Month: November 2016

THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR SIN and VIOLATING GOD’S PRECEPTS…


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Romans 1:18-32 – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are  gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”  NASU

 

Let me declare emphatically that God LOVES ALL PEOPLE even those in sin but He is also a just and righteous God and will not excuse, overlook, or justify sin.  This passage is clearly an indictment on the lifestyle of homosexuality but it is much more than that.  The words of the apostle Paul through the Holy Spirit are a clear indication that God’s anger burns against ungodliness and unrighteousness, but is white hot toward those who ‘suppress the truth’ walking or living in a state of unrighteousness.  He makes clear that God created people to be a people of righteousness, and godliness.  His wrath is directed at those who create idols to replace the Living God and commit abominable acts.  The revelation of the apostle Paul is that God, over time, will ‘give them over’ to their lusts and impurity of heart, bringing, in a real sense, a curse physically.

With regard, to sexual sins, the text and context found here indicate that homosexuality is more than simply a choice, and is assuredly not simply a genetic matter.  Its root is found in vv. 18-25 if you will consider them.  Paul declares in v 26, “for this reason…”  For the aforementioned reasons, God ‘gave them over’ to degrading passions…  God is not to blame as some would argue, but He finally reached a place in his longsuffering that He said, “Okay, if that’s what you want, that’s what you have but there is a serious and severe consequence.”  He then addresses the matter of homosexuality.

Then in v 28, He begins a clear explanation of the consequences.  They “did not see fit’ to acknowledge God any longer.  The result was a ‘depraved mind’ which propelled them into the darkness of their choices.  The result was a heart and mind filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, hatred for God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient, lacking understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.  If that was not bad enough consider v. 32, “and though they know the ordinance of God, that those who practices such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same thing, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”  What an indictment on a society that rejects God’s basic principles of behavior.

            We are not haters of people but haters of sin.  We want to see people delivered from the power of darkness and the corruption and vileness of sin, regardless of what that sin might be.  We want to see everyone come to repentance and receive the forgiveness of sin and experience the New Birth.  We should all pray the prayer of David in Psalm 51:8-12 -“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy Spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free spirit.”

Let’s pray that the Lord of Harvest sent forth laborers into His harvest.  God, bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Jesus!

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NEVER LET FEAR OF MAN SILENCE YOUR WITNESS…


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Acts 18:9-11 – “And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; 10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”   NASU

 

In this present hour, I am amazed at how many in Christian leadership have become silent on many things.  I’m not sure of all the reasons but am fully cognizant of the reality that many are willingly silent and I am keenly aware of the result of that silence.  This is a devotional and not an attempt to make a political statement but regardless of what the issue before us, if we are charged with caring for the flock of God dare we not sound the alarm or declare God’s purpose and principles?  How can we stand before God and explain why we opted to remain silent on those areas in which God’s heart, word, precepts, and principles were violated, ignored, or trampled underfoot?  How can we stand before our people and explain to them why we have been silent?

We would not be silent when it comes to your own children if we saw them heading for difficulty, trouble, or disaster. We love them too much to remain silent.  Do we not love people enough to take a position that might be viewed negatively by human authorities and those opposed to God and His purposes?  Do we not believe that God’s Word is true and that God is the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent Creator of all things?  If we do, then we must realize that we have a mandate from Him to “Sound the Alarm” when the alarm needs to be sounded.  Is God not God over all matters of life?  Does God not have authority in both spiritual matters and political matters?

Paul was undergoing some severe trials and facing incredible persecution including the threat of death and this vision indicates there was trepidation in his heart.  When God comes to anyone as He did with Joshua and says, “Do not be afraid” there is fear lurking or attempting to take root in the heart and mind.  When God says, “Do not be silent” He means “Do not be silent” but proclaim that which is true and right.  We have a mission and a commission to take the message of the Gospel to the entire world.  We are also charged with sounding the alarm when danger is present or possible. 

