Choosing To Live Like Him

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 3:5-8, 12-14 NIV:

[5] "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

[12] "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

These verses offer up a very nice contrast of the worldly life and life as a Christian, as they pertain to pursuits and character. I find it interesting that Paul, in both cases, speaks as if these actions and character traits are ours to produce. We can allow the bad list, verses 5-8, to be in our lives or we can clothe ourselves with the Godly virtues listed in verses 12-14. The choices and the resulting fruit of those choices are ours to make and exhibit.

We can choose to put to death those things that belong to our earthly nature, and we can rid ourselves of the rest of the list. Paul is writing to the Colossians encouraging them to do so, which means that for some of those early Christians, they had not yet done so. They were saved and following Christ, yet there was residue of their previous lives as unsaved people pursuing whatever they wanted. Paul calls them to a life of imitating Christ, for none of these are found in Him.

There are those that think salvation is enough, and then that they can go on living life like the rest of the world, and that is not the case. To be Christian, we are called to be like Christ. We are called to dispose of those things that are not like Him, and take up those that are like Him. This is the part of working out our salvation that is our choice. We are given grace and power to change our lives, but the choice to change must be made by us. The outer parts of our lives, our words, actions and thoughts must be brought into alignment with the inner spiritual reality of our new life in Christ. We are responsible for our actions, our words and our thoughts. This is part of free will, we can choose salvation and we can choose how we will behave.

The good news is that if we are called to be like Christ, the help is there to do so. The Lord does not call us to an impossible task, but will rather show us the way as we embrace relationship with Him. That too is part of the requirement for all Christians, relationship with the Lord. We can't become like Him, if we don't know Him. We must know His words, but also His heart and character, and this is best accomplished through daily interaction. The amazing thing is that we are not interacting with a historical figure, but with the Lord who is alive and with us daily. He is completely aware of our world, our circumstances, our struggles and our weakness and because of this He is uniquely positioned to help us. He will guide us to the right decisions, but we must make those decisions. He will show us the right choice, but we must choose. He is like the ultimate life coach, for He will never forsake us, give up on us or get tired of us. If we make the wrong choice, He will not walk away, but will be there to help us with the next choice.

The second list of characteristics is exactly what I experience from the Lord in my relationship with Him. He is compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving and loving. He is never angry, rude, overpowering, harsh, sharp, condemning, hateful, or judgmental. Any time I turn to Him, He is welcoming and present, ready to help, ready to encourage, ready to show me the best path forward. There are many times that I don't bother to listen, or flat out choose to do the opposite, but He never changes His reaction to me. His mercies are truly new every morning, and even every minute. I have the opportunity to be like Him, and it is my choice whether I am, or not. Personally, I choose to try my best to be like Him every day, constantly ridding myself of anything that is not of Him, and choosing to clothe myself in those characteristics and heart attitudes that are like Him.

Ultimately, He desires that we unite ourselves to Him, so that the world might see Him in and through us. This is the best path, the one that will bear the most fruit and bring about the Kingdom realities here on earth. So let us be encouraged to choose today to live in union with Him, and show the world what the Lord is really like. We have the choice, let us choose wisely. Let us choose to live like Him.

No Enemy Can Stand

This morning I am reading from Acts 9, which is the story of Paul's conversion. It really is an amazing story. Here are a few key verses - Acts 9:10-19 NIV:

[10] "In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

[11] The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. [12] In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

[13] “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. [14] And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

[15] But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. [16] I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

[17] Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord---Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here---has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” [18] Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, [19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus."

I can imagine the surprise of the early church when the Lord chose Saul to be his "chosen instrument". He was one of the chief enemies of the church and was aggressively pursuing them, trying to destroy the church. If you ever wondered if the Lord was capable of taking care of His Church, this example should settle that concern. The Lord completely disarms Saul and turns him from being a bully to being a bulldog for Him. The Lord steals one of the enemies chiefs weapons against the church and converts him into one of the greatest evangelists to ever live. Awesome!

I also love the way the Lord confirmed His Word with supernatural acts and miracles. Here is a great example of how logic and knowledge of the Word was insufficient to bring about conversion, but a power encounter and supernatural occurrences completely convinced Saul and brought about his conversion. In Acts 26, Paul speaks about his upbringing and his pursuit of the church as follows - Acts 26:4-5, 9-11 NIV:

[4] “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. [5] They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee.

[9] “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. [10] And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. [11] Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities."

Paul knew the word of God, had lived a life of righteousness according to the law, was zealous for God, but had totally missed the Good News. Paul must have been a member of the Synagogue in Jerusalem, and was likely present for many of the events that were recorded in the earlier chapters of Acts. He must have heard the proclamation of the Gospel, and certainly heard Stephen's discourse that is recorded in Acts 7. Despite all of this exposure and a trained knowledge of the prophets and the very prophesies Jesus fulfilled, Paul's heart was unmoved, and likely hardened further.

I take great encouragement that the Lord is fully capable of drawing anyone to himself and bringing about their conversion. There are several people that I know that have not received salvation yet, and for whom I am praying. This story gives me great hope for them. No matter how resistant to the Gospel, no matter how strong their mind and arguments against the Lord, He can intervene and convince them of their need for salvation. The one thing I need to do is be ready to do my part should the Lord ever call me like Ananias. The Lord does use us to confirm His words, to bring healing and work miracles, and we must be ready when we are given the opportunity.

Lord, we pray that You would intervene in the lives of those who have not yet understood their need for salvation or You. Break into their lives with signs and wonders and supernatural situations that they cannot argue away. Lord, we ask that You would convert all those that are attacking Your church, for none of Your enemies can stand against You! Thank You Lord!

Interruptions and Guidance

I was continuing my reading of the Acts of the Apostles this morning. I have always been intrigued by this story of Philip, and his supernatural experiences. Here are the verses - Acts 8:26-31, 34-40 NIV:

[26] "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road---the desert road---that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” [27] So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, [28] and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. [29] The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

[30] Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

[31] “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

[34] The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” [35] Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

[36] As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37]* And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”* [38] And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. [39] When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

[40] Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea."

