We WANT to walk upright, don't we?
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Constantly we are buffeted by the enemy who doesn't want us to do any of those things. It is the enemy's JOB, it is the enemy's SOLE PURPOSE to keep US- each of us- from following the Savior. If something is your sole purpose what exactly does that mean?
You've heard someone say before - 'It's my sole purpose in life to love you, or they might say it's my sole purpose in life to get revenge on you.' They're in essence saying that they are LIVING for this reason. They are living to love you and without you they have no other purpose in life. Or they are living to hurt you and for no other reason. We know that when people say stuff like that it's usually an exaggeration. The same person who said they live to love you might turn around and ask for a divorce a few years later because they no longer can stand to be near you. As well as the one seeking revenge, their ire may cool and life make take on new purpose. But with Satan his IRE never cools, His love to deceive us never grows cold and will exist as long as He exists. This is the truth. He will EVER go about seeking to devour who He can, untiringly in his angelic spirit heritage he needs no sleep, no resting. And if we understand how intense it can be on a human to human level to have someone with a 'sole purpose' that is very changeable, how much more intense is it on the spirit level with a being who won't ever change?
We desperately wish to be Christ's and we have an enemy that will stop at nothing to keep us in doubt, keep us confused, keep us questioning, keep us hopeless and all he has to do is hold up our shortcomings to us and make us believe we will never be Christ's not with how exceedingly sinful we are. He loves to act as a circus funhouse mirror reflecting back at us our evilness, and yes, sin is evil and the sin we commit is evil- we can't pretty it up and say it's just a tiny little bitty sin, not one of those awful ones. And the funhouse effect of this mirror is to make us feel HOPELESS, so evil we can never be forgiven, never hope to be sin-free in Christ. He gets us to keep looking at ourselves so that we have no desire to take our eyes off ourselves and our failings. And as long as Satan has us looking at ourselves we are not looking at our SAVIOR! We have no hope in ourselves, NONE and the sooner we realize this the better. We have to STOP looking at ourselves and look beyond ourselves to our Savior. HE IS able to save us, we are NOT able to save ourselves!
The questions were…
We WANT to walk upright, don't we?
We desire to walk upright in the paths of righteousness, yes?
We long to follow the ways of our Savior, correct?
Then we have to LISTEN to the LORD! We can't close our ears to Him and expect to walk upright. We can't ignore Him and expect to walk upright. We can't close our eyes and expect to follow Him. Do you know how quickly one falls off a path once they are blindfolded? If we blind ourselves, if we keep ourselves in the dark we can't expect to find light on the path.
Remember yesterday's study… all those things we are told to do to understand the fear of the Lord and to find the knowledge of God?
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Actions, verbs!
Here read it again…
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
And there is more...
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
Pro 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Righteous and wicked.
We choose.
We are told to act in upright ways - to -
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST
And when we DO NOT do as we are told is it any wonder we can be tempted away to the wicked path?
We can do absolutely nothing and hope that doing nothing is enough. Or we can do the things we are told to do and HOPE that by the grace of OUR Savior it will be enough.
We can stand without armor on and hope to live, but the chances of that are very, very slim. We are told to wear spiritual armor and we are told what that armor is.
Salvation
Righteousness
Truth
Gospel of Peace
Spirit of the Word of God
Faith
We have to choose these things.
Not, put the armor on once and never again; not, only wear one piece of the armor and no more; not, put on the armor when the mood hits us. The war we are in is ongoing- night and day, everyday. Ask soldiers that go to war if they sleep in protective gear when they are close to or among the enemy lines. We exist in the enemy's camp without any hope of survival unless we have our armor on.
We must have SALVATION first and foremost and with our head protected we must protect the rest of us and that Salvation we have in Christ is also where we get the rest of our protective gear.
We have an inheritance in Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide us and keep us in the promise of that inheritance if we allow Him. We can be blessed with all spiritual blessings. We can be before Our Savior without blame in love. We are adopted by Jesus Himself! We have redemption through His sacrifice. This is WISDOM, the knowledge of HIM and His love towards us! It is the WILL of our Savior that we be with Him! Read it! I didn't write it… HE DID!
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
AMEN!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Spirit Fed- from the Word of God
God Works in mysterious ways, of this there is NO doubt.
Yesterday my study -
Would you eat of the tree?
Resulted from starting to study Proverbs 2:22.
Tonight at Bible study I was prompted to come home and study more on having God's word in our hearts and lo and behold I was led back to Proverbs 2. Amazing.
Pro 2:1 My son, IF thou wilt receive my words...
IF we will receive the words of God. We have a choice on whether or not to receive them, don't we? When we hear something we can let it go in one ear and out the other as the saying goes. We don't have to receive the words we hear- it is as simple as that. People say you can't take back something you say- if you say something nasty and hurtful it can remain with someone for life and this is true. That something nasty and hurtful was RECEIVED, it wasn't allowed to go in one ear and out the other. Isn't it AWFUL that Satan has that power? Isn't it AWFUL that we allow Satan to have sway over us in that way? So that the BAD stuff lingers on and on and the good stuff gets pushed aside. It happens all the time. Can you relate something bad said to you? I believe you can and not only can you relate that bad thing you can recall how it made you feel and it's even possible the words still have the same effect on you today that they had on you when they were said to you. Turn the table - can you remember something bad you said to someone else and how hurt it made them feel?
Received words.
Received words are not only bad words said to us. We do recall good things people have said too. A bit of praise from a mother or father, a teacher, a boss, a co-worker, a husband or wife.
Received words are REMEMBERED words.
No, I'm not saying that you have to memorize the entire Bible- that'd be great but for most of us it's just not feasible, our ability to retain information isn't quite up to such a feat. I am saying that memorizing God's word is important- it's REMEMBERING God's word to us, it's RECEIVING God's word.
I know, I know you might be thinking that some of the Pharisees and such had the Scriptures memorized and they were no better off for doing so. It's true, you can memorize and in that way receive God's word but there is MORE to it and God didn't leave that part out. Let's continue reading...
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee
AND hide my commandments with thee
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding
INCLINE ear to wisdom
AND apply thine heart to understanding.
Are you reading? Do you see there is more. RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY and there is till more!
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
CRIEST after knowledge
LIFTEST UP THY VOICE for understanding
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
SEEKEST Her as silver
SEARCHEST for her as for hid treasure
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Pro 2:5 THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!
You have to ask yourself- do you receive, do you hide, do you incline, do you criest, do you liftest, do you seekest, do you searchest - GOD's WORD?
We can't just receive, we must hide God's commandments with us, we must incline towards hearing wisdom, we have to apply our hearts to understand- do you see??? It's not enough to just receive to just memorize God's word, we have to do so much more with it! We have to cry out for knowledge, we have to cry out for understanding, we have seek this as for SILVER, search as if we are searching for a hidden treasure- not as if the treasure has been revealed- meaning we no longer have to search.
Do you see?
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Over and over we are told how amazing the word of God is.
Jesus said-- Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
When we stop feeding from the word of God our spirit dies.
If we stop feeding from the word of God we are feeding from other things. Satan has a whole slew of things he will try and feed us to quell the stirrings of a starving spirit within us.
What are you feasting on?
Where do you get your spiritual food from?
If you are discontented, if you don't feel inclined towards God, if you feel your life is filled with angst and worry, stress and pain you have to ask yourself what you're feeding your spirit. Are you feeding your spirit from the source of life everlasting or from the source of death eternal?
How often do you read, or hear about the people of God having a strange peace within them even in very trying times as they suffer unspeakable hardships? This is why. They are feeding from the source of life everlasting- their spirit is fed from the word of God, the Word of God.
It isn't something magical that only a few chosen are born with, it's not something reserved for special people- we can ALL feed from the source of life everlasting!
More on this tomorrow… :)
May God help us to …
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - the WORD of God!
By HIS GRACE! BY HIS LOVE!
Amen!
Yesterday my study -
Would you eat of the tree?
Resulted from starting to study Proverbs 2:22.
Tonight at Bible study I was prompted to come home and study more on having God's word in our hearts and lo and behold I was led back to Proverbs 2. Amazing.
Pro 2:1 My son, IF thou wilt receive my words...
IF we will receive the words of God. We have a choice on whether or not to receive them, don't we? When we hear something we can let it go in one ear and out the other as the saying goes. We don't have to receive the words we hear- it is as simple as that. People say you can't take back something you say- if you say something nasty and hurtful it can remain with someone for life and this is true. That something nasty and hurtful was RECEIVED, it wasn't allowed to go in one ear and out the other. Isn't it AWFUL that Satan has that power? Isn't it AWFUL that we allow Satan to have sway over us in that way? So that the BAD stuff lingers on and on and the good stuff gets pushed aside. It happens all the time. Can you relate something bad said to you? I believe you can and not only can you relate that bad thing you can recall how it made you feel and it's even possible the words still have the same effect on you today that they had on you when they were said to you. Turn the table - can you remember something bad you said to someone else and how hurt it made them feel?
Received words.
Received words are not only bad words said to us. We do recall good things people have said too. A bit of praise from a mother or father, a teacher, a boss, a co-worker, a husband or wife.
Received words are REMEMBERED words.
No, I'm not saying that you have to memorize the entire Bible- that'd be great but for most of us it's just not feasible, our ability to retain information isn't quite up to such a feat. I am saying that memorizing God's word is important- it's REMEMBERING God's word to us, it's RECEIVING God's word.
I know, I know you might be thinking that some of the Pharisees and such had the Scriptures memorized and they were no better off for doing so. It's true, you can memorize and in that way receive God's word but there is MORE to it and God didn't leave that part out. Let's continue reading...
Pro 2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee
AND hide my commandments with thee
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding
INCLINE ear to wisdom
AND apply thine heart to understanding.
Are you reading? Do you see there is more. RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY and there is till more!
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
CRIEST after knowledge
LIFTEST UP THY VOICE for understanding
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
SEEKEST Her as silver
SEARCHEST for her as for hid treasure
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST!
Pro 2:5 THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!
You have to ask yourself- do you receive, do you hide, do you incline, do you criest, do you liftest, do you seekest, do you searchest - GOD's WORD?
We can't just receive, we must hide God's commandments with us, we must incline towards hearing wisdom, we have to apply our hearts to understand- do you see??? It's not enough to just receive to just memorize God's word, we have to do so much more with it! We have to cry out for knowledge, we have to cry out for understanding, we have seek this as for SILVER, search as if we are searching for a hidden treasure- not as if the treasure has been revealed- meaning we no longer have to search.
Do you see?
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Over and over we are told how amazing the word of God is.
Jesus said-- Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
When we stop feeding from the word of God our spirit dies.
If we stop feeding from the word of God we are feeding from other things. Satan has a whole slew of things he will try and feed us to quell the stirrings of a starving spirit within us.
What are you feasting on?
Where do you get your spiritual food from?
If you are discontented, if you don't feel inclined towards God, if you feel your life is filled with angst and worry, stress and pain you have to ask yourself what you're feeding your spirit. Are you feeding your spirit from the source of life everlasting or from the source of death eternal?
How often do you read, or hear about the people of God having a strange peace within them even in very trying times as they suffer unspeakable hardships? This is why. They are feeding from the source of life everlasting- their spirit is fed from the word of God, the Word of God.
It isn't something magical that only a few chosen are born with, it's not something reserved for special people- we can ALL feed from the source of life everlasting!
More on this tomorrow… :)
May God help us to …
RECEIVE, HIDE, INCLINE, APPLY, CRIEST, LIFTEST, SEEKEST, SEARCHEST - the WORD of God!
By HIS GRACE! BY HIS LOVE!
Amen!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Would you eat of the tree?
Pro 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
The wicked will NOT inherit the earth. Satan will not inherit the earth. The earth was made for God's people. God made the earth for the people He created, people that will love Him, people that will trust and obey Him. This earth will NOT belong to the wicked- the sinners will be rooted out of it- gone forever! When you take a plant out by the roots it does not return. The wicked will NOT return to the earth once they are rooted out. Those who LOVE God with all their hearts, those who OBEY God, those who TRUST God- these are the ones who will dwell in the land, dwell in the earth.
A sinner is one who transgresses the law.
Therefore the perfect are those who do not transgress the law.
Our Savior was the ONLY human not to transgress the law and through HIM we can be adopted as sons of God.
We are made perfect IN Christ.
Where Adam and Eve chose to disobey the command to God, we must choose to obey the command of God.
It's all about choice, about choosing and that is up to US to do, God cannot choose for us.
We need to ask ourselves this VERY important question-
Would we eat of the tree?
We are SO very quick to condemn Eve and Adam for their failure and yes, they failed without having our sinful nature and we have that sinful nature through inheritance. We condemn them and yet when we stand before our TREE or in many cases- our orchard of trees we pick from them all and eat many forbidden fruit without a second thought. We disobey God all the time. We eat of the tree even as we stand there and have the gall to condemn others who eat from the tree. You say you're powerless, that you can't help but eat of the forbidden tree and maybe that's true to a certain degree. We do live in a world filled with forbidden trees and the refuge of a garden free of temptation scarcely exists. Because we live in this garden of temptation we feel as if there is no choice but to eat of the forbidden fruit just to live. It's like a complete OPPOSITE of the garden of Eden. Instead of just ONE forbidden tree, we have ONE righteous tree. Instead of countless righteous trees to feed from, we have countless forbidden trees. Instead of having to stay away from ONE forbidden tree, we have to cling to the ONE righteous tree. We have NO righteousness within ourselves, Adam and Eve had NO righteousness within themselves- they had their righteousness within their Creator who offered them a life of righteousness- eating from a TREE of life in a garden of righteousness where only a single Forbidden tree stood. We have our righteousness in our Creator who had Redeemed us, and we need to eat of this Tree while we live among countless forbidden trees. Before the Fall and after the Fall- our eternal life is found within Christ. Choosing to disobey God by partaking of the Forbidden trees is something we need to ask forgiveness for- not blame God for the Forbidden trees existences.
Would we eat of the tree? When you are faced with any situation where you need to choose obeying God versus disobeying God- ask yourself- would you eat of the tree? Place yourself there in the garden of Eden and ask yourself would you choose to eat of the tree- because eating of that tree was disobeying God- transgressing against God. All our sins are transgressions against God- and sin is the transgression of the law- God is the law.
Instead of making up excuses- fall at the feet of the Tree of Righteousness, choose the ONE who can save you, cling to your Savior as you fight, as you strive against sin, choose NOT to eat of the forbidden tree.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we choose CHRIST over all! This is something we MUST do. Choose Christ! And if anyone thinks they don't have to choose Christ they're sadly mistaken.
Choose Christ!
