He Bore Our Cross -- Have His Life

"Blotting 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;" (Colossians 2: 14)

The word "his" does not appear in this verse, but the meaning should come through nonetheless:

Jesus Christ bore our Cross, took all our punishment.

Some will argue, however, that Jesus told His followers that they should take up their cross and follow him.

Jesus posed this challenge to those who saw Jesus as Example, rather than Savior:

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew 16: 24)

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the impossibility of the demand:

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9: 23)

To take up one' Cross means that we will die on that Cross.

Who wants to die daily in such a gruesome fashion? Who can?

No one.

Jesus took our cross, He died our death, and when we believe on Him, we accept that He took our sins and gave us His life, that we may reign in Life through Him:

"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 also

"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)

We are not called to take up a Cross, but rather rest in the truth that He took our Cross, that we may have His life.

Children of Grace, not Law

"Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." (Galatians 4: 30)

In the third and fourth chapters of Galatians, Paul explains the role of the law, which kept the Israelites under bondage, under guardianship, until the  fullness of time, when Jesus came, bringing an end to the Old Covenant and establishing the New Covenant in His blood.

So, if the law was meant primarily for the Israelites, then what purpose does it serve afterwards?

None. Once the law has brought you to the end of yourself, showing you that you are in sin, born dead in trespasses, and you cry out for a Savior, then the law has done its job, and you no longer need it.

Paul illustrates this transition from the account in Genesis:

"21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." (Galatians 4: 21-25)

The bondwoman, through whom Abraham had his first son Ishmael, was an arrogant slave who had to be disciplined by Sarah after being told to submit to her mistress.

When Isaac, the child of promise, was born, Sarah was clear as crystal: Cast out the bondwoman!

She had to go, since the first son was mocking and harassing the younger son, as is the case to this day, when Christians go from living under law to under grace:

"28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." (Galatians 4: 28-29)

Because we are born after the Spirit, dead to the law (Romans 7: 4-7), not only do we not need the law, but any thought of allowing the law to remain in our lives should offend us greatly!

We are children of promise, children of grace, not law, and thus the law can have no place in our lives once we have come to faith in all that Christ has done for us.

Abraham's Seed, Heirs of Promise, in Christ

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3: 29)

We are Christ's, because we have been redeemed, bought back, from the curse of the law:

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (Galatians 3: 13)

We are Christ's, because He became sin, and we then received His perfect standing of righteousness instead:

"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)

We have also received the Spirit of Adoption, which has made us all children of God through Christ:

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

and

"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1: 18)

If Jesus is the firstborn, then there must be second-born, third-born, etc:

"For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2: 10)

So now we can rejoice in the following:

"And 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: 17)

Everything that belongs to the Son, now belongs to you and me, too, because we are all in the Seed of Abraham, Jesus!

"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)

Jesus: More Than a Nationality

"28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3: 28) 

We are not saved because of our nationality. John the Baptist did away with such self-righteousness:

"And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3: 9)

God even reproached His people during the ministry of the prophets:

"A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?" (Malachi 1: 6)

Jesus fulfilled this honor, by the way, because we never could:

"Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me." (John 8: 49)

Now, as far as nationality is concerned, every person who believes in Jesus Christ has been brought into a new kingdom:

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:" (Colossians 1: 13)

We are also brought into a new country, so to speak:

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" (1 Peter 2: 9)

Not just any nation, but a royal nation, a priesthood endowed with His grace and righteousness (Romans 5: 17), when God had hoped that every Israelite would receive this standing (Exodus 19: 6)

In Christ, we are more than an earth-bound ethnicity or nationality, but we should rejoice in our new, royal, and eternal standing in Christ:

"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)

Baptism -- Christ is All Over You

"27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3: 27)

To this day, many Christians say "I am seeking God. I am looking for Jesus."

Such thinking makes no sense.

Yet Jesus did say:

"33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)

We must rightly divide the Word of God (2 Timothy 2: 15).

Before Jesus died on the Cross, shedding His blood for the New Covenant, He was still under law, and ministering primarily to people under law, who trusted in their efforts or their ethnic status to carry them through. That was part of the reason why Jesus told His disciples that their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5: 48)

Because of all that Jesus did at the Cross, however, we do not strive for His righteousness, but receive it, and keep receiving it as a gift:

"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)

As for the Kingdom of God, we have been translated into it:

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:" (Colossians 1: 13)

How has all of this taken place?

