Friday, July 31, 2015

No Need to Retaliate


The grace of God is indeed a wonderful thing.

Today, I recognize that I do not need to retaliate against anyone.

The goodness of God so far outstrips the hurt and setbacks of others.

For the longest time, I was so easily and upset by the remarks which other people made to me.

A sense of outrage, a sentiment of "payback" was dominant.

Most importantly, a sense of shame and condemnation would follow me around because I did not take down people who had been mean, rude, or downright unpleasant.

I still have not answered the question yet -- where this "pay-back" mentality came from.

But the more that I meditate on the truth that the Lord is my shepherd, the less I feel the need to make people pay for their wrongdoing.

The gift of righteousness is really something, and something that we keep receiving.

This revelation is quite new to me. Still is.

"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 is a gift which we keep on receiving, for that little word "receives" carries in it the intense, large revelation of ongoing reception.

For the longest time, I had the upsets and wars in my head, the sense of frustration, pressure, and shame that I had to do something about how I felt.

I had to talk to someone, I had to write something, or I had to payback people for hurting my feelings.

Oh brother, the pain never ends if we are constantly looking at how we feel, and making those sentiments the final authority in our lives for, well - just about everything.

That need for retribution goes all the way back to the fact that many of us simply do not believe what the Bible says.

"Vengeance is mine. I will repay" (Deuteronomy 32: 35)

Yet a sense of condemnation used to follow me around a lot if I did not make people payback. Then there was the never-ending kicking-myself: "How could I let you do that?"

The answer is in that one word "I" and breaking free into a better, true identity:

"Herein is love perfected among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4: 17)

We are not trying to get rid of every bad feeling in our lives any more, for everything that we have in this life is a gift from God and His Son Jesus, Life personified and made real to us.

There is no need to retaliate when we understand that in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8: 1).

Today, I can relate why I felt the way that I did. I grew up with someone who was constantly fighting with people, taking everything personally.

Yet even then, why do people take everything so personally in the first place?

If we do not believe that every sin and shame and bit of condemnation has been eaten up, paid for in full at the Cross, what else can we expect but to take people down a notch?

As long as we walk around with a false or a poor identity, convinced that we are still wrong in some way or about something, we will feel a need to retaliate against others.
There is no need to retaliate, there is no reason to be angry all the time, there is no need for me to apologize for how I feel or do not feel anymore.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Fight for the Truth of the Gospel of Grace

In the last post, we learned that the fight of faith is a rest, one in which we rest from our efforts to please God.

Now, there is a fight, in that we in the Body of Christ stand for the truth, the faith, which speaks of Christ's death on the Cross and the full measure of justification which we receive from Christ Jesus:

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 1: 3)

What is "the faith" about? Speaking out so that I get a car or other material demands?

No: it's about the grace of God:

"Even 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: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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." (Ephesians 2: 5-9)

Paul explained full what the Gospel is all about:

"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)

Boom.

This Gospel produces divisions, as it did the  moment that Paul announced it:

"42And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
 
44And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming." (Acts 13: 42-45)
 
The fight was on from the moment Paul preached the truth of the Gospel.
 
Jesus of course faced the same headaches from Pharisees, who embraced the law and rejected grace:
 
"
1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." (Matthew 12: 1-8)
 
and
 
"15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." (Luke 13: 15-17)
 
The four Parables of the Grace of God in Luke 15 and 16 also offended religious people. If they have read over the Old Testament, they would see how gracious indeed God was to His people. In the New Testament, this grace of God is fully manifest in His Son.
 
Paul the Apostle called to preach the Grace of God had to fight against legalists, Pharisees, and Judaizers, and was unsparing in his hatred of their perverting the Gospel:
 
"6I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:6-7)
 
Paul openly rebuked Peter for going back under in a matter as seemingly benign as separating himself from the Gentile Christians:
 
"11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" (Galatians 2: 11-14)
 
Who can forget this statement from Paul:
 
"11And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. (Galatians 5: 11-12)
 
So, indeed we do fight, but not against sin or the devil or even the world, since they have been judged and condemned already (John 16: 8-11). If there is any fight, it is to stand for the truth of the Gospel of Grace.
 

