{12:12} Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
{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.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{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;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
{12:18} For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest
{12:19} And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; [which] voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: {12:20} (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart
{12:21} And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
{12:22} But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels
{12:23} To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, {12:24} And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
{12:25} See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape,] if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven
{12:26} Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
{12:27} And this [word,] Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
{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: {12:29} For our God [is] a consuming fire.
*
Hebrews
{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
Failing of the grace of God.
But... haven't we been told that it is by grace we are saved through faith?
Don't we believe that it is by grace alone we are saved?
Haven't we been taught that we have grace just by saying we have grace, believing we have the grace of Jesus?
How can we 'fail of the grace of God'?
Surely we need to understand this because we don't want to 'fail of the grace of God'. Isn't that like hearing Jesus say in that day- get away from me, I never knew you? Even though people are crying out to Him as if they honestly believe they are His?
Matthew {7:21} Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven. {7:22} Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? {7:23} And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
Certainly if we fail of the grace of God we'd be among those wouldn't we? Simply because we are taught that it's impossible to fail of the grace of God. Taught falsely that our actions mean nothing. Taught that if we have any action of our own and think we are saved by it we are wrong. Over and over in the Bible people are told of God's covenant and how they should obey it to be God's people. Obeying is an action that results in God's favor, disobeying His disfavor. Jesus doesn't do away with the fact we need to obey God, He even says he didn't come to do away, but to fulfill. If Jesus would have us live with Him as our example then we will obey. The only way it's possible is by His grace. He makes it possible through His mercy. His mercy doesn't absolve us of consequences of our actions. If we're taught that no matter how we live- even if we live in complete and utter sinfilled ways- that we can obtain grace while we continue living that way not availing ourselves of the mercy of Christ to walk in His way, then we won't have the grace of God- we will fail of the grace of God, we will be among those who cry out to Jesus and we will hear Him say- 'I never knew you depart from me ye that work sin'.
Hebrews
{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
Dict.bitter (bît´er) adjective
bitterer, bitterest
1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.
2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh: enveloped in bitter cold; a bitter wind.
3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.
4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity: a bitter struggle; bitter foes.
5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment: cried bitter tears.
6. Marked by resentment or cynicism
Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary
Duet.
{29:18} Lest there should be among
you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth
away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a
root that beareth gall and wormwood;
A root brings forth life in tiny shoots. A root bears those shoots, without the root the shoots would not grow. Root of bitterness, root that beareth gall and wormwood.
Are we the root and our actions the tiny shoots?
Duet. {29:18} Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go [and] serve
the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; {29:19} And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: {29:20} The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
Actions such as ... doing as we please regardless of how we are taught in Christ and believing we are still with Christ.
Hebrews {12:12} Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees
{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.
{12:14} Follow peace with all [men,] and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord
{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;
{12:16} Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
{12:17} For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Lift up our hands and knees- make straight paths for our feet- be healed.
Follow peace with ALL men.
Holiness with ALL men.
Without this peace and holiness we will NOT see the Lord.
Looking diligently!
Watching out for anything that will hinder our walks with Christ!
Matthew {26:41}
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit
indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mark {13:33} Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye
know not when the time is.
We have to look diligently lest we fail of the grace of God.
We have to examine our lives and see if we are defiled by the actions of our heart. Truly if our heart is the root and our lives the shoot that springs up, we need to look diligently at our lives- our actions that make up our lives and pray that anything we do that would defile us, any sin that we cherish, any action that we know Jesus would not have us commit is done away with. If we holdfast to our sinfilled ways choosing like Esau to live for the moment of pleasure and self-satisfaction, we too will be seeking repentance with tears and we won't find it- we too will fail of the grace of God.
Follow peace with all and holiness.
Peace and holiness found in Christ Jesus and necessary to us because without the peace and holiness of Chirst in us, living is us and controlling our actions, we will not the Lord.
Where do our actions stem from?
Where do our lives get the motives for those actions?
Oh wretched man that I am...who will deliver me... Christ Jesus.
Deliver us Jesus. Deliver us from the insidious evil that would have us live our lives with excuse after excuse for our ungodly behavior. Deliver us from the root of bitterness.
We don't want to fail you, we don't want to fail of the grace of God.
Have mercy on us Lord.
Through the mercy and grace of the Sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Hebrews 12 B
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
For whom the Lord loveth he—
Chastens and Scourges.
