Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Who hasn't heard the saying- 'Vengeance is mine, sayth the Lord?'
Who among us hasn't want to exact vengeance ourselves and not leave it to God?
Our carnal nature tells us that we deserve vengeance for all the wrongs done to us. Does the same nature tell us that we deserve to have vengeance taken up on us when we wrong another? Or does that nature in us justify our own wrong actions to make the seem right? We say- they just got what they deserved- even if we don't know if that's true. We say- that's just the way life is. But is it the way life is supposed to be? We make excuses for our actions, and we not only do that before our fellow human beings but before God as well.
We don't want God to take vengeance, why? Because we want the satisfaction of exacting vengeance ourselves. We've been wronged and who likes to be wronged? No one. It hurts, and even the biggest, toughest, angriest, meanest man get hurt by being wronged- whether they'd ever admit it or not. They'd much rather disguise the hurt with other things. But it is hurt, betrayal hurts.
God is wounded by our transgressions. God is wounded by our betrayal of Him. We wrong God when we turn our backs on Him, when we refuse to believe He is the great I AM. When we deny He is our Creator, our Sustainer of life! When we turn our backs on LOVE, because He is LOVE!
Vengeance is God's. God alone has the right to vengeance. We are fallible He is Infallible. Our justice is not His justice. When we strive for vengeance we are often consumed by it and our vengeance exceeds any sort of justice. Even if we get it right, we are not showing any sort of mercy- and if we expect mercy for our own many, many transgressions we have to show mercy, all the mercy we can show in fact!
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Read that again!
Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Live peaceably with ALL men.
Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Avenge NOT yourselves.
Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
If thine enemy hunger…. Who? THINE ENEMY! Feed him
If thine enemy thirst…Who? THINE ENEMY! Give him drink.
Why? Because being good to those who despitefully use you only reveals your mercy and their lack of mercy. We need to show our mercy in all things and we show way too little mercy towards others who hurt us in any way. How then can we hope to ever obtain mercy?
We are told...
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Our greatest example of this is God's only Son and the great sacrifice He made to overcome evil.
We need to remember this…
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Can we ever believe we are good enough in anyway? Can we? Seriously? Are we willing to believe that we have righteousness that is our own? Can we stand before God and tell Him we're good enough? No. We don't dare! Christ is righteous and we can only hope that His righteousness is ours as we accept Him as our Savior.
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Vengeance is the Lord's, not ours.
Mercy is ours to extend through the righteousness and mercy of our Savior.
May God open our eyes and hearts to see the truths before us, to see where we need to replace our natural desire for vengeance with mercy in all things the great and the small.
By His love!
Amen.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Despite unto the Spirit of grace
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Under Moses' law- Moses' law entailed blood sacrifices of animals to obtain mercy and forgiveness.
The law after Moses' law entails ONE blood sacrifice and that of the Son of God to obtain mercy and forgiveness.
Despising the form of forgiveness offered before Christ's ultimate sacrifice, warranted death.
Despising the form of forgiveness offered to us after Christ's ultimate sacrifice, warrants death.
Which form of forgiveness is better? Which covenant is better? The one that looks towards the ultimate sacrifice or the ultimate sacrifice itself?
The realization of the true ultimate sacrifice is better without a doubt.
Rejecting the lesser covenant was bad enough, but rejecting the better covenant is worse- much worse.
When we reject our Savior we deserve death. We can reject our Savior right now. You can despise the better covenant in Christ. You can abuse the Spirit of grace. These are facts. There is no such thing as forced salvation.
There is eternal life and eternal death, we will all choose one or the other. Our lives are a living testament to the choice we make. When we die- we can NO longer make the choice. While we live we make the choice. Our witness is the Spirit of grace, our witness sees everything, our witness knows our hearts- only by choosing to accept our Savior do we have any hope because only the Savior's heart is pure and deserving.
The facts are- we have NO hope without Christ. If we neglect so great a salvation we are guilty, guilty, guilty and deserving of any and all punishment reserved for us.
Remember this verse--
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
We won't escape.
We will be punished and deservedly.
1Ti 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
1Ti 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
Our sins are not hid from God.
Psa 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
Eternal death is the result of denying our Savior. This is something we can't let ourselves forget. We have to daily accept our Savior as our advocate, daily accept His sacrifice, daily accept that He pleads our cause before God, daily accept Him as our High Priest- worthy of all honor, all praise, all glory, all of our love, all of our worship!
We cannot not trod under our feet the Son of God and have hope in salvation. To some of us the very idea of stepping on the Son of God as if He were nothing more than dirt is unthinkable! Yet every day many, many, many people do just that as they reject His salvation, as they despise His blood shed for them. To many people Christ isn't a real living, breathing being, but rather a being of fantasy, something fictional. Many people don't know Him personally, and many treat Him despitefully by living their lives as if He's not real, and His commands are not real, and life in Him is not real. Is it any wonder Christ will say to many people that think they know Him, that He doesn't know them at all?
By His grace and His mercy, only and always in HIM!
Amen!
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Under Moses' law- Moses' law entailed blood sacrifices of animals to obtain mercy and forgiveness.
The law after Moses' law entails ONE blood sacrifice and that of the Son of God to obtain mercy and forgiveness.
Despising the form of forgiveness offered before Christ's ultimate sacrifice, warranted death.
Despising the form of forgiveness offered to us after Christ's ultimate sacrifice, warrants death.
Which form of forgiveness is better? Which covenant is better? The one that looks towards the ultimate sacrifice or the ultimate sacrifice itself?
The realization of the true ultimate sacrifice is better without a doubt.
Rejecting the lesser covenant was bad enough, but rejecting the better covenant is worse- much worse.
When we reject our Savior we deserve death. We can reject our Savior right now. You can despise the better covenant in Christ. You can abuse the Spirit of grace. These are facts. There is no such thing as forced salvation.
There is eternal life and eternal death, we will all choose one or the other. Our lives are a living testament to the choice we make. When we die- we can NO longer make the choice. While we live we make the choice. Our witness is the Spirit of grace, our witness sees everything, our witness knows our hearts- only by choosing to accept our Savior do we have any hope because only the Savior's heart is pure and deserving.
The facts are- we have NO hope without Christ. If we neglect so great a salvation we are guilty, guilty, guilty and deserving of any and all punishment reserved for us.
Remember this verse--
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him
We won't escape.
We will be punished and deservedly.
1Ti 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
1Ti 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.
Our sins are not hid from God.
Psa 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
Eternal death is the result of denying our Savior. This is something we can't let ourselves forget. We have to daily accept our Savior as our advocate, daily accept His sacrifice, daily accept that He pleads our cause before God, daily accept Him as our High Priest- worthy of all honor, all praise, all glory, all of our love, all of our worship!
