Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom
5 Feb
Is the Wrath of God only a future event, or does it happen now?
I believe the answer to that question can be found in the following definition of wrath found in the “Dictionary of Theology”:
“Biblically, it is the divine judgment upon sin and sinners. It does not merely mean that it is a casual response by God to ungodliness, but carries the meaning of hatred, revulsion, and indignation. God is by nature love, #1Jo 4:16 however, in His justice He must punish sin. The punishment is called the wrath of God. It will occur on the final Day of Judgment when those who are unsaved will incur the wrath of God. It is, though, presently being released upon the ungodly #Ro 1:18-32 in the hardening of their hearts.
Wrath is described as God’s anger, #Nu 32:10-13 as stored up, #Ro 2:5-8 and as great. #Zec 7:12 The believer’s deliverance from God’s wrath is through the atonement. #Ro 5:8-10 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”. #1Th5:9”
Did you catch that phrase that God’s wrath is presently being released on the ungodly in the hardening of their hearts. So we see the wrath of God working against sin in the world today by hardening the individual’s heart.
What about Nations?
Nations have come and nations have gone. I believe the nations that acknowledge God will be blessed and the nations that don’t will come to ruin. Is this the wrath of God or is it the consequence of not honoring God?
I see the whole process as the working of Gods love for people. The nations that don’t serve God have a tendency to oppress and abuse their people for the gain of the few who have usually gained control through might. God in His mercy for individuals allows those governments to come to ruin so the people can be free from the oppression. It might be wrath on those who rule in unrighteousness, but it is an act of compassion for those who are being oppressed.
Have a great day!
15 Jan
What is the wrath of God?
The “Concise Bible Dictionary” has this to say about the wrath of God.
“The wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men is plainly declared in scripture, and will surely fall upon the children of disobedience
Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Col 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
The fierceness of that wrath is spoken of.
Re 16:19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
How vain then for the false teachers to speak only of the love of God, and to say that because ‘God is love’ there will be mercy for all eventually. There is grace for all now, but there is as surely a day of wrath coming, for God is righteous. “
I know that this definition is a bit on the harsh side, but laying aside the attitude the truth remains that their will be a day when the wrath of God is seen.
Who is Appointed to Wrath?
Jesus clearly answers this question with His statement in John:
John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Now that is what I call speaking plainly for all to hear. Those who believe have everlasting life, those who don’t believe the Son, the wrath of God abides on them.
So we who believe in the Son and have received Him as our Lord have escaped the Wrath of God.
1Th 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [even] Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1Th 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Is the Wrath of God only a future event, or does it happen now?
I’ll answer that in my next blog.
Have a great day!!!
29 Nov
Col 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Think if you will for one moment what Paul is revealing to us in these Scripture verses. He is telling us that in Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. That means that Jesus was the very embodiment of God Himself. Jesus is God!! That’s right He is the very manifestation of the Godhead bodily. Now I know that it says that…”God is Spirit”. (Jn.4:4) So, if God is Spirit how can Jesus be the fullness of the Godhead bodily? To understand this we must understand the Godhead. The word here for Godhead is used no where else in the Scriptures means all that is divine and belonging to divinity is fully belonging and existing in Jesus in His glorified body. This shows us that Jesus was fully human having a body not just spirit, and that He was fully God, possessing all the attributes, nature and character of God.
Jesus possessed the very nature of God in His human body, yet He chose to live only by the power provided to Him by the Holy Spirit; thus providing for us the ultimate example of how to walk in the Spirit. Jesus illustrates this point in these verses; John 5:19, 30; 8:28; 14:10. He was totally reliant on the power of His Father’s Holy Spirit.
The first point Paul wants us to understand is that all that God is resides in Jesus.
The second point he want us to know is that we, like Jesus, are complete fully mature in Him. Not by our power but by the power of the Holy Spirit; so that the works that He did we can do. Why? Because the Fullness of The Godhead dwells in Us. If the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus and He dwells in us, then in our body dwells the fullness of the Godhead. We must realize that when we accepted the free gift of Jesus and asked Him to dwell in us, He did. Jesus came to make His abode or dwelling place in us so that we can complete all He has planned for us to do.
Have a Great Day!!!
25 Nov
The Bible clearly teaches us that there will be a time when darkness shall cover the earth and dense darkness all peoples.
What is meant by darkness?
Eph 4:18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
Eph 4:19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
I believe the darkness that is enveloping the world is two-fold. It is a blindness in their hearts that alienates them from understanding the life of God and it is moral decay that works all manner of lewdness and uncleanness with greediness.
Today, especially in Western society, there is a marked decline in those who profess Christianity and an increase in the numbers of those who hold no religious affiliation. This should not surprise us or shock us because “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” One of the leading factors to the success of the Western society can be marked from the time of the early Reformers of the Church. When Guttenberg wanted the Scriptures to be read in his native tongue he was inspired, I believe by God, to invent the printing press, which sparked the industrial revolution. God fearing, God believing Christians enlightened by having the Word of God in their own language radically changed our world. A God fearing thread of believers lines the fabled halls of science, starting with Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543); Johannes Kepler (1571-1630); Galileo Galilei (1564-1642); Rene Descartes (1596-1650); Isaac Newton (1642-1727); Robert Boyle (1791-1867); Michael Faraday (1791-1867); Gregor Mendel (1822-1884); William Thomson Kelvin (1824-1907) and Max Planck (1858-1947). The very success of science and much of it inspired by these God fearing men, has also lead to a climate of intolerance for anything Christian. Christianity is no longer held in high esteem by the educational elite who have forgotten that the very freedoms they enjoy owe themselves to the very religion they eagerly plot to remove from the realm of educational discourse. So successful has this stratagem been that it has lead to the blinding of an increasingly higher percentage of mostly young peoples’ hearts toward the knowledge of God.
Just as Christianity lead to the freedoms enjoyed by Western Societies, its decline has lead to increased governmental control on a global level. This control has been ushered in on the backs of this intolerant treatment of anything Christian; to such a point that the very societal moral restraints, that have been the glue which held together these freedoms, have been equally attacked. This ethical degeneration has affected every citizen of this emerging globally governed community by the constant assault on the senses of their God given conscience leading to gross insensitivity. Being past feeling it has truly lead to lewdness on an unprecedented scale and has worked all uncleanness with greediness.
When I look at my own life through the revealing mirror of God’s Truth, I am shocked by the affect on my own conscience by this wilily assault. Things I would never have tolerated my eyes to see, my ears to hear and my heart to imagine, have now become shockingly less offensive.
Thank God for His grace. When all seems impossible God always has a way of coming through on our behalf. He will arise upon us and His glory will be seen on us. Hallelujah!
Thank You Lord For Your Grace!!!
Have a great day!
25 Nov
2Co 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
The disappointment that occurs when the prayers that we pray bring the opposite of what we were petitioning can border on disillusionment if one is not careful. It is incumbent upon those who find themselves in such a state to look beyond one’s expectations and into the Lord’s ultimate design.
How can we possibly know the Lord’s design?
The only way in which one can discover the design of God is to understand the designer God; Himself. As we begin to know Him, I mean not intellectually, rather intimately acquainted with His ways. First we must understand that often His ways are not our ways.
Isa 55:8 “For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
God’s ways of bringing about answers to our prayers don’t always seem to be what we would think they should be. His thoughts are so much higher than ours.