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I speak to the under-shepherds watching over local flocks of God’s sheep, this is a love and obedience matter.  Your silence is, at times, disobedience and could be viewed as a lack of love.  A lack of love for the flock and a lack of love for the LORD!  Before, you become angry with me to consider how God and people might view your silence.  If your child was about to step into a busy street and you sat silently watching that act would that be a demonstration of love?  If you could give a word of advice to another and you failed to do so, do you suppose they would look back on that event and say, “I’m so glad you loved me enough to be silent?”  NO, they would wonder if you loved them as much as you said you did.

Christians, we have the benefit of God’s Truth revealed to our hearts and we are responsible for our handling and distributing that truth.  We can fear man or we can demonstrate confidence in God.  Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:26-29 – “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.  27 ” What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.  28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” NASU

May the Lord be with you as you experience the Holy Boldness to say that which needs to be said on all matters of life for God and good.   Blessings!

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LOVE TRULY MAKES EVERYTHING WORK… (Part Three)


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Ephesians 4:15-16 – “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”  NASU

 

God has an end game or purpose for all He has and is doing in and through  His children, the Body of Christ.  LOVE is not just a major factor it is the central element in the purposes of God.  Paul wrote to the Philippians saying, “This I pray.  That your Agape (God’s Nature) may abound still more and more…”  The word abound indicates overflow.  Paul is saying, “I am praying for you that there will be such a surge within you, that you spill over in your Agape!”  He says in all “knowledge / discernment”.  If we consider the context, which we must, we find that he is praying that they and we grow in our knowledge of how to live with each other.  How the world needs that!  We need constant surges of power and need to be empowered by the Spirit of God from whom that Agape flows and overflows from us to our fellow man and to all in the Body of Christ.

Until we are overflowing in Love the Gifts of the Spirit cannot function to their perfection and in their designed purpose.  It is because I love you that I see the need in you and I realize that I need a gift to meet that need so I can help you.  That is Body Ministry.  Paul’s words to the Thessalonians about increasing and abounding in love is interesting.  The word “increase” is a banking term.  You put money in and it accrues interest and there is more than when you began.  The word “abound” implies a desire that there will be more and more and in those moments of need there will be a supernatural surge of Agape and the need supplied.

For example, we do not always need the ability to forgive but when we meet people who are mean-spirited, evil, and with words or deeds seek to harm us, THEN we need the power to forgive.  We need a surge of Agape to enable us to forgive!  I heard an illustration that is apropos here and germane to our discussion.  Suppose you were sitting in a field under a shade tree, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation and you were almost nodding off in wonderful peace. Suddenly you hear the snort of a raging bull and he begins to charge at you.  You have a surge of energy rush through your being and you run faster than you have ever run and leap over the fence higher than you have ever leaped.  Can you always do that?  Obviously not, but that surge of energy and power enabled you at the moment, of need.  That is Agape overflowing to enable you to BE!

Before we focus on loving the world I suggest we focus on loving each other in the Body of Christ.  Jesus said, “By this, shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you have love for ONE ANOTHER…”  Until we get that right we will be like rain on a tin roof trying to love the world.  You can rest assured that the world is not impressed when we say, “I love you.”  They just don’t care!  But, when they see a group of people professing to be followers of Christ demonstrating Agape to each other, they take notice and they are frequently impressed enough to check us out.  I recall when I was lost and the one thing that kept drawing me back and puzzled me was the love I sense and saw in the people in that little church in Palestine, Texas.  I could not shake the drawing power of Love.

Let me suggest that when any cell in the Body of Christ ministers to another cell it is truly ministering to itself.  Also, every time you serve one another you are directly serving Jesus!  “In as much as you have done it to one of the least of these… you have done it unto Me.”  We need to learn to become ‘supply routes’ ministering to others.  Agape refuses to be rejected.  It is love for the long haul.  It is not fickle and is not conditional.  When you encounter someone, who is difficult to love and you feel no compassion for them you love and forgive!  Agape is not based on feeling or emotion.  Yet, those feelings of resentment rising within your being and you struggle.  You resist and reject them, but if you think you are somehow going to be rid of them completely, think again.  That is a battle you will have until the resurrection so the key is not trying to never have them but allowing the Agape of God to overpower and overrule them.  Remember we are told that Jesus was tempted in all points like as we are…  He was tempted but He did not sin or succumb to those temptations or feelings.

