and has made us Sons of God:
"15For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8: 15-17)
Clearly, it is God's love which transforms us into sons of God:
"1Behold, what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the
sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)
The Holy Spirit witnesses to us that we are righteous because of what Jesus has done for us (John 16: 8-11)
When we feel afraid, we should feel neither ashamed nor pressed to do something about it because we have cut ourselves off from God, for nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8: 38-39)
We cannot lose our sonship, our standing in Christ, because we never earned it. Instead, continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), and keep on receiving His gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace in your life (Romans 5: 17).
Even if you "sleep with fear", keep "Beholding the Son", and He will cause you to excel, even through your greatest sins and failures.
Friday, September 27, 2013
His Thoughts Are Full of Shalom for You
"For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of
evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29: 11)
"Weeping Prophet" Jeremiah shared this comfort with the Jews captive in Babylon. After seventy years, in which the Sabbath rest of years past would be restored in Israel, then the Israelites would be able to return to their Promised Land.
Today, the Promised Land of rest is Christ Jesus:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)
Literally, Jesus says, "I will rest you."
In Jeremiah, the LORD shares that He wants to rest us, as well:
"Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jeremiah 31: 2)
When we find ourselves "lost" in a wilderness of doing our own thing, following our own efforts, the moment that we rest from our own works and enter His rest (Hebrews 4: 9-11), His grace flows in our lives.
Today, Jesus Christ is our peace (Ephesians 2: 14), and His thoughts are full of "peace", or "Shalom" for us.
Shalom speaks of more than a cessation of strife, but also the possession of consummate resource. Health, wealth, well-being, security, harmony, along with peace of mind come to us in Christ Jesus.
We have the mind of Christ, Beloved (1 Corinthians 2: 16), and His mind is filled with nothing but good things for us. Rest in Him, and receive this peace.
"Weeping Prophet" Jeremiah shared this comfort with the Jews captive in Babylon. After seventy years, in which the Sabbath rest of years past would be restored in Israel, then the Israelites would be able to return to their Promised Land.
Today, the Promised Land of rest is Christ Jesus:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)
Literally, Jesus says, "I will rest you."
In Jeremiah, the LORD shares that He wants to rest us, as well:
"Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jeremiah 31: 2)
When we find ourselves "lost" in a wilderness of doing our own thing, following our own efforts, the moment that we rest from our own works and enter His rest (Hebrews 4: 9-11), His grace flows in our lives.
Today, Jesus Christ is our peace (Ephesians 2: 14), and His thoughts are full of "peace", or "Shalom" for us.
Shalom speaks of more than a cessation of strife, but also the possession of consummate resource. Health, wealth, well-being, security, harmony, along with peace of mind come to us in Christ Jesus.
We have the mind of Christ, Beloved (1 Corinthians 2: 16), and His mind is filled with nothing but good things for us. Rest in Him, and receive this peace.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
You Will Not Cry Because You "Missed Out": God's Grace is Greater than Our Failures, Our Times, Our Everything
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the
former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
There is a teaching widespread currently which suggests that when we get to heaven, God will show us all the things that we could have done, but refused to do, or were unwilling to do for whatever reason.
Frankly, such teaching is contrary to "The goodness of God, which leads to repentance" (Romans 5:4)
All throughout Scripture, our "repentance" is demonstrated all the more in what we permit God to do for us, or in what we are willing to receive from Him.
In Luke 15, the lost sheep consents to be carried (Luke 15: 3-7).
The lost coin consents to be found. (Luke 15: 8-10)
The "prodigal son" consents to receive the Father's blessings (Luke 15: 11-31).
For this reason, Jesus told us that the one "work" which we need to do is "believe on Him." (John 6": 29)
Do you believe that He is interested in blessing you, and lavishly so?
This faith magnifies in us as we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18).
Furthermore, the verse which preachers use to justify a sense of "Don't miss out" does not support so disappointing an interpretation.
Why will God wipe away "all tears from their eyes"? "The former things" will have passed away, that's why.
It's all about Jesus. Do not worry about missing out, but keep in growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18)
There is a teaching widespread currently which suggests that when we get to heaven, God will show us all the things that we could have done, but refused to do, or were unwilling to do for whatever reason.
Frankly, such teaching is contrary to "The goodness of God, which leads to repentance" (Romans 5:4)
All throughout Scripture, our "repentance" is demonstrated all the more in what we permit God to do for us, or in what we are willing to receive from Him.
In Luke 15, the lost sheep consents to be carried (Luke 15: 3-7).
The lost coin consents to be found. (Luke 15: 8-10)
The "prodigal son" consents to receive the Father's blessings (Luke 15: 11-31).
For this reason, Jesus told us that the one "work" which we need to do is "believe on Him." (John 6": 29)
Do you believe that He is interested in blessing you, and lavishly so?
This faith magnifies in us as we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18).
Furthermore, the verse which preachers use to justify a sense of "Don't miss out" does not support so disappointing an interpretation.
Why will God wipe away "all tears from their eyes"? "The former things" will have passed away, that's why.
It's all about Jesus. Do not worry about missing out, but keep in growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Overcome all Things in Christ and His Grace
There is no "should have, could have, would have" with God. He is overcoming all the time, and He wants us to overcome all things with Him.
When you get to heaven, you will not cry because "you missed out" on anything. In fact, your bankrupt failures can set you up for even greater good:
"20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. " (Romans 5: 20-21)
In truth, the only way that anyone of us can "fail" is if you think that you and you alone must fix or deny or pretend about your failures.
Consider this type and shadow:
"1David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men." (1 Samuel 22: 1-2)
"Distressed, in debt, discontented" . . .One pastor summed it up: "They were losers."
