Defeat your enemies by loving them - Cost of Discipleship Pt 67

Chapter 13 - The Enemy -- the "Extraordinary"

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Bonhoeffer - 'From now on there can be no more wars of faith.  The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.
     To the natural man, the very notion of loving his enemies is an intolerable offence, and quite beyond his capacity: it cuts right across his ideas of good and evil.  More important still, to man under the law, the idea of loving his enemies is clean contrary to the law of God, which requires men to sever all connection with their enemies and to pass judgment on them. Jesus, however, takes the law of God in his own hands and expounds its true meaning. The will of God, to which the law gives expression, is that men should defeat their enemies by loving them.'

My thoughts-

The wars of faith were fought plentiful and often, just read your Old Testament and the call to war was seemingly constant. It was a war against those who were idol worshippers, those who broke the law of God consistently as a way of life.

God destroyed all but eight human beings because of the evil of mankind. The evil that was man living separate from God without any desire whatsoever to establish a connection with Him ever again.

The Creator did NOT create us to be separate from Himself, this is what people fail to comprehend.

Only in Him are we truly complete as we were meant to be, as we were created to be.  We were NOT created to be apart from God, we were made in His image. We were made by a Creator who KNOWS that us without Him- equals nothing.

People rail against this bond, they fight against is as if they created themselves and know what's best for themselves. People judge that God is against them, when HE created them! 

He truly does have the RIGHTS to us, the RIGHTS of OWNERSHIP.  And yet… He created us with the ability to CHOOSE whether or not we comprehend and accept the LOVE of this OWNERSHIP.  It's not a MASTER - SLAVE relationship. It's a MASTER - COMPANION relationship.   We are NOT forced to remain as slaves are forced, we can choose to break the relationship whenever we want.  This is a FATHER- CHILD (ADOPTED) relationship to those who choose to remain. 

However, if we do NOT choose to remain in a relationship with our Creator, the ONLY relationship that really complete who we were created to be, then we forfeit our life.  When we choose to live outside the ONLY relationship that can sustain us eternally, we are choosing our own death.

In the very beginning God told Eve she would die if she separated herself from Him by choosing to believe that she could live apart from Him.

Yes, people say it was just a piece of forbidden fruit, none of that separation stuff. But Eve knew that God had created her, and loved her. Eve knew that God denied her nothing she needed. Even knew that God wanted to be in a relationship with her, and she wanted for NOTHING.  The choice she had to make was whether or not to BELIEVE in Her Creator, the One who had given her life and everything she ever needed.  Satan entered the picture and lied to her about God and she LISTENED to Satan. She chose to DISBEILEVE God. She chose to abandon HIS TRUTH. She chose to SEPARATE her life from God's. God told her that separation would mean death and He did not lie, He cannot lie.

Because Eve did NOT on her own make this choice, but was INFLUENCED to do so, mankind was given an OPPORTUNITY to RECONNECT with their CREATOR, while Satan was condemned permanently.

This opportunity is given to us all. We still are all subject to death, but we are not all going to be subject to permanent death.  Those who CHOOSE to believe, those who CHOOSE to accept the sacrifice of our Savior, the price He had to pay to once more reconnect us fully with Him will live eternally as we were originally intended to live.

When we do not choose to reconnect, we are choosing permanent death.

Millions have chosen to die rather than reconnect with their source of eternal life.  There are a myriad of reasons they give for this choice, but none matter. The fact they have chosen death over life is the bottom line.

Our God hasn't kept silent about this choice- it is well known and has been since the beginning sin.

Bonhoeffer's saying this--  'From now on there can be no more wars of faith.'    He was saying that all the wars that had been fought prior to our Savior's sacrifice and resurrection, were wars fought because our Savior had NOT lived and died. The FINAL sacrifice, the ULTIMATE sacrifice had to be completed not something looked for, not something anticipated.  Satan, up until Christ died on that cross, had hope that He could keep Christ from making that sacrifice. Satan wanted to thwart God's plan of salvation. This war of faith was all the revelation of the GREAT battle truly going on in life- the battle between good and evil, God and Satan.  A real WAR with real consequences!  When our Savior died and rose to live again, the BATTLE was WON.  And our Savior did not want there to ever be another war of faith- a war that cannot lay claim to Victory. The WAR was WON!   And if we BELIEVE the WAR was WON by CHRIST, we know that no physical war in the name of faith is being fought to determine a victor.  The VICTOR, CHRIST JESUS OUR SAVIOR, told US NEVER to fight the physical battle of faith again, never in His name strike another person.  When we do that we are fighting the wrong war. 

