Beautiful.
Psa 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
This is where our trust belongs, not in ourselves, not in each other but in the LORD. Inevitably when we put our trust in others and ourselves that trust is broken. Do you think it strange that I say putting our trust in our self- ends up with a broken trust? We don't betray ourselves do we? All too often we really do. All too often we'll be filled with regret over something we've done and that's usually the result of breaking a trust we have in ourselves to do or not do something. When we sin and are filled with the regret of that sin - we've broken a trust we WANT to be able to have in ourselves. Is it any wonder Paul could say this--
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.
Oh wretched PEOPLE that we are!
Paul did NOT want to sin but He couldn't trust Himself! There was only one person He could trust and that was JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
We CANNOT trust ourselves!!!! I can't emphasize it enough, I just can't.
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust.
Our trust has to be put in the LORD and NO WHERE else!
You hear all the time that we are supposed to trust ourselves, or trust another. People will say those words right to our faces- trust me. Vows are taken where trust is pledged eternally- till death parts people. Promises are made even by the young as they look into the eyes of their parents vowing to behave, honestly meaning they will and then a short while later the parent is looking on in disappointment and the child is bewildered by their inability to behave. The trust is broken and if you've never seen the eyes of a young child as they are scolded and filled with dismay by their own actions, you've not seen the results of broken trust. It's my hope that you haven't seen the dark, deep disappointment in one you've betrayed or the awful betrayal in the eyes of one who's betrayed you. We let people down all the time and we let ourselves down, people let us down too, and we let God down, BUT God will NEVER let us down.
I know, I know most people will tell me I'm wrong, that God lets people down ALL the time. Well, they're WRONG. God thinks and acts on an eternal level beyond our comprehension. While we are lamenting what we believe is God letting us down, it's God looking out for us - for our eternal life. We might not get all we want- even of worthy things. Our life might be filled with torment and pain from the day we are born. We might be born so deprived, in the worst of poverty, in the most awful of conditions where all we ever know is hunger and pain but GOD is not letting that person down. Suffering for all it's horrific and on levels I've never had to experience, is temporary. If suffering lasts for 75, 80 years it is still TEMPORARY to ETERNITY. If the worst of the worst we can ever imagine happens to us or those we love and it seems as if the pain is going on endlessly, never endingly and death is longed for, desired more than anything else- it is temporary to eternity in God.
God is our everything! God must be our TRUST in all things. Do we have to like it? NO. We don't have to like when we are called to endure awful things, but we have to accept that there are reasons we can't comprehend and God will prevail in our love as long as HE is our trust.
Easy to say, hard to do. People would call such blind faith, such trust, incredibly stupid and naive. And Satan wants people to believe that, He revels in such belief that faith is stupid. It is ONLY by the grace of God that we can have that trust.
We need to PUT our trust in God and NO WHERE ELSE.
Does this mean that I believe we are to go around mistrusting everyone? No. It means that our full trust can never be place anywhere but in Christ. We can still trust others but know that they can break that trust at any time. We don’t want to imagine loved ones breaking our trust but it happens all the time in many, many ways.
This is my prayer…
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.
Please Lord let us not be put to any confusion, or shame, let us KNOW that our trust needs to be in YOU, always in YOU eternally!
By YOUR grace Lord, by YOUR love, all in YOU!
Amen.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Woe- to the wise in their own eyes
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
Rich.
Increased with goods.
Need of nothing.
How many people believe this of themselves? How many believe they are spiritually rich? Spiritually filled with knowledge. How many believe they have need of nothing spiritually? Encountering this sort of person is extremely commonplace nowadays. You go back in time and the majority of people had some sort of faith in they were a part of. Most had a *religion*, a *church* to go to. Children were raised to believe in God, but all that has changed. Today it's a sign of enlightenment not to believe, but that is tinged with something else- a need to find something other than *God*. There are more wiccans, more pagans, more satanists, more cults, more nature worshippers, more druids, more spiritualist, more scientologists, people ARE looking for something and make no mistake, they'll find it. Some are even grasping at intellectualism seeking to hold on to their belief in evolution, in what they call logic- they're too enlightened to believe in what they call fables. So many of these people when faced with very trying situations will however seek a higher power to help them. While so many believe they have no need of God, that they can take care of themselves there is a internal contradiction in most of them.
Those who believe they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing DON'T know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! They don't know! They don't…know! They are counseled though, counseled to buy all they need to live in Christ. Because we know they are counseled we know that they are warned. People everywhere are warned, no one is left able to say they weren't told- no one.
*
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. While many might not believe they need Christ for anything at all, that they are doing fine without Him, the truth is- their ability to do fine without Christ is because Satan is more than willing to let people believe they are fine without Christ. You are one or the others and Satan loves when a person chooses not to believe in Christ and for that matter- he loves it when people choose to not even believe in him. As long as a person doesn't believe in Christ they are His and he's happy as can be to let them believe whatever they want.
As Christians, to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in can only happen through Christ which strengthens us. We will NEVER find contentment in ourselves, by ourselves, or in others. If we seek to have contentment as a Christian we have to be prepared to be content even in the most awful times of our lives. Seriously.
When we are abased, when we are hungry, when we suffer we MUST find contentment. When life is at its worse can we find contentment? Should we be able to do so? When we have all the right in the world to be upset, angry, devastated - we can be content. But that contentment is only found Christ - a deep, deep faith in Christ, a real faith in Christ.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Are you wise in your own eyes?
Are you prudent in your own sight?
People are taught that to have SELF-esteem they must believe in THEMSELVES. People teach their children to be wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Teachers teach them this too. And it's not that we don't want our children to have confidence- but we have to want them to find that IN CHRIST! We have to teach our children self-esteem through Christ which in fact makes it Christ-esteem. We have to esteem Christ!
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
We are not often taught to esteem OTHERS better than ourselves, are we? Usually when we do think others are better than we are it's in the way of jealousy - in a negative manner. We LAMENT that they are better. But we are supposed to esteem others better than ourselves! This is a good thing. When people are better, or we perceive them as being better it is GOOD. How can we get this into our mindset? We need Christ to do it for us, we need Christ to fill us, to fill that part in us that wants self to rule. To help us not to look to self but look to Him and when we look to Him know that our believing in others - even that they are better than we are is a very good thing.
By the grace of God may we EVER realize our need of Him, never even imagining that we have any hope without Him. By His grace He has saved us and promised us life eternal in Him. All the suffering we endure we do so knowing we can have contentment in Him and the hope of a future in Him without any of this pain and anguish.
In His LOVE! Always In HIM!
Amen.
Rich.
Increased with goods.
Need of nothing.
