"31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10: 31)
We do everything by the grace of God, which we receive through Christ Jesus:
"30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1: 30-31)
In fact, the whole Gospel is about receiving Jesus' own glory by grace through faith:
"Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2: 14)
and then
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 4-6)
Our glory comes from Jesus, for God Has adopted us (Romans 8: 15), and thus God the Father sees as Jesus His own Son:
"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)
Our glory in Him, that through His glory we would glory in Him and glorify Him, was God's plan from the beginning:
"Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8: 30)
This glory we receive because of the righteousness of God given to us 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
"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)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Jesus Shoulders You at all Times
"6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9: 6)
"The government shall be on His shoulder."
Jesus carries the entire universe on His shoulder. Jesus is our Prince of Peace (Ephesians 2: 14), the very image of God (Colossians 1: 15), and everything was made by Him and is built through Him (Colossians 1: 16-17)
Yet for you and me, he uses both shoulders:
"3And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing." (Luke 15: 3-5)
Jesus is our Good Shepherd:
"11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)
This good shepherd puts us on both of His shoulders, and He celebrates us when we allow Him to carry us.
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 4)
Jesus shoulders us all times, whether we are in trouble or in triumph:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
and
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1: 6)
and
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." (2 Corinthians 2: 14)
"The government shall be on His shoulder."
Jesus carries the entire universe on His shoulder. Jesus is our Prince of Peace (Ephesians 2: 14), the very image of God (Colossians 1: 15), and everything was made by Him and is built through Him (Colossians 1: 16-17)
Yet for you and me, he uses both shoulders:
"3And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing." (Luke 15: 3-5)
Jesus is our Good Shepherd:
"11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)
This good shepherd puts us on both of His shoulders, and He celebrates us when we allow Him to carry us.
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 4)
Jesus shoulders us all times, whether we are in trouble or in triumph:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
and
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1: 6)
and
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place." (2 Corinthians 2: 14)
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Jesus the Good Shepherd Gives Us His Life
"11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)
Take a long look at this verse.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
Right away, our thinking should draw us to the most well-known, oft-quoted, yet least pondered verses in the entire Bible:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23: 1)
The LORD, YHWH, who was and is and ever will be, this same all-encompassing God is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:
"8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)
Just as in the original Hebrew, so too the Greek and even the English translation leaves out the linking verb. There is no separating Jesus and "forever", for there is nothing without Him.
Jesus is the great "I AM", and He was not reticent to say so:
"58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8: 58)
Even when the Pharisees attempted to stone Him, Jesus was unphased:
"59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." (John 8: 59)
I believe that He disappeared right through them, as though invisible, yet his stance in the midst of them maintains that He is forever in the center of all things.
He is the Good Shepherd, and He gives -- present tense -- His life.
He did not just die on the Cross, then leave us to ourselves. He died that we might have His life (John 10: 10), for He is the Life (John 14: 6), and He indeed is our life (Colossians 3:1-4)
Take a long look at this verse.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
Right away, our thinking should draw us to the most well-known, oft-quoted, yet least pondered verses in the entire Bible:
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23: 1)
The LORD, YHWH, who was and is and ever will be, this same all-encompassing God is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:
"8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)
Just as in the original Hebrew, so too the Greek and even the English translation leaves out the linking verb. There is no separating Jesus and "forever", for there is nothing without Him.
Jesus is the great "I AM", and He was not reticent to say so:
"58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8: 58)
Even when the Pharisees attempted to stone Him, Jesus was unphased:
"59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." (John 8: 59)
I believe that He disappeared right through them, as though invisible, yet his stance in the midst of them maintains that He is forever in the center of all things.
He is the Good Shepherd, and He gives -- present tense -- His life.
He did not just die on the Cross, then leave us to ourselves. He died that we might have His life (John 10: 10), for He is the Life (John 14: 6), and He indeed is our life (Colossians 3:1-4)
Monday, October 28, 2013
By His Grace, Jesus Takes You Places
"And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans." (Daniel 1: 3-4)
Before we go anywhere, we need God's grace, which we receive through Jesus Christ:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
and
"But 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)
Because of God's grace, Daniel went from exiled prisoner to excellent prime minister.
Yet Daniel, whose name means "God is my judge" (or one could say "my righteousness", since we are judged righteous through Jesus' death on the Cross) did not trust to his own efforts, but rested in the grace of God:
"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs." (Daniel 1: 8-9)
When our heart is established by grace (Hebrews 13: 9), we can trust the Christ will be able to move in our lives. Daniel continued to receive from God
"17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1: 17)
Today, Christ is made unto us wisdom (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and we receive all knowledge through His Holy Spirit (1 John 2: 20, 27)
Keep receiving from Jesus, grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and Jesus will take you places.
Before we go anywhere, we need God's grace, which we receive through Jesus Christ:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
and
"But 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)
Because of God's grace, Daniel went from exiled prisoner to excellent prime minister.
Yet Daniel, whose name means "God is my judge" (or one could say "my righteousness", since we are judged righteous through Jesus' death on the Cross) did not trust to his own efforts, but rested in the grace of God:
"But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs." (Daniel 1: 8-9)
When our heart is established by grace (Hebrews 13: 9), we can trust the Christ will be able to move in our lives. Daniel continued to receive from God
"17As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." (Daniel 1: 17)
Today, Christ is made unto us wisdom (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and we receive all knowledge through His Holy Spirit (1 John 2: 20, 27)
Keep receiving from Jesus, grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and Jesus will take you places.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
See Jesus in the Midst
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18: 20)
"And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis." (Mark 7: 31)
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." (Luke 24: 36)
"Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19: 18)
When Jesus is not in the midst, there will be storms:
"And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land." (Mark 6: 47)
When we place ourselves and our efforts in the midst, we will find ourselves in storms. We only need to look to Him, and we are saved:
"For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered." (Mark 6: 50-51)
Jesus invites all to become like little children:
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." ( Matthew 18: 3)
We become "little children" when we believe on Him:
"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." (1 John 2: 12)
When we allow Jesus to carry us, then He places us in the midst:
"36And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them," (Mark 9: 36)
We cannot but be received into the midst with Christ when we see Him in our midst, for:
"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)
"And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis." (Mark 7: 31)
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." (Luke 24: 36)
"Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19: 18)
When Jesus is not in the midst, there will be storms:
"And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land." (Mark 6: 47)
When we place ourselves and our efforts in the midst, we will find ourselves in storms. We only need to look to Him, and we are saved:
"For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. 51And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered." (Mark 6: 50-51)
Jesus invites all to become like little children:
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." ( Matthew 18: 3)
We become "little children" when we believe on Him:
"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." (1 John 2: 12)
When we allow Jesus to carry us, then He places us in the midst:
"36And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them," (Mark 9: 36)
We cannot but be received into the midst with Christ when we see Him in our midst, for:
"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)
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Trusting in the Grace and Victory of Jesus Christ
"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." (Jeremiah 17: 5)
Where sin increases, grace superabounds with victory. "17" in the Bible represents Victory, and "5" speaks of grace.
