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What is Abundant Life?

11/25/2015

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John 10:7-10 says,
“So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
I have at times wondered what an abundant life is supposed to be. I know for years I was not experiencing an abundant life. I existed, but I didn’t live. What is abundant life? What is abundance? Abundance means lavishness, copiousness, plenty, more than enough. It means not only not lacking but full. Jesus said, He came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Later in the same chapter John 10:28-30, Jesus says,
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
He came so we could have eternal life. Eternal life is not something that begins after our earthly death, it begins the moment we are saved. We live in the Kingdom of God, we walk in Christ and in The Spirit. We walk in power! How many Christians walk or even limp in weakness as if they are citizens of the world rather than citizens of Heaven. But believer you are a citizen of Heaven. (Philippians 3:20). You are not like the world. In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus taught the disciples to pray and that prayer teaches us about walking in the Kingdom.
“Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.”

The will of God is carried out effortlessly in the Kingdom of Heaven. And you and I have the ability to bring about His will on earth. We are provided for. We are forgiven and because of that we can offer mercy and grace. We are delivered from evil, we don’t have to try and work to be good, we are saved from sin and the enemy. This is wonderful! But there is more. Our Father lavishes gifts on us. He gives provision. Philippians 4:19 says,
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
He provides our needs according to His riches. Do we think He will just barely provide? Do we think He will ever let us lack anything? He is God, He is Everlasting and Eternal God. (Isaiah 40:28). He gives is spiritual gifts as well. Did you know that Spiritual gifts are manifestation of The Holy Spirit Himself. That’s a big deal. And those gifts are meant to be used. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 reads,
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”
An abundant life is a choice, God wants to fill us, not merely be in us. He wants us to be filled with Him. Ephesians 5:15-21 reads,
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Abundant life means we are not alone, we live connected with our brothers and sisters in Christ. And look at how we are with one another, addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We use scripture, joy, and the Holy Spirit to encourage, build up, and keep each other on track. Church is not a solemn place, it is a joy-filled Spirit-filled connected people.
Too many believers live as paupers instead of princes. But look at just some of the titles we hold in our new identity in Christ. We are sons and daughters of God and coheirs with Christ. (Romans 8:14-17). We are royalty, we are priests, chosen by God to stand out and by our lives proclaim how awesome God is. (1 Peter 2:9).  We are minsters of God’s grace, and stewards of the Gospel. (1 Peter 4:10, Ephesians 3:7). And we are friends of God. Can you believe it, God, The LORD, the Creator of the entire universe calls us His friends? John 15:12-17 reads,
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
How is it possible that we could live anything other an abundant life with all that in our favor? We should be living abundantly, not in paucity. Is your life bare? Is meager? Are you working, going home, sitting in a church pew twice a week, and merely existing until you finally make it to eternity? Or are you walking in Christ, filled with the Spirit, lavished with gifts, surrounded by your brothers and sisters as a son of God? Are you living your abundant and eternal life in the Kingdom of God now?
 
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1 Kings 2 Jesus is King of kings, the Promises of God Fulfilled

9/19/2015

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1 Timothy 6:14-16 On photo of Sunrise at Daytona Beach by Denise Hogan
to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:14-16 On photo of Sunrise at Daytona Beach by Denise Hogan
1 Kings Chapter 2

What you do, how you live is your responsibility. No one but you is responsible for your choices. Your choices have consequences. A small lie can cause great damage. The devil didn’t make you do it, you chose to do it. Sin has a price that must be paid. That price s death, but the great news is Jesus paid the price for us and He freely gives eternal life to those who ask. (Romans 6:23).

As David neared the end of his life, he called Solomon to him and gave him some instructions for his reign. Some of his instructions are expected and understandable but some are quite shocking, until we remember that David is a man after God’s own heart and God is a God of justice. (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:21-23, Deuteronomy 32:3-4). How could a king or a god be called just unless he dealt with wrongdoing? In verses 1-3 David counsels his son to always be obedient to God.