How many people believe this of themselves? How many believe they are spiritually rich? Spiritually filled with knowledge. How many believe they have need of nothing spiritually? Encountering this sort of person is extremely commonplace nowadays. You go back in time and the majority of people had some sort of faith in they were a part of. Most had a *religion*, a *church* to go to. Children were raised to believe in God, but all that has changed. Today it's a sign of enlightenment not to believe, but that is tinged with something else- a need to find something other than *God*. There are more wiccans, more pagans, more satanists, more cults, more nature worshippers, more druids, more spiritualist, more scientologists, people ARE looking for something and make no mistake, they'll find it. Some are even grasping at intellectualism seeking to hold on to their belief in evolution, in what they call logic- they're too enlightened to believe in what they call fables. So many of these people when faced with very trying situations will however seek a higher power to help them. While so many believe they have no need of God, that they can take care of themselves there is a internal contradiction in most of them.
Those who believe they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing DON'T know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! They don't know! They don't…know! They are counseled though, counseled to buy all they need to live in Christ. Because we know they are counseled we know that they are warned. People everywhere are warned, no one is left able to say they weren't told- no one.
*
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. While many might not believe they need Christ for anything at all, that they are doing fine without Him, the truth is- their ability to do fine without Christ is because Satan is more than willing to let people believe they are fine without Christ. You are one or the others and Satan loves when a person chooses not to believe in Christ and for that matter- he loves it when people choose to not even believe in him. As long as a person doesn't believe in Christ they are His and he's happy as can be to let them believe whatever they want.
As Christians, to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in can only happen through Christ which strengthens us. We will NEVER find contentment in ourselves, by ourselves, or in others. If we seek to have contentment as a Christian we have to be prepared to be content even in the most awful times of our lives. Seriously.
When we are abased, when we are hungry, when we suffer we MUST find contentment. When life is at its worse can we find contentment? Should we be able to do so? When we have all the right in the world to be upset, angry, devastated - we can be content. But that contentment is only found Christ - a deep, deep faith in Christ, a real faith in Christ.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Are you wise in your own eyes?
Are you prudent in your own sight?
People are taught that to have SELF-esteem they must believe in THEMSELVES. People teach their children to be wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Teachers teach them this too. And it's not that we don't want our children to have confidence- but we have to want them to find that IN CHRIST! We have to teach our children self-esteem through Christ which in fact makes it Christ-esteem. We have to esteem Christ!
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
We are not often taught to esteem OTHERS better than ourselves, are we? Usually when we do think others are better than we are it's in the way of jealousy - in a negative manner. We LAMENT that they are better. But we are supposed to esteem others better than ourselves! This is a good thing. When people are better, or we perceive them as being better it is GOOD. How can we get this into our mindset? We need Christ to do it for us, we need Christ to fill us, to fill that part in us that wants self to rule. To help us not to look to self but look to Him and when we look to Him know that our believing in others - even that they are better than we are is a very good thing.
By the grace of God may we EVER realize our need of Him, never even imagining that we have any hope without Him. By His grace He has saved us and promised us life eternal in Him. All the suffering we endure we do so knowing we can have contentment in Him and the hope of a future in Him without any of this pain and anguish.
In His LOVE! Always In HIM!
Amen.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
He touched her hand
Mat 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
Mat 8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
A Healer. Undeniably we know that Jesus was a Healer. A touch of the hand, His fingers upon the flesh of this unnamed woman's hand that's all it took. A touch. How often do we give simple touches to people? Seriously, how often do we offer the simplest of touches? A brush of fingers against flesh, it happens a lot doesn't it? A handshake, a hug, a caress, a little push, a tiny poke. Jesus touched this woman's hand and the sickness in her that was producing a fever was gone.
You've had a fever, right? Not many people haven't had a fever once or twice in their lives if not more. You know what it's like to be sick with a fever, things just don't feel right, you feel run down, tired. A fever can take a lot out of person. A fever can lay you up and keep you from doing your normal work, going about your normal day to day life. You know what it's like to be ill. All you want when you are ill is to get better. You forget how wonderful it is to not be sick until you are sick and then you can't wait to get better. How wonderful it truly is when we begin to heal- seldom is it instantaneously though. Gradually we begin to feel better, stronger, less ill. Yet here was Jesus and with a simple touch of his hand to the woman's her illness was completely gone and she was able to get right up from the bed and tend to the men. Just imagine her wonder at what had been done for her! You could imagine your own couldn't you? There you are lying sick on your bed feverish and your hand is touched and instantly you're healed. Just imagine the wonder and thoughts going through your mind in that moment. The wonder, the gratefulness, the awe. Tending to the One who healed you so miraculously would be a joy!
Jesus our great Healer said...
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus. Jesus was anointed to do the work of His Father. Jesus was anointed to do these miracles. These miracles many have tried to imitate as they proclaim their own divinity - but are really false prophets. Quickly as the years passed the miracles became few and far between- this had to be. For the same reason there weren't scores of miracles before Christ was born. Were there any miracles? Yes. We know all about Moses' miracles and we know about the various miracles wrought by God through His prophets but none were like Jesus- NONE. None were like Jesus before and none after. Jesus healed to enlighten the minds and hearts of people. Jesus spoke these words...
Joh 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Believe the works. How could ANY deny Christ was of God, how, when they witnessed and experienced first hand the wonders He did, the miracles He performed? Yet they refused to believe. They refused to accept.
I'm not saying miracles aren't performed in many ways because they are. I'm saying that Jesus' millions of miracles - miracles performed day after day, many, many miracles so numerous we probably could not count them if we tried- were the GREAT exception to the rule of miracles.
There does not exist today any person who heals others on the scale of our Savior, they can't and will never exist, there is only ONE Savior who could and did heal as He did.
Our Savior today continues to heal us through the Holy Spirit a SPIRITUAL healing that we so desperately need. Our sin sickness is so horrific - many don't even believe they are in need of any healing- that is how awful the sickness is. To not even recognize our need of a Savior leaves us without healing. The one who thinks they are completely healthy does not believe they have need of a physician.
We are all in need of healing, all in need of our Savior's touch. We can never forget this, must never forget.
As we are healed we must minister to our Savior in all we do. Of ourselves we can do nothing--
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
By His mercy and grace may we do all things in Him!
In His love!
Amen.
Mat 8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
A Healer. Undeniably we know that Jesus was a Healer. A touch of the hand, His fingers upon the flesh of this unnamed woman's hand that's all it took. A touch. How often do we give simple touches to people? Seriously, how often do we offer the simplest of touches? A brush of fingers against flesh, it happens a lot doesn't it? A handshake, a hug, a caress, a little push, a tiny poke. Jesus touched this woman's hand and the sickness in her that was producing a fever was gone.