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)
In verses which spell out the curse, you can see God's grace through Christ.
First of all, the curse comes from the law:
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Galatians 3: 10)
and
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 4)
Instead of relying on "flesh" or "self-effort" as our arm, let us rely on Jesus and His grace in our lives. Jesus is often referenced in the Scripture as the "arm of Salvation"
"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him." (Isaiah 59: 16)
In Christ, we have the over-abundant victory:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
and
"9And 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. 10Therefore 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)
Where sin increases, grace superabounds with victory. "17" in the Bible represents Victory, and "5" speaks of grace.
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)
In verses which spell out the curse, you can see God's grace through Christ.
First of all, the curse comes from the law:
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." (Galatians 3: 10)
and
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 4)
Instead of relying on "flesh" or "self-effort" as our arm, let us rely on Jesus and His grace in our lives. Jesus is often referenced in the Scripture as the "arm of Salvation"
| |||
"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him." (Isaiah 59: 16)
In Christ, we have the over-abundant victory:
"37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
and
"9And 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. 10Therefore 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)
Friday, October 25, 2013
Jesus Our Wisdom, The Tree of Life in the Midst
"And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2: 9)
Jesus is our tree of life.
How can we make this assertion?
First of all, like the Tree of Life, Jesus is in the midst, because He is the center of all things:
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18: 20)
"And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis." (Mark 7: 31)
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." (Luke 24: 36)
"Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19: 18)
Proverbs records:
In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul outlines that Jesus is "the firstborn of every creature" (v 15), that "by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him" (v. 16). Furthermore, "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (v. 17) Jesus is "before" meaning that He is first above all else:
18And 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. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1: 18-20)
Another credential furthers the truth that Jesus is our tree of life. In Proverbs, Solomons writes at length about Wisdom:
"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3: 18)
In the New Testament, Jesus is affirmed as our wisdom:
"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
Let Jesus be your Wisdom, your Tree of Life in the midst of all things.
Jesus is our tree of life.
How can we make this assertion?
First of all, like the Tree of Life, Jesus is in the midst, because He is the center of all things:
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18: 20)
"And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis." (Mark 7: 31)
"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." (Luke 24: 36)
"Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." (John 19: 18)
Proverbs records:
In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul outlines that Jesus is "the firstborn of every creature" (v 15), that "by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him" (v. 16). Furthermore, "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (v. 17) Jesus is "before" meaning that He is first above all else:
18And 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. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1: 18-20)
Another credential furthers the truth that Jesus is our tree of life. In Proverbs, Solomons writes at length about Wisdom:
"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (Proverbs 3: 18)
In the New Testament, Jesus is affirmed as our wisdom:
"She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
Let Jesus be your Wisdom, your Tree of Life in the midst of all things.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
He Carries You and Your Burdens All the Time
"And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place." (Deuteronomy 1: 31)
God was describing through Moses how much He cared for the Israelites. This love was not on display when they were receiving a reward for their obedience, but rather when they were wandering in the wilderness, suffering outside of the Promised Land for their unbelief.
God has invited everyone of us into His rest through Jesus Christ His Son:
"Come 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 is our rest, because He is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5: 21), because we no longer have to work to earn a righteous standing before God the Father.
Instead, we can boldly enter to throne of grace and seek God's help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 16)
From beginning to end, God is a God who cares and carries us:
"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55: 22)
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68: 19)
The name of Jesus -- Yeshua -- is clearly mentioned in this paragraph. Jesus is all about saving us.
"3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
God was describing through Moses how much He cared for the Israelites. This love was not on display when they were receiving a reward for their obedience, but rather when they were wandering in the wilderness, suffering outside of the Promised Land for their unbelief.
God has invited everyone of us into His rest through Jesus Christ His Son:
"Come 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 is our rest, because He is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5: 21), because we no longer have to work to earn a righteous standing before God the Father.
Instead, we can boldly enter to throne of grace and seek God's help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 16)
From beginning to end, God is a God who cares and carries us:
"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55: 22)
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68: 19)
The name of Jesus -- Yeshua -- is clearly mentioned in this paragraph. Jesus is all about saving us.
"3Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
4And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 3-4)
This prophecy speaks to everyone of us who has been born again, who has received the adoption of children through Christ, and thus we are Abraham's seed (Romans 8: 15-17; Galatians 3: 29)
Peter then invites us to lay everything on Jesus:
"6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." (1 Peter 5: 6-7)
Jesus cares for you and He carries you, too. Lay on Him all your burdens.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Let Go and Let God, Because He Already Has All Things
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10: 28)
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10: 11), and we can trust that we will never suffer want because He is our Shepherd (Psalm 23: 1).
He is the overseer of our souls, as well:
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (1 Peter 2: 25)
The LORD Jesus is our Shepherd not because of anything that we do, or have done, but because of all that He has done:
"10For 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:
11And 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. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
This New Covenant has entered into effect because of Jesus' death on the Cross:
"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." (Hebrews 9: 16-17)
then
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9: 28)
This same Jesus carries us:
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 4)
The parable of the Shepherd in Luke 15 is also very telling:
"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15: 4-7)
What is repentance? To let the Son save you.
Let go and Let God, because He has already taken care of all things for you.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10: 11), and we can trust that we will never suffer want because He is our Shepherd (Psalm 23: 1).
He is the overseer of our souls, as well:
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." (1 Peter 2: 25)
The LORD Jesus is our Shepherd not because of anything that we do, or have done, but because of all that He has done:
"10For 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:
11And 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. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
This New Covenant has entered into effect because of Jesus' death on the Cross:
"For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth." (Hebrews 9: 16-17)
then
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9: 28)
This same Jesus carries us:
"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46: 4)
The parable of the Shepherd in Luke 15 is also very telling:
"What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15: 4-7)
What is repentance? To let the Son save you.