Because we have received His Spirit:

"And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" (John 20: 22)

and then

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

and then:

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14: 17)

We have been baptized into Christ by His Holy Spirit:

"I [John the Baptist] indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." (Mark 1: 8)

Because of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Christ is all over us, and we can never be separated from Him (Hebrews 13: 5-6)

Children of God by Faith in Christ

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3: 26)

The verse could not make it clearer: "You are", not "You will be."

The following verses explain how and why:

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

There is no spirit of bondage, as afflicted King Saul, for example, because all of our sins have been paid for, put away, sent away.

The Spirit of Adoption, the Holy Spirit, brings Christ Jesus to live inside of everyone of us, that instead of trusting to our fears and efforts, we can rest in God's grace and righteousness:


Consider also this wonderful verse:

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4: 6)

We do not have to cry out for our Daddy God to care for us. The Spirit of God within us cries out, and we just let the Spirit flow:

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8: 26)

When we receive all that Jesus has done for us at the Cross, including the removal of all our sins as well as the fulfillment of the law, so that we can receive the Spirit, then we can walk in the full spirit of Sonship which God the Father has entrusted to us.

Grace is a Better Teacher, through Faith

"But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 25)

In yesterday's post, you read that grace is our teacher:

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; " (Titus 2: 11-12)

How do we receive this grace? By faith:

"8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2: 8-10)

It is the grace of God which teaches us all things, which guides us, which causes us to grow, which makes us more than conquerors in all things (Romans 8: 37)

For this reason, faith is the better teacher, in that we receive His grace by believing it, that He has taken care of all our sins, has fulfilled the law on our behalf, and brought us into Himself:

"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)

Faith brings rest, in that we cease from our own efforts and receive His.

First, God prophesied to His people:

"Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiahs 31: 2-3)

and then, the LORDS showed up in human form:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11: 28)

and today:

"1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4: 1-2)

Grace is our teacher today, through faith. This grace is a gift which we keep receiving, along with the gift of righteousness (Romans 5: 17) because of all that Jesus has done for us, and is committed to doing for and through us today.

Law Taught Us, Faith Bought Us

"24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3: 24)

In the Third chapter of Galatians, Paul explains to the Galatians, who were bewitched by Judaizers to bring back the law in order to grow in holiness, that the law, the Ten Commandments and all its ceremonials, was for the Israelites, for a set time.

Many Christians need to learn this truth today, because truth is always with grace, not the law:

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)

John, whose name means "God is gracious", could not have put it more simply. There was the law, the "schoolmaster" which was given, yet Jesus came, and He not only comes to us, He comes to live in us and give us all things with Himself:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)

Jesus was not playing word games or paradoxes. He comes to serve us. He comes for us.

The problem with man, from the first man to the present day, is that we do not believe that God is that good, and worse yet we think that we are not that bad, and that with a little effort, we can do well for ourselves in this life.

So, the law entered:

\
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

and then

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;" (Titus 2: 11-12)

Grace is the teacher which leads us from death to life, which grants us wisdom to walk in His Spirit, in His life!

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:19-20)

When Paul refers to the law as a "school master", the word is actually more forceful, if not bullying. The law was a like a harsh tutor keeping the Israelites in line, so to speak, until the fullness of time:

"4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4: 4-5)

Because Jesus has come, has given us Himself, His righteousness, His life, His standing, and His power, we no longer need Ten Commandments to teach us how to live:

"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." (Hebrews 8: 11)

He causes us to know Him, too!

The law teaches us that we are helpless, that we are dead in our trespasses in need of His life. With faith in all that Jesus has done, we are no longer in need of a tutor. Grace is the best teacher, which we receive by faith, His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21)

Law Makes Us Ready for Faith

"23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." (Galatians 3: 23)

The law, the ministry of condemnation and death  shuts us up:

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3: 19)

As a reminder, the law is a ministry of death and condemnation:

"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3: 7-11)

Now, instead of our having to die in our bodies, Christ has provided us a death through His body:

"4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 4-6)

Faith is not of works, and our flesh can only produce dead works:

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3: 28)

And for those who are declared righteousness, life about faith, not works:

"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)

When we realize that we have nothing to bring, that there is no good thing in our flesh:

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)

and then

"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)

When we learn that we are bankrupted, dead in our trespasses (which the law affirms for us without mercy), then we are ready to receive the grace of God in Christ.