We cannot not trod under our feet the Son of God and have hope in salvation. To some of us the very idea of stepping on the Son of God as if He were nothing more than dirt is unthinkable! Yet every day many, many, many people do just that as they reject His salvation, as they despise His blood shed for them. To many people Christ isn't a real living, breathing being, but rather a being of fantasy, something fictional. Many people don't know Him personally, and many treat Him despitefully by living their lives as if He's not real, and His commands are not real, and life in Him is not real. Is it any wonder Christ will say to many people that think they know Him, that He doesn't know them at all?
By His grace and His mercy, only and always in HIM!
Amen!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Fearful looking for of judgment
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
So are we all doomed? Some people will take this verse- plucking it out of the Bible as if it stands all on it's own and tell you that you are damned, we are all damned and there isn't anything anyone can do about it because we are sinners. If not blatant thieves, adulterers, liars, murderers- then sinners in thoughts, in coveting, in white-lying, in jealousy, if putting "things" before God. It doesn't take all that much to sin, it's rather easy to do. Because we are carnal- because we are flesh- we've inherited sin from the womb.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Sinning is easy- all have sinned. Sin entered the world and the result of sin was death and we all have the ability to die.
We will all die and we will all have a fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation if we do not have the knowledge of truth- understanding the truth that Jesus alone can save us. If we wilfully choose to keep our Savior out of our lives hoping to save ourselves we are doomed. The truth is Jesus died for us. Once we realize this if we choose to believe there is salvation in any other there is no hope.
Only in our Savior- Jesus, only in Him and the Sacrifice He made can we hope to escape the judgment leading to the fiery indignation.
If after you come to the knowledge of truth you reject that knowledge there is no hope.
Those who do reject the knowledge of truth will be judged and they will have NO advocate to plead their case. They will have NO Savior. They will have NOTHING to lay claim to and say they are forgiven. They will stand before the judgment seat, they will stand as the books of judgment are opened and they will be told they rejected the knowledge of truth after they received it - and I imagine they even can be shown exactly when, where, and how they rejected the knowledge of truth. Once shown how they rejected their only hope for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love, they will then be shown all the sin in their lives - sin that they committed willfully, sin that proves they are lovers of sin, lovers of self more than lovers of God. Sin that will prove they don't belong in a sinless world.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
There is hope on in one place and one place only- there is only eternal death without that hope.
Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior- our High Priest, our Sacrifice, our Redeemer - He alone is truth.
We cannot reject the truth, we cannot reject our only hope, we cannot reject our Savior and believe there is still hope left- all that is left is despair and fearfulness.
By the grace of our Savior may we ever hold fast to Him as the truth having knowledge of salvation in Him, let us never reject our hope, our only hope, let us never turn from the truth. May God forgive us, show us mercy, us sinners. May God look to His Son's righteousness and not at our sins as we have been born again in Christ, accepting Him as our Savior- our only hope.
Amen
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
So are we all doomed? Some people will take this verse- plucking it out of the Bible as if it stands all on it's own and tell you that you are damned, we are all damned and there isn't anything anyone can do about it because we are sinners. If not blatant thieves, adulterers, liars, murderers- then sinners in thoughts, in coveting, in white-lying, in jealousy, if putting "things" before God. It doesn't take all that much to sin, it's rather easy to do. Because we are carnal- because we are flesh- we've inherited sin from the womb.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Sinning is easy- all have sinned. Sin entered the world and the result of sin was death and we all have the ability to die.
We will all die and we will all have a fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation if we do not have the knowledge of truth- understanding the truth that Jesus alone can save us. If we wilfully choose to keep our Savior out of our lives hoping to save ourselves we are doomed. The truth is Jesus died for us. Once we realize this if we choose to believe there is salvation in any other there is no hope.
Only in our Savior- Jesus, only in Him and the Sacrifice He made can we hope to escape the judgment leading to the fiery indignation.
If after you come to the knowledge of truth you reject that knowledge there is no hope.
Those who do reject the knowledge of truth will be judged and they will have NO advocate to plead their case. They will have NO Savior. They will have NOTHING to lay claim to and say they are forgiven. They will stand before the judgment seat, they will stand as the books of judgment are opened and they will be told they rejected the knowledge of truth after they received it - and I imagine they even can be shown exactly when, where, and how they rejected the knowledge of truth. Once shown how they rejected their only hope for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and His righteousness, His forgiveness, His love, they will then be shown all the sin in their lives - sin that they committed willfully, sin that proves they are lovers of sin, lovers of self more than lovers of God. Sin that will prove they don't belong in a sinless world.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
There is hope on in one place and one place only- there is only eternal death without that hope.
Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior- our High Priest, our Sacrifice, our Redeemer - He alone is truth.
We cannot reject the truth, we cannot reject our only hope, we cannot reject our Savior and believe there is still hope left- all that is left is despair and fearfulness.
By the grace of our Savior may we ever hold fast to Him as the truth having knowledge of salvation in Him, let us never reject our hope, our only hope, let us never turn from the truth. May God forgive us, show us mercy, us sinners. May God look to His Son's righteousness and not at our sins as we have been born again in Christ, accepting Him as our Savior- our only hope.
Amen
Monday, October 18, 2010
Provoke, Assemble, Exhort
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
So many people believe this is talking about a church setting, telling them they have to go to church or they are forsaking the assembling of themselves together. It's not. This is advocating, or admonishing, people who believe in Christ as their Savior and want to live for Him to get together to help each other out- to provoke to love, to provoke to good works, to encourage each other - something that should be done more and more the closer to the end we get.
If you belong to a church that does this and holds fast to all the truths as the Bible reveals them, praise God! Many however simply go to church because it's expected of them, it's a duty, it's a chore, it's what a Christian is supposed to do. They go to see the latest fashion on those around them, or to hear a very eloquent preacher relay His own personal study on what He believes you might be interested in hearing. Some go so they can be assuaged of guilt they've built up through the last week, others go because it's what they've been taught to do and want their children to do. There are many, many reasons people attend church that have NOTHING to do with provoking others to LOVE and to GOOD WORKS. Many reasons that don't involve exhorting anyone, they don't go to encourage anyone because Christ is coming soon. If you go to a church JUST to listen to a sermon and be on your way after a few handshakes, hugs, and smiles you haven't come together with a group of like believers in the manner Christ would have you do so. So if it's not how Christ would have you get together- it's coming together in a manner someone else would like you to get together as you *play pretend* at being a Christian and that someone is your enemy, an enemy that LOVES when you play pretend Christian.
When you get together with others that believe in Christ and His soon coming just like you do, you should get together to PROVOKE them to love and to good works, you should get together to encourage one another. This is INTERACTION. This isn't being preached at and going on your way back to your every day life in front of the computer, or the tv, maybe both- or even doing yard work, or visiting grandma and grandpa, or who knows maybe it's time for you to get a big meal ready. This isn't what we are told to do.
Think about how you personally can provoke someone of like faith to love and good works. How do you do that?