In His Love!
Amen.
Pro 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
The wicked will NOT inherit the earth. Satan will not inherit the earth. The earth was made for God's people. God made the earth for the people He created, people that will love Him, people that will trust and obey Him. This earth will NOT belong to the wicked- the sinners will be rooted out of it- gone forever! When you take a plant out by the roots it does not return. The wicked will NOT return to the earth once they are rooted out. Those who LOVE God with all their hearts, those who OBEY God, those who TRUST God- these are the ones who will dwell in the land, dwell in the earth.
A sinner is one who transgresses the law.
Therefore the perfect are those who do not transgress the law.
Our Savior was the ONLY human not to transgress the law and through HIM we can be adopted as sons of God.
We are made perfect IN Christ.
Where Adam and Eve chose to disobey the command to God, we must choose to obey the command of God.
It's all about choice, about choosing and that is up to US to do, God cannot choose for us.
We need to ask ourselves this VERY important question-
Would we eat of the tree?
We are SO very quick to condemn Eve and Adam for their failure and yes, they failed without having our sinful nature and we have that sinful nature through inheritance. We condemn them and yet when we stand before our TREE or in many cases- our orchard of trees we pick from them all and eat many forbidden fruit without a second thought. We disobey God all the time. We eat of the tree even as we stand there and have the gall to condemn others who eat from the tree. You say you're powerless, that you can't help but eat of the forbidden tree and maybe that's true to a certain degree. We do live in a world filled with forbidden trees and the refuge of a garden free of temptation scarcely exists. Because we live in this garden of temptation we feel as if there is no choice but to eat of the forbidden fruit just to live. It's like a complete OPPOSITE of the garden of Eden. Instead of just ONE forbidden tree, we have ONE righteous tree. Instead of countless righteous trees to feed from, we have countless forbidden trees. Instead of having to stay away from ONE forbidden tree, we have to cling to the ONE righteous tree. We have NO righteousness within ourselves, Adam and Eve had NO righteousness within themselves- they had their righteousness within their Creator who offered them a life of righteousness- eating from a TREE of life in a garden of righteousness where only a single Forbidden tree stood. We have our righteousness in our Creator who had Redeemed us, and we need to eat of this Tree while we live among countless forbidden trees. Before the Fall and after the Fall- our eternal life is found within Christ. Choosing to disobey God by partaking of the Forbidden trees is something we need to ask forgiveness for- not blame God for the Forbidden trees existences.
Would we eat of the tree? When you are faced with any situation where you need to choose obeying God versus disobeying God- ask yourself- would you eat of the tree? Place yourself there in the garden of Eden and ask yourself would you choose to eat of the tree- because eating of that tree was disobeying God- transgressing against God. All our sins are transgressions against God- and sin is the transgression of the law- God is the law.
Instead of making up excuses- fall at the feet of the Tree of Righteousness, choose the ONE who can save you, cling to your Savior as you fight, as you strive against sin, choose NOT to eat of the forbidden tree.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior may we choose CHRIST over all! This is something we MUST do. Choose Christ! And if anyone thinks they don't have to choose Christ they're sadly mistaken.
Choose Christ!
In His Love!
Amen.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Lesser of Two Evils
Gen 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
Jacob didn't want to deceive his father. Jacob didn't want to bring a curse upon himself by lying to his aged father and taking the blessing that was rightfully his brother's. When he voiced his reluctance to his mother she told him this… OBEY my voice.
Jacob was suddenly caught in a situation a lot of us find ourselves in… called trying to determine the lesser of two evils because you must chose one or the other.
In Jacob's case it was DECEIVE His father or DISOBEY His mother.
The fact that his mother was willing to take the curse for him revealed to Jacob just how much she wanted Him to deceive his father and steal his brother's blessing. To disobey His mother was worse to Jacob than deceiving His father.
Though they were twins- Esau was more Isaac's and Jacob was more Rebekah's.
Read this--
Gen 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Gen 27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to HIS son.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob HER son.
His son.
Her son.
Jacob was the favored by Rachel-
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
The LORD told her that 'the elder shall serve the younger'. Rachel obviously believed the only way that would happen was if SHE took matters into her own hands.
Isaac loved Esau- over Jacob and she knew this…
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
We all like to imagine parents love their children equally but that isn't always the case is it? Jacob knew he was more loved by his mother and it was MORE important to him to obey her than worry about lying to his father.
Two wrongs.
Life is filled with having to make choices between bad things and it's NEVER easy. Never. Could Jacob have done neither? No. Because He would have to disobey his mother no matter what he chose if he chose not to do exactly as she said. He HAD to choose.
In choosing to obey His mother they were then separated. Rebekah no longer had her beloved son with her. Esau wanted to kill his brother and to protect Him, Rebekah wanted Him to go away, far away to be safe.
There are consequences to ALL our actions. We make choices and sometimes we have to choose the lesser of two evils and we have to pray and pray hard for forgiveness no matter what wrong we choose. It doesn't seem fair to be placed in a such a situation and we can ask God why all we want. We don't have to understand everything, we just need to trust Him that no matter what, some how, some way things will work out. Life isn't fair, life will never be fair, but a new life when our Savior returns will be fair and it's that life we need to live for, hope for, pray for.
By the grace of our Lord and Savior! In His love forever!
Gen 27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
Jacob didn't want to deceive his father. Jacob didn't want to bring a curse upon himself by lying to his aged father and taking the blessing that was rightfully his brother's. When he voiced his reluctance to his mother she told him this… OBEY my voice.
Jacob was suddenly caught in a situation a lot of us find ourselves in… called trying to determine the lesser of two evils because you must chose one or the other.
In Jacob's case it was DECEIVE His father or DISOBEY His mother.
The fact that his mother was willing to take the curse for him revealed to Jacob just how much she wanted Him to deceive his father and steal his brother's blessing. To disobey His mother was worse to Jacob than deceiving His father.
Though they were twins- Esau was more Isaac's and Jacob was more Rebekah's.
Read this--
Gen 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
Gen 27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to HIS son.
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob HER son.
His son.
Her son.
Jacob was the favored by Rachel-
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
The LORD told her that 'the elder shall serve the younger'. Rachel obviously believed the only way that would happen was if SHE took matters into her own hands.
Isaac loved Esau- over Jacob and she knew this…
Gen 25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
We all like to imagine parents love their children equally but that isn't always the case is it? Jacob knew he was more loved by his mother and it was MORE important to him to obey her than worry about lying to his father.
Two wrongs.
Life is filled with having to make choices between bad things and it's NEVER easy. Never. Could Jacob have done neither? No. Because He would have to disobey his mother no matter what he chose if he chose not to do exactly as she said. He HAD to choose.
In choosing to obey His mother they were then separated. Rebekah no longer had her beloved son with her. Esau wanted to kill his brother and to protect Him, Rebekah wanted Him to go away, far away to be safe.
There are consequences to ALL our actions. We make choices and sometimes we have to choose the lesser of two evils and we have to pray and pray hard for forgiveness no matter what wrong we choose. It doesn't seem fair to be placed in a such a situation and we can ask God why all we want. We don't have to understand everything, we just need to trust Him that no matter what, some how, some way things will work out. Life isn't fair, life will never be fair, but a new life when our Savior returns will be fair and it's that life we need to live for, hope for, pray for.
By the grace of our Lord and Savior! In His love forever!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Eat the fruit of their doings
Isa 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Isa 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
As I was studying another subject I came across this verse and it pertained to 'fruit' (yesterday's study) so it jumped out at me.
Eating the fruit of their doings.
Our fruit bears fruit.
I know that sounds so simple and I can almost hear a loud- "DUH!" But this struck me particularly because I didn't really touch on it at all yesterday. I talked about people knowing us by our fruit and the idea of our fruit being plentiful and not always perfect fruit but fruit in various stages of perfection- well you know what I wrote if you read yesterday's little study. I didn't talk about the fact our fruit- bears fruit.
We know- unless altered by people- that God has it set up that trees and plants propagate on their own with no help from man. God uses the insect world, the bird world, wind, and animals to do for Him what He wants done so that one fruit tree will produce more fruit trees.
Most fruit will have seeds or a seed in it and from those seeds more fruit trees grow.
Our Spiritual fruit bears fruit. Our actions influence the actions of others and we can't for one moment believe otherwise.
Both the righteous and the wicked will receive a reward according to their *fruits*, according to their doings, the reward will reflect the work our hands. If the works of our hands, if the fruits of our doings result in even more wickedness- spreading evilness- we will be rewarded with the same.
Our fruit bears fruit, our actions result in actions. Is it any wonder that the fruits of the Spirit all result in peacefulness, in good? No, I'm not saying that our being kind is going to result in another being kind but it has a much better chance of doing so than if we are unkind, yes?
Ever notice how more often than not an unexpected smile from someone, even a complete stranger walking down the street, will result in your smiling back at them? What does a scowl from a stranger do to you? Makes you turn away and not think very highly of the scowler-yes?
We know as followers of our Savior we are called to react in kindness when confronted by abusiveness. It's not always easy to do but it's what our Savior wants us to do. Do you think it's because our Savior wants us to be abused? No. Our Savior is calling for us to reveal HIM to the world and not just through preaching, not just through praying. How likely are you to believe someone is a follower of our Savior if they are promoting arguing and angst when He clearly was against treating others abusively- either mentally, emotionally, or physically.
Seriously- turning the other cheek is a reality for Christians and way too many of us let that slip, justifying our anger.
You see, the fruit we bear - bears more fruit and if we are bearing thorns and thistles the fruit we bear will be nothing more than thorns and thistles.
Isa 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Isa 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
We all prefer fruit over thorns.
The wicked have no hope for anything good, they holdfast to their wickedness uncaring about their future and certainly not caring about the future of others. Are you willing to be known as you are known? Are you willing to 'eat the fruit of your doings?'
Remember this…
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
This is true.
You reap what you sow.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
We can't fool God. God will know the fruit of our doings. God knows- there is NOTHING hidden from God.
We definitely need to ask ourselves though if we are willing to eat the fruit of our doings.
May God help us be with Him, loving Him now and forever! May our fruit be fruit that is acceptable to Him, wrought through the Spirit. By His grace! His mercy!
Isa 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
As I was studying another subject I came across this verse and it pertained to 'fruit' (yesterday's study) so it jumped out at me.
Eating the fruit of their doings.
Our fruit bears fruit.
I know that sounds so simple and I can almost hear a loud- "DUH!" But this struck me particularly because I didn't really touch on it at all yesterday. I talked about people knowing us by our fruit and the idea of our fruit being plentiful and not always perfect fruit but fruit in various stages of perfection- well you know what I wrote if you read yesterday's little study. I didn't talk about the fact our fruit- bears fruit.
We know- unless altered by people- that God has it set up that trees and plants propagate on their own with no help from man. God uses the insect world, the bird world, wind, and animals to do for Him what He wants done so that one fruit tree will produce more fruit trees.
Most fruit will have seeds or a seed in it and from those seeds more fruit trees grow.
Our Spiritual fruit bears fruit. Our actions influence the actions of others and we can't for one moment believe otherwise.
Both the righteous and the wicked will receive a reward according to their *fruits*, according to their doings, the reward will reflect the work our hands. If the works of our hands, if the fruits of our doings result in even more wickedness- spreading evilness- we will be rewarded with the same.
Our fruit bears fruit, our actions result in actions. Is it any wonder that the fruits of the Spirit all result in peacefulness, in good? No, I'm not saying that our being kind is going to result in another being kind but it has a much better chance of doing so than if we are unkind, yes?
Ever notice how more often than not an unexpected smile from someone, even a complete stranger walking down the street, will result in your smiling back at them? What does a scowl from a stranger do to you? Makes you turn away and not think very highly of the scowler-yes?
We know as followers of our Savior we are called to react in kindness when confronted by abusiveness. It's not always easy to do but it's what our Savior wants us to do. Do you think it's because our Savior wants us to be abused? No. Our Savior is calling for us to reveal HIM to the world and not just through preaching, not just through praying. How likely are you to believe someone is a follower of our Savior if they are promoting arguing and angst when He clearly was against treating others abusively- either mentally, emotionally, or physically.
Seriously- turning the other cheek is a reality for Christians and way too many of us let that slip, justifying our anger.
You see, the fruit we bear - bears more fruit and if we are bearing thorns and thistles the fruit we bear will be nothing more than thorns and thistles.
Isa 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
Isa 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Isa 3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
We all prefer fruit over thorns.
The wicked have no hope for anything good, they holdfast to their wickedness uncaring about their future and certainly not caring about the future of others. Are you willing to be known as you are known? Are you willing to 'eat the fruit of your doings?'
Remember this…
Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
This is true.
You reap what you sow.
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
We can't fool God. God will know the fruit of our doings. God knows- there is NOTHING hidden from God.
We definitely need to ask ourselves though if we are willing to eat the fruit of our doings.
May God help us be with Him, loving Him now and forever! May our fruit be fruit that is acceptable to Him, wrought through the Spirit. By His grace! His mercy!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Spirit Fruits
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Fruits.
Our actions are a result of who we are. Our words are a result of the thoughts we think. A person who doesn't know you could enter your house and walk around and formulate an opinion on what type of person you are just by looking at your things. Talking to your friends, another person can ask them questions and get an idea of about you. We are often known by what we reveal. A person who keeps to themselves and lets no one into their lives will be known as a hermit, a recluse, an introvert. Someone who is boisterous and out going will be known as such. The more we know a person the more know the *real* them. Ask anyone who has dated someone how much they learn when they actually marry them and are living together- you learn A LOT about a person once you are together for extended periods of time. Family tends to know family better than anyone else. Mothers & fathers know children, children know mothers & fathers. You will hear- I've lived with them for years and never really knew them, but rarely. More often than not you know someone once you've been with them for years.
Our fruits.
Can you name some of your fruits?
Here are some of the fruits of the SPIRIT-
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodness
Faith
Meekness
Temperance
Fruits that are NOT of the SPIRIT would then be the opposite of those mentioned- right?
Hate
Unhappiness
War
Impatience
Harshness
Badness
Faithlessness
Prideful
Intemperance
Now, what are some of your fruits? We call them personality traits. Are you known as being argumentative, depressed, abrasive, impatient, gentle, peaceful, loving, patient? How would you describe yourself? It's important that we think about this isn't it? We are KNOWN by our fruits.
A question came to mind the other night as I thought about this a bit- the analogy of fruit. A fruit tree takes time to grow and then it takes time to bear fruit. A lot things affect the fruit bearing of a tree- weather, environment, insects, sunlight and more.