You've had a fever, right? Not many people haven't had a fever once or twice in their lives if not more. You know what it's like to be sick with a fever, things just don't feel right, you feel run down, tired. A fever can take a lot out of person. A fever can lay you up and keep you from doing your normal work, going about your normal day to day life. You know what it's like to be ill. All you want when you are ill is to get better. You forget how wonderful it is to not be sick until you are sick and then you can't wait to get better. How wonderful it truly is when we begin to heal- seldom is it instantaneously though. Gradually we begin to feel better, stronger, less ill. Yet here was Jesus and with a simple touch of his hand to the woman's her illness was completely gone and she was able to get right up from the bed and tend to the men. Just imagine her wonder at what had been done for her! You could imagine your own couldn't you? There you are lying sick on your bed feverish and your hand is touched and instantly you're healed. Just imagine the wonder and thoughts going through your mind in that moment. The wonder, the gratefulness, the awe. Tending to the One who healed you so miraculously would be a joy!
Jesus our great Healer said...
Luk 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus. Jesus was anointed to do the work of His Father. Jesus was anointed to do these miracles. These miracles many have tried to imitate as they proclaim their own divinity - but are really false prophets. Quickly as the years passed the miracles became few and far between- this had to be. For the same reason there weren't scores of miracles before Christ was born. Were there any miracles? Yes. We know all about Moses' miracles and we know about the various miracles wrought by God through His prophets but none were like Jesus- NONE. None were like Jesus before and none after. Jesus healed to enlighten the minds and hearts of people. Jesus spoke these words...
Joh 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Believe the works. How could ANY deny Christ was of God, how, when they witnessed and experienced first hand the wonders He did, the miracles He performed? Yet they refused to believe. They refused to accept.
I'm not saying miracles aren't performed in many ways because they are. I'm saying that Jesus' millions of miracles - miracles performed day after day, many, many miracles so numerous we probably could not count them if we tried- were the GREAT exception to the rule of miracles.
There does not exist today any person who heals others on the scale of our Savior, they can't and will never exist, there is only ONE Savior who could and did heal as He did.
Our Savior today continues to heal us through the Holy Spirit a SPIRITUAL healing that we so desperately need. Our sin sickness is so horrific - many don't even believe they are in need of any healing- that is how awful the sickness is. To not even recognize our need of a Savior leaves us without healing. The one who thinks they are completely healthy does not believe they have need of a physician.
We are all in need of healing, all in need of our Savior's touch. We can never forget this, must never forget.
As we are healed we must minister to our Savior in all we do. Of ourselves we can do nothing--
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
By His mercy and grace may we do all things in Him!
In His love!
Amen.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Great Faith
Mat 8:5 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,
A Roman centurion came to Jesus. Here Jesus had been preaching to those of Israel, the Jews not to the gentile (non-Jews) and yet the fame of His teachings, His miracles touched the ears of the Romans. This wasn't a lowly Roman soldier, but a centurion. A centurion was a Roman commander in charge of 100 Roman soldiers. A figure the soldiers looked up to respected. Surely this Roman centurion would have little to nothing to do with the Jewish people under their thumbs. The two didn't mingle. There was no love loss between the two groups whatsoever. The Jews were being oppressed by the Romans. This is the very real situation that existed at this time and here a Roman centurion came to Jesus not at a commander, not as one to order Jesus about, not at one to demand that Jesus do as he wanted but this man, this centurion came beseeching Jesus!
After you ever beseeched someone? It's a fancy word for begging really. Have you ever begged someone for something? Maybe you've begged a loved one to seek medical attention when they were reluctant, or maybe you've begged someone not to do something you believe would be harmful for them to do. Perhaps you've begged a boss not to lay you off from your job, or maybe you've begged someone to hire you. At one time or another haven't we all begged someone over the course of our lifetime? Children begging parents, parents begging children. When we beg someone we are doing so because we want their compassion for whatever it is we're begging them for. We want them to help us with whatever it is we are begging them for. Begging someone not to do something is us wanting that someone to help us feel better by knowing that something won't be done. It's all about desiring something whether it's selfish or selfless.
The Roman centurion begged Jesus- a Jew for this--
Mat 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.
His servant. But note first- the commander addressed Jesus as Lord. The Centurion noted that Jesus had authority by addressing Him with that title. The news that had travelled over the area about Jesus and His miracles had come to the centurion and having a sick servant he sought Jesus to beg Him for His help. What sort of man the centurion had to be to stoop to beg a Jew for help not for himself or a family member, but for a servant!
Jesus knew what sort of man the centurion was and He didn't hesitate but answered--
Mat 8:7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.
Jesus didn't question the centurion about the fact he was a Roman, one that didn't believe in God, that did not adhere at all to the Jewish faith. This was a man in need and that's ALL Jesus saw! Able to overlook completely everything that was unimportant- Jesus could see the man's heart and it was enough for Him. No more begging was required. Jesus was ready right then and there to go to the servant sick of the palsy, grievously tormented and heal him. He had the power to do this, the claim wasn't a false one. He didn't say he come and try to heal the servant, He didn't say show me the servant and I'll see what I can do, Jesus said 'I will come and heal him.' It was a statement of fact that could not be denied.
But it didn't end there. The centurion didn't grab Jesus' hand and start off for his home. He didn't even attempt to move away expecting to be followed. The begging Roman centurion quickly answered before Jesus could take a single step and said--
Mat 8:8 And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
I'm not worthy! This is what the centurion said. I'm not worthy. He spoke these words to a Jew. Remember the Roman's dominated the Jews! The Jews were under their authority, not the other way around and this was something this Roman centurion knew well. He'd obviously been in the Roman army for awhile- long enough to prove himself as a conqueror for Rome and become a commander. Or even if he'd been given the post due to family influence and politics he knew all about Rome's superiority and was part of that mindset. For a Roman to believe they were not worthy of a Jew was astounding, truly astounding. The Romans were the elite and everyone else beneath them. Yet here a Roman commander was telling Jesus that He knew that He was someone very special and NOT worthy of His presence in His house, not worthy of that HONOR. And the man wasn't saying it as some do - saying one thing and meaning another- he was truly contrite, truly humbled in Jesus' presence.
Going on to explain that he knew as one who also had authority that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would be done. He wasn't questioning Jesus' ability to do this miracle sight unseen on his sick servant, he fully believed that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would happen, the miracle would occur. The Roman centurion was there to test Jesus, he wasn't there questioning Jesus' ability to perform, he wasn't demanding to see the miracle be performed. So many Jews- especially those in authority did all they could to question Jesus' miracles. The doubting among the Jews was immense and here was a Roman centurion telling Jesus that He believed in Him without any doubt, not needing any proof, and that he wasn't worthy of Jesus. AMAZING!
What was Jesus' response?
Mat 8:10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.
Jesus MARVELLED!
Jesus was astonished, amazed, in wonder over this Roman centurion's faith.
Jesus turned to those that were following Him and told them He hadn't found faith this great in Israel. He hadn't found faith like this man's among the Jews at all!
And He had more to say to the Jews following Him...
Mat 8:11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many from all over the world would sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven but the children of the kingdom would be CAST OUT! Who were the children of the kingdom supposed to be? The Jews. The Jews were the promised ones. The Jews were given the title of God's people!