There are a few very interesting things about this story, the first of which is the supernatural interactions that Philip has, first with an angel telling him where to go, followed by verse 40, where the Holy Spirit transports Philip some distance to a new town (the distance could be as far as 40 miles). I am reminded of Jesus comments about what is impossible to man is possible for God (Luke 18:27). For Star-Trek fans, this is an example of being teleported, but by the Spirit of God. My son and I were just talking about how awesome it would be if that were real, and then this morning I am reading about this very thing. It is clear the there are things that God is capable of doing that we haven't seen or heard of yet, and this is one of those events in that category. In the Catholic tradition of Saints, there are few Saints who have experienced similar things, so church history does bear witness to this event in Philip's life.

Secondly, this in only mention of Ethiopia in the NT, and it is believed that this Eunuch was responsible for the early evangelism of Ethiopia. The church there is one of the oldest Christian churches, and from what I understand they trace themselves back to this event, which would have happened roughly three years after Pentecost. I am encouraged by the moving and guiding of the Holy Spirit in encouraging Philip to meet this Eunuch, for clearly there was a plan in place by the Holy Spirit to spread the Good News to Ethiopia, and He caused this to occur by interrupting Philip and having him meet the man. These types of events could be classified as divine encounters, where two people are brought together unknowingly for the purposes of God. I have had several times where it was clear the Lord had me meet someone, completely unknown to me, that significantly changed my life or theirs. I like the fact that the Lord can intervene, and through one purposeful, but seemingly chance meeting affect the lives of a whole nation.

Finally, not losing sight of the fact that the Lord specifically intercepted the Ethiopian just as He was most open to the Gospel. I believe that even if the man had not been a vehicle of the evangelism of Ethiopia, the Lord still would have directed Philip to visit with him, as the Lord cares for each of us, and is intimately aware of our heart condition, and circumstances. This is one thing I know for sure, the Lord knows exactly what I am thinking and where I am and He can touch my life at exactly that spot. In this case the Ethiopian was reading from Is 53 the exact verses that prophetically spoke of Jesus, and it was at that exact moment that Philip ran up. This is just a beautiful example of how the Lord choreographs circumstances to His purposes. He is the God of perfect timing. There are many times I would like to know ahead of time about His perfect timing that He has planned, but invariably He is right on time, with exactly what is needed. I am so grateful for His faithfulness.

So today I am encouraged to be on the lookout for the guidance of the Lord in my life. I look to Him to arrange divine encounters, even to the point of interrupting my life and causing me to go somewhere I hadn't planned. The Lord cares for us all and He has the perfect interruption(s) planned for us all.

Amen!

Distraction Nor Persecution Stop The Lord

I was just reviewing my notes from yesterday and saw that Philips visit to Samaria was actually a fulfillment of Jesus' command and prophesy concerning their ministry after receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8 NIV: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

And in Acts 8, we see Philip doing exactly that, going to Samaria. It is interesting that his visit there was the result of the persecution that followed the stoning of Stephen. Here are the verses to which I am referring - Acts 8:1, 4-8, 14-17 NIV:

[1]..."On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

[4] Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. [5] Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. [6] When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. [7] For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. [8] So there was great joy in that city.

[14] When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. [15] When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, [16] because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [17] Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit."

I find it very interesting that this prophetic word and command of Jesus had not really been fulfilled yet before Acts 8. There is some disagreement as to when Stephen was stoned, which was the proceeding event that caused the persecution to begin. Many put this date about 3 years after Jesus' death. So apparently the apostles and all the disciples who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost had not yet really focused a missionary effort on Samaria, at least not that we are told. Not only that, but it wasn't even a voluntary move, so much as the result of their fleeing the persecution.

That makes me wonder why it took them so long, and why Samaria hadn't been visited yet. I can think of a couple of reasons. To start with the church in Jerusalem was almost instantly very successful after Pentecost. They added 3000 people that day alone. They had plenty of issues to keep on them busy, and they were working through them, and were likely quite distracted. They had to worry about feeding the people (Acts 6), the church was growing because of the miracles and signs and wonders (Acts 5), people were bringing them their wealth and they were distributing that to people as needed. Again we are talking about possibly thousands of people, so these tasks would be significant. The twelve were so busy they finally just had to devote themselves to full time teaching.

This whole situation gives me encouragement for a few reasons. First, even the apostles can get caught up in the success of something and lose sight of the the even bigger picture. Sometimes I am so focused on what is in front of me that I forget some of the other things the Lord has commanded me to do. I find myself easily distracted, but the Lord is faithful to see them completed.

Second, seemingly bad things like the stoning of Stephen and the persecution of the church fit perfectly into God's plans. These events which seem so disastrous, can be turned to God's glory if we will follow Him and continue to believe in His word. I can imagine there was plenty of concern for the livelihood of the church after the persecution began. I imagine there were plenty of doubters, plenty who were distracted at that time, yet the Holy Spirit prevailed and grew the church!

Finally, the strength and power produced by the Holy Spirit, through Philip was not reduced at all. He still was able to work miracles, healings and casting out of unclean spirits. When a place rejects the Lord, and His church, the place that rejects them loses the blessing that could be theirs, but the new location receives every bit as much of the ministry of and through the Holy Spirit.

So let us be encouraged if we find ourselves somewhere we hadn't planned, if we realize that we have forgotten some of the things that the Lord has commanded us or encouraged us to do. His word is faithful and will be fulfilled. All the works of the enemy will only cause the Lord's renown to grow greater still. Let us look for the Lord in the new situation or circumstances and ask Him to pour forth the Holy Spirit in might and power.

The Cure for Powerlessness

I just had an interesting thought subject flow through my mind. I opened my bible to Psalm 106, and in that Psalm the author is recounting the history of Israel, constantly complaining, constantly turning to other gods, all while God is directing them through the wilderness. I was thinking how that is so much the human condition and approach, how when things don't go the way we think they should we blame God. We blame Him, then look to something else.

I thought about how that is such a symptom of being powerless to change one's circumstances. We are powerless to change, so we seek another source of power. Two problems with that, first when we are dealing with God, He is very aware of our situation and if we lean into Him, He will guide us and teach us and show us the provision He has for us. If we turn away from Him we miss all that. Second, if we turn to other things we are embracing unbelief, and that hardens our heart toward the Lord...not a good situation.

The good news again is that the Lord has provided us Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit, to provide a solution for our powerlessness. We are not meant to live in a powerless state, but are meant to embrace and be in relationship with the Holy Spirit, living within us! We are called to be overcomers (John 16:33, 1 John 2:13-14), more than conquerors (Rom 8:37), victorious (Rev 21:7) full of power (Acts 4:23, Acts 6:8, Col 1:29) and full of life (John 6:63, John 10:10).