Often we don't take the time to get to know a person before we judge them. We watch them for a little bit and form an opinion on them. We hear a mother lose her temper with a child and most of us assume the mother has a short fuse. We don't know if that mother has been patient long and is having a bad day. We judge her as having *bad* fruit because of the revealed impatience we see. Could it be that the majority of her fruit is of the Spirit and just a PIECE of her fruit has gone bad? Trees very rarely have ALL good fruit on them. Some fruit grows faster than others, some have insect bites, some are formed badly from within, worms might get in some of the pieces of fruit but not all. You could pick a hundred apples from one tree and the chances of every single apple being perfect is slim to none.
We aren't perfect any more than a fruit tree is perfect, or fruit from the vine is perfect. We know and are known by our fruit and this is true, but it's a knowing that takes time. Are we a good fruit tree or a bad one? If we were a bad one, can we now be a good one? Also, can a good tree go bad?
We are a living breathing being and our fruit is continuous- good and bad. We need to produce good fruit and that comes from the Spirit. The closer we are to our Savior the harder our life will be. The insects will be after us, the weather might turn nasty, the pruning of us might be harsh. Our Gardener will protect us from the destroying power of the insect, from the harsh weather that would destroy us given a chance, and He will prune us for our own good so we can grow more fruitful in Him. If we find that the fruit we produce seems to be all bad and nothing good - we can't give up and let ourselves be cut down and rooted up- we have to realize that the Perfect Gardener can and will work to perfect us.
By their fruits you will know them- and this is true but we too have to figure out first and foremost if the tree is under the Great Gardener's care or not. If the tree is being pruned, if the insects are attacking the tree we need to know. If the tree only pretends to be under the Great Gardener's care and the fruit is rotten, we know we cannot trust in that tree.
Too many are fooled today by those they think are bearing good fruit and that is why we need to go to God's Word and hold them up against God's Word. We need to pray always and study the Word always and we will know that if someone speaks contrary to God's Word that even if it seems as if they are bearing the sweetest of fruit on the outside, they are rotten inside.
Fruit has an inside and outside and we generally judge it by the outside. If it's too bruised, if it bears insect holes, if mold covers it we can safely toss it away. How often though have you cut into a piece of fruit that looks wonderful on the outside, only to find it rotten from within? You won't know until you cut into the fruit but once you realize it's a bad piece of fruit you throw it away- you don't keep eating.
There are MANY things we can take from these analogies- but truthfully we need to pray and study endlessly and understand that we must look at our own fruit bearing and if we aren't bearing the fruit of the Spirit we need to figure out why. It might be that we've been pruned way back and are in the process of re-growth. We could be showing the effects of some bad weather. We might have been transplanted and our roots are settling. The thing is… we CAN'T Give up on ourselves because our fruit isn't ALL fruit of the Spirit. We have to trust that our Gardener will fix us. We have to keep ourselves with the Gardener- not try to take the role of Gardener. We have to keep ourselves where we can be tended to. As for others, yes, we will know them by their fruit, but with deception running rampant these days we need to hold all others up to God's Word which will reveal their fruit for what it is. Thorns and thistles abound, but pure sweet fruit exists too.
We are known.
May God help us to bear the sweet fruit of the Spirit and not thorns and thistles.
May God enlighten us as we try to discern what fruit others are bearing.
In all things may God's will be done in our lives through the loving forgiveness and mercy of our Savior, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Fruits.
Our actions are a result of who we are. Our words are a result of the thoughts we think. A person who doesn't know you could enter your house and walk around and formulate an opinion on what type of person you are just by looking at your things. Talking to your friends, another person can ask them questions and get an idea of about you. We are often known by what we reveal. A person who keeps to themselves and lets no one into their lives will be known as a hermit, a recluse, an introvert. Someone who is boisterous and out going will be known as such. The more we know a person the more know the *real* them. Ask anyone who has dated someone how much they learn when they actually marry them and are living together- you learn A LOT about a person once you are together for extended periods of time. Family tends to know family better than anyone else. Mothers & fathers know children, children know mothers & fathers. You will hear- I've lived with them for years and never really knew them, but rarely. More often than not you know someone once you've been with them for years.
Our fruits.
Can you name some of your fruits?
Here are some of the fruits of the SPIRIT-
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Love
Joy
Peace
Longsuffering
Gentleness
Goodness
Faith
Meekness
Temperance
Fruits that are NOT of the SPIRIT would then be the opposite of those mentioned- right?
Hate
Unhappiness
War
Impatience
Harshness
Badness
Faithlessness
Prideful
Intemperance
Now, what are some of your fruits? We call them personality traits. Are you known as being argumentative, depressed, abrasive, impatient, gentle, peaceful, loving, patient? How would you describe yourself? It's important that we think about this isn't it? We are KNOWN by our fruits.
A question came to mind the other night as I thought about this a bit- the analogy of fruit. A fruit tree takes time to grow and then it takes time to bear fruit. A lot things affect the fruit bearing of a tree- weather, environment, insects, sunlight and more.
Often we don't take the time to get to know a person before we judge them. We watch them for a little bit and form an opinion on them. We hear a mother lose her temper with a child and most of us assume the mother has a short fuse. We don't know if that mother has been patient long and is having a bad day. We judge her as having *bad* fruit because of the revealed impatience we see. Could it be that the majority of her fruit is of the Spirit and just a PIECE of her fruit has gone bad? Trees very rarely have ALL good fruit on them. Some fruit grows faster than others, some have insect bites, some are formed badly from within, worms might get in some of the pieces of fruit but not all. You could pick a hundred apples from one tree and the chances of every single apple being perfect is slim to none.
We aren't perfect any more than a fruit tree is perfect, or fruit from the vine is perfect. We know and are known by our fruit and this is true, but it's a knowing that takes time. Are we a good fruit tree or a bad one? If we were a bad one, can we now be a good one? Also, can a good tree go bad?
We are a living breathing being and our fruit is continuous- good and bad. We need to produce good fruit and that comes from the Spirit. The closer we are to our Savior the harder our life will be. The insects will be after us, the weather might turn nasty, the pruning of us might be harsh. Our Gardener will protect us from the destroying power of the insect, from the harsh weather that would destroy us given a chance, and He will prune us for our own good so we can grow more fruitful in Him. If we find that the fruit we produce seems to be all bad and nothing good - we can't give up and let ourselves be cut down and rooted up- we have to realize that the Perfect Gardener can and will work to perfect us.
By their fruits you will know them- and this is true but we too have to figure out first and foremost if the tree is under the Great Gardener's care or not. If the tree is being pruned, if the insects are attacking the tree we need to know. If the tree only pretends to be under the Great Gardener's care and the fruit is rotten, we know we cannot trust in that tree.
Too many are fooled today by those they think are bearing good fruit and that is why we need to go to God's Word and hold them up against God's Word. We need to pray always and study the Word always and we will know that if someone speaks contrary to God's Word that even if it seems as if they are bearing the sweetest of fruit on the outside, they are rotten inside.
Fruit has an inside and outside and we generally judge it by the outside. If it's too bruised, if it bears insect holes, if mold covers it we can safely toss it away. How often though have you cut into a piece of fruit that looks wonderful on the outside, only to find it rotten from within? You won't know until you cut into the fruit but once you realize it's a bad piece of fruit you throw it away- you don't keep eating.
There are MANY things we can take from these analogies- but truthfully we need to pray and study endlessly and understand that we must look at our own fruit bearing and if we aren't bearing the fruit of the Spirit we need to figure out why. It might be that we've been pruned way back and are in the process of re-growth. We could be showing the effects of some bad weather. We might have been transplanted and our roots are settling. The thing is… we CAN'T Give up on ourselves because our fruit isn't ALL fruit of the Spirit. We have to trust that our Gardener will fix us. We have to keep ourselves with the Gardener- not try to take the role of Gardener. We have to keep ourselves where we can be tended to. As for others, yes, we will know them by their fruit, but with deception running rampant these days we need to hold all others up to God's Word which will reveal their fruit for what it is. Thorns and thistles abound, but pure sweet fruit exists too.
We are known.
May God help us to bear the sweet fruit of the Spirit and not thorns and thistles.
May God enlighten us as we try to discern what fruit others are bearing.
In all things may God's will be done in our lives through the loving forgiveness and mercy of our Savior, in HIS righteousness now and forever!
Amen.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Is the law sin?
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The law isn't sin.
Sin is defined by the law.
We live in a society today that says it's perfectly fine to covet. Is it any wonder we live in a society where lusts control people and people do not control lusts?
We are taught to indulge in lust, not fight it, not forsake it, not to look upon it as something to abhor. We are a very materialistic society here in the USA and elsewhere around the globe.
The law says we shall not covet.
We say it's impossible NOT to covet.
The law says we are not to commit murder.
We say it's impossible for us NOT to WISH people dead.
The law says we are not to commit adultery.
We say it's impossible for us NOT to LUST and DESIRE to have other men and women outside our marriage partners- it's HUMAN NATURE.
All of it is HUMAN NATURE.
All of it is CARNAL NATURE.
All of it is our FLESH NATURE.
We say because it is ALL just nature, and therefore natural for us, the law is impossible to keep- especially the way Jesus magnified it.
Before Jesus we believed that it was only a sin to actually murder someone. After Jesus we are told that to wish someone dead is sin too.
Impossible….the law is impossible to keep.
People say Jesus came to DO away with the law because of its impossibility to be kept.
Jesus didn't do away with the law, we've already pointed out that He MAGNIFIED the law- far from doing away from it.
Some say the Jesus kept the law for us so we don't have to even try.
Yet Jesus told one seeking to follow Him that it was GOOD that he was keeping the law. Jesus didn't tell that man it was wrong and to no longer even try to keep the law. Jesus even told him to do more than just keep the law. Keep the law and MORE.
So if we believe the law is impossible to keep how can we even begin to imagine keeping the law AND more?
The thing is the law reveals our sinfulness, the law reveals our inability to save ourselves. The law reveals the perfection of our Savior who kept the law in all ways. And yes, showed us that it is possible to keep the law through HIS power. Jesus would NEVER want us to stop obeying the law, the same law He kept perfectly. Jesus would NEVER want us to do away with the law He told someone that it was good to do- never. Jesus would NEVER say okay, go ahead and murder now it's okay, I know you can't help yourself. The idea that the law- God's ten commandments could ever be done away with is completely ridiculous. The law was given in love and reveals love.
By the law sin is revealed.
While we say the law is impossible to keep it isn't impossible, not through Christ. We do all we can and where we fall short our Savior has overcome for us. Is this a license to sin? NO, God Forbid, NO!
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
We are under grace, but the LAW is not abolished, the law is not made void, Jesus kept the law, Jesus praised the law being kept. The LAW does not save us. JESUS saves us. Out of love for the one who gave the law, out of love for the one who lived the law perfectly, out of this love we will strive not to SIN. Jesus told us to sin no more, but sin is only revealed by the law. We must know the law to know sin and to sin no more we must keep the law. Jesus would have us not sin.
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
He was telling her to go and KEEP THE LAW.
We are to keep the law and by our faith in HIM and HIS sinless-ness we live!
While it seems impossible to us to keep from sinning, Lord we know that you would not instruct us to do the impossible. We have an advocate when we fall short which is often, and you are that Advocate. Only through complete hope and complete faith in You and the Salvation You offer do we live.
By Your grace!
By Your love!
Amen.
The law isn't sin.
Sin is defined by the law.
We live in a society today that says it's perfectly fine to covet. Is it any wonder we live in a society where lusts control people and people do not control lusts?
We are taught to indulge in lust, not fight it, not forsake it, not to look upon it as something to abhor. We are a very materialistic society here in the USA and elsewhere around the globe.
The law says we shall not covet.
We say it's impossible NOT to covet.
The law says we are not to commit murder.
We say it's impossible for us NOT to WISH people dead.
The law says we are not to commit adultery.
We say it's impossible for us NOT to LUST and DESIRE to have other men and women outside our marriage partners- it's HUMAN NATURE.
All of it is HUMAN NATURE.
All of it is CARNAL NATURE.
All of it is our FLESH NATURE.
We say because it is ALL just nature, and therefore natural for us, the law is impossible to keep- especially the way Jesus magnified it.
Before Jesus we believed that it was only a sin to actually murder someone. After Jesus we are told that to wish someone dead is sin too.
Impossible….the law is impossible to keep.
People say Jesus came to DO away with the law because of its impossibility to be kept.
Jesus didn't do away with the law, we've already pointed out that He MAGNIFIED the law- far from doing away from it.
Some say the Jesus kept the law for us so we don't have to even try.
Yet Jesus told one seeking to follow Him that it was GOOD that he was keeping the law. Jesus didn't tell that man it was wrong and to no longer even try to keep the law. Jesus even told him to do more than just keep the law. Keep the law and MORE.
So if we believe the law is impossible to keep how can we even begin to imagine keeping the law AND more?
The thing is the law reveals our sinfulness, the law reveals our inability to save ourselves. The law reveals the perfection of our Savior who kept the law in all ways. And yes, showed us that it is possible to keep the law through HIS power. Jesus would NEVER want us to stop obeying the law, the same law He kept perfectly. Jesus would NEVER want us to do away with the law He told someone that it was good to do- never. Jesus would NEVER say okay, go ahead and murder now it's okay, I know you can't help yourself. The idea that the law- God's ten commandments could ever be done away with is completely ridiculous. The law was given in love and reveals love.
By the law sin is revealed.
While we say the law is impossible to keep it isn't impossible, not through Christ. We do all we can and where we fall short our Savior has overcome for us. Is this a license to sin? NO, God Forbid, NO!
Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
We are under grace, but the LAW is not abolished, the law is not made void, Jesus kept the law, Jesus praised the law being kept. The LAW does not save us. JESUS saves us. Out of love for the one who gave the law, out of love for the one who lived the law perfectly, out of this love we will strive not to SIN. Jesus told us to sin no more, but sin is only revealed by the law. We must know the law to know sin and to sin no more we must keep the law. Jesus would have us not sin.
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
He was telling her to go and KEEP THE LAW.
We are to keep the law and by our faith in HIM and HIS sinless-ness we live!
While it seems impossible to us to keep from sinning, Lord we know that you would not instruct us to do the impossible. We have an advocate when we fall short which is often, and you are that Advocate. Only through complete hope and complete faith in You and the Salvation You offer do we live.
By Your grace!
By Your love!
Amen.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Self-centered or God-centered?
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love works no ill to his neighbor.
No ill- no wrong, no harm, nothing bad.
We understand this don't we? When we are hurt we don't feel loved at all, even on a base level. Even the God-less who claim they can love and long to be loved don't feel very loved when they are hurt by the one who supposedly loves them. Love works no ill to his neighbor. In essence love works no ill to anyone. It doesn't say love works no ill to his family members. It doesn't say love works no ill to chosen friends. Love doesn't hurt any one.