"David" means "Beloved", and He is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only way that we can "lose" would be if we refuse to just come to Him:
"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)
Jesus told us to "believe on Him" (John 6: 29), and He told us to seek only one thing:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)
Paul exhorts his readers not to "get busy or else", but quite the opposite:
"1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4:1-2)
Jesus is our rest (Matthew 11: 28), and He is the one whom we should receive:
"And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1: 17)
By the way, "17" is the number of victory in the Bible. In Christ, you have more than the victory (Romans 8: 37), so let His grace grace you in all things.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
We Rest and Persevere in Christ
Paul writes to the Hebrews:
"10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4: 10-11)
Consider also Job, who suffered greatly because of his own attempts to establish his righteousness, instead of resting in God's:
"In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12: 10)
Job came to the end of himself when he saw Himself:
"1Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee." (Job 42: 1-5)
James writes this testimony for Job:
"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (Job 5: 11)
When we get to heaven, we will be one with Jesus, gathered to Him in fulness. How could we possibly cry about all the things that we failed to do, or that we missed out on?
We are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, we need never worry about missing out or losing, or even "crying because we could have been 'someday'" but failed to get it.
You will not cry because you "missed out" when you get to heaven, Beloved. God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ is greater than our failures, our times, our everything.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Joseph: Picture of God's Grace Stepping In
"Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." (Genesis 45: 5)
Joseph comforted his brethren - who had betrayed him and cruelly lied about his death to their father Jacob -- when he discovered himself as second in command in Egypt. Yet the Scripture is clear what originally motivated the brothers to do what they did:
"8And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words." (Genesis 37: 8)
This next passage has puzzled some commentators:
"15And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 16And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 17And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan." (Genesis 37: 15-17)
This "certain man" is Jesus Christ, pre-incarnate. He is directing Joseph to his brothers, who would then do the following:
"And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams." (Genesis 37: 18-20)
The brothers just hated Joseph, and for spite and envy they betrayed him and sold him off. Yet God took this great evil and did a greater good.
Jesus Christ does this for us every day through His Holy Spirit working in and around and for us.
Take the example of Joseph and his trials, and rest assured that no matter what happens, God's grace through your heavenly Joseph will step in, directing you in the way that He wishes you to go.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
God's Grace Abounds out of Our Worst Moments
The Old Testament is filled with examples of God taking our bad, worse, and worst, and making us glad, no longer under the curse, and first.
Lot could not be a worse example of "wrongdoing and failure", yet God's grace blessed him:
"Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. " (Genesis 19:19)
Incidentally enough, "mercy" first appears in the Bible in this passage -- connected with "loser" Lot. His presence blessed the city of Zoar.
Lot's daughters got him drunk and caused him to father children with them (Genesis 19: 36-38).
One of his later descendants, Ruth, would go from poor, widowed, childless exile to highly exalted woman of favor, married to Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer and type of our Lord Jesus.
"Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day."
Quite a legacy for Ruth, which typifies what Jesus Christ has done for us.
11And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman." (Ruth 4: 10-12)
Ruth, who would be an ancestor of David and later Jesus Christ (Matthew 1) is compared to Tamar, whose dubious past would scandalize many, as she disguised herself as a prostitute to get pregnant through her own father-in-law, Judah.
Rather than deny his perversion, the Bible records the following:
26And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more." (Genesis 38: 26)
The worst people, the biggest losers, people who are as down and out as it get:, all receive God's grace.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Outside of Time, God Takes Our Bad, Makes Us Good
"14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
"15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. "16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalm 91: 14-16)
To the extent that we begin thinking "I have got to use my time properly," to that extent we are looking at ourselves, and not growing in grace.
God is outside of time:
"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." (Psalm 90: 4)
He sees the beginning from the end:
"25I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.
"15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. "16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalm 91: 14-16)
To the extent that we begin thinking "I have got to use my time properly," to that extent we are looking at ourselves, and not growing in grace.
God is outside of time:
"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night." (Psalm 90: 4)
He sees the beginning from the end:
"25I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.
"26Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words." (Isaiah 41: 25-26)
He takes our bad, and makes it work for our good:
"28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8: 28-29)
It's all about Jesus, and we are going to be like Him.
Do not worry about what you are supposed to be doing, or worry about missing out on what you need to be doing. Keep looking to Jesus, Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12: 2), and His grace and knowledge will take care of everything.
Friday, September 20, 2013
We Won't Weep in Heaven -- Because We Will See Him Fully
When we go to Heaven, we will not weep because we missed out on doing some of the thing which God through Christ had purposed us to do.
It has nothing to do with us, for in the end it has never been about us, but about Him:
"15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. " (1 John 2: 15-17)
In the Book of Revelation, one of the elders tells John why he should not cry:
"5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." (Revelation 5: 5)
In fact, the Book of Revelation does depict (and predict) what people will do in heaven:
"9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 7: 9-12)
When we are there, we will not be crying because we "missed out" or "we could have done more". We will behold Him who was, is, and ever shall be (Hebrews 13: 8). Our hope to be like Him (1 John 3:1-3) will be realized.
In fact, everything that we have grown to know and believe on in our lives will be fully presented to us:
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Revelation 5: 11-12)
Paul wrote about this fullness in his epistle to the Corinthians:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13: 12)
Do not worry about your time on earth being for naught. Do not look at yourself, but look at Himself, and Let Him do all the following in your life.