Deu 7:6 Because thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee, to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are upon the earth.
The people of Israel, the Jewish people were God's peculiar people, chosen by God Himself as being natural children of the kingdom but these chosen people would NOT as a whole, NOT as a corporate body sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The chosen people would REJECT Jesus, they would REJECT salvation, the would REJECT God as they'd done in the past and been forgiven- time and again. Their rejection of salvation through Jesus Christ would be their undoing- their lack of faith would cost them eternity.
The Roman centurion had more faith- a non-Jew had more faith than any among the Jews, including His disciples. They were there and they were among those Jesus was speaking to when He said this--
Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.
The greatest faith He'd found had been in a Roman centurion. What a resounding slap in the face of all the Jews gathered there. What shame they needed to feel knowing that a Roman commander exhibited more faith in Jesus, their Messiah, than they did.
Addressing the centurion once more after delivering that sobering message Jesus said--
Mat 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Go on, what you believe will be done. The centurion's faith that Jesus had the power, the authority to heal his servant did just that- because he believed, because of his faith- Jesus answered His request and His servant was healed. Amazing! Simply amazing! Wonderfully amazing!
It's easy for Christians to take that high road that has them feeling superior to the Jews, knowing that they were a people that Jesus condemned.
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
For thousands of years Christians have turned on the Jews blaming them for the death of Christ, but no where did Jesus ever condone turning on one another. Jesus was all about turning the other cheek, not slapping the other cheek. Christians have NO right to place blame anywhere, if anything they need to forgive, not condemn. Non-Jews who believe they are better than the Jews are condemning themselves. Too many Christians are caught up in believing they are now the chosen and therefore automatically have a place at the table in the kingdom of heaven. No one has an automatic place, no one. Only by the grace of God do we have eternal life, only by the mercy and love of our Savior will we have a seat at the table in heaven. EVERY single human being as an equal opportunity to choose to follow God, to accept Jesus as their Savior, not one is left out. The opportunity comes to us all without fail, no one is automatically excluded because of their ethnicity, something they are born into and have no fault in becoming. We DO have fault when we reject salvation, when we reject the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, but not because of our race.
May God help us to have the faith that Roman centurion had.
Only by His grace, His mercy, His love, through His forgiveness, in His righteousness do we have hope.
In Him now and forever!
Amen.
A Roman centurion came to Jesus. Here Jesus had been preaching to those of Israel, the Jews not to the gentile (non-Jews) and yet the fame of His teachings, His miracles touched the ears of the Romans. This wasn't a lowly Roman soldier, but a centurion. A centurion was a Roman commander in charge of 100 Roman soldiers. A figure the soldiers looked up to respected. Surely this Roman centurion would have little to nothing to do with the Jewish people under their thumbs. The two didn't mingle. There was no love loss between the two groups whatsoever. The Jews were being oppressed by the Romans. This is the very real situation that existed at this time and here a Roman centurion came to Jesus not at a commander, not as one to order Jesus about, not at one to demand that Jesus do as he wanted but this man, this centurion came beseeching Jesus!
After you ever beseeched someone? It's a fancy word for begging really. Have you ever begged someone for something? Maybe you've begged a loved one to seek medical attention when they were reluctant, or maybe you've begged someone not to do something you believe would be harmful for them to do. Perhaps you've begged a boss not to lay you off from your job, or maybe you've begged someone to hire you. At one time or another haven't we all begged someone over the course of our lifetime? Children begging parents, parents begging children. When we beg someone we are doing so because we want their compassion for whatever it is we're begging them for. We want them to help us with whatever it is we are begging them for. Begging someone not to do something is us wanting that someone to help us feel better by knowing that something won't be done. It's all about desiring something whether it's selfish or selfless.
The Roman centurion begged Jesus- a Jew for this--
Mat 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.
His servant. But note first- the commander addressed Jesus as Lord. The Centurion noted that Jesus had authority by addressing Him with that title. The news that had travelled over the area about Jesus and His miracles had come to the centurion and having a sick servant he sought Jesus to beg Him for His help. What sort of man the centurion had to be to stoop to beg a Jew for help not for himself or a family member, but for a servant!
Jesus knew what sort of man the centurion was and He didn't hesitate but answered--
Mat 8:7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.
Jesus didn't question the centurion about the fact he was a Roman, one that didn't believe in God, that did not adhere at all to the Jewish faith. This was a man in need and that's ALL Jesus saw! Able to overlook completely everything that was unimportant- Jesus could see the man's heart and it was enough for Him. No more begging was required. Jesus was ready right then and there to go to the servant sick of the palsy, grievously tormented and heal him. He had the power to do this, the claim wasn't a false one. He didn't say he come and try to heal the servant, He didn't say show me the servant and I'll see what I can do, Jesus said 'I will come and heal him.' It was a statement of fact that could not be denied.
But it didn't end there. The centurion didn't grab Jesus' hand and start off for his home. He didn't even attempt to move away expecting to be followed. The begging Roman centurion quickly answered before Jesus could take a single step and said--
Mat 8:8 And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
I'm not worthy! This is what the centurion said. I'm not worthy. He spoke these words to a Jew. Remember the Roman's dominated the Jews! The Jews were under their authority, not the other way around and this was something this Roman centurion knew well. He'd obviously been in the Roman army for awhile- long enough to prove himself as a conqueror for Rome and become a commander. Or even if he'd been given the post due to family influence and politics he knew all about Rome's superiority and was part of that mindset. For a Roman to believe they were not worthy of a Jew was astounding, truly astounding. The Romans were the elite and everyone else beneath them. Yet here a Roman commander was telling Jesus that He knew that He was someone very special and NOT worthy of His presence in His house, not worthy of that HONOR. And the man wasn't saying it as some do - saying one thing and meaning another- he was truly contrite, truly humbled in Jesus' presence.
Going on to explain that he knew as one who also had authority that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would be done. He wasn't questioning Jesus' ability to do this miracle sight unseen on his sick servant, he fully believed that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would happen, the miracle would occur. The Roman centurion was there to test Jesus, he wasn't there questioning Jesus' ability to perform, he wasn't demanding to see the miracle be performed. So many Jews- especially those in authority did all they could to question Jesus' miracles. The doubting among the Jews was immense and here was a Roman centurion telling Jesus that He believed in Him without any doubt, not needing any proof, and that he wasn't worthy of Jesus. AMAZING!
What was Jesus' response?
Mat 8:10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.
Jesus MARVELLED!
Jesus was astonished, amazed, in wonder over this Roman centurion's faith.
Jesus turned to those that were following Him and told them He hadn't found faith this great in Israel. He hadn't found faith like this man's among the Jews at all!
And He had more to say to the Jews following Him...
Mat 8:11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Many from all over the world would sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven but the children of the kingdom would be CAST OUT! Who were the children of the kingdom supposed to be? The Jews. The Jews were the promised ones. The Jews were given the title of God's people!