Have you hurt anyone recently? I'm not talking about punching them, but that too. Have you hurt anyone at all in ANY way recently. Has a harsh word cut someone to the quick? Has a sharp look caused someone pain? You know what I'm talking about. We hurt each other more often in words than any other way. A person who can claim they haven't physically laid a hand on anyone ever might be the same person whose caustic nature has beaten down people left and right, in fact they could claim the World Champion Title winning many a verbal fighting match. Also, don't MANY people take pride in their ability to 'match wits' with another and come out on top? Isn't there a sense of superiority when we get our points, our opinions, our beliefs across even at the expense of another? Some people we call- contrary. We say they have a contrary nature- always being contrary no matter what is said. They don't see themselves as contrary but rather as people willing to stand up for themselves and their own beliefs and opinions- believing their beliefs and opinions are of course superior to another's simply because it's THEIR way of thinking and their contrary nature wants them to argue a point until they come across as being right or… until someone is hurt…namely them because they can't get others to validate their belief, their opinion as being something shared. People with contrary natures hurt others and more often than not they bring hurt upon themselves.
Love works no ill to his neighbor.
NO ILL.
We might not be out there physically bullying people but we could be working a lot of ill in other ways.
Often by standing up for our own belief, our own opinion we do so and pat ourselves on the back uncaring that we've hurt others. Did Jesus do that? Jesus singled out NO person and berated them mercilessly. Jesus singled out wrongs and without any flowery words made known His opinion on those wrongs and the wrongdoers as a whole, but He did not emotionally, mentally, and certainly not physically beat down anyone! Jesus didn't take ANY pleasure in having to even berate the system, the groups of wrongdoers. His anger didn't bring Him any joy, any sense of superiority, not a bit of happiness at all. His anger was heartfelt and sorrowful, it PAINED HIM to feel the anger He felt. He hurt, but hurt NO other. He was truly like a Lamb led to the slaughter- meek, willing, putting up no fight. He had EVERY right to fight to get His point across HE WAS AS RIGHT AS RIGHT CAN BE- in all things! But He didn't fight. He didn't take on ANY sense of self-righteousness, not one bit. Where we often fight verbally to the bitter end- trying to get our point across, trying to come out able to say we were on the right side of the matter- He didn't spend a single moment at all, in all His life, defending His own opinion. Why? In part because He lived NOT for Himself but for who? For God the Father- revealing the Father to everyone. He lived for OTHERS not for Himself in any way whatsoever.
Jesus worked NO ILL to His neighbors- none! Jesus was SELFLESS, completely SELFLESS and completely GOD-CENTERED.
The next time someone contradicts you and your first reaction is to defend yourself, STOP! Don't do it! Just don't do it! It won't be easy, it'll feel like somehow you lost the fight, like you lost getting YOUR opinion across but that's a GOOD thing! We aren't supposed to live to win anyone over to OUR opinions, not in any way, shape, or form. We aren't supposed to live to be considered by all to be in the 'right' of things. We are to live for our Savior, with our Savior as our example. If you find yourself in a contrary situation ask yourself how Jesus would have handled the situation. Seriously- that What Would Jesus Do bumper sticker is a very wise thing, right? WWJD- What Would Jesus Do. If we ask ourselves that question and then answer it by fighting to get our opinions across trying to justify it by saying Jesus would stand up for what's right- you need to read your Bible and realize that while yes, Jesus stood up for all that was right, He did not bicker and fight doing so. HE WORKED NO ILL towards His neighbors, NOT ONE ILL. But He sure took a lot of ill from His neighbors didn't He?
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
This was said after He was rebuked by Peter-
Mat 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Mat 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
He turned to Peter and said- Get thee behind me, Satan- thou are an offence to me- because you savor things that aren't of God- but those of men.
All Peter did was tell Jesus that what He was telling them of His coming abuse and ultimate death shouldn't be allowed to happen. Peter didn't want Jesus to suffer- Peter knew He was the Messiah and INNOCENT of all wrong doing and only wrong doers should suffer-- men's thinking. The innocent should stand up and fight for themselves-- men's thinking. Jesus was right as right can get and deserved NO suffering, NO abuse- men's thinking.
Jesus was revealing God's thinking, the things of God, to us. Peter's rebuke of Jesus resulted in being told that He- Peter- was acting like SATAN! That Peter was an offence to Jesus! Because Peter's thinking was that of sinful man's thinking and not of God's. God's way works NO ill under any circumstance to others. A person might want to point out that Jesus' response certainly had to HURT Peter so Jesus did hurt others. Jesus worked NO ILL towards Peter, none. Jesus laid bare a fact, He did not berated Peter to drive His point home. Jesus revealed to Peter a truth and He did so out of LOVE without any self-serving, Jesus took NO pleasure in saying what He'd said, none. After He spoke those revealing words to Peter he said this…
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
If ANY MAN will come after me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP his CROSS and follow me.
Deny himself- be selfless! And in being selfless you most assuredly take up a cross because you live in a world that only knows selfishness, a world that understands SELF preservation at all costs, a world that understands selfishness as being NORMAL and UNDERSTANDABLE. We are to take up a cross against SELF! The most selfless act in existence was that of Jesus taking up His cross. We have to DENY ourselves! We have to become selfless and God-centered! That cross represents selflessness as much as it represents sacrifice because selflessness is LOVE.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
LOVE works NO ill to his neighbor.
LOVE is the fulfilling of the LAW.
The law points to selflessness.
The law points to our LOVING GOD and LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS- selflessness!
Others FIRST, and not just to be polite - not to reflect on YOUR ability to be polite, but because this is LOVE.
By the grace of our selfless Savior may we truly become selfless like Him!
Amen.
Love works no ill to his neighbor.
No ill- no wrong, no harm, nothing bad.
We understand this don't we? When we are hurt we don't feel loved at all, even on a base level. Even the God-less who claim they can love and long to be loved don't feel very loved when they are hurt by the one who supposedly loves them. Love works no ill to his neighbor. In essence love works no ill to anyone. It doesn't say love works no ill to his family members. It doesn't say love works no ill to chosen friends. Love doesn't hurt any one.
Have you hurt anyone recently? I'm not talking about punching them, but that too. Have you hurt anyone at all in ANY way recently. Has a harsh word cut someone to the quick? Has a sharp look caused someone pain? You know what I'm talking about. We hurt each other more often in words than any other way. A person who can claim they haven't physically laid a hand on anyone ever might be the same person whose caustic nature has beaten down people left and right, in fact they could claim the World Champion Title winning many a verbal fighting match. Also, don't MANY people take pride in their ability to 'match wits' with another and come out on top? Isn't there a sense of superiority when we get our points, our opinions, our beliefs across even at the expense of another? Some people we call- contrary. We say they have a contrary nature- always being contrary no matter what is said. They don't see themselves as contrary but rather as people willing to stand up for themselves and their own beliefs and opinions- believing their beliefs and opinions are of course superior to another's simply because it's THEIR way of thinking and their contrary nature wants them to argue a point until they come across as being right or… until someone is hurt…namely them because they can't get others to validate their belief, their opinion as being something shared. People with contrary natures hurt others and more often than not they bring hurt upon themselves.
Love works no ill to his neighbor.
NO ILL.
We might not be out there physically bullying people but we could be working a lot of ill in other ways.
Often by standing up for our own belief, our own opinion we do so and pat ourselves on the back uncaring that we've hurt others. Did Jesus do that? Jesus singled out NO person and berated them mercilessly. Jesus singled out wrongs and without any flowery words made known His opinion on those wrongs and the wrongdoers as a whole, but He did not emotionally, mentally, and certainly not physically beat down anyone! Jesus didn't take ANY pleasure in having to even berate the system, the groups of wrongdoers. His anger didn't bring Him any joy, any sense of superiority, not a bit of happiness at all. His anger was heartfelt and sorrowful, it PAINED HIM to feel the anger He felt. He hurt, but hurt NO other. He was truly like a Lamb led to the slaughter- meek, willing, putting up no fight. He had EVERY right to fight to get His point across HE WAS AS RIGHT AS RIGHT CAN BE- in all things! But He didn't fight. He didn't take on ANY sense of self-righteousness, not one bit. Where we often fight verbally to the bitter end- trying to get our point across, trying to come out able to say we were on the right side of the matter- He didn't spend a single moment at all, in all His life, defending His own opinion. Why? In part because He lived NOT for Himself but for who? For God the Father- revealing the Father to everyone. He lived for OTHERS not for Himself in any way whatsoever.
Jesus worked NO ILL to His neighbors- none! Jesus was SELFLESS, completely SELFLESS and completely GOD-CENTERED.
The next time someone contradicts you and your first reaction is to defend yourself, STOP! Don't do it! Just don't do it! It won't be easy, it'll feel like somehow you lost the fight, like you lost getting YOUR opinion across but that's a GOOD thing! We aren't supposed to live to win anyone over to OUR opinions, not in any way, shape, or form. We aren't supposed to live to be considered by all to be in the 'right' of things. We are to live for our Savior, with our Savior as our example. If you find yourself in a contrary situation ask yourself how Jesus would have handled the situation. Seriously- that What Would Jesus Do bumper sticker is a very wise thing, right? WWJD- What Would Jesus Do. If we ask ourselves that question and then answer it by fighting to get our opinions across trying to justify it by saying Jesus would stand up for what's right- you need to read your Bible and realize that while yes, Jesus stood up for all that was right, He did not bicker and fight doing so. HE WORKED NO ILL towards His neighbors, NOT ONE ILL. But He sure took a lot of ill from His neighbors didn't He?
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
This was said after He was rebuked by Peter-
Mat 16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Mat 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
He turned to Peter and said- Get thee behind me, Satan- thou are an offence to me- because you savor things that aren't of God- but those of men.
All Peter did was tell Jesus that what He was telling them of His coming abuse and ultimate death shouldn't be allowed to happen. Peter didn't want Jesus to suffer- Peter knew He was the Messiah and INNOCENT of all wrong doing and only wrong doers should suffer-- men's thinking. The innocent should stand up and fight for themselves-- men's thinking. Jesus was right as right can get and deserved NO suffering, NO abuse- men's thinking.
Jesus was revealing God's thinking, the things of God, to us. Peter's rebuke of Jesus resulted in being told that He- Peter- was acting like SATAN! That Peter was an offence to Jesus! Because Peter's thinking was that of sinful man's thinking and not of God's. God's way works NO ill under any circumstance to others. A person might want to point out that Jesus' response certainly had to HURT Peter so Jesus did hurt others. Jesus worked NO ILL towards Peter, none. Jesus laid bare a fact, He did not berated Peter to drive His point home. Jesus revealed to Peter a truth and He did so out of LOVE without any self-serving, Jesus took NO pleasure in saying what He'd said, none. After He spoke those revealing words to Peter he said this…
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
If ANY MAN will come after me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP his CROSS and follow me.
Deny himself- be selfless! And in being selfless you most assuredly take up a cross because you live in a world that only knows selfishness, a world that understands SELF preservation at all costs, a world that understands selfishness as being NORMAL and UNDERSTANDABLE. We are to take up a cross against SELF! The most selfless act in existence was that of Jesus taking up His cross. We have to DENY ourselves! We have to become selfless and God-centered! That cross represents selflessness as much as it represents sacrifice because selflessness is LOVE.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
LOVE works NO ill to his neighbor.
LOVE is the fulfilling of the LAW.
The law points to selflessness.
The law points to our LOVING GOD and LOVING OUR NEIGHBORS- selflessness!
Others FIRST, and not just to be polite - not to reflect on YOUR ability to be polite, but because this is LOVE.
By the grace of our selfless Savior may we truly become selfless like Him!
Amen.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Meat for their lust
Exo 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily
The children of God led out of slavery believed they were led out into the wilderness and would now starve, they no longer had food stores to eat from. The Lord provided manna for them, bread from heaven. Read about it in Ex. 16:3-5 The former slaves would have rather died in Egypt sitting by the food stores than die of hunger being led of God. How many people would rather die today with the comforts of life than suffer and be led of God? How many people choose to pick up the threads of a former life because it doesn't call for any self sacrifice? We have convinced ourselves that God doesn't want us to suffer, the God doesn't really want us to have anything to do with self sacrifice. We have profaned the life and death of our Savior by saying that we don't have to suffer anything at all because He suffered it all and wouldn't want us to deny ourselves anything. But THESE are the words of our loving Savior-
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
LET HIM DENY HIMSELF!
Did you read that? Read it again.
LET HIM DENY HIMSELF.
And when we deny ourselves we are taking up a cross aren't we? The cross is one of self denial, one of SELF-LESS-NESS.
God provided manna from heaven- food for His children so they would not die of hunger. He didn't bring them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. He provided for them. There was absolutely NO danger of them dying from lack of food. The danger was gone and now they had no more any reason to mourn for their past life of slavery, a life where they were not free to worship their God. They were no longer slaves to worshippers of pagan gods. Free, they were free and their bellies were filled, their thirst was abated. They weren't going to die hungry. God had provided for them in the form of a blessed miracle! Food of this sort had never been provided for them before. So no longer having to worry about starving they had no reason to long for their former slave life, right? They could rejoice in their freedom. The rejoicing didn't last for long though.
Num 11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Num 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
They remembered the fish.
They remembered the cucumbers.
They remembered the melons.
They remembered the leeks.
They remembered the onions.
They remembered the garlic.
And they obviously began to detest the manna they had to eat day after day, and desired a more varied diet.
Were they starving? No.
Were their bellies full? Yes.
Did they NEED anything other than the manna provided by God, to live? No.
This once again brings to mind the television show Survivor. The contestants on the show are sometimes given NOTHING to eat and must provide for themselves from the surrounding area, or they are given a bit of rice. After awhile they quickly grow sick and tired of eating just plain, unseasoned, unflavored rice and many vow to never eat rice again after they leave the show. Food takes on a whole new dimension for those who are starving and for those who are eating something day in and day out. Are they grateful for the rice? Yes, especially when they run out of the rice or about to run out. They're very thankful to receive more rice- because that awful bland stuff is better than going hungry and starving.
So here we have the children of God led out of slavery and here they have food so not as to starve or even be hungry, yet it's not enough for them. They would rather be slaves.
Psa 78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
Psa 78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
They tempted God in their HEART by asking meat for their lust.
For all that they were slaves leading a very harsh life, they were very, very selfish people, very self-centered and not God-centered.
We are very self-centered people today.
We lust all the time for things we desire and not for what God has provided us.