It has nothing to do with us, for in the end it has never been about us, but about Him:
"15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. " (1 John 2: 15-17)
In the Book of Revelation, one of the elders tells John why he should not cry:
"5And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." (Revelation 5: 5)
In fact, the Book of Revelation does depict (and predict) what people will do in heaven:
"9After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 7: 9-12)
When we are there, we will not be crying because we "missed out" or "we could have done more". We will behold Him who was, is, and ever shall be (Hebrews 13: 8). Our hope to be like Him (1 John 3:1-3) will be realized.
In fact, everything that we have grown to know and believe on in our lives will be fully presented to us:
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Revelation 5: 11-12)
Paul wrote about this fullness in his epistle to the Corinthians:
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13: 12)
Do not worry about your time on earth being for naught. Do not look at yourself, but look at Himself, and Let Him do all the following in your life.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
God's Grace Gives Us All Things
"10For yet a little
while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently
consider his place, and it shall not be.
11But the meek shall
inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
Bear this scripture in mind in the face of reproaches, rejections, or other unrighteous deeds which you have suffered.
What is the difference for the Believer compared to the world at large?
The grace of God defines us:
"For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest
any man should boast." (Ephesians 2: 8)
This grace drives us:
"10But by the
grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was
not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
This grace defends us
"And he said
unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in
weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me.
"Therefore I
take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)
The grace of God runs evermore in our lives, teaching us to live godly lives (Titus2:11-12) because the grace of God enacts the New Covenant in our live (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
Because we will know the Lord through Himself living in us, we can be assured that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)
While God takes care of our enemies (Psalm 110: 1) we can rest in His Goodness and inherit the earth, which is His (1 Corinthians 3: 21)
God's grace indeed gives us all things.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
You Have God's Kind of Faith: Christ in You
"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God." (Mark 11: 22)
The original Greek in this verse literally reads "Have the faith of God."
Indeed, because of Jesus, we have God's faith in us:
"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
and
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 8)
We live by Christ's faith, and this faith is a gift from God.
When we are established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54: 14, 2 Corinthians 5: 21), we are quickened from within to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 12-13)
When we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3: 18), who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 9), we trust that we can ask:
"If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14: 4)
To ask "in His Name" implies a complete understanding of our identity in Christ:
"17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
When we know and believe in His love (1 John 4: 16), the New Covenant is enforced in our lives, in which we can rest assured that He is our God, that He has written His laws in our hearts and minds, and that we will have the most intimate relationship with Him.
You have God's kind of faith: Christ in you. Ask in His Name, because You are in Christ, and you shall receive!
The original Greek in this verse literally reads "Have the faith of God."
Indeed, because of Jesus, we have God's faith in us:
"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
and
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: 8)
We live by Christ's faith, and this faith is a gift from God.
When we are established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54: 14, 2 Corinthians 5: 21), we are quickened from within to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 12-13)
When we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3: 18), who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 9), we trust that we can ask:
"If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14: 4)
To ask "in His Name" implies a complete understanding of our identity in Christ:
"17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
When we know and believe in His love (1 John 4: 16), the New Covenant is enforced in our lives, in which we can rest assured that He is our God, that He has written His laws in our hearts and minds, and that we will have the most intimate relationship with Him.
You have God's kind of faith: Christ in you. Ask in His Name, because You are in Christ, and you shall receive!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
We are Righteous By Jesus' Faith!
"Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2: 4)
This verse is the most concise expression of the New Covenant in the Old Testament.
This verse is pregnant with meaning and expression in the original Hebrew.
"Shall live" can just as well be translated "become" or "is".
"The righteous are by faith."
"Righteousness is by faith."
B"y faith, we become righteous."
The New Testament confirms and affirms this truth, which we have in Christ:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
and
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" ( 1 Corinthians 1: 30)
and
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. " (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
and also
"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)
Here is another translation -- "We are righteous by His, by Jesus', faith".
Meditate on this, and let His faith live in you!
This verse is the most concise expression of the New Covenant in the Old Testament.
This verse is pregnant with meaning and expression in the original Hebrew.
"Shall live" can just as well be translated "become" or "is".
"The righteous are by faith."
"Righteousness is by faith."
B"y faith, we become righteous."
The New Testament confirms and affirms this truth, which we have in Christ:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
and
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" ( 1 Corinthians 1: 30)
and
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. " (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
and also
"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth
21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)
Here is another translation -- "We are righteous by His, by Jesus', faith".
Meditate on this, and let His faith live in you!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Through His Grace, We Grow to Know Who We are in Christ
"10But by the
grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was
not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me." (! Corinthians 15: 10)
We are who we are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15: 10), and as we grow to know the Lord, we cannot but also grow to know more of His grace:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
Grace and truth are met in Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for every believer (John 14: 6)
This forgiveness is not just grace unleashed and lavish, one which we grow in receiving, but a grace which has made us a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 17)
Paul explains in a few verses prior:
"But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4: 20-24)
In Christ, we are a new man, righteous and holy, because we are in Christ, who is made to us righteousness and holiness (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
When we reckon ourselves dead to sin but alive in God through Christ (Romans 6:11), then we receive the standing and the power to follow the rest of all that Paul outlines to the Ephesians:
"31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)
The grace of God makes us not just a new creation (2 Corinthians 5: 17), but one with Christ:
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
and
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
We are who we are by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15: 10), and as we grow to know the Lord, we cannot but also grow to know more of His grace:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
Grace and truth are met in Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life for every believer (John 14: 6)
This forgiveness is not just grace unleashed and lavish, one which we grow in receiving, but a grace which has made us a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 17)
Paul explains in a few verses prior:
"But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4: 20-24)
In Christ, we are a new man, righteous and holy, because we are in Christ, who is made to us righteousness and holiness (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
When we reckon ourselves dead to sin but alive in God through Christ (Romans 6:11), then we receive the standing and the power to follow the rest of all that Paul outlines to the Ephesians:
"31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)
The grace of God makes us not just a new creation (2 Corinthians 5: 17), but one with Christ:
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
and
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
God's Grace Takes Away our Bitterness
"31Let all
bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away
from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one
to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)
Are you bitter? Do you find that you still get mad, lose your temper, or at times get short with others and speak reproachfully (shamefully) of others?