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

We Do Not Fight Anymore

No more fighting, but resting: that is what the Christian Life, or rather Christ's life in us, is all about.

Yet Most people draw their misplaced inspiration from this verse:

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6: 12)

Now, let us read through this exhortation with some care. How do we intend to fight if we are called to lay hold onto eternal life at the same time? It does not make sense if we look at the English translation.

The original Greek communicates and exhortation to rest:

"Let the good fight of faith be fought."

What?

John gives us a better appreciation of this fight in his First Epistle:

"I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2: 12)

and then John reiterates:

"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: 14)

For the young men, John writes that they have overcome the wicked one. They are not fighting still. They are not still fighting. They recognize that the fight if over and they are winners.

Paul writes about this consummate victory that we have in Christ Jesus:

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

We are more than conquerors because we do not have to right, but Jesus has granted us the victory through His death, resurrection, and forever ministry at the right hand of God our Father.

Fatherhood, adulthood in the Body of Christ is no longer about fighting, but about seeing how great Jesus is, and to know Him who has been from the beginning (1 John 2: 12-14)

The temptation for the longest time remained, however, for me to fight.

Now I know today that His Spirit fights, and wins. All I have to do is rest:

"16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 16-18)

and

"10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore. . ." (Ephesians 6: 10-14)

Paul did not say "Fight". He did state and repeat: "Stand". It's a fight of not fighting.

One could also call it a work to rest:

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

We do not fight anymore, and we should not feel condemned or shamed of the thoughts and feelings which fly through our heads.

The question then rises up again: "What are you going to do about it when you get angry again?"

The answer was as easy as pointing back to the fullness of the Cross:

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10: 4-6)

The weapons are mighty through God, not through ourselves or our efforts. He is the one fighting. We do not have to feel condemned, for in Christ there is no condemnation (Romans 8: 1)

We do not fight anymore, because Jesus Christ fought the fight and won it at the Cross. He defeated sin, the world, and the Enemy

John also speaks of this glorious hyper-victory in Christ:

"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)

and then

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5: 4)

Why would we keep on fighting, since He has more than overcome every obstacle?

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

God Forgave Us More than Seventy Times Seven

"21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18: 21-22)

How interesting that in this passage in the Gospel of Matthew, Peter (whose name means "stone" and speaks of the law) tries to establish a standard or condition for forgiveness, and then a limit.

Jesus pushed aside this self-righteousness, and declared that everyone of us must forgive and keep on forgiving.

Let us never forget that Jesus was preaching under the Old Covenant and fulfilled it at the Cross (Matthew 5: 17)

Yet after pressing on Peter that he must keep on forgiving, Jesus preached the parable of the Gracious King, who forgave an insurmountable debt. When the steward then refused to forgive another fellow steward, the king forced the unforgiving steward into prison until he paid the full debt.

Today, however, we know that Jesus has more than paid our debt:

"10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13And 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: 10-15)

We are complete in Christ Jesus, and His death paid for all our sins. There is no limitation to the grace of God in all that Jesus accomplished for us at the Cross.

In fact, today we keep receiving the abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness (Romans 5: 17)

We do not forgive in order to be forgiven, but because we have been forgiven:

"31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)

and

"12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." (Colossians 3: 12-13)

Jesus forgave us more than seven times, or seventy times, or seventy times seven times. We have been eternally forgiven for all our sins, and sin in our flesh has been condemned in turn (Romans 8: 3).

Monday, July 27, 2015

Taking No Thought -- Not Fighting Bad Thoughts

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10: 4-6)

We do not have to fret about bad thoughts -- at all.

In fact we are not called to fight with these bad thoughts.

Most people simply do not take time to read through the above passage:

"The weapons of our warfare are mighty through. . .God". They are not mighty through us!

Like many people who learn to walk by faith in Christ Jesus, I would face off against a sense of anger and outrage over the thoughts flowing in my head, and then headaches would follow.