We tempt God all the time when we ask that our LUSTS be fulfilled. We do. And we've convinced ourselves that the things that are lustful are our really things we need, but we aren't fooling God.
Jesus said God would provide for ALL our NEEDS not that Jesus would provide for our lusts. So no, we may not have money to go out to a restaurant, we may not have money to get the foods we desire from the grocery store but we may be provide with enough money to buy that which will sustain us- even if it's NOT something we desire. We might not have the latest fashions, or even last years fashions, or possibly even the fashions of five years ago but we will be provided clothing. Will it be in the colors or styles we like? Maybe, but it's not guaranteed. We will be provided for but we truly need to ask ourselves what constitutes a lustful desire- a selfish desire, and understand that the provisions given to us aren't necessarily going to be the provisions that will fulfill our lustful, selfish desires.
Yes, most of us here in the United States have been taught that all things we desire are actually our rights- part of that right to pursue our happiness. The slaves in Egypt had no rights, they were slaves. Those slaves however had a life they longed to return to just so they could fulfill some selfish desires rather than SUFFER any privation. Suffering, self-denial, they didn't want that. They wanted the suffering they knew rather than the suffering they didn't know. They were fixated upon themselves as we all seem to be- simply because we exist.
Selfishness.
Tonight at our Bible Study we began to discuss how we were created God-centered and when sin entered we became self-centered.
Is it possible that as God was leading His children out of Egypt, out of a life of slavery, away from hundreds of years of oppression- that He was guiding them towards a life centered in Him and not themselves? As strange as it might be to think that slaves could be self-centered it is more than obvious that they were and that their selfishness was something that was keeping them from loving God.
We really need to understand this much better and by the grace of our Lord God may we be enlightened. Through the love of our LORD may our hearts be open, may our understanding be guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Amen.
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Exo 16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily
The children of God led out of slavery believed they were led out into the wilderness and would now starve, they no longer had food stores to eat from. The Lord provided manna for them, bread from heaven. Read about it in Ex. 16:3-5 The former slaves would have rather died in Egypt sitting by the food stores than die of hunger being led of God. How many people would rather die today with the comforts of life than suffer and be led of God? How many people choose to pick up the threads of a former life because it doesn't call for any self sacrifice? We have convinced ourselves that God doesn't want us to suffer, the God doesn't really want us to have anything to do with self sacrifice. We have profaned the life and death of our Savior by saying that we don't have to suffer anything at all because He suffered it all and wouldn't want us to deny ourselves anything. But THESE are the words of our loving Savior-
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
LET HIM DENY HIMSELF!
Did you read that? Read it again.
LET HIM DENY HIMSELF.
And when we deny ourselves we are taking up a cross aren't we? The cross is one of self denial, one of SELF-LESS-NESS.
God provided manna from heaven- food for His children so they would not die of hunger. He didn't bring them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. He provided for them. There was absolutely NO danger of them dying from lack of food. The danger was gone and now they had no more any reason to mourn for their past life of slavery, a life where they were not free to worship their God. They were no longer slaves to worshippers of pagan gods. Free, they were free and their bellies were filled, their thirst was abated. They weren't going to die hungry. God had provided for them in the form of a blessed miracle! Food of this sort had never been provided for them before. So no longer having to worry about starving they had no reason to long for their former slave life, right? They could rejoice in their freedom. The rejoicing didn't last for long though.
Num 11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Num 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
They remembered the fish.
They remembered the cucumbers.
They remembered the melons.
They remembered the leeks.
They remembered the onions.
They remembered the garlic.
And they obviously began to detest the manna they had to eat day after day, and desired a more varied diet.
Were they starving? No.
Were their bellies full? Yes.
Did they NEED anything other than the manna provided by God, to live? No.
This once again brings to mind the television show Survivor. The contestants on the show are sometimes given NOTHING to eat and must provide for themselves from the surrounding area, or they are given a bit of rice. After awhile they quickly grow sick and tired of eating just plain, unseasoned, unflavored rice and many vow to never eat rice again after they leave the show. Food takes on a whole new dimension for those who are starving and for those who are eating something day in and day out. Are they grateful for the rice? Yes, especially when they run out of the rice or about to run out. They're very thankful to receive more rice- because that awful bland stuff is better than going hungry and starving.
So here we have the children of God led out of slavery and here they have food so not as to starve or even be hungry, yet it's not enough for them. They would rather be slaves.
Psa 78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
Psa 78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
They tempted God in their HEART by asking meat for their lust.
For all that they were slaves leading a very harsh life, they were very, very selfish people, very self-centered and not God-centered.
We are very self-centered people today.
We lust all the time for things we desire and not for what God has provided us.
We tempt God all the time when we ask that our LUSTS be fulfilled. We do. And we've convinced ourselves that the things that are lustful are our really things we need, but we aren't fooling God.
Jesus said God would provide for ALL our NEEDS not that Jesus would provide for our lusts. So no, we may not have money to go out to a restaurant, we may not have money to get the foods we desire from the grocery store but we may be provide with enough money to buy that which will sustain us- even if it's NOT something we desire. We might not have the latest fashions, or even last years fashions, or possibly even the fashions of five years ago but we will be provided clothing. Will it be in the colors or styles we like? Maybe, but it's not guaranteed. We will be provided for but we truly need to ask ourselves what constitutes a lustful desire- a selfish desire, and understand that the provisions given to us aren't necessarily going to be the provisions that will fulfill our lustful, selfish desires.
Yes, most of us here in the United States have been taught that all things we desire are actually our rights- part of that right to pursue our happiness. The slaves in Egypt had no rights, they were slaves. Those slaves however had a life they longed to return to just so they could fulfill some selfish desires rather than SUFFER any privation. Suffering, self-denial, they didn't want that. They wanted the suffering they knew rather than the suffering they didn't know. They were fixated upon themselves as we all seem to be- simply because we exist.
Selfishness.
Tonight at our Bible Study we began to discuss how we were created God-centered and when sin entered we became self-centered.
Is it possible that as God was leading His children out of Egypt, out of a life of slavery, away from hundreds of years of oppression- that He was guiding them towards a life centered in Him and not themselves? As strange as it might be to think that slaves could be self-centered it is more than obvious that they were and that their selfishness was something that was keeping them from loving God.
We really need to understand this much better and by the grace of our Lord God may we be enlightened. Through the love of our LORD may our hearts be open, may our understanding be guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Amen.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Secret Revealed
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
The secret of the Lord.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Rom 16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen…
Mat 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Psa 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Psa 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Psa 78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Secrets.
We all have secrets, don't we? Maybe I should say, most of us have secrets. Usually secrets aren't good things but rather things we want to keep hidden, things kept unknown from others. Secrets can be about good things too, right? But those secrets are ones we only keep until it's a the right time to reveal them.
God's secrets-
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Secrets from the foundation of the world!
Secrets revealed to us!
There is NO doubt that Jesus' coming revealed God more fully to mankind. Until Jesus came- the promise of the Messiah's arrival was the hope that kept His true believers part of God's true covenant. The promise of full salvation lay in the revelation of God's unfolding plan for their lives. They knew all the ceremonial rituals that pointed to the Messiah. The coming Messiah was their hope.
Since the foundation of the world.
When sin entered the world a promise was made-
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The one who defied God would be destroyed.
There would be hatred between the evil one and those who are God's.
Good and evil were proclaimed and the promise given, a promise that needed to be realized.
The promise was realized in our Savior.
When our Savior died the promise was sealed once and for all.
Before our Savior sealed the promise of salvation with His life He revealed His Father fully to us. He revealed the mercy, the love, the truth of God the Father to us. Things that were a mystery were mysterious no longer but solved by our Savior.
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
If we fear the LORD we will understand His covenant. We will understand the promises made to His people realized fully. We will believe through faith in the mystery revealed. The secret of the Lord is realized. We have that secret- the wonderful, wonderful secret. Life eternal is real in our Savior!
All praise and all glory to our Lord and Savior!
Amen!
The secret of the Lord.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Rom 16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Rom 16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Rom 16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Rom 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen…
Mat 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Psa 78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
Psa 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Psa 78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Secrets.
We all have secrets, don't we? Maybe I should say, most of us have secrets. Usually secrets aren't good things but rather things we want to keep hidden, things kept unknown from others. Secrets can be about good things too, right? But those secrets are ones we only keep until it's a the right time to reveal them.
God's secrets-
The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Secrets from the foundation of the world!
Secrets revealed to us!
There is NO doubt that Jesus' coming revealed God more fully to mankind. Until Jesus came- the promise of the Messiah's arrival was the hope that kept His true believers part of God's true covenant. The promise of full salvation lay in the revelation of God's unfolding plan for their lives. They knew all the ceremonial rituals that pointed to the Messiah. The coming Messiah was their hope.
Since the foundation of the world.
When sin entered the world a promise was made-
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
The one who defied God would be destroyed.
There would be hatred between the evil one and those who are God's.
Good and evil were proclaimed and the promise given, a promise that needed to be realized.
The promise was realized in our Savior.
When our Savior died the promise was sealed once and for all.
Before our Savior sealed the promise of salvation with His life He revealed His Father fully to us. He revealed the mercy, the love, the truth of God the Father to us. Things that were a mystery were mysterious no longer but solved by our Savior.
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
If we fear the LORD we will understand His covenant. We will understand the promises made to His people realized fully. We will believe through faith in the mystery revealed. The secret of the Lord is realized. We have that secret- the wonderful, wonderful secret. Life eternal is real in our Savior!
All praise and all glory to our Lord and Savior!
Amen!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Take away my filthy garments
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Cleanse thou me from secret faults.
What makes us dirty so that we need to be cleansed? Faults, sins.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
All together filthy- none doing good.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our righteousness are as FILTHY rags.
Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Take away the filthy garments.
I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified- IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Wash me THROUGHLY from mine iniquity.
CLEANSE me from my sin.
Psa 119:9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Cleanse his way- taking heed-according to thy word.
Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God
I will save them.
Will cleanse them.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Cleanse your hands ye sinners.
Purify your hearts ye double minded.
We are filthy. We need cleansing. It's no coincidence that there is physical dirtiness. It is no coincidence that we equate good things with clean things. When something, or someone is dirty it's not pleasant, right? We like our things clean. We like our food taken from the ground to be clean before we eat it. We like our hands to be washed before with eat something with them.
We all know our history, how in 'the old days' it was acceptable to only bath once a week and in some cases once a month, yet even those who only bathed that infrequently still generally washed up superficially - their hands, their faces. People did not as a rule walk around with filth covered faces and hands.
There is a television show on called Survivor and on that show they are not given the luxuries of a bathing room- no tubs, no sinks, no soap. These people have to rely upon natures cleansers- oceans, sand, rivers, streams and the like. You can tell how much they detest being without their luxuries of modern living. You can also tell how ill equipped they are to deal with their filthiness.
We, in our modern lives have learned to equate dirt with germs. We'd NEVER operate on a person without sterile conditions yet a hundred years ago or so it was common to merely superficially wash up and have at it. No one knew about invisible germs back then, and even so they didn't equate dirt with sickness.
Of course this isn't true of all peoples or all times. Some cultures take great pride in their cleanliness and have for many centuries.
Clean and unclean. Pure and sinful.
We are taught to be clean people.
We are taught to wash our faces, our hands, our hair, our bodies.
We are taught to take measures to remain clean- wear gloves, wear work clothes, wear work boots.
It is safe to say that we are happier being clean than being unclean, right? And that's superficial cleanliness, that's fleshy cleanliness.
If we are aware so acutely aware of physical filth shouldn't we be just as acutely aware of spiritual filth?
If we understand and appreciate being physically clean, it shouldn't be too hard to comprehend that we need to be spiritually clean.
Sin is filth.
Sin defiles.
Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
Mat 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Do you see the comparison? We don't like to be dirty physically and go to great lengths to keep clean but it's NOT our physical dirt that defiles us but rather our hearts cause us to be spiritually filthy.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Please Lord there is so much filth in my life. I… like Paul, am the chief of sinners. If I look to myself for cleansing all I can to is wash away the physical filth. I need YOU to cleanse me. I need YOU to keep me from falling, I need YOU to present me faultless before the glory of God. I need YOU to spiritually cleanse me. Please Lord WASH me, cleanse me even from the faults that are secret. I have no righteousness of my own, it is all YOUR righteousness which saves me. Please Lord.
Take away MY filthy garments.
CLOTHE ME with change of raiment.
WASH ME, SANCTIFY ME, JUSTIFY ME- IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.
By Your grace!!!!
Amen.
Cleanse thou me from secret faults.
What makes us dirty so that we need to be cleansed? Faults, sins.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
All together filthy- none doing good.
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Our righteousness are as FILTHY rags.
Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Take away the filthy garments.
I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified- IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.
Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
Psa 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Wash me THROUGHLY from mine iniquity.
CLEANSE me from my sin.
Psa 119:9 BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
Cleanse his way- taking heed-according to thy word.
Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God
I will save them.
Will cleanse them.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Cleanse your hands ye sinners.
Purify your hearts ye double minded.
We are filthy. We need cleansing. It's no coincidence that there is physical dirtiness. It is no coincidence that we equate good things with clean things. When something, or someone is dirty it's not pleasant, right? We like our things clean. We like our food taken from the ground to be clean before we eat it. We like our hands to be washed before with eat something with them.
We all know our history, how in 'the old days' it was acceptable to only bath once a week and in some cases once a month, yet even those who only bathed that infrequently still generally washed up superficially - their hands, their faces. People did not as a rule walk around with filth covered faces and hands.
There is a television show on called Survivor and on that show they are not given the luxuries of a bathing room- no tubs, no sinks, no soap. These people have to rely upon natures cleansers- oceans, sand, rivers, streams and the like. You can tell how much they detest being without their luxuries of modern living. You can also tell how ill equipped they are to deal with their filthiness.
We, in our modern lives have learned to equate dirt with germs. We'd NEVER operate on a person without sterile conditions yet a hundred years ago or so it was common to merely superficially wash up and have at it. No one knew about invisible germs back then, and even so they didn't equate dirt with sickness.
Of course this isn't true of all peoples or all times. Some cultures take great pride in their cleanliness and have for many centuries.
Clean and unclean. Pure and sinful.
We are taught to be clean people.
We are taught to wash our faces, our hands, our hair, our bodies.
We are taught to take measures to remain clean- wear gloves, wear work clothes, wear work boots.
It is safe to say that we are happier being clean than being unclean, right? And that's superficial cleanliness, that's fleshy cleanliness.
If we are aware so acutely aware of physical filth shouldn't we be just as acutely aware of spiritual filth?