“When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,”

It is manly to follow God. It takes strength and virility to obey Him and stay in the way of God rather than go the way of fleshly desires. Obedience to God comes with a promise to prosper in all our endeavors. Not endeavors for selfishness but endeavors which glorify the Lord, endeavors which further the Kingdom of Heaven. What is to prosper? It is to succeed. It is to bear fruit or get results, to flourish and thrive. Psalm 1:1-4 says,

“Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.


3 He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”


David followed this with the promise God had made to him and which he had to pass on to his son and his descendants. Verse 4 reads,

“that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.”

David’s progenies would rule for about 400 years with 21 kings. They were Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Joshiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. (Goodnews Christian Ministry, 2007).  That isn’t forever! So what could that mean? Did God break a promise? No, He was faithful, even though many of the kings were wicked. Jesus, David’s offspring sat on the throne, then and He remains now. Jesus, our Savior was King from the beginning and He is King still. He will always sit on the throne. Psalm 9:7-8 reads,

“But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.”


And because God is just and because He judges with righteousness, David told Solomon he would have to take care of some injustices that still existed. David had spared certain men, he had promised that he would not kill them. But that didn’t mean they would escape punishment. The chapter list those who still had to face judgement for their sedition and betrayal, Joab, Shimei, Adonijah, and Abiathar. David also made sure that Solomon would show kindness to those who had helped him. He told Solomon in verse 7,

“But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother.”

David trusted that Solomon would act wisely. (Verse 6). Even before God blessed him with more wisdom than any other man, Solomon was wise. After David died, Solomon established his reign by following through on the justice David has asked of him. Adonijah came to Bathsheba and requested the beautiful Shunammite Abishag who had served David in his old age to be his wife. He came with a lie, a twisted version of history, and said, “Give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife, I did after all give Solomon the throne that I had.” That was not what had happened and Solomon was not fooled by the distorted words of his older brother. (Paraphrased). Verses 23-25 read,

“Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.”

Solomon knew who had given him the throne. Solomon knew that it was the Lord, not his brother who had made him king. So he had to do the right thing. Furthermore Solomon expelled Abiathar the priest from priesthood for his support of Adonijah. He had Joab killed for his treachery. Joab thought he could appeal to Solomon’s love of the Lord, but Solomon knew better. Verses 28-31 say,

“When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of theLord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.”

Joab, in his cowardice tried to lie and “repented” not because he was sorry but because he didn’t want to face justice. Verses 32-33 contain Solomon’s reasoning and prophetic words.

“The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.”

Finally came Shimei’s punishment. He could live as long as he stayed in Jerusalem and didn’t go beyond certain borders. He agreed and made an oath to that effect. But after 3 years Shimei left to chase after two runaway servants. When Solomon found out, he had him killed for breaking his oath to the Lord. Verses 44-46 read,

“The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heartall the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”

Our actions have consequences. Our sins affect people for the worse. Jesus paid the price for our sin but often lets the natural consequences happen. But He took away our condemnation or our blame and sentence. Our sin is not on our heads, it is on Jesus! He, our perfect and good Savior became sin, He took our sin onto Himself and paid the price we owe! (1 Peter 2:21-25). We deserve to die, but Jesus gives us life. He is established as King forever. We owe Him our faithfulness and loyalty forever. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 reads,

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”




References:

Goodnews Christian Ministry. (2007, June 5). The Davidic dynasty - King David, his royal lineage and relation to the Messiah, Jesus. Retrieved from Goodnews Christian Ministry: http://goodnewspirit.com/pdf4518davidicdynasty.pdf

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Psalm 73 Evil Men Prosper, But Only on this Earth.

8/2/2015

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Photo Shack in Denton, NC by Donna CampbellPhoto Shack in Denton, NC by Donna Campbell














Psalm 73

This Psalm is one of 12 attributed to Asaph. Asaph was the priest in charge of ministering in front of the Ark of the Covenant each day. (1 Chronicles 16:4-7). He was a “worship leader” as well as a talented singer, poet, composer, and a prophet. (2 Chronicles 29:30).