I spent a great deal of my time trying to prevent bad thoughts.

I had so much more to learn about this central tenet of the Gospel:

"There is now therefore no condemnation in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

The negative is far more emphatic than anything that English can convey. "No never. Not ever. Never ever". It is a done and forever deal.

We do not even have to feel guilty or feel condemned about what we are thinking.

Our thoughts are now His thoughts, for we are no longer in ourselves, but rather in Christ.

"5Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15: 5-6)

and

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2: 16)

If we find ourselves meditating on something bad or something wrong, if we have lustful unhappy thoughts about times past or times to come, the answer is the Cross.

We are no longer in ourselves, and thus no longer called to look at ourselves, but Jesus:

"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)

We are no longer trying to get rid of the bad thoughts, but instead we are called to receive more of His righteousness and grace into our lives.

"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)

What needed to be focused on, was the truth of the Gospel, that in Christ I am justified from all things, and that the law of Moses has been put aside and fulfilled for me.

One of the most outstanding revelations for me especially was that He restores my soul. Not me -- He! Jesus Christ!

"3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23: 3)

He causes us to prosper, He causes us to walk in His ways (3 John 2)

It has been a hard transition for me, no question about it. I have wanted to fix what I was thinking, have nothing but good thoughts going though my mind. It is a fight that I still want to fight much of the time. Resting in God's goodness is a hard thing to do, but it is not impossible.

In fact, He gives us more grace (James 4: 6)

We are not called to fight the bad thoughts in our lives. He is fighting, and we are called to let Him fight.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

The Spirit Wars with the Flesh -- Not Us

We have the life of Christ Jesus in us, those who believe on Him.

How wonderful a gift.

We are not supposed to fight with our flesh. We do not even identify with it anymore:

"16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 16-18)

Because of the perfect sacrifice of what Jesus did at the Cross, we are no longer under law, we are no longer under sin, but under grace (Romans 6: 14)

"To walk in the Spirit" means to identify with the Spirit, to allows His righteousness, peace, and joy to lead us.

I did not understand this revelation for the longest time.

I was assaulted by fears and tremors of the past and the future.

I also believed that I had to do something about those fears and worries.

Those fears and worries are not me. Those fears and worries belong to an old man, who I no longer identify with:

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6: 6)

and also

"20But ye have not so learned Christ; 21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4: 20-24)

Paul was not kidding with the Corinthians when he wrote to them this new wonderful revelation, either:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corintians 5: 17)

The Spirit of God lives in us, and He has granted us a new life, a new standing, and we are now sons of God (1 John 3: 1)

We have a new standing in Christ Jesus, and it has nothing to do with us:

"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-22)

We do not fight anymore, either.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6: 16)

In reality, we do not wrestle, but stand (Ephesians 6: 13).

Another translation bears out the true meaning of what Paul shares with the Ephesians:

"because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;" (Young's Literal Translation)

He does the wrestling. We rest in Him (Hebrews 4: 11).

Saturday, July 25, 2015

No Condemnation in Loss

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8: 1)

The Bible is full of stories about people who did wrong things, and lost things, but God is gracious enough not only to restore what was lost, but to give us something so much better.

"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after." (Jeremiah 30: 17)

I have lost jobs, money, etc, in many ways.

A few years ago, I was the victim of an Internet scam.

I was kicking myself for the longest time, and even until recently, I was so fearful about spending any money on anything.

I was afraid to lose money, I used to think.

But what does the Bible say about all the things in this world?
"10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." (Psalm 50: 10)

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)

Today, I take a step back, and realize that I felt guilty, ashamed, and condemned about a number of things in my life. So many things.

I felt guilty about wrong things which I had said and done, about things which I had thought and felt.

Today, because of the Cross, because of the Blood of Jesus, I recognizes that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, at all, ever.

"There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

Period. Why? Because Jesus took all the condemnation. All of it:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

and also

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)

Yet condemnation will give way to doing wrong, stupid, and foolish things. We will get afraid of our past failures, then try to hold ourselves so that we do not make those mistakes again. Guess what? We make those failures again.