If we understand and appreciate being physically clean, it shouldn't be too hard to comprehend that we need to be spiritually clean.
Sin is filth.
Sin defiles.
Eze 37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
Mat 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Do you see the comparison? We don't like to be dirty physically and go to great lengths to keep clean but it's NOT our physical dirt that defiles us but rather our hearts cause us to be spiritually filthy.
Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Please Lord there is so much filth in my life. I… like Paul, am the chief of sinners. If I look to myself for cleansing all I can to is wash away the physical filth. I need YOU to cleanse me. I need YOU to keep me from falling, I need YOU to present me faultless before the glory of God. I need YOU to spiritually cleanse me. Please Lord WASH me, cleanse me even from the faults that are secret. I have no righteousness of my own, it is all YOUR righteousness which saves me. Please Lord.
Take away MY filthy garments.
CLOTHE ME with change of raiment.
WASH ME, SANCTIFY ME, JUSTIFY ME- IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.
By Your grace!!!!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Consent Not
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Sinners WILL entice us!
It's what sinners do.
By their very nature of being unrepentant sinners they are controlled by Satan. We don't like to hear those words, do we? We like to soften those words up and roll them in a thick coat of sugar.
People are not really controlled by Satan. People are NEVER really controlled by Satan. Is that sugar coating thick enough for you yet? No? You want more? How about this... Satan isn't really even real, right?
I mean come on, we're much more intelligent than that. We aren't going to believe in this invisible evil being that stuff belongs on the television screen. You know that horror movie we've heard about where this evil being makes people do horrible things against their will until they destroy themselves one way or another, but only after making everybody around them miserable . Fiction, that's it. Fantasy, sure, sure that's even better, it's all fantasy, PURE fantasy if you will because I AM A RATIONAL BEING and there is no such thing as an evil invisible being going about wrecking all sorts of sicko havoc.
We live in a normal society, the REAL world where that sort of thing doesn't exists and you know, if someone does do something bad it's completely their own fault and they have to answer for that- not blame some invisible evil dude for their own evil. So DON'T tell me that anyone is controlled by Satan! That's a cop out! That's a scam, an excuse, a lie! We control ourselves end of story.
So now that we have that all cleared up, sinners will entice us, unrepentant sinners will seek to lure us to their sinning ways just because they're bad and that's what they do, right?
Tell me something, does sinning have anything to do with Satan at all? You know, that invisible being you don't think REALLY exists. First of all let's get one thing cleared up right now before we go any further. Do you believe in Jesus- God's Son?
If you do believe in Jesus, praise God, keep reading.
If you don't believe in Jesus-God's Son, you might as well just stop reading right now because everything from here on in will be a waste of time for you. Seriously, it will be just a waste of time where you could be doing something else. I happen to believe in the Son of God, my Savior Jesus Christ and if I believe in Him I have to believe in the invisible evil being, Satan. I can't believe in my Savior without believing in my Savior's adversary, who through default becomes my adversary if I believe in my Savior and choose to follow Him.
Well, do you believe in Satan now? You really can't hem and haw about it, you have to believe if you believe in our invisible Savior being.
Wait, what? Jesus isn't invisible, He took on flesh! He lived and died as one of us and then He rose again and appeared in the flesh. Jesus isn't invisible, He's real! Alright then, all that is true, but what about God the Father that Jesus prayed to, that Jesus relied upon, that Jesus came to reveal to the world? Is God the Father in the flesh too? Well? The answer is, no. God is spirit. If we have NO trouble in believing in the Spirit God, the invisible God, then truly we shouldn't have too much trouble believing in His invisible adversary- right?
Why am I stressing this so much? Because when a person chooses to sin willingly without any thought of repentance, without any remorse or willingness to confess and forsake the sinning they are in league with- Satan. Satan, the one who first sinned and the one who will use ALL his powers of persuasion to get as many human beings to sin and live in sin unrepentant as he possibly can.
Satan tempted our Savior to sin. Even knowing He was the Son of God, Satan tempted Him to sin. Satan tried to get Jesus to rebel against His Father. Satan used his powers- powers he possesses and uses upon earth today, powers to lure people to sin. You can bet everything that Satan stops at nothing to try and get us all to sin unrepentantly. Maybe he doesn't have to use much of that power to get you so he won't. Satan will expend the least amount of his power that he has to in order to get someone. If a little dab will do Him, He's not going to slather on his power, why should he? The lower profile he keeps the better. In fact if He can get people believing he doesn't REALLY exist and everyone is evil of their own accord with no help from Him, well that's just fine and dandy.
The truth is- we ARE evil of our own accord. Our original parents chose the path of evil for us a long time ago. However, our Savior sacrificed Himself to give us a path back to God. So now every single one of us that have been born into the evil world filled with the inclinations towards evil have a choice to make on whether to continue on the evil path, or take the good path.
Sounds like Lord of the Rings, and many other fictional movies doesn't it? Good or evil, which will win. Well we know which one wins however, we still have to choose which side we want to be on and YES we can (and many will) choose the losing side. The losing path will be the most appealing path for those living for the here and now. The losing path will be the one with the most people on it, in fact it will be amazingly crowded and in the majority.
This is REAL, people! Maybe we can't see that we are choosing daily which path to take, but we are.
The paths are very close to one another and it's very easy to step over from one to the other. Of course the Good path is extremely narrow and difficult, very hard to get onto, in fact IMPOSSIBLE to get onto unless you have the Savior's hand to guide you onto it. The Evil path is very wide and extremely easy to get onto without any risk of falling off- it's much too wide for that and you don't need anyone's help to get safely over to the evil path. We have to hold onto the Savior's hand to get onto the good, narrow path and guess what… here's where many falter… we have to KEEP holding onto the Savior's hand the entire time we are on the good path. There will NEVER be a good time to let go and start walking that path on our own, not ever! As soon as we let go of the Savior's hand we fall back onto that wide evil road. Unfortunately Satan has set up the wide evil road to even imitate the narrow good road, that evil road is whatever a person wants it to be but the only hand holding you on that evil road is Satan's and you choose to hold it. It's no joke when we're told that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So how do we know we are on the narrow good road holding our Savior's hand- through faith.
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Sinners will entice us and when they do… we are not to CONSENT!
We cannot go along with the sinners. We cannot consent to their sinning and become part of their sinning. We have to choose NOT to consent.
If sinners entice thee…
Do they? Do you know of anyone trying to entice you to sin? There will be MANY that will entice you to sin that you don't want to even believe are sinners at all. We are taught NOT to judge so we placate ourselves by saying I can't say he or she is a sinner- that's not my place, only God can judge. While that's true, only God can judge eternal life, we HAVE to be able to discern between sinning and not sinning and therefore be able to discern between those who are sinning and those who aren't. If we blatantly see sinning we can NOT consent to sin. That sinner might go on to be saved, by the grace of God, but at that moment we have to realize that the sinning act committed by the sinning person is something we can not choose to be part of, we must CONSENT NOT!
Consenting not isn't always easy because often when we consent not, we appear to be 'holier than thou' and that is something sinners do not want to see and will try to use against us. Sinners will try to get us to believe that the very act of consenting not to sin is a sin of arrogance and pride. We cannot let that happen! We have to consent NOT to sin no matter what. We have to expect to be enticed and being enticed is very seductive and alluring, appealing to our carnal natures. Resisting the enticement is our duty to consent not.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Let us consent not! Let us cling to our Savior. We are warned and we must heed the warnings, not ignore them.
By the grace of God may we consent not to those…to sinners... who would entice us to sin. Don't we have enough sin to deal with, enough temptations to sin that aren't encouraged by others. Do we really want to consent to enticements from others? We need to obey God first and foremost, not each other.
Please Lord help us to resist unto blood, striving against sin. Help us to consent not to those who would entice us to sin- those who try to convince us that what they're doing is not sin. Bless and keep us Savior, bless and keep us, by your will, by your grace, your mercy.
Amen.
Sinners WILL entice us!
It's what sinners do.
By their very nature of being unrepentant sinners they are controlled by Satan. We don't like to hear those words, do we? We like to soften those words up and roll them in a thick coat of sugar.
People are not really controlled by Satan. People are NEVER really controlled by Satan. Is that sugar coating thick enough for you yet? No? You want more? How about this... Satan isn't really even real, right?
I mean come on, we're much more intelligent than that. We aren't going to believe in this invisible evil being that stuff belongs on the television screen. You know that horror movie we've heard about where this evil being makes people do horrible things against their will until they destroy themselves one way or another, but only after making everybody around them miserable . Fiction, that's it. Fantasy, sure, sure that's even better, it's all fantasy, PURE fantasy if you will because I AM A RATIONAL BEING and there is no such thing as an evil invisible being going about wrecking all sorts of sicko havoc.
We live in a normal society, the REAL world where that sort of thing doesn't exists and you know, if someone does do something bad it's completely their own fault and they have to answer for that- not blame some invisible evil dude for their own evil. So DON'T tell me that anyone is controlled by Satan! That's a cop out! That's a scam, an excuse, a lie! We control ourselves end of story.
So now that we have that all cleared up, sinners will entice us, unrepentant sinners will seek to lure us to their sinning ways just because they're bad and that's what they do, right?
Tell me something, does sinning have anything to do with Satan at all? You know, that invisible being you don't think REALLY exists. First of all let's get one thing cleared up right now before we go any further. Do you believe in Jesus- God's Son?
If you do believe in Jesus, praise God, keep reading.
If you don't believe in Jesus-God's Son, you might as well just stop reading right now because everything from here on in will be a waste of time for you. Seriously, it will be just a waste of time where you could be doing something else. I happen to believe in the Son of God, my Savior Jesus Christ and if I believe in Him I have to believe in the invisible evil being, Satan. I can't believe in my Savior without believing in my Savior's adversary, who through default becomes my adversary if I believe in my Savior and choose to follow Him.
Well, do you believe in Satan now? You really can't hem and haw about it, you have to believe if you believe in our invisible Savior being.
Wait, what? Jesus isn't invisible, He took on flesh! He lived and died as one of us and then He rose again and appeared in the flesh. Jesus isn't invisible, He's real! Alright then, all that is true, but what about God the Father that Jesus prayed to, that Jesus relied upon, that Jesus came to reveal to the world? Is God the Father in the flesh too? Well? The answer is, no. God is spirit. If we have NO trouble in believing in the Spirit God, the invisible God, then truly we shouldn't have too much trouble believing in His invisible adversary- right?
Why am I stressing this so much? Because when a person chooses to sin willingly without any thought of repentance, without any remorse or willingness to confess and forsake the sinning they are in league with- Satan. Satan, the one who first sinned and the one who will use ALL his powers of persuasion to get as many human beings to sin and live in sin unrepentant as he possibly can.
Satan tempted our Savior to sin. Even knowing He was the Son of God, Satan tempted Him to sin. Satan tried to get Jesus to rebel against His Father. Satan used his powers- powers he possesses and uses upon earth today, powers to lure people to sin. You can bet everything that Satan stops at nothing to try and get us all to sin unrepentantly. Maybe he doesn't have to use much of that power to get you so he won't. Satan will expend the least amount of his power that he has to in order to get someone. If a little dab will do Him, He's not going to slather on his power, why should he? The lower profile he keeps the better. In fact if He can get people believing he doesn't REALLY exist and everyone is evil of their own accord with no help from Him, well that's just fine and dandy.
The truth is- we ARE evil of our own accord. Our original parents chose the path of evil for us a long time ago. However, our Savior sacrificed Himself to give us a path back to God. So now every single one of us that have been born into the evil world filled with the inclinations towards evil have a choice to make on whether to continue on the evil path, or take the good path.
Sounds like Lord of the Rings, and many other fictional movies doesn't it? Good or evil, which will win. Well we know which one wins however, we still have to choose which side we want to be on and YES we can (and many will) choose the losing side. The losing path will be the most appealing path for those living for the here and now. The losing path will be the one with the most people on it, in fact it will be amazingly crowded and in the majority.
This is REAL, people! Maybe we can't see that we are choosing daily which path to take, but we are.
The paths are very close to one another and it's very easy to step over from one to the other. Of course the Good path is extremely narrow and difficult, very hard to get onto, in fact IMPOSSIBLE to get onto unless you have the Savior's hand to guide you onto it. The Evil path is very wide and extremely easy to get onto without any risk of falling off- it's much too wide for that and you don't need anyone's help to get safely over to the evil path. We have to hold onto the Savior's hand to get onto the good, narrow path and guess what… here's where many falter… we have to KEEP holding onto the Savior's hand the entire time we are on the good path. There will NEVER be a good time to let go and start walking that path on our own, not ever! As soon as we let go of the Savior's hand we fall back onto that wide evil road. Unfortunately Satan has set up the wide evil road to even imitate the narrow good road, that evil road is whatever a person wants it to be but the only hand holding you on that evil road is Satan's and you choose to hold it. It's no joke when we're told that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So how do we know we are on the narrow good road holding our Savior's hand- through faith.
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Sinners will entice us and when they do… we are not to CONSENT!
We cannot go along with the sinners. We cannot consent to their sinning and become part of their sinning. We have to choose NOT to consent.
If sinners entice thee…
Do they? Do you know of anyone trying to entice you to sin? There will be MANY that will entice you to sin that you don't want to even believe are sinners at all. We are taught NOT to judge so we placate ourselves by saying I can't say he or she is a sinner- that's not my place, only God can judge. While that's true, only God can judge eternal life, we HAVE to be able to discern between sinning and not sinning and therefore be able to discern between those who are sinning and those who aren't. If we blatantly see sinning we can NOT consent to sin. That sinner might go on to be saved, by the grace of God, but at that moment we have to realize that the sinning act committed by the sinning person is something we can not choose to be part of, we must CONSENT NOT!
Consenting not isn't always easy because often when we consent not, we appear to be 'holier than thou' and that is something sinners do not want to see and will try to use against us. Sinners will try to get us to believe that the very act of consenting not to sin is a sin of arrogance and pride. We cannot let that happen! We have to consent NOT to sin no matter what. We have to expect to be enticed and being enticed is very seductive and alluring, appealing to our carnal natures. Resisting the enticement is our duty to consent not.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Let us consent not! Let us cling to our Savior. We are warned and we must heed the warnings, not ignore them.
By the grace of God may we consent not to those…to sinners... who would entice us to sin. Don't we have enough sin to deal with, enough temptations to sin that aren't encouraged by others. Do we really want to consent to enticements from others? We need to obey God first and foremost, not each other.
Please Lord help us to resist unto blood, striving against sin. Help us to consent not to those who would entice us to sin- those who try to convince us that what they're doing is not sin. Bless and keep us Savior, bless and keep us, by your will, by your grace, your mercy.