Paul gives the answer or the solution to this problem: Focus on how much God has forgiven you.
Now, to many people, the forgiveness that we have received from God through Christ may seem like a static, one-time deal, something that we believed, that we spoke, and thus we were saved.
Paul encourages us to keep receiving the gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace:
"17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [lit. are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
As an ongoing reminder, we keep receiving this gifts. Yet if this verse is not convincing enough:
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. " (2 Peter 3: 18)
God's grace takes away our bitterness. Grow in grace, and watch all bitterness be put away from you.
Are you bitter? Do you find that you still get mad, lose your temper, or at times get short with others and speak reproachfully (shamefully) of others?
Paul gives the answer or the solution to this problem: Focus on how much God has forgiven you.
Now, to many people, the forgiveness that we have received from God through Christ may seem like a static, one-time deal, something that we believed, that we spoke, and thus we were saved.
Paul encourages us to keep receiving the gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace:
"17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [lit. are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
As an ongoing reminder, we keep receiving this gifts. Yet if this verse is not convincing enough:
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. " (2 Peter 3: 18)
God's grace takes away our bitterness. Grow in grace, and watch all bitterness be put away from you.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
God Thinks About You -- and It's Nothing But Good
"17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
"18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee." (Psalm 139: 17-18)
Are you aware that God thinks about you?
He is thinking about you right now. He is ahead of you, behind you, and all around and all about providing for you:
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
and
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)
In His last prayer before His death on the Cross, Jesus prayed the following:
"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17: 22-23)
The good will that God the Father has toward us is due to all that Jesus has done for us:
"21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
and
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)
The blood that Jesus shed on the Cross for us cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7), and we have a new name and identity in Christ, which will never be cut off (Isaiah 55: 13).
He thinks of us as Jesus, in fact:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:17-18)
God thinks about you, and it's nothing but good!
Are you aware that God thinks about you?
He is thinking about you right now. He is ahead of you, behind you, and all around and all about providing for you:
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
and
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)
In His last prayer before His death on the Cross, Jesus prayed the following:
"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17: 22-23)
The good will that God the Father has toward us is due to all that Jesus has done for us:
"21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
and
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)
The blood that Jesus shed on the Cross for us cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7), and we have a new name and identity in Christ, which will never be cut off (Isaiah 55: 13).
He thinks of us as Jesus, in fact:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:17-18)
God thinks about you, and it's nothing but good!
Friday, September 13, 2013
God Knows Everything -- Because of Jesus, He Remembers Nothing
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me." (Psalm139: 1)
"Known" is not qualified with "me" in the original Hebrew, not just because "me" is implied in "searched", but because the knowledge of God is not limited just to ourselves.
True, He knows everything about us:
"Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God." (John 16: 30)
Yet Jesus Christ has given us His Spirit, that we may know all things, too (1 John 2: 20, 27)
Because of the Holy Spirit, the whole world is filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11: 9)
Not one detail escapes God's notice, either:
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10: 30)
Even though God knows everything about us, we have nothing to fear:
"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." (1 John 3: 20)
Why do we have nothing to worry about? Because Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins:
"you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
Jesus' death on the Cross enforces the New Covenant in our lives:
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)
The specific details of this "enforcement" center on "I will remember their sins and iniquities no more."
He knows everything, yet because of Jesus' death on the Cross, He will never remember our sins and iniquities, all that we have done or will do, nor does he see us as dead descendants of disobedient Adam.
"Known" is not qualified with "me" in the original Hebrew, not just because "me" is implied in "searched", but because the knowledge of God is not limited just to ourselves.
True, He knows everything about us:
"Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God." (John 16: 30)
Yet Jesus Christ has given us His Spirit, that we may know all things, too (1 John 2: 20, 27)
Because of the Holy Spirit, the whole world is filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11: 9)
Not one detail escapes God's notice, either:
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10: 30)
Even though God knows everything about us, we have nothing to fear:
"For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." (1 John 3: 20)
Why do we have nothing to worry about? Because Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins:
"you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
Jesus' death on the Cross enforces the New Covenant in our lives:
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8:10-12)
The specific details of this "enforcement" center on "I will remember their sins and iniquities no more."
He knows everything, yet because of Jesus' death on the Cross, He will never remember our sins and iniquities, all that we have done or will do, nor does he see us as dead descendants of disobedient Adam.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Know More of How Much He Knows You
"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." (Psalm 139: 6)
Did you know that God knows you?
He knows so much about you, and Psalm 139 is an integral Scripture to meditate upon:
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me." (v. 1)
He knows everything about you, but because of all that Christ Jesus did at the Cross, He does not see any sin in your life (Hebrews 8: 12).
"2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off."
He knows where you sit and stand, which also speaks to the fact that He knows when you are sad and when you are happy. "Afar off" speaks to a foreboding event in our lives, but also a type and shadow of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross:
"Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off." (Genesis 22: 4)
Most commentators point out that "the place afar off" implies that Abraham saw a great event about to take place on Mount Moriah. Not the death of his son Isaac, but God's own Son Jesus Christ, who would die for all our sins.