Provoke
PROVO'KE, v.t. [L.provoco, to call forth; pro and voco, to call.]
1. To call into action; to arouse; to excite…
To call into action their LOVE, their GOOD WORKS.
To arouse them to LOVE, to GOOD WORKS.
As we consider each other- as we think about each other- we are to arouse the desire to love and good works in each other. Notice that LOVE and GOOD WORKS go hand in hand. It's out of love we do good works, isn't it? Love is an action, love is a choice. I'm not talking about the fake- I love you- that means absolutely nothing. I'm not talking about the - I'm infatuated with you love- that means absolutely nothing. I'm talking about the CHOICE you make to do unto others as you would have done to yourself, the choice you make to put aside self and help another. I'm talking about the love that chooses to ACT selflessly- not selfishly. I'm not talking about feelings here and too many associate love with a feeling and not a fact. If they're NOT feeling it, then they don't love- according to the mainstream. To be able to look at someone who is despitefully using you and choose to act in a manner of LOVE, to choose to do good unto them- that is love.
LOVE is a choice of action. Love is a choosing to respond as Christ would respond, not as our own feelings might be egging us on to react. YES, you can LOVE someone by choice without feeling all wishy-washy and sentimental. YES, you can LOVE someone by choice - in fact we are to LOVE all others and if that means taking on some false flowery I'm better than you because I love you so that makes me good-attitude that's NOT love. To say 'I love you' without ANY meaning- isn't love. To say 'I love you' and really choose to love that person is love. And really choosing to love that person means really being interested in their well-being now and their eternal well-being too. No, YOU shouldn't be solely concerned with their eternal well-being. What good does it do to tell someone about the love of Christ and the way to eternal life through Him if they are starving for food and you have the means to give them food but don't?
Love is a choice, love is an action borne out of the choice. Is it any wonder at all we are told to provoke one another to love and good works? To do both? Jesus' example to us was filled with love- filled with His choosing to love others and that love was revealed in every action. He spent a lot of time healing, a lot of time helping- He didn't just stand up on a rocky podium and preach- He healed, He LOVED, and He taught. He was example of how we are to love- in word and deed.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
DON'T tell ANYONE you love them- but rather show them that love first. Make that love real and then say it.
I'm not saying you have to show it by gifts and such, you can show your love in the act of listening, in the kind word, in the thoughtful gesture that is selfless. Be loving before mouthing the words. What good does it do to tell someone you love them if you have NO intention of being loving towards them? LOVE isn't just a word to say haphazardly and hold up, waving around like a banner to try and get others to believe you are a Christian. Love isn't just something you automatically say in response so you appear 'good'. Love isn't something you feel, IT'S A CHOICE you make! And in making that choice to love, you have to be loving, not just say the 'L' word.
If you're the type of person who easily has the 'love' word sliding from your tongue to those you meet, I'm not saying to stop saying the words- just make sure that you mean them. The next time you tell someone you love them ask yourself if you've 'loved' them. Have you acted in love towards them? Do you care about them, really care, are you choosing to be loving towards them.
Christ loved us and died for us- this was His example. For us to love and reveal His UNSELFISH love, to be willing to die for each other. And if we're willing to die for each other surely we have to be willing to suffer for one another. And if we're willing to suffer we must be willing to be a little put out for each other. Choosing to love doesn't mean enjoying the idea of death, or enjoying the idea of suffering, or wanting to be put out- it means choosing to do the right thing no matter the feeling. Yes, we are to count it joy when we suffer for Christ's sake, but that doesn't mean we are to enjoy the pain. We are to realize that we are Christ's and take joy in that- not joy in the pain, the suffering, the annoyance.
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The only way we can provoke follow believers in Christ- and to Salvation through Him- is to be in contact with them in some way. Without that contact there is no provoking, no encouraging. So yes, we are to be in contact with each other- and maybe we can't do that physically but we have a huge world of communication available to us on the world wide web- the internet. Do I have to touch you physically to communicate with you? No. We can assemble together in many different ways. If you can't find a group of people who follow Christ as you've been led by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ, then pray that God will guide you to someone, anyone and be open to that guidance to come in any number of ways. We know as the day draws near there will be fewer and fewer people on that narrow path, we can't abandon the narrow path to sit in a church on the wide path.
May God bless us and keep us firmly rooted and ground in Him, in His love, teaching us to love one another as He would have us love one another in word and deed, helping each other as we face the trials of life that Satan would have ruin us and tear us from the narrow path before us.
By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior, through HIS righteousness, in His holy name now and forever- Amen.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
So many people believe this is talking about a church setting, telling them they have to go to church or they are forsaking the assembling of themselves together. It's not. This is advocating, or admonishing, people who believe in Christ as their Savior and want to live for Him to get together to help each other out- to provoke to love, to provoke to good works, to encourage each other - something that should be done more and more the closer to the end we get.
If you belong to a church that does this and holds fast to all the truths as the Bible reveals them, praise God! Many however simply go to church because it's expected of them, it's a duty, it's a chore, it's what a Christian is supposed to do. They go to see the latest fashion on those around them, or to hear a very eloquent preacher relay His own personal study on what He believes you might be interested in hearing. Some go so they can be assuaged of guilt they've built up through the last week, others go because it's what they've been taught to do and want their children to do. There are many, many reasons people attend church that have NOTHING to do with provoking others to LOVE and to GOOD WORKS. Many reasons that don't involve exhorting anyone, they don't go to encourage anyone because Christ is coming soon. If you go to a church JUST to listen to a sermon and be on your way after a few handshakes, hugs, and smiles you haven't come together with a group of like believers in the manner Christ would have you do so. So if it's not how Christ would have you get together- it's coming together in a manner someone else would like you to get together as you *play pretend* at being a Christian and that someone is your enemy, an enemy that LOVES when you play pretend Christian.
When you get together with others that believe in Christ and His soon coming just like you do, you should get together to PROVOKE them to love and to good works, you should get together to encourage one another. This is INTERACTION. This isn't being preached at and going on your way back to your every day life in front of the computer, or the tv, maybe both- or even doing yard work, or visiting grandma and grandpa, or who knows maybe it's time for you to get a big meal ready. This isn't what we are told to do.
Think about how you personally can provoke someone of like faith to love and good works. How do you do that?
Provoke
PROVO'KE, v.t. [L.provoco, to call forth; pro and voco, to call.]
1. To call into action; to arouse; to excite…
To call into action their LOVE, their GOOD WORKS.
To arouse them to LOVE, to GOOD WORKS.