Never let the devil enslave you to a mental image that if you ever have negative feelings or thoughts you are somehow a failure as a Christian.  Simply remind him of the Cross and come boldly before God’s throne and receive that surge of Agape so you can forgive and banish those thoughts and feelings.  You have not arrived but you are pressing toward the mark and you will reap in due season if you do not quit.  We need to learn to look ‘into’ people rather than ‘at’ them.  Jesus never saw a prostitute or tax collector; He saw a person.  He saw their need never the package they were wrapped up in.  Out of or in and through Love the Body is build up!

God help us to become a fully functioning cell in the Body of Christ through which the power surges of Agape can flow to other cells and strengthen feeble hands and lift them up.  Blessings as you embark on this leg of life’s journey!

 

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LOVE TRULY MAKES EVERYTHING WORK… (Part Two)


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Ephesians 4:15-16 – “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”  NASU

  

How many times have you heard the phrase, “Love is God?”  I suggest that is wrong to say “love is God” but rather “God is Love.”   He is not controlled by love but is love!  He gives His love by choice!  He does not set his love on demons but He chose to love us while we were still firmly entrenched in the camp of the enemy of God.  His Love seeks our highest and best good.  He works in us to bring us to completeness in Him and total fulfillment.  He is working to bring us to our purpose and destiny and enable us to achieve our greatest potential in life.  He was and is committed to that purpose even if it kills Him.  (The Cross).  God does not have casual affairs, he never just lives with someone, He marries for eternity!  That is the picture of God’s Love!

What is man’s highest or best good?  What is man’s highest potential?  What are we when we are in that position and condition?  We are manifesting His life and being what He created us to be.  What is that?  We are to be a receptacle for His incredible, Agape Love.  Living in the complete consciousness of that Love and expressing that love to the world.  That is what we are at our highest potential.  One definition of sin could be “failing to fulfill that potential.”  Before you protest that sin is ‘missing the mark’ is that not missing the mark of God’s purpose?  The Bible tells us that “…all have sinned and come short of the glory (LOVE) of God…”  A man has failed when he has cut himself off from that incredible Love!

Man, did that in the Garden in and through Adam and Eve and has been doing it for centuries.  The Good News is that does not deter God. He keeps coming, loving, and calling us.  Nothing separates us from or causes Him to stop loving us.  When we truly SEE, the Love demonstrated at the Cross and comprehend that God LOVES us so much that He gave His Son for us, FAITH rises inside your being and you cry “Abba Father!”  It is then that we turn from rebellion and repent of our rebellion and commit ourselves to obeying and following Him.  We are then transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Light and become cells in the Body of Christ.  We are then united and joined to every other cell in the Body in Love.

Paul, in Romans declared regarding salvation, “The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts…”  Then in Thessalonians, he spoke to new converts and said, “You have been taught of God to Love one another…”  LOVE is the key characteristic of the Body of Christ!  It is not your particular brand of Christianity that identifies you as a Christian it is God’s Love shed abroad in your heart and the manifestation of that Love!  You will never be the same as any other believer or sect.  Just like we all have different fingerprints in the natural we are all unique in the spiritual but the one thing we all have is LOVE!  Remember what Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you have Love, one for another…”  Some would argue, “well there is more to Christianity than just love.”  True, but without Love, there is nothing else!  That is the bedrock foundational principle of being In Christ!

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul strongly addresses the importance and power of love.  He says that without it, we are nothing more than noisy gongs and clanging cymbals.  He goes even further and declares that without love we are NOTHING!  In the New Testament, we learn that the first act upon entering the Family of God and the Body of Christ is to be EMPOWERED by the Spirit.  That indicates we are given ability, strength, and energy to BE.  Have you ever considered that the number one concern of the Holy Spirit in producing the New Testament was the Empowering of the Body of Christ?  If we are empowered, what are we empowered for?  I believe this is an area where the modern church has gotten off track a bit.  The number one purpose of this empowering, in my understanding, is that we might LOVE or manifest AGAPE!  We have focused on ministry, building, numbers, gifts, etc. and failed to realize that those things are beginnings not ends. The gifts do not function to perfection without Love! They become nothing but dangerous noisy gongs clanging and drawing attention to themselves not producing life.

