John
{3:16} For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. {3:17} For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the
world through him might be saved.
*******
Matthew
{21:12} And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast
out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of
them that sold doves, {21:13} And said unto them, It is
written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye
have made it a den of thieves.
*******
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but thta the world through him might be saved...
Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers and seats of them that sold doves.
We want Jesus to condemn don't we? Seriously. When He overthrew tables and chairs and cast out the wrongdoers in the temple the imagery of it all is amazing. Jesus filled with a righteous wrath because overthrowing and casting out isn't done with smiles. We want evil to be condemned and we feel inside ourselves this righteous wrath when we are injured, when we are despitefully used, when we are treated with disrespect, we feel this anger inside of us and is it righteous? Is the anger we feel justified? Is the anger akin to Jesus' wrath as He over turned furniture and kicked people out of the temple? We want to believe it is, but truly can it be?
Jesus was sinless in His wrath. There was no personal injury on His behalf that He was trying to champion, no personal wrong that He was trying to avenge. He said unto those in the temple- It is written My house shall be called the house of prayer - but ye have made it a den of thieves.
It is written.
God's house shall be called a house of prayer.
Buying and selling, exchaning money even for animal sacrifices to be made in the temple wasn't in accord with God's will. It wasn't written you shall buy and sell in my house, that you should cheat people and sell for gain, that you shall barter a price on a sacrifice, that you should make my house a place of haggling and forget all about it being a place of prayer. There was a sacredness in the temple and people had lost sight of that. Jesus saw the totally disregard for His father's house and righteously revealed the evil going on right in the temple.
Our anger isn't sinless, it isn't righteous because more often than not our supposed righteous indignation comes from selfish origins. You want to protest not always and maybe you're right, I can't condemn you for anything it's not my place. Jesus came into the world to save the world, not to condemn the world. If we want condemnation we aren't looking to Jesus.
Jesus came to save. Yes, Jesus felt a righteous indignation as His father's house was descrated but it wasn't a selfish indignation. He didn't condemn the world in that act, He condemned actions. Jesus can condemn and has to condemn sin, but the sinner He longs to save.
May God help us to recognize the actions in our lives that are worthy of condemnation and may we beg for forgiveness for those actions and seek salvation in Christ, by His everlasting mercy and grace.
Amen.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Faith in the only one trustworthy.
1 Peter
{2:19} For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
Suffering wrongfully.
Innocents suffer wrongfully. Man is not innocent by nature. Children are innocent until they reach their own age of accountability, there is no set age but rather the maturity that brings accountability with it. Once someone knows right from wrong then they are accountable to do right rather than wrong. Once the choices begin and the child chooses the wrong over the right, again accountability is in effect. We all know that as children it starts young, our wrongs are innocent until we are taught they are wrong. Not touching a hot stovetop is something we are taught, but at first we are kept safe by keeping us away from the hot stovetop. Later we are told not to touch the hot stove it could hurt us. We choose whether or not to listen to that admonishment. If we choose not to listen and put our fingers on the hot stove we get burned- an instant punishment is given us for our wrong doing. Was it an innocent wrong when we we were told not to touch and we did? The choosing not to listen makes it a choice for wrong. As we grow up we are told our actions have consequences and not all of those consequences are immediately felt such as the touching of the hot stovetop resulting in burnt fingers. Sometimes it's best if we do get immediate consequences isn't it? Maybe if all wrong doing resulted in immediate punishment there'd be less wrong doing, but that's not how it all works.
Choices. We all make them and starting very young. Only the innocents suffer wrongfully, right? No, that's not right. Innocents do suffer, but so do the guilty.
Man by nature matures and guilt abounds. We find forgiveness in Christ, He died to take away our sins. Once we are made innocent in Christ, through Christ's righteousness we are like a child before accountability, innocent. Every day we make choices that can produce more guilt and more need of forgiveness, or we can make choices that result in remaining innocent- through the grace of Christ.
Suffering wrongfully.
Suffering undeservedly.
By the guilt of our nature anything that happens to us is deserved, but we still have that sense of being undeserving of guilt when we've not done wrong and when we've asked for forgiveness. This is why we must consider it thankworthy suffering wrongfully, because the only one who never deserved a single ounce of suffering, suffered the most for us who deserve all the suffering in the world.
It's not oh, God why me?! But oh, God... thank you, keep me strong in faith, in love, in you. Now, if only we can truly remember that when the suffering and grief come to us. May God remind us that the suffering now is only temporary however horrific when we are in the midst of the pain, the agony, the emotional turmoil, the physical horrors.
By His grace, help us remember, to trust, to believe, to have faith in the only one trustworthy.
Thank you Lord, thank you our heavenly Father.
Amen.
{2:19} For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
Suffering wrongfully.