Let go and Let God, because He has already taken care of all things for you.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
His Righteousness is Our Peace (Our Everything)
"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isaiah 32: 17)
Righteousness is a gift (Romans 5: 17) which we are called to keep receiving. This gift is accorded to us because we have received His righteousness, His perfect standing:
"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)
This righteousness allows us to receive His peace and joy:
"1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5: 1-2)
and
"14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" (Ephesians 2: 14)
Paul then explains to us how exactly Jesus is our peace:
"15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:" (Ephesians 2: 15-16)
We have been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross for our sins and granted us His perfect righteousness (cf. 2 Corinthians 5: 17-20)
This peace is established through the New Covenant, which grants us His righteousness:
"20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13: 20-21)
Righteousness is a gift (Romans 5: 17) which we are called to keep receiving. This gift is accorded to us because we have received His righteousness, His perfect standing:
"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)
This righteousness allows us to receive His peace and joy:
"1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5: 1-2)
and
"14For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" (Ephesians 2: 14)
Paul then explains to us how exactly Jesus is our peace:
"15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:" (Ephesians 2: 15-16)
We have been reconciled to God the Father through Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross for our sins and granted us His perfect righteousness (cf. 2 Corinthians 5: 17-20)
This peace is established through the New Covenant, which grants us His righteousness:
"20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13: 20-21)
Monday, October 21, 2013
God: Timeless as Well as Great
"1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. " (Genesis 1: 1)
In the first verse of the Bible, God is presented as "Elohim", or the "God of gods" as well as "These are God", speaking of the Trinity-relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
Yet to Moses, God endorsed Himself by a different name:
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3: 14)
Jesus Christ insisted on His deity when he told the Pharisees:
"58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8: 58)
Paul wrote to the Hebrews:
"8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)
Do you see God as merely great? Or do you see Him as timeless, too?
Do you see Him as the same, the one whom you can rest in right now, because you know and believe that He has everything taken care of?
Or do you seem Him as merely great, yet unable to take care of your tomorrows?
The more that you see Jesus, who is from the beginning (John 1: 1; 1 John 2: 12-14), the more that you will understand His great power and majesty in all things.
In the first verse of the Bible, God is presented as "Elohim", or the "God of gods" as well as "These are God", speaking of the Trinity-relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
Yet to Moses, God endorsed Himself by a different name:
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3: 14)
Jesus Christ insisted on His deity when he told the Pharisees:
"58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8: 58)
Paul wrote to the Hebrews:
"8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)
Do you see God as merely great? Or do you see Him as timeless, too?
Do you see Him as the same, the one whom you can rest in right now, because you know and believe that He has everything taken care of?
Or do you seem Him as merely great, yet unable to take care of your tomorrows?
The more that you see Jesus, who is from the beginning (John 1: 1; 1 John 2: 12-14), the more that you will understand His great power and majesty in all things.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Jesus: the Beginning and the End
"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isaiah 46: 10)
"Counsel" is based on the word "Counsellor", which we find in this prophecy:
"6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9: 6)
Jesus Christ is our Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and He is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5: 21), as well as our favor (John 1: 17)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8), and He is the Beginning and the End of all things (Revelation 1: 8) --
"[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1: 15-17)
As we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), let us see Christ Jesus in all of His fullness, then we can have no doubt as we boldly enter the throne of grace to ask for anything that we need (Hebrews 4: 16)
"Counsel" is based on the word "Counsellor", which we find in this prophecy:
"6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9: 6)
Jesus Christ is our Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and He is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5: 21), as well as our favor (John 1: 17)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8), and He is the Beginning and the End of all things (Revelation 1: 8) --
"[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (Colossians 1: 15-17)
As we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), let us see Christ Jesus in all of His fullness, then we can have no doubt as we boldly enter the throne of grace to ask for anything that we need (Hebrews 4: 16)
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Nothing Can Separate us From Him, Not Even Time Itself
"38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
Human beings have a tendency all too easily to limit God's love.
We trust Him with our present concerns, yet we believe that He cannot handle tomorrow's issues, or that yesterday's failures will never leave us.
For this reason, Paul wrote "I am persuaded". As we read God's Word, our minds are renewed to the truth (Romans 12: 2), then we learn to receive greater knowledge of Him:
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," (Ephesians 1: 17-19)
How can we understand these riches and what do we understand through this wisdom? The knowledge of God's love for us:
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)
"Height, depth, width, and breath" indicates that the love of God covers every dimension of our lives, including time itself.
Never should we think of the past or the future as events which are outside of God's handling, for to him, one thousand years is a day, and a day is a thousand years (2 Peter 3: 8).
The beginning and the end are before Him:
"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isaiah 46: 10)
He is at the beginning and the end of all things, too:
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1: 8)
Nothing can separate us from Him, for we are in Christ (Romans 6: 8), and Christ is God's (1 Corinthians 3: 23), and God is love (1 John 4: 8), God is outside of time.
Nothing can separate us from God, not even time itself.
Human beings have a tendency all too easily to limit God's love.
We trust Him with our present concerns, yet we believe that He cannot handle tomorrow's issues, or that yesterday's failures will never leave us.
For this reason, Paul wrote "I am persuaded". As we read God's Word, our minds are renewed to the truth (Romans 12: 2), then we learn to receive greater knowledge of Him:
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power," (Ephesians 1: 17-19)
How can we understand these riches and what do we understand through this wisdom? The knowledge of God's love for us:
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)
"Height, depth, width, and breath" indicates that the love of God covers every dimension of our lives, including time itself.
Never should we think of the past or the future as events which are outside of God's handling, for to him, one thousand years is a day, and a day is a thousand years (2 Peter 3: 8).
The beginning and the end are before Him:
"Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:" (Isaiah 46: 10)
He is at the beginning and the end of all things, too:
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1: 8)
Nothing can separate us from Him, for we are in Christ (Romans 6: 8), and Christ is God's (1 Corinthians 3: 23), and God is love (1 John 4: 8), God is outside of time.
Nothing can separate us from God, not even time itself.
Friday, October 18, 2013
How Can You Not Set Your Eyes on Him?
"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."
I used to think that I had to "look" at Jesus seated at the right hand of God.
I was often confused and very frustrated in my life.
Then when I learned the common sense principle about taking into account everything which Paul or anyone else had written in previous chapters before taking into consideration subsequent verses.
In Colossians Chapter one, we learn about the Supremacy of Christ, that everything was made by Him and through Him and for Him, and that everything is built up in Him and on Him. This same Christ was given for us that we may be reconciled to God, that Christ may live in us and work in us, too!
Jesus is not on the outside somewhere, but He lives in us and through us and around us.