Deu 7:6 Because thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee, to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are upon the earth.
The people of Israel, the Jewish people were God's peculiar people, chosen by God Himself as being natural children of the kingdom but these chosen people would NOT as a whole, NOT as a corporate body sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The chosen people would REJECT Jesus, they would REJECT salvation, the would REJECT God as they'd done in the past and been forgiven- time and again. Their rejection of salvation through Jesus Christ would be their undoing- their lack of faith would cost them eternity.
The Roman centurion had more faith- a non-Jew had more faith than any among the Jews, including His disciples. They were there and they were among those Jesus was speaking to when He said this--
Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.
The greatest faith He'd found had been in a Roman centurion. What a resounding slap in the face of all the Jews gathered there. What shame they needed to feel knowing that a Roman commander exhibited more faith in Jesus, their Messiah, than they did.
Addressing the centurion once more after delivering that sobering message Jesus said--
Mat 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Go on, what you believe will be done. The centurion's faith that Jesus had the power, the authority to heal his servant did just that- because he believed, because of his faith- Jesus answered His request and His servant was healed. Amazing! Simply amazing! Wonderfully amazing!
It's easy for Christians to take that high road that has them feeling superior to the Jews, knowing that they were a people that Jesus condemned.
Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
For thousands of years Christians have turned on the Jews blaming them for the death of Christ, but no where did Jesus ever condone turning on one another. Jesus was all about turning the other cheek, not slapping the other cheek. Christians have NO right to place blame anywhere, if anything they need to forgive, not condemn. Non-Jews who believe they are better than the Jews are condemning themselves. Too many Christians are caught up in believing they are now the chosen and therefore automatically have a place at the table in the kingdom of heaven. No one has an automatic place, no one. Only by the grace of God do we have eternal life, only by the mercy and love of our Savior will we have a seat at the table in heaven. EVERY single human being as an equal opportunity to choose to follow God, to accept Jesus as their Savior, not one is left out. The opportunity comes to us all without fail, no one is automatically excluded because of their ethnicity, something they are born into and have no fault in becoming. We DO have fault when we reject salvation, when we reject the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, but not because of our race.
May God help us to have the faith that Roman centurion had.
Only by His grace, His mercy, His love, through His forgiveness, in His righteousness do we have hope.
In Him now and forever!
Amen.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Remember and keep
Do we celebrate having no other God's before God?
Do we celebrate not worshipping idols?
Do we celebrate not taking the Lord God's name in vain?
Do we celebrate not murdering?
Do we celebrate not committing adultery?
Do we celebrate not stealing?
Do we celebrate not lying?
Do we celebrate not coveting?
We are told not to do these things in God's great ten commandments. But in two of the ten commandments we are told to DO something.
We are to honor our parents.
We are to honor our Creator on a day that He has chosen, once a week.
When we are told to honor our parents it's a continuous commandment isn't it? A commandment without end. We are CONSTANTLY to honor our parents, doing so without ceasing. There were no time constraints whatsoever placed upon this commandment. There were no guidelines, no limitations.
Exo 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Honor them. Never dishonor them. In dishonoring our parents we only end up hurting ourselves. Just as we are to NEVER have another before God, just as we are to never worship idols, take the Lord God's name in vain, murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet, we are to ALWAYS honor our parents. These commandments are eternal, ever lasting, ever important, ever pertinent, ever righteous, ever good, ever Holy. There will never come a time when any of these commandments will be changed, never.
Because we live in a world that chose to disobey God, sin entered our world. Before sin entered the world the commandments were kept perfectly, naturally. There was no reason to explain to Adam and Eve that they shouldn't murder each other. There was no reason to tell them not to lie, steal, covet. There wasn't a need for them to have to be told to worship God in not making the nature around them their God, they knew better naturally without having to be told. They were given this command-
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This was the command given to man. DO not eat the fruit of ONE tree.
Would man obey God? Would man naturally choose to obey God? Would man in the face of temptation choose God over that temptation? What sort of creature was this man created from the very earth created by God. Created from something created, having a form unlike any other created being. Created in God's image, created not to be ethereal, but to be subjected to the world around them, a world they were created on and in need of for the very life they lived. The earth would bring forth all the food they'd need, all the water, all the air, gravity, heat would touch the planet from the created sun. Man was to be special very special.
We, as mortals are fixated on things immortal. Our very culture shows this over and over again. More than ever people are obsessed with tales of immortality. What teenager out there isn't longing for lives of immortality portrayed to them on the movie screen in the form of vampires, superheroes, varied fictional supernatural creatures?
The immortal God created man to be immortal- conditionally mortal. Yes, man was created to be a creature dependent upon the very created world that gave them form. Immortality in an exquisite world, immortal with the potential for a growing knowledge that would endlessly keep mankind living in the fascination of their Creator, God.
We were created with the condition of needing air to breath, of needing food to eat, we were created needing to eat from the tree of life.
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden…
The tree of life giving immortality! The tree whose fruit was filled with the power of immortality for all of mankind that God created.
Think about it for a moment. We tend to view our mortality as something awful because IT IS. It is NO senseless coincidence that we desire immortality. We were created to be immortal beings with free access to the fruit of immortality. Our immortal God didn't punish human beings by making them creatures dependent upon the tree of life for immortality. We were made uniquely different from other created beings- the angels. Immortal angels not dependent upon a tree laden with fruit giving them eternal life. Immortal because they were created to be immortal. Humans immortal created to be immortal. Humans being created to procreate. Angels were not created to procreate. Human beings created in God's image. Angels were not created in God's image and yet so many believe that angels are created more in God's image than mankind, it's just not true.
Our wondrous God created us marvelously and even with all our sin the miracle of our lives, our creation still shines through the thick blanket of darkness. We were created with the ability to comprehend the truth of immortality found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Immortality was lost to us, taken from us because we chose to disobey our Creator in the one thing He asked of us, choosing selfishness over God.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Immortality was restored to us by the promise of a coming Savior- a Savior who fulfilled that promise is His birth, life, death and resurrection- and a Savior who will return again for us bringing immortality with Him.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as intended we would keep immortality by trusting wholly in our God, our Creator- obeying Him in all things. We are given the promise of immortality by trusting wholly in our God, our Creator- obeying Him in all things- by the sacrifice of our Savior, in Christ's righteousness.
In the beginning of this little study the mention of the commandments was made and it was mentioned there were two of the ten commandments that are geared towards us 'DOING' something rather than us NOT doing something. We talked about honoring our parents but let's talk about the other commandment, the fourth.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day
We are told to--
Remember and keep.
We have to ask ourselves WHY weren't we told to remember all the other commandments? Seriously, why? Surely it's important for us to remember not to kill, steal, lie, covet, commit adultery, have only God as our God, not to make gods out of graven images, not to take God's name in vain- right?
Maybe this fourth commandment was a bridge. Seriously, maybe it was given to us to connect our worship and love of God to our love for our fellow man.