We are still in the war. The enemy keeps on fighting only he is not fighting to win the war, but to take as many people with him as he possibly can. We can choose to side with the VICTOR and place our FAITH in HIM. Knowing that even if Satan attacks us physically, provoking us to war, that we are NOT to fight back in that way.

Right there in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus healed the Roman soldier's ear that Peter cut off, we are being shown beyond a doubt that it would NOT EVER BE by the sword we should fight again.

Bonhoeffer said this-- 'The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.' 

Christ said this--

'Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you'

Truth!

Bonhoeffer said - ' To the natural man, the very notion of loving his enemies is an intolerable offence, and quite beyond his capacity: it cuts right across his ideas of good and evil.  More important still, to man under the law, the idea of loving his enemies is clean contrary to the law of God, which requires men to sever all connection with their enemies and to pass judgment on them. Jesus, however, takes the law of God in his own hands and expounds its true meaning. The will of God, to which the law gives expression, is that men should defeat their enemies by loving them.'

Defeat our enemies by LOVING them!

Christ's LOVE.

All through CHRIST!

This is truth!

And we MUST live in TRUTH, live in CHRIST!

Yes, we still have the power of choosing eternal life, or eternal death, that will not be taken from us.  We will choose, all of us will choose, and by the grace of CHRIST may we choose life in HIM! To be with our Creator as we were intended to be, no longer separated but united to Him in LOVE, selfless love!

Please LORD, all by YOUR GRACE, YOUR MERCY, YOUR LOVE!

Victory Over Evil - Cost of Discipleship Pt 66

Chapter 12 - Revenge

Bonhoeffer- 'It looked as though evil had triumphed on the cross,  but the real victory belonged to Jesus. And the cross is the only justification for the precept of non-violence, for it alone can kindle a faith in the victory over evil which will enable men to obey that precept. And only such obedience is blessed with the promise that we will be partakers of Christ's victory as well as of his sufferings.

The passion of Christ is the victory of divine love over the powers of evil, and therefore it is the only supportable basis for Christian obedience. Once again, Jesus calls those who follow him to share his passion. How can we convince the world by our preaching of the passion when we shrink from that passion in our own lives? On the cross Jesus fulfilled the law he himself established and thus graciously keeps his disciples in the fellowship of his suffering. The cross is the only power in the world which proves that suffering love can avenge and vanquish evil.  But it was just this participation in the cross which the disciples were granted when Jesus called them to him. They are called blessed because of their visible participation in his cross.'

My thoughts-

Victory over evil.

The cross.

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.


We shall not all sleep death's sleep. Some, those saints living in the last days in Christ, will never taste of the first death- the sleep.  But we will ALL be changed.  Those who sleep and those who have not slept death's sleep will ALL be changed. 

In a twinkling of an eye.

At the last trump.

The dead (those sleeping in their graves) will be raised up out of their graves incorruptible.

Corruption turned to incorruption. Mortal turned to immortal.

Death swallowed up in VICTORY.

Thanks be to God which gives us the VICTORY through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Without Christ's sacrifice of His life in every way, all the way to the cross, and His death, there would be NO victory over evil.

He's the ONLY One who has ever triumphed completely over evil. Without Him there is NO triumphing over evil, none.

The cross of our Savior is His WILLINGNESS to let LOVE triumph over EVIL.
The cross of our Savior revealed SUFFERING- temporary suffering- endured as evil had its full sway in the crucifixion of One who was completely innocent of any evil at all.