"14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For 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. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." (Romans 7: 14-20)

I had spent money badly in the past. I now understand why.

I had been tricked once, and I understand why it had happened. I also realize that He is holding the universe together, my Daddy God, and therefore I do not have to live with a poverty mindset, that there will be nothing if I spend something once in a while.

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)

I am not trusting finite man to protect me. I see the infinite loving God looking out for me.

"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)
 
I also accept that God is not going to rain down money. He cannot do that, since no one can prosper on the outside if they refuse to prosper from within. God does not throw wealth upon us if He knows that our bad mental state will lead us to spend foolishly and live heedlessly.

God our Father is infinitely interested in our full and forever prosperity. Not just for ourselves, though, but for others.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)

So, loss is not the issue for us, even if it is our fault. God has paid for all our sins. All of them. He is taking care of us, and He invites us to sows the seeds of good will and talent in our lives to bless others.

Wow. There is no condemnation in Christ, and I can now reap the joy of knowing the grace of God toward us, that Christ became poor that through His poverty we might be right (2 Corinthians 8: 9)

Friday, July 24, 2015

Eternal Sacrifice: Not One Day at a Time

 Jesus was very clear about our thoughts and tomorrow:

"31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." (Matthew 6: 31-34)
 
He has all our times, from yesterday, to today, and forever, in His hands.
 
He is the same, taking care of all times:
 
"7Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 7-8)
 
Everything rests on His gift of righteousness, and then the rest is added unto us.
 
His righteousness, however is nothing something that we work for, our that we seek with physical or mental ardor.
 
His righteousness is 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)
 
and also
 
"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)
 
What marks the transition from Matthew to the Epistles? The Cross!
 
At the Cross, Jesus offered a full, final, forever sacrifice for our sins:
 
"Who being [Jesus] 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)
 
and
 
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10: 12)
 
What stands out for me today, today! -- is that this sacrifice which Jesus offered is an eternal sacrifice, for the blood of Jesus cleanses (1 John 1: 7) and speaks (Hebrews 12: 24).
 
Jesus will be our high priest forever:
 
"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (Hebrews 6: 20).
 
There is no revisiting whether our sins are forgiven or not. There is no effort on our part, in what we do or think, what we read or feel. It is all about what Jesus did at the Cross.
 
Yet for years, I was convinced that what I said, did, the program that I was supposed to work (i.e. the Twelve Steps) would set me free.
 
Never.
 
As long as we keep believing that we have to confess our sins or grow through other dead works to be forgiven, we are basically saying that what Jesus did on the Cross was not enough, and that therefore it counts for nothing:
 
"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10: 29)
 
There is no room for disagreement on this issue. The blood of Jesus is a serious matter, and not open for debate.
 
There is none of this "One day at a time" nonsense to keep ourselves clean and pure before God.
 
No.
 
It is a once, for all, forever sacrifice which Jesus did at the Cross.
 
Now we have a better understand of what Paul means when He wrote:
 
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10:5)
 
His obedience is forever. His blood shed for us cleanses forever.
 
Jesus is our high priest forever, an eternal sacrifice with eternal consequence.
 
Hallelujah!

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Not Labor, But Receive

26Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6: 26-27)

Man is focused on working, working, working.

The problem is that man cannot work or earn what he needs.

Man is dead, and needs life. It is a great deal worse than "Man is bad, and needs to be better."

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2: 17)

Yet the Devil lied to Eve:

"And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:" (Genesis 3: 4)

Why would anyone listen to a serpent? Really? God's goodness far exceeded the fraudulent lies of the Enemy long before:

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:" (Genesis 2: 16)

So Adam and Eve died, and all mankind with him.

Bu the second Adam came, Jesus, and died for all our sins and granted us His life:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2: 13)

The hardest lesson all of us have to learn, is to stop doing, and start receiving.