Isa 55:9 “For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
God sits in the heavens far above the realms of this earth in a place or dimension that is not subject to or bound by the laws of time and space as we understand them. He knows before things come to pass, He can tell the end of a thing before it even starts.
Isa 42:9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
Ac 15:18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works.
Eternity is a tricky thing because it has no beginning and no end. So an eternity happened before God created earth and an eternity will continue long after this earth and it’s universe are gone. The amazing think about God is His ability to determine the entire outcome, every little detail of all His creation, of the events that will occur in the lifetime of the whole universe and the effects those outcomes will have in relation to all animate and imamate objects.
No, God was not surprised by the outcomes of the elections that occurred over a year ago. He knew exactly what would happen and when it would happen. So why bother praying, if God already knows what the outcome will be? You see, God knew that we would pray and that He would answer. He determines the best way to bring about what we have asked in prayer. Remember His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts.
As we have asked for an awaking of this nation to the truth of the Gospel of His Love, then He will answer that prayer in His divine way. That is what I believe is occurring at this moment in time. He is working in the midst of all that we see to bring about His ultimate plan, the awakening of this back to the knowledge of His Truth. That is why I am resolved to knowing and sharing His truth wherever I go.
Join me in speaking and seeking the truth in every thing you do.
Have a Great Day!!!
14 Nov
The apostle Paul received an answer from the Lord and it wasn’t what he had pleaded with the Lord about.
2Co 12:8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
To understand how he determined to deal with this attack from the devil against him we must under stand the meaning of the word buffet in this scripture:
2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
There are two meanings in the definition of the Greek word used to buffet;
1) to strike with the fist, give one a blow with the fist
2) to maltreat, treat with violence and contumely (insulting, scornful, or contemptuous language or treatment)
The second definition seems to be the most logical selection to fit within the sentence framework. What was reason for which this malevolent messenger mistreated Paul with violent, insulting, scornful or contemptuous language, or treatment?
His answer was “…lest I be exalted above measure.” That answers the question of the effect of the assault but not the motive. What did Satan have on Paul to accuse him?
Paul’s reply to the Lord gives us the clue; “…I will rather boast in my infirmities…” The meaning of the word infirmities is the clue to this riddle. The word infirmity is defined:
1) want of strength, weakness, infirmity
1a) of the body
1a1) its native weakness and frailty
1a2) feebleness of health or sickness
1b) of the soul
1b1) want of strength and capacity requisite
1b1a) to understand a thing
1b1b) to do things great and glorious
1b1c) to restrain corrupt desires
1b1d) to bear trials and troubles
Which of these best suits Paul’s affliction from Satan really doesn’t matter. What really matters is that it didn’t depart as Paul had pleaded and he had decided to boast in his weakness rather than ask that it depart. Instead of having it depart God reminded Paul that His grace was sufficient, that the power of Christ would rest upon him. God’s Grace enabled Paul to rest in the power of the anointing of God rather than fight the battle in his flesh. That grace enabled him to deal with this unanswered prayer, not to accept it as permanent as some have surmised, but to empower him to overcome. That is consistent with the message of the Gospel and I believe that is what Paul meant when he said “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Ro 8:37)
How this applies to my disappointment in the results of the election and my renewed resolve I must tell at another time?
………..To Be Continued…”
Have a Great Day!!
14 Nov
I cannot tell you how perplexed I was after the elections of last year. Never in my adult Christian life had I seen the mobilization of prayer that was displayed in the years, months and days before that election. It was personally one of the most awe inspiring moments in my life, to see and know that American Christians were waking up to the importance of prayer for our nation. There were multitudes of groups of people in every state of this union that had purposed in their hearts to fast and pray until the Election Day; some 40 days, some 30 days and others what they could bear. I just knew at that time this was a pivotal moment in the history of not just the United States of America, but of the entire world. So dire were the predictions of what a victory of the ideological opposition would preclude for the rights of those whom personal and individual liberties are sacred, that I just knew that a God who had given us such exceedingly great and precious promises in His Word would not possibly deny such heartfelt pleas.
Then the most agonizing, and might I say terrorizing emotions I have ever had to face flooded my entire being as the tally of those votes began to trickle in on the television screen. I could not believe the results that were announced the next day. After all that had been prayed I could not shake the nagging question “How can this possibly be?”
Now well after a year from the date of the declaration of the bad news of that day, the agony and terror have faded almost entirely, not away, but have morphed into a resilient resolve to abide in absolute Truth. Did God not answer our prayers? To this I must say a resounding and heartfelt, “Yes!”, but not in any possible way that I had previously conceived. Such was the state of mind that the Apostle Paul had found himself in after he had previously petitioned the Lord three times to remove that “…messenger that Satan had sent”, the Lord responded to Paul’s pleas with this reply:
Note that Paul’s response to the Lords reply was that he would rather boast in his infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him. I know that does not seem an appropriate answer to all that had previously been stated; yet time and space have determined this blogs fate.
……. To be Continued……………………………………………..
Have a Great Day!
12 Nov
God’s perfect, immeasurable, incomprehensible love never fails. This Greek word used here for fails adds so much power to this statement.
Ekpipto:
1) to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off
2) metaph.
2a) to fall from a thing, to lose it
2b) to perish, to fall
2b1) to fall from a place from which one cannot keep
2b2) fall from a position
2b3) to fall powerless, to fall to the ground, be without effect
2b3a) of the divine promise of salvation
Did you understand that last definition in regard to this statement love never fails. God’s love for us immeasurable, yet that still does little to define it. This is how that definition flows together in sentence form; to fall powerless, (of the divine promise of salvation), to fall to the ground (of the divine promise of salvation), be without effect (of the divine promise of salvation).
God’s promise of salvation inclusively expressed in Paul’s phrase of Love Never Fails, is further expressed in the word Ekpipto by emphasizing that this love will never let us fall out of, fall down from, or fall off of His Divine Promise of Salvation.
Is this really true and are there other Scriptures that support this?
Joh 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
Joh 10:28 “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand .29.”My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
Ro 8:38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
Ro 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing is able to separate us from the love of God. Hallelujah!!
Have a Great Day!!!
10 Nov
Love is able to endure anything and everything that comes its’ way. Love becomes a covering in our lives that bears the weight of any and every circumstance or situation that may ever come against us.
What can a person do to have that kind of Love?
That kind of love is realized by those who surrender their will, like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, entirely to the will of God the Father. In surrendering our will we come into relationship with God whereby we become more in tune to His will in our lives. Since we have surrendered to His will in our life He comes and dwells in us. By having Him living on the inside of us we become more aware of His love because God is Love (1Jo 4:8; 16). The more we dwell in Him (LOVE), the more He (LOVE) dwells in us.
This awareness of God’s love in our lives grows so evident that we become more confident in His ability to help us in every circumstance and always bring us through every problem. This experience develops within us a certain knowledge of His love that causes us to be able to withstand or stand against any attack that may come against us. Really it is not our love that gives us the ability to bear all things it is His love working in us.
Have a Great Day
10 Nov
It has never ceased to amaze me when some rejoice in others being caught in unrighteousness or lawless, especially saints or televangelists or someone holding to an opposing point of view or an enemy. It seems that they take some sort of perverse delight in the demise of those in whom they disagree or despise. You have heard this kind of unloving mockery from all sides of the debates, especially today as a party spirit has polarized and divided our society today. I know that there is nothing new under the sun, as King Solomon once said.