So let us be encouraged that the Lord has not left us weak and powerless. Rather, He has provided all that we need in the person of the Holy Spirit. Let us ask for and receive an inflowing of the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us to be who we are called to be!

Amen, come Holy Spirit!

Living In Reality

This morning I am reading from Peter's first letter, and as almost always, I have found something to ponder. Here are the verses - 1 Peter 1:13-17 NIV:

[13] "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. [14] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. [15] But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; [16] for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

[17] Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."

Starting at the end and working forward, the whole idea that if we have an eternal mindset, then our time here is really a time away from our home which is found in Heaven. We are all visitors here - to quote the Eagles - foreigners whose home now is found in Christ. That is a difficult mindset shift to make, as we are so here and now focused. In a way, the history of Israel really provides insight into this reality. When they were taken into exile in Babylon, they never stopped thinking about and desiring to move back to the promised land. They lived in Babylon, but yearned for their home. We must learn to allow ourselves a similar mindset concerning our eternal inheritance, the difference is that we are not slaves but free and redeemed.

Secondly we are called to live in reverent fear. The Greek word is actually Phobos, which is where we get our word phobia. However in the case the meaning as to do with awe, and understanding our true place and reality. We are called to live as if we were in God's presence now. This is where that eternal mindset is supposed to help us, as we come to understand this reality of eternal life is not necessarily or only a time based reality, but rather a Spiritual Kingdom reality. We really ARE in His presence when we were hidden in Christ. This is why Peter urges us to live like we are already in front of the very throne of God.

Stepping further back in these verses, that is why Peter says we should be holy as God is holy. The Greek word used here is the same word used to describe the Holy of Holies, which is where the Lord manifested His presence. To say it differently, we are called to bear the manifest presence of God. We are called to allow His compassion, mercy, faithfulness and love to flow out of us. We are also called to be conduits of His power, producing signs, wonders, healings, miracles and the like. This what one experiences in God's presence. They experience reverent fear in His presence as well.

So our call, our invitation is to conform our lives to this eternal reality, rather than allowing the sinful desires and thinking to permeate our lives. It is really an amazing job of marketing that the enemy has done to convince us that living a Godly, holy life is boring or dull. That we would ever look upon the short-termed excitement that our evil desires promise us when compared to the glories of unity with Christ Jesus is almost inconceivable! Yet we continue to struggle and battle choosing to live in ignorance, or more pointedly, ignoring the truth. Ignoring the truth doesn't make it less true, it just causes our hearts to become harder and more resistant to the truth.

So let us examine our lives, see our reality for what it is, namely that we are in the very presence of God. Let us view ourselves soberly, making good decisions about how we will live out our life, allowing the very presence of God to dwell with us and within us. Let us live our lives in such a way that we allow God's presence to flow out of us to impact our families, our jobs, our schools and our communities.

Love, Faithfulness, Righteousness and Peace

This morning I am reading from Psalm 85:6-13 NIV:

[6] "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
[7] Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.
[8] I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants---but let them not turn to folly.
[9] Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
[10] Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
[11] Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.
[12] The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.
[13] Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

I just love the imagery of verse 10, for these are clearly the characteristics of God. They can also be seen to be a foreshadowing of Christ, of His ministry and life. It was for love that He came to earth (John 3:16). It was His faithfulness to the Father's plan that earned our salvation and freedom from sin. It was His righteousness that fulfilled the requirements of the law and has been granted to us (Rom 3:24-25). It was His death and resurrection that brought us peace (Is a 53:5). His faithfulness, as demonstrated on earth was looked upon with favor by the Righteous One, our Father in Heaven.

The Lord, who has given us that which is most precious and highest valued, His Son, will not hold back His goodness, nor has He completed his blessing upon the earth. His nature, which flows from His character is to give and bless. His Word (John 1:1-2) accomplishes His will (Isa 55:10-11)and brings forth a harvest.

He is faithful, He is righteous, He is loving, He is the Prince of Peace!

I needed to know that today! Thank You Lord!

No Stain, No Accusation Even

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Colossians 1:15-23 NIV:

[15] "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

[21] Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. [22] But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--- [23] if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."

I love Paul's descriptions of the realities of Christ, for they are so full of insight and understanding. I could sit and think about the first paragraph above for days. The reality of who Jesus is, what He accomplished and the perfection of Gods plan are really unfathomable. Although unfathomable, I greatly enjoy plumbing the depths of them.

The second paragraph is really where my mind landed this morning, as the idea of us being without blemish and free from accusation really grabbed me. I mean this really is the good news of the Gospel, namely that we are free from any blemish or stain of sin, and free from any future accusation because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. In God's sight we are free and can never even be accused of sin, if we continue in our faith and relationship with Christ. We really are hidden within Christ (Col. 3:3). When the Father looks at us, He only sees us in Christ, covered by His blood, united with Him in His death. There is no stain of sin on Him or possible accusation that can be raised against Him, which is why we experience the same freedom. Wow!

I think it is Graham Cooke who talks about our inability to grasp how good the Good News really is. We struggle with understanding how much favor we actually have in Christ. We can't believe that this message is really true, so we live life as if it wasn't, as if there were something we could due to earn the right for this to be true, to convince ourselves that maybe our merit could possibly qualify us for this gift of mercy and grace. We can't believe that when we accept Christ, we receive all that He won. This is like the game show where behind door number one is every prize available on the show. When we choose Christ, in response to His calling our name, we receive everything that goes with Him, I mean everything. Wow! What an awesome bit of Good News!

Jesus didn't suffer and die and rise from the dead that we would have a 'barely scraping by' experience of God's favor and love. He didn't pay the price for every sin, if there was some extra cost to be paid by each of us. He paid for it all! Like my friend John Brown likes to say, "all means all", he looked it up in the dictionary and that is what it means. We are free of all stains and blemishes caused by sin. The Greek word used here is Amomos which means, without blemish, as a sacrifice without spot or blemish, or morally faultless and unblameable. Wow!

If we are truly hidden in Christ and alive in Him, than everything in Christ is ours when we unite ourselves to Him, through faith. Now we just need to learn to accept that reality and live in that reality! Amen, help us Lord Jesus!