God's Son died, that You May live as His Son

"And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king." (1 Kings 3: 22)

In every verse of the Old Testament, we can find the New Covenant concealed.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." (Proverbs 25: 2)

In this verse, the two women were fighting over a child, and Kings Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived before Christ Jesus, had to determine which woman was the mother of the child.

He determined, therefore, to cut the child in two and give one half to each woman.

The woman who said: "No, give the child to the woman" turned out to be the real mother, because she cared about the child more than herself.

Now, let us draw out of this verse God's love for us.

First, God gave His own Son, that He would become sin and die for us, that we could become sons of God and live:

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1: 12)

and

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)

Now, if you have lost something, maybe even someone very dear to you, you can come boldly to the throne of grace in your time of need:

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 16)

Now, in the verse above, one woman would lose while another would gain, God not only freely gave His Son, but He freely gives us all things with Him:

"He 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: 32)

And while Solomon offered to give half the child to each mother, God gave us His Son fully, that we would be fully His sons:

"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)

Not in part, but wholly and holy His!

Righteous by Faith in Christ

"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify." (Romans 3: 21)

There is no righteousness through the law, through the Ten Commandment, ordinances which are against us, contrary to us (Colossians 2: 13-14)

They cannot bring forth righteousness, but actually bring forth the sin and death within us:

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)

and

"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." (1 Corinthians 15: 56)

and

"6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Corithians 3: 6)'

and

"24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3: 24-25)

and

"He is our peace. . .Having 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;" (Ephesians 2: 14-15)

There are many other passages in the New Testament, which testify that the Old Covenant, the Ten Commandments and the accompanying ceremonial mandates, are all fulfilled and put away in Christ.

In order to make this truth plain and simple to the Israelites, and to all of us, Jesus declared:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)

Paul then writes:

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1: 17)

and then:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)

We are righteous by faith, not the law, which is put away and no longer needed when we believe and receive Jesus as our Savior.

Jesus Defeats Our Enemy and Releases Us

"And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go." (Exodus 3: 20)

First of all, when we read any passage, we can receive the truth that in Christ, through God our Father, we are delivered from all enemies:

"Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust." (Psalm 16: 1)

and

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

Oftentimes, we want to see the wonders in our own lives, but first God wants to rid of us our enemies from within, who are taking away from us the recognition of the truth, and His power working in us to overcome.

Egypt speaks of the world, of ourselves, of our flesh, of our former, dead state in sin.

Just as God set His hand against Egypt in order to deliver Egypt, so to God unleashed His fiery wrath against His Son, that through the payment on His innocent body, we would be delivered from sin and death in our old nature:

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 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; " (Ephesians 2: 14-15)

The source of enmity between us and God was the Ten Commandments, the standard which established the Old Covenant between the Israelites and God.

Now, does that make the law a bad thing?

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." (Romans 7: 7)

Paul writes before this passage, too:

"4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 4-6)

Because of the law, we see our need for a savior, and then we receive God's grace and gift of righteousness (Romans 5: 17) because of all that Jesus has done for us!

Jesus defeated sin and death, obliterated the ministry of death and condemnation, which is the law (2 Corinthians 3: 7-9), and delivers us to Himself!

No More Evil Deeds in His Light

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3: 19)

Jesus is the light of the world (John 8: 12), yet this light brings righteousness, not condemnation:

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8: 12)

Jesus did not want to bring illumination so that we would see what we were doing wrong:

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3: 17)

Salvation is not about giving people to stop doing the bad things and start doing good things.

Salvation is about receiving life, since all men are born dead in their trespasses:

"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (Romans 5: 14)

and

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." (Galatians 3: 22)

We are under sin because of one man, Adam, yet we can be under grace because of another man, Jesus:

"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)

In Christ, we are in the light, and under His light, His blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7), and transforms us into sons of light (1 Thessalonians 5: 5)

When God sees us in Christ, He does not see our sin, or our sins, but He sees us "accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1: 6) and "holy and unblameable and unreproveable" (Colossians 1: 22)

In other words, we do not have to worry about our deeds, or about being evil, because He has transformed us from death to life (1 John 3: 14) ), and because we in His light, under grace, sin shall have no dominion over us (Romans 6: 14)

Jesus Brings Us to God, to Himself

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" (1 Peter 3:18)

A great deal of evangelism still emphasizes what man must do, when the New Covenant is built on God's "I will."