I can only imagine the perverse delight on the faces of those scribes and Pharisees who had caught that woman in the act of adultery and had drug her half naked through the streets of Jerusalem to be thrown at the feet of Jesus early in the morning on that holy temple ground. As they heralded the accusation against this woman in hopes of entrapping Jesus that they might have something of which to accuse Him, He acted as he did not hear them, stooped down and wrote on the ground. So much conjecture has been written and preached about what He had written then that I am a little embarrassed to give you what I believe.
As they demanded judgment according to the Law of Moses, that they might all stone her, the heart of love inside Him cried out for justice. I believe all those angry men were gawking in delight at the half naked form of that woman. But Jesus not wanting to humiliate her by looking at her nakedness stooped down and wrote,”…whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”(Mt 5:28) As they demanded that she be stoned He stood and said “”He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Again not wanting to shame the woman He stooped down and wrote on the ground; “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother.”( Zec. 7:9)
Having watched Jesus’ every move and seeing every word He wrote, the impious hearts of those men were convicted beyond the point in which their consciences could bear. From the oldest to the last they each dropped the stones they had clung to, as they could not another minute endure to stand in His presence. Waiting until, the last reverberations of the scuffling sound sandals make as men depart in haste, as she at last stood there all alone, He stood, looked around, and said “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
There is no greater example of the love that does not rejoice in injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail then this one of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Please allow this example bring about an attitude of mercy in your heart the next time you encounter the failure of others. Have a Great Day!
9 Nov
One of the most important things I learned as a young Christian growing up in a community where we slept in three high bunk beds and cramped living quarter was not to let myself be easily offended. There were times that we had as many as 25-30 guys living in that community, along with 25-30 women who had their own sleeping quarters. With so much interaction with people it was inevitable that someone would get offended by something someone else had done. The Amplified version which expands the Greek says this about provoked and thinks no evil; “….it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it <it pays no attention to a suffered wrong>”.
We learned how to live 24 hours a day in the love of God; because if we didn’t then we would have ended up killing each other. How can you learn to not be touchy or fretful or resentful and take no account of a suffered wrong?
What we learned in that community taught us how to focus on the Lord to such an extent that it would not allow room for our flesh to become touchy or fretful. Here is the first thing we learned from this verse in Psalms 119;
We learned when we really loved the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength that maturity grew in us which gave us the ability to say no to an offense when it came. True love causes us to loose sight of ourselves to such a degree that even when we become offended we won’t grow resentful but merciful; it pays no attention to a suffered wrong instead of keeping a record of an evil done. God’s kind of love has taught me to let the past go; live in the present, and have an eternal hope for the future. That is what I believe Paul was alluding to in Philippians 3:
8 Nov
The Amplified expansion from the original Greek renders this as….does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking. God’s kind of Love does not insist on its own rights. I know that is so impossible to get a hold on in our American Culture, in which our freedom as a nation is based on inalienable rights. Are the two rights here the same? Yes, we have God given rights and our founding Fathers based our Constitution on those ideals. The intent is clearly evident, being they were struggling under the tyranny of King George of England, these rights were expressed so that it would limit government from exercising its powers over those rights. That each individual was given the right to self governance and the government was there not to govern the people, but represent and ensure that those freedoms not be abridged or abrogated. The concept of these rights were not self-seeking, rather they were given so that the free exercise of them would be for the common good and not just the individual. This was a community principle that became a necessary part of the first American colonies. Men throughout the colonies would voluntarily leave there farms, and work places to go fight for these freedoms, not just for them but for this new nation. It is an example of the servant’s heart. It is in the servant attitude of Jesus that we find our clear guidance on how to not seek our own rights and way. Jesus came for the purpose of giving His life so that all mankind might be saved.
Jesus came as the humble servant who was will not to seek His rights, but lay them down in obedience to God’s plan and purpose. That is what the God kind of love is all about.
This is the ultimate love act that we would lay down our lives for our brethren. Lets don’t insist on our rights, lets seek to lay down our wants and dreams by seeing someone else reach theirs’.
Have a Great Day!!
7 Nov
This is a particularly difficult aspect of love that we have a hard time understanding in our society today. One major reason is the way that we are entertained by comedians today. What is allowed today to pass as comedy would have been obscene in the 60’s and early 70’s and subject to the obscenity laws. Obscenity included four letter profanities at that time. I started playing golf when I was 8 yrs old and still enjoy playing to this day. I remember being kicked off a golf course for using choice four letter words when I made a bad shot. That doesn’t happen today because that is not considered to be offensive according to the accepted standards of decency. What has Changed?
One thing for certain has changed, and that is what we consider to be rude or crude today compared to even a decade ago, let alone 40 or 50 yrs. The definition of rude is 1. ill-mannered, disagreeable or discourteous in manner or action; 2. indecent, offensive to accepted standards of decency; 3. unrefined, lacking refinement or social skills. (Encarta)
Love takes into consideration the acceptable manners or actions of others and doesn’t push people beyond their perspective of acceptable standards of decency. We are told today to not put our standards of decency on others and if we have a different standard then we better adapt and accept theirs or be considered intolerant.
Since rude has the definition of offensive to the accepted standards of decency, it becomes a variable instead of a constant. God’s standards do not change while the standards of mankind change like the wind. So how are we to not be rude in our society today? Our prime example must always be Jesus. Jesus was never unseemly in His actions toward others. You might say what about in the temple with the money changers?
That was not a rude act, but an act of holy indignation at the fact that they had made His Fathers house a den of thieves. He was taking a stand for righteousness in the midst of corruption. Righteousness (God’s way of being acting and being right) will always cause us to walk in love.
Jesus never once used profane language or crude jokes while talking to His disciples or even the Pharisees, whom had set themselves in opposition to Him. He was trained by the Jewish customs of the time on how to behave in society. His training came for the most part from the Holy Scriptures and that is where we will find our training on how to live today. Here is one:
Do a study in the Word and find out what is rude or obscene so we can live as examples of His love today!
Have a great day!
6 Nov
1Co 13:4 ¶ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
Love is a lifestyle that does nothing from selfishness or for ones own gain. That is of course if you want to live by the love example of Jesus. Being a braggart or being boastful and haughty is not the example of how Jesus lived His life. When Paul wrote to his supporters in Philippi he told them how they should love. To explain his exhortation to them he gave them the attitude of Jesus as the prime example of how to walk the love walk.
Phil. 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
To walk like Jesus has to be the absolute mindset if you want to ever live the same walk in this kind of Love. First He knew who He was and that He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Wow, He knew He was the incarnate Word of God. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He knew He was God, yet He made Himself of no reputation. No reputation is the exact opposite of boasting. He didn’t come to bring glory to Himself but to Glorify His Father.
The Jesus type of love comes to bring Glory to God and not to oneself. Though He was superior to all those whom He encountered He decided to take the form of a bondservant, living life like a man. A servant attitude was what He displayed and lived.
Mt 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
He came in the appearance and likeness of mankind. He became acquainted with our feelings and all that we experience in life.
Even though He never once sinned Jesus never condemned one sinner. When He encountered sinners He was always full of Grace and Mercy. He would heal them, deliver them, and love them enough to tell them to go and sin no more (Jn.5:14; Jn. 8:11) He never displayed Himself to be proud or haughty, but humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death. Wow. True humility has within it the full surrender of ones self to the will of the Father, just as Jesus did in the Garden prayer. That is true humility, willing to be obedient even to death, the death of the cross. That means that when I disobey God it is my pride that must die if I want to ever attain to the kind of love that is obedient even to death.