Innocents suffer wrongfully. Man is not innocent by nature. Children are innocent until they reach their own age of accountability, there is no set age but rather the maturity that brings accountability with it. Once someone knows right from wrong then they are accountable to do right rather than wrong. Once the choices begin and the child chooses the wrong over the right, again accountability is in effect. We all know that as children it starts young, our wrongs are innocent until we are taught they are wrong. Not touching a hot stovetop is something we are taught, but at first we are kept safe by keeping us away from the hot stovetop. Later we are told not to touch the hot stove it could hurt us. We choose whether or not to listen to that admonishment. If we choose not to listen and put our fingers on the hot stove we get burned- an instant punishment is given us for our wrong doing. Was it an innocent wrong when we we were told not to touch and we did? The choosing not to listen makes it a choice for wrong. As we grow up we are told our actions have consequences and not all of those consequences are immediately felt such as the touching of the hot stovetop resulting in burnt fingers. Sometimes it's best if we do get immediate consequences isn't it? Maybe if all wrong doing resulted in immediate punishment there'd be less wrong doing, but that's not how it all works.
Choices. We all make them and starting very young. Only the innocents suffer wrongfully, right? No, that's not right. Innocents do suffer, but so do the guilty.
Man by nature matures and guilt abounds. We find forgiveness in Christ, He died to take away our sins. Once we are made innocent in Christ, through Christ's righteousness we are like a child before accountability, innocent. Every day we make choices that can produce more guilt and more need of forgiveness, or we can make choices that result in remaining innocent- through the grace of Christ.
Suffering wrongfully.
Suffering undeservedly.
By the guilt of our nature anything that happens to us is deserved, but we still have that sense of being undeserving of guilt when we've not done wrong and when we've asked for forgiveness. This is why we must consider it thankworthy suffering wrongfully, because the only one who never deserved a single ounce of suffering, suffered the most for us who deserve all the suffering in the world.
It's not oh, God why me?! But oh, God... thank you, keep me strong in faith, in love, in you. Now, if only we can truly remember that when the suffering and grief come to us. May God remind us that the suffering now is only temporary however horrific when we are in the midst of the pain, the agony, the emotional turmoil, the physical horrors.
By His grace, help us remember, to trust, to believe, to have faith in the only one trustworthy.
Thank you Lord, thank you our heavenly Father.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Conscience toward God
1 Peter {2:19} For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. {2:20} For what glory [is it,] if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God. {2:21} For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: {2:22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: {2:23} Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: {2:24} Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. {2:25} For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
For conscience toward God...
How can we have our conscience toward God?
conscience
conscience (kòn´shens) noun
1. a. The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong: Let your conscience be your guide. b. A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement: a document that serves as the nation's conscience. c. Conformity to one's own sense of right conduct: a person of unflagging conscience.
2. The part of the superego in psychoanalysis that judges the ethical nature of one's actions and thoughts and then transmits such determinations to the ego for consideration.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
We need an awareness of our moral responsibility to God. When we have our conscience towards God then we prefer what God prefers and not what we naturally prefer selfishly. To have our conscience towards God is thankworthy, meaning we have reason to give thanks if our conscience, if our awareness of our responsibility to God, is pronounced in our lives. Too often people have NO conscience towards God. They've taken God out of their lives entirely believing in themselves, believing in humanity, believing in tangible things that just are because those people are without any thought of God at all.
For conscience toward God it is thankworthy...worth thanks if a man--
-- endures grief and suffers wrongfully.
Being thankful for enduring grief??
Being thankful for suffering wrongfully??
Our senses tells us that's wrong! How can we be thankful for grief, for suffering, how? We should be thankful when we don't have to grieve or suffer, right? Yet here we are being told it's thankworthy to suffer and grieve when we don't deserve to do either. Sure, if we're hateful, spiteful, lying, cheating, and deserving of our grief and suffering we have no one to blame but ourselves for it and being thankful for such suffering is ridiculous. For such suffering we deserve we have no reason to be glad. And you want to say for suffering we don't deserve we should be even less happy about and that's true for the natural man, for the man whose conscience isn't towards God.
If we suffer undeservedly, if we endure grief patiently, thankfully, when we are focused on God guess what? It's is acceptable to God that we do grieve and suffer so. Why? Because Christ suffered for us as an example. He suffered worse than we can ever suffer and He did so without seeking revenge, without ranting and raving, without swearing, He suffered and committed himself to him that judges righteously- He committed Himself to God! He suffered an innocent man as our example. If we are to endure suffering, if we are to endure grief our natural man says to lash out at those causing it all, to give as we are given, to hurt those who are hurting us and yet we can't do that not if our conscience is towards God. With our conscience towards God we suffer as Christ suffered and let God judge. God's judgment isn't clouded by all infallible opinion. God's judgment is true and just and infinitely better than any ability we may think we have to judge. If we let God judge then we are willing to submit ourselves to Him, letting go of our own selfish need to exact revenge and to pay back others for their hurtful, hatefully, horrendous, insidious, reprehensible behavior.
Through Christ we live. Through Christ's righteousness we live. By the suffering of Christ we are healed. No, we aren't promised a live of no suffering and no grief, but we are promised Christ and life eternal through Christ. We are promised that all we endure is nothing compared to what our Savior endured and we should be thankful that we do suffer for Christ, for our conscience towards God because there is life promised in that suffering and grief, a promise through Christ.