We who are guilty complain when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He who was innocent complained NOT when He was called to suffer at the hands of evil.
He calls us who would be HIS to complain NOT when we are called to suffer at the hands of evil, any manner of evil.
We are to be subservient as HE was subservient.
The GREATEST EVER- a SERVANT to ALL!

What does that tell us?

We who strive to NOT serve but be served?

It tells us how far off the mark we are in our lives when we choose to NOT SERVE.

Christ's disciples were called BLESSED because of their VISIBLE participation in the suffering of Christ on the Cross- Bonhoeffer wrote.

It is true.

The disciples did not hide their love of Christ in following His teachings.

It wasn't always easy for them, but the very nature of suffering makes it far from easy.

This is the voice of one who is suffering-

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

That was Paul speaking, calling himself a wretched man, seeking deliverance. 

Our suffering at the hands of evil people, does not end there. We suffering evil throughout our lives and do so in many ways. 

Visibly suffering where others witness the suffering is not easy at all.

We hate to be abused by evil people and our NATURAL inclination is to do all we can to avoid that. When we are confronted by these situations we are required by our Savior to suffer as HE suffered.  The suffering is NOT deserved, but endured all because of the LOVE of Christ. The love of Christ is TRIUMPHING over evil by NOT becoming evil in any way, enduring evil without rendering evil in kind, suffering as evil has its way.

Please LORD in whatever situations we find ourselves in confronted by evil help us to look to You for all our needs. You who suffered and died for us, let us be YOURS.

All by YOUR GRACE!
YOUR LOVE!

Renouncing Self Defense - Cost of Discipleship Pt 65

Chapter 12 - Revenge

Bonhoeffer- 'To leave everything behind at the call of Christ is to be content with him alone, and to follow only him. By his willingly renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego. The exclusiveness of the adherence is the only power which can overcome evil.

We are concerned not with evil in the abstract, but with the evil person. Jesus bluntly calls the evil person evil. If I am assailed, I am not to condone or justify aggression. Patient endurance of evil does not mean a recognition of its rights. That is sheer sentimentality, and Jesus will have nothing to do with it. The shameful assault, the deed of violence and the act of exploitation are still evil. The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil."

My thoughts- 

'Renouncing self-defense, the Christian affirms his absolute adherence to Jesus, and his freedom from the tyranny of his own ego.'

The tyranny of our own egos. 

Our own egos. You know what that is, that part of you that seems to always consider yourself first in light of all you do.  It doesn't mean you won't help others, but it means you instantly help at the expense of yourself.  Let me try to clarify. You are asked to help someone do something- instantly your thought is of what you are doing, whether or not you can rightly stop what you are doing, and whether you even want to help.  These thoughts have become automatic and happen in an instant. Even if you know you are going to help, the thoughts take place and in there is the thought about how you are helping at the expense of your own desire to continue on with whatever you were doing, even if it was nothing.  We think of ourselves first almost automatically. That is our EGO. 

Our ego also seems to demand we defend ourselves from any insult or any sort. Why? Because any SELF respecting person would NOT just allow themselves to be insulted or injured in any way at all, they'd defend themselves. We have been taught to believe that our SELF respect means not simply allowing insult/injury but railing against it.  To us, someone who take insult and/or injury without standing up for themselves, is a loser.  By that way of thinking we are actually calling our Savior a loser without even realizing it because HE led the example with His life, and death.  He took insult, He took injury and He did NOT stand up for himself, He did NOT rail against the unwarranted abuse. 

When we renounce our SELF-DEFENSE, when we renounce defending ourselves against any and all abuse- we are truly AFFIRMING our adherence to Jesus. The tyranny of our own ego, being a slave to our own egos, is GONE. The self we worship is gone and in its place is the choice made to live as our greatest example, our Savior.

'The disciple must realize this, and bear witness to it as Jesus did, just because this is the only way evil can be met and overcome. The very fact that the evil which assaults him is unjustifiable makes it imperative that he should not resist it, but play it out and overcome it by patiently enduring the evil person. Suffering willingly endured is stronger than evil, it spells death to evil.'

This is truth. Read it a few times.

Do we want to overcome evil through our SAVIOR? Then we must live His example.