As we consider each other- as we think about each other- we are to arouse the desire to love and good works in each other. Notice that LOVE and GOOD WORKS go hand in hand. It's out of love we do good works, isn't it? Love is an action, love is a choice. I'm not talking about the fake- I love you- that means absolutely nothing. I'm not talking about the - I'm infatuated with you love- that means absolutely nothing. I'm talking about the CHOICE you make to do unto others as you would have done to yourself, the choice you make to put aside self and help another. I'm talking about the love that chooses to ACT selflessly- not selfishly. I'm not talking about feelings here and too many associate love with a feeling and not a fact. If they're NOT feeling it, then they don't love- according to the mainstream. To be able to look at someone who is despitefully using you and choose to act in a manner of LOVE, to choose to do good unto them- that is love.
LOVE is a choice of action. Love is a choosing to respond as Christ would respond, not as our own feelings might be egging us on to react. YES, you can LOVE someone by choice without feeling all wishy-washy and sentimental. YES, you can LOVE someone by choice - in fact we are to LOVE all others and if that means taking on some false flowery I'm better than you because I love you so that makes me good-attitude that's NOT love. To say 'I love you' without ANY meaning- isn't love. To say 'I love you' and really choose to love that person is love. And really choosing to love that person means really being interested in their well-being now and their eternal well-being too. No, YOU shouldn't be solely concerned with their eternal well-being. What good does it do to tell someone about the love of Christ and the way to eternal life through Him if they are starving for food and you have the means to give them food but don't?
Love is a choice, love is an action borne out of the choice. Is it any wonder at all we are told to provoke one another to love and good works? To do both? Jesus' example to us was filled with love- filled with His choosing to love others and that love was revealed in every action. He spent a lot of time healing, a lot of time helping- He didn't just stand up on a rocky podium and preach- He healed, He LOVED, and He taught. He was example of how we are to love- in word and deed.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
DON'T tell ANYONE you love them- but rather show them that love first. Make that love real and then say it.
I'm not saying you have to show it by gifts and such, you can show your love in the act of listening, in the kind word, in the thoughtful gesture that is selfless. Be loving before mouthing the words. What good does it do to tell someone you love them if you have NO intention of being loving towards them? LOVE isn't just a word to say haphazardly and hold up, waving around like a banner to try and get others to believe you are a Christian. Love isn't just something you automatically say in response so you appear 'good'. Love isn't something you feel, IT'S A CHOICE you make! And in making that choice to love, you have to be loving, not just say the 'L' word.
If you're the type of person who easily has the 'love' word sliding from your tongue to those you meet, I'm not saying to stop saying the words- just make sure that you mean them. The next time you tell someone you love them ask yourself if you've 'loved' them. Have you acted in love towards them? Do you care about them, really care, are you choosing to be loving towards them.
Christ loved us and died for us- this was His example. For us to love and reveal His UNSELFISH love, to be willing to die for each other. And if we're willing to die for each other surely we have to be willing to suffer for one another. And if we're willing to suffer we must be willing to be a little put out for each other. Choosing to love doesn't mean enjoying the idea of death, or enjoying the idea of suffering, or wanting to be put out- it means choosing to do the right thing no matter the feeling. Yes, we are to count it joy when we suffer for Christ's sake, but that doesn't mean we are to enjoy the pain. We are to realize that we are Christ's and take joy in that- not joy in the pain, the suffering, the annoyance.
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
The only way we can provoke follow believers in Christ- and to Salvation through Him- is to be in contact with them in some way. Without that contact there is no provoking, no encouraging. So yes, we are to be in contact with each other- and maybe we can't do that physically but we have a huge world of communication available to us on the world wide web- the internet. Do I have to touch you physically to communicate with you? No. We can assemble together in many different ways. If you can't find a group of people who follow Christ as you've been led by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ, then pray that God will guide you to someone, anyone and be open to that guidance to come in any number of ways. We know as the day draws near there will be fewer and fewer people on that narrow path, we can't abandon the narrow path to sit in a church on the wide path.
May God bless us and keep us firmly rooted and ground in Him, in His love, teaching us to love one another as He would have us love one another in word and deed, helping each other as we face the trials of life that Satan would have ruin us and tear us from the narrow path before us.
By the grace and mercy of our loving Savior, through HIS righteousness, in His holy name now and forever- Amen.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
The Faithful One
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Yes, we just discussed this verse yesterday but the emphasis was on something else. This part- 'for He is faithful that promised' just bears a little more discussion.
Do you know anyone who is faithful? Most of us would love to say yes, and most of us will say yes, but do we really? We can't know the heart of anyone can we? I'm being pessimistic…or perhaps realistic, who knows. Time and time again people have been disappointed by others, by those they thought they could trust. I'm not talking foolish people. I'm talking people just like you and I and we don't consider ourselves foolish, or at least not for the most part, right? We shouldn't consider ourselves foolish if we are Christians, the foolish are obviously NOT wise and we are to be wise. With that in mind we have to realize that even wise people are deceived. If you trust others then you will be deceived, and yet we have to trust others. We can't live our lives paranoid and distrustful, Christ would have us live in faith, live in love, live in thinking the best of others and leave their eternal fates up to His judgment. Even when someone despitefully uses us we are to love them. Even our enemies we are to love. Even to those who we believe to be faithful and turn out not to be faithful, we are to offer love. But it's NOT our love. It's the love of Christ. It's the choice to love them that we must make even as our flesh nature, our carnal nature, would have us despise them.
To read these words- 'for He is faithful that promised' can't be taken at face value, can't be passed over quickly, because we live in a world where very few, if ANY are able to be truly faithful in word, thought, and deed- yes, all three. Faithful in word- people do keep their promises don't they? Some do. Faithful in deed- people often seem to act faithful, their actions seem to be honorable and they really could be. Faithful in thought- now there's the tricky one. We can never know another's thoughts, but we know our own thoughts and truthfully they're not always the best of thoughts- are they? It' s hard to imagine that Satan would leave anyone's thoughts alone. The great tempter's playground is our thoughts. To be honest, and that's what we are trying to be, you can scarcely commit an action, or speak a word without thinking it first. Is it any wonder that Satan strives to gain control of our thoughts? Is it any wonder that Satan is happy to have us unfaithful in our minds even if outwardly we are seemingly faithful? Jesus Himself said this…
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
When you look on another to lust- (Yes, I said another- not woman because women lust after men too and the principle is the same.) when you look on another to lust- what's happening? Where is the lust coming from? Your THOUGHTS. What is lust? Unlawful desire is one description. And desire according to Webster's, in part is- An emotion or excitement of the mind, directed to the attainment or possession of an object from which pleasure, sensual, intellectual or spiritual, is expected; a passion excited by the love of an object, or uneasiness at the want of it, and directed to its attainment or possession…
An emotion or excitement of the mind. OF THE MIND. Thoughts. Lust.
We cannot know another's mind, ever. What we can know and cynical or not, what we can know is that every human being is of a carnal nature. Not one of us can escape the carnal part of ourselves. We can be born again- our Spiritual nature can be born within us carnal people. The spiritual nature that is born again within us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior can overcome the carnal nature. So, yes, it is possible for us carnal people to become spiritual, to become Christ's and have Christ's mind in us. And yes, it's possible for our thoughts to be guided by Him. However, as long as we are under our carnal nature our thoughts will be of the carnal kind. Even Paul struggled with all this-
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Carnal and Spiritual.