1 Peter {2:19} For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. {2:20} For what glory [is it,] if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God. {2:21} For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: {2:22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: {2:23} Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: {2:24} Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. {2:25} For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
It is so hard for our natural selves to be hurt and to be thankful for that hurt. It is so hard for our natural selves to grieve and be thankful for the grief. Only through Christ is it at all possible to be so, knowing that God is in control. God is in control of our lives and we must trust Him. That doesn't mean we won't grieve- that we are to smile through tears- no, it doesn't mean that at all. It doesn't mean we are to laugh through pain. God understands we must cry, and we must feel the agony that grief brings, and to suffer means to feel the pain and yes, to even cry out upon feeling the pain. We aren't called to be smiling as our hearts are torn to shreds or our bodies filled with agony. We are called to be thankful to God, we are called to trust in God, we are called to put all our faith in God that all that horror is for some reason we can't begin to understand and yet God does understand and He alone can judge everything. We are not to judge God. Yes, we cry out WHY GOD?! WHY?! And that's natural as well, but ultimately we have to trust that we can't know the why's of God yet we must still trust in Him.
Is it easy? No. It's suffering, it's grief, it's pain, and that is never easy.
Through it all we know Christ placed all His faith and trust in the Father, Satan tempted Him and YES He could have fallen to the temptation. He didn't have a shield around Himself, He didn't have a special protection from sinning, He was tempted LIKE WE ARE IN ALL POINTS and remained without sin. People like to think Christ couldn't have sinned, but that's wrong. He could have and He didn't. He had faith in the Father. He was constantly praying to the Father, constantly seeking the Father and to live for the Father, Christ's conscience was towards God, His Father. His life was lived for the Father, saving us through His suffering.
Ease isn't something we're promised when we have our conscience towards God. Life eternal is the promise we are given through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, by His amazing grace and mercy now and forever.
Amen.
For conscience toward God...
How can we have our conscience toward God?
conscience
conscience (kòn´shens) noun
1. a. The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong: Let your conscience be your guide. b. A source of moral or ethical judgment or pronouncement: a document that serves as the nation's conscience. c. Conformity to one's own sense of right conduct: a person of unflagging conscience.
2. The part of the superego in psychoanalysis that judges the ethical nature of one's actions and thoughts and then transmits such determinations to the ego for consideration.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary
We need an awareness of our moral responsibility to God. When we have our conscience towards God then we prefer what God prefers and not what we naturally prefer selfishly. To have our conscience towards God is thankworthy, meaning we have reason to give thanks if our conscience, if our awareness of our responsibility to God, is pronounced in our lives. Too often people have NO conscience towards God. They've taken God out of their lives entirely believing in themselves, believing in humanity, believing in tangible things that just are because those people are without any thought of God at all.
For conscience toward God it is thankworthy...worth thanks if a man--
-- endures grief and suffers wrongfully.
Being thankful for enduring grief??
Being thankful for suffering wrongfully??
Our senses tells us that's wrong! How can we be thankful for grief, for suffering, how? We should be thankful when we don't have to grieve or suffer, right? Yet here we are being told it's thankworthy to suffer and grieve when we don't deserve to do either. Sure, if we're hateful, spiteful, lying, cheating, and deserving of our grief and suffering we have no one to blame but ourselves for it and being thankful for such suffering is ridiculous. For such suffering we deserve we have no reason to be glad. And you want to say for suffering we don't deserve we should be even less happy about and that's true for the natural man, for the man whose conscience isn't towards God.
If we suffer undeservedly, if we endure grief patiently, thankfully, when we are focused on God guess what? It's is acceptable to God that we do grieve and suffer so. Why? Because Christ suffered for us as an example. He suffered worse than we can ever suffer and He did so without seeking revenge, without ranting and raving, without swearing, He suffered and committed himself to him that judges righteously- He committed Himself to God! He suffered an innocent man as our example. If we are to endure suffering, if we are to endure grief our natural man says to lash out at those causing it all, to give as we are given, to hurt those who are hurting us and yet we can't do that not if our conscience is towards God. With our conscience towards God we suffer as Christ suffered and let God judge. God's judgment isn't clouded by all infallible opinion. God's judgment is true and just and infinitely better than any ability we may think we have to judge. If we let God judge then we are willing to submit ourselves to Him, letting go of our own selfish need to exact revenge and to pay back others for their hurtful, hatefully, horrendous, insidious, reprehensible behavior.
Through Christ we live. Through Christ's righteousness we live. By the suffering of Christ we are healed. No, we aren't promised a live of no suffering and no grief, but we are promised Christ and life eternal through Christ. We are promised that all we endure is nothing compared to what our Savior endured and we should be thankful that we do suffer for Christ, for our conscience towards God because there is life promised in that suffering and grief, a promise through Christ.
1 Peter {2:19} For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. {2:20} For what glory [is it,] if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God. {2:21} For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: {2:22} Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: {2:23} Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: {2:24} Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. {2:25} For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
It is so hard for our natural selves to be hurt and to be thankful for that hurt. It is so hard for our natural selves to grieve and be thankful for the grief. Only through Christ is it at all possible to be so, knowing that God is in control. God is in control of our lives and we must trust Him. That doesn't mean we won't grieve- that we are to smile through tears- no, it doesn't mean that at all. It doesn't mean we are to laugh through pain. God understands we must cry, and we must feel the agony that grief brings, and to suffer means to feel the pain and yes, to even cry out upon feeling the pain. We aren't called to be smiling as our hearts are torn to shreds or our bodies filled with agony. We are called to be thankful to God, we are called to trust in God, we are called to put all our faith in God that all that horror is for some reason we can't begin to understand and yet God does understand and He alone can judge everything. We are not to judge God. Yes, we cry out WHY GOD?! WHY?! And that's natural as well, but ultimately we have to trust that we can't know the why's of God yet we must still trust in Him.