In Colossians Chapter 2, Paul affirms that Christ is all that we need, and all that can every justify or sustain us. Not following the rules and regulations of the world, not giving heed to the philosophies of men, but Christ and Him alone.
He has paid for all our sins, and through Him we have been redeemed and set free from the curse of the Law, which has been rendered inoperative against us. Why? Because Jesus paid the price for all our sins, past, present, and future.
We have received so great a gift, so great a standing, by His death and resurrection, which have placed us in Him, and He in us.
He is everywhere, He is everywhere for us, and He is everywhere working through us.
Now we come to Colossians through, where Paul invites us to set our affections on things above, not here on earth. Why would we be interested in anything down here, anway. John reminds us that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life -- all are passing.
Jesus is everywhere, and everywhere He is for us. He is our confident certain of good in this life, as well.
How can we not set our eyes on Him?
I used to think that I had to "look" at Jesus seated at the right hand of God.
I was often confused and very frustrated in my life.
Then when I learned the common sense principle about taking into account everything which Paul or anyone else had written in previous chapters before taking into consideration subsequent verses.
In Colossians Chapter one, we learn about the Supremacy of Christ, that everything was made by Him and through Him and for Him, and that everything is built up in Him and on Him. This same Christ was given for us that we may be reconciled to God, that Christ may live in us and work in us, too!
Jesus is not on the outside somewhere, but He lives in us and through us and around us.
In Colossians Chapter 2, Paul affirms that Christ is all that we need, and all that can every justify or sustain us. Not following the rules and regulations of the world, not giving heed to the philosophies of men, but Christ and Him alone.
He has paid for all our sins, and through Him we have been redeemed and set free from the curse of the Law, which has been rendered inoperative against us. Why? Because Jesus paid the price for all our sins, past, present, and future.
We have received so great a gift, so great a standing, by His death and resurrection, which have placed us in Him, and He in us.
He is everywhere, He is everywhere for us, and He is everywhere working through us.
Now we come to Colossians through, where Paul invites us to set our affections on things above, not here on earth. Why would we be interested in anything down here, anway. John reminds us that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life -- all are passing.
Jesus is everywhere, and everywhere He is for us. He is our confident certain of good in this life, as well.
How can we not set our eyes on Him?
Thursday, October 17, 2013
In Jesus Christ, You Are Above Time Itself
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)
When Paul wrote this statement, he was appealing to the Hebrews deep knowledge of "the LORD", or "YHWH", whose name means "Was, is, always."
The same LORD spoke the entire everything into existence:
"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1: 1)
He is there and does not change:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9: 6)
"Everlasting Father" speaks of a parent who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)
and
"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3: 6)
For God, time is nothing:
"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." (Psalm 39: 5)
and
"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)
and
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3: 8)
You are now in Christ (1 Corinthians 3: 23), and Christ is in you (Colossians 1: 27), and in Christ we can do all things (Philippians 4: 13) and every need is met in Him (Colossians 4: 19)
Receive this with peace and rest, for He is outside of time itself, above every circumstance and concern ahead of you or behind:
"Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
When Paul wrote this statement, he was appealing to the Hebrews deep knowledge of "the LORD", or "YHWH", whose name means "Was, is, always."
The same LORD spoke the entire everything into existence:
"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1: 1)
He is there and does not change:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9: 6)
"Everlasting Father" speaks of a parent who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)
and
"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3: 6)
For God, time is nothing:
"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." (Psalm 39: 5)
and
"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)
and
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3: 8)
You are now in Christ (1 Corinthians 3: 23), and Christ is in you (Colossians 1: 27), and in Christ we can do all things (Philippians 4: 13) and every need is met in Him (Colossians 4: 19)
Receive this with peace and rest, for He is outside of time itself, above every circumstance and concern ahead of you or behind:
"Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways." (Psalm 139: 2-3)
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Glory in the Lord, who provides us all Good Things
"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD." (Jeremiah 9: 24)
Let us see Jesus as our righteousness, as well as our grace, and knowlegem, and all other great things in our lives.
We know this because He gave us His Son:
"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 then
"30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1: 30-31)
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4: 19-20)
God is glorified when we allow His Son to supply all of our need! Keep on receiving His gifts of righteousness and grace (Romans 5: 17), and all other things will be added unto you (Matthew 6: 33-34)
Let us see Jesus as our righteousness, as well as our grace, and knowlegem, and all other great things in our lives.
We know this because He gave us His Son:
"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 then
"30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1: 30-31)
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4: 19-20)
God is glorified when we allow His Son to supply all of our need! Keep on receiving His gifts of righteousness and grace (Romans 5: 17), and all other things will be added unto you (Matthew 6: 33-34)
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Be Still and Know -- That He Makes You Know Him
"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46: 10)
"Be Still" literally means "be quiet".
Yet God does not merely invite us to be quiet, but to "know Him".
In fact, Peter tells us to "grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord." (2 Peter 3: 18)
For many of us, though, we fear that to know the Lord will require us to work, not to rest.
Yet under the New Covenant, The Lord God goes out of His way to make Himself known to us:
"10For 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:
11And 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. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
Under the New Covenant, the Lord seeks us, and we receive the gifts of righteousness and grace because of what Jesus has done for us:
"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
"9But 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)
We know Him more to the extent that we know and believe how much He knows us.
The Holy Spirit who lives within us also testifies of Jesus:
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15: 26)
Our "work" is to believe on Him (John 6: 29). Keep receiving from Him, and He will make Himself known to you.
"Be Still" literally means "be quiet".
Yet God does not merely invite us to be quiet, but to "know Him".
In fact, Peter tells us to "grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord." (2 Peter 3: 18)
For many of us, though, we fear that to know the Lord will require us to work, not to rest.
Yet under the New Covenant, The Lord God goes out of His way to make Himself known to us:
"10For 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:
11And 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. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
Under the New Covenant, the Lord seeks us, and we receive the gifts of righteousness and grace because of what Jesus has done for us:
"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
"9But 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)
We know Him more to the extent that we know and believe how much He knows us.
The Holy Spirit who lives within us also testifies of Jesus:
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15: 26)
Our "work" is to believe on Him (John 6: 29). Keep receiving from Him, and He will make Himself known to you.
Monday, October 14, 2013
You are Perfected Forever in Him -- Forever!
"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10: 14)
This one offering was done at the Cross:
"17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19)
and then
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 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: 20-21)
We are perfected in Christ, because He is paid for all our sins:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)
and
"7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
The blood "cleanses" us, even now, and forever:
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." (Daniel 9: 24)
Jesus is our priest forever, too (Hebrews 6: 20).