We should NOT resist evil assaults against us- but PATIENTLY endure the evil person.

Suffering WILLINGLY endured is stronger than evil- it spells DEATH to evil.

Satan has convinced people that those who suffer willingly are weak, stupid, foolish and so on.

We've grown up surrounded by this concept. We have to stand up for ourselves, this is what is applauded by the world. The truth is not of the world, but of GOD and we have to live for God's truth, not the worlds!

We need to recognize the difference and comprehend what the LORD desires of us and live by HIS grace, not caring what the world thinks of us. Our ONLY concern should be how God views us, not mankind.

If we live in HIM, truly in HIM, then we will live loving Him and our neighbors, and this is God's will. 

1Jn_5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Pe_3:17  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

All by HIS LOVE!

Jesus - Our Creator

Jesus - Our Creator.

The Word- all things were made by Him.
God ended His work which He had made.
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth.
By Him all things consist.
They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Gen 2:1  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
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.


There is NO doubt that scripture teaches us that God along with Jesus Christ created the world.
There is NO doubt that is was God with Jesus Christ who was with Moses as the ten moral laws, the ten commandments were given in stone.
There is NO doubt that our CREATOR, our REDEEMER, our FATHER GOD, the SON of the FATHER GOD, the HOLY SPIRIT GOD all had a part in Creation and in Redemption.

Rev_1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Luk_6:5  And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

We cannot doubt that the Creator-Jesus God - rested on that seventh day and sanctified it, and blessed it.
In the very beginning of Creation this amazing act was done.  Before SIN entered into humanity, the seventh day was blessed and sanctified. 

Before mankind's sinning the sabbath was created.
Before self-serving humans existed the sabbath was created.

God created the earth, God created human beings. God created the garden and placed mankind in the garden along with all the animals and all the fruits, vegetables and such. Man was to TEND the garden, man was to TEND the animals having dominion over them. Sinless tending, sinless dominion.  There was joy in this life that we can only catch a mere glimpse of. A joy in the life where man was covered in the righteousness of God, clothed in the light of that righteousness, that purity, that sinlessness. Joy, peace, all the things we long for, all the things we were created for. And yet…

God wasn't dwelling with mankind.

God created man and the earth and all… but God did not choose to dwell on earth with mankind. Mankind were left to their own to live in this joy created for them.  They lived in constant connection to God by their very God's righteousness clothed existence.  He was ONE with them at all times, but He did not dwell with them in the Garden.

God VISITED them in the Garden. God's righteousness was with them always and they were surrounded by all that God had created, knowing they were creatures themselves having been created by God. Their Creator was a part of their lives always, but in that face to face communication, He wasn't always there walking beside them all the time. He came and visited with them.

Remember this--

Gen 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day...

IF God were at their side constantly and they were never a part from Him, they would never have HEARD the VOICE of the LORD GOD walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

God was visiting with them.

We know for a fact God rested on the seventh day when He had no need of resting, it wasn't as if He had worn Himself out.  God made the Sabbath for man.  God PURPOSEFULLY set aside ONE day out of seven, the SEVENTH day, for US to always and forever REMEMBER HIM. We keep the sabbath holy when we keep God in the sabbath, when He is our delight on the sabbath. God has made the sabbath holy- He blessed and sanctified the seventh day and what makes it holy is God, what sanctifies it is God.  We can profane the day God has set aside as holy by not observing its holiness. We profane it when we do not delight in God, delight in His presence on this day. We are called to remember… meaning do not forget. 

Seriously if we cannot delight in God for one 24 hour period out of 168 hours making up seven days, what in the world makes us believe we will delight in Him for eternity? 

Are we expecting some magical transformation that makes us suddenly delight in God?

We choose to believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior, we need to choose to believe in Christ Jesus as our Creator as well.

Delighting in Him.

Luk 10:25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 10:26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Luk 10:28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.


JESUS' WORDS!

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Mat 19:18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Mat 19:19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

JESUS' WORDS!

Rev_12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The remnant of God's chosen- KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD and have the TESTIMONY of JESUS CHRIST.

Rev_14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The SAINTS- KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD and the FAITH of JESUS.