Dead To The Law And Its Punishments

I am reading from Paul's letter to the Romans this morning and came across an interesting section where Paul is describing to the Jews why they were free from the Law. Here are the verses - Romans 7:1, 4-6 NIV:

[1] "Do you not know, brothers and sisters---for I am speaking to those who know the law---that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?

[4] So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. [5] For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. [6] But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code."

The interesting thought that hit me this morning relates to the law, namely that it establishes standards for righteousness and punishments for transgressions. If, through our dying with Christ and rising with Him, we are are set free, then neither the requirements nor the punishments apply to us anymore. A dead person can't break the law, nor can a dead person be punished for breaking the law! We are alive in Christ, and in this life we live and serve according to the new way of the Spirit!

As I read this, the first thing to pop into my mind was "what is this new way of the Spirit?" First and foremost it is life being filled with the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. It is intimately living with the Holy Spirit present in our very being. It is deep relationship with a living God. It is no longer a life compared to a written code of behavior, but is now life lived according to the inner manifestation of our loving relationship.

In verse 2&3, which I didn't include above, Paul writes of the analogy of a wife and husband. In verse 4 he speaks of us belonging to Christ, and this marriage analogy is continued. Paul describes this new life as us being married to Christ. This is helpful to me, as being married, my life of intimate relationship with my wife had grown all the years we have been married. My knowledge of her, her thinking, her heart, and her emotions have grown continually. Over time our relationship has grown deeper, and we have become more and more alike in our thinking. That is the type of life change I believe that Paul is speaking about here, a life committed in love and relationship with our God, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Finally this new life, being freed from the requirements and punishments of the Law is made possible to us through Jesus' passion, death and resurrection. We didn't earn this, didn't qualify for this in any way. It is the grace of God, through faith in Jesus that we are welcomed into relationship. Jesus was the one who fulfilled all the requirements of the law and bore all the punishments for our transgressions against the Law, and thus set us free from both. It is because of Him that we are considered dead to the Law and its code of behaviors and punishments.

Why would we now live as if we are still under the rules and punishments that He has set us free from? One of the issues that we find in many of our churches is they have effectively convinced us that neither the law nor the punishments have gone away. What is preached is a new version of the old testament law, with a little Jesus thrown in. We are still required to act in a certain way, adhere to a strict set of rules or our salvation is in danger of being lost. We are told that we will be punished by God for our sin, as described by the rules. Yet none of these can be true if what Paul writes here is true. It is about relationships not rules, mercy and grace not judgment. We have been set free from both.

We, however, cannot think that we can do anything we like in this new covenant, which was established by the blood of Jesus. In the same way that we cannot just do anything we want and not have our marriage relationship affected, so it is with our relationship with God. We are meant to be guided and directed by our love and by the ever present Holy Spirit. We are not to live as if we are no longer married, or nor longer in relationship, but are invited and called to experience the wonder of an intimate relationship with God.

So let us live our lives as if we are dead to the Law and its punishments and alive in our new life in Christ. Let us welcome the freedom of mercy and grace and dive deep into relationship with our loving and merciful Savior.

Laying Down One's Life

This morning I am reading from Matthew 16:21-27 NIV:

[21] "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

[22] Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

[23] Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

[24] Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. [25] For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. [26] What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

As I was looking at these verses, my mind was drawn to Jesus' statement at the end of verse 23, and the next statement He makes which talks about one of the requirements of following Jesus is denying oneself. In verse 23, He states that Peter does not have in his "mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns". This statement is directly related to the next, on denying oneself. When we die to ourselves we are laying down our ideas and opinions about our own lives and taking on someone else's ideas and opinions, in this case God's.

As I was reading these verses I was reminded of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, and I believe their is definitely a parallel. The second temptation of Jesus was to gain all the kingdom's of the world, all of their splendor and glory (Luke 4:5-8). He was being tempted to again the whole world, but he would have clearly lost His life, and life's purpose. Instead He had in His mind the concerns of God, and knew the path He must take. He saw the opportunity to become almost a god, being worshipped and adored by all, yet understood that way of the Father was different, and better. The third temptation was for Him to cast down Himself from the parapet of the temple, in effect losing His life, but knowing the God the Father would protect Him. This also is the thinking of man, for the Lord does not welcome, nor require personal physical sacrifice to again access to Himself. There needs to be a submission of our will, but not our physical bodies, for Jesus already paid that price.

Further more, if we lay down our lives and receive them back again with new purpose, new life and new vision, we will see Jesus glorified. He will be glorified in our lives. We will see Him move in power, we will see signs and wonders and miracles, and we will see angels ministering. We will receive our reward both now and in the age to come. Jesus promised us as much in Luke 18:29-30 NIV: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God [30] will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

So, let us not fear laying down our lives, for He has a better plan and a greater purpose. He loves us and wants us to be with Him. The one that loses their life for His sake will find it, and it will be glorious! We can't imagine in our human mindedness what He desires to show us, but it will be glorious.

The Power to Live and Love

This morning I was reading out of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19 and I noticed how Jesus was stretching the minds and hearts of the disciples. Here are two specific sections, pay attention to the disciples responses to both statements by Jesus:

Matthew 19:8-10, 23-26 NIV
[8] "Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. [9] I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

[10] The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

[23] Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. [24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

[25] When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

[26] Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

It is interesting that in the same chapter Jesus is addressing both marriage and wealth, two topics that are very much under fire these days in America, but for different reasons. I think one could simply state Jesus' teaching with one statement, that 'following Him isn't always a cake walk'.

Following Him requires us to move past our own wants and needs and consider others first. It means laying down our lives for others (John 15:13), loving them as we would want to be loved (Matt 19:19). It means loving with action, not mere words (1 John 3:18). This applies to our wives, our families and those we interact with every day, as well as to complete strangers (Luke 10:25-37), and even our enemies(Luke 6:35).

When confronted with that list I can have a very similar reaction to the disciples, questioning the possibility of this for any human. The really good news is that God doesn't expect us to be able to do this on our own - see Jesus' statement in verse 26. He believes it is impossible for man to do these things on his own (John 15:5). I like a statement that Brother Lawrence used to make when he realized his sin, he would say, "What do you expect Lord, I am a sinner.". He was simply stating the fact that apart from God's help we are incapable of doing all He calls us to do.