No. We cannot know the thoughts of others. We cannot know if they are faithful, we can't be faithful ourselves, but there is ONE that is faithful above all!
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
HE is FAITHFUL that promised!
We don't have to wonder, we don't have to worry, we don't have to think about the FAITHFUL ONE ever being unfaithful. He is FAITHFUL that promised. We can hold on to that and hold on very tightly. We can HOLD FAST to our FAITH because WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CHRIST EVER BEING UNFAITHFUL IN ALL HE'S PROMISED. HE is our HOPE! We aren't to place our hope in any other human being, not one! Not even our family, not even our loved ones. When EVERYONE lets us down, CHRIST will NEVER let us down. CHRIST IS FAITHFUL!
Christ promises us eternal life and He is faithful. Christ does not promise us eternal happiness in this current world. Through HOPE we live with the promises of the faithful One. The FAITHFUL One. Christ is FAITHFUL. Is it any wonder we are to place all our hope, all our faith in Him and Him alone? As we live our daily lives we live it through faith in the faithful One. We can't live our lives having faith in any other. No, I'm not saying we can't hope that others around us are faithful to us, but we have to always remember they are like us, like Paul. Only Christ is truly Faithful.
We can hold fast to the profession of our faith and NOT waver knowing that Christ is faithful to all the promises He's made to us. We don't have to doubt at all, not in the least.
All glory to our Lord and Savior! All praise to our King!
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, God's Only Son! In His love, in His righteousness!
Amen.
Yes, we just discussed this verse yesterday but the emphasis was on something else. This part- 'for He is faithful that promised' just bears a little more discussion.
Do you know anyone who is faithful? Most of us would love to say yes, and most of us will say yes, but do we really? We can't know the heart of anyone can we? I'm being pessimistic…or perhaps realistic, who knows. Time and time again people have been disappointed by others, by those they thought they could trust. I'm not talking foolish people. I'm talking people just like you and I and we don't consider ourselves foolish, or at least not for the most part, right? We shouldn't consider ourselves foolish if we are Christians, the foolish are obviously NOT wise and we are to be wise. With that in mind we have to realize that even wise people are deceived. If you trust others then you will be deceived, and yet we have to trust others. We can't live our lives paranoid and distrustful, Christ would have us live in faith, live in love, live in thinking the best of others and leave their eternal fates up to His judgment. Even when someone despitefully uses us we are to love them. Even our enemies we are to love. Even to those who we believe to be faithful and turn out not to be faithful, we are to offer love. But it's NOT our love. It's the love of Christ. It's the choice to love them that we must make even as our flesh nature, our carnal nature, would have us despise them.
To read these words- 'for He is faithful that promised' can't be taken at face value, can't be passed over quickly, because we live in a world where very few, if ANY are able to be truly faithful in word, thought, and deed- yes, all three. Faithful in word- people do keep their promises don't they? Some do. Faithful in deed- people often seem to act faithful, their actions seem to be honorable and they really could be. Faithful in thought- now there's the tricky one. We can never know another's thoughts, but we know our own thoughts and truthfully they're not always the best of thoughts- are they? It' s hard to imagine that Satan would leave anyone's thoughts alone. The great tempter's playground is our thoughts. To be honest, and that's what we are trying to be, you can scarcely commit an action, or speak a word without thinking it first. Is it any wonder that Satan strives to gain control of our thoughts? Is it any wonder that Satan is happy to have us unfaithful in our minds even if outwardly we are seemingly faithful? Jesus Himself said this…
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
When you look on another to lust- (Yes, I said another- not woman because women lust after men too and the principle is the same.) when you look on another to lust- what's happening? Where is the lust coming from? Your THOUGHTS. What is lust? Unlawful desire is one description. And desire according to Webster's, in part is- An emotion or excitement of the mind, directed to the attainment or possession of an object from which pleasure, sensual, intellectual or spiritual, is expected; a passion excited by the love of an object, or uneasiness at the want of it, and directed to its attainment or possession…
An emotion or excitement of the mind. OF THE MIND. Thoughts. Lust.
We cannot know another's mind, ever. What we can know and cynical or not, what we can know is that every human being is of a carnal nature. Not one of us can escape the carnal part of ourselves. We can be born again- our Spiritual nature can be born within us carnal people. The spiritual nature that is born again within us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior can overcome the carnal nature. So, yes, it is possible for us carnal people to become spiritual, to become Christ's and have Christ's mind in us. And yes, it's possible for our thoughts to be guided by Him. However, as long as we are under our carnal nature our thoughts will be of the carnal kind. Even Paul struggled with all this-
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Carnal and Spiritual.
No. We cannot know the thoughts of others. We cannot know if they are faithful, we can't be faithful ourselves, but there is ONE that is faithful above all!
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
HE is FAITHFUL that promised!
We don't have to wonder, we don't have to worry, we don't have to think about the FAITHFUL ONE ever being unfaithful. He is FAITHFUL that promised. We can hold on to that and hold on very tightly. We can HOLD FAST to our FAITH because WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CHRIST EVER BEING UNFAITHFUL IN ALL HE'S PROMISED. HE is our HOPE! We aren't to place our hope in any other human being, not one! Not even our family, not even our loved ones. When EVERYONE lets us down, CHRIST will NEVER let us down. CHRIST IS FAITHFUL!
Christ promises us eternal life and He is faithful. Christ does not promise us eternal happiness in this current world. Through HOPE we live with the promises of the faithful One. The FAITHFUL One. Christ is FAITHFUL. Is it any wonder we are to place all our hope, all our faith in Him and Him alone? As we live our daily lives we live it through faith in the faithful One. We can't live our lives having faith in any other. No, I'm not saying we can't hope that others around us are faithful to us, but we have to always remember they are like us, like Paul. Only Christ is truly Faithful.
We can hold fast to the profession of our faith and NOT waver knowing that Christ is faithful to all the promises He's made to us. We don't have to doubt at all, not in the least.
All glory to our Lord and Savior! All praise to our King!
By the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, God's Only Son! In His love, in His righteousness!
Amen.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Hold Fast!
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)
The profession of our faith, the profession of our hope- what is the profession of our faith, our hope?
Our profession is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the Son of God crucified and raised from the dead, even now living in Heaven, even now alive for us, ministering as our High Priest before God. This is our profession, this is our faith, this is our hope-- our Savior. There is no hope in any other, there is faith in no other. We have to HOLD FAST to this profession of our faith. Holding fast meaning what? Hold tightly, possess, seize, keep in memory.