EVERY son he receives.
Dict. chasten (châ´sen) verb, transitive
chastened, chastening, chastens
1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task.
2. To restrain; subdue: chasten a proud spirit.
3. To rid of excess; refine or purify
scourge (skûrj) noun
1. A source of widespread, dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
*
If you feel as if you're being knocked about by life, when you want to cry out-- why God, why me, why this, haven't
I endured enough, I can't take it any more, don't be surprised.
Every son of God's is chastened and scourged, every son. You can't get away from it.
People go to God for comfort- God will help you, comfort you, ease you. It's this image of God as all loving that
leads us to forget that a Father, a good Father chastens his children. We are forever God's children and we will need
chastening. We need to realize that our sins need to be forsaken- we need to resist unto blood- that's a lot of resisting.
We have to realize that while resisting our sins unto blood will not save us, that only the grace and mercy of God
saves us, we have to set aside those sins that beset us and we are chastened to do so.
No one will ever obtain a stature, a position in life, that will allow them to do as they please without consequences.
You might think oh- kings, queens, rulers, dictators, so on and so forth but that's not true- every person has to answer
for their actions. Some might think they don't, they'll live their lives as if they don't, but they do. If we have to answer
to each other for our actions how much more do we answer to our Creator and Savior?
Once we are convicted of something we are accountable for that something. People who are given titles such as
doctor, lawyer, teacher, are very excited upon receiving their degrees- their titles. Does receiving that title change
anything? Are they no longer accountable to know how to heal, to defend, to teach? No, they are expected to know
exactly what their title claims. They are expected to be well learned doctors, lawyers, and teachers. They are expected
to keep up with the advances in society in order to remain well learned and to live up to their titles.
Why is it then that when some Christians accept Christ and are 'saved', do they believe they are no longer
accountable for their actions? That automatically they are forgiven whatever they do? Yes, we are forgiven is we ask
for forgiveness, but being a Christian isn't a license to sin. It isn't a get in free card that you flash each time you sin
and go on to the next sin happily because you can flash that card. If anything being a Christian and knowing that we
are forgiven because of Christ's sacrifice, that He suffered for our sins, should have us striving not to sin- not because
it will save us, but because sin separates us from God and the last thing any Christian should want is to be separated
from the God who can save them, who loves them with a love beyond our comprehension.
Don't get caught in the trap that you don't have to resist sin unto blood- that you don't have be chastened and shown
your wrong ways, that you won't be scourged or punished in various ways throughout your life. Don't believe that
God has left you when you are suffering at your worst, don't believe that this world will be all fun and games, all light
and happiness, it's not. Only our life in Christ can bring us happiness and NOTHING can take Christ from us unless
we allow it to happen, nothing.
Remember--
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
By His mercy and grace now and forever in Jesus we ask that we remember and take heart, that we can endure till
the end in His righteousness.
Amen.
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
For whom the Lord loveth he—
Chastens and Scourges.
EVERY son he receives.
Dict. chasten (châ´sen) verb, transitive
chastened, chastening, chastens
1. To correct by punishment or reproof; take to task.
2. To restrain; subdue: chasten a proud spirit.
3. To rid of excess; refine or purify
scourge (skûrj) noun
1. A source of widespread, dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence or war.
2. A means of inflicting severe suffering, vengeance, or punishment.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
*
If you feel as if you're being knocked about by life, when you want to cry out-- why God, why me, why this, haven't
I endured enough, I can't take it any more, don't be surprised.
Every son of God's is chastened and scourged, every son. You can't get away from it.
People go to God for comfort- God will help you, comfort you, ease you. It's this image of God as all loving that
leads us to forget that a Father, a good Father chastens his children. We are forever God's children and we will need
chastening. We need to realize that our sins need to be forsaken- we need to resist unto blood- that's a lot of resisting.
We have to realize that while resisting our sins unto blood will not save us, that only the grace and mercy of God
saves us, we have to set aside those sins that beset us and we are chastened to do so.
No one will ever obtain a stature, a position in life, that will allow them to do as they please without consequences.
You might think oh- kings, queens, rulers, dictators, so on and so forth but that's not true- every person has to answer
for their actions. Some might think they don't, they'll live their lives as if they don't, but they do. If we have to answer
to each other for our actions how much more do we answer to our Creator and Savior?