So then, how are we supposed to successfully follow Jesus? He provides the answer to that as well. We need God's help. The other good news is that He provides us the very help we need in the person of the Holy Spirit, resident in us (John 14:17; Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit provides the strength and power we need. Jesus even told the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to be given to them because then they would receive power (Acts 1:4-8). The Geek word for power here is dunamis, from which we have the word dynamite! The word meant strength, power, ability, authority, resources and influence to do something.

As I look at this all, I am convinced that it is not the Lord's will that we feel defeated by our own weakness, but rather that we experience the very real power and strength of the Holy Spirit. He wants us to know the power we have in Him, to see victory instead of defeat! When He stretches us out of our comfort zone, or out of our physical or emotional abilities, it is so He can step in and show us His Glorious power, on our behalf. These things are impossible to do by ourselves, but with the Power of the Holy Spirit, all things are possible!

Amen, let us pray for and receive the Power of the Holy Spirit which God makes available for all of us for our daily lives. Let us receive the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us in our marriages, in our work, in our relationships, in our ministry and in our lives!

Missing the Big Moment.

This evening I am reading from John 13:31-36 NIV:

[31] "When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. [32] If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. [33] “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

[34] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

[36] Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

This really an amazing scripture, as apparently Peter totally missed one of Jesus' most significant statements, the NEW commandment. Do you see how Peter remains totally fixated on the statement Jesus made previously about them not being able to go where He was going? He totally misses the part where Jesus is speaking a new commandment, something that hadn't happened since Moses' time. This is also one of the times where Jesus clearly equates Himself with the Father, as His obedient son. Only God can issue commandments to the Jews.

Peter, however, is totally fixed on Jesus leaving them. We get a glimpse of what is going on in his heart a bit later, but it is clear that Peter is no longer thinking about the Kingdom or the Father's will, but rather is selfishly focused on himself and his relationship with Jesus. He was still in it for himself, and it will take the passion and crucification for Peter to realize that.

So my question for me is 'have I ever missed the commandment of the Lord because I was too focused on myself?'. Do I get fixated on the last thing that the Lord has said and totally miss the new word from Him? Am I more focused on my position than I am on the work in front of me?

Lord, I pray that You will help me and keep me from missing what You are saying!!!!

The Glorious Name of Jesus

This morning while laying here praying for my nephews who have cancer, I was reminded of something I read recently about the name of Jesus, and praying in the name of Jesus for healing. I did a little research this morning concerning this and there are numerous verses that make it very clear that it was through the Name of Jesus, and in His name that the Apostles ministered and the church was born. It is around the name of Jesus that people gathered, and it was because of His name that they were set free and healed. Here are a small assortment of the verses:

Acts 3:6-7 NIV
[6] "Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” [7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong."

Acts 3:16 NIV
[16] "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see."

Acts 4:30-31 NIV
[30] Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
[31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 16:18 NIV
[18] "She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her."

Acts 19:13-17 NIV
[13] "Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” [14] Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. [15] One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” [16] Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

[17] When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor."

Philippians 2:9-10 NIV
[9] "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,..."

Colossians 3:17 NIV
[17] "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

So let us gather under the glorious Name of Jesus and proclaim His Name, as the only Name by which we are healed, set free, and our sins are forgiven. Amen!

Its All About Relationship

This morning I am reflecting on some challenging verses from Luke 13:22-27 NIV:

[22] "Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. [23] Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, [24] “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. [25] Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ [26]

“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

[27] “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’"

I must say I haven't liked reading these verses in the past because they make salvation seem so limited, and that seems to disagree with other statements that Jesus made. As I was reading them this morning, I had a different take, and understanding. Putting these verses in context of what Jesus was teaching about and dealing with is helpful. He is approaching the end of His ministry and people are still not understanding, Pharisees are still asking stupid questions and viewing things from a purely religious works perspective. Jesus takes an opportunity, afforded Him when someone asks the question about salvation, to explain what He is inviting people to, that is relationship.

If we look closely at His statements, He says that people will be rejected because the owner doesn't know them or where they come from. This is the language of relationship. This is the key, its all about relationship. He says, "I don't know you or where you come from". These are the things we know about the people with whom we are in relationship. We know them, we understand them, and we know their history, their story. This only comes through time spent, conversation, intimacy and honesty - all key components of relationship.

Hanging out with the owner "eating and drinking" is not enough. I believe this is a picture of the Lord's supper, or communion. It is not enough to go to church and participate in the service, as proximity and casual acquaintance doesn't bring salvation. Nor is it enough to know his teaching -"you taught in our streets". Jesus says neither will suffice and result in salvation. It is knowing and being known that is the key message, the key requirement.

Jesus was addressing those who were around Him, but were not engaged in relating to Him, for I am sure there were many who hung out for the free meals and excitement of what He did, but never grasped the significance of what He said. He came as the Father's perfect representation and was approachable by all, and invited all to know and be known. I am reminded of His statements from John 10:14-16 NIV: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."

Its all about relationship, to know and be known. Let us pursue Him, as He is the way, the truth and the life.

Becoming Like Christ

This morning I was wanting to grow in my knowledge of what kind of man Jesus was and I felt like reading out of Luke 14:1-6, 12-17 NIV:

[1] "One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. [2] There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. [3] Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” [4] But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.
[5] Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” [6] And they had nothing to say.

[12] Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. [13] But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, [14] and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

[15] When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” [16] Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. [17] At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready...."

I had a couple of reflections on these passages. First, although Jesus battled regularly with the Pharisees, he was actually on friendly terms with them, at least with some, even dining in this one's house. He came to call sinners and set free those of us who are bound in sin. The Pharisees are no different than all of us in that regard. You could say that Jesus loved the man, but disliked his teaching.

Second, Jesus was always on, always being watched, and He was constantly in communication with the Father. Thus, he never missed an opportunity to speak what the Father was whispering to Him, nor the opportunity to provide additional insight into the Father's heart.

Third, He was moved by people' sufferings. In this case there is a man suffering from dropsy, or edema, which is severe swelling in the connective tissues due to retention of water. In this case, after using the man's suffering to make a point about the rules of the sabbath, Jesus heals him, so one would expect Hus swelling went down immediately. That must have been a awesome to witness!