“Father, I ask that You would give me a heart filled with this kind of love. The love that would obey You even to the point of death; death of my will, my pleasure, my comfort and looking out only for myself. Let me love like your Son Jesus in true humility of obedience to Your command to love You above all and my neighbor as myself. Amen.
5 Nov
1Co 13:4 ¶ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is so hard to come to grips with those things that we see in others that we wish we had, or could do, or not do. I know exactly what it is like to have that kind of envy that makes you want to just give up and quit. For me envy is not a positive motivation, but negative deflation. When a ball looses its air it takes so much more effort to try and make it bounce. That is how life is for me when I allow my flesh to grovel in the mire of envy; it takes so much more energy to get the simplest things done.
Where does envy come from?
You know I thought that as I studied envy I was going to get some really deep revelation from the Lord as to where it comes from and you know what He showed me?
You know what this list comes from, it comes from Galatians 5: 19 that records all the works of the flesh. THAT’S RIGHT, THE WORKS OF THE FLESH!!!
Whether I like it or not that was the big revelation that God gave me about envy. It is a work of my flesh. When I allow my flesh to rule in my life I find that it is so much easier for me to fall into envy. Why?
For me to live free from the passions and desires that bring about the natural course of action that my flesh wants to take, this verse says that I must crucify my flesh. Every time I hear some preacher or teacher talk about crucifying my flesh, I struggle to get a full understanding of what they are saying. My natural mind blocks me from really understanding what God is trying to say. Then He reminded me of one simple truth and here it is:
You might find that to a difficult rather than a simple truth. But when you consider who it is that is speaking, and the life He lived as an example for us, I believe the truth comes into focus. Jesus laid done His life as the ultimate expression of self-less love. He went to that cross even though His flesh wanted to find some other way around the cross. Mt 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will].”
Thank God He didn’t give in to the passion and desires of His flesh but said to it and God, “…nevertheless, not as I will, but as You [will].”
The simplicity of realizing that what crucifying my flesh means is saying to my passions and my desires, not as I will, but as God wills. Crucifying is taking the life of my passion and putting them to death with the self-less love that Jesus displayed for the entire world to see. I must willingly take the Grace that empowers me to overcome my fleshly desire to envy.
You see God has provided us the ability and the strength to handle any and every temptation our flesh may try to throw at us. His Grace Is More Than Enough!!!
4 Nov
1Co 13:4 ¶ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
That is a mouthful and a life long pursuit all in one small phrase. The first part of this phrase is the ability to endure long, other translations I think say it the way it feels for me; suffers long. I really mean that. There are times it is just miserable on my flesh when I have to endure the behavior, or conversation, or eating manners, or singing style of other Christians whom I have come to love and respect. It is not that I don’t love them, but the sad reality is I love myself more than I love them. I am more concerned, or should I say, more impressed with my behavior, conversation, eating manners, and singing style than other people. Isn’t that just pathetic, to think so highly of myself that I would get irritated at the ways’ of others. I am not talking about being irritated because of sin but over petty little things that I personally dislike or think I could do better.
Convicted yet? I am, so why don’t you pray this prayer with me?
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for my selfish attitude. When I get so irritated at others because I love myself more than I love them. Please, give me the grace to have the kind of love that will endure long with other people; In Jesus name, Amen.
I love this phrase because it doesn’t just say, have patience and endure long, it adds the attitude that we are to have as we suffer long, and be kind. That word is so hard for me to wrap my head around that I had to look it up. Here is what I found that it means; 1. sympathetic, friendly, gentle, tender-hearted, generous, etc.; 2. cordial (not incorrigible; hah :). Wow! That again strikes me to the core of my heart, because I have had to struggle to be tender-hearted and sympathetic with others all the time. Note, when you endure long or suffer long, your not just to sit therewith with this type of attitude,( like “How long do I have to put up with this???”). But the God kind of love sits there with a very friendly, tender-hearted and sympathetic attitude and expression. Yes! Even our expression can speak louder than our intention. If we don’t let kindness flow from our own hearts to our face then others may not see our real intention. Love is so hard to get a handle on because it is so beyond our own ability to understand, and that is why we need to rely on His grace.
Thank God for His grace that empowers us to be able to do all things through Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!!
3 Nov
I had an absolutely wonderful time with my wife this evening when we went out to dinner to meet some friends. They were delayed for about forty-five minutes so we just sat there thoroughly enjoying every minute alone, drinking in the moment like a sommelier savors a perfect wine. While we were being served by our waitress, she so graciously informed us that she would no longer be tending our table because she was feeling ill. I just felt compassion that only comes when the Grace of God moves on my heart toward someone. I asked her if she would mind if I prayed for her that she might feel better. She said ‘Oh sure that would be great!’ all the time thinking I meant at some future moment and different place. My reply to her was ‘May I have your hand so I can pray for you?’ She tentatively stretched her hand out to grab mine and I prayed for her that the Lord would heal her and touch her body. A pretty mundane thing that I am very comfortable doing and really didn’t think much about it.
Later as our friends arrived I was so caught up in the fellowship that I had already forgotten that I had even prayed for a waitress. After we had paid and were leaving the restaurant the manager was greeting every patron as the left the establishment. When I passed by her she put her hand on my shoulder, look me straight in the eyes, and said ‘That was a really wonderful thing that you did by praying for your server. She was so moved by your concern that she left in tears.” As our friends, my wife and I walked to the car we talked about how awesome that was that a thing like prayer, that we as Christians take for granted, so touched that waitress.
On our drive home my wife and I discussed how we take each other, our love and compassion for one another for granted. We spent the rest of the drive home recalling how fortunate we are that we have so many people in our lives who love us on a daily basis. As my wife shared her thoughts about how many people there are in our society today whom the kind of love that we have surrounding us is foreign to them, that I felt so impressed to let everyone know how a little compassion can go such a long way.
There is a world of people out there that are starving to truly be loved. Some have lost hope that they will ever find some sort of meaningful relationship in their life. It made me so aware of how blessed I am to have a family, a church and a God who loves me.
Look for an opportunity to let the love of Jesus shine!
Have a Great Day!
2 Nov
The Gospel of John starts off with the revelation of the Word of God. He takes us back to a time before the very beginnings of this universe and the creation of all things. John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Let’s start with the beginning in the Book of Genesis which means the beginnings or origin of things. There is so much debate about the origin of things in the physical universe; “Creationism or Evolution?” Debates center on the age of the universe and many other subjects. My purely unscientific explanation of the age argument is that God created the universe mature, at the optimum state for all life to flourish. When He created trees they were already mature, not little saplings. This is clearly seen when God created the fruit bearing trees which were already mature enough to yield fruit. The whole planet, universe, and all matter were created by God for the development of sustainable life on Earth. Instead of light taking billions of years to travel to earth, God created the light in an instant, in a single moment from the Earth surface to the distant star. Man after the creation did not have to wait for the light to travel to them from the distant stars. He created everything mature. Think of the stars, if God had created the stars without creating the observable light of them to this planet, then the sky which He had created for mans pleasure would have been dark except for the shining of the moon. Ge 1:1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God created them with the very word that He had spoken. Ps 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. It was the Word that created the all things. 2Pe 3:5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, The Gospel of John shows us that the Word spoken by God was not just words, but the very living, person of the Word. John reveals who the person is in vs 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus is the living breathing person known as the Word of God. John makes that connection in this verse; Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, [but] grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Thank God for giving us His Son and bringing the opportunity of grace and truth to “…as many as received Him.”(v.12)
1 Nov
So many people fear and wonder about what happens when someone dies. This is not a complicated thing for Christians to understand. As a Christian we know that when be die we will go and be with the Lord.