Try all we want we will never negate the scriptural facts, the Sabbath is an integral part of God's ten moral commandments and NONE of those ten moral laws will EVER be acceptable to break, not then, not now, not ever. If you want to yank out the Sabbath and trample on it, you do so at your own eternal risk.

As it was in the beginning, may we keep the Sabbath a delight unto the LORD. May we fellowship with God as it is permitted to us- sinners now.  In prayer, study, contemplation, song, worship.  May our selfishness be overcome by HIS glorious love! 

All in HIM!

Selfless for a Single Day?

Gen 2:1  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

Blessed.
Sanctified.

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: wherefore the LORD BLESSED the sabbath day, and HALLOWED it.


Blessed.
Sanctified.

Mat_12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat_12:12  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Jesus confirmed the keeping of the Sabbath- saying it is LAWFUL to do well on the sabbath days.


Mat_24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day

Speaking of the future- Jesus confirmed the sabbath would be KEPT in the future.


The day not only blessed but sanctified by God during the week of Creation.

Blessed.
Sanctified.

Special to God, made special for us.


Mar_2:27  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath

Made for us!
Blessed for us!
Sanctified for us!

Kept by GOD!
Kept by JESUS!
Kept by those who are God's!
Kept by those who are Jesus'!

Rest.

Commanded to Rest.
Commanded not to Work.

And yet… people find it too hard not to work, so they work, they break the fourth commandment of God's  ten moral commandments.

Commanded not to cause any other to work.

And yet people find it too hard not to cause others to work, serving them by their working.

Commanded not to buy and sell,  causing others and themselves to work.

And yet people find it too hard not to buy and sell, causing other and themselves to work.

Neh 10:31  And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath

Commanded not to be selfish.

Isa 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Isa 58:14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

And yet people cannot keep from being selfish for a single day.

Our Savior wants us to live selflessly, putting God and others before ourselves and yet we can scarcely comprehend that idea for a single day, let alone a life time.

Delight in the Lord.
Call the Sabbath a delight.

Call the Sabbath a luxury, a pleasure, a delight.
To be happy about the Lord.

Psa 37:4  Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory

Delighting in the Lord, can we even do that for a full day?  If we cannot delight in the Lord for a day, rather than ourselves, how are we to ever expect to delight in the Lord endlessly, eternally?

Truth.

All by HIS grace.
All by HIS mercy.
All by HIS love.
All by HIS righteousness.
All by HIM.

Thank you Lord for this blessed, sanctified, sabbath!  In You alone can we keep it as You command.

Praise GOD!
All Glory and Honor to our GOD
Always!

Free from possessions - Cost of Discipleship pt 64

Chapter 12 - Revenge

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Bonhoeffer - 'At this point it becomes evident that when a Christian meets with injustice, he no longer clings to his rights and defends them at all costs. He is absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone. Again, his witness to this exclusive adherence to Jesus creates the only workable basis for fellowship, and leaves the aggressor for him to deal with.

The only way to overcome evil is to let it run itself to a standstill because it does not find the resistance it is looking for. Resistance merely creates further evil and adds fuel to the flames. But when evil meets no opposition and encounters no obstacle but only patient endurance, its sting is drawn, and at last it meets an opponent which is more than its match. Of course this can only happen when the last ounce of resistance is abandoned, and the renunciation of revenge is complete. Then evil cannot find its mark, it can breed no further evil, and is left barren.'

My thoughts-

Reread the above, please.

'Absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone.'

We've accumulated so many things, our hearts are wrapped around our possessions. Can you even imagine not having possessions? We mourn the loss of our things when we lose them. Some people would rather die than lose their possessions. Some people would rather kill others than lose their possessions.  Some endlessly dwell on their possessions- and the possessions they are looking forward to acquiring. It's true that some people live for their possessions, and some even try to control their possessions after they're dead.

When we belong to Christ we need to be FREE FROM POSSESSIONS.

No, I'm not saying you need to get rid of everything you own. I'm saying you have to get rid of the HOLD the things you possess have over you. You have to put CHRIST first in ALL THINGS.