The law was designed precisely for us to stop:

"Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)" (Romans 2: 15)

and then

"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)

and also

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

We are not called to work, for we are to repent from dead works (Hebrews 6: 1; 9: 14), but to believe and receive:

"28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 28-29)

and also

"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)

Today, let us stop laboring to be accepted by God and to serve Him, but believe on Him, receive from Him, that He may achieve through us.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Parable of the Gracious Master

8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. (Luke 16: 8-9)

The parable of the unjust steward should actually called "The Parable of the Gracious Master", since this parable follows after the three Parables expounded on the grace of God, featured in the Son (The Good Shepherd), the Holy Spirit (The Widow seeking the Lost Coin), and the Parable of the Loving Father.

In every one of these parables, and throughout the Bible, we have to read to see more of Jesus, not ourselves, to see more of the love of the Father for us (1 John 2: 14-15).

Man is obsessed with trying to be good, with trying to live by the rules, with giving off an appearance of righteousness

The truth is that man is dead, and he needs life. The issue is not just that we are bad, but we are dead in our trespasses, and need a new spirit.

Jesus faulted the religious leaders during His earthly ministry:

 "Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?" (John 7: 19)
He also declared what He came to bring. Not steps to make man's life better, or to improve his outer conditions:

 "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 let us consider Luke 16.

The rich man is a picture of our Daddy God.

When we try to work for him, or give the pretense that we can serve him, we are insulting God, for there is nothing that we can do for God.

The steward did indeed steal from this ruler, by the way, and in a similar fashion, man tried to take from God what God alone can give. Adam wanted to be like God, when God alone can know good and evil.

The unjust steward then plots to take from his master by forgiving the debts of other people who owe the master money.

In fact, everyone one of us have been forgiven all our debts forever through Christ Jesus' death on the Cross. He gives us this grace and peace, which we then can give to others:

"31What 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)

Now, the rich man commends the unjust steward. Finally, the steward is not pretending to be good.

What do we see in this?

God is inexhaustible in all that He has for us. We should not be afraid to take from Him and bless others. We should not relent in taking from Him his gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace (Romans 5: 17)

In fact, Paul writes to the Ephesians:

"31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4: 31-32)

"Forgive" is not rich enough. "Be gracious" is the proper word.

This graciousness is lavish and eternal, presented to us in the blood of Jesus, which cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1: 7) and speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12: 24)

When reading Luke 16, it is important to see that Jesus is depicting His Gracious Father, and He does not want us to try to serve Him.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Seeking the Lord: Believing in His Sacrifice

"And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper." (2 Chronicles 26: 5)

For me, passages like this were wonderful yet also confusing.

How do I seek God? Is He not everywhere?

The Psalmist could not have been clearer about how present He is in our lives:

"7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
 
"8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
 
"9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
 
"10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalms 139: 7-10)
 
We cannot get away from God, even if we try to.
 
When man fell and sinned, Adam and Eve tried to hide from God, but He found them:
 
"8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Genesis 3: 8-9)
 
So, what does it mean "Sought the LORD"?
 
This seeking speaks of allowing God to speak to us through the sacrifices of blood.
 
The first mention of seek speaks of blood
 
"And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man." (Genesis 9: 5)
 
Furthemore, "to seek God" speaks of depending on Him for answers. When Rebekah felt her two sons within her fighting, she sought God for answers:
 
"And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD." (Genesis 25: 22)
 
God promised to meet the Israelites (through their high priest) at the Mercy Seat:
 
"And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee." (Exodus 30: 6)
 
Today, we do not seek God physically, but rather we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord  (2 Peter 3: 18), seeing everything that He has done for us, and receiving more of His righteousness and grace into our lives, too (Romans 5: 17).
 
He lives in us (Colossians 1: 27) and His Spirit informs us of all things (1 John 2: 20, 27) because the Blood of Jesus has brought us to God:
 
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2: 13)
 
Today, to seek God is to believe that through the sacrifice of His Son, all our sins are put away, and we can rest in full assurance that He is providing for all our needs (Romans 8: 32, Philippians 4: 19).
 

Monday, July 20, 2015

Defined by Truth, Not Feelings

We are not defined by what we do, or even who we think we are.