Once we are convicted of something we are accountable for that something. People who are given titles such as
doctor, lawyer, teacher, are very excited upon receiving their degrees- their titles. Does receiving that title change
anything? Are they no longer accountable to know how to heal, to defend, to teach? No, they are expected to know
exactly what their title claims. They are expected to be well learned doctors, lawyers, and teachers. They are expected
to keep up with the advances in society in order to remain well learned and to live up to their titles.
Why is it then that when some Christians accept Christ and are 'saved', do they believe they are no longer
accountable for their actions? That automatically they are forgiven whatever they do? Yes, we are forgiven is we ask
for forgiveness, but being a Christian isn't a license to sin. It isn't a get in free card that you flash each time you sin
and go on to the next sin happily because you can flash that card. If anything being a Christian and knowing that we
are forgiven because of Christ's sacrifice, that He suffered for our sins, should have us striving not to sin- not because
it will save us, but because sin separates us from God and the last thing any Christian should want is to be separated
from the God who can save them, who loves them with a love beyond our comprehension.
Don't get caught in the trap that you don't have to resist sin unto blood- that you don't have be chastened and shown
your wrong ways, that you won't be scourged or punished in various ways throughout your life. Don't believe that
God has left you when you are suffering at your worst, don't believe that this world will be all fun and games, all light
and happiness, it's not. Only our life in Christ can bring us happiness and NOTHING can take Christ from us unless
we allow it to happen, nothing.
Remember--
{12:5} And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him
{12:6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{12:7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
{12:8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
{12:9} Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us,] and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
{12:10} For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be
partakers of his holiness. {12:11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless
afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
By His mercy and grace now and forever in Jesus we ask that we remember and take heart, that we can endure till
the end in His righteousness.
Amen.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Hebrews 12 A
Hebrews
{12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
{12:2} Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Jesus is our example.
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Jesus is our High Priest.
Jesus is our advocate.
Jesus endured so much when He didn't have to endure anything at all. No one forced Him.
Jesus suffered.
Why do we think we shouldn't have to suffer?
Why?
We do think that. We do.
We hate suffering and would do anything to not suffer. We sell our souls so to speak so we don't suffer.
Anything we cry out, anything so the pain goes away.
The trouble is that anything so we don't have to suffer is often too much and because we'd rather not suffer at all.
Christ didn't want to suffer, but he chose to because it was the only way He could obtain salvation for us.
If He being innocent suffered so much greater than we ever could even in the most horrific of ways, we who are guilty at least deserve our punishments, our suffering. Even if we think we don't, even if we think we are *good* people, undeserving of any suffering, in truth we're not. We're guilty sinners and we need to recognize that and understand that any suffering we are asked to endure now is nothing compared to the suffering of the Innocent One.
If our Savior suffered, we will suffer.
Sin, any sin we cherish we will have to suffer to lay aside and if we think for some unknown reason that we don't have to suffer, that we shouldn't have to give up any sins, well, just read this again--
Hebrews
{12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
{12:2} Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
May the Lord bless and keep us by His mercy and grace, helping us to realize that we need to set aside ANYTHING that would keep us from following Him, anything.
In His Name now and forever.
Amen.
{12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
{12:2} Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Jesus is our example.
Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Jesus is our High Priest.
Jesus is our advocate.
Jesus endured so much when He didn't have to endure anything at all. No one forced Him.
Jesus suffered.
Why do we think we shouldn't have to suffer?
Why?
We do think that. We do.
We hate suffering and would do anything to not suffer. We sell our souls so to speak so we don't suffer.
Anything we cry out, anything so the pain goes away.
The trouble is that anything so we don't have to suffer is often too much and because we'd rather not suffer at all.
Christ didn't want to suffer, but he chose to because it was the only way He could obtain salvation for us.
If He being innocent suffered so much greater than we ever could even in the most horrific of ways, we who are guilty at least deserve our punishments, our suffering. Even if we think we don't, even if we think we are *good* people, undeserving of any suffering, in truth we're not. We're guilty sinners and we need to recognize that and understand that any suffering we are asked to endure now is nothing compared to the suffering of the Innocent One.
If our Savior suffered, we will suffer.
Sin, any sin we cherish we will have to suffer to lay aside and if we think for some unknown reason that we don't have to suffer, that we shouldn't have to give up any sins, well, just read this again--
Hebrews
{12:1} Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us
{12:2} Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
{12:3} For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
{12:4} Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
May the Lord bless and keep us by His mercy and grace, helping us to realize that we need to set aside ANYTHING that would keep us from following Him, anything.