A few verses down confirms this wonderful revelation:
"14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." (Genesis 22: 14)
"The Lord is Provision" because He has given us His Son, and the more that you see Jesus, the more that you are transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3: 18), as we live from faith to faith seeing more of Himself (Romans 1: 17)
We know that He has provided all things for us in Christ (Romans 8: 31-32), when we know and believe that He knows all that we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6: 8), that to know Him is to know that He knows us (Galatians 4: 9), then we reign in life in Christ (Romans 5: 17) and walk on high places (Habakkuk 3: 17-19)
Did you know that God knows you?
He knows so much about you, and Psalm 139 is an integral Scripture to meditate upon:
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me." (v. 1)
He knows everything about you, but because of all that Christ Jesus did at the Cross, He does not see any sin in your life (Hebrews 8: 12).
"2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off."
He knows where you sit and stand, which also speaks to the fact that He knows when you are sad and when you are happy. "Afar off" speaks to a foreboding event in our lives, but also a type and shadow of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross:
"Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off." (Genesis 22: 4)
Most commentators point out that "the place afar off" implies that Abraham saw a great event about to take place on Mount Moriah. Not the death of his son Isaac, but God's own Son Jesus Christ, who would die for all our sins.
A few verses down confirms this wonderful revelation:
"14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." (Genesis 22: 14)
"The Lord is Provision" because He has given us His Son, and the more that you see Jesus, the more that you are transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3: 18), as we live from faith to faith seeing more of Himself (Romans 1: 17)
We know that He has provided all things for us in Christ (Romans 8: 31-32), when we know and believe that He knows all that we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6: 8), that to know Him is to know that He knows us (Galatians 4: 9), then we reign in life in Christ (Romans 5: 17) and walk on high places (Habakkuk 3: 17-19)
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Jesus is Your Gracious Rest
"Come unto me, all
ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)
"I will give you rest" should be rendered "I will rest you," for Christ is our rest.
The last two verses following Matthew 11: 28 give us greater understanding of all that He wishes to do for us:
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11: 29)
Some have interpreted this call to take on Christ's yoke as proof that the Christian life is full of trials and strenuous effort on our part. Let us not forget that Jesus Christ is our yokefellow, and He has given us His life, for we were dead in our trespasses, signalling that we had nothing at all but an eternal need.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 30)
"Easy" is true, but the full meaning of the original word "chrestos" conveys "kind, beneficial, and useful." Christ's yoke actually blesses us and gives to us power, strength and blessings. This burden indeed is light, because He is inviting us to rest in Him, that He may work:
"10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
"Chrestos" has at its root "charis", or grace. Grace is our new yoke, a rest from our labors so that He may labor in us.
Keep receiving from Jesus His gifts of righteousness and grace, and watch Him work abundantly in your life, for Jesus is your gracious rest.
"I will give you rest" should be rendered "I will rest you," for Christ is our rest.
The last two verses following Matthew 11: 28 give us greater understanding of all that He wishes to do for us:
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11: 29)
Some have interpreted this call to take on Christ's yoke as proof that the Christian life is full of trials and strenuous effort on our part. Let us not forget that Jesus Christ is our yokefellow, and He has given us His life, for we were dead in our trespasses, signalling that we had nothing at all but an eternal need.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 30)
"Easy" is true, but the full meaning of the original word "chrestos" conveys "kind, beneficial, and useful." Christ's yoke actually blesses us and gives to us power, strength and blessings. This burden indeed is light, because He is inviting us to rest in Him, that He may work:
"10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
"Chrestos" has at its root "charis", or grace. Grace is our new yoke, a rest from our labors so that He may labor in us.
Keep receiving from Jesus His gifts of righteousness and grace, and watch Him work abundantly in your life, for Jesus is your gracious rest.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Rest in Jesus, and Let Him Work in You
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest." (Matthew 11: 28)
Jesus invited His hearers to come to Him, not to His teachings, not to His example, and not just to books about Him, but to Himself:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27)
Jesus is our life, and He is everything for us:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)
and
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6)
Paul explains the fulness of Christ in us and in the universe (Colossians 1:15-19), but how He relates to us and our life is far more crucial:
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)
Jesus is our rest, because He is our life, and He works within us (Philippians 2: 12-13), and we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4: 13). In fact, without Christ, we can do nothing in this life (John 15: 5)
Let Jesus Christ live in you, resting in His work and His love and His life.
Jesus invited His hearers to come to Him, not to His teachings, not to His example, and not just to books about Him, but to Himself:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27)
Jesus is our life, and He is everything for us:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)
and
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6)
Paul explains the fulness of Christ in us and in the universe (Colossians 1:15-19), but how He relates to us and our life is far more crucial:
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)
Jesus is our rest, because He is our life, and He works within us (Philippians 2: 12-13), and we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4: 13). In fact, without Christ, we can do nothing in this life (John 15: 5)
Let Jesus Christ live in you, resting in His work and His love and His life.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Grace of God: Rest, Righteousness, and Work
"11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4: 11)
We need as much of God's grace as possible in our lives.
We do not live this live ourselves, but rather we live and breathe and have our being in Christ Jesus.
For so long, I was doing everything on my own.
I had a strange sense of fear and guilt in my lives. I was very easily hurt, too, full of myself, convinced that everything that I had and did and was -- it was all up to me.
That is so contrary to the goodness of God, which leads all men to repentance, but not just from death in our sins, but even for those who know and believe in the love of God, we need to learn more that Jesus wants to save us in every situation, not just from hell, but to bring more of heaven into our lives by His grace.
Now, when I learned about this "rest", I assumed that I was supposed to sit down and not do anything, and then God will take care of everything.