I want to move at least one step further into this so I will pause again and pick up next time as we consider the POWER and PURPOSE of Love in the Body of Christ.  God, bless you richly is my prayer and desire!

 

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LOVE TRULY MAKES EVERYTHING WORK…


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Ephesians 4:15-16 – “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”  NASU

 

Let me offer some definitions or identifications regarding the Body that a couple of words in this text reveals.  The two words to which I refer are JOINT – The nervous system or the nerve paths that run through the body.  SUPPLIES – The full supply for any part of the body in its moment of need comes through the ‘paths’ within the body or through the nerve system.  Why is that important?  It is important because Paul frequently used analogies and comparisons to the human body in understanding the Body of Christ.  But that is only a part of the picture.

We are told by the apostle that THE BODY is built up in LOVE or that it builds itself up in or through LOVE.  The supply spoken of here is abundant and is sufficient to satisfy the need of any part of the body regardless of what or where that part is.  That supply flows through the individual cells in the body bring the needed supply, produces life, and makes whole.  The result is the Body through its individual cells ministering to each other builds itself up in Love!  Thus, a perfectly functioning Body, human or the Body of Christ is where every cell is ministered to fully, completely and according, to need.  Body Ministry, a term we have probably heard frequently, is when all the supply lines are open and functioning as they were designed.  It would behoove us to remember that we are individual cells within the Body of Christ, not isolated entities.

Our relationship with Jesus, the Head of the Body, is the same as the rest of our human body relates to the human head of that body (brain).  We are Christ’s Body!  That is not a hope, wish, or objective we are striving to attain – WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST if we are IN Christ.  You did not originate the Body and your inclusion did not cause it to begin, it was there before you were included.  But, since you have been included you are a part of the Body of Christ and have a specific function in that Body.  One of those functions is to be a nerve path, a connecting cell, a supply route where other cells within the Body can receive what they need to function completely and wholly.

Someone said, “There are only two bodies in the world and greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”  Therefore, we can see there is the Body of the World and the Body of Christ.  The head of the Body of Christ is Jesus and the head of the Body of this World is Satan.  At conversion or salvation, you were adopted, grafted, or born into the Body of Christ.  In the human body, the head and the rest of the body is one.  The head is the brain the control center of the body.  The life that the body exhibits flows from the brain or head and the life that we have spiritually is flowing from the Head, JESUS!

Scientist and biologist tell us that out from the brain come energy, life, and electrical current or Power!  So, inside each of us is a pulsating power flowing from the brain to every cell or life.  It is not a matter of which church you belong, or the religious rituals you practice, or even the doctrine you believe it is BEING a LIVING CELL in the Body of Christ.  In Him, we live and move and have our being.  This is a supernatural life that can only be manifested through our connection with the head being supplied through the nerve paths of the Body.  We are living His Life and that life is LOVE!

William Shakespeare popularized ‘romantic love’ and ever since the human race has been captivated by the idea of “Falling in Love”.  God does not fall in love; He is love and loves!  You fall in ‘mud puddles’ and if you ‘fall in love’ you can be rescued or ‘fall out of love’ as easily as you fell into it.  God’s love is Unconditional, human love is conditional.  God’s love is spontaneous, it does not have to be earn, courted or wooed it is an extension of Who He Is.  It is Agape and that Agape is what builds up the Body and transforms it into the Glorious Church Jesus said He was building and would return for.  God’s love is a premeditated choice not the fire of emotion.  He decided to love us because that is who and what He is – LOVE!

I want to press deeper into this so we will pause here and pick up next time considering the Body of Christ and it’s building of itself up in LOVE!   Until next time may the richest and best of the blessing of the Lord be yours in all things and, at all times.