2Co 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
After we leave this body we will be in the presence of Almighty God. There will be no more tears or sorrow and the former things of our lives will pass away.
Re 21:4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.
No more anguish, no more grief nor pain any more. What a wonderful place that will be as we live in the presence of God. I can’t imagine how good that it is going be considering how awesome it feels to be in His presence now. Just imagine what it is going to be like when we don’t have the intrusion of our body with it’s hunger, pains and lusts. We will be able to stand or sit or run or dance without getting tired. Then we won’t have all the mental interference with all the doubts, fears, anguish, mourning and worry.
That place where we will be in His presence is called Heaven. There will be ample room for everyone there because of what Jesus told us in John 12:
There will be mansions for everyone who believes in Jesus. What happens to those who don’t accept or believe in Jesus? Jesus answers this for us in
John 12:48 “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him——the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
What kind of judgment awaits the unbelievers? There is going to be a day of judgment for every person on the earth believer and unbeliever alike. For the believers they will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and receive rewards for what they have done through His Grace.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (Rom. 14:10)
For the unbelievers they will face a place called Hades or Hell when they die. This is not the judgment it is just the place of torment and separation from God that they will have to endure until the final Judgment of God. Jesus told a story of the beggar and the rich man who both died and show us what it will be like.
Lu 16:22 “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
This is just the place they are held until the Judgment and it will not be a nice place.
Mt 13:41 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Sadly that is what awaits all those who do not know Jesus. That is why it is so important for us to use every opportunity that we have to reach the lost, which is anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus and His Word. So lets ask God for the grace to reach them all before it is too late. Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
1 Nov
Jesus asked his disciples this very question. What is your answer to that question? You don’t have to ask people that question to find an answer. Many people out there are portraying radically different concepts of who He was or is. You might find one religion that views Jesus as just one of many deities. Another may see Him as just a prophet, a holy man. Others see Him as just being a wise man. Why are there so many differing views of the One in whom we call our Lord and Savior? The answer to that question is found in
2Co 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5. casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
There has always been a battle in the realms of reason by which the devil has instigated deception by using arguments, scientific or philosophic, that would bring in doubts about the person of Jesus. The devil does not want the world to know who Jesus really is, and especially what He has done. In this same letter to the Corinthians Paul tells us why the people in the world are blind to the reality of Jesus.
2Co 4:4 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds <that they should not discern the truth>, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.
You see the god of this world is the devil. He doesn’t want anybody know that Jesus is the image and likeness of God. Not just a deity, not just a prophet, and not just a holy man. He is the Son of God;
Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?
In the context of this verse we see that Paul is discussing the divinity of Jesus. He goes on to make that very statement;
Heb 1:8 But to the Son [He says]: “Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your Kingdom.
This verse makes it very clear that Jesus is God, not a God, but God.
Joh 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The beginning of the Gospel of John declares that He is God and that all things were created by Him.(.3);
Col 1: 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
These are just a few verses that declare who Jesus is and what He has done. There are many more and certainly not enough room on this blog. So don’t let someone come and tell you that Jesus was just a man, the angel Gabriel, or that His brother was Lucifer before they came to earth, or any other thing that contradicts the Scriptures. Here is one of Paul’s warnings in this regard:
2Co 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or [if] you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted——you may well put up with it!
It is important to know who people say Jesus is, but it is not the most important question of all. The most important question is; Who do you say Jesus is?
I hope you say that He is your Lord and Savior; that you have been saved by grace through your trust and belief in Him; and not by any of your Works because it is a gift of God. Study these Scriptures today that tell you who Jesus is; Isa 9:6 ; Ro 9:5; Col 2:9; 1Ti 3:16; Tit 2:13; 1Jo 5:20. One of my favorite descriptions of Jesus is given to us by Jesus himself;
Re 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
When compared with these scriptures from Isaiah I think you will see that Jesus is the God of Isaiah;
Isa 41:4 Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.’”Isa 44:6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.
Isa 48:12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
Jesus is the First (Alpha) and the Last (Omega)!!
Have a Great Day!!!
30 Oct
Isa 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy [shall be] upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Isa 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
I know that these two prophetic promises of Scripture primarily refer to the return of the Jews to Israel, yet I also know they belong to ever one who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When the Gentiles (non-Jews) accepted Jesus as their Savior; the Apostle Paul tells us that we are partakers of these covenant promises.
If the above promises refer to the return of the Jews to Israel, where are the everlasting joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away? We still see Israel engaged in a bitter battle with the nations over their very existence. Though they have returned to their homeland they have not yet been ransomed or redeemed by the Lord in its fullest meaning. I know Jews who have accepted Jesus as their Messiah, and are now the Redeemed of the Lord. But Israel as a nation will be ransomed when Messiah comes again physically to this earth to set them free, which of course refers to a future date that I believe is not very far off. So for Israel the promised redemption is still awaiting its fulfillment, yet for us believers the promise has already begun to blossom and is ready to come into full bloom at the appearing of our Great God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tit 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
That should cause all of us who believe to come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon our heads and there in that place of worship we find gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. Zion refers to the place where the legendary King David brought the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He placed it on the highest hill and instituted a continuous chorus of praise to his and our God. That is why we refer to Zion as a place of worship.
In our times of worship we are able to transcend the difficulties and pressures of this world and find that tranquil state of peace, joy and gladness. That is why I love worship music and worship services in the midst of the congregation. I love my personal time of worship, because it lifts my spirit and bring joy to my soul. The most awesome thing of all about the above Scriptures is that it refers to a future time for us as believers. Where we will find the final rest of our souls and be eternally united with our God. In that blessed state we will not have any sorrow and all mourning will definitely flee away!!!
29 Oct
Do you remember the lie that Aaron, the brother of Moses, told when Moses asked him why he made the People worship the golden calf?
Ex 32:24 “And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break [it] off.’ So they gave [it] to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
You see he makes the calf out to be some kind of “holy cow” because he just threw the gold into the fire and out came this calf. The Israelites committed gross sins, as they worshiped this image like the Egyptians who had enslaved them. This was just the beginnings of what they would do to anger the Lord. They fornicated with the Canaanite women at Baal Peor and 25,000 of them died in their sin. You can read all the rest of their wanderings away from the commands of God in Ps 106, 1Cor.10: 1-12. They deserved the wrath of God, but when they were afflicted they called out to God.
Ps 106:44 Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry; 45 And for their sake He remembered His covenant, And relented according to the multitude of His mercies.
The children of Israel tried to mix what God wants and the ways of the world in which they lived. The two didn’t mix then and they certainly don’t mix now. They had lusted after the things of the world and Paul put it this way:
1Co 10:6 ¶ Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
Boy, does this apply to our generation today. With so many different opinions it is hard to figure out what is meant by the term lust.
Lust is seeking after things that are bad or evil. The confusing thing about living in this generation is trying to determine what is good and what is evil. We live in an age when they call what is good in God’s eyes, evil and what God calls evil, good.
Isa 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
The good news for this age is that we have a definitive solution to sorting out what is Good and what is Evil. It is called the Holy Bible. I like that we call it holy, because holy has a meaning of being separated from evil to Good. The Bible has in it God’s holy advice on how to live life not just for an individual, but also for a whole society. It shows us how we can become separated from the confusion of the evil and find the wholly satisfying truth of the good.