That is not the case at all:
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (1 Thessalonians 3: 10)
There are many scriptures in Proverbs which denounce sloth:
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." (Proverbs 13: 4)
What makes us diligent, of course, is that all our sins are forgiven, and the grace of God teaches us and empowers us to love and live the lively reign in Christ:
"10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. " (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
We need as much of God's grace as possible in our lives.
We do not live this live ourselves, but rather we live and breathe and have our being in Christ Jesus.
For so long, I was doing everything on my own.
I had a strange sense of fear and guilt in my lives. I was very easily hurt, too, full of myself, convinced that everything that I had and did and was -- it was all up to me.
That is so contrary to the goodness of God, which leads all men to repentance, but not just from death in our sins, but even for those who know and believe in the love of God, we need to learn more that Jesus wants to save us in every situation, not just from hell, but to bring more of heaven into our lives by His grace.
Now, when I learned about this "rest", I assumed that I was supposed to sit down and not do anything, and then God will take care of everything.
That is not the case at all:
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (1 Thessalonians 3: 10)
There are many scriptures in Proverbs which denounce sloth:
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." (Proverbs 13: 4)
What makes us diligent, of course, is that all our sins are forgiven, and the grace of God teaches us and empowers us to love and live the lively reign in Christ:
"10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. " (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Laboring to Enter the Rest -- Clarification
The notion that
we are called to rest physically and do nothing is completely contrary,
antithetical even, to the "rest" of righteousness, in which we no longer have to
do things to be accepted by God (Ephesians 1: 6)
Other scriptures glorify hard work:
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Proverbs 26: 14)
A more accurate rendering of this verse would be:
"As a swinging door painfully creaks on its hingers, so does the slothful man toss and turn upon his bed."
Sloth and laziness are actually painful, causing harm to a man's body, as well as diminishing his resources and frustrating the grace of God in his life. He tosses and turns on his bed, but he has no rest!
The first mention of "door" gives us more insight:
"Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him" (Genesis 19:6)
The wicked men of Sodom wanted to rape the two angels who had visited Lot and his family, to take them out of the wicked city, but Lot closed the door to try and stop them. Lot (which means "veil") used his own efforts to stop the men, but our own efforts produce works of the flesh, instead of the fruit of the Spirit.
By extension, a "door" which is not closed is a door which allows sin and death to enter in. The grace of God stops us from sinning, but an open door implies that a person is still living in sin, still under sin, still in bondage to the law.
Under grace, sin has no dominion over us:
"14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6: 14)
and
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)
Notice that the grace of God direct us away from sin, and enables us to live godly lives, "zealous for good works."
The grace of God, the rest from works for righteousness, does not induce or enhance "doing nothing", but rather allows us to focus our efforts in peaceful, good works of righteousness.
When we believe that God has blessed us with all Spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), that He wants to bless the work of our hands, that any work that we do will profit because of His grace (Proverbs 14: 23), then we will not sit and do nothing, but do all things in our heart, for Christ strengthens us (Philippians 4: 13)
We rest from doing works for righteousness, but in no way does that mean that we sit and do nothing at all!
Other scriptures glorify hard work:
"As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." (Proverbs 26: 14)
A more accurate rendering of this verse would be:
"As a swinging door painfully creaks on its hingers, so does the slothful man toss and turn upon his bed."
Sloth and laziness are actually painful, causing harm to a man's body, as well as diminishing his resources and frustrating the grace of God in his life. He tosses and turns on his bed, but he has no rest!
The first mention of "door" gives us more insight:
"Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him" (Genesis 19:6)
The wicked men of Sodom wanted to rape the two angels who had visited Lot and his family, to take them out of the wicked city, but Lot closed the door to try and stop them. Lot (which means "veil") used his own efforts to stop the men, but our own efforts produce works of the flesh, instead of the fruit of the Spirit.
By extension, a "door" which is not closed is a door which allows sin and death to enter in. The grace of God stops us from sinning, but an open door implies that a person is still living in sin, still under sin, still in bondage to the law.
Under grace, sin has no dominion over us:
"14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6: 14)
and
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14)
Notice that the grace of God direct us away from sin, and enables us to live godly lives, "zealous for good works."
The grace of God, the rest from works for righteousness, does not induce or enhance "doing nothing", but rather allows us to focus our efforts in peaceful, good works of righteousness.
When we believe that God has blessed us with all Spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), that He wants to bless the work of our hands, that any work that we do will profit because of His grace (Proverbs 14: 23), then we will not sit and do nothing, but do all things in our heart, for Christ strengthens us (Philippians 4: 13)
We rest from doing works for righteousness, but in no way does that mean that we sit and do nothing at all!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Why Jesus (Could Righteously) Let the Adulteress Go
10When Jesus had lifted up himself,. . .(John 8: 10)
Jesus then offers to the woman "caught in the act" the gift of "no condemnation", so that she may "go and sin no more (John 8: 10-11).
John writes in a previous chapter:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3: 14-15)
The "serpent" which Jesus refers to appears in the Book of Numbers.
"8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." (Numbers 21: 8-9)
Moses lifted up the brass serpent, which represents the curse of the law judged once and for all, and everyone who was bitten who then looked on the serpent, was healed from the snake-bite.
Isaiah prophesies what looking on Jesus does for us:
"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45: 22)
When we look on Jesus, who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), we find the rest which testifies to the universe and for all eternity that our sins have been put away, forever. He was beaten, that we may be healed (Isaiah 53), that we may be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54), and that we may reign in life (Romans 5: 17)
Jesus lifted himself up, and the woman "caught in the act" looked on Him, and He took her sins, along with the sins of all the world at the Cross.