Is it easy? No. It's suffering, it's grief, it's pain, and that is never easy.
Through it all we know Christ placed all His faith and trust in the Father, Satan tempted Him and YES He could have fallen to the temptation. He didn't have a shield around Himself, He didn't have a special protection from sinning, He was tempted LIKE WE ARE IN ALL POINTS and remained without sin. People like to think Christ couldn't have sinned, but that's wrong. He could have and He didn't. He had faith in the Father. He was constantly praying to the Father, constantly seeking the Father and to live for the Father, Christ's conscience was towards God, His Father. His life was lived for the Father, saving us through His suffering.
Ease isn't something we're promised when we have our conscience towards God. Life eternal is the promise we are given through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, by His amazing grace and mercy now and forever.
Amen.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Pray now like never before
James {1:13} Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of
God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth
he any man: {1:14} But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
Heb. {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 be
made perfect.
Heb. {4:15} For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without
sin.
***
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. Some argue of course He was without sin, He was God's Son so He had extra power to keep from sinning. I beg to differ. To be tempted like we are He had to feel the temptation, He had to resist the temptation. True, He didn't have the sinful nature- He wasn't born into sin like we are, He didn't inherit sin, but He was tempted like we are and the same amazing miracle that created Jesus inside Mary, a miracle we cannot fathom and in no way could create ourselves also enabled Jesus to live a unique life as One who was tempted like we are. The Bible says so. The Bible doesn't say Jesus was tempted as Adam and Eve were. It could say that, it really could, but it doesn't. Jesus was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin; that's what the Bible says. Not just tempted like we are, but tempted in ALL points like we are. We know what it is like to be tempted don't we? We know what it means to deny ourselves something because we know it's wrong, and we also know what it means to fall to temptation, to give into it and not resist it, not fight it. Often we've embraced sin in our lives to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, you know, to have fun and do as we please.
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. He resisted temptation, He didn't have to. He felt the pull, the want, the desire and yet he resisted. Satan went after Him full out, He didn't leave Him alone, didn't stop trying to get Jesus to fall into His web of sin.
Those who have faith aren't promised a good life. We are promised the opposite. We are promise deprivation, tormenting, affliction, those are the things we are promised, not happiness, a life of ease, a worry free existence, a pain free life. We are going to be attacked by Satan full out and in many ways, in lots of disguises. If Satan can't get us one way he'll try another, and another, and yes-- another. He won't give up and the only way we can defeat Him is through faith. Not faith in our own ability to do anything at all, but faith in Jesus Christ our Righteousness, our Savior. Faith in Jesus will defeat Satan and Jesus prays for us, prays that our faith won't fail, that it will be strong. In turn when we are strengthened by the love of our Savior we need to help our fellow followers of Christ because all around us and them Satan works without ceasing.
Few of us have trouble believing that Jesus is real, but many of us have trouble making Satan real. It's easier to believe in a good Shepherd watching over us, taking care of us, but harder to name Satan as the one who causes the misery in our lives. You have a bad day where everything seems to go wrong and you tell someone that Satan was really working overtime with you that day and they'll get that squinting look in their eyes that says they think you're a little off your rocker. Sure say you're having a bad day, but don't mention who might be behind it because well...we all have bad days and surely Satan isn't behind all things bad. He's not behind the waking up late and missing the bus, he's not behind the ruined dress that some how became torn in the dryer, he has nothing to do with your spilling that coffee on your trousers... those are just things that happen end of story. To say that Satan caused those things means he's a living enitity that actually controls various things, manipulating them and that just won't do- it's like having poltergiests about and that's just creepy. So, lets say it's true that Satan doesn't do those things, that they just happen. Satan influences our reactions to things that happen will you agree to that? No? So Satan doesn't nothing at all, he's not real? But Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan was surely influencing Him- tempting Him to change a rock into bread and such. Isn't that real? Jesus was tempted in all points like we are; Satan was there tempting Jesus to change a rock into bread so it stands to reason that Satan really tempts us and really puts obstacles in our way that make our lives miserable and then some.
Naming Satan as our enemy is a good thing because we recognize Christ's ability to defeat Satan. Christ DID defeat Him and we through Christ can too. But as long as we refuse to acknowledge the reality we live in we allow Satan to work without being seen, we allow Him to control so much of our lives. If you live knowing that Satan is in control of you and what you do by your choice and it doesn't bother you- pray. Pray that your heart will be pricked by the Holy Spirit, that you'll gain understanding and feel the desire to repent. Do you love this world you live in? Has it given you all you've ever wanted? Is this life pain free? Worry free? No, it's not and it's not for all of us. Even the richest, most beautiful, the luckiest person alive has heartache and pain. Is this life here and now truly the way you want it to be for you and in the end do you want to be as if you've never been? Do you want to never have existed? We only know existing because we are, and we can imagine not being because of those we've lost to death's sleep and are no longer with us. Their existence in our lives is over, but we live with the hope that it's not a permanent loss. There is a permanent loss for us, for them, and yet there doesn't have to be. This world is not our end, or rather it doesn't have to be our end as long as we cling to Jesus and accept His sacrifice for us.