You are perfected, sanctified in Christ, our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and
This one offering was done at the Cross:
"17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19)
and then
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 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: 20-21)
We are perfected in Christ, because He is paid for all our sins:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)
and
"7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
The blood "cleanses" us, even now, and forever:
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." (Daniel 9: 24)
Jesus is our priest forever, too (Hebrews 6: 20).
You are perfected, sanctified in Christ, our sanctification (1 Corinthians 1: 30), and
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Truth -- Jesus Christ -- Sets You Free
"31Then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed;"
In the Word of God, we find the Truth:
32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Whatever bondage you are facing, whatever problem is creating difficulties in your life, look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12: 1-2).
"33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Later in this chapter, Jesus says:
"36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8: 36)
We are set free as we see Jesus Christ, and He then transforms us from glory to glory:
"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)
We are now sons of God (1 John 3:1) because of what Jesus Christ has done for us at the Cross:
"12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1: 12-13)
and
"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)
While Satan seeks to accuse (Zechariah 3: 1-4), we have Jesus Christ, our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30, 2 Corinthians 5: 21), and we need never feel shame or condemnation, or any other bondage in our lives.
The truth is, that Jesus, all grace and truth, sets us free to live in Him and through Him:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
and
"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)
and
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)
Truth, Jesus -- sets you free!
In the Word of God, we find the Truth:
32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Whatever bondage you are facing, whatever problem is creating difficulties in your life, look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12: 1-2).
"33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Later in this chapter, Jesus says:
"36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8: 36)
We are set free as we see Jesus Christ, and He then transforms us from glory to glory:
"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)
We are now sons of God (1 John 3:1) because of what Jesus Christ has done for us at the Cross:
"12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1: 12-13)
and
"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)
While Satan seeks to accuse (Zechariah 3: 1-4), we have Jesus Christ, our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30, 2 Corinthians 5: 21), and we need never feel shame or condemnation, or any other bondage in our lives.
The truth is, that Jesus, all grace and truth, sets us free to live in Him and through Him:
"17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
and
"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)
and
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)
Truth, Jesus -- sets you free!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
God Loves You As Much as He Loves Jesus
"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: 23)
Are you aware of this?
Do you believe this or not?
God the Father loves us as much as He loves His Son Jesus Christ.
Of course, we cannot understand let alone appreciate this love unless we understand that we have have received a new identity, that we have been adopted into a new 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)
and
Are you aware of this?
Do you believe this or not?
God the Father loves us as much as He loves His Son Jesus Christ.
Of course, we cannot understand let alone appreciate this love unless we understand that we have have received a new identity, that we have been adopted into a new 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)
and
| "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." (1 John 3: 1) 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) God loves you as much as Jesus, and He sees you in Christ Jesus. Spend less time looking at yourself, set your thoughts on Himself, Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father (Colossians 3: 1-4) |
Friday, October 11, 2013
God: Not a Father whom we Serve, but the Son who Makes us Righteous
"And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father." (Numbers 3: 4)
"Nadab" means "willingly" or "to incite, impel", and "Abihu" means "He is a Father". They died for offering strange fire to the LORD.
In the same way, we must stop trying to serve God in our strength, and see Him merely as "Father".
The second set of priests will explain how we should approach, or how we should see God.
"Eleazar" means "God has helped", and "Ithamar" means "Coastland of palms".
When we see God as our helper, as the One who works in and through and for us, then He can receive our service.
We see God as our helper when we see Jesus Christ and grow in grace and knowledge of Himself:
"25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 25-27)
When we see Jesus as our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30), as the One who helps us in all our need (Philipians 4: 13, 19), then we grow and flourish:
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." (Psalm 92: 12)
"Palm tree" is a picture of righteousness that we receive as a gift, as opposed to earning it through our merits. This type is confirmed in the story of Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah who deceived her father-in-law Judah to impregnate her. When she confronted him as the father, and as the one who refused to release his sons to bear her a child, Judah admitted:
"And 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)
Imagine that -- Tamar was righteous and Judah was not.
Whe we approach God as Father and in our effort, that displease Him. When we approach God as the one who has helped us, who makes us righteous, then our works, our sacrifices, please Him. Let us not see God as a Father whom we serve in our own effort, but rather let us see the Son, and Let Him make us righteous.
"Nadab" means "willingly" or "to incite, impel", and "Abihu" means "He is a Father". They died for offering strange fire to the LORD.
In the same way, we must stop trying to serve God in our strength, and see Him merely as "Father".
The second set of priests will explain how we should approach, or how we should see God.
"Eleazar" means "God has helped", and "Ithamar" means "Coastland of palms".
When we see God as our helper, as the One who works in and through and for us, then He can receive our service.
We see God as our helper when we see Jesus Christ and grow in grace and knowledge of Himself:
"25Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 25-27)
When we see Jesus as our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30), as the One who helps us in all our need (Philipians 4: 13, 19), then we grow and flourish:
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." (Psalm 92: 12)
"Palm tree" is a picture of righteousness that we receive as a gift, as opposed to earning it through our merits. This type is confirmed in the story of Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah who deceived her father-in-law Judah to impregnate her. When she confronted him as the father, and as the one who refused to release his sons to bear her a child, Judah admitted:
"And 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)
Imagine that -- Tamar was righteous and Judah was not.
Whe we approach God as Father and in our effort, that displease Him. When we approach God as the one who has helped us, who makes us righteous, then our works, our sacrifices, please Him. Let us not see God as a Father whom we serve in our own effort, but rather let us see the Son, and Let Him make us righteous.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Prosper In Jesus the Word
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even
as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)
We prosper in our souls first, then we prosper in every other area of our lives.
John then explains the root of this prosperity:
"3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 3-4)
We are called to walk in the Truth.
The Truth is a person:
"6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)
He is grace and truth personified:
"For 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 Living Word:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
Through the Word of God, we prosper:
"2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalms 1: 1)
See Jesus in the Word, Let the Word off God lead you.
We prosper in our souls first, then we prosper in every other area of our lives.
John then explains the root of this prosperity:
"3For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." (3 John 3-4)
We are called to walk in the Truth.
The Truth is a person:
"6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)
He is grace and truth personified:
"For 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 Living Word:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
Through the Word of God, we prosper:
"2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalms 1: 1)
See Jesus in the Word, Let the Word off God lead you.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Leave the Father and Embrace the Son
To know God as Father is truth, and there is not shame in accepting this.