In His Name now and forever.
Amen.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dearly Departed
Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
Last night something quite extraordinary happened, at least in my mind.
For sometime now I've known that my sister's deceased husband Ben was the catalyst to my renewed walk with Christ. In fact it was his death that made it ultimately possible.
For a long time the Lord had been touching my heart through my children and their wanting me to stop the radio station in the car on various Christian songs they liked. The songs began to touch my heart and I began accumulating them on my computer to play, and soon it was all I was listening to. While this was taking place my brother in law was growing more and more ill.
As is the way of things we don't know what's going to happen or why, it's just impossible for us to predict things. We don't hold thoughts of God in our own minds. We can't figure God out, His ways are so far above our own. If anything it is more likely we'll look back and see things in the perspective that allows us to catch glimpses of God's infinitely superior ways.
For my sister Debbie the loss of her husband was most devastating, rocking the foundation she'd rested upon in her own walk with Christ. Daily prayers, numerous prayers, a life of prayer for others was thrown into confusion.
How could she feel the same towards God when He had the power to heal her husband and chose to let him die?
It's not unusual to blame God when we lose a loved one, not at all.
Logically we know that God's ways are above our own and that the evil in the world stems from Satan, but we do also know God has amazing powers and where He wills they are used. When they're not used in situations we believe they should be our faith is tested and tried, because God's ways are beyond our understanding and we want to understand.
So here my sister's whole life was going through a powerful transition and her pain, her agony, her fears were drawing people to her to help her. I was one of those people and because of her fear I (one of several who would take turns) would go over and stay with her at night. During these nights we'd talk and talk and talk and God was leading me closer and closer to Him right to the point that Debbie and I asked our other sisters and mother if they wanted to study with us.
The rest, as they say, is history. We've been getting together to worship God and study, watching current events, fellowshipping ever since.
If my sister's husband hadn't died none of that would have happened.
Well, last night as we were studying once again it came up. My sister Debbie lamenting the fact her own life was so changed from how it used to be, how she's drifted from her prayers which were at one time such an important part of her life. Tracing it all back to her anger towards God for taking her husband from her.
And then...well, the God did something shedding enlightenment upon us.
Her husband's death was necessary.
And her husband in the day of Christ's return, when He and Debbie are reunited once more will be thrilled to know that his death wasn't in vain. That through his death others were brought back to the place of salvation. What wonder, what joy to have that knowledge. We all hope to impact others so they'll find the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior that they'll turn to Him through faith and accept His sacrifice, accept the salvation He alone provides. My brother in law Ben will have this amazing, truly amazing joy to realize what a catalyst He's been, even after death. I can imagine him smiling, imagine him with that twinkle in his eyes as he humbly acknowledges his own happiness that his death wasn't in vain but used for something so amazing.
God wasn't done with His amazing revelations to us though.
My sister Debbie mentioned the year of our conversion long ago, the beginning of our walk into the light and truth, saying when was it...1982 or 83, we discussed it a bit and decided yes 82 or 83. Then my other sister Diane mentioned the date of her own conversion as being 1985 and a chill ran down my spine. My father's death.
My father died in 1985 and as a result I moved to Texas and by God's grace that resulted in my sister Diane finding her way to the Lord. Without my father's death that wouldn't have happened.
Two men that never even met both part of our family, both in the hands of God used even in death to guide others to the Lord. Jewels for their crowns, praise the Lord.
Timothy {4:8} 'Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'
James {1:12} 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him'
Rev. {2:10} '...be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.'
1 Pet. {5:4} 'And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'
Yes, we shall receive crowns and the jewels in those crowns will be there.
How amazing to be given the revelation of the joy those truly, dearly departed, will have in the day of Christ's return as they're raised up from the grave to meet the Lord in the air.
All glory and praise unto our Lord and Savior whose wisdom far surpasses anything we can even begin to imagine.
While we might want to cling to the pain of the passing of our loved ones, we can allow ourselves the joy of their future joy as well.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Last night something quite extraordinary happened, at least in my mind.
For sometime now I've known that my sister's deceased husband Ben was the catalyst to my renewed walk with Christ. In fact it was his death that made it ultimately possible.
For a long time the Lord had been touching my heart through my children and their wanting me to stop the radio station in the car on various Christian songs they liked. The songs began to touch my heart and I began accumulating them on my computer to play, and soon it was all I was listening to. While this was taking place my brother in law was growing more and more ill.