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LET’S TALK ABOUT WHEN LIFE BEGINS…


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Jeremiah 1:4-5 – “Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  NASU

 

In my own nation, the United States of America, the debate rages even among people who profess Jesus Christ as their personal savior about WHEN LIFE BEGINS.  Some of that debate is seeking to justify stances or experiences in abortion.  It may be personal or it may be related to someone they know and love not wanting to be harsh and seeking to be compassionate.  The issue is not what you or I think about abortion it is what God thinks about WHEN LIFE BEGINS.  That question alone moves the abortion debate into an entirely different arena.

Even after I say what I believe, and refer to Scripture, some will still reject my argument and presentation.  I can do nothing about that, but I feel compelled that I must address the matter.  The alarming factual reality is that over 60 Million babies have been aborted since the inception of Rove v Wade.  That is more than the entire population of some small countries.  If God deems life to begin before that baby breathes the air of earth and is fully out of the womb and birth canal, then this becomes genocide.  If those who believe that that which is in the womb, formed with arms, legs, vital organs, and feels pain are right and this is nothing more than a blob of tissue so long as it is in the womb then it is a small insignificant matter.  I do not truly believe that anyone considers it insignificant.

Let’s take the word that God gave to Jeremiah as He called him into ministry.  These words resonate powerfully or should in identifying what God thinks about that which is formed in the womb.  Consider the words of God, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…”  BEFORE I formed you… BEFORE you were born… The word before is quite revealing, in my view.  I will acknowledge that if this were the only reference to that life BEFORE being fully birthed into the world we might still wonder.  But consider Psalm 139:13-16. and consider the words of the Palmist and consider how it relates to the formation of that person many call a fetus.  He identities that God is the one that forms that life and it is a marvelous miracle.  He identifies that God knew all his parts before he was born and that God saw his UNFORMED SUBSTANCE and all his parts are written in God’s book even before they existed after conception or development.  Then, in Isaiah 44:24, we read, “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the One who formed you from the womb, ‘I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone…”  In the New Testament in Galatians 1:15 we find, “But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through His grace.”  When did God know him?  BEFORE HE WAS BORN!  I must not omit what happened with Elizabeth when she heard the salutation of Mary – “the baby (not fetus… not blob of tissue… BABY) leaped in her womb.”  (Luke 1:41,44).

There is much that can be said about the sanctity of life but my focus is the cry of the blood of the innocent (unborn) and the impending judgment of God because of our participation in genocide through abortion.  When does, God view life as having begun?  It begins, at a minimum at conception, but in truth, according to scripture, it begins in the heart of God.  Life does not delay it beginning until that infant in the womb is fully and completely born into this world.  Since I believe this strongly all my political decisions are influenced by this belief.  But, it goes beyond anything political and touches all of life.  I believe that God values life, all life and so, should we.  I believe that we are in serious danger of incurring the wrath of God when we violate the sanctity of life, especially in the defenseless.   If you consider this devotional too political, I am sorry but I sense the Spirit of the Lord would have me address LIFE and this matter that too many even in the church have become too calloused.

God, bless you richly as you embark on today’s leg of this life’s journey!

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HUMAN REASON AND SALVATION…


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Isaiah 1:18-20 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, ” Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. 19 ” If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; 20 “But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”  NASU

 

I have been told by well-meaning ministers that human reason has no place or part in the salvation experience.  To them it is all about emotion and the entire work is done on God’s side and man has no role in that experience.  Please understand, I do believe that man cannot save himself and that it is wholly God who washes away the sin and transforms that life from lost to saved.  However, these words of Isaiah, speaking as a prophet of the Lord, ‘human reason’ is a significant part.  Confession of sin most assuredly involves ‘human reason’. 

Sadly, many use ‘human reason’ to justify their sin but if I do not evaluate my condition and consider my guilt I will not repent.  If I do not think through my condition and what I have done I will not repent.  If I do not think through what God offers through the work of Jesus on the Cross I will not repent and seek His forgiveness.  Therefore, we need to ‘reason’ with the LORD about our condition and sin.