Do you ever feel like following Jesus is getting you nowhere? Our heart’s desires are many and various. For me the longing was always to be married and have children. I try very hard to always make the right choice, the responsible choice and the choice I believe is God’s will. But I have been envious of people who made the wrong choices and have what I always wanted. I committed myself to purity to glorify The Lord and they had sex with anyone they chose. They have husbands, children, and grandchildren. I do not. I have had times when I wondered if I should have given in and given up my virginity, maybe then I would have the family I always dreamed of having.

Asaph felt similarly. This Psalm echoes some of my feelings. Verses 1-7 read,

“Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.


4 For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.”


Sometimes it can seem like the less a person cares about humanity, compassion or justice, the happier, wealthier, and more powerful he is. It seems like the immoral get everything they want. And that may be true on this earth.

They have hardened their hearts, so they can’t hear The Holy Spirit. They talk a good talk and lead people down the slippery slope to Hell with them. They are on top of the world and they are proud of it. They laugh at us, the believers. They think God is merely a crutch. They think the proof is in their bank accounts. Verses 8-12 say,

“They scoff and speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.”


Comparing our lives to theirs can be discouraging. It can cause bitterness. If we look too much at this present earth and not enough at the whole picture we can lose hope, and we can cause others to lose hope. If we spend our time wishing for what others have, we can’t enjoy what we have. God has given us so much, and there is joy and wonder in life with Him. If my eyes are on the women who made the choices I knew were wrong and now seem to have the life I wanted, then my eyes are not on Jesus. If my heart is bitter because the one thing I wanted as a child is not mine, then my heart cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit and His overflowing love. If I spend my time wanting what I do not have instead of enjoying all I do have, who would want to know Jesus because of me? Verses 13-17 read,

“All in vain have I kept my heart clean
    and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken
    and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed the generation of your children.


16 But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their end.”


But whatever pursuits, gains, and benefits the sinful have on this earth on for this earth only.  Putting our eyes on the temporary delights of this world makes us lose sight of our eternal hope, of our Lord, and of our mission on this earth. It makes us ineffectual Christians and the enemy is elated at about it. 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 encourages us,

“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

It is not the princedom of the earth that holds our joy and purpose it is the Kingdom of Heaven. The lost who have hardened their hearts and blasphemed The Holy Spirit will enjoy this life and then burn forever in the torment of Hell. But not all the lost have silenced The Spirit of Life. And the Father calls to them. He lets them make their choices and sends the consequences down on them. We can be a part of the great work of bringing the lost children to The Father through Jesus Christ. We can let The Holy Spirit pour out of us and show them how beautiful God is. But we can’t do it if we are so busy coveting what others have that we do not use the gifts and life we have been given. Verses 18-22 read,

“Truly you set them in slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment,
    swept away utterly by terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant;
    I was like a beast toward you.”


Lord, forgive me. I have been ignorant and brutish too often. I have let bitterness for what I didn’t have drown out the joy of The Lord. But He is always with me and He forgave my witlessness and my wrongly placed anger. He removed the bitterness that filled me up and satiated me with Himself. He filled me up and permeated my heart, soul, mind, and strength. He made me new when I became a follower of Christ, and when I forgot who I was, He reminded me I was no longer dead and I have eternal life, beautiful everlasting hope, and more joy than any lost person can ever know. Verses 23-28 read,

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my refuge
,
    that I may tell of all your works.”

Believer, are your eyes on Jesus or your neighbor? Are you comparing your lawn to his and coveting all the things he has? Does he have Jesus? Does he have The Holy Spirit? Does he know The Father? Will the joy and praise you live your life with lead him to God? You have entered the glory of God, does your life and love show that?

Enjoy God. Live joyfully. Remember God’s grace is sufficient. We do not need anything that God doesn’t give us.


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Psalm 70 Our Prayers Bless the Lord, Us, and All Who Hear.

7/30/2015

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Psalm 70:4-5 on Photo of Ponce Inlet Lighthouse by Donna Campbell
May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! Psalm 70:4-5
Psalm 70

In this Psalm David used words he had previously used in Psalm 40:13-17. He didn’t keep the words exactly the same there are changes. We do sometimes use words and prayers we have heard and prayed before, especially when we pray scripture.