There is only one Holy Bible that mankind can find the truth that there is no other way to the Father and heaven but Jesus!!! Those are absolute truths that people who have been compromised by the philosophies, sciences, and opinions of man, have a hard time grasping. I understand the frustration of thinking that Jesus is the only way to heaven and that all others are destined to eternal separation from God. It makes me very sad to think of all those who have died without knowing Jesus. Really it makes me want to do all that I can to tell them now while they still have a chance. I know how hard that is to reconcile within the framework of our current world culture of tolerance and global acceptance which can be summed up in a quasi motto ‘live and let live.’
When everyone views and accepts every other religion as equal, it creates an atmosphere of such tolerance that no one group can state what it believes to be true without feeling ostracized. Those who press through being detested and stand for absolute truth find a freedom of faith. No longer motivated by the masses, but driven by divine truth. Free to stand and say what God says is Good and what God says is Evil. Liberated from the dictates of the prevailing humanistic philosophy, the truly free will find the beauty of living in His holiness. Not that we should flaunt our liberty and knowledge of the truth by offending those around us, but by truly loving them enough to share.
1Co 10:32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
How did Paul do this? 1Co 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Dare to share the truth with someone you love.
Have a Great Day!
28 Oct
I like that word go. It is a verb, which means it is an action word. Jesus tells His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. A handful of men went into the world to make disciples and that is just what they did. Think about that for one moment, if they didn’t obey Jesus’ injunction to go, then would we as believers be here today? How did you come to know Jesus? Somewhere along the line of your life somebody had to have told you about the Gospel. Is telling everybody about the Gospel making disciples? No, it is preaching the Gospel which is necessary for people to believe:
Preaching is important because it causes faith to arise within our hearts when we hear the word. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Did you notice that there are two steps outlined in this sentence?
1. Hearing comes from the Word of God
2. Faith comes by Hearing.
So many people put the emphasis on faith that the miss the importance of hearing. I can not tell you how many people come up to me and ask; “Pastor, how can I learn to hear the Lord speaking to me?” Do you know what my answer is to them? From the above Scripture I encourage them to do certain things like;
1. Read the Word of God;
2. Think about what you are reading;
3. See how it applies to your life;
4. Do what it says.
By doing these steps the voice of God will become clearer to you. Hearing is dependent on the Word of God; so by reading, thinking, applying and doing you will develop a keen ear to hear God. Note that God didn’t tell them to go make believers, but disciples. Disciples are those who have begun to apply Gods Word to their lives to such a degree that they live it. That is abiding in the Word and that is what makes disciples.
Doing the Word of God is not complicated, it is as simple as learning to hear and in hearing you would have the faith to accomplish all that He has called you to do. So by all means go out and share the Word of God with someone today. The Word is powerful enough to accomplish all that God desires.
Isa 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper [in the thing] for which I sent it.
Just be willing to send the Word out into the world you live in today. That can be accomplished in so many different ways. Find one that suits your personality and start doing it today. Our world and nation desperately need to hear from you.
Have a Great Day!!!
27 Oct
Did you know that you have a purpose in the plans and the schemes of God’s economy? Though we all belong, as believers, to the body of Christ, we are still members with our own individual lives. There are certain things that are unique to you, that only you can do with your characteristic style.
This distinct place and function you have is vital to the future health and growth of the Body of Christ in general and the individual church in which you attend. You may feel that it was your decision to attend the church that you are currently involved in and maybe that is the case. Perhaps you know you are disobeying God by leaving and attending another church. If that is the situation you find yourself in, then you must make a decision to either return to where you know the Lord has called you or stay. The choice is yours. Will you miss God and never be used again? I don’t believe that you will not ever be used again, but there are consequences to not obeying and following the leading of the Spirit of God which can make us miss the opportunity unique to that moment in time. What those consequences are, I can’t even pretend to know. This I do know. This is just one example of innumerable possibilities that may plague many a believer, so whatever your impossible circumstance might be; God is able to do things that we cannot even conceive as possible.
So many Christian are living in a place of guilt and shame that God never intended for them to live. You may have missed God a hundred times and you are trying to figure out what the consequences are going to be for all you disobedience. Will there be Consequences? Yes, but I know that God is extremely, unbelievably, unsearchably, MERCIFUL!!!! In the Bible this phrase appears forty-one times “……His mercy endures forever”, and twenty-six times in Psalms 136 alone. Click here to read the whole thing. Don’t read once, read it twice, read it when your feeling nice, read why chewing on ice, read it while repenting of vice ….ad infinitum or ad nausea um or ad Suess-um or enough already. But at any rate read it until you feel the shame and guilt of your past failures melt away in the loving compassion and mercy of your Heavenly Father. What the future will bring we will never really know, no we won’t ever see what those consequences might be, when we repent and fall into His arms of mercy.
26 Oct
Jesus came to this earth as the very reflection of the Father. Jesus reveals this fact in the Gospel of John;
Did you catch that, “…from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” He was saying to His disciples that if they had seen Him they had seen the Father. That didn’t sit well with Philip, because He later asks:
Jesus replies to Him so that the point is made even clearer for Philip:
This time it is clear that Jesus came so the world could see the Father when the looked at Jesus. Jesus goes on to answer the real meaning of Philips question of wanting to see the Father and the real question behind Philip inquiry is: “How have we seen the Father when we have seen you??? Jesus answers the How??
Did you see what Jesus said was the thing that provided the world with an accurate portrayal of the Father??? It was His Works!!!!! The Works revealed The Father!!
That is why we must do the works that Jesus did. So the Father can continue to be Glorified in the Son!
There is no doubt in my mind that the way to reflect the Father to the world is to do the works of Jesus and the Greater Works!!!! Yes Greater Works that these!!!!!!
Can you wrap your head around that? I’ll be flat out honest with you, it is really hard to wrap my head around that one. To think that I, Frank Kemberling, could perform the same works that Jesus did in His three yrs of ministry everyday. HOW???
Let’s see; Do we have the same Father? Yes. Do we have the same Spirit? Again, Yes! So, it appears that He has given us everything that He needed to do the works of His Father. Therefore we should be able to do exactly the same and now because He has risen, He said we could even do Greater.
I believe we like the children of Israel have a veil over our spiritual eyes that keep us from seeing the potential, that we all have as believers, inside. The answer I believe is to allow the Spirit of God to lift that veil so we can begin to believe that we can do whatever He did. I believe the Spirit reveals this to us in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians;
To be that reflection we must work along with the Spirit of the Lord to see our lives transformed into His image. Remember, it wasn’t Jesus’ image that reflected the Father, it was His works. It will not be our image that reflects the Father, it will be our works that have come from our belief that we are being transformed, right now, into His image. It opens our eyes to see as He sees, so we can do what He does. That sounds just like what Jesus said:
I pray: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
Go use that power today and bring glory to His name!
25 Oct
Some of my fondest memories have been formed in a church worship service. Especially when the Presence of the Lord seems to comes into the assembly like a thick cloud. I love being there with the Creator of the Universe. O, I know that He lives in me everyday, but there is just something special about the way it feels when He comes to me in that particular time of praise and worship. As much as I like my personal time of there is nothing that compares to those times of worship in the midst of the congregation when His Presence becomes so heavy you can feel it. I believe that He comes to our places of worship and sits there on His throne.