Our identity must rest in something greater than ourselves, for we did not make ourselves nor do we even bring ourselves into the world.

When will men and women in the Body of Christ start identifying people in the truth, that they are kings and priests through what Jesus did, and that we are now in Christ, and therefore joint-heirs with Him?

We are no longer in ourselves, but rather in Christ.

Pastor Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and Kenneth Ham have pointed out the new identity that we have in Christ Jesus.

We are a new creation:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5: 17)

Paul affirmed this necessary revelation for the deeply dysfunctional Corinthian church, but in his Epistle to the Romans, he clearly informed people that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus:

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8: 1)

and then

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8: 6)

Too many people in this world are carnally minded. They look at their feelings, instead of the truth of God's Word.

It's just that simple. "I don't feel saved. I don't feel that God loves me."

That does not change one thing about the truth.

In fact, we need to rest from the need to feel, to think, to have, and to do in order to recognize the truth of who God is and all that He does.

The Word of God speaks to our minds, not our feelings, anyway:

"1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12: 1-2)

It's not about our feelings at all. It's all about minds' renewal, or repentance to the Word of Truth

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Uzziah: A Picture of God's Grace, and Gracious Hope Today

"And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper." (2 Chronicles 26: 5)


Uzziah was a good king, but he was not perfect. His name means "God is my strength", but when he forgot that, he was hit with leprosy.

Now, the Book of Chronicles in the Bible related the history of the Israelites, with a perspective on the grace of God.

The account in Second Kings is smaller and less gracious:

"1In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. 2Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done; 4Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places. 5And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land." (2 Kings 15: 1-5)

There is no reason indicated why Amaziah (Uzziah's other name) was hit with leprosy.

In the Chronicles account, we find out why:

"But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. " (2 Chronicles 26: 16-19)

Then he began to think of himself as so strong that he could enter into the Holy of Holies to offer sacrficies, he in effect declared that he could provide his atonement.

Here we see what Jude would call "the rebellion of Korah" (Jude 11), in which man thinks that there is something that he can do to make himself good before God.

Now, Uzziah was struck with leprosy, but the consequences for attempted usurpation of the priest's role should have been far worse:

"6And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." (Numbers 18: 6-7)

Uzziah could have been killed, but the blood of bulls and goats continued to atone for his sins. Today, the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin (1 John 1: 7)

Today, because of Jesus and God's grace revealed in Him (John 1: 17), we are kings and priests:

"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)

Uzziah wanted to be a priest. Today, we are all priests, and witnesses of God's grace.

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Beloved, Blessed by the Gracious God of Jacob

1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
 
2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." (2 Samuel 23: 1-2)
 
David, the shepherd boy turned king, who fathered a child out of wedlock in an adulterous affair, an indulgent father, and at times an arrogant leader who chose inconvenience instead of wisdom, this same king was raised up, then anointed by the God of Jacob.
 
David is a picture of the grace of God, which we all receive today because of Jesus.
 
David means "Beloved", and because he understood how loved he was, then God could bless him, in spite of his sins and failures.
 
Today, God does not look at us and see us. He sees us in Christ:
 
"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
 
and of course:
 
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4: 17)
 
The grace of God is not for people who deserve it, but for those of us who believe in Him and have accepted his gift of righteousness (Romans 5: 17)
 
David understood this:
 
"Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalm 32: 2)
 
and also:

"But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." (Psalm 130: 4)
 
Now, why does the Bible record that David was anointed by the God of Jacob, as opposed to the God of Abraham, or Israel?
 
Jacob, lying, cheating, conniving Jacob, understood that God was the giver, and he needed to be the receiver:
 
"20And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." (Genesis 28: 20-22)
 
and also
 
"9And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. 11Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude." (Genesis 33: 9-12)
 
and then
 
"And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. 11Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it." (Genesis 33: 10-11)
 
When we see how gracious God is to us, that we do not deserve it for anything that we have done, but we receive all things because of what our Beloved Jesus has done, then we will find ourselves blessed by the same God of Jacob who anointed David.
 