This Psalm by David was written to be prayed with the memorial offering described in Leviticus 2:9-10 as a part of the grain offering described in Leviticus 16:14-23. The offering was a voluntary one of worship that normally accompanied the burnt offering which was another voluntary offering made to atone for unintentional sins. The memorial offering was the portion of the grain offering not given to the priests but burned up to be a pleasing aroma to The Lord. It was meant for Israel to remember who God is and what He has done. It was meant to be complete worship to bless The Lord.

Verses1-3 read,

“Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame
    who say, “Aha, Aha!”


So why would a Psalm of worship and thanksgiving begin with a plea to be delivered from one’s enemies? Because our prayers while blessing All-Knowing and Almighty God are also meant to edify us and those who hear them. 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 says,

“Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

When we pray thanks to the Lord for His great deeds and when we ask Him to do great things for us, we remember who God is, what He has done, and what He is capable of. He already knows. We are the ones who need to be reminded and therefore our faith is strengthened and the people who listen are encouraged. God knows our needs, we do not always realize them. Our prayer reminds us.

And for those of us who are saved, we are already delivered from the enemy but praying for our enemies, the enemies of Christ, and those people who need deliverance reminds us of who we used to be. We don’t recall our old selves in order to be the way we were but to grasp the awesome miracle God has done in us through salvation. He made us new. He didn’t just make us better but He made us completely new. It is up to us to remember that each day and to choose to be the new creation instead of our old dead selves. (Colossians 3:5-11).

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 puts it like this,

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We are new. We are delivered. We are saved. This is such an astonishing miracle. We have reason to praise, sing, and worship. Verse 4 reads,

“May all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you!
May those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”


Our praise glorifies God. God’s glory is like a beacon to the lost, calling them to salvation. And that salvation brings eternal life, not one day in the far off, not after we physically die, not after our resurrection but now. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life gives us that life through Jesus and by the Father. (John 6:60-71).

John 3:33-36 describes eternal life,

“Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

We live in the Kingdom of God now and forever. Look at the tense of John 3:36 it does not say, ‘Whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life.’ It says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” It also says, “whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

What does that mean? The first, the most crucial thing a person does in obedience to The Lord is to repent and be baptized. Acts 2:36-39 says it like this,

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

We have to admit we need God by admitting we are sinners. We have to acknowledge and confess that we have done wrongs in our lives. But we don’t leave it like that. What good is conceding a fault without reparation? Would it do any good to say, ‘I need to lose weight’ yet not eat healthy and exercise? No! And so confessing our sins does not forgive them or give us eternal life. It is the obedience to repent, to ask Jesus for His salvation, and believe that He is the Lord that gives us eternal life. So David cried out to God often remembering his sin and God’s grace. Verse 5 reads,

“But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!”


I encourage you today to worship The Lord by remembering who He is and what He has done. Of all the awesome, wonderful, loving, and miraculous deeds He has done, salvation is the most awesome, wonderful, loving, and miraculous.

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Psalm 48 Zion, The Eternal City of God

7/8/2015

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Psalm 48

This Psalm of the Sons of Korah is titled Zion, the City of Our God. The psalmist wrote about Jerusalem, but he prophetically wrote about New Jerusalem, God’s eternal city. Verses 1-3 read,

“Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation,
    is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
    the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God
    has made himself known as a fortress.”


Jerusalem was not great because of her people or her buildings. She was great because God resided there in the Ark of the Covenant. Later the Temple would be built and the Ark would be placed there. Now you and I are the city of God and He indwells us. One day New Jerusalem will come down from Heaven and it will be truly awesome. God will be there in every way. Revelation 21:2-4 describe our future home.

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Jerusalem was a joy to the world because that is where Jesus was arrested and just outside the city walls He was crucified in order to give us a way to friendship with God. In New Jerusalem, Jesus will be our light, we will have no need of a sun or moon because Jesus is there. Revelation 21:22-27 reads,

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.”