"0For 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." (Herbews 8: 10-12)

 

It's not about us, but about Jesus, and all that He is, because as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4: 17)

 

God's will is to bless us in all things, that we might have life, and that more abundantly (John 10: 10), and as we know Him, we receive all things which pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1: 2-3)

 

Still, many preachers give the impression that we need to come to God.

 

That is simply not true.

 

Jesus comes to us, and He bring us to His Father:

 

"2Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jeremiah 31: 2)

 

and

 

"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12: 3)

 

He blesses us first, and then we receive these blessings and bless others in turn. Let us never think that we have to hunt for God, or try to find Him:

 

"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name." (Isaiah 65: 1)

 

When Jesus ministered to the Israelites during His earthly ministry, He offered Himself:

 

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)

 

and

 

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14: 18)

 

We have Christ, because He has us, and we can be sure that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5)

 

Do not stress in trying to seek Him. He has sought you, and has brought you to His Father:

 

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (Ephesians 1: 4)

 

and

 

"21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:" (Colossians 1: 22-23)

 

Come boldly to your Daddy (Romans 8: 15), for Jesus has brought you to Him.

Stay at Rest in Christ

"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness." (2 Peter 3: 17)

What things "before" was Peter referring to?

"14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2 Peter 3: 14-16)

The things not so easily understood refer to the Gospel of Grace, in which a man is no longer seeking to justify himself through his actions, but receives and keeps receiving righteousness and grace as gifts because of Jesus:

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1: 17)

and then

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive [are receiving] abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)

Now, when we read over Peter's exhortation in his second letter, he talks about avoiding errors.

Take that word literally. Because of all that Jesus has done, we are invited to enter into His rest, where we cease striving for God's grace and righteousness, and start resting and receiving.

The one temptation which Satan has left: to make it seem as if the work is not finished:

"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind," (Colossians 2: 18)

and

"Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4: 11)

This rest is the inner posture that we are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1: 3), and that He is our peace (Ephesians 2: 14), and that through Him we can receive all things (Romans 8:32)

For God So Loved You

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)

Here is the Gospel at its simplest, which Jesus explained to the Pharisee Nicodemus that the Messiah did not come to condemn, but to save.

The whole world is under condemnation because of sin:

"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;" (Romans 3: 9)

and

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3: 23)

Yet in spite of our status of sin, because of Adam, God sent His Son to redeem us:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8)

Yet this love does not just stop at taking away all our sins:

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)

Jesus gave us Himself, and with Him, we freely receive all things (Romans 8: 32)

Most importantly, though, because of God's great love for us, we become adopted children of God, too:

"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 then

"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)

Never should we settle for any current understanding of how much God loves us:

"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 3:17-19)

God's love for us passes knowledge, which does not mean that it cannot be known, or rather is completely foreign to us, but rather that we can never fully understand it, and should never cease to grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3: 18)

Oh, God so loves you, Beloved!

Not the Law, But His Grace, Gives Us Life

We are dead to all the elements, the rudiments of this world, because once the law has done its job, proving to us that we are dead in our trespasses, then we receive His life. and that more abundantly.

The problem for me, and for many Christians, however, is that we then go back to the law as a guide for living, when it is merely a ministry of death:

"Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Corinthians 3: 6)

Paul then continues:

7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3:7-11)

 

Once we identify with Christ's death for us and as us (Romans 7:1-4), then we enter into a new life, His life, and we no longer look to the law for guidance.

 

Instead, we receive more of His grace:

"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)

 

and then

 

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)

 

Not our striving, not our barely getting by surviving, but His grace and righteousness bring us life, and that more abundantly.

You Are A Golden Pot of Manna

If you are dead in your trespasses (Ephesians 2:4-8), there is nothing that you can offer.

The perfect type for this reality we find in the Old Testament, in the Ark of the Covenant:

"31And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 33And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. " (Exodus 16: 31-33)

Then you can read in Hebrews:

"Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;" (Hebrews 9: 4)

How interesting, that in the New Testament, the writer affirms that the pot was golden.

The Golden pots of manna represent not just man's rebellion against God's provision, but also who we are before God in Christ, as Christ is our ark, and we are protected in Him. Apart from Him, we can do nothing, we have nothing, we are nothing. Yet He fills us with the Bread of Life (John 6: 63), Jesus, and because we are in Christ, we are established in righteousness, represented by the golden overlay on the outside of the pots.