Life now might be horrific in many ways, or maybe it's not so bad, but regardless of our existence now Satan is fighting for us and Jesus died for us. We choose.
Pray now like never before because Satan is working harder than ever before to tear down any faith you may have.
May God bless us and keep us, may our faith grow shielding us from the fiery darts of Satan as the evil one seeks to destroy that faith.
By the grace and mercy our our Righteous Lord and Savior now and forever, in Jesus.
Amen.
God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth
he any man: {1:14} But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
Heb. {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 be
made perfect.
Heb. {4:15} For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without
sin.
***
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. Some argue of course He was without sin, He was God's Son so He had extra power to keep from sinning. I beg to differ. To be tempted like we are He had to feel the temptation, He had to resist the temptation. True, He didn't have the sinful nature- He wasn't born into sin like we are, He didn't inherit sin, but He was tempted like we are and the same amazing miracle that created Jesus inside Mary, a miracle we cannot fathom and in no way could create ourselves also enabled Jesus to live a unique life as One who was tempted like we are. The Bible says so. The Bible doesn't say Jesus was tempted as Adam and Eve were. It could say that, it really could, but it doesn't. Jesus was in all points tempted like we are yet without sin; that's what the Bible says. Not just tempted like we are, but tempted in ALL points like we are. We know what it is like to be tempted don't we? We know what it means to deny ourselves something because we know it's wrong, and we also know what it means to fall to temptation, to give into it and not resist it, not fight it. Often we've embraced sin in our lives to fulfill the lusts of our flesh, you know, to have fun and do as we please.
Jesus was tempted like we are- yet without sin. He resisted temptation, He didn't have to. He felt the pull, the want, the desire and yet he resisted. Satan went after Him full out, He didn't leave Him alone, didn't stop trying to get Jesus to fall into His web of sin.
Those who have faith aren't promised a good life. We are promised the opposite. We are promise deprivation, tormenting, affliction, those are the things we are promised, not happiness, a life of ease, a worry free existence, a pain free life. We are going to be attacked by Satan full out and in many ways, in lots of disguises. If Satan can't get us one way he'll try another, and another, and yes-- another. He won't give up and the only way we can defeat Him is through faith. Not faith in our own ability to do anything at all, but faith in Jesus Christ our Righteousness, our Savior. Faith in Jesus will defeat Satan and Jesus prays for us, prays that our faith won't fail, that it will be strong. In turn when we are strengthened by the love of our Savior we need to help our fellow followers of Christ because all around us and them Satan works without ceasing.
Few of us have trouble believing that Jesus is real, but many of us have trouble making Satan real. It's easier to believe in a good Shepherd watching over us, taking care of us, but harder to name Satan as the one who causes the misery in our lives. You have a bad day where everything seems to go wrong and you tell someone that Satan was really working overtime with you that day and they'll get that squinting look in their eyes that says they think you're a little off your rocker. Sure say you're having a bad day, but don't mention who might be behind it because well...we all have bad days and surely Satan isn't behind all things bad. He's not behind the waking up late and missing the bus, he's not behind the ruined dress that some how became torn in the dryer, he has nothing to do with your spilling that coffee on your trousers... those are just things that happen end of story. To say that Satan caused those things means he's a living enitity that actually controls various things, manipulating them and that just won't do- it's like having poltergiests about and that's just creepy. So, lets say it's true that Satan doesn't do those things, that they just happen. Satan influences our reactions to things that happen will you agree to that? No? So Satan doesn't nothing at all, he's not real? But Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan was surely influencing Him- tempting Him to change a rock into bread and such. Isn't that real? Jesus was tempted in all points like we are; Satan was there tempting Jesus to change a rock into bread so it stands to reason that Satan really tempts us and really puts obstacles in our way that make our lives miserable and then some.
Naming Satan as our enemy is a good thing because we recognize Christ's ability to defeat Satan. Christ DID defeat Him and we through Christ can too. But as long as we refuse to acknowledge the reality we live in we allow Satan to work without being seen, we allow Him to control so much of our lives. If you live knowing that Satan is in control of you and what you do by your choice and it doesn't bother you- pray. Pray that your heart will be pricked by the Holy Spirit, that you'll gain understanding and feel the desire to repent. Do you love this world you live in? Has it given you all you've ever wanted? Is this life pain free? Worry free? No, it's not and it's not for all of us. Even the richest, most beautiful, the luckiest person alive has heartache and pain. Is this life here and now truly the way you want it to be for you and in the end do you want to be as if you've never been? Do you want to never have existed? We only know existing because we are, and we can imagine not being because of those we've lost to death's sleep and are no longer with us. Their existence in our lives is over, but we live with the hope that it's not a permanent loss. There is a permanent loss for us, for them, and yet there doesn't have to be. This world is not our end, or rather it doesn't have to be our end as long as we cling to Jesus and accept His sacrifice for us.