As is the way of things we don't know what's going to happen or why, it's just impossible for us to predict things. We don't hold thoughts of God in our own minds. We can't figure God out, His ways are so far above our own. If anything it is more likely we'll look back and see things in the perspective that allows us to catch glimpses of God's infinitely superior ways.
For my sister Debbie the loss of her husband was most devastating, rocking the foundation she'd rested upon in her own walk with Christ. Daily prayers, numerous prayers, a life of prayer for others was thrown into confusion.
How could she feel the same towards God when He had the power to heal her husband and chose to let him die?
It's not unusual to blame God when we lose a loved one, not at all.
Logically we know that God's ways are above our own and that the evil in the world stems from Satan, but we do also know God has amazing powers and where He wills they are used. When they're not used in situations we believe they should be our faith is tested and tried, because God's ways are beyond our understanding and we want to understand.
So here my sister's whole life was going through a powerful transition and her pain, her agony, her fears were drawing people to her to help her. I was one of those people and because of her fear I (one of several who would take turns) would go over and stay with her at night. During these nights we'd talk and talk and talk and God was leading me closer and closer to Him right to the point that Debbie and I asked our other sisters and mother if they wanted to study with us.
The rest, as they say, is history. We've been getting together to worship God and study, watching current events, fellowshipping ever since.
If my sister's husband hadn't died none of that would have happened.
Well, last night as we were studying once again it came up. My sister Debbie lamenting the fact her own life was so changed from how it used to be, how she's drifted from her prayers which were at one time such an important part of her life. Tracing it all back to her anger towards God for taking her husband from her.
And then...well, the God did something shedding enlightenment upon us.
Her husband's death was necessary.
And her husband in the day of Christ's return, when He and Debbie are reunited once more will be thrilled to know that his death wasn't in vain. That through his death others were brought back to the place of salvation. What wonder, what joy to have that knowledge. We all hope to impact others so they'll find the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior that they'll turn to Him through faith and accept His sacrifice, accept the salvation He alone provides. My brother in law Ben will have this amazing, truly amazing joy to realize what a catalyst He's been, even after death. I can imagine him smiling, imagine him with that twinkle in his eyes as he humbly acknowledges his own happiness that his death wasn't in vain but used for something so amazing.
God wasn't done with His amazing revelations to us though.
My sister Debbie mentioned the year of our conversion long ago, the beginning of our walk into the light and truth, saying when was it...1982 or 83, we discussed it a bit and decided yes 82 or 83. Then my other sister Diane mentioned the date of her own conversion as being 1985 and a chill ran down my spine. My father's death.
My father died in 1985 and as a result I moved to Texas and by God's grace that resulted in my sister Diane finding her way to the Lord. Without my father's death that wouldn't have happened.
Two men that never even met both part of our family, both in the hands of God used even in death to guide others to the Lord. Jewels for their crowns, praise the Lord.
Timothy {4:8} 'Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'
James {1:12} 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him'
Rev. {2:10} '...be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.'
1 Pet. {5:4} 'And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'
Yes, we shall receive crowns and the jewels in those crowns will be there.
How amazing to be given the revelation of the joy those truly, dearly departed, will have in the day of Christ's return as they're raised up from the grave to meet the Lord in the air.
All glory and praise unto our Lord and Savior whose wisdom far surpasses anything we can even begin to imagine.
While we might want to cling to the pain of the passing of our loved ones, we can allow ourselves the joy of their future joy as well.
By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Hebrews 11 H Perfect in Faith
{11:30} By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
By faith the walls of a city fell down! City walls don't just fall down, they don't. Seriously, do walls just fall down out of the blue? No. By faith these walls were brought down. By faith.
{11:31} By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
A part of a group of unbelievers a prostitute didn't die with them...why? Because by faith she took in the spies of God and did so with peace. Even in a group of unbelievers there can be found faith and that is a saving faith.
{11:32} And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets{11:33} Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions{11:34} Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35} Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection{11:36} And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment{11:37} They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented{11:38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39} And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise{11:40} God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
These amazing people of faith. Their lives were lives of pain, agony, death. These people, people like you and I, by faith did so much. Or rather, God did so much through them by faith. Kingdoms were subdued, they obtained promises, stopped the lions mouths, stopped fires, the dead were raised to life. Great feats of faith and great rewards of torture and pain.