When we realize that we have nothing of ourselves, and that His life fills us up, then we find ourselves receiving all things freely with Him.

We are dead to all the elements, the rudiments of this world, because once the law has done its job (Ephesians 3: 23-25), proving to us that we are dead in our trespasses, then we receive Christ our life. and that more abundantly (John 10: 10).

Be His Golden pot, and let Him fill you full today!

See Him In All Time, He Saves You All the Time

"My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me." (Psalm 31: 15)

All our times are in His hand.

No matter what we face, no matter what we have done, and no matter what besets from behind or in front, we need to rest in the truth that none of it has bypassed God, and that He is in charge and in control:

"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)

He is the First Word and the Last Word:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)

He is the last word on every sin, sickness, and setback in our lives:

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19: 30)

He finished the work that His Father sent Him to do:


"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." (John 17: 4)

and

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1: 3)

He purged our sins, all of them (Colossians 2: 13)

His blood continuously cleanses us, too (1 JOhn 1: 7)

When we understand how full and perfect is the work  which Jesus did, and when we understand that Jesus is He who has been from the beginning (1 John 2: 12-14), that He declares the end from the beginning in all things:

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)

That time is no object to Him:

"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)

Revealed in the New Testament, we find:

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3: 8-9)

Time is not an issue to God, and He has made it a non-issue for our sakes, so that no matter what obstacles we face, we can know and believe that He is causing all things to work on our behalf (Romans 8: 28")

Do not worry about the enemies you face. Know and believe that He who is from the beginning is taking care of all things for you, and He saves us all the time in all times.

Fear Not -- He Always Hears You

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me,

"But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer:" (Psalm 66: 18-19)

The first verse listed above may cause some fear and regret in your mind.

What if there is iniquity in my heart?

Remember that this psalm was written under the Old Covenant, and because of the Holy Spirit today, we can rest assured that He is guiding us into all truth, which is the Gospel of Grace:

"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)

The Holy Spirit witness of Jesus, the way the truth, and the life (John 14: 6), and every verse of Scripture will testify of Himself and what He has done for us (John 5: 39)

So, what can we see in these verses from Psalms?

We never have to worry about iniquity in our hearts, because God has given us a new heart:

"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:" (Hebrews 8: 10)

This heart allows His Spirit to flow freely in us:

"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)

In Christ, we have life and that more abundantly, and because we walk in His Spirit, we do not have to be under law, nor worry about fulfilling the lusts of our fallen flesh (Galatians 5: 16-18)

Because we are perfected forever in Christ (Hebrews 10: 14), and His blood cleanses us forever more from every sin (1 John 1: 7), we can know and believe that He hears us always!

Justified by Faith in Jesus, Living by Jesus' Faith

"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)   

What faith is Paul writing about?

Faith in ourselves, faith in the works of others, or faith in our faith?

None of the above, but rather the faith of Him who has been from the beginning (1 John 2: 14):

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)

First, we believe that we have died with Him:

"Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" (Romans 6: 8)

and then

"4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Romans 7: 4)

then

"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." (2 Corinthians 5: 15)

Do not forget this one:

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3)

Yet with our death with Christ, always comes His life.

The faith that lives in us, the grace which defines us (1 Corinthians 15: 10)

This faith is of the Son of God, and He lives in us. We are justified by His faith, and by faith Jesus lives and works in us. You were saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2: 8-9), so do not try to live by your efforts, but rather let His life, His faith live in you.

Jesus, Our Friend from the Beginning

"And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich." (Ruth 3:10)

"Ruth" in Hebrews means "Friend', and while we can certainly see Ruth as a picture of ourselves or the church and Jesus as the eternal kinsman-redeemer, we can also see Jesus as our perfect friend, who goes out to the fields and lays Himself down for us, and blesses us in all things.

He sees Himself as our friend:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15: 13)

Before anyone wonders for one second if they can rest on Jesus' promise for themselves, Jesus then said:

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." (John 15: 15)

The Proverbs prophecy of Jesus our friend:

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18: 24)

and

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 267: 6)

With Jesus, we are blessed in the end, because He is the beginning and the end, and our friends from the beginning:

"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)

In his first epistle, John writes:

"I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning." 1 John 2: 14)

He was our friend from the beginning, because He was ready to be laid down for us from the beginning:

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (Ephesians 1: 4)


"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you," (1 Peter 1: 20)

See Jesus as your forever friend today and forever more.