Life now might be horrific in many ways, or maybe it's not so bad, but regardless of our existence now Satan is fighting for us and Jesus died for us. We choose.
Pray now like never before because Satan is working harder than ever before to tear down any faith you may have.
May God bless us and keep us, may our faith grow shielding us from the fiery darts of Satan as the evil one seeks to destroy that faith.
By the grace and mercy our our Righteous Lord and Savior now and forever, in Jesus.
Amen.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Our sufficency is of God.
2 John {1:4} I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children
walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father. {1:5} And now I beseech thee, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that
which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
{1:6} And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have
heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
From the beginning the commandment was to love one another. How could it be otherwise? God is love. When man fell into sin it was into a world that knew only love and now it would know the opposite of love, it would know hatred. The commandment to love is a command to live. People try to make it so God is harsh and restrictive, but He's love and all He asks is out of love. Loving one another is so important. Loving one another is what it's all about. Love. Putting others before ourselves. Putting God before ourselves. We walk in love.
1 John {4:11} Beloved, if God so
loved us, we ought also to love one another. {4:12} No man
hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. {4:13}
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.
No man has seen God at any time.
No man has seen God.
God dwells in us... if we love one another. God's love is perfected in us.
We know we dwell in God and God in us because God's given us his Spirit.
With the Holy Spirit in us, living in us, we know that God's love is in us and we can love with God's love. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to love with God's love. Nothing is of ourselves.
2 Cor. {3:4} And such trust have we through Christ to Godward:
{3:5} Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God
Our sufficency is of God.
We are NOT sufficient of ourselves.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, may the Holy Spirit dwell in us so that we may love one another with the only true and powerful love that is God's, all through the love of Christ, by His grace and His mercy now and forever.
Amen.
walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from
the Father. {1:5} And now I beseech thee, lady, not as
though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that
which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
{1:6} And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have
heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
From the beginning the commandment was to love one another. How could it be otherwise? God is love. When man fell into sin it was into a world that knew only love and now it would know the opposite of love, it would know hatred. The commandment to love is a command to live. People try to make it so God is harsh and restrictive, but He's love and all He asks is out of love. Loving one another is so important. Loving one another is what it's all about. Love. Putting others before ourselves. Putting God before ourselves. We walk in love.
1 John {4:11} Beloved, if God so
loved us, we ought also to love one another. {4:12} No man
hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. {4:13}
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.
No man has seen God at any time.
No man has seen God.
God dwells in us... if we love one another. God's love is perfected in us.
We know we dwell in God and God in us because God's given us his Spirit.
With the Holy Spirit in us, living in us, we know that God's love is in us and we can love with God's love. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit will help us to love with God's love. Nothing is of ourselves.
2 Cor. {3:4} And such trust have we through Christ to Godward:
{3:5} Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think
any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God
Our sufficency is of God.
We are NOT sufficient of ourselves.
May the Lord bless us and keep us, may the Holy Spirit dwell in us so that we may love one another with the only true and powerful love that is God's, all through the love of Christ, by His grace and His mercy now and forever.
Amen.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil!
Rev.
{20:7} And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison
{20:8} And shall go out to deceive
the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth
Satan deceives NATIONS!
Why do you think that he can't deceive you?
Rev. {3:9} Behold,
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they
are Jews, and are not, but do lie
The Synagogue of Satan. A congregation of Satan. What does that tell us? What? Satan worshippers. They are real. Any who would not worship God worships Satan, there is NO middle ground. You can try to find a middle ground, you can even label it your own ground because you think you are not going to follow either God or Satan, but it won't change the facts. There are only two sides and no more. There is only good and evil and no more. Liars are of the synagogue of Satan. You don't claim to belong to any synagogue let alone a synagogue of Satan and yet there are only two synagogues and there is no sitting outside between them, there is no between. We live in a world where there are many shades of gray, there are many sides to choose from, there are circumstances which give varying perceptions. We seldom have to choose between two things and only two things, having multiple choices is a way of life for us. We like having choices the more the better because that means we have an opportunity to decide among a lot of things and find something to suit our needs. We love finding things to suit our needs. But having just two choices narrows things down and we have to pick one or the other without any alternatives. There are only two choices in life that lead to our eternal life and the decision is one we make all the time. We have Satan on one hand that will stop at nothing at all to get us to choose His side, even unwittingly. He has counterfiets of the true way set up all along the path to His synagogue and many, many are going to be fooled thinking they are following Christ's way when in fact they aren't. Christ doesn't use trickery, He doesn't try to fool us. He tells us how hard things are going to be for us, but He tells us that in Him we can be saved. He's done the hardest work of all, and we have to cling to Him.
Satan is real.
Satan will deceive nations. Satan has a synagogue. Satan tempted Jesus, Satan tempted humans to sin. Don't make the mistake of thinking he's not after you. When you sit back and relax thinking you're above being tempted, Satan likes that too.
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil, lukewarm is just as bad as being evil because there is no middle ground.
May God bless us and keep us, helping us now and always to be on His side, to choose good over evil, right over wrong, life over death, God over Satan.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
{20:7} And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison
{20:8} And shall go out to deceive
the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth
Satan deceives NATIONS!
Why do you think that he can't deceive you?