John the Baptist prophesied this truth ahead of Jesus' baptism:
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1: 29)
This passage expresses "sees" in the present tense, and Jesus' taking the sins in the present tense.
In effect, everywhere that Jesus went, healing and doing good (Acts 10: 38), He was the Lamb taking away their sins, and the final payment for all the sins of the world took place at the Cross:
"2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Jesus is (present tense) the "mercy seat" for all sins: yours, mine, his, hers, the whole world's. His blood keeps on cleansing us, too (1 John 1:7)
Jesus then offers to the woman "caught in the act" the gift of "no condemnation", so that she may "go and sin no more (John 8: 10-11).
John writes in a previous chapter:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3: 14-15)
The "serpent" which Jesus refers to appears in the Book of Numbers.
"8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." (Numbers 21: 8-9)
Moses lifted up the brass serpent, which represents the curse of the law judged once and for all, and everyone who was bitten who then looked on the serpent, was healed from the snake-bite.
Isaiah prophesies what looking on Jesus does for us:
"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45: 22)
When we look on Jesus, who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30), we find the rest which testifies to the universe and for all eternity that our sins have been put away, forever. He was beaten, that we may be healed (Isaiah 53), that we may be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54), and that we may reign in life (Romans 5: 17)
Jesus lifted himself up, and the woman "caught in the act" looked on Him, and He took her sins, along with the sins of all the world at the Cross.
John the Baptist prophesied this truth ahead of Jesus' baptism:
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1: 29)
This passage expresses "sees" in the present tense, and Jesus' taking the sins in the present tense.
In effect, everywhere that Jesus went, healing and doing good (Acts 10: 38), He was the Lamb taking away their sins, and the final payment for all the sins of the world took place at the Cross:
"2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Jesus is (present tense) the "mercy seat" for all sins: yours, mine, his, hers, the whole world's. His blood keeps on cleansing us, too (1 John 1:7)
Even as Jesus endured his earthly humiliation, He was taking away the sins of the world, including the sins of the woman caught in adultery, and the Pharisees who had sins of their own.
Just look at Jesus -- He is your representative, and your sure sign, that all your sins are finally and forever forgiven.
Friday, September 6, 2013
How to Know God: Know that He Knows You
"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (Galatians 4: 9)
Preachers, Bible teachers, and all men and women of faith often ask this question:
"How can I know the Lord more, or better?"
Galatians 4: 9 teaches us how to know The LOrd:
The more that we know how much the Lord God knows us, then we know the Lord more:
"Grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord." (2 Peter 3:18)
Psalm 139 illustrates this truth in greater detail:
"2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off." (Psalm 139: 2)
and
"3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." (Psalm 139: 3)
How to know God? Know that He knows You, and that He knows you intimately:
"Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6: 8)
and
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.32Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father Who is in heaven.33But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Who is in heaven." (Matthew 10: 30)
God the Father knows you, and He wants you to receive all things from Him through His Son (Romans 8: 31-32)
Preachers, Bible teachers, and all men and women of faith often ask this question:
"How can I know the Lord more, or better?"
Galatians 4: 9 teaches us how to know The LOrd:
The more that we know how much the Lord God knows us, then we know the Lord more:
"Grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord." (2 Peter 3:18)
Psalm 139 illustrates this truth in greater detail:
"2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off." (Psalm 139: 2)
and
"3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." (Psalm 139: 3)
How to know God? Know that He knows You, and that He knows you intimately:
"Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6: 8)
and
"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.32Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father Who is in heaven.33But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father Who is in heaven." (Matthew 10: 30)
God the Father knows you, and He wants you to receive all things from Him through His Son (Romans 8: 31-32)
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Intimacy and Identity in Christ
In Christ
Jesus, intimacy becomes identity. We are more than mere lovers, we are one! We
are married more than more or woman ever could be.
I used to think that our relationship in God was based on growing in greater connection with Him. We start out as His children, say, then we become like a married couple.
I looked at passages like:
"And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali." (Hosea 2: 16)
and
"For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11: 2)
But then I read in Jesus' prayer before His trial and execution:
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17: 23)
And of course:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Then I return to the first chapter of John's Gospel:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1: 12)
For the believer, our intimacy is our identity in Christ Jesus. For this reason Paul wrote:
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
"May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. " (Ephesians 3: 17-19)
God is love (1 John 4: 16), and we are one with Him in our Spirit man, but He desires us to work out this salvation, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice and renewing our minds to the Truth (Romans 12: 1-2).
Intimacy is identity in Christ realized to our minds and senses through receiving His Word.
I used to think that our relationship in God was based on growing in greater connection with Him. We start out as His children, say, then we become like a married couple.
I looked at passages like:
"And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali." (Hosea 2: 16)
and
"For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11: 2)
But then I read in Jesus' prayer before His trial and execution:
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17: 23)
And of course:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Then I return to the first chapter of John's Gospel:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1: 12)
For the believer, our intimacy is our identity in Christ Jesus. For this reason Paul wrote:
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
"May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. " (Ephesians 3: 17-19)
God is love (1 John 4: 16), and we are one with Him in our Spirit man, but He desires us to work out this salvation, presenting our bodies a living sacrifice and renewing our minds to the Truth (Romans 12: 1-2).
Intimacy is identity in Christ realized to our minds and senses through receiving His Word.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Understand Once For All Forgiveness, and You Forgive Others
"And be ye kind one to another __ tenderhearted forgiving one another even as __ God for Christ's sake hath [fully and forever, once and for all] forgiven you" (Ephesians 4: 32)
"fully and forever, once and for all" cannot be emphasized enough.