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The kingdom of God - Our Savior! Our Savior's righteousness- these are the things we should desire to possess more than anything else.

Free from possessions and bound to Christ alone, this is the ONLY way we can truly live in Christ and even have the hope that NO person will EVER provoke us to evil.

We almost instinctively want to fight back when we feel ourselves threatened. When someone hits us, we want to hit back. The ONLY thing that stands between us and that instinct is our SAVIOR. When we STOP living for ourselves and start living for CHRIST we are choosing to live as Christ would have us live. And Christ wants us to live this way-

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Do we live this way?

Do we live for others?

We need to by the GRACE of GOD!

This is truth-

'Absolutely free from possessions and bound to Christ alone.'

Bound to Christ alone.

Are you bound to Christ alone?

This needs to be our prayer, our desire, to be bound to Christ alone. Christ first and last in our lives, Christ our all in all.

Live in Truth - Cost of Discipleship Pt 63

Chapter 11 - Truthfulness

Mat 5:33  Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Mat 5:34  But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
Mat 5:35  Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37  But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

Bonhoeffer- ' "Let your speech be Yea, yea, and Nay, nay." This is not to say that the disciples are no longer answerable to the omniscient God for every word they utter, it means that every word they utter is spoken in his presence, and not only those words which are accompanied by oath. Hence they are forbidden to swear at all. Since they always speak the whole truth and nothing but the truth, there is no need for an oath, which would only throw doubt on the veracity of all their other statements. That is why the oath is "of the evil one." But a disciple must be a light even in his words. 

It is clear that the only reason why Jesus prohibits the swearing of oaths lies in this concern for truthfulness.  It also goes without saying that he admits no exceptions, however high the court of law may be.

The commandment of complete truthfulness is really only another name for the totality of discipleship. Only those who follow Jesus and cleave to him are living in complete truthfulness. Such men have nothing to hide from their Lord. Their life is revealed before him, Jesus has recognized them and led them into the way of truth. They cannot hide their sinfulness from Jesus, for they have not revealed themselves to Jesus, but he has revealed himself to them by calling them to follow him. At the moment of their call Jesus showed up their sin and made them aware of it. Complete truthfulness is only possible where sin has been uncovered and forgiven by Jesus. Only those who are in a state of truthfulness through the confession of their sin to Jesus are not ashamed to tell the truth wherever it must be told. The truthfulness which Jesus demands from his followers is the self-abnegation which does not hide sin. Nothing is then hidden, everything is brought forth to the light of day.

In this question of truthfulness, what matters first and last is that a man's whole being should be exposed, his whole evil laid bare in the sight of God. But sinful men do not like this sort of truthfulness, and they resist it with all their might. That is why they persecute it crucify it. It is only because we follow Jesus that we can be genuinely truthful, for then he reveals to us our sin upon the cross. The cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the cross we are no longer afraid of the truth. We need no more oaths to confirm the truth of our utterances, for we live in the perfect truth of God.

There is no truth towards Jesus without truth towards man. Untruthfulness destroys fellowship, but truth cuts false fellowship to pieces and establishes genuine brotherhood. We cannot follow Christ unless we live in revealed truth before God and man.'

My thoughts--

Psa_145:18  The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Psa 146:5  Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
Psa 146:6  Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever

Pro_3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart

Pro_12:19  The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Pro_16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Pro_23:23  Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Joh_3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Joh_4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh_16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh_17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh_17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

1Co_13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth

Eph_4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

1Jn_3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jn_3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

3Jn_1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth

*******

Truth.

Until we pay very close attention to the truth, I don't think we realize how much we lie.  How easy lying has become and yet every lie is a sin.  Christ's cross reveals our sin, it reveals every lie.

We are to LIVE IN TRUTH.
We are to LIVE IN CHRIST.

There is NO GRAY area here, not a single one and yet we love to tell ourselves there is. We make excuses to lie, when there are no excuses for lying. The truth is PAINFUL, often excruciatingly painful. 

Lord help us to be truthful in a world of lies. 

Only by Your love can this be possible, You who died having lived only in the Truth, You who are TRUTH.