The people of Jerusalem felt completely safe from her enemies. God fought for her against them and until He chose to let Jerusalem be taken it was a fortress of a city. The victory being celebrated in this Psalm was one against the Assyrians, in which the Holy Spirit visited the Assyrian camp and suddenly killed 185,000 men. God protected that city from her enemies. He fought for His people then, and He fights for us now. No one can hurt us. He is our Avenger and Protector. Verses 4-8 say,

“For behold, the kings assembled;
    they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
    they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there,
    anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered
    the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
    in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
    which God will establish forever. Selah”


New Jerusalem will be the city established forever. Jerusalem was thought to completely safe, it was because God protected it. But, because The Lord had to discipline His people He did eventually allow Jerusalem to be taken by enemies. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took the city and she sat empty and desolate for seventy years until King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return and rebuild. (2 Chronicles 36:17-21, Ezra 1:1-40). New Jerusalem will be absolutely impenetrable by the enemy. God will not only protect us in that city, He will be there with us. Revelation 21:9-14 describes the walls and beauty of Zion, our wedding gift from The Lord this way,

“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

After the Assyrians ran home in defeat, the people of Jerusalem worshipped and praised God. God saved His people from the enemy. He saved us from the enemy as well. God’s enemy is defeated. We praise Him all day long for our salvation. He loves us immeasurably. New Jerusalem is for us from Him. It is literally, Heaven on Earth. It is not for anyone who can’t appreciate the goodness, greatness, and holiness of The Lord. It is for His children. We will worship our Mighty God forever. Verses 8-11 read,

“We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
    in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God,
    so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11     Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
    because of your judgments!”


After their victory the citizens of Jerusalem acknowledged it was God who had saved them as they looked at their beautiful city, the city of God. They gave Him the glory and they remembered so they could teach each generation after them. Verses 12-14 read,

“Walk about Zion, go around her,
    number her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
    go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14     that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
    He will guide us forever.”


We haven’t seen New Jerusalem, but we can imagine what she will be like. We have the Spirit of God to give us a foretaste. We have descriptions like those in Revelation 21. It will be stunning but its real beauty will come not from the pearl gates or jewel adornments. It will come from the presence of God. Its safety won’t come from its walls made of gold, but from The Lord.  It is not a secret to be kept, but a promise to be shared. Envision the magnificence of God with us, not only in Spirit but in totality, face to face. The love, the joy, and the peace of God forever and ever.

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Psalm 37 The Righteous Have Eternity, the Lost have Only This Life

6/27/2015

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Psalm 37

Does it sometimes seem like bad people have all the good stuff? They get rich. They have cushy lives and everything they want is theirs, even if they have to break the backs of the poor to have it. Believer, you do not have to want what they have. What we have is so much better. Verses 1-4 read,

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.


3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.”


Exodus 20:17 tells us,

“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

Those evil people do not have eternal life. All the joy they will ever experience will be during their 120 years on earth, and most of them won’t ever get to a full 120. David encourages us, not to concern ourselves with all they have but instead continue trusting God, living the life He has ordained for us and remaining faithful. He says that when we enjoy our relationship with The Lord, He’ll give us the desires of our hearts.

So does that make you ask why you aren’t driving a Maserati, living in a 16 room mansion with a super-model spouse and 2.3 perfect children? Are those really the desires of your heart if you are seeking God with all your heart? The desires of the heart of a person who delights or relishes, savors, and basks in The Lord doesn’t seek worldly material satisfaction. She seeks a closer relationship with God. She wants to be more like Jesus. She would like to commune closely with The Holy Spirit. She yearns for the Kingdom of God to be bigger. She desires God’s will on earth as it is in Heaven. And our Loving Father fulfills those wishes gladly and plentifully for His children who truly appreciate the greatness of it.

If we don’t yet have that full Spirit filled, Jesus glorifying life, David says, don’t worry, commit yourself to The Lord, stay faithful, and wait for Him. He will make you more like Jesus and He will not only align your will and His but fulfill that will. Verses 5-7 put it like this,

“Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.