Yes, keep in memory. We most certainly cannot grasp physically our faith, our hope. We must grasp it mentally, emotionally, we must KEEP IT IN OUR MEMORY. We much HOLD FAST, we cannot forget for a single moment where all our hope, all our faith comes from. This is something we need to keep before us always- seriously! I'm not joking here! I'm not blowing hot air here, or rather I'm not writing gibberish to be ignored for lack of understanding, for lack of importance. This is very important!!!
We cannot forget our hope in our Savior- not ever!
Life is going to throw instance after instance of trials and tribulations at us and some of those trials are so minor we call them simply- everyday life and we decide we can handle these little things all on our own, we don't need any help, we don't need to get down on our knees and bother God without little upsets. WRONG! In all we do we have to have God. It's a huge mistake to EVER think that any problem we have is a small one that WE can take care of. It's dangerous to start down that road. So the faucet starts leaking in the kitchen sink, no big deal. Yes, it's irritating but easily enough fixed- the inconvenience it brings is annoying, well guess what… that annoyance, that little irritating thing will effect so much else. What starts out tiny and unassuming can grow. If we leave God out of the small things we will have a tendency to take glory to ourselves when those small things are fixed. All glory has to go to God in all things! It's ONLY through God we even live to do anything at all!
We are proud creatures and the most prideful of all creatures, Satan, will encourage that pride and if he can't get us to take glory in the big things- he will endeavor to get us to 'pat ourselves on the back' for the small things. In all we do God must never be forgotten, never! When we wake in the morning we need to pray for God to direct all our actions, for God to go before us in all things, even the smallest of things.
We must HOLD FAST the PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH. This is no idle statement. This is a powerful verse. We must forever and ever and ever in all things hold fast to our Savior, to let go of our Savior, to let go of the hope we have in our Savior, would be like a soldier dropping all his armor, all his protection, right in the middle of a raging battle. What do you think the result of that would be? If that soldier isn't instantly killed you can be assured that he will quickly be injured.
We forget so easily that we are living with our lives immersed in a spiritual battle- a raging battle where there is no retreat, no respite, no leaves. This spiritual battle rages on continuously and will continue to do so until our Savior returns to take us to heaven with Him.
Is it any wonder we are admonished to HOLD FAST WITHOUT WAVERING?! When the big picture becomes clear we can understand how much these words mean. When our eyes are truly open to see the spiritual realm we live in we know that only our Savior matters, only holding fast to our hope found in our Lord is truly important, all else is nothing.
In holding fast to our profession of faith- we will live as Jesus would have us live. We cannot waver, we cannot set down that hope for even a moment, we cannot dare to walk in this wicked spiritual realm without our Savior, we just can't. He is our protection, He is our SAVIOR- SAVING US! How stupid and how deadly it would be to step away from our Savior, from our Protector in the middle of the battle we live in. Just because we are not in the flesh in the middle of the battle field we forget we are in a battle. It's easy to forget the spiritual.
Right now, wherever you are as you read this, you are in the battle. Don't laugh, you are. No, it doesn't feel like we're in a battle, at least not for the majority of people. Why? Because they don't realize life is a real battle, just living is a real battle. Sure if you're in the midst of what we call a crisis you are more in tuned to the reality of life's battles, but if your life is at an even keel or even on an upswing, the tendency to forget the battle is great. How can we imagine we are in a war when we are laughing and having a good time? No, I'm not saying we are not to laugh or enjoy life, I’m not saying that at all, but seriously- shouldn't our laughter and enjoyment be found in the things our Savior would laugh and enjoy? If the things we laugh at and enjoy aren't the sort that our Savior can take part in what does that say about us? Yes, laughter is good- who doesn't know this verse or a version of it-
Pro 17:22 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…'
So, no, I’m not saying we aren't to laugh and enjoy life but we can never forget we are in a battle, a spiritual battle and in that spiritual battle unlike any conventional form of warfare we have to realize that even things that are seemingly innocuous can be deadly, even laughter, even enjoyment can lead to death, can lead us away from Christ and not to Him. The enemy of this battle will use ANY means to get us from Christ and we can't ignore that fact. We aren't just face to face with our opponent on a battlefield as we dodge bullets, we are face to face with our opponent when we are with others and a tasteless joke is made, when gossip begins, when coveting is underway, when jealousy rears up, when loud laughter at another's expense is going on - we can find our enemy in all those things and trust me on this… our enemy is everywhere wearing many disguises, calling evil good at every turn. So if the Holy Spirit convicts you even in the tiniest way that something you are involved in (even a conversation) isn't Godly then you need to remember you are in a battle and the enemy is at your door, in your face, trying to thrust a spiritual sword into your back, front, it doesn't matter to him. We need to pray for guidance when we find ourselves in those situations. We need to pray hard… remember the Christian (spiritual) armor we are to wear--after the armor is put on we are told to pray always.
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit
Spiritual armor for a very real spiritual battle. We are not just flesh, we are flesh and spirit beings too many forget the spiritual part of our existence and they look for so much to fill that part of their lives that belongs to God. Nothing can fill that spiritual void but God, however, Satan will do all he can to fill that part with false gods, false religion, false truths.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)
Our Savior is FAITHFUL without any room for doubt. Our Savior's promises are true. We need to hold fast to our faith, to the hope we have in our faithful Savior.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, our Savior, our God, our King, may we hold fast in Him now and forever without end, ever trusting in Him, ever loving Him.
Amen.
The profession of our faith, the profession of our hope- what is the profession of our faith, our hope?
Our profession is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the Son of God crucified and raised from the dead, even now living in Heaven, even now alive for us, ministering as our High Priest before God. This is our profession, this is our faith, this is our hope-- our Savior. There is no hope in any other, there is faith in no other. We have to HOLD FAST to this profession of our faith. Holding fast meaning what? Hold tightly, possess, seize, keep in memory.
Yes, keep in memory. We most certainly cannot grasp physically our faith, our hope. We must grasp it mentally, emotionally, we must KEEP IT IN OUR MEMORY. We much HOLD FAST, we cannot forget for a single moment where all our hope, all our faith comes from. This is something we need to keep before us always- seriously! I'm not joking here! I'm not blowing hot air here, or rather I'm not writing gibberish to be ignored for lack of understanding, for lack of importance. This is very important!!!
We cannot forget our hope in our Savior- not ever!
Life is going to throw instance after instance of trials and tribulations at us and some of those trials are so minor we call them simply- everyday life and we decide we can handle these little things all on our own, we don't need any help, we don't need to get down on our knees and bother God without little upsets. WRONG! In all we do we have to have God. It's a huge mistake to EVER think that any problem we have is a small one that WE can take care of. It's dangerous to start down that road. So the faucet starts leaking in the kitchen sink, no big deal. Yes, it's irritating but easily enough fixed- the inconvenience it brings is annoying, well guess what… that annoyance, that little irritating thing will effect so much else. What starts out tiny and unassuming can grow. If we leave God out of the small things we will have a tendency to take glory to ourselves when those small things are fixed. All glory has to go to God in all things! It's ONLY through God we even live to do anything at all!