The promise is that even as vile and stained as my soul is through my ‘missing the mark’ (SIN) God will wash me and make white as pure snow.  It is only as we are ‘born again’ are our names written in the Book of Life.  Only then are we translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.  Only then are we ‘new creations’ in Christ and BORN AGAIN spiritually.  But, the Promise of God does not stop with, “you will go to heaven when you die” it is “you can have heaven here on earth.”

Look at the last part of the promise.  IF and be sure to see the word ‘if’, because it demands thought, consideration, and evaluation.  “If you consent or agree with God that you have sinned and turn from those sins in obedience to the Word of God…”  IF you do that, THEN you will eat the best of the land!  That is what Jesus spoke of when He said I am come to bring Life and that more abundant.  That is what Jesus was speaking of when He said, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  That is what Paul is talking about when he tells us that “The Blessings of Abraham” belong to the believer.  That is what he meant when he said, that we can be “more than conquerors through Christ.”  You do not realize the instruction of Paul to Timothy to ‘study to show himself approved unto God’, without thought and reason.  Therefore, human reason is involved in the process of salvation.  It does not produce salvation but leads us to that place of repentance and receive restoration.

The negative of the last part of the promise is IF again.  If you refuse…  If you refuse you will be devoured by the sword.  The powers of hell will have direct and open access to your life if you refuse to receive that which God has offered in salvation.  Consider the blessing and the curse.  Consider the matter of life or death eternally.  Consider what is being offered and ‘reason together’ with the LORD and I do believe that His Spirit will convict your heart and lead you to repentance and salvation.

God, bless you as you embark on this day in Jesus!

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GOD HAS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING…


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Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven — 2 A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. 5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. 6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. 7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.”  NASU

 

Without going through this list item by item and commenting I would ask that you focus on the simple reality that God has a time for everything.  I heard an argument for a person who was Pro-Choice and Pro-Abortion attempting to use this passage to support their view and somehow make it biblical.  They argued that if the pregnancy was unwanted that could indicate them being in the condition of “at the time to uproot”.  When they heard the pushback that abortion could be considered murder and was assuredly killing of the unborn.  They argued that this was simply God’s allowable time to kill, pluck up, and tear down.  I found that position to be absolutely astounding.

This passage brings many challenges to the heart of a believer,  but making it a license to take the life of the unborn and innocent is astounding.  None of us determine the time of our birth and none of us should determine the time of our death.  There are associations in life that require us to cultivate and there are times when we must uproot those alliances and go a different direction.  There are times when weeping and mourning are appropriate and there may be a time when laughter is the proper answer to times of difficulty or ease.  There can be a time to go to war and a time to make peace.  There is a time to reach out and befriend and there is a time to separate ourselves from evil associations.  In short, God has His timing for things that we often do not understand and may not see His purposes or plan but we must TRUST. 

If I truly believe that God has a time for everything and truly believe that He is taking every event of my life and blending it together for my good and His ultimate purpose, I can TRUST and REST in Him.  I can deal with times when my heart is broken, I have been let down by someone near and dear or I am under severe attack.  I can raise my sword and go to war and I can lay it down and extend the olive branch of peace because I TRUST Him and am confident in His timing.  Our problem is that too often we attempt to force our timing into the situation rather than following His. In life, we may find ourselves in situations where we are weeping when we should be laughing, embracing when we should be shunning, planting when we should be plowing or speaking when we should be silent.  It is imperative that we always remember His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts.  Our secret to success is learning to HEAR His voice that voice of the Spirit of God confirmed by His Word and TRUST.

            God, bless you as you embark on today’s leg of life’s journey!

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IF YOU CONTINUE – Two Key Words, “IF” and “Continue”…


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John 8:31-32 – “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ” If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  NASU

 

My purpose is not to start a firestorm of religious argument but to call attention to both the requirement and promise of our LORD to those of that day and to us today.  He was speaking to Jews who believed Him or believed in Him.  They believed He was who He claimed to be, “Messiah”.  They believed that He had the words of eternal life.  They recognized Him as a great prophet and knew that His message was completely other than that of the religious leaders of their day.  THEY BELIEVED!