7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!”


We do not have to stoop to hurting other people to get material gain. We don’t ever have to envy the wicked. We should really pity them. They only have this lifetime to enjoy, we have eternity. They only have themselves to count on, we have The Lord God Almighty. David tells us not to bother getting angry. He says not to throw wrath out the window. The acts of those people will be punished, they will be cut off from The Lord eternally when they die. But we will have eternity to bask in His love and worship Him. We won’t even remember the lost. Their lives will be as if they never happened. (Verses 8-11).

The wicked hate us. They judge us as hypocrites and constantly accuse us of being judgmental. They do that because their moral codes are based on lies, they don’t know any better. While they attack and constantly try to hurt us as they charge us with hatred and prejudice, we don’t have to fight back or defend, because God’s got this. We don’t have to fight them because we know that even through their schemes, assaults, and hatred, God loves them and wants them to know Him. We can love them and pity them because if they never humble themselves to acknowledge what Christ did for them, they will die and go to Hell forever separated from the perfect redeeming love of God.

There is nothing to be envious of. We do not have to covet what they have, because it is all temporary. We can revel in the greatness of what we have in Jesus. Verses 16-20 read,

“Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous.


18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in the days of famine they have abundance.


20 But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.”


As long as we put our trust in God rather than money, as long as we lean on the Lord’s strength rather than our own, as long as we have faith in Jesus’ righteousness instead of our feeble attempts we do not need to covet the wealth or power of men. This life is short. It is temporary. It is a tiny speck in the eternal timeline of God.

There is hope for the lost as long as they breathe. They can turn to Jesus, they can repent, and they can have the hope of eternity. How will they ever know unless our lives exemplify our Lord? Verses 27-31 read,

“Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
    he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
    and dwell upon it forever.


30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
    his steps do not slip.”


Our concern with the wicked should not be with why they have “everything.” We know they don’t, because they do not have Jesus. They watch us, they look for any chance to prove us evil. Because they keep so close an eye on us, we can let our lives be a testimony to the greatness, goodness, and love of God. It isn’t we who should envy them, it is they who should want what we have. Verses 32-34 put it this way,

“The wicked watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.


34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on when the wicked are cut off.”


The wicked may be at war with us, but our war is not with them, it is with Satan. The Lord of Hosts, Jesus Christ leads the fight. We are safe against every attack in Him, our refuge. He already won the war and one day, Satan and all those who follow him, ignorantly or not will perish with him. Verses 37-40 say,

“Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.


39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him.”


What are the desires of your heart? Do you want your children to be known for their faith? Do you want The Kingdom of God to expand? Do you want to be like Jesus? Do you want your life to be pleasing to The Lord? God will give you all that and more. That is so much better than a mansion built on the backs of the poor. Eternal life begins now and it surpasses the temporary pleasures of this world. Don’t hate the evil, instead pity them and love them enough to follow Jesus and be like Jesus. They have nothing worth your envy. You have everything worth theirs.

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Titus 3 Saved by Faith for Good Works

4/21/2015

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Titus Chapter 3

Who were you before you were saved? What were you like before you were born again? What you’re your desires, your plans, and your hopes? They were likely different from your current desires. You were probably a very different person. But when you recognized Jesus as your savior, His Spirit entered you and made you new. He changed you and He continues to change you. Your will aligns more closely to God’s will.

We must be diligent about standing out from the world and being the image of Christ to them. They are lost and we can be the light that leads them to the Truth, the Life, and the Way. Paul encourages us to be different and live out our salvation, and to always be ready to do good for people. Verses 1-2 read,

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

What if the other person is mean, rude, or a really bad sinner? Do we have to be kind to them? Do we have to do good for the person who is trying to con old ladies out of their pensions or the drug addict? Paul tells us to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Everyone needs Jesus, no one deserves His grace and mercy. You were once lost. What was it that brought you to Jesus? Did someone argue with you, judge you, and tell you to turn or burn? Is that what brought you to redemption? I doubt it. Or did someone lead you to Jesus with love, kindness, and truth? Verses 3-7 say,

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life”

What He did for us, is not meant to be kept for us alone. He washed us and renewed us. He changed us. He poured Himself into us lavishly. We are saved by grace and now have the hope of eternal life for a purpose. We can’t continue living the way we used to live anymore because we are no longer the people we used to be. We are saved by grace but we are saved so that we can do good works. The good we do doesn’t justify us. It doesn’t make up for any sin. But it does give an expression to the Holy Spirit. It does testify to the greatness of The Spirit, the power of Christ, and the love of The Father.