Fourth, the teaching on the banquet in Heaven was apparently a spur of the moment teaching, yet full of significant truth. The second section starting with verse 15, is actually prophetic, speaking about the day when the doors we be swung open to poor and lowly, and even the gentiles. This is huge and yet it came forth almost as an afterthought to the conversation that was happening at the banquet. It is thus important for us to pay attention at all times to what the Lord might saying, sometimes using completely nonreligious scenarios to impart significant truth.

Lastly, we should be careful how we give, for giving when one expects to receive an equivalent gift in return is not what we are called to do as His followers. We are supposed to be generous, extending grace to those around us. Grace is unmerited favor, in other words favor that is not being returned, not being earned.

Lord, help me to assimilate these truths into my life. My goal is to become more like You in every way, so I want to learn from You and I want to embrace all that You model in the Gospels. I want to become like You Lord.

Freedom, No Matter the Circumstances

I came across an interesting section in scripture this morning that got me thinking. The verses are as follows - Exodus 6:6-11 NIV:

[6] “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. [7] I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. [8] And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’ ”

[9] Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.

[10] Then the Lord said to Moses, [11] “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”

I found a few things about these verses interesting. First and foremost, the Israelites didn't believe Moses when he brought them the message from God. I was thinking that to that point their interactions with God had been limited to a few of their forefathers. By this time, they had been in Egypt for about 300 years so their communal memory about being the people of God, the chosen people, was probably weak to say the least. It says that it was because of their discouragement and harsh labor that they didn't believe him. One could say that their circumstances overwhelmed their limited belief.

Secondly, I was thinking if their situation was better they wouldn't have needed or embraced their redemption nearly as much as they did. However, despite their desperate situation they were unwilling to believe rescue was possible. Desperate situations require significant intervention, and God tells them that is what He is going to do and they don't believe Him. I think much of what God was doing with the ten plagues was actually convincing the Israelites that He was capable of doing what He said He would do.

Finally, the term 'swore with uplifted hand' is what drew me to this verse in the first place. That is an unusual phrase that only appears a few times in Scripture, and this is the first place. I went back to God's interactions with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and none of them mention the uplifted hand. I was intrigued by the idea of God swearing a solemn oath to a people. Normally we swear to a greater power, to a sign of greater authority, and here God swears to the people. His right hand raised is usually a sign of His power and authority, and in this case He is swearing both to the fulfilling of His promise. As I was writing this, I thought of the fact that Jesus raised both His hands when He went to the cross. It is interesting that both hands raised is both the sign of surrender and the sign of victory! How appropriate!

Anyway, here are the thoughts I take away from these verses:

1). God is able to do exactly what He says He will do, no matter what the circumstances seem to indicate.
2). Absence of interaction with God causes one's faith to weaken.
3). God is not worried about our unbelief, He believes in Himself, and we will too before He is finished.
4). Desperate situations call for glorious intervention, and God is capable of glorious intervention.
5). The is no set of circumstances that God is unable to set us free from.
6). God will do what He says He will do!

Amen Lord! So if you find yourself in need of a rescue, seemingly locked in a desperate circumstances, God is capable of of breaking in and setting You free. He does this for His people, those that have put their hope and trust in Him.

Consider Others First

This evening I am reading from 1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV:

[8] "Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. [9] Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

These are two very rich verses. I am just going to break them down word by word:

Like-mindedness: the Greek word means together thinking and perceiving. This is such an interesting concept, because I think in America we value our independence and thinking the same as others is often seen as compromising our beliefs. I think that is exactly what Paul is encouraging them to do, to lay down their own opinions and thoughts and consider the way others think and learn to think together. I think this is actually very hard to do, and still provide a nonjudgmental environment at the same time. It is something that takes time to establish as a culture, and something that must be chosen, certainly not forced.

Sympathetic: means to experience the same as someone else, if they suffer you are suffering. This is again requires the laying down of our own lives and willingly embracing the lives of those around us, and connecting ourselves to them. Suffering is especially trying, and difficult. Everyone is happy to celebrate with you when you are celebrating, but it seems that it is a rare friend who will suffer with you when you suffer. It is a great challenge and one that you must enter into willingly.

Love one another: this really encompasses both of the earlier words, for this is speaking of the love Jesus commanded us to have for each other. He calls us and invites us to that greater place of sacrificial love, putting someone else before ourselves. He said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13).

Compassionate: the Greek means to have good feelings in ones gut (bowels). This would be the Greek understanding of where our emotions rise out of, synonymous with our heart. In other words our bowels are moved, our heart is moved, it is impossible not to take action one is so moved by another. This is deeply felt love, capable of causing us to put down whatever we are concerned with and becoming involved. It says many times that Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the people and the result was usually miracles!

Humble: the Greek here actually means courteous and friendly, kind to one another. Being friendly is also a choice, something we must choose to do, for being short, sharp, crabby, spiteful, angry and foul are just too easy, especially if one is self-focused. That is where the idea of humility comes from, namely looking to others, and considering their needs before ones own. A humble individual doesn't need to, nor should they think poorly of him or herself, just highly of others, putting the others before themselves, choosing the others first. If one is courteous, one let's the other go first...that is the idea of Peter here. Jesus knew He was the Son of God, yet He served others, even washing their feet like the lowliest servant.

Imagine a church where everyone practiced these things! It would be amazing!

Finally, the call is to bless in all circumstances, whether you have received blessings or curses, insults or evil actions. I could generally agree to all the first ideas, but this one really stretches me. I want to defend myself, I want to payback injury with injury, yet we are called to follow Jesus' example. I don't want to be seen as weak, wimpy, unable to defend myself or my honor. The idea that we return all this with blessing, and not just saying the words of blessing but actually meaning them is incredible. I was listening to one of my favorite teachers, Graham Cooke, and he was telling how there was a pastor who was attacking his (Graham's) ministry constantly. As Graham sought the Lord on his response the Lord told him to bless the other pastor financially. He actually had Graham go down to the cash machine, take out cash, put it in an unmarked envelope and slide it under this man's door, not just once but for months on end. That is the type of blessing that we are called to do! Wow! All I can say is help me Lord Jesus, I don't think that is in me yet.

So let us think on these themes, think of these words and see how we can sow them into our lives! What we sow, that is what we reap!

Amen Lord!