 

Friday, July 17, 2015

From "My Teacher" to "My God"

"16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:16-17)

Mary was the first person to meet Jesus resurrected.

Jesus was beaten for our sins and iniquities, and raised from the dead as proof that all our sins were put away:

"
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.
6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53: 4-6)
 
Paul later wrote:
 
"23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4: 23-25)
 
Now, what else do we learn about Mary in this beautiful encounter, and what can we learn about Jesus?
 
The first thing that Mary said to Jesus was "Rabboni!" The translation is more than "Master", but "My master", or "my teacher".
 
For many Christians, when they learn about Jesus, they also learn the importance of having a personal relationship with Him.
 
Yet Jesus did not die on the Cross to be an example for us to follow or a teacher to tell us what to do.
 
He came to give us rest:
 
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11: 28)
 
He came to give us His Kingdom:
 
"30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12: 30-32)
 
He came to give us life:
 
"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)
 
He came to give us Himself:
 
"Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me." (Mark 9: 37)
 
Jesus did not come to be a teacher, but our Savior, to make us one with His Father:
 
"22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17: 22-24)
 
Notice in the above verse also that Jesus does not shame or chide Mary for seeing Him as teacher. He reveals more of Himself as "Father" and "your God".
 
God as our Father and a God to us, that is essence of the New Covenant:
 
"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)
 
As we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, we see Jesus no longer as "my teacher" but "my Father" and "my God".

Thursday, July 16, 2015

The Gospel of Grace Softens Our Hearts

"Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." (Hebrews 4: 7)

In this verse, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 95, in which the Psalmist pleads with the Israelites to believe God, that He has prepared a full and ready Promised Land for them.

In the first movement toward the Promised Land, they were overwhelmed with unbelief:

"25And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan." (Numbers 12: 25-29)

They were looking at themselves, not at the LORD who had brought them from Egypt to the border of the Promised Land.

Their hearts were hardened, unwilling to listen to the words of Moses or the two spies who gave a good report:

"And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." (Numbers 13: 30)

Instead, wandering in unbelief, the Israelites mourned:

"1And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." (Numbers 14: 1-4)

Whether we like it or not, unbelief is the norm for human beings. In fact, God understands this, and has provided a way out of it:

"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 11: 19)

Notice that part of New Covenant includes a new heart. The English translation does not bring out the fullness of what this new heart is and does. Another translation:

"And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart," (Living Translation)

A tender, soft heart. Also, the word for flesh "Bashar" also means "Good News", or the Gospel of Grace.

When we believe, accept the Gospel of Grace (Galatians 1: 6), that we have been justified from all things through Jesus (Acts 13: 38-39), God is able to give us a soft heart, and we will believe all that He says.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Jesus' Commandment: Believe, and Love One Another

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." (1 John 3: 23)

The Ten Commandments were never meant to be kept.

No one can keep them:

"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. 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)

and

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

Paul related the interminable struggle of trying to obey:

"7What 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. 8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." (Romans 7: 7-12)

The law was actually meant exclusivelly for the Israelites, not only aware of God's standard, but of their need for God's graces in every aspect of their walk:

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 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: 22-25) 
 
Now, the whole law has been fulfilled by Jesus, when He died for us and as us at the Cross:
 
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew 5: 17)
 
His death is our death, and brings us out from under the law:
 
"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)
 
So, we are no longer under the Covenant of Law, of the Ten Commandments, in fact 613 commandments.
 
We are under grace (Romans 6: 14), and the new commandments are "Believe on me; love one another":
 
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3: 31)
 
and
 
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13: 10)

Today, Jesus' commandments to us are very simple: believe on me, and love one another.

This not a hard calling, for He already so loved us (1 John 4:9).

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

He Will Never Leave Nor Forsake Us

"7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" (Psalm 139: 7)

Many of us struggle with this question:

"How do you know that He will be there with you tomorrow, the next day, etc."

 We may know that we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ, but still think that we have to keep him in our lives.

 What can change our minds about this misconception about God our Father?