The lost are lost because they’ve been led astray by the prince of this world. Jesus gave us the authority to show them the way to salvation. We show them the Way, the Truth, and the Life through good works, which is God’s love expressed and God’s word manifested. Faith saved us. Grace justified us. But it is good works, the exercising of our spiritual gifts and the fruit of the Spirit that builds the church and leads the lost to Jesus. Verse 8 reads,

“The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”

Good works not only include working outside the church building but within it. Good works include using our gifts to edify one another, grow in knowledge and love, and become more like Jesus. Building up of the church and loving one another makes us more unified. Unity is a sign of maturity and shows the Holy Spirit in us. Union allows Him to work within us as a group and be manifested even more powerfully than He is as individuals. When Jesus was teaching about church unity and how to handle sin among the brethren He said,

“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

How He wants to do great and good things with us and through us! Jesus’ promise is not a little thing. He promised that our unity would make anything we ask happen. He promised that even if only two of us come together to agree that He would grant us our request. He promised that even if only two or three of us come together in His name (that is as His representatives doing His will) that He is there with us.

So it is very important to maintain unity. It is extremely important to ensure no one among us is teaching lies, starting arguments, and causing dissention. The dissident causes us to look like the world. He makes us take our eyes off God’s work and puts our minds on foolishness. We are not able to do good works if we are busy arguing over the size of the church bell or whether eating pork is a sin. Verses 9-11 read,

“But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

We are not saved by good works. We are not saved by our behavior. We are saved by faith. It is His grace that redeems us. But following Christ means we will do as He wants. We want to obey Him. We want to love as He loves. We want to communicate our gratitude. We want to express the Holy Spirit within us. We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by Jesus’ good work. We were led to Christ because a brother or sister did good works and we saw Jesus in them.

Verse 14 says,

“And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”

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1 Peter 4 Following Christ in His Suffering

4/3/2015

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1 Peter Chapter 4

Christ suffered on the cross and we as His followers also suffer. Christ’s suffering gave us salvation. Our suffering reveals Salvation in us. Verses 1-2 read,

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”

We are not better than Jesus. We must expect to suffer. And when we do suffer for Christ’s sake, we can rejoice. We are emulating our Lord. We are being transformed to His image. We are glorifying God so that others will know His redemption.

Verses 12-17 read,

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

Suffering has more than one purpose. While we suffer, people see us. They watch and take note of how and why we go through our situation. How is that we can rejoice and even praise God through trials? They expect us to react in a worldly way and when we don’t, they see a glimpse of God. They see the grace of Jesus lived out.

Suffering conforms us to the image of Jesus Christ. Trials and tribulations teach us to exercise the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts He gave us, and purify us. . God sees us as righteous when He looks at us, but that doesn’t mean, He doesn’t care about our behavior. We are saved by grace but that doesn’t mean we should use our liberty as a reason to look and act like the rest of the world. We are supposed to emanate the Spirit of God, not the spirits of the world. We follow the King of kings, not the prince of this world. If the saved, God’s own children can’t behave in a manner worthy of God, how can we expect the lost to ever find Jesus? Verses 17-19 read,

“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”


19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

We entrust our souls to the Lord. We give Him custody and authority over it. While we suffer, through good times, through joy, through sadness, and everything else we know God has charge over our souls and He will keep it for us until the Day we come into it at our completion. It will be worth more than it could have been if He hadn’t held it for us. It will be perfect.