We Are Wholly Given To Jesus!

"And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel." (Numbers 3: 9)

We know that God that Father has wholly given His Son for us and to us.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)

and

"He 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: 32)

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" (Colossians 2: 10)

Did you know that you have been wholly given to Him, too?

"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43: 1)

Yet we are not presented to God as imperfect, but rather perfected in Christ:

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."(Hebrews 10: 14)

and then

"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)

Now, you and I may think that because of actions, past or present, or our thoughts, that we are not perfect, and that we have to do more so that we get perfected.

We start as winners and victors in Christ (Romans 8: 37) and then the Holy Spirit transforms us from glory to glory as we behold Jesus (2 Corinthians 3: 18)

We are made royal priests (1 Peter 2: 9) before God because we are in Christ, and His holiness transforms us as we grow in grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3: 18)

Salvation is His -- and Yours!

"8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah." (Psalm 3: 8)

When we understand that salvation comes from the LORD, and Salvation is our God, then we find blessings on us.

God was interested in saving us, even before anyone else was on the earth:

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Genesis 3: 15)

and then

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:" (Ephesians 1: 4)

and

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13: 8)

Also in Revelation, we read:

"And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." (Revelation 7: 10)

Salvation is of the Lord, and Jesus our Savior is named the same:

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: " (Luke 1: 31-32)

With this Savior, through Salvation Himself, we receive all things:

"He 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: 32)

and then

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1: 3)

and also

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1 Peter 1: 30

Salvation is of God, and God is for you. When we receive Salvation in Christ, we receive all blessings with Him, too!

He Has Saved Us -- Believe It!

"Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly." (Psalm 3: 7)

The context of this psalm is quite compelling, as David composed this praise to the LORD, even as he was running from his abusive, rebellious son Absalom.

What is striking about this verse, though, is that David asks for his God to save him because  he has beaten down all his enemies already.

For many of us, we think that if we witness the defeat of our enemies, then we would be at peace.

The truth is that our peace is based in a person, and what He is doing for us at all times:

"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)

and

"3Thou wilt keep in perfect peace the mind stayed [on thee], for he confideth in thee." (Isaiah 26: 3)

This peace we find in believing on Him whom the Father sent for us (John 6:29)

And this Sent One, Jesus, is our peace:

"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;" (Ephesians 2: 14)

We need to start seeing our victory in Christ as a done deal, not a deal which needs to be done.

"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)


He already has made an open display of our enemies, everyone!

Also:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16: 33)

Jesus has overcome the world, and we are in Christ, therefore:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

and

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4: 4)

He has saved you, beloved. Your enemies are already defeated. Step into this more-than-victory today!

Jesus, Greater than Thousands

"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about." (Psalm 3: 6)

Never should we fear the great numbers which face us.

The LORD God comforted His people Israel in face of fights to come:

"And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." (Deuteronomy 20: 3-4)

When you see the LORD, when you Jesus as your savior, Him who has been from the beginning, and you receive more of His love, then every fear is banished in your life (1 John 4: 18)

Consider also this passage in the Old Testament:

"And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands" (1 Samuel 18: 7)

Saul is a picture of our flesh, ourselves, and our fallen nature. No matter what Saul did as king, his military exploits never matched what David accomplished.

Let us not forget that David slew one giant, Goliath:

"50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David." (1 Samuel 17: 50)

Yet because David slew this giant, he aided the Israelites in killing tens of thousands of Philistines.

And God gave the glory to David, His Beloved, because He trusted in the Lord His God.

Today, we are in the Beloved, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1: 6), and in Christ, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8: 37). Because of His great love for His Son, God the Father has placed all things, more than thousands, under His feet:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Psalm 110: 1)

and

"And [God the Father] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1: 22)

Just in case you might think that this promise does not pertain to you:

"And [God the Father] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 6)

Jesus is greater than the thousands, or the ten thousands, and you are in Him, so you have nothing to fear!

He Supports Us!

"I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me." (Psalm 3: 5)

Take a look at the word "sustained":

In the original Hebrew, "sustained" means:

samak: to lean, lay, rest, support

Original Word: סָמַך
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: samak
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-mak')
Short Definition: lay

For so long, I had believed that this life was entirely up to me.