Jesus then said something that is troubling for many.  He said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will now the truth and the truth will make you free.”  There are many facets of what He said that need to be considered, observed, and accepted if we are to find, have, receive, and walk in the Abundant Life He Promised and become the Glorious Church He came to build.

First, they were believers!  However, Jesus indicated that just believing was not enough to enter into that fullness He taught there had to be CONTINUING as well.  That continuing meant obedience to His words, precepts, and teachings.  It is only in continuing that we become genuine disciples not simply one that professes a belief that He is who He declares Himself to be.  The profession of faith is the first step, not the entire race.  It is the beginning, not the conclusion.  If we stop there we fall so far short of what God has for us we will be tormented by the enemy of our souls and never fulfill the words of Isaiah’s promise in 40:31 – “…They that wait upon the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up like the eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and to become weary.”  We will not find ourselves in the place of Psalm 91 nor will we truly embrace and experience the promise of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30.  So, CONTINUING is a necessary ingredient in our spiritual development and life.

Next, Jesus promises that IF WE CONTINUE and become genuine disciples THEN two things will happen.  We will KNOW Truth and that Truth that we know will make us free.  I said, the Truth that you know not just truth.  Yes, God’s truth is what makes us free but if we do not know that truth we will not exercise faith with regard, to it nor will we walk in that truth and being made free requires both knowing and obeying, therefore, it is The Truth that You Know that makes you Free.  Not your own definition of truth but God’s Truth.  God’s Truth that becomes part of your being, part of your consciousness, and shapes who you are.  So, continuing in His Word in obedience leads to Freedom. 

It is not enough to give mental assent to the truth we must CONTINUE in it.  It is not enough to express the belief that Jesus is the Christ we must CONTINUE in His truth and as we embrace that truth, walking it out in our lives that Truth liberates us, empowering us to stand in the face of all temptation and in the midst of any storm of life.

God, bless you as you CONTINUE in His Word and FOLLOW Him fully and freely!

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JUST SAYING IT DOESN’T MAKE IT REALITY…


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Luke 6:46-49 – “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  47 ” Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:  48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  49 “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”  NASU

 

I have witnessed the disparity between what a person says and what they live in and outside the church.  That is a natural reality in life that people say one thing and do another.  However, when it comes to a relationship with God, just saying you are a Christian does not make you one.  Let me state, clearly, that I refuse to be anyone’s judge and if anyone professes they are a believer I will evaluate the fruit of their life, contrast their life with their declarations, but leave the determination of whether they are or not to God.

In this passage, Jesus identified this problem vividly and His words should resonate with us and provide sufficient cause for us to carefully examine our own lives.  Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  Clearly, it is not our own declaration that makes His Lordship a reality in our lives it is the fruit of our lives that reveal the true condition.  No, I am not offering a justification for becoming judgmental and self-appointed fruit inspectors.  Jesus gave an analogy that is valuable for us as individuals in our self-examination of our own lives.  Let’s examine his comparisons and see if we can glean benefit.

If we HEAR, the Words of our LORD and act on them in obedience, Jesus said we could be compared to a prudent and competent builder.  That builder would dig a deep and solid foundation going to bedrock ensuring that if the floods or violent winds came the house would be strong.  In short, “having done all to stand, able to stand.”  The person that HEARS, the Words of Christ but does not act or obey them is like the person that ignores the foundation and erects his structure.  It may look wonderful on the outside but has no stability and will easily be destroyed.  Obedience involves an investment of time and energy in allowing the solid foundation to be built. This is the work of the Holy Spirit with our cooperation as we “study to show ourselves approved unto God, rightly handling the Word of Truth.”  This is allowing the Love of Christ to be shed abroad in our hearts and a commitment to obedience.  This is a love relationship that is not interested in simply looking right or sounding right but being right.

Just because one professes to be a follower of Christ does not mean the fruit of their lives will validate that claim.  When trouble comes, we find out what we are made of.  When the enemy comes in like a flood we need a foundation that can withstand his assaults.  We must make Christ our Rock and upon that Rock build our lives, otherwise, it is the shifting sand of will-power and nothing more than rain on a tin roof.  Noise but no substance.

            God, bless you as you seek Him in all things and at all times! 

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