Rev. {3:9} Behold,
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they
are Jews, and are not, but do lie
The Synagogue of Satan. A congregation of Satan. What does that tell us? What? Satan worshippers. They are real. Any who would not worship God worships Satan, there is NO middle ground. You can try to find a middle ground, you can even label it your own ground because you think you are not going to follow either God or Satan, but it won't change the facts. There are only two sides and no more. There is only good and evil and no more. Liars are of the synagogue of Satan. You don't claim to belong to any synagogue let alone a synagogue of Satan and yet there are only two synagogues and there is no sitting outside between them, there is no between. We live in a world where there are many shades of gray, there are many sides to choose from, there are circumstances which give varying perceptions. We seldom have to choose between two things and only two things, having multiple choices is a way of life for us. We like having choices the more the better because that means we have an opportunity to decide among a lot of things and find something to suit our needs. We love finding things to suit our needs. But having just two choices narrows things down and we have to pick one or the other without any alternatives. There are only two choices in life that lead to our eternal life and the decision is one we make all the time. We have Satan on one hand that will stop at nothing at all to get us to choose His side, even unwittingly. He has counterfiets of the true way set up all along the path to His synagogue and many, many are going to be fooled thinking they are following Christ's way when in fact they aren't. Christ doesn't use trickery, He doesn't try to fool us. He tells us how hard things are going to be for us, but He tells us that in Him we can be saved. He's done the hardest work of all, and we have to cling to Him.
Satan is real.
Satan will deceive nations. Satan has a synagogue. Satan tempted Jesus, Satan tempted humans to sin. Don't make the mistake of thinking he's not after you. When you sit back and relax thinking you're above being tempted, Satan likes that too.
WAKE UP! You're either hot or cold, good or evil, lukewarm is just as bad as being evil because there is no middle ground.
May God bless us and keep us, helping us now and always to be on His side, to choose good over evil, right over wrong, life over death, God over Satan.
By the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Names Written in Heaven
Luke
{10:17} And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
{10:18} And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
{10:19} Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
*
The disciples knew how real devils were-- they were thrilled that the devils would listen to them through the name of Jesus. Devils, evil spirits, Satan, they are all subject unto Jesus and Jesus only. Only one that is with Jesus can cast out devils. Jesus told them that He saw Satan as lightening falling from heaven. He witnessed Satan being cast out of heaven. Amazing! He is so real and we need to believe in the reality of Satan, of evil. If we dismiss the reality of Satan we are dismissing Christ Himself! People have to wake up! WAKE UP! He's real! He's not some fabrication of someone's overactive and warped imagination.
You are Christ's or you are Satan's, there is no middle ground. You can't hold onto Satan and Christ. You can be caught up by Satan and as soon as you cry out to Christ he will save you from Satan, and it's a choice you'll need to make often because Satan will not stop trying to get you back. He never stops. He'll plot and plan, he'll even step aside and let you glory in Christ in fact the seemingly happier you in Christ the better. Having your life all caught up in Christ serves Satan's plans when he sits back and plots to attack you and steal you back. The higher you are the harder you'll fall and the harder you fall the more wounded you'll be and the more wounded you are the longer it will take you to heal- that's if you ever recover because Satan glories in being able to wound mortally. The longer he can keep you down and keep you from the healing source the happier he is, if he can keep you away from full surrender to the Healer then you're counted as his and he glories in stealing you from Christ's love.
This is REAL!
I want to scream it, I want to shout it, SATAN IS REAL!
Satan is real and he's either working in you or Christ is, that middle ground doesn't exist.
James
{4:7} Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Resist the devil.
RESIST the DEVIL!
John
{11:9} Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
{11:10} But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Do you stumble? We have to walk in the light, we have to have light, the light of Christ in us. We have to draw nigh to God and He'll draw nigh to us. God's not going to force Himself on us. God's not going to push the darkness out of those unwilling to let go of the darkness inside themselves. There has to be a willingness, a surrender, and acceptance.
None of that means a person will be perfect, or that the desire to do evil things will disappear instantly.
The initial surrender and the first Christian walk can be so glorious and as a soldier in Christ's army the battles you face seem very surmountable with Christ at our sides, we feel all but invincible, our walk with Christ is secure and nothing will tear us apart from our Lord and Savior. It's amazing and beautiful if that walk continues on that way but more often than not there will come a time when you are suddenly ripped from that secure place and nothing seems as it was. The hope, the love you felt seems to have disappeared. You even feel God has abandoned you to Satan as the assaults become overpowering. You fall over and over into temptation and the more you fall the more wretched you feel and the further and further out to the sea of sin you go until the safety shore of Christ is out of sight completely and there you are left at sea to flounder- to sink or swim. So maybe you sink but Christ never stops throwing out lifelines even to the deepest part of the sea. Satan will do all he can to keep your eyes focused on the deep, dark sea surrounding you so that every time you might glimpse a lifeline you turn your back on it because you're not ready to swim out of Satan's sea.
Yes, I'm using metaphors but Satan is so real! REAL! And you know what? YOU'll NEVER DEFEAT HIM, but guess what? CHRIST DID! Cling to Christ, cling to Him and find victory.
Christ Himself told the disciples not to rejoice in defeating devils, but rejoice in what??