Jesus Himself said there were two great commandments upon which the rest hung.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
It's easy for ANYONE to see in the ten commandments the ones geared towards God and the others towards our neighbors.
Maybe that fourth one isn't strictly geared towards God but more of a bridge.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day
First we are to REMEMBER the Sabbath day and KEEP it holy.
Six days we work.
The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord and we aren't to work.
Not just us though… OTHERS our neighbors are not to work either! Yes, our sons, daughters, manservants, maidservants, are our neighbors too aren't they? Seriously, anyone that isn't us is one we are to love as a neighbor- surely Jesus meant it when He said the second great commandment was to love your neighbor as if they were you. Our family members have to be included in that commandment to love our neighbor as if they were us, if they're not then where else would they fit in the grand scheme of things? Many, many, MANY people do not love their family members, though we'd like to believe family members are automatically loved by other family members they're not, by far. Sometimes, or rather, often we are more cruel to family members than strangers.
So if others in our lives are NOT to do any work on the Sabbath this is the bridge reaching from each side of the commandments God and neighbors. These two laws come together perfectly on the Sabbath day- for God and man together make up the reason for the Sabbath. God made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them… including US, and then He made it a holy day of rest, of remembrance for the crown of His creation- US. Together God and Man, Creator and Creature.
Jesus even had to remind people of this most important fact--
Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath
This heavenly WEEKLY reminder was created for US.
While many changes in our calendar have been made over time- if you look at the changes - for example the Gregorian and Julian calendars- the numbering of the day was changed, but the WEEKLY CYCLE HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th day.
God sanctified the SEVENTH DAY of the week and that's never been changed, never.
Our weekly reminder that means so incredibly much! A day set aside, a full day, not just an hour or two. A full day set aside for us to keep holy to God. 1/7th of our week God requires of us, surely by anyone's standard that isn't too much to ask. Surely by even the most selfish person 1/7th of a week is not too much to keep holy to God, a time for the love of God to be realized most fully by man. Jesus kept the seventh day Sabbath. The Pharisees may have question is actions ON the Sabbath but they never accused Him of abandoning the Sabbath, never accused Him of doing away with the Sabbath and you can be sure they would have given the most miniscule chance!
We need to celebrate the Sabbath! Celebrate this wonderful gift of time from our Creator who in His great wisdom knew we needed time set aside to be with Him more so than at any other time in our weeks.
By HIS amazing love and grace may we keep His holy Sabbath as He would have us keep it- wholly spent with HIM, in His love, by His mercy and His righteousness!
Let us also remember this---
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
We will be with Christ and that immortality promised to us will be kept - the tree of life will be there and we will gather from one moon to another, from one sabbath to another. The creature God created from the earth will be drawn to heaven and then in the great holy city, the New Jerusalem we will be drawn back to earth and all will be made new! We will inhabit the earth as originally intended all by the grace of our Savior, all to the glory of God! Forever we will be the humans God created in His image- perfect and immortal never again to sin, never! We will forever keep the Sabbath with Him as He intended, forever!
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Do we celebrate not worshipping idols?
Do we celebrate not taking the Lord God's name in vain?
Do we celebrate not murdering?
Do we celebrate not committing adultery?
Do we celebrate not stealing?
Do we celebrate not lying?
Do we celebrate not coveting?
We are told not to do these things in God's great ten commandments. But in two of the ten commandments we are told to DO something.
We are to honor our parents.
We are to honor our Creator on a day that He has chosen, once a week.
When we are told to honor our parents it's a continuous commandment isn't it? A commandment without end. We are CONSTANTLY to honor our parents, doing so without ceasing. There were no time constraints whatsoever placed upon this commandment. There were no guidelines, no limitations.
Exo 20:12 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.
Honor them. Never dishonor them. In dishonoring our parents we only end up hurting ourselves. Just as we are to NEVER have another before God, just as we are to never worship idols, take the Lord God's name in vain, murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet, we are to ALWAYS honor our parents. These commandments are eternal, ever lasting, ever important, ever pertinent, ever righteous, ever good, ever Holy. There will never come a time when any of these commandments will be changed, never.
Because we live in a world that chose to disobey God, sin entered our world. Before sin entered the world the commandments were kept perfectly, naturally. There was no reason to explain to Adam and Eve that they shouldn't murder each other. There was no reason to tell them not to lie, steal, covet. There wasn't a need for them to have to be told to worship God in not making the nature around them their God, they knew better naturally without having to be told. They were given this command-
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This was the command given to man. DO not eat the fruit of ONE tree.
Would man obey God? Would man naturally choose to obey God? Would man in the face of temptation choose God over that temptation? What sort of creature was this man created from the very earth created by God. Created from something created, having a form unlike any other created being. Created in God's image, created not to be ethereal, but to be subjected to the world around them, a world they were created on and in need of for the very life they lived. The earth would bring forth all the food they'd need, all the water, all the air, gravity, heat would touch the planet from the created sun. Man was to be special very special.
We, as mortals are fixated on things immortal. Our very culture shows this over and over again. More than ever people are obsessed with tales of immortality. What teenager out there isn't longing for lives of immortality portrayed to them on the movie screen in the form of vampires, superheroes, varied fictional supernatural creatures?
The immortal God created man to be immortal- conditionally mortal. Yes, man was created to be a creature dependent upon the very created world that gave them form. Immortality in an exquisite world, immortal with the potential for a growing knowledge that would endlessly keep mankind living in the fascination of their Creator, God.
We were created with the condition of needing air to breath, of needing food to eat, we were created needing to eat from the tree of life.
Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden…
The tree of life giving immortality! The tree whose fruit was filled with the power of immortality for all of mankind that God created.
Think about it for a moment. We tend to view our mortality as something awful because IT IS. It is NO senseless coincidence that we desire immortality. We were created to be immortal beings with free access to the fruit of immortality. Our immortal God didn't punish human beings by making them creatures dependent upon the tree of life for immortality. We were made uniquely different from other created beings- the angels. Immortal angels not dependent upon a tree laden with fruit giving them eternal life. Immortal because they were created to be immortal. Humans immortal created to be immortal. Humans being created to procreate. Angels were not created to procreate. Human beings created in God's image. Angels were not created in God's image and yet so many believe that angels are created more in God's image than mankind, it's just not true.
Our wondrous God created us marvelously and even with all our sin the miracle of our lives, our creation still shines through the thick blanket of darkness. We were created with the ability to comprehend the truth of immortality found in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Immortality was lost to us, taken from us because we chose to disobey our Creator in the one thing He asked of us, choosing selfishness over God.
Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Immortality was restored to us by the promise of a coming Savior- a Savior who fulfilled that promise is His birth, life, death and resurrection- and a Savior who will return again for us bringing immortality with Him.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as intended we would keep immortality by trusting wholly in our God, our Creator- obeying Him in all things. We are given the promise of immortality by trusting wholly in our God, our Creator- obeying Him in all things- by the sacrifice of our Savior, in Christ's righteousness.