Every single person that walked by faith did so living out their lives without ever seeing the promise made to them of life eternal.
Why?
Read that last verse again-
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
Those great men and women of faith would not be made perfect without us!
This huge wonderful family of God needs all its members to be perfect before the promise is fulfilled.
We ask ourselves why God waits, why does the suffering go on and on.
I say we need to wait for all things to be fulfilled that were prophesized. God couldn't end things without the fulness of time and all things being complete because it's intricatedly tied to the overall plan. The plan that includes all who have faith being saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ so that without every last person of faith the body of Christ, the church of Christ would not be complete!
The wait is necessary, the wait full of suffering and yet the promise reward worth it all.
The reward of eternity has no price.
The reward of a life with our Lord and Savior, with the purest love ever is our hope, to be a part of the family of God, the children of God.
May we through grace obtain the faith of all those who before us and complete the family.
By the will and mercy of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
By faith the walls of a city fell down! City walls don't just fall down, they don't. Seriously, do walls just fall down out of the blue? No. By faith these walls were brought down. By faith.
{11:31} By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
A part of a group of unbelievers a prostitute didn't die with them...why? Because by faith she took in the spies of God and did so with peace. Even in a group of unbelievers there can be found faith and that is a saving faith.
{11:32} And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets{11:33} Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions{11:34} Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {11:35} Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection{11:36} And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment{11:37} They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented{11:38} (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. {11:39} And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise{11:40} God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
These amazing people of faith. Their lives were lives of pain, agony, death. These people, people like you and I, by faith did so much. Or rather, God did so much through them by faith. Kingdoms were subdued, they obtained promises, stopped the lions mouths, stopped fires, the dead were raised to life. Great feats of faith and great rewards of torture and pain.
Every single person that walked by faith did so living out their lives without ever seeing the promise made to them of life eternal.
Why?
Read that last verse again-
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not bemade perfect.
Those great men and women of faith would not be made perfect without us!
This huge wonderful family of God needs all its members to be perfect before the promise is fulfilled.
We ask ourselves why God waits, why does the suffering go on and on.
I say we need to wait for all things to be fulfilled that were prophesized. God couldn't end things without the fulness of time and all things being complete because it's intricatedly tied to the overall plan. The plan that includes all who have faith being saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ so that without every last person of faith the body of Christ, the church of Christ would not be complete!
The wait is necessary, the wait full of suffering and yet the promise reward worth it all.
The reward of eternity has no price.
The reward of a life with our Lord and Savior, with the purest love ever is our hope, to be a part of the family of God, the children of God.
May we through grace obtain the faith of all those who before us and complete the family.
By the will and mercy of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Hebrews 11 G
{11:24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter{11:25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season{11:26} Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
The reproach or Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt and WE know that Egypt had great, great treasures. People have been hunting for those treasures for thousands of years. The wealth of kings at your fingertips and for Moses it might as well have been nothing more than dust. Christ meant more to Moses than all those treasures.
{11:27} By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By choosing to leave Pharoah and follow the people of God, Moses made a choice to give up riches and a life of ease. By forsaking Egypt, Moses did not let the wrath of the King shake his faith, he endured why.... seeing him who is invisible! Seeing God.
{11:28} Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Through faith he listened to God and put the blood on the mantle of the house so the firstborn of Egypt wouldn't be destroyed.
{11:29} By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land:] which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Through faith he passed through the Red Sea, the same Red Sea that killed the Eygptians.
Moses' walk by faith is amazing! We need to study that walk. We need faith in the invisible! Faith in God! Faith. We need it so desperately. We need to live beyond this world. We need to grab hold of God by faith and not let go. We will be tried. People will tell us we're fools. People will say there is no God. People will say that it's foolish to believe in the unseen without any proof. We will be mocked. We will be ridiculed. Doubt will be thrown at us all the time... all the time. We will be assailed on every side. People will throw logic at us, they'll try to get us to doubt our believe. Satan- an unseen enemy will do the same without all his angels helping him. We aren't safe on our own. By faith we need to cling to the cross and walk with Christ now and always!
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen.
The reproach or Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt and WE know that Egypt had great, great treasures. People have been hunting for those treasures for thousands of years. The wealth of kings at your fingertips and for Moses it might as well have been nothing more than dust. Christ meant more to Moses than all those treasures.