Yet that is not God's best for us.
In his First Epistle, John outlines three stages of spiritual growth for us "little children":
"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
To clarify the original, "little children:" speaks of "Teknion", which is the term for all of God's children, and thus we should never assume that "forgiveness of sins" is an elemental teaching. On the contrary, we are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), and His grace and Himself is inseparable from what He did for us at the Cross.
"13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2: 13-14)
"I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father." -- In this verse, "little children" refers to "paidia", or "infant, child in training."
We should never despise the day of small things (Zechariah 4: 10), but since we are invited to grow in grace, we move beyond childhood into yound manhood, in which we learn that Jesus has conquered every evil in our lives, and because His Word is in us, we are strong.
To be a father, to be an elder, is to know "Him who is from the beginning".
This "Him" is "Himself" -- Jesus Christ:
"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
and
"27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 27)
When we consider this powerful truth, then this verse in Genesis makes even more sense:
"24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2: 24)
We are called to leave our understanding of God as Father, and grow in understanding of Jesus, who is fully God, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8), and through whom we live (1 John 4: 9) and can do all things (Philippians 4: 13)
Yet that is not God's best for us.
In his First Epistle, John outlines three stages of spiritual growth for us "little children":
"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
To clarify the original, "little children:" speaks of "Teknion", which is the term for all of God's children, and thus we should never assume that "forgiveness of sins" is an elemental teaching. On the contrary, we are called to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), and His grace and Himself is inseparable from what He did for us at the Cross.
"13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2: 13-14)
"I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father." -- In this verse, "little children" refers to "paidia", or "infant, child in training."
We should never despise the day of small things (Zechariah 4: 10), but since we are invited to grow in grace, we move beyond childhood into yound manhood, in which we learn that Jesus has conquered every evil in our lives, and because His Word is in us, we are strong.
To be a father, to be an elder, is to know "Him who is from the beginning".
This "Him" is "Himself" -- Jesus Christ:
"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
and
"27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 27)
When we consider this powerful truth, then this verse in Genesis makes even more sense:
"24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2: 24)
We are called to leave our understanding of God as Father, and grow in understanding of Jesus, who is fully God, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8), and through whom we live (1 John 4: 9) and can do all things (Philippians 4: 13)
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
You Have Been With Jesus "From Beginning"
"27And ye also shall bear
witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 27)
"You have been with me from the beginning" may seem to refer to Jesus' ministry.
The original language of the text is even more compelling, since a literal translation would read "from beginning".
This same construction opens up the Gospel of John:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
"In beginning" would be the accurate translation, a statement which communicates the very beginning, the outset of time, of everything, the same words which open up the entire Word of God (Genesis 1: 1)
How is it possible for Jesus then to say "You have been with me from the beginning"?
First of all, God is outside of time:
"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." (Psalm 39: 5)
We are slight creatures, grants, in the eyes of the omnipotent Lord, yet the magnitude of this greatness must reflect on how great He is, not how little we are in comparison.
Also:
"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)
Peter quoted this verse with a greater emphasis on the negligible effect of time to Him:
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3: 8)
We are now one with Christ, seated in heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 2: 6). We are in the Kingdom of Heaven (Romans 14: 17), and in Christ we have eternal life (John 3: 16)
This wonderful gift touches our spirit, even though we currently live in a dying body. As far as God the Father is concerned, however:
"As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8). We are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1: 4), which means that when we receive Him, we in effect step into His timelessness, as well.
Because we are in Christ, and Christ is throughout all time, we can then claim that we have been with Him "from beginning."
Meditate on this powerful, wonderful truth, for this wonder will give us greater grace to receive:
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
and
"5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13: 5)
"You have been with me from the beginning" may seem to refer to Jesus' ministry.
The original language of the text is even more compelling, since a literal translation would read "from beginning".
This same construction opens up the Gospel of John:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)
"In beginning" would be the accurate translation, a statement which communicates the very beginning, the outset of time, of everything, the same words which open up the entire Word of God (Genesis 1: 1)
How is it possible for Jesus then to say "You have been with me from the beginning"?
First of all, God is outside of time:
"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." (Psalm 39: 5)
We are slight creatures, grants, in the eyes of the omnipotent Lord, yet the magnitude of this greatness must reflect on how great He is, not how little we are in comparison.
Also:
"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)
Peter quoted this verse with a greater emphasis on the negligible effect of time to Him:
"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3: 8)
We are now one with Christ, seated in heavenly places in Him (Ephesians 2: 6). We are in the Kingdom of Heaven (Romans 14: 17), and in Christ we have eternal life (John 3: 16)
This wonderful gift touches our spirit, even though we currently live in a dying body. As far as God the Father is concerned, however:
"As He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13: 8). We are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1: 4), which means that when we receive Him, we in effect step into His timelessness, as well.
Because we are in Christ, and Christ is throughout all time, we can then claim that we have been with Him "from beginning."
Meditate on this powerful, wonderful truth, for this wonder will give us greater grace to receive:
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
and
"5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13: 5)
Monday, October 7, 2013
Reckon Yourself Dead to Every Negative
The words "I am" are quite powerful. The more that we identify or label ourselves according to something, the more that our thoughts and feelings will accord with this identity. Any perversions of our minds and bodies, are all works of the flesh, or our fallen sin natures:
"19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
Paul emphasizes that the Kingdom of Heaven is not something that we can earn, but a kingdom which we must inherit.
We reign in life through Christ Jesus (Romans 5: 17), as we continue receiving His grace and righteousness in our lives.
In fact, because of Christ's death and resurrection on the Cross, we go from dead in our trespasses to alive and seated in heavenly places in Christ, not with this world, or anything in it:
3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 1-6)
We are no longer called to live in our flesh, trying to fulfill ourselves in empty pursuits and the sinful lifestyles of our dead-in-trespasses lives. Why would we, anyway, since God has seated us in Christ, who now sits at the right hand of the Father, in full glory?:
"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)
Resentment, wrath, upsets of any kind - they are works of the flesh, which we end up producing in our lives to the degree that we forget who we are in Christ, and identify with our fallen flesh.
Reckon yourself dead to the resentment, fear, and other negatives in your life, and look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12: 2), for He is our life (Colossians 3: 3-4)
"19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)
Paul emphasizes that the Kingdom of Heaven is not something that we can earn, but a kingdom which we must inherit.
We reign in life through Christ Jesus (Romans 5: 17), as we continue receiving His grace and righteousness in our lives.