"Hath forgiven" renders the aorist tense from the original Greek, which speaks of an action which has been completed, fully and without need of repetition.
The greater our understanding that Jesus Christ has done it all, taken care of our sin, our righteousness, our healing, our wealth, and every other need, to that extent we can present and actively forgive others.
This forgiveness of sins opens up His storehouse of blessings into our lives, because we receive Christ's righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30; 2 Corinthians 5: 21)
"Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked." (Proverbs 10: 6)
and
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37: 25)
and
"His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed." (Psalm 112: 2)
and
"14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 14)
and
"
17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54: 17)
Our righteousness is from the Lord through His Son!
We receive this and every other blessing because we are forgiven, and we are forgiven because Jesus Christ has paid the full price for all of our sins (Colossians 2: 13-15).
"fully and forever, once and for all" cannot be emphasized enough.
"Hath forgiven" renders the aorist tense from the original Greek, which speaks of an action which has been completed, fully and without need of repetition.
The greater our understanding that Jesus Christ has done it all, taken care of our sin, our righteousness, our healing, our wealth, and every other need, to that extent we can present and actively forgive others.
This forgiveness of sins opens up His storehouse of blessings into our lives, because we receive Christ's righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30; 2 Corinthians 5: 21)
"Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked." (Proverbs 10: 6)
and
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37: 25)
and
"His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed." (Psalm 112: 2)
and
"14In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 14)
and
"
17No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54: 17)
Our righteousness is from the Lord through His Son!
We receive this and every other blessing because we are forgiven, and we are forgiven because Jesus Christ has paid the full price for all of our sins (Colossians 2: 13-15).
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Jesus Causes Our Cup to Run Over
"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalm 25: 5)
Jesus did not come for us to serve Him, but rather He came to serve us:
"45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)
and
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16: 24)
and
"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)
He does not just take our burdens, but he gives us "blessings", since his "burden" is "blessed" as well as "easy".
Jesus causes our cup to run over, no doubt about it:
"12What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
Jesus did not come for us to serve Him, but rather He came to serve us:
"45For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)
and
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16: 24)
and
"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)
He does not just take our burdens, but he gives us "blessings", since his "burden" is "blessed" as well as "easy".
Jesus causes our cup to run over, no doubt about it:
"12What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD." (Psalm 116: 12-13)
Jesus causes our cup to overflow, and the He wants to pour on us all the more!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Keep Receiving HIs Grace -- Keep Forgiving Others
| "And be ye kind one
to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 32) To the degree that you understand how forgiven you are, to that degree you are able to forgive others. The true element of forgiveness does not come through completely in this or other English translations. "Forgive" renders the word χαρίζομαι, charizomai, which means "to show favor, to give grace, to show mercy to". How does God show us mercy, or grace? "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." (John 1: 16) It's out of the fulness of Jesus Christ, who created the Universe, and through which all things consist (Colossians 1: 15-17) Jesus Christ is God, He who has been from the Beginning (John 1:1) That's a lot of grace: incalculable, innumerable, ineffable. Scripture confirms this lavish grace which God accords to us in Christ: "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5: 20-21) Grace "superabounds", more than overcoming any sin or shame or setback in this world. Before this verse, Paul writes: "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [lit. are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17) We are called to keep on receiving this abundance of grace. It is a never-ending cascade of grace, one which has appeared to all men, which teaches us to say "No!" to sin and "Yes!" to every good thing that Christ has for us and wishes to do through us (Titus 2:11-12) The more that we grow in Grace and Knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), the more gracious we become with our fellow men. We live by His grace (1 Corinthians 15: 10), our hearts are established by His grace (Hebrews 13: 9). In fact, we are made one with Christ through God's grace: "To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6) In this verse "accepted" is better rendered "highly favored and full-graced". Keep receiving the revelation of God's grace in your life, and you will have no problem at all forgiving others. |
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Jesus Rolls Away Your Reproach
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt
from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day." (Joshua 5: 9)
Joshua is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as in this passage, the Lord tells Joshua, who was leading the Israelites from the Wilderness into the Promised Land, so too Christ Jesus has taken away our reproach, our sin and shame and condemnation:
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8)
and
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8: 1, NIV)
and
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
In fact, we are called to keep receiving His gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace (Romans 5: 17), a never-ending reminder that His blood continues cleansing us from all sin (1 John 1: 7), that we are now sons of God (1 John 3: 1), and that God loves us as much as His own Son (John 17: 21) and sees us as His own Son (1 John 4: 17).
Not only has Jesus rolled away your reproach, every time that the Enemy attacks you with thoughts of your past, or the fears of the present, or the reproach of men, we need only rest in the faith that Jesus Christ has taken care of all things, and this shield of faith dissolves the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6: 16)
Jesus has rolled away the reproach in your life!
Joshua is a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as in this passage, the Lord tells Joshua, who was leading the Israelites from the Wilderness into the Promised Land, so too Christ Jesus has taken away our reproach, our sin and shame and condemnation:
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8)
and
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," (Romans 8: 1, NIV)
and
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
In fact, we are called to keep receiving His gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace (Romans 5: 17), a never-ending reminder that His blood continues cleansing us from all sin (1 John 1: 7), that we are now sons of God (1 John 3: 1), and that God loves us as much as His own Son (John 17: 21) and sees us as His own Son (1 John 4: 17).
Not only has Jesus rolled away your reproach, every time that the Enemy attacks you with thoughts of your past, or the fears of the present, or the reproach of men, we need only rest in the faith that Jesus Christ has taken care of all things, and this shield of faith dissolves the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6: 16)
Jesus has rolled away the reproach in your life!
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