We are proud creatures and the most prideful of all creatures, Satan, will encourage that pride and if he can't get us to take glory in the big things- he will endeavor to get us to 'pat ourselves on the back' for the small things. In all we do God must never be forgotten, never! When we wake in the morning we need to pray for God to direct all our actions, for God to go before us in all things, even the smallest of things.
We must HOLD FAST the PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH. This is no idle statement. This is a powerful verse. We must forever and ever and ever in all things hold fast to our Savior, to let go of our Savior, to let go of the hope we have in our Savior, would be like a soldier dropping all his armor, all his protection, right in the middle of a raging battle. What do you think the result of that would be? If that soldier isn't instantly killed you can be assured that he will quickly be injured.
We forget so easily that we are living with our lives immersed in a spiritual battle- a raging battle where there is no retreat, no respite, no leaves. This spiritual battle rages on continuously and will continue to do so until our Savior returns to take us to heaven with Him.
Is it any wonder we are admonished to HOLD FAST WITHOUT WAVERING?! When the big picture becomes clear we can understand how much these words mean. When our eyes are truly open to see the spiritual realm we live in we know that only our Savior matters, only holding fast to our hope found in our Lord is truly important, all else is nothing.
In holding fast to our profession of faith- we will live as Jesus would have us live. We cannot waver, we cannot set down that hope for even a moment, we cannot dare to walk in this wicked spiritual realm without our Savior, we just can't. He is our protection, He is our SAVIOR- SAVING US! How stupid and how deadly it would be to step away from our Savior, from our Protector in the middle of the battle we live in. Just because we are not in the flesh in the middle of the battle field we forget we are in a battle. It's easy to forget the spiritual.
Right now, wherever you are as you read this, you are in the battle. Don't laugh, you are. No, it doesn't feel like we're in a battle, at least not for the majority of people. Why? Because they don't realize life is a real battle, just living is a real battle. Sure if you're in the midst of what we call a crisis you are more in tuned to the reality of life's battles, but if your life is at an even keel or even on an upswing, the tendency to forget the battle is great. How can we imagine we are in a war when we are laughing and having a good time? No, I'm not saying we are not to laugh or enjoy life, I’m not saying that at all, but seriously- shouldn't our laughter and enjoyment be found in the things our Savior would laugh and enjoy? If the things we laugh at and enjoy aren't the sort that our Savior can take part in what does that say about us? Yes, laughter is good- who doesn't know this verse or a version of it-
Pro 17:22 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…'
So, no, I’m not saying we aren't to laugh and enjoy life but we can never forget we are in a battle, a spiritual battle and in that spiritual battle unlike any conventional form of warfare we have to realize that even things that are seemingly innocuous can be deadly, even laughter, even enjoyment can lead to death, can lead us away from Christ and not to Him. The enemy of this battle will use ANY means to get us from Christ and we can't ignore that fact. We aren't just face to face with our opponent on a battlefield as we dodge bullets, we are face to face with our opponent when we are with others and a tasteless joke is made, when gossip begins, when coveting is underway, when jealousy rears up, when loud laughter at another's expense is going on - we can find our enemy in all those things and trust me on this… our enemy is everywhere wearing many disguises, calling evil good at every turn. So if the Holy Spirit convicts you even in the tiniest way that something you are involved in (even a conversation) isn't Godly then you need to remember you are in a battle and the enemy is at your door, in your face, trying to thrust a spiritual sword into your back, front, it doesn't matter to him. We need to pray for guidance when we find ourselves in those situations. We need to pray hard… remember the Christian (spiritual) armor we are to wear--after the armor is put on we are told to pray always.
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit
Spiritual armor for a very real spiritual battle. We are not just flesh, we are flesh and spirit beings too many forget the spiritual part of our existence and they look for so much to fill that part of their lives that belongs to God. Nothing can fill that spiritual void but God, however, Satan will do all he can to fill that part with false gods, false religion, false truths.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)
Our Savior is FAITHFUL without any room for doubt. Our Savior's promises are true. We need to hold fast to our faith, to the hope we have in our faithful Savior.
By the grace and mercy of our Lord, our Savior, our God, our King, may we hold fast in Him now and forever without end, ever trusting in Him, ever loving Him.
Amen.
Friday, October 15, 2010
New and living way
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Where there is a remission of sin, where there is a remission of iniquities = there is NO more offering for sin. Why? Because the sins and iniquities are remembered no more. You need no offering for something that isn't remembered.
If you are lucky enough to have someone forget your trespasses against them, that person isn't going to punish you because they have forgotten you deserve punishment. How many children breathe a sigh of relief when their parents have forgotten to exact some promised punishment? Most if not all, right? Well, God will choose to remember no more our sins and iniquities if His Son's blood covers us. He understands that the price has been paid for our sins and He will remember them NO MORE. The price having been paid means NO payment is needed. We know all about paying something ahead of time, don't we? We can put $100,000,000.00 into a bank account and then electronically have it set up so that our bills are paid out of that account. For the rest of our lives (as long as we are very frugal people and live as the average middle class American *g*) we won't have to worry about paying our bills ever again. We know we have the money in that account sufficient to cover the bills- the money we put there a long time ago. We put the money in there ONCE, so we don't have to put any more money in there even though we continue to have bills. So until the bills are done away with and we can live bill free- we are covered. Christ's sacrifice for sin was sufficient to cover all the sins of those who have faith in Him, for those who believe in Him. There is NO need for any more offering for sin, the perfect offering was made. Our sins and iniquities will be remember no more- and where there is a remission- a pardon- a forgiveness- of our sins and iniquities- we need no other offering for those sins.
*******
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus
Boldness to enter into where?
Boldness to enter into the HOLIEST.
Where is the holiest? In the Heavenly Sanctuary, not into the holy play, but into the holiest place- the most holy place. We are represented by our Savior who has entered in the holiest. Because our Savior has entered into the holiest, we with boldness enter the holiest by His blood.
Before Christ's sacrifice who was allowed into the earthly most holy place once a year? Only the High Priest. We're the common people allowed into the most holy place? NO. The common people remained outside the temple in the court. Our Savior did away with the earthly sanctuary but entered the heavenly sanctuary and because we are to be one with our Savior we too can spiritually enter into the most holy place, enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Only the arrival of the true can do away with the type. Only the arrival of the perfect can do away with the lesser, imperfect example. Christ - God's Son - sacrificed Himself for us. All the sacrifices made over the years all pointed towards the perfect sacrifice, realized in our Savior.