Testified by Power

This morning, while doing a little research of the Gifts of the Spirit, I came across these verses - Hebrews 2:1-4 NIV:

[1] "We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews knew his audience would always approach things from their background of understanding the law, and thus starts this point by referencing the law ("message spoken through angels"). He compares the law which was given to them in this way to the message of salvation that pronounced by Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. His message is simple, if they believed and followed the law, how much more should they embrace this message of salvation which came from God's Son?

I like the parallels he draws, for the people of the Old Testament were convinced of the authenticity of the message concerning the Law, because God worked miracles. You could say that the miracles and signs and wonders that God did testified to His authorship and involvement. In the same way, the Lord's Gospel of salvation was testified to by the signs and wonders and miracles that were done by Jesus, as well as the Apostles and disciples, and church.

Jesus said these signs were meant to convince us that He was from God and of God - John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."

As I think about this, I think one of the reasons we see a weakening church is the lack of the testimony of miracles, signs and wonders. This is what convinced the Israelites in the Old Testament and the people of Jesus' time, why would we be any different? Are we so modern in our thinking as to no longer need miracles and signs and wonders to help us realize that God is real and His words are true? Or have we settled for intellectual knowledge, and based our beliefs on the words and tradition? It seems to me that the Church was birthed in power (Acts 2) and the Gospel was testified to by power (1 Cor 2:4; 1 Thess 1:5), and is meant to be experienced as such.

Let us ask the Lord to breath on the Church and restore the signs and wonders and miracles that testify to Him. Let us pray for a full restoration of the Power of the Holy Spirit to the church!

Amen!

Let Our Light Shine

This morning I was reading from Mark 4, which begins with the parable of the sower (verses 1-20) and what followed next was what caught my attention. The Disciples had asked Jesus to explain the parable, which He did, and then He went on speaking to the disciples with the following statements:

Mark 4:21-25 NIV:
[21] "He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? [22] For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” [24] “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you---and even more. [25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

These statements always confused me somewhat, for I wasn't sure, based on the translation, if this was Jesus correcting the disciples or revealing some additional truth. I decided to read these verses in a different translation, as sometimes the way one translation has it written it is just a bit confusing. Here is a translation I ran into on the site www.Biblegateway.com, which has over 100 translations available.

Mark 4:21-24 Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

The Lamp Comes To Shine, Not To Be Hidden

[21] And He was saying to them, “The lamp does not come in order that it may be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not in order that it may be put on the lampstand? [22] For it is not hidden, except in order that it may be made-visible [a]. Nor did it become hidden-away, but in order that it may come into visibility. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear”.

[24] And He was saying to them, “Be watching what you listen-to. With what measure you [b] measure , it will be measured to you— and it will be added to you.[c] [25] For he who has— it will be given to him. And he who does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him”.

Footnotes:

a. Mark 4:22 Or, revealed. One would only hide a lamp for the purpose of shining it at the proper time. The lamp may be Jesus, who came to light the world, but is hidden from Israel until the proper time; or, the truth Jesus brings, which is now hidden in parables in order that it may come into visibility at the proper time.Y Or, the lamp may refer to the word of God which believers hide in their hearts in order that it may shine at the opportune time.
b. Mark 4:24 Or, hear. That is, in the sense of ‘obey’.
c. Mark 4:24 The measure you use reflects your spiritual capacity, and your ability to receive. If you listen to the traditions of the Pharisees, it will limit your ability to receive spiritual truth.

This actually helped me understand that Jesus was explaining the use of parables and the 'hiddeness' of the Word, and in reality the Kingdom and character of the Father. They are not meant to be hidden so that no one can find them, but rather they were concealed for such a time, and for the greater glory of God. Jesus was laying responsibility for further revelation on the disciples, a responsibility that they did well to carry as is evidenced by the church. I am reminded of Paul's statement concerning the full revelation of God's plan to include the gentiles in salvation (Col 1:25-27) .

Simply put, the truth is meant to be exposed to the world, and we are those through whom it will be exposed. There is also the encouragement that the more we listen the more we will hear, the more truth will be given to us! Amen! This really is like the parable of the talents, those that take what they are given and invest it (shine it out to those around them) will be given more (See Matt 25:14-30). This is the sowing and reaping principle, once again!

So let us take that which we have been given, the Truth and Light of Christ, and let it shine! For it was put in us for that very purpose!

Miraculous Provision

This morning I felt I should read from Mark 6:31-44 NIV:

[31] "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” [32] So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. [33] But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. [34] "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

[35] By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. [36] Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

[37] But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

[38] “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five---and two fish.”

[39] Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. [40] So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. [41] Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. [42] They all ate and were satisfied, [43] and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. [44] The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand."

I love this story for several reasons. First, it is because of the Lord's compassion that He ministers to these people in the first place. His heart is moved by those that are hungry for His teaching and touch.

Second, He recognizes the physical hunger as well as their spiritual hunger and meets their need miraculously. If you look closely at the verses, its apparent they had enough money to buy the bread for all those people, but the apostles didn't want to do that, nor did the Lord! He knew that the Father wanted to demonstrate His ability to touch the Father's divinity and power (this is clearly a miracle of creation). He also knew that the Father wanted Him to demonstrate that He was the good shepherd, for a shepherd's responsibility is to feed the sheep. This is a perfect picture of sheep being fed, laying down on the mountain, being fed to the point of satisfaction!

Finally, when the apostles gave out of their own need (if you read at the beginning of the story Jesus was trying get them away from the crowd to rest and eat - verse 31) the very food they were planning to eat themselves, God provides for them a much greater abundance. This is such an awesome example of how the Lord can intervene in a situation when we turn what we have over to Him.

This is a pretty significant principle in the Kingdom. Whatever we give to the Lord, He will return to us with interest and even abundance. Jesus spoke about this principle several times. This is the sowing and seed principle - in this case demonstrated with food. The disciples needed food, but rather than eating it for themselves they gave it to the Lord, and in return they ate until they were filled and collected 12 baskets full at the end. That is a very good harvest from the little seed they sowed of five loaves and two fish. Other times that I can think of where Jesus discussed this principle are found in Matt 19:27-30 (Jesus describes the rewards for those who have given up things to follow Him); Matt 25:14-30 (The parable of the Talents); Matt 6:28-34 (Seek first the Kingdom).