You can watch praise and worship on television, but it is not the same as being there. I went to a football game yesterday; it is exhilarating when the whole crowd begins to roar in excitement after a score by the home team. I have been at home watching the same team, the same crowd and you know what? It doesn’t come close to being compared to actually being there. That is exactly how it is when its time to go to church on Sundays. You know you can stay at home and watch church on TV, but to be honest with you, it doesn’t compare to being there. I am not saying that you can’t experience the presence of the Lord in your home watching TV or worshiping on your own. There is always something special about being in the midst of a group of people all worshiping, with all their heart, the Lord. Now that is Exhilarating.
24 Oct
When the Pharisees approached Jesus about the coming of the kingdom of God, he basically told them it would not come from without, with observation but from within, for the Kingdom of God is within you. The reason I say that Jesus is speaking about the coming of the Kingdom, is He was answer the Pharisees question of a future appearance of the Kingdom and the context is of Jesus prophesying of things that will come.
Does this speak of an inner coming of the Kingdom of God in the hearts of all mankind? You will find the answer to this as we look at the different stages of the coming of the Kingdom. Are all people saved no matter what they believe? Again as we look at the Scriptures we will find an answer to this question and more. For the Kingdom to be established there are vital steps that must be taken.
Mt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The first thing that a person must do is seek the Kingdom of God. Can I tell you that the Kingdom won’t just pop-up inside someone unless they first seek for it to come! This seeking is a continuous action in the language that it was written in, meaning that we must always be seeking for His Kingdom even after we have asked for it to come into our hearts. It must grow into an impassioned quest and a sharpening focus, for and on the things of the Kingdom that are from above.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
This stage is so important! It points out that in order to even see the Kingdom of God must be born again. So being born again allows us to see the Kingdom of God and start to understand it. What does it mean that we must be born again? The word again here means ‘from above’ and clearly Nicodemus, whom Jesus was addressing, didn’t understand that because he asked: “Can a man enter as second time into his mothers’ womb and be born again?
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus tells him that a man must be born of Water and the Spirit. Water is defined in the Word of the Lord. When Jesus (the Word made flesh) washed the disciples’ feet it was an analogy of the Words cleansing ability in preparation for the coming of the kingdom. This born of water can mean;
1. from a human birth (which is definitely a precondition to being saved) ; or 2. from being washed symbolically from our sins by baptism in His name.
After a person has heard, and has their mind changed with the wrong thinking washed away by the Word; a person needs to be born of the Spirit. Being born from above is clearly being born in the Spirit. Being born from above has these two aspects; being born of water, and being in the Spirit by which we enter the Kingdom.
Lu 21:19 “By your patience possess your souls.
Being born again by the Spirit of God we have entered the Kingdom, which is now in us (in our heart and souls). This means that the next stage possesses the things of the Kingdom. How? Let look at what possess means: to acquire, get, or procure a thing for one’s self. I believe the things of the Kingdom are not possessions, but actions. Jesus, who established the Kingdom of God on earth, didn’t possess things, but He acquired many people who believed on Him. He did this by proclaiming the Good News of the gospel, not in word only but in power; 1Co 4:20 For the kingdom of God [is] not in word but in power. Ro 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We possess our souls patiently by allowing righteousness, peace and joy to flood our souls. Part of possessing the Kingdom is realizing that God and His Kingdom have come to take up residence in us. God Live In Us!!
For us to walk in the Kingdom we must first realize all that God has done for us and this comes to us as we patiently endure the challenges of this life. To do this we must emulate Jesus, who is our perfect example. Jesus told us that in this world we would have tribulation and trials, but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. I don’t care what trials may present them to you, possess your souls with peace and joy because He has overcome the world. He has so thoroughly overcome the world that He has given us the power to walk in and do the works that He has done.
John 14:12 ¶ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Did you catch that; the works that I do he will do also and greater works. Greater Works? Yes, Greater Works!!!! Let’s start walking in the Kingdom of God by doing those greater works that Jesus said that we could.
23 Oct
Sometimes we think of forgiveness in only inter-relational terms, they hurt me, betrayed me, and not in the spiritual context of its importance. I believe that Jesus knew beforehand what He was going to face when He made the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This is confirmed in the garden as He prays that this cup of affliction would pass from Him. I know He knew because the Scriptures prophecy of the Messiahs’ sufferings (Ps.22; Isa. 53). Jesus knew that He was going to be the very sacrifice that would ultimately pay the price for every offense of every sin that every person would ever commit through out all ages. By paying that price, Redemption, He knew that His Fathers righteous requirements would be met by His sacrifice and brings Gods’ forgiveness to all of mankind. Forgiveness is the open door that leads us down the path of salvation. There is a thing that can hinder us from receiving this free gift of grace provided to us by the forgiveness that Jesus won for us on the cross.
Jesus later tells a parable of the kingdom of heaven being like a king who wanted to settle his accounts with his servants. He had one servant who owed him 10,000 talents, (about $10 Million). When this servant came before the king he begged him to have patience on him and he would repay all that he owed. The king had compassion on this servant and forgave his entire debt. When the servant went out from the king, he found a man who owed him $20 and took him by the throat, demanding payment. The man begged this servant to have patience and he would repay the debt, but the servant wouldn’t forgive the debt and had him thrown in debtors’ prison until he paid the full amount. When the king who had forgiven this servant a $10 million debt heard about him throwing a man into jail over $20 and he had him arrested and thrown into prison until he paid his enormous debt back. After this parable Jesus says:
Here are some cross references Mt 18:35, Mr 11:25-26, Lu 6:37.
Forgiveness is the very thing that opens the door for us to receive the Grace of God. Jesus said that if we don’t forgive we will not be forgiven. How this works into the whole “once saved always saved” camp or the “you can loose you salvation” camp, I don’t know. But I am sure of one thing and if we get so focused on proving our points of view we might very well miss the most important points of Jesus’ views. Here He is telling us how important it is for us to forgive.
All I know is that I live everyday by going over the prayer “The Our Father”. By doing so I am confronted with “….Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us…” I have learned an important lesson over the years and I want to tell you what I have learned. Ps 119:165 ¶ Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble. The way I personally apply this verse in my life is when I get offended I ask God to forgive me for not loving His law or Word enough. By having to ask God to forgive me for being offended (Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them) it centers my thoughts away from the person who offended me and back on my own need of forgiveness. Having the need of mercy on the forefront of my mind makes it much easier to have the ability to apply mercy. I have become so accustomed to living this way that I no longer allow myself the luxury of leaving an offense hang around me for very long. I mean when I get offended I immediately turn away and say I forgive them now, in Jesus name. I can’t tell you how freeing that is and besides it as so many other spiritual benefits that it is wonderful.
Try living that way and see how it works for you!
22 Oct
The apostle Paul writes back to the Corinthians about a year later to forgive the brother he had ordered to be turned over ‘..to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.’(1Co.5:5) How important was it that they forgive this brother of his sin? Well, look what Paul wrote them:
He starts by telling them that He had forgiven this brother for their sakes. For their sakes?? Apparently Paul had obtained information that this brother had repented and wanted to come back to Church and the Corinthians were having none of it. They had already been chastised by Paul, because of this man, and they weren’t going to take any chances. Paul shows them that it is okay for them to forgive him, because he had lifted the judgment he had placed on that man and had forgiven him. He didn’t leave it at that, but he tells them why He had forgiven them for their sakes:
Here we see that when we fail to forgive we become susceptible to the devices of the devil. Did you know the Devil has a method to his madness against God and the church?? The single most treacherous technique that he employs in the Church at large is offense. He knows that if he can get them offended by those who are supposed to be the reflection of Christ, then it would be a significant, striking blow to their faith. Can you see where this leads? You can almost hear the bitter cries of those still yet offended and bound to their past ‘those…..Hypocrites.’ You see the devil has won, rather than “ Father, forgive them, for they do not what they are doing!” they spew the devils accusation ‘Hypocrites’. Instead of the being the reflection of the nature of God, they sadly sit in the seat of the scornful, demonstrating the devil’s demeanor.