Yes, I knew that He had died for all my sins, yet no one had ever explained the fullness of the following verses:

"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)

 

 

And no one had every explained to me:

 

"He 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: 32)

 

and

 

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)

God wants to be everything for us. He is our Vine, and we are branches in Him, and apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15: 5)

 

He gives to us sleep:

 

"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep." (Psalm 127: 2)

 

We can rest assured that He is giving to us sleep, because:

 

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)

 

Because of all that Jesus has done for us, and that He is committed to keep doing for us, we can lie down, sleep and wake up, knowing that He is caring and carrying us at all times!

He Hears us By Grace

"I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah." (Psalm 3: 4) 

Do you know why God hears us today?

Not because we are good, and not because we have confessed our sins.

He hears us because we are in Christ:

"1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2: 1-2)

He hears us because we are in His Son, and as He works in us, we in turn are moved to speak as He desires us to:

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:" (1 John 5: 14)

Just to clarify what is God's will:

"Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." (Hebrews 10:7)

The context speaks of Jesus' final sacrifice for us, that the grace of God would be shed on us all:

"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)

We can also see that God hears us because of grace in the very verse in Psalm 3, for God's holy hill is Mount Zion:


"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." (Psalm 2: 6)

and

"Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joel 2: 1)

Zion speaks of grace, and we can trust that because of Jesus, we can boldly come to the throne of grace in time of need (Hebrews 4: 16)

God the Father Gave Us His Best Willingly

3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

 

4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him." (2 Samuel 12: 3-4)

 

When Nathan the prophet told this story to King David, the LORD was using the parable as a means of confronting David's self-righteousness and exposing that he had committed a great sin.

 

Yet every parable, every account in the Old Testament grants to the Holy Spirit an opportunity to glorify the Lord Jesus.

 

The poor man is a picture, in a sense, of God the Father, and the little ewe lamb is a picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 27).

 

God the Father loved the Son, cherishing Him at his own table:

 

"And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3: 17)

 

and

 

"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (John 1: 18)

 

and

 

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalm 23: 5)

 

Now, in Nathan's parabale, a cruel rich man takes the ewe lamb from the poor man just to offer him a meal. Yet with God the Father, He gave His Son willingly, that we may become sons of God in Christ:

 

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1: 12)

 

God our Father is the Kind, Good Father, and He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1: 3)

 

Indeed, let us contemplate how  much God our Father loves us, that He gave us His best, His darling Beloved (Ephesians 1: 6) too a world which was steeped in its sin (Romans 5: 8) that we may be called His sons and daughters (1 John 3: 1) and sit at His table forever!

Behold the Son -- Know that He Took Your Hurts

"29And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" (Genesis 37: 29-30)

In Hebrew culture, to "rend one's clothes" was a sign of deep mourning for the death of a loved one.

Reuben, whose name means "Behold the Son!" in another type of our Lord Jesus, represents the compassion eternal and unending which God has for us.

As our High Priest seated in heavenly places on our behalf, He understands everthing that we have been through:

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4: 15)

Even in the Old Testament, even when His people Israel faced great privation and strain for their sins, God never stopped sharing His love for them:

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31: 3)

Just as God cares about the birds and the flowers, He cares about us, too:

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matthew 6: 26)

and then

"30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6: 30)

Jesus suffered every sin, disease, and hurt for us at the Cross:

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.


4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53: 3-5)

When you Behold the Son, know and believe that He knows our hurts, and He took every hurt at the Cross for us.

Want to Know God's Will? Know Christ and Him Crucified

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. 
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12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

The New Covenant, including everything that God is, has, and does for us, is best on verse twelve, in which God pledges never to remember our sins.

Why? Because Jesus Christ paid for all of them at the Cross.

All of them:

"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)

All of our sins are forgiven, and the very law which God instituted with the Israelites is fulfilled in Christ so that we can never fall into condemnation ever again (Romans 8: 1)

Now, many Christians fear that when they receive some sentiment or premonition to do something, they are not sure whether God is impressing on them to do something or not.

Yet the New Covenant covers for this concern:

"I will put my laws into their mind and write them on their hearts"

Paul writes more clearly for the Philippians (and for all of us):

"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)

Because we rest in the full and forever forgiveness of our sins, Jesus Christ can live and move in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. His peace rules on everything in our lives (Colossians 3: 15), and because we walk in the Spirit, we never  have to worry about giving into the lusts of the flesh.

If you want to know God's will, grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3: 18), Christ and Him Crucified.