Amen.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Alive or Living Dead?
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Before the world existed our Creator was glorified WITH His Father.
Our Creator existed along with His Father when nothing of this world existed. The One we know as God's Son before He became God's Son in the flesh existed. Before our Creator took on flesh He existed in spirit form, an entity along with another entity. God the Father continued on in spirit form while God the Son took on flesh becoming the Son of God.
Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy one which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Shall be called. Not… that holy one which shall be born of thee IS the Son of God, but SHALL be called.
Having chosen to give up His power the Spirit of the Son had to rely on the Spirit of the Father for power.
They did not exist as ONE that was broken up into three.
They existed separate one from the other from eternity.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Choosing to give up His power, His God power, a power He had with the Father God before the world was even made is something I don't think we fathom fully.
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
He that CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
The God Son gave up His divinity to become human and rely completely on the Father God's divinity and not at all on Himself. He gave up His own WILL. He gave up His glory. He gave up EVERYTHING and took on the form of a helpless human child totally reliant upon others to do for Him to live. On His own, like any human child, Christ would not have lived. As He grew and became self-dependant physically He still could NOT have lived on His own. He was as dependant upon God the Father for life as we are. He could not have lived on His own. He could not have caused His own heart to beat any more than we can.
The Spirit God Son became Human God's Son in human flesh all to save us who have NO power whatsoever to save ourselves- having given up the right to eternal life given to us through the power of the Spirit Son Creator God when we separated ourselves from Him believing we could have power to sustain ourselves and become gods.
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Eve was tempted with this… thinking she LACKED sight, LACKED power to see all there was to see. Tempted to be AS GODs rather than relying upon God. The temptation came to be a creator- no longer a creature. We can NEVER be creators. Our Creator gave up His power to show us that we need to rely upon God the Father, the source too of our Creator's power. We receive POWER to once more become the creatures we were designed to be. We do NOT receive power to be God the Father and we will NEVER receive that power. The power we receive through God the Son's sacrifice was to become a son of God- relying upon God the Father, understanding He is our source of life as HE is the SON's source of life.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Word was MADE flesh.
We beheld his GLORY.
The GLORY as of the ONLY begotten of the FATHER.
The miracle of incarnation- the spirit entity shed his spirit form to take on flesh. Unlike the angel spirits who could appear as flesh whose appearance was an illusion, not REAL flesh subject to death, this Spirit entity took on real flesh, human flesh merging His spirit with the flesh just as we are flesh and spirit beings. An angel spirit has no breath of life to lose, no real flesh to decay- to turn to dust. The Son of God had glory with God the Father before the world began and it was this glory the Son in the flesh wanted to be glorified with again.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
God reliant. We can only become God reliant because the Son was reliant and we through the Son, rely upon the Son's righteousness. We cannot rely upon ourselves for anything, we have to learn this message, we have to be willing to be sustained by the Creator who Himself is sustained by God the Father. We cannot count on ourselves for our own lives not ever! Satan wants us to forever rely upon ourselves, he wants us to believe we our gods of our own and you know what, he has most people believing this. The power to become a son of God. This power most believe they have automatically upon birth but it's not true. The power to become a son of God only comes through the Son of God, we are not born with it. So many believe they inherently have eternal life, that they'll live now and when they die they automatically keep living in another spirit form. We don't have that and never did have it.
I listened to a study and in that study they talked about Adam and Eve needing to eat from the tree of life to have eternal life, the reason they were barred from eating of the tree after they sinned was so they wouldn't have eternal life. We DO NOT have eternal life in any form without our Creator. We didn't have eternal life when we were created outside of our Creator's gift of the tree of life, and we will NEVER have eternal life outside the gifts of our Creator. There will be a tree of life in the new earth.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
We will forever need to rely up on our Savior, our Creator, our King, our God, God the Father…forever!
We have NO life without our Creator.
Those who do not have the Creator in their lives right now, those who do not have the Savior sustaining their lives are truly the living dead.
May God bless us and guide us to live in Him and only in Him now and forever, never relying upon ourselves for our life but know the life we possess now and continue to possess is through HIS power. By His will!
Amen.
Before the world existed our Creator was glorified WITH His Father.
Our Creator existed along with His Father when nothing of this world existed. The One we know as God's Son before He became God's Son in the flesh existed. Before our Creator took on flesh He existed in spirit form, an entity along with another entity. God the Father continued on in spirit form while God the Son took on flesh becoming the Son of God.
Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy one which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Shall be called. Not… that holy one which shall be born of thee IS the Son of God, but SHALL be called.
Having chosen to give up His power the Spirit of the Son had to rely on the Spirit of the Father for power.
They did not exist as ONE that was broken up into three.
They existed separate one from the other from eternity.
Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Choosing to give up His power, His God power, a power He had with the Father God before the world was even made is something I don't think we fathom fully.
Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
He that CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN.
The God Son gave up His divinity to become human and rely completely on the Father God's divinity and not at all on Himself. He gave up His own WILL. He gave up His glory. He gave up EVERYTHING and took on the form of a helpless human child totally reliant upon others to do for Him to live. On His own, like any human child, Christ would not have lived. As He grew and became self-dependant physically He still could NOT have lived on His own. He was as dependant upon God the Father for life as we are. He could not have lived on His own. He could not have caused His own heart to beat any more than we can.
The Spirit God Son became Human God's Son in human flesh all to save us who have NO power whatsoever to save ourselves- having given up the right to eternal life given to us through the power of the Spirit Son Creator God when we separated ourselves from Him believing we could have power to sustain ourselves and become gods.
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Eve was tempted with this… thinking she LACKED sight, LACKED power to see all there was to see. Tempted to be AS GODs rather than relying upon God. The temptation came to be a creator- no longer a creature. We can NEVER be creators. Our Creator gave up His power to show us that we need to rely upon God the Father, the source too of our Creator's power. We receive POWER to once more become the creatures we were designed to be. We do NOT receive power to be God the Father and we will NEVER receive that power. The power we receive through God the Son's sacrifice was to become a son of God- relying upon God the Father, understanding He is our source of life as HE is the SON's source of life.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Word was MADE flesh.
We beheld his GLORY.
The GLORY as of the ONLY begotten of the FATHER.
The miracle of incarnation- the spirit entity shed his spirit form to take on flesh. Unlike the angel spirits who could appear as flesh whose appearance was an illusion, not REAL flesh subject to death, this Spirit entity took on real flesh, human flesh merging His spirit with the flesh just as we are flesh and spirit beings. An angel spirit has no breath of life to lose, no real flesh to decay- to turn to dust. The Son of God had glory with God the Father before the world began and it was this glory the Son in the flesh wanted to be glorified with again.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
God reliant. We can only become God reliant because the Son was reliant and we through the Son, rely upon the Son's righteousness. We cannot rely upon ourselves for anything, we have to learn this message, we have to be willing to be sustained by the Creator who Himself is sustained by God the Father. We cannot count on ourselves for our own lives not ever! Satan wants us to forever rely upon ourselves, he wants us to believe we our gods of our own and you know what, he has most people believing this. The power to become a son of God. This power most believe they have automatically upon birth but it's not true. The power to become a son of God only comes through the Son of God, we are not born with it. So many believe they inherently have eternal life, that they'll live now and when they die they automatically keep living in another spirit form. We don't have that and never did have it.
I listened to a study and in that study they talked about Adam and Eve needing to eat from the tree of life to have eternal life, the reason they were barred from eating of the tree after they sinned was so they wouldn't have eternal life. We DO NOT have eternal life in any form without our Creator. We didn't have eternal life when we were created outside of our Creator's gift of the tree of life, and we will NEVER have eternal life outside the gifts of our Creator. There will be a tree of life in the new earth.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
We will forever need to rely up on our Savior, our Creator, our King, our God, God the Father…forever!
We have NO life without our Creator.
Those who do not have the Creator in their lives right now, those who do not have the Savior sustaining their lives are truly the living dead.
May God bless us and guide us to live in Him and only in Him now and forever, never relying upon ourselves for our life but know the life we possess now and continue to possess is through HIS power. By His will!
Amen.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Kingdom of Priests
Exo 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel
Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
A kingdom of priests.
The children of Israel knew what a priest was- their enslavers had many priests, many temples, many false gods to worship. After 400 years of enslavement they knew all there was to know about Egyptian life. Telling the children of Israel they would be a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation they knew instantly that their lives were going to be changed from the historic life they'd led as followers of the One True God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph- the God they were born to follow. Abraham was the father of this nation, the father of Israel. History passed down from one generation to the next kept the knowledge of Abraham alive. The people of Israel knew their place, the Egyptians would not let them forget it- they enslaved the whole race of God's children so that they would not come to power and over take them. Obviously, for as much as Joseph had helped in ruling Egypt, his people -God's people- remained a separate people. They might have dwelled in the land of Egypt but they did not become a part of it, they stayed separated by their very lives, by the fact they worshipped only ONE God, the true God. They didn't take part in the customs and worship of the Egyptians.
As a separate group it was wise for the Egyptians to fear the quickly multiplying race of unbelievers, of non-Egyptians living in their land. Ruling over them was the only way (in their thinking) to keep them from overtaking them. Once subdued the separating line between the children of Israel and the Egyptians was even more defined. The Egyptians had their way of life and it greatly differed from the life of the Israelites. As worshippers of God, the children of Israel had been taught to honor and worship God, just as Abraham, just as Isaac, just as Jacob, just as Joseph had and in those times there was no one line of priesthood, rather the fathers of the family were the head, the priest over the family, responsible for their families. It's most likely a great grandfather would be the head of the family, or the grandfather and their families were very large. There would be patriarchs that would act as priests just as Abraham, just as Isaac, just as Jacob- these men were God-fearing men who offered honor, glory, and sacrifice to the Lord as needed.
Now Moses delivered the children of Israel from their enslavement to the Egyptians and God said- they will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they obey Him and keep His covenant.
A kingdom of priests.
The Egyptians had priests- they were among the elite of the Egyptians, they were the ones pharaohs, rulers of Egypt looked to. Priests were important, they held a prestigious role in the scheme of things and to go from being a slave to being a priest would be unheard of. Slaves didn't become priests they served priests.
A kingdom of priests.
However the unruly children of Israel didn't keep their part of the covenant and God set up a priesthood from the family of Levi, one of the 12 son's of Jacob because they of all the 12 families remained utterly true to God as they left Egypt and entered upon their journey to the land of promise.
God set up a priesthood that would minister to all of His children though rituals that would point solely to salvation found only in sacrifice to God- pointing towards the promised redeemer, the Messiah who would be sacrificed for all mankind.
God's plan from the beginning would be written down leaving no doubt as to how God would redeem His children from all evil. That redemption process was revealed fully in the Sanctuary services, the priesthood God set up.
Because of their disobedience there couldn't be an entire kingdom of priests, right?
And yet the plan was for us to be a kingdom of priests.
Christ is our great High Priest and we are Christ's.
Christ is the Son of God and we are to be the adopted heirs of God, sons and daughters of God.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name
Our future is for us to be kings and priests to God just as God told His chosen children as He freed them from slavery. When we are finally freed from the slavery of Satan, of sin, we will truly be a kingdom of priests.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
A kingdom of priests, this was the promise.
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
Ye shall be IF…
…IF ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
If ye OBEY God.
If ye KEEP God's covenant.
Did they obey? No.
Did they keep God's covenant? No.
Did they become a kingdom of priests? Some would say yes, because the tribe of Levi became the priests of the children of Israel, but does one tribe make a kingdom of priests? Remember other people had their own priesthoods for their false gods. Were they kingdoms of priests, or did they have priests in their kingdoms? There is a difference, honestly isn't there a great difference?
Christ our great High Priest offers us His kingdom through His sacrifice which we must accept in a very personal way- understanding that there is no other way to God's kingdom. We are heirs of a promise.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
May God help us to be His fully, His completely- His in love as we seek the kingdom of God- as we seek the kingdom of Heaven- as we seek salvation through our Savior. The kingdom of heaven is truly at hand for us all, just as it was when Jesus walked the earth, just as it was when His disciples preached upon earth. The kingdom of God.
Amen.
Exo 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
A kingdom of priests.
The children of Israel knew what a priest was- their enslavers had many priests, many temples, many false gods to worship. After 400 years of enslavement they knew all there was to know about Egyptian life. Telling the children of Israel they would be a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation they knew instantly that their lives were going to be changed from the historic life they'd led as followers of the One True God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph- the God they were born to follow. Abraham was the father of this nation, the father of Israel. History passed down from one generation to the next kept the knowledge of Abraham alive. The people of Israel knew their place, the Egyptians would not let them forget it- they enslaved the whole race of God's children so that they would not come to power and over take them. Obviously, for as much as Joseph had helped in ruling Egypt, his people -God's people- remained a separate people. They might have dwelled in the land of Egypt but they did not become a part of it, they stayed separated by their very lives, by the fact they worshipped only ONE God, the true God. They didn't take part in the customs and worship of the Egyptians.
As a separate group it was wise for the Egyptians to fear the quickly multiplying race of unbelievers, of non-Egyptians living in their land. Ruling over them was the only way (in their thinking) to keep them from overtaking them. Once subdued the separating line between the children of Israel and the Egyptians was even more defined. The Egyptians had their way of life and it greatly differed from the life of the Israelites. As worshippers of God, the children of Israel had been taught to honor and worship God, just as Abraham, just as Isaac, just as Jacob, just as Joseph had and in those times there was no one line of priesthood, rather the fathers of the family were the head, the priest over the family, responsible for their families. It's most likely a great grandfather would be the head of the family, or the grandfather and their families were very large. There would be patriarchs that would act as priests just as Abraham, just as Isaac, just as Jacob- these men were God-fearing men who offered honor, glory, and sacrifice to the Lord as needed.
Now Moses delivered the children of Israel from their enslavement to the Egyptians and God said- they will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation if they obey Him and keep His covenant.
A kingdom of priests.
The Egyptians had priests- they were among the elite of the Egyptians, they were the ones pharaohs, rulers of Egypt looked to. Priests were important, they held a prestigious role in the scheme of things and to go from being a slave to being a priest would be unheard of. Slaves didn't become priests they served priests.
A kingdom of priests.
However the unruly children of Israel didn't keep their part of the covenant and God set up a priesthood from the family of Levi, one of the 12 son's of Jacob because they of all the 12 families remained utterly true to God as they left Egypt and entered upon their journey to the land of promise.
God set up a priesthood that would minister to all of His children though rituals that would point solely to salvation found only in sacrifice to God- pointing towards the promised redeemer, the Messiah who would be sacrificed for all mankind.