In the beginning of this little study the mention of the commandments was made and it was mentioned there were two of the ten commandments that are geared towards us 'DOING' something rather than us NOT doing something. We talked about honoring our parents but let's talk about the other commandment, the fourth.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day
We are told to--
Remember and keep.
We have to ask ourselves WHY weren't we told to remember all the other commandments? Seriously, why? Surely it's important for us to remember not to kill, steal, lie, covet, commit adultery, have only God as our God, not to make gods out of graven images, not to take God's name in vain- right?
Maybe this fourth commandment was a bridge. Seriously, maybe it was given to us to connect our worship and love of God to our love for our fellow man.
Jesus Himself said there were two great commandments upon which the rest hung.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
It's easy for ANYONE to see in the ten commandments the ones geared towards God and the others towards our neighbors.
Maybe that fourth one isn't strictly geared towards God but more of a bridge.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day
First we are to REMEMBER the Sabbath day and KEEP it holy.
Six days we work.
The seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord and we aren't to work.
Not just us though… OTHERS our neighbors are not to work either! Yes, our sons, daughters, manservants, maidservants, are our neighbors too aren't they? Seriously, anyone that isn't us is one we are to love as a neighbor- surely Jesus meant it when He said the second great commandment was to love your neighbor as if they were you. Our family members have to be included in that commandment to love our neighbor as if they were us, if they're not then where else would they fit in the grand scheme of things? Many, many, MANY people do not love their family members, though we'd like to believe family members are automatically loved by other family members they're not, by far. Sometimes, or rather, often we are more cruel to family members than strangers.
So if others in our lives are NOT to do any work on the Sabbath this is the bridge reaching from each side of the commandments God and neighbors. These two laws come together perfectly on the Sabbath day- for God and man together make up the reason for the Sabbath. God made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them… including US, and then He made it a holy day of rest, of remembrance for the crown of His creation- US. Together God and Man, Creator and Creature.
Jesus even had to remind people of this most important fact--
Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath
This heavenly WEEKLY reminder was created for US.
While many changes in our calendar have been made over time- if you look at the changes - for example the Gregorian and Julian calendars- the numbering of the day was changed, but the WEEKLY CYCLE HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th day.
God sanctified the SEVENTH DAY of the week and that's never been changed, never.
Our weekly reminder that means so incredibly much! A day set aside, a full day, not just an hour or two. A full day set aside for us to keep holy to God. 1/7th of our week God requires of us, surely by anyone's standard that isn't too much to ask. Surely by even the most selfish person 1/7th of a week is not too much to keep holy to God, a time for the love of God to be realized most fully by man. Jesus kept the seventh day Sabbath. The Pharisees may have question is actions ON the Sabbath but they never accused Him of abandoning the Sabbath, never accused Him of doing away with the Sabbath and you can be sure they would have given the most miniscule chance!
We need to celebrate the Sabbath! Celebrate this wonderful gift of time from our Creator who in His great wisdom knew we needed time set aside to be with Him more so than at any other time in our weeks.
By HIS amazing love and grace may we keep His holy Sabbath as He would have us keep it- wholly spent with HIM, in His love, by His mercy and His righteousness!
Let us also remember this---
Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
We will be with Christ and that immortality promised to us will be kept - the tree of life will be there and we will gather from one moon to another, from one sabbath to another. The creature God created from the earth will be drawn to heaven and then in the great holy city, the New Jerusalem we will be drawn back to earth and all will be made new! We will inhabit the earth as originally intended all by the grace of our Savior, all to the glory of God! Forever we will be the humans God created in His image- perfect and immortal never again to sin, never! We will forever keep the Sabbath with Him as He intended, forever!
In His LOVE!
Amen.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Education in things eternal
Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
People were astonished. You know what it feels like to be astonished at something, right? There's that 'wow' factor involved. You're amazed. What you've heard is incredulous. Sometimes when we hear things that astonish us it's almost life changing, isn't it? You heard things before that have altered your life in one way or another. For instance I personally heard the gospel message and was changed, my life altered in many ways. Had I not heard the gospel message my life would not have altered, it would not have gone down the path it has. Life changing messages are something that don't come along everyday. Unfortunately Satan has his own life changing messages for people and they fall for them hook, line, and sinker. How many terrorist hear the rousing words of those inciting terrorist acts and their lives are changed by them? Obviously way too many.
Words have power, life changing power.
Do you have the memory of any words that were said to you that changed your life? Maybe they were uplifting words that changed your life in a positive way. Or maybe the words were painful and changed your life in a very negative way. Words mean so much- those that are spoken and those that are written. Try telling someone who receives horrible news in a letter that written words are less harmful than spoken. Or tell someone who just found out wonderful news in a letter that it means nothing. You know in our modern world we are using cell phones for texting, computers for instant messaging and all those words whether they are shortened so a lot of people can't recognize them, whether they are in a special code, none of it matters because they are words and words matter.
When Jesus finished speaking His listeners were astonished by what He taught them. They KNEW they are being taught, that what they were listening to wasn't just a fictional story or two, it wasn't a history lesson, it wasn't a tale without merit.
Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying--
He taught them. He is the ultimate Teacher!
Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
A Teacher come from God.
The greatest Teacher we will ever have is our Savior.
The greatest lessons we have to learn come from our Savior.
You could be the most learned man or woman on earth with a mind that can figure out incredible scientific theories and at the same time be the most uneducated person on earth if you haven't learned the greatest lessons there are from the mouth of our Savior. All the learning in the world means NOTHING if the learning isn't from our Savior and used for His purpose according to His will, not our own. So many scientist take pride in themselves for not being 'duped' by the fables of a fictional cult rearing Bible and they'll realize too late that what they considered fiction is fact. There is NO pride to be had in disregarding the Bible as being uninspired. Not believing doesn't make you an intellectual genius. In a world ruled by Satan you may garner accolades for your astute ability to *think* to reason, to impressive with your vocabulary, to out think anyone you come in contact with, to debate and never lose--but that means NOTHING! Sorry, but all the worldly wisdom means NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. It's the lessons we learn from our Savior that means EVERYTHING. Choose not to learn and you rob yourself of your greatest opportunity for an education in things eternal.
By the grace of God May we learn from the greatest Master there is - a Teacher sent from God, a Teacher that was with God, a God become man's ultimate Teacher.
In His amazing love!
Amen!
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes
People were astonished. You know what it feels like to be astonished at something, right? There's that 'wow' factor involved. You're amazed. What you've heard is incredulous. Sometimes when we hear things that astonish us it's almost life changing, isn't it? You heard things before that have altered your life in one way or another. For instance I personally heard the gospel message and was changed, my life altered in many ways. Had I not heard the gospel message my life would not have altered, it would not have gone down the path it has. Life changing messages are something that don't come along everyday. Unfortunately Satan has his own life changing messages for people and they fall for them hook, line, and sinker. How many terrorist hear the rousing words of those inciting terrorist acts and their lives are changed by them? Obviously way too many.