So I am encouraged today that the Lord cares for my spiritual and natural needs. He understands my situation and has exactly what I need. He also has more than I can imagine if I will entrust my needs and resources to Him. He desires to show Himself as my provider, my Good Shepherd and as such will be faithful. I need to listen to what He is saying and trust Him that He will meet my needs. Finally if I trust Him with my resources, many others will be blessed as well by the miraculous provision He provides!

Amen Lord, that is the kind of life I want to experience!

Paul's Peace and Perspective of His Purpose

This morning I am reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians 1:12-14, 19-26 NIV:

[12] "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. [13] As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. [14] And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

...[19] for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. [20] I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [22] If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! [23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; [24] but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. [25] Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me."

I am amazed at Paul's attitude concerning his imprisonment and being kept under guard. As he viewed his situation, he saw what the Lord was accomplishing through his chains, namely the increased boldness of sharing the gospel, as well as the gospel being preached to the palace guard, a group that would normally not have been the recipients of the gospel because of their duty. Paul has his eyes open and sees the working of the Lord in all things.

In verses 19-25 he expresses such a peacefulness in the face of his possible death, it is very encouraging. He understands his ultimate destiny and his hearts true home and is unafraid of the path to get there. He is convinced that the Lord has more for him to do here on earth. That is such an unusual sentiment in our day, having a clear sense of what the Lord has planned for one to do and how long it will probably take. Most of us are unaware of our purpose or calling, or the Lord's plans for our life. Even those who walk with the Lord regularly often don't have this perspective. I think this is partly because we don't want to know. We want to live our lives believing we have a long and productive life ahead of us. We don't like being confronted with our own mortality.

Paul, on the other hand welcomes the consideration of his mortality with increasing anticipation, calling the chance to be with Christ far better than life here. I am convinced that this is not based on a rosy picture of heaven or paradise, but rather a personal knowledge of Jesus, and the fullness of relationship available to him. My point is that he had correctly assigned value to that which is most valuable, eternal life with Christ Jesus.

Finally, Paul is writing this relatively late in his life, after all his missionary trips, after founding and establishing churches all over, and yet he still sees that there is remaining work for him to do in the Body of Christ. If anyone could retire, based on his accomplishments, it would be Paul, yet he understands his role and purpose and knows there is work that still remains to be accomplished. I think he fully embraced his earlier verse 1:6..."being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Paul knew that if he placed his confidence in Jesus that he would complete all that he had been appointed to do. He was confident in Christ, confident in His goodness and faithfulness. He was confident that all things would be useful and lead to Christ's greater glory, so he was unafraid of hardship or suffering.

Oh to have the same perspective and understanding of our purpose and God's faithfulness to complete the good work He began in us! Help us Lord Jesus!

The Plans of the Lord

This morning I was journalling about the need to do some planning regarding my life and specifically that which I am about for the Body of Christ. I was not sure what to read this morning so I just opened my Bible randomly and these are the verses that I opened to - 1 Chronicles 28:11-14, 19-20 NIV:

[11] "Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. [12] He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. [13] He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the Lord, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service. [14] He designated the weight of gold for all the gold articles to be used in various kinds of service, and the weight of silver for all the silver articles to be used in various kinds of service:

[19] “All this,” David said, “I have in writing as a result of the Lord’s hand on me, and he enabled me to understand all the details of the plan. ” [20] David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."

My eyes first landed on verse 19, which is really a direct answer to the question I had running around in my mind. This is the exact line I had written in my journal not 5 minutes earlier - "Second, I don't really have a plan for moving forward and setting goals or any thing, I think I need to spend some time and prayerfully consider that."

I love it when the Lord interacts so intimately and directly. The Lord wants to be this intimate and direct with all of us, and really it just takes us listening and believing that He does. I could just have easily not opened my bible, not taken time to listen and just had that idea pass through my mind without asking Him to guide and direct me. It is in listening that I heard Him. Amazing how that works! :-) When I was younger in my faith I found that the Lord spoke louder and more simply, as I was just new at listening to Him, but now it is usually a quiet word. The good thing is that I take time to listen (not bragging at all, this is something the Lord has helped me develop over the last 30 years).

Anyway, the other thing that I really like about these verses is that the Lord put the plans in David's mind (verse 12) and the plans were very specific. Again, I think we often might not believe the Lord would work this way, giving detailed amounts, weights and designs, etc., but David was very clear here that this all came from God and He helped David to understand it. I think it is perfectly fine and right to ask the Lord for specifics if He is giving direction. He cares for us every bit as much as He cared for David and we have the advantage of the Holy Spirit present in us to guide and direct us.

So I guess I am going to be entering into a time of planning, and asking the Lord to give me clear direction and guidance. If you feel like you need help from the Lord to know what to do, ask Him and He will guide you too. All we need to do is listen! Amen Lord, release Your plans!

We Are A Letter From Jesus

This morning I have been reading through Paul's letters to the Corinthians. I like to take time to read larger chunks of scripture, as I pick up a different perspective when reading it en masse, rather than focusing on a single passage. I find that it helps me to gain a better understanding of the writer's mindset and the flow of his thought. I also will see things that I hadn't seen or thought much on before, when reading a larger amount. This morning I came across these five verses - 2 Corinthians 3:2-6 NIV:

[2] "You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. [3] You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

[4] Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant---not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

I really like verse 3, where Paul talks about the Corinthians as being a letter from Christ. That is a very interesting image to think on, that we are a letter to those around us from Jesus. There is the old saying that 'we might be the only bible some people ever read', or the only Christian some people ever know, and while that is often used to spur us to evangelism in all cases, I think its roots are here in Paul's letter.

We are supposed to be changed in a way that is visible, the Holy Spirit writing upon our hearts brings change to us. We, as members of the Body of Christ are part of His letter to all mankind. This helps me to consider my actions and my words and wonder if they would represent the very words of Jesus? Unfortunately, more often than not I don't think I am a good representation, but I am trying to become better and to make myself available to be shaped and changed.

Secondly, I am encouraged by verse 6, for the competence and confidence that Paul has comes from a realization that it was Christ Jesus who made him a minister. It is Jesus who trains us, who gives us direction and guidance and who pours out the Holy Spirit on us. He makes us competent ministers of the New Covenant. He is not requiring us to be ministers of the word, but rather of the Spirit. So let us entrust ourselves to our teacher and learn of the Spirit, and learn to become competent ministers of the New Covenant.

Amen!