God's plan from the beginning would be written down leaving no doubt as to how God would redeem His children from all evil. That redemption process was revealed fully in the Sanctuary services, the priesthood God set up.
Because of their disobedience there couldn't be an entire kingdom of priests, right?
And yet the plan was for us to be a kingdom of priests.
Christ is our great High Priest and we are Christ's.
Christ is the Son of God and we are to be the adopted heirs of God, sons and daughters of God.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name
Our future is for us to be kings and priests to God just as God told His chosen children as He freed them from slavery. When we are finally freed from the slavery of Satan, of sin, we will truly be a kingdom of priests.
Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
A kingdom of priests, this was the promise.
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
Ye shall be IF…
…IF ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine
If ye OBEY God.
If ye KEEP God's covenant.
Did they obey? No.
Did they keep God's covenant? No.
Did they become a kingdom of priests? Some would say yes, because the tribe of Levi became the priests of the children of Israel, but does one tribe make a kingdom of priests? Remember other people had their own priesthoods for their false gods. Were they kingdoms of priests, or did they have priests in their kingdoms? There is a difference, honestly isn't there a great difference?
Christ our great High Priest offers us His kingdom through His sacrifice which we must accept in a very personal way- understanding that there is no other way to God's kingdom. We are heirs of a promise.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
May God help us to be His fully, His completely- His in love as we seek the kingdom of God- as we seek the kingdom of Heaven- as we seek salvation through our Savior. The kingdom of heaven is truly at hand for us all, just as it was when Jesus walked the earth, just as it was when His disciples preached upon earth. The kingdom of God.
Amen.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Confess
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Covering sins. Hiding sins. Concealing sins.
If we throw a blanket over a filthy bed and that bed by all appearances looks clean, is it truly clean? It's what we call surface clean. All around us there can be things that are surface clean, things that have the appearance of cleanliness. People with germ phobias know all about the 'appearance' of cleanliness. To those with a germ phobia, or even for those who are cautious about germs and not phobic, they realize that unseen to them there are things that can harm them and cause them to be sick. A line full of grocery store carts beckons and one person after another takes a cart and uses it, day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. One person drops the cart off another snatches it up and the one who snatches it up has NO idea whether or not the one who left it had flu germs, or cold germs, virus germs, fecal germs- unseen things waiting and ready for the next set of hands to touch them and pick them up and spread them to their own bodies. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they don't exist. If every cart had to undergo a microscopic examination and cleaning before we could take it- assured of a clean cart, wouldn't that be amazing? That'll never happen though. We are at the mercy of the store to provide an antiseptic wipe, or we must provide our own and only then can we hope to wipe off the unseen microscopic little buggers waiting to infect us.
So there we have it, covering dirt doesn't do away with the dirt, it just puts a nice layer on top. Dirt exists that isn't even covered but we can't see it without a microscope something that isn't built into our eyes.
How many of us wear spiritual covers? How many of us like to put on a spiritual blanket to hide the filth beneath? How many of us are more than willing to uncover our spiritual selves and expose our sinful ways- confessing them yet NOT forsaking them? We've got the first part of the process down but that second part well, that's just too difficult. Sure let's whip off the covers, let everyone see the dirt. People usually see the dirt anyway- don't they? We just have these pretend coverings on and it's easy and proper to let the coverings remain in place. Exposing someone's faults just makes the one exposing them appear bad- doesn't it? That old backfire- where you want someone to come across as their *true* evil self so you shout - 'Look! Look! See how bad they are?!' And while that exposed person feels the shame of their exposed sins, people also look at the motives behind the one doing the exposing. Is exposing someone else's sins something good? Is it a confession? Can you make a confession for someone else? Not really. There is no personal admission, no willingness to confess but rather a forced confession.
Dirt, sins, hiding them doesn't get rid of them. Exposing them and making them available to be clean is the only real option we have isn't it? It does no good to hide anything sinful in our lives because our God, our Judge can see everything even the tiniest speck of dust we brush under the tiniest spiritual cover. We are naked- nothing hidden at all from God- nothing. Our hearts that we can't seem to even begin to understand and know the depths of- God knows. The sins that we do see, the dirt that we do know about we are accountable to keep it exposed and ask for cleansing, and pray for the ability to NOT acquire that dirtiness again. We need to forsake the acts that make us dirty, we need to have a willingness NOT to commit a sinful act, even if the desire remains to get dirty, to sin, we have to choose to NOT sin- praying that even the desire to sin is taken away from us.
Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
(Websters)
Repentance
REPENT'ANCE, n.
1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct.
2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.
3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.
Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.
Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2 Cor 7. Mat 3.
Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Co 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2Co 7:3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
2Co 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2Co 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
2Co 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2Co 7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
2Co 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Co 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2Co 7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
2Co 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2Co 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
2Co 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
2Co 7:16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Repentance- a true sorrow, a godly sorrow, and a turning away from sin.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Our HOPE has to be in Christ and Christ alone.
We must by His power turn from all sin that we are convicted of and have the power to turn away from. I say the power to turn away from and here is where we stumble and fall. With Christ we have the power to turn from ALL sin this is true. Yet we are WRETCHED men and women living in a body of death. We must have our HOPE in Christ and not give in to despair as we live in this world of evil. Every day, every hour we must seek Christ and the hope we have in Him, not DESPAIRING when we fall short but continuously laying down at the Savior's feet clinging to Him and the hope that is only found in HIM. It seems like such a vicious cycle, a vicious hopeless cycle and yet all things are possible with God. Maybe we won't have the victory over a sin in our lives the way we expect it. Maybe we are being tried in the fire of faith with a particular sin and the only way to victory, the only way to purification is through the knowledge that Christ is the victor, Christ gives the victory. If we could do it ALL on our own we'd have no need of Christ, none. Christ wouldn't have had to die if we were able to save ourselves from our sins. The closer it gets to the return of our Savior the harder Satan is going to work. Satan doesn't know when Christ will come- only God the Father knows. Satan does know that every single day that passes is another opportunity for Him to work his evil and the longer time goes on the harder he works wanting to secure as his own every single person he can because that keeps one less from being Christ's, one less creature to proclaim their Creator's righteousness. Is it any wonder there will be few left on earth to proclaim God's righteousness with the way Satan works evil upon evil, using despair as his net to capture many. We will despair if we believe that our righteousness saves us, make no mistake about it. We have NO license to sin. Sin should forever be an abhorrence to us. Remember this…
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
SEVEN TIMES IN ONE DAY!
One could make the argument that if this sinner is sinning SEVEN times a day and EACH time after the sin they repent- that they aren't truly deserving of forgiveness… right? We say this all the time, we believe this all the time. We get caught up in the despair of sinning yet here Christ Himself is telling us that there IS true repentance for sins that beset us, that beleaguer us. We can't give up hope and let despair over come us.
I've not forgotten this … something I learned a few years back now.
The Lord's prayer where it is prayed- 'lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil' This is telling us that we need GOD and GOD alone to deliver us from evil, from the evil impulse in us brought on by Satan, deliver us from the despair of being tempted. We know God does not tempt us to evil, Satan tempts us to evil, to trap us and cause us to despair of ever being saved. Asking God to lead us not into temptation is asking God to deliver us from the temptation to give in to Satan's traps the biggest trap being to lose hope, to despair of ever truly being God's. Is it any wonder Christ Himself told us that if we are sinned against seven times in one day, and each time that sinner repents we are to forgive him? This is a lesson not only for us to forgive but to understand that there is true repentance for the repented one who is in need of asking for forgiveness over and over. We can't GIVE up. We can't stop forgiving, and we can't stop asking for forgiveness no matter what!
How much better is it to acknowledge sin, to acknowledge the dirt than to simply cover it up hoping somehow it will be cleansed. We have to confess and repent, forsaking sin, seeking forgiveness in Christ and grasping hold of His righteousness by His grace through faith. He died to save us, He wants us that much so we can't ever believe we are unworthy in Him, we are only unworthy in ourselves.
May God bless us and keep us in Him now and forever! Leading us not to despair through the many temptations that come our way, but delivering us from all evil as Jesus prayed to the Father- keep us from evil as we live in this world filled with evil.
In His love.
Amen.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Covering sins. Hiding sins. Concealing sins.
If we throw a blanket over a filthy bed and that bed by all appearances looks clean, is it truly clean? It's what we call surface clean. All around us there can be things that are surface clean, things that have the appearance of cleanliness. People with germ phobias know all about the 'appearance' of cleanliness. To those with a germ phobia, or even for those who are cautious about germs and not phobic, they realize that unseen to them there are things that can harm them and cause them to be sick. A line full of grocery store carts beckons and one person after another takes a cart and uses it, day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. One person drops the cart off another snatches it up and the one who snatches it up has NO idea whether or not the one who left it had flu germs, or cold germs, virus germs, fecal germs- unseen things waiting and ready for the next set of hands to touch them and pick them up and spread them to their own bodies. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean they don't exist. If every cart had to undergo a microscopic examination and cleaning before we could take it- assured of a clean cart, wouldn't that be amazing? That'll never happen though. We are at the mercy of the store to provide an antiseptic wipe, or we must provide our own and only then can we hope to wipe off the unseen microscopic little buggers waiting to infect us.
So there we have it, covering dirt doesn't do away with the dirt, it just puts a nice layer on top. Dirt exists that isn't even covered but we can't see it without a microscope something that isn't built into our eyes.
How many of us wear spiritual covers? How many of us like to put on a spiritual blanket to hide the filth beneath? How many of us are more than willing to uncover our spiritual selves and expose our sinful ways- confessing them yet NOT forsaking them? We've got the first part of the process down but that second part well, that's just too difficult. Sure let's whip off the covers, let everyone see the dirt. People usually see the dirt anyway- don't they? We just have these pretend coverings on and it's easy and proper to let the coverings remain in place. Exposing someone's faults just makes the one exposing them appear bad- doesn't it? That old backfire- where you want someone to come across as their *true* evil self so you shout - 'Look! Look! See how bad they are?!' And while that exposed person feels the shame of their exposed sins, people also look at the motives behind the one doing the exposing. Is exposing someone else's sins something good? Is it a confession? Can you make a confession for someone else? Not really. There is no personal admission, no willingness to confess but rather a forced confession.
Dirt, sins, hiding them doesn't get rid of them. Exposing them and making them available to be clean is the only real option we have isn't it? It does no good to hide anything sinful in our lives because our God, our Judge can see everything even the tiniest speck of dust we brush under the tiniest spiritual cover. We are naked- nothing hidden at all from God- nothing. Our hearts that we can't seem to even begin to understand and know the depths of- God knows. The sins that we do see, the dirt that we do know about we are accountable to keep it exposed and ask for cleansing, and pray for the ability to NOT acquire that dirtiness again. We need to forsake the acts that make us dirty, we need to have a willingness NOT to commit a sinful act, even if the desire remains to get dirty, to sin, we have to choose to NOT sin- praying that even the desire to sin is taken away from us.
Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
(Websters)
Repentance
REPENT'ANCE, n.
1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct.
2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.
3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.
Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.
Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2 Cor 7. Mat 3.
Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Co 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2Co 7:3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
2Co 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2Co 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
2Co 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2Co 7:7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
2Co 7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Co 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2Co 7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
2Co 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2Co 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
2Co 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
2Co 7:16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Repentance- a true sorrow, a godly sorrow, and a turning away from sin.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Our HOPE has to be in Christ and Christ alone.
We must by His power turn from all sin that we are convicted of and have the power to turn away from. I say the power to turn away from and here is where we stumble and fall. With Christ we have the power to turn from ALL sin this is true. Yet we are WRETCHED men and women living in a body of death. We must have our HOPE in Christ and not give in to despair as we live in this world of evil. Every day, every hour we must seek Christ and the hope we have in Him, not DESPAIRING when we fall short but continuously laying down at the Savior's feet clinging to Him and the hope that is only found in HIM. It seems like such a vicious cycle, a vicious hopeless cycle and yet all things are possible with God. Maybe we won't have the victory over a sin in our lives the way we expect it. Maybe we are being tried in the fire of faith with a particular sin and the only way to victory, the only way to purification is through the knowledge that Christ is the victor, Christ gives the victory. If we could do it ALL on our own we'd have no need of Christ, none. Christ wouldn't have had to die if we were able to save ourselves from our sins. The closer it gets to the return of our Savior the harder Satan is going to work. Satan doesn't know when Christ will come- only God the Father knows. Satan does know that every single day that passes is another opportunity for Him to work his evil and the longer time goes on the harder he works wanting to secure as his own every single person he can because that keeps one less from being Christ's, one less creature to proclaim their Creator's righteousness. Is it any wonder there will be few left on earth to proclaim God's righteousness with the way Satan works evil upon evil, using despair as his net to capture many. We will despair if we believe that our righteousness saves us, make no mistake about it. We have NO license to sin. Sin should forever be an abhorrence to us. Remember this…
Luk 17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
SEVEN TIMES IN ONE DAY!
One could make the argument that if this sinner is sinning SEVEN times a day and EACH time after the sin they repent- that they aren't truly deserving of forgiveness… right? We say this all the time, we believe this all the time. We get caught up in the despair of sinning yet here Christ Himself is telling us that there IS true repentance for sins that beset us, that beleaguer us. We can't give up hope and let despair over come us.
I've not forgotten this … something I learned a few years back now.
The Lord's prayer where it is prayed- 'lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil' This is telling us that we need GOD and GOD alone to deliver us from evil, from the evil impulse in us brought on by Satan, deliver us from the despair of being tempted. We know God does not tempt us to evil, Satan tempts us to evil, to trap us and cause us to despair of ever being saved. Asking God to lead us not into temptation is asking God to deliver us from the temptation to give in to Satan's traps the biggest trap being to lose hope, to despair of ever truly being God's. Is it any wonder Christ Himself told us that if we are sinned against seven times in one day, and each time that sinner repents we are to forgive him? This is a lesson not only for us to forgive but to understand that there is true repentance for the repented one who is in need of asking for forgiveness over and over. We can't GIVE up. We can't stop forgiving, and we can't stop asking for forgiveness no matter what!
How much better is it to acknowledge sin, to acknowledge the dirt than to simply cover it up hoping somehow it will be cleansed. We have to confess and repent, forsaking sin, seeking forgiveness in Christ and grasping hold of His righteousness by His grace through faith. He died to save us, He wants us that much so we can't ever believe we are unworthy in Him, we are only unworthy in ourselves.
May God bless us and keep us in Him now and forever! Leading us not to despair through the many temptations that come our way, but delivering us from all evil as Jesus prayed to the Father- keep us from evil as we live in this world filled with evil.
In His love.
Amen.
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