Words have power, life changing power.
Do you have the memory of any words that were said to you that changed your life? Maybe they were uplifting words that changed your life in a positive way. Or maybe the words were painful and changed your life in a very negative way. Words mean so much- those that are spoken and those that are written. Try telling someone who receives horrible news in a letter that written words are less harmful than spoken. Or tell someone who just found out wonderful news in a letter that it means nothing. You know in our modern world we are using cell phones for texting, computers for instant messaging and all those words whether they are shortened so a lot of people can't recognize them, whether they are in a special code, none of it matters because they are words and words matter.
When Jesus finished speaking His listeners were astonished by what He taught them. They KNEW they are being taught, that what they were listening to wasn't just a fictional story or two, it wasn't a history lesson, it wasn't a tale without merit.
Mat 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying--
He taught them. He is the ultimate Teacher!
Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
A Teacher come from God.
The greatest Teacher we will ever have is our Savior.
The greatest lessons we have to learn come from our Savior.
You could be the most learned man or woman on earth with a mind that can figure out incredible scientific theories and at the same time be the most uneducated person on earth if you haven't learned the greatest lessons there are from the mouth of our Savior. All the learning in the world means NOTHING if the learning isn't from our Savior and used for His purpose according to His will, not our own. So many scientist take pride in themselves for not being 'duped' by the fables of a fictional cult rearing Bible and they'll realize too late that what they considered fiction is fact. There is NO pride to be had in disregarding the Bible as being uninspired. Not believing doesn't make you an intellectual genius. In a world ruled by Satan you may garner accolades for your astute ability to *think* to reason, to impressive with your vocabulary, to out think anyone you come in contact with, to debate and never lose--but that means NOTHING! Sorry, but all the worldly wisdom means NOTHING in the grand scheme of things. It's the lessons we learn from our Savior that means EVERYTHING. Choose not to learn and you rob yourself of your greatest opportunity for an education in things eternal.
By the grace of God May we learn from the greatest Master there is - a Teacher sent from God, a Teacher that was with God, a God become man's ultimate Teacher.
In His amazing love!
Amen!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Spiritual Rock
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
*******
Those who HEAR the sayings Jesus was bringing to them and DO them- are likened unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.
Hear and do.
Hear and do.
Hear and do.
Yes, I'm repeating this over and over because it bears repeating much more than I'm doing here, it warrants repeating until we get this embedded into our minds. We have to not only hear, but do what we hear. We have to LISTEN to our Savior and LEARN from Him. In learning we are living in the manner our Savior would have us live. These are LIFE lessons. These aren't mere stories being told to us - something to read and then forget. These are LIFE lessons we are to read and absorb until they are a part of us. Three chapters of Matthew- one hundred-seven verses- two thousand four hundred forty-one words of LESSONS.
And those who HEAR AND DO will be likened unto WISE men.
Mat 7:24 ...I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock
A wise man builds his house upon a ROCK. Why? Keep reading...
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Rain comes.
Floods come.
Winds come.
The house is beaten.
But as long as that house is upon the rock it's going no where!
We all know, especially living in the times we do with the internet and television news bringing us vivid instant pictures of devastation that rain, floods, and winds can bring that even houses on rocks can be swept away, obliterated by tornado winds. The ROCK here is a much stronger Rock just as the house truly represents us. If We… if our lives are built upon the Rock that is our Savior then NOTHING will be able to rip us apart, nothing will be able to tear us down, nothing will be able to take our Savior from us. They might be able to take everything we have physically but they can not take our spiritual life from us, that spiritual life that is where salvation in our Savior is found, where TRUE life is found.
There is another side of this too- Jesus goes on to say this...
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
A house built upon the sand. Truly foolish! When we do not LIVE for our Savior, we are not on a rock but rather sand and it doesn't matter if we are on sands that imitate rocks… because if they are not THE ROCK… those sand rocks will disintegrate just as surely as if they were pure sand. Too many are standing upon imitation rocks and they will not stand in the day of rain, flood, or wind. Too many have built their lives upon sand.
Jesus' own words to us so why don't we heed them? Why? Why do we hear but not do? Why? We are given the truth and the way and the life- JESUS. We are given all the love we need to live in Him. We need to LIVE Him. We must have Him as our Rock and no other.
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
That Rock was Christ!
Let us build our houses, our LIVES upon the Rock Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! By His grace, by His righteousness! In His love! In His mercy! Now and forever may we live!
Amen.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
*******
Those who HEAR the sayings Jesus was bringing to them and DO them- are likened unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.
Hear and do.
Hear and do.
Hear and do.
Yes, I'm repeating this over and over because it bears repeating much more than I'm doing here, it warrants repeating until we get this embedded into our minds. We have to not only hear, but do what we hear. We have to LISTEN to our Savior and LEARN from Him. In learning we are living in the manner our Savior would have us live. These are LIFE lessons. These aren't mere stories being told to us - something to read and then forget. These are LIFE lessons we are to read and absorb until they are a part of us. Three chapters of Matthew- one hundred-seven verses- two thousand four hundred forty-one words of LESSONS.
And those who HEAR AND DO will be likened unto WISE men.
Mat 7:24 ...I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock
A wise man builds his house upon a ROCK. Why? Keep reading...
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Rain comes.
Floods come.
Winds come.
The house is beaten.
But as long as that house is upon the rock it's going no where!
We all know, especially living in the times we do with the internet and television news bringing us vivid instant pictures of devastation that rain, floods, and winds can bring that even houses on rocks can be swept away, obliterated by tornado winds. The ROCK here is a much stronger Rock just as the house truly represents us. If We… if our lives are built upon the Rock that is our Savior then NOTHING will be able to rip us apart, nothing will be able to tear us down, nothing will be able to take our Savior from us. They might be able to take everything we have physically but they can not take our spiritual life from us, that spiritual life that is where salvation in our Savior is found, where TRUE life is found.
There is another side of this too- Jesus goes on to say this...
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
A house built upon the sand. Truly foolish! When we do not LIVE for our Savior, we are not on a rock but rather sand and it doesn't matter if we are on sands that imitate rocks… because if they are not THE ROCK… those sand rocks will disintegrate just as surely as if they were pure sand. Too many are standing upon imitation rocks and they will not stand in the day of rain, flood, or wind. Too many have built their lives upon sand.
Jesus' own words to us so why don't we heed them? Why? Why do we hear but not do? Why? We are given the truth and the way and the life- JESUS. We are given all the love we need to live in Him. We need to LIVE Him. We must have Him as our Rock and no other.
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
That Rock was Christ!
Let us build our houses, our LIVES upon the Rock Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! By His grace, by His righteousness! In His love! In His mercy! Now and forever may we live!
Amen.
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