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
We aren't to rejoice because we defeat any devils but rejoice because our names are written in heaven. The victory is in Jesus! Our rejoicing is in Jesus.
Every victory can be thought of in two ways- Rejoicing over those you've defeated, or rejoicing rather that you won. They are different. Think about it... if you focus on the fact you beat your opponents your happiness is based on their pain, their loss, their defeat. If you focus on the fact you won for the sake of winning without glorying and rejoicing in those you've defeated how much better is it? There are poor sports - those who take defeat badly, and there are poor winners - those who focus on beating their opponents and do not win graciously at all. A true winner is one who wins and shares the victory with all.
Christ didn't want His disciples rejoicing in beating Satan, but in the fact they won eternal life. Rejoicing in Christ!
Victory in Christ!
Hope in Christ!
Faith- the substance of things hoped for- the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11:1
Keep hope in Christ alive.
By His mercy and grace, in His everlasting love.
Amen.
{10:17} And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
{10:18} And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
{10:19} Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
*
The disciples knew how real devils were-- they were thrilled that the devils would listen to them through the name of Jesus. Devils, evil spirits, Satan, they are all subject unto Jesus and Jesus only. Only one that is with Jesus can cast out devils. Jesus told them that He saw Satan as lightening falling from heaven. He witnessed Satan being cast out of heaven. Amazing! He is so real and we need to believe in the reality of Satan, of evil. If we dismiss the reality of Satan we are dismissing Christ Himself! People have to wake up! WAKE UP! He's real! He's not some fabrication of someone's overactive and warped imagination.
You are Christ's or you are Satan's, there is no middle ground. You can't hold onto Satan and Christ. You can be caught up by Satan and as soon as you cry out to Christ he will save you from Satan, and it's a choice you'll need to make often because Satan will not stop trying to get you back. He never stops. He'll plot and plan, he'll even step aside and let you glory in Christ in fact the seemingly happier you in Christ the better. Having your life all caught up in Christ serves Satan's plans when he sits back and plots to attack you and steal you back. The higher you are the harder you'll fall and the harder you fall the more wounded you'll be and the more wounded you are the longer it will take you to heal- that's if you ever recover because Satan glories in being able to wound mortally. The longer he can keep you down and keep you from the healing source the happier he is, if he can keep you away from full surrender to the Healer then you're counted as his and he glories in stealing you from Christ's love.
This is REAL!
I want to scream it, I want to shout it, SATAN IS REAL!
Satan is real and he's either working in you or Christ is, that middle ground doesn't exist.
James
{4:7} Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
{4:8} Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Resist the devil.
RESIST the DEVIL!
John
{11:9} Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
{11:10} But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Do you stumble? We have to walk in the light, we have to have light, the light of Christ in us. We have to draw nigh to God and He'll draw nigh to us. God's not going to force Himself on us. God's not going to push the darkness out of those unwilling to let go of the darkness inside themselves. There has to be a willingness, a surrender, and acceptance.
None of that means a person will be perfect, or that the desire to do evil things will disappear instantly.
The initial surrender and the first Christian walk can be so glorious and as a soldier in Christ's army the battles you face seem very surmountable with Christ at our sides, we feel all but invincible, our walk with Christ is secure and nothing will tear us apart from our Lord and Savior. It's amazing and beautiful if that walk continues on that way but more often than not there will come a time when you are suddenly ripped from that secure place and nothing seems as it was. The hope, the love you felt seems to have disappeared. You even feel God has abandoned you to Satan as the assaults become overpowering. You fall over and over into temptation and the more you fall the more wretched you feel and the further and further out to the sea of sin you go until the safety shore of Christ is out of sight completely and there you are left at sea to flounder- to sink or swim. So maybe you sink but Christ never stops throwing out lifelines even to the deepest part of the sea. Satan will do all he can to keep your eyes focused on the deep, dark sea surrounding you so that every time you might glimpse a lifeline you turn your back on it because you're not ready to swim out of Satan's sea.
Yes, I'm using metaphors but Satan is so real! REAL! And you know what? YOU'll NEVER DEFEAT HIM, but guess what? CHRIST DID! Cling to Christ, cling to Him and find victory.
Christ Himself told the disciples not to rejoice in defeating devils, but rejoice in what??
{10:20} Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
We aren't to rejoice because we defeat any devils but rejoice because our names are written in heaven. The victory is in Jesus! Our rejoicing is in Jesus.
Every victory can be thought of in two ways- Rejoicing over those you've defeated, or rejoicing rather that you won. They are different. Think about it... if you focus on the fact you beat your opponents your happiness is based on their pain, their loss, their defeat. If you focus on the fact you won for the sake of winning without glorying and rejoicing in those you've defeated how much better is it? There are poor sports - those who take defeat badly, and there are poor winners - those who focus on beating their opponents and do not win graciously at all. A true winner is one who wins and shares the victory with all.
Christ didn't want His disciples rejoicing in beating Satan, but in the fact they won eternal life. Rejoicing in Christ!
Victory in Christ!
Hope in Christ!
Faith- the substance of things hoped for- the evidence of things not seen. Heb. 11:1
Keep hope in Christ alive.
By His mercy and grace, in His everlasting love.
Amen.
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