The Greek word for the devil is ‘diabolos’ which means:
1) prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely
1a) a calumniator, false accuser, slanderer,
2) metaph. applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him
Oh, brother and sister, that just tears at my heart strings and makes me want to cry. Unbeknown-st to them they have fallen prey to the enemy. Their righteous souls have been contaminated. Too many times have I fallen for this simple but devastating ploy, this sickening subterfuge? Out of a heart that has been battered by the brother who was supposed to bear my pains, but has now caused the same. I have been down to the very depths of the despair that such matters make. Drowning in my anguish, I remember crying out to God “Why?” Nothing,……Silence…….
Captivated by the whirlwind of slanderous accusation, thoughts of retribution, REVENGE! And then, a stillness indefinable, inexpressible, indescribable, enveloping my mind, heart, and will. In that instance a flash of the cross, encircled about with mouths attached to the most hateful faces man can make, spitting, cursing and jeering. Instantaneously, inside the head of Him, the object of their derision, peering down through tear soaked eyes at their ridicule. To my utter amazement, I see, not those hateful faces but each ones divine purpose as only the heart of Love can see. At that moment a gasping voice invades the din “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!” Back in bed uncontrollably crying for forgiveness, beholding mine accusers’ ultimate purpose and plan unfold, as only the heart of Love can see. Feeling a fire rise in my belly, a prayer arises for each, declaring what had been revealed over each who had betrayed, the ultimate forgiveness. Proclaiming God’s thoughts not of evil, but of good, declaring over them a future and a hope and then the sweetest sleep ever known. I awake four hours later, not exhausted, renewed, No New, brand new. Like the day I first came to Him, the very manifestation of Love. I was free from the snare, saved from the despair.
You see, I know that it is possible for you to forgive every hurt that men may inflict, not because I have, but because HE has, once and for all… Hallelujah!!!!! Walk in the hard choice of your will to Forgive, once and for all; a living testament of His Love.
21 Oct
America is an interesting place to grow up in, especially if you happen to live in the Western states. I happened to have grown up in Arizona. In the minds of some that conjures up images of cowboys on horseback out in the Wild, Wild West and because of that we have been somewhat stigmatized by those in the East as being un-sophisticated, and lacking cultural refinement. You see all that doesn’t matter to us natives because we boast in our spirit of independence and couldn’t care less what those in the east think. There is an underlying attitude that we can go at life on our own, we don’t necessarily need anyone. I know that is a gross generalization of the way things are in the West, but the underlying attitude is one of independence. That being said, I believe that all Americans, for the most part, pride themselves in being independent.
We must not allow that spirit of independence to drive us along on our own spiritual journey where we don’t need anyone else’s input and especially their opinions. The Scriptures tell us of this prevalent attitude in all mankind;
Did you know that Christianity is not like a buffet where you get to choose the things you like and avoid the things you don’t? When I came to the Lord there was this saying, “It was all or nothing baby!” I lived in a Christian community of men and women called ‘Maranatha House’. Coming out of the rebellion against the “Establishment”, which we thought was freedom, and into the true freedom of submission to God. Now most of us can handle the submission to God part, but have a little difficulty with the idea of submitting to a church, pastor, or elder.
I know that for some those 3 Scriptures are a bitter pill to swallow. There are article after article in all kinds of publications that speak out about church leaders abuse of power. I can sympathize with you in that regard, yet I have found that it was easier to forget the past, then to let the past frame my future. I have sadly seen those who have experienced hurt at the hands of leadership fall prey to the bondage of bitterness and walk in far less than what God had intended.
I believe that the spirit of independence makes us vulnerable to the offense by those in authority. The opposite of independence is submission. Wow, is that an unpopular word! Wait it gets worse when you look up the Greek definition. I say worse because you have to remember where I live. Here is the Greek word;
I think we have seen or heard a parody of a parent spanking their child and saying “This really hurts me more than you.” But really when I talk of ridding ourselves of a spirit of independence it comes back and hits me square between the eyes. So, when I say lets repent of this spirit and ask God for the Grace and Wisdom to walk this out, I mean to include myself. It is not easy for us to do the definition of that word without freaking out a little. That is where having faith in God comes in to play. You see we need to trust God to work in the lives of that other person, as we submit to them. As difficult as that may seem, it is not without an incredible reward. Try it, you might like it!!
20 Oct
When I was writing the blog for the Leaven of Herod, I knew then that I was just scratching the service of one of the biggest problems that face the Church today. Worldliness; it is the quality or condition of being worldly. A worldly Christian would be one who is more concerned with the affairs and pleasures of this world than the affairs of the Kingdom of God. The affairs of this world would include the current political atmosphere in America today. Are you more concerned about the current course of this nation than of the current condition of the Kingdom? It is so easy to get caught up in all of the facts, worries, and concern that many Christian commentators have in regard to this current administration. Whatever side you find yourself in this debate, which has been reaching a crescendo that has not let up since the inauguration. It is like a whirlpool that wants to suck you down into an endless pit of time consuming apprehension.
Before the election of last November I had been caught up in all the alarm over the positions that President Obama had run on in regard to abortion, DOMA, Israel, finances….etc. I like many American Christians had committed themselves to pray for these elections. In all my life, I had not seen that many prayer gatherings, and people praying for an election ever before. It was really quite an awesome sight. I was certain of what I thought would be the outcome, God’s perfect choice as President. As with all elections I believe with all my heart that God removes kings and raises up kings (Dan. 2:21; 4:17); so the end result is always God’s will.
That honestly was hard for me to take at the moment. But as time has come and gone I have begun to understand the Hand of Lord in regard to this matter. It has awakened in me a desire to have this nation’ eyes open to the importance of the Lord in their lives. As I have prayed for that to happen the Lord began to deal with some things in my own life.
Don’t you love the way the Lord always does that?? He always goes after the beam in your eye so you don’t kill somebody by trying to take the speck out of theirs.
I can still hear myself screaming inside my head, You mean you want this socialist, pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, man and government to ruin this nation? I couldn’t believe that this was God’s will for the America I so love. How could it be???
Well I began to read Rom 13:1-7 and I was instantly convicted. I know that when Paul wrote that epistle from Corinth to the mission of believers in Rome, Nero was Caesar over the empire for four years. This is the same Nero who murdered his way to the imperial throne, and whose life was described as full of debauchery and violence (he effectively had his own mother killed), and excessive extravagance. With that in mind read this passage of Scripture?
As I struggle to apply this to the current situations that are taking place in our nation, my mind begins to race, even now. Why? All I can tell is that I had become too concerned about the affairs of this world rather than the spreading of the Good News of the Gospel. Not that being aware of the current affairs is wrong. It only becomes wrong when that becomes the predominate focus of my life. I had to repent and regroup. That means I needed to change what I was focusing on. If the early church had to live under the tyranny of Nero, then I could certainly live in our current conditions, which are far better.