I had a revelation of Jesus as my Shepherd:

"A Psalm of David.} The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23)

Notice that David writes "The LORD" -- the Covenant Name of God:

"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)

Today, I have the revelation of all that God is through His Son Jesus:

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13: 8)

The further revelation of how present God is to us, we find in Psalm 137:

"2Thou 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)
 
And also:
 
"8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
 
"9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
 
"10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Psalm 139: 8-10)
 
Even if we try to flee God's presence, we cannot!
 
"7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" (Psalm 139: 7)
 
He will never leave me nor forsake me. His presence, His blessings, His work in my life, in our lives, do not depend on us.
 
It all has come about because of Jesus!
 
So, whenever the question, the attack pops up to answer the question: "What are you going to do to make sure that He is there in your tomorrows?"
 
I answer with the Word of God, which announces at length that He is already in my tomorrows, and holds all of eternity in His hands.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Jesus Gave Mary (and all of us) Better

"16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20: 16-17)

What was the first thing that Jesus, now alive and resurrected in a perfected body, said to Mary?

He did not shame her with: "Why didn't you believe me?"

He did announce who He was, because He knew her before she could say anything else.

He called her name.

He then said: "Don't touch me", not because He resisted her embrace, since He would send His Spirit to guarantee to us an eternal embrace of love (Acts 10: 44).

He said Don't touch me because "I have not yet ascended to my Father."

Why is this important?

When Jesus ascended, He sent for His Spirit:

"33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." (Acts 2: 33)

With the Spirit, we receive:

"16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14: 16-17)

Jesus wanted to give Mary and all of us something better than His physical presence, which we could embrace.

Today, He lives in us by His Spirit, and we have his standing:

"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

and

"To 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)

and also

"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5: 12)

We also are seated with Him at the right hand of the Father, too:

"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: 4-6)

Mary wanted to hug Jesus, but when Jesus ascended, God the Father took us up with Him and placed us in Christ, too. Without at first realizing it, Mary (and all of us) have something, so much better today because of Jesus.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Righteousness Makes Us Joyful

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61: 10)

The prophet declares what makes us joyful.

Not winning the lottery, not getting the high school sweet-heart, and not having the admiration of others.

What gives us joy?  "He has clothed me with the garments of salvation".

What is connected with this covering of salvation?

"The robe of righteousness".

Why do we have these clothes today?

Because of Jesus. First, He declared the necessity of God's righteousness:

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

But:

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luk3 12: 32)

We have this gift of righteousness today because of the grace of God, showed then showered on 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)

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)

Notice that joy, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23), follows peace, which we have because we have been justified, made righteous, by faith in Jesus' Finished Work at the Cross (Romans 5: 1)

Righteousness, His righteousness, indeed makes us joyful, for we get to grow in grace and see what a great Work Jesus has wrought -- and continues to work -- for us through the Cross and His Ministry forever at the Father's right hand.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Not Progress, but Perfection in Christ

Many people love to recite the mantra:

"We claim progress, not perfection"

The Bible wants us to rest in something else, and something so much better:

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

How are we perfected? By our efforts? Not at all. - By the grace of God!

"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: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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." (Ephesians 2: 4-9)

In the same passage above, we learn about the rich and wonderful heritage which we have also received in Christ Jesus.

We are taken from dead in our trespasses, to alive and seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Forget progress, the notion that we have to work from  one place to another, that it is a slow ascent of struggle and self-effort to get from good to better.

No. Not only is there no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8: 1), but every sin has been condemned in our flesh, and we are granted a new spirit and a new standing:

"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." (Romans 8: 14-15)

Today, we are not trying to make ourselves better, for God our Father gave us the best, Jesus, that in Him we may His best:

"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)

When Jesus rose from the dead, He announced to Mary:

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (john 20: 17)

John would write in his first epistle:

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)

and finally

"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)

Why settle for progress in our efforts, which can produce nothing? Today, let us rejoice that Jesus has perfected us forever in His blood, by His Work on the Cross, and made us one with Him!