In fact, because of Christ's death and resurrection on the Cross, we go from dead in our trespasses to alive and seated in heavenly places in Christ, not with this world, or anything in it:
3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 1-6)
We are no longer called to live in our flesh, trying to fulfill ourselves in empty pursuits and the sinful lifestyles of our dead-in-trespasses lives. Why would we, anyway, since God has seated us in Christ, who now sits at the right hand of the Father, in full glory?:
"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)
Resentment, wrath, upsets of any kind - they are works of the flesh, which we end up producing in our lives to the degree that we forget who we are in Christ, and identify with our fallen flesh.
Reckon yourself dead to the resentment, fear, and other negatives in your life, and look to Christ, the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12: 2), for He is our life (Colossians 3: 3-4)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Fear of Separation, "Do Something" = Condemnation
"11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6: 11)
Man is born into this world "dead in his trespasses" (Ephesians 2: 1).
This death is more than the cessation of life, obviously, since man comes out the womb crying, breathing, and moving about, and does more of the same throughout his assigned seventy years of life on the Earth.
The death is separation from God.
In the beginning, when God made Heaven and Earth, He then made man in His own image, to foster a perfect oneness and relationship which would never end.
Adam and Eve sinned when they deliberately stepped out of simple, holy dependence on God. By partaking of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Spirit of God left the first man and woman. They were then driven from the Garden of Eden, for if they ate from the Tree of Life in their fallen, dead and separated state, God would have had no choice but to leave them to a state of eternal death.
Man is separated from God, which creates a sense of loneliness, alienation, frustration, anger, and unease unending in man.
We need to belong, we need to identify with something, someone, or somewhere, and inevitably man begins to identify with just about anything that he can find. Whether a gang, his family, his work, his accomplishments, his own skin, he searches in desperation to found himself on something.
Yet no matter what he does, what he says, what he has, the emptiness, the death, the loss, the alienation cannot be removed.
We are dead in our trespasses, and only the Life of God Himself living within in us can restore and flourish man once again.
The fear of separation, the need to "do something" in our lives, the sense of "not measuring up" that dogs man stems from our initial separation from God.
God desperately wants to live in us, but the sin which we have inherited from Adam cannot go unpunished.
So, God sent His Son, His darling, His Beloved, to die for us, so that we may receive not only eternal forgiveness for all our sins, both the one in which we are born, and the ones which we commit, but now God can place His Life, His Son, Himself, to live within us, too.
Paul exhorts everyone of us to "reckon" or accept as accomplished that we are dead to sin, the condemnation and separation, and instead to see ourselves as alive to God in Christ.
Man is born into this world "dead in his trespasses" (Ephesians 2: 1).
This death is more than the cessation of life, obviously, since man comes out the womb crying, breathing, and moving about, and does more of the same throughout his assigned seventy years of life on the Earth.
The death is separation from God.
In the beginning, when God made Heaven and Earth, He then made man in His own image, to foster a perfect oneness and relationship which would never end.
Adam and Eve sinned when they deliberately stepped out of simple, holy dependence on God. By partaking of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the Spirit of God left the first man and woman. They were then driven from the Garden of Eden, for if they ate from the Tree of Life in their fallen, dead and separated state, God would have had no choice but to leave them to a state of eternal death.
Man is separated from God, which creates a sense of loneliness, alienation, frustration, anger, and unease unending in man.
We need to belong, we need to identify with something, someone, or somewhere, and inevitably man begins to identify with just about anything that he can find. Whether a gang, his family, his work, his accomplishments, his own skin, he searches in desperation to found himself on something.
Yet no matter what he does, what he says, what he has, the emptiness, the death, the loss, the alienation cannot be removed.
We are dead in our trespasses, and only the Life of God Himself living within in us can restore and flourish man once again.
The fear of separation, the need to "do something" in our lives, the sense of "not measuring up" that dogs man stems from our initial separation from God.
God desperately wants to live in us, but the sin which we have inherited from Adam cannot go unpunished.
So, God sent His Son, His darling, His Beloved, to die for us, so that we may receive not only eternal forgiveness for all our sins, both the one in which we are born, and the ones which we commit, but now God can place His Life, His Son, Himself, to live within us, too.
Paul exhorts everyone of us to "reckon" or accept as accomplished that we are dead to sin, the condemnation and separation, and instead to see ourselves as alive to God in Christ.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Satisfied with His Grace, then the Desires of Your Heart
"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. " (Psalm 91: 14)
The literal translation per Youngs is more explicit:
"Because in Me he hath delighted, I also deliver him -- I set him on high, Because he hath known My name."
Do you delight in the LORD? Does He satisfy you?
"O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." (Psalms 90: 14)
This mercy we receive because of what Jesus Christ has done for us at the Cross:
"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)
This grace we are called to keep on receiving, not just once at salvation, but throughout our lives, throughout our days:
"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)
Peter is crystal clear about God's grace:
"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)
Who brings us this grace?Jesus, of course:
"14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1: 14)
and then
"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
Delight yourself in the LORD -- Jesus, who is yesterday, today, and forever ({Hebrews 13: 8), and then you can believe that He will grant you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37: 4)
The literal translation per Youngs is more explicit:
"Because in Me he hath delighted, I also deliver him -- I set him on high, Because he hath known My name."
Do you delight in the LORD? Does He satisfy you?
"O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days." (Psalms 90: 14)
This mercy we receive because of what Jesus Christ has done for us at the Cross:
"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)
This grace we are called to keep on receiving, not just once at salvation, but throughout our lives, throughout our days:
"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)
Peter is crystal clear about God's grace:
"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)
Who brings us this grace?Jesus, of course:
"14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1: 14)
and then
"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)
Delight yourself in the LORD -- Jesus, who is yesterday, today, and forever ({Hebrews 13: 8), and then you can believe that He will grant you the desires of your heart (Psalms 37: 4)
Friday, October 4, 2013
Be Persuaded that You Are Loved As Much Jesus
The most clear and convincing and victorious statement of our perfect oneness with God appears below, and could not be clearer:
"38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
Paul, like many believers, had to be "persuaded", in that his mind had to be renewed to the truth of Christ Jesus, based on His Word and His Work (Romans 12: 2). He grew in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and thus he knew His Love, because God is love (1 John 4: 8), and the more you know Him, you will know and believe how much He loves you.
At any rate, this notion that how we feel, or what we think, or anything else can separate us or cut us off from the sunlight of the Spirit is nothing but evil lies.