*******
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God
We can boldly enter into the holiest by Jesus' blood. A new way of life was to take a place of the old way. A new and LIVING way. Christ's way- Christ's death and resurrection- the new way. The full revelation of life is found in our Savior. The new way was made holy by our Savior, by the sacrifice of His life- through His death in the flesh. Christ offered His life's blood, Christ offered His very body- His humanity- His flesh and through this most amazing of sacrifices the way to Him is forever revealed to us.
We have - PRESENT TENSE - a high priest over the house of God.
Read that again… WE HAVE - PRESENT TENSE - A HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD.
A high priest.
We serve and dedicate our lives to our high priest.
If we put that on a different level- if I say there are people who worship the earthly elements and they've elected a high priest and to that high priest they dedicate their lives promising to serve him- it sounds all wrong, doesn't it? We ARE NOT to serve any earthly high priest! However, you could picture that scenario couldn't you? A group of people surrounding a man possibly dressed in high priestly attire, bowing down to that man, worshipping that man, venerating that man. It became instantly more real because we put an earthly common man into the role, and we put a group of fictitious people that we aren't a part of, around that man. We quickly believe those *followers* of that earthly high priest are duped, they're a bunch of suckers, they're people easily swayed and easily deceived. Yet we can imagine the reality of the situation, can't we?
Now, we have to ask ourselves can we picture as a reality, Jesus as our heavenly high priest? Can we picture ourselves in all reality bowing down to Him? Can we picture ourselves worshipping our High Priest? We need to, we really do need to. Christ has to be a REALITY to us. We have to be willing to get down on our knees before our Savior. We have to be willing to defer to Him in all things. This has to be a reality to us. Too many of us are too proud. Too many of us don't want to think about the reality, but would rather keep our Savior out of reach of our reality, leaving Him in heaven and giving Him a mythical existence. He's not a myth!!! My Savior is real! My Savior is living! My Savior, my High Priest is in heaven right now and I am told this...
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
We are to DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Our hearts are to be sprinkled from an evil conscience.
Our bodies are to be washed with pure water.
Our hearts sprinkled clean from evil.
Our flesh washed with pure water.
Only Christ's blood, only our Savior's sacrifice, only our High Priest can sprinkle our hearts free from an evil conscience and wash our flesh with pure water. By His grace! By His mercy! Let us boldly enter into the most holy place and come before our High Priest who alone can forgive us and cleanse us free of all sin!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Where there is a remission of sin, where there is a remission of iniquities = there is NO more offering for sin. Why? Because the sins and iniquities are remembered no more. You need no offering for something that isn't remembered.
If you are lucky enough to have someone forget your trespasses against them, that person isn't going to punish you because they have forgotten you deserve punishment. How many children breathe a sigh of relief when their parents have forgotten to exact some promised punishment? Most if not all, right? Well, God will choose to remember no more our sins and iniquities if His Son's blood covers us. He understands that the price has been paid for our sins and He will remember them NO MORE. The price having been paid means NO payment is needed. We know all about paying something ahead of time, don't we? We can put $100,000,000.00 into a bank account and then electronically have it set up so that our bills are paid out of that account. For the rest of our lives (as long as we are very frugal people and live as the average middle class American *g*) we won't have to worry about paying our bills ever again. We know we have the money in that account sufficient to cover the bills- the money we put there a long time ago. We put the money in there ONCE, so we don't have to put any more money in there even though we continue to have bills. So until the bills are done away with and we can live bill free- we are covered. Christ's sacrifice for sin was sufficient to cover all the sins of those who have faith in Him, for those who believe in Him. There is NO need for any more offering for sin, the perfect offering was made. Our sins and iniquities will be remember no more- and where there is a remission- a pardon- a forgiveness- of our sins and iniquities- we need no other offering for those sins.
*******
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus
Boldness to enter into where?
Boldness to enter into the HOLIEST.
Where is the holiest? In the Heavenly Sanctuary, not into the holy play, but into the holiest place- the most holy place. We are represented by our Savior who has entered in the holiest. Because our Savior has entered into the holiest, we with boldness enter the holiest by His blood.
Before Christ's sacrifice who was allowed into the earthly most holy place once a year? Only the High Priest. We're the common people allowed into the most holy place? NO. The common people remained outside the temple in the court. Our Savior did away with the earthly sanctuary but entered the heavenly sanctuary and because we are to be one with our Savior we too can spiritually enter into the most holy place, enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Only the arrival of the true can do away with the type. Only the arrival of the perfect can do away with the lesser, imperfect example. Christ - God's Son - sacrificed Himself for us. All the sacrifices made over the years all pointed towards the perfect sacrifice, realized in our Savior.
*******
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God
We can boldly enter into the holiest by Jesus' blood. A new way of life was to take a place of the old way. A new and LIVING way. Christ's way- Christ's death and resurrection- the new way. The full revelation of life is found in our Savior. The new way was made holy by our Savior, by the sacrifice of His life- through His death in the flesh. Christ offered His life's blood, Christ offered His very body- His humanity- His flesh and through this most amazing of sacrifices the way to Him is forever revealed to us.
We have - PRESENT TENSE - a high priest over the house of God.
Read that again… WE HAVE - PRESENT TENSE - A HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD.
A high priest.
We serve and dedicate our lives to our high priest.
If we put that on a different level- if I say there are people who worship the earthly elements and they've elected a high priest and to that high priest they dedicate their lives promising to serve him- it sounds all wrong, doesn't it? We ARE NOT to serve any earthly high priest! However, you could picture that scenario couldn't you? A group of people surrounding a man possibly dressed in high priestly attire, bowing down to that man, worshipping that man, venerating that man. It became instantly more real because we put an earthly common man into the role, and we put a group of fictitious people that we aren't a part of, around that man. We quickly believe those *followers* of that earthly high priest are duped, they're a bunch of suckers, they're people easily swayed and easily deceived. Yet we can imagine the reality of the situation, can't we?
Now, we have to ask ourselves can we picture as a reality, Jesus as our heavenly high priest? Can we picture ourselves in all reality bowing down to Him? Can we picture ourselves worshipping our High Priest? We need to, we really do need to. Christ has to be a REALITY to us. We have to be willing to get down on our knees before our Savior. We have to be willing to defer to Him in all things. This has to be a reality to us. Too many of us are too proud. Too many of us don't want to think about the reality, but would rather keep our Savior out of reach of our reality, leaving Him in heaven and giving Him a mythical existence. He's not a myth!!! My Savior is real! My Savior is living! My Savior, my High Priest is in heaven right now and I am told this...
Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
We are to DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Our hearts are to be sprinkled from an evil conscience.
Our bodies are to be washed with pure water.
Our hearts sprinkled clean from evil.
Our flesh washed with pure water.
Only Christ's blood, only our Savior's sacrifice, only our High Priest can sprinkle our hearts free from an evil conscience and wash our flesh with pure water. By His grace! By His mercy! Let us boldly enter into the most holy place and come before our High Priest who alone can forgive us and cleanse us free of all sin!
In His amazing love!
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)