{11:27} By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
By choosing to leave Pharoah and follow the people of God, Moses made a choice to give up riches and a life of ease. By forsaking Egypt, Moses did not let the wrath of the King shake his faith, he endured why.... seeing him who is invisible! Seeing God.
{11:28} Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Through faith he listened to God and put the blood on the mantle of the house so the firstborn of Egypt wouldn't be destroyed.
{11:29} By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land:] which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Through faith he passed through the Red Sea, the same Red Sea that killed the Eygptians.
Moses' walk by faith is amazing! We need to study that walk. We need faith in the invisible! Faith in God! Faith. We need it so desperately. We need to live beyond this world. We need to grab hold of God by faith and not let go. We will be tried. People will tell us we're fools. People will say there is no God. People will say that it's foolish to believe in the unseen without any proof. We will be mocked. We will be ridiculed. Doubt will be thrown at us all the time... all the time. We will be assailed on every side. People will throw logic at us, they'll try to get us to doubt our believe. Satan- an unseen enemy will do the same without all his angels helping him. We aren't safe on our own. By faith we need to cling to the cross and walk with Christ now and always!
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever. Amen.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Hebrews 11 F Suffer Affliction
{11:20} By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. {11:21} By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, [leaning] upon the top of his staff.{11:22} By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. {11:23} By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw [he was] a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. {11:24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter{11:25} Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season
Choosing.
Making a choice.
To chose.
This act of choice is voluntary. You pick one way or another. You can't NOT pick.
There is one way or there is another way.
Here the choice for Moses was to stay living a life of pure ease under the Egyptian rule as an Egyptian prince or...Choose to live as a slave and suffer as all the other children of God were.
Did he enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
We all know what the pleasures of sin are don't we? Or maybe our senses are so warped we no longer call sin, sin. Maybe our pleasure is something we consider our right and how could something that is our right to have be sin?We were made to feel pleasure and so it stands to reason that we would seek pleasure but at what price? Is pleasure our right just because we can feel it? We are creatures with the ability to choose and make choices and we can make selfish choices or unselfish choices.When our choices are based upon our own pleasure, when they are based upon ourselves we call it our right, our due, in fact we call it our God given due just because we are made to feel pleasure. Selfishness. Thinking of our selves first is never good and yet more and more we are encouraged to do that. To take care of ourselves first and then bother about others. Moses chose to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.We need to determine what pleasures are sinful and then determined not to enjoy those sins for a season no matter how much pleasure we get from them. Sacrificing self is necessary we can't get around it not if we want to stand with the people of God.
By grace we are saved through faith.
Our lives should be lived by faith.
Lived by faith.
It's through faith that we are saved by grace. It stands to reason we should live by faith, our daily lives lived by faith. Faith that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
We need to choose just as Moses chose, to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
**
A small excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis-
'Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever?Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?'
Choosing.
Making a choice.
To chose.
This act of choice is voluntary. You pick one way or another. You can't NOT pick.
There is one way or there is another way.
Here the choice for Moses was to stay living a life of pure ease under the Egyptian rule as an Egyptian prince or...Choose to live as a slave and suffer as all the other children of God were.
Did he enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
We all know what the pleasures of sin are don't we? Or maybe our senses are so warped we no longer call sin, sin. Maybe our pleasure is something we consider our right and how could something that is our right to have be sin?We were made to feel pleasure and so it stands to reason that we would seek pleasure but at what price? Is pleasure our right just because we can feel it? We are creatures with the ability to choose and make choices and we can make selfish choices or unselfish choices.When our choices are based upon our own pleasure, when they are based upon ourselves we call it our right, our due, in fact we call it our God given due just because we are made to feel pleasure. Selfishness. Thinking of our selves first is never good and yet more and more we are encouraged to do that. To take care of ourselves first and then bother about others. Moses chose to suffer rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.We need to determine what pleasures are sinful and then determined not to enjoy those sins for a season no matter how much pleasure we get from them. Sacrificing self is necessary we can't get around it not if we want to stand with the people of God.
By grace we are saved through faith.
Our lives should be lived by faith.
Lived by faith.
It's through faith that we are saved by grace. It stands to reason we should live by faith, our daily lives lived by faith. Faith that we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord now and forever.
We need to choose just as Moses chose, to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
**
A small excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis-
'Once a man is united to God, how could he not live forever?Once a man is separated from God, what can he do but wither and die?'
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