Jesus died on the Cross not just to get rid of, to pay for all of our sins (Colossians 2: 13), but to give us His life, as well:
"[Jesus] 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: 14)
"Redemption" speaks of being bought back and reclaimed by the proper owner. We were meant to be with God and for God to live with us for all time, yet the Fall of Man, from Adam's sin, corrupted us with sin, and thus the separation between God and man had to be repaired by Jesus Christ, God made man, the Word made flesh.
In Romans 8, where Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God, he includes a key element too often left out in our churches:
"14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the 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: 12-17)
We have nothing to fear because He has made us children of God, he has adopted us! Be persuaded that you are loved as much Jesus!
"38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 38-39)
Paul, like many believers, had to be "persuaded", in that his mind had to be renewed to the truth of Christ Jesus, based on His Word and His Work (Romans 12: 2). He grew in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and thus he knew His Love, because God is love (1 John 4: 8), and the more you know Him, you will know and believe how much He loves you.
At any rate, this notion that how we feel, or what we think, or anything else can separate us or cut us off from the sunlight of the Spirit is nothing but evil lies.
Jesus died on the Cross not just to get rid of, to pay for all of our sins (Colossians 2: 13), but to give us His life, as well:
"[Jesus] 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: 14)
"Redemption" speaks of being bought back and reclaimed by the proper owner. We were meant to be with God and for God to live with us for all time, yet the Fall of Man, from Adam's sin, corrupted us with sin, and thus the separation between God and man had to be repaired by Jesus Christ, God made man, the Word made flesh.
In Romans 8, where Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God, he includes a key element too often left out in our churches:
"14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the 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: 12-17)
We have nothing to fear because He has made us children of God, he has adopted us! Be persuaded that you are loved as much Jesus!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
We Can Never Be Cut Off From God
In Christ, we cannot be cut off ever from God:
"Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55: 13)
and then
"Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 56: 5)
This passages come from the Old Testament, all prophesies of the work that Jesus accomplished on the Cross for all mankind.
The New Testament:
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6: 37)
and
"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." (Hebrews 10: 29)
and
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13: 5)
"Never" there translates the Greek ""Ou me", which means "by no means", "no way at all", "not in the least of the slightest." In short -- we can never be cut off or forsaken or lost of let aside or cast off ever.
Jesus was not just filling up the air when He cried out "It is Finished" (John 19: 30).
He stated an accomplished fact, and therefore we can rest assured that God will never leave us nor forsake us.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
He is Working In You -- Let Him!
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Philippians 1: 6)
God is at work within us already, that we both will and do what He wants us to do:
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. " (Philippians 2: 13)
Jesus Christ lives in us:
"27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1: 27)
Paul does not stop there to relate who Jesus is and what He does within us:
"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1: 28-29)
Not us, but He is working in us, and as we look on Him, we see Him transforming us from glory to glory in all things (2 Corinthians 3: 18).
His grace works in us to do all things, too:
"But 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)
Jesus is working in you. He is perfecting you. He is transforming you. Rest in Him, and let Him work in you.
God is at work within us already, that we both will and do what He wants us to do:
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. " (Philippians 2: 13)
Jesus Christ lives in us:
"27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1: 27)
Paul does not stop there to relate who Jesus is and what He does within us:
"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1: 28-29)
Not us, but He is working in us, and as we look on Him, we see Him transforming us from glory to glory in all things (2 Corinthians 3: 18).
His grace works in us to do all things, too:
"But 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)
Jesus is working in you. He is perfecting you. He is transforming you. Rest in Him, and let Him work in you.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
In the Worst Moments, Jesus is Glorified
"And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away." (2 Samuel 18: 9)
Absalom was the charged and rebellious son of David, who had first killed the man who had raped his sister Tamar, then in exile formed a rebellion to take down his father, King David.
The same King David charged his men to capture his son Absalom, but not to kill him.
Verse nine presents a type and shadow of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The son of a king riding on a mule, Absalom's hair gets caught in the trees.
Jesus is the Son of God, and He rode on a mule into Jerusalem, and His entry was hailed by many of the inhabitants, yet the same would turn on Him within the week and crucify Him.
Absalom had long hair, which speaks of sin and the flesh. Jesus had long hair because He was a Nazarite, and his long hair speaks of the sin which He became, that we would be made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
The most telling detail in 2 Samuel 18: 9 alludes to Jesus' Crucifixion:
"He was taken up between the heaven and the earth."
In the same manner, Jesus hanged on a Cross, between heaven and earth.
Later, one of David's captains, Joab, slays Absalom:
"14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." (2 Samuel 18:14-15)
The news of Absalom's death devastated David:
"33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18: 33)
Just as Father David mourned for his son's death, so too was God the Father grieved for the death of His Son, Jesus, but unlike David, God's love was greatest for His Son and for all of us:
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53: 10-11)
In a terrible moment in Biblical History, God still glorified His Son through the types and shadows of one son's rebellion against his own father.
In the same manner, let us rest assured that God's grace is superabounding in every area of our lives (Romans 5: 20), especially when we fail, fall, or fool ourselves.
In our worst moments, Jesus is glorified as we rest in His righteousness.
Absalom was the charged and rebellious son of David, who had first killed the man who had raped his sister Tamar, then in exile formed a rebellion to take down his father, King David.
The same King David charged his men to capture his son Absalom, but not to kill him.
Verse nine presents a type and shadow of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The son of a king riding on a mule, Absalom's hair gets caught in the trees.
Jesus is the Son of God, and He rode on a mule into Jerusalem, and His entry was hailed by many of the inhabitants, yet the same would turn on Him within the week and crucify Him.
Absalom had long hair, which speaks of sin and the flesh. Jesus had long hair because He was a Nazarite, and his long hair speaks of the sin which He became, that we would be made the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
The most telling detail in 2 Samuel 18: 9 alludes to Jesus' Crucifixion:
"He was taken up between the heaven and the earth."
In the same manner, Jesus hanged on a Cross, between heaven and earth.
Later, one of David's captains, Joab, slays Absalom:
"14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." (2 Samuel 18:14-15)
The news of Absalom's death devastated David:
"33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18: 33)
Just as Father David mourned for his son's death, so too was God the Father grieved for the death of His Son, Jesus, but unlike David, God's love was greatest for His Son and for all of us:
"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53: 10-11)
In a terrible moment in Biblical History, God still glorified His Son through the types and shadows of one son's rebellion against his own father.
In the same manner, let us rest assured that God's grace is superabounding in every area of our lives (Romans 5: 20), especially when we fail, fall, or fool ourselves.
In our worst moments, Jesus is glorified as we rest in His righteousness.
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