Until that day, we are charged with doing good, with being Children of God in a world that doesn’t know Him. We are charged with doing good in a world that celebrates selfishness and debauchery. Even the fact that we don’t want to join them in decadence shocks them and gives them a reason to hate us or know us because of Jesus.

Verses 3-4 say it like this,

“For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you;”

We have to remember that they are lost. The reason they badmouth us is because they follow Satan and don’t even know it. They will be judged one day. They need the chance to hear the Gospel. They need a chance to call Jesus their Lord. Our behavior in good times and bad gives them a chance to hear the Truth. Verses 5-6 say it this way,

“but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.”

Their self-indulgence may give them temporary pleasure, but Jesus gives eternal life. Keep in mind. Choose your conduct with love. Do you love them enough to abstain from sin, suffer with grace, and rejoice in the Lord? Do you love them enough to give them a chance to know Jesus?

Verses 7-11 encourage us,

“The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Believer, you are special. You are not like the world. You are a child of the Living God, saved by Jesus and consecrated by the Holy Spirit. You are separate from the world, in it but not of it. Your life should be a witness to the truth, a living sacrifice to the Lord, and a light to salvation.

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1 Peter 1:13-25 Our Hope is Eternal Jesus Christ. We Should Behave Like That Means Something.

3/29/2015

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1 Peter Chapter 1 Verses 13-25

The Lord saves us by grace. He gives us faith. He keeps our eternal life guarded safely for us. He gives the ability to obey Him and He calls us to live holy lives. He didn’t say, ‘you are my children now so go act like spoiled brats and bring shame to my name.’ Verses 13-16 tell us,

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

We know the difference between right and wrong. We know the difference between love and disobedience. We know the difference between true worship and idolatry. We are named for Christ, identified as sons of God, we have a responsibility to be like Him. The Spirit sanctifies us, guides us, and empowers us so that we can reflect the image of Christ and be holy like our Father is holy.

Living holy is a choice and has a purpose. Peter writes that we have to prepare our minds for action and set our hope fully on the grace that will be revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We have to keep our minds on that last day, knowing that Jesus is coming and we will be living eternally in New Jerusalem with Him, the Light and the Word. We will be completely perfected at that time. We are living our eternal life now. We are being transformed to the image of Christ now. We are the sons of God now.

We are not who we were before we were saved. We are different, separated from the lost and no longer lost ourselves. We are exiles among them. They are lost, following authorities and rulers of the world and living an eternal death. We are raised with Christ. We are not one of them anymore. As exiles, we are expected to be holy, different, and bring honor to our Father’s name.

Our salvation is precious. Just because it is guarded and imperishable doesn’t make it any less valuable. Consider the cost of our salvation and hold it dear. It is exquisite. It should be cherished by us and perhaps by the lost who will want it too. Verses 17-18 describe it this way,

“And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Jesus didn’t flippantly save us. Salvation was not a last-ditch effort. A spur of the moment plan. God didn’t say, ‘Oy Vay! Guess I’ll have to go down there myself!’ Jesus was the plan from the beginning. It was due to His deep love for us. And because He died for us and rose from the dead for us we have eternal life and we have hope. Verses20-21 read,

“He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

The hope we have in Christ should make us behave differently than the world. We are not like the lost, whose home is the earth. We are exiles among them, our home is with God. Our behavior makes us stand out from followers of earthly authorities whose hope is in this temporary life. Verses 22-25 read,

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for

“All flesh is like grass
    and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
    and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”


And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

Believer, you are known by your Father’s name are you living up to that name and bringing Him glory or are you bringing Him shame? Are you holy as He is holy?

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1 Peter 1:1-12 Rejoice in the Eternal, Imperishable, Undefilable, and Unfading Hope of Christ.

3/28/2015

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1 Peter Chapter 1 Verses 1-12

Peter wrote this letter to Christians scattered across Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, modern Turkey. He calls the believers elect exiles of the Dispersion. Just as in the days of the Old Covenant when Israel was exiled to places that were not the Promised Land, their home, today during the New Covenant  believers are exiles because our Promised Land is Heaven, our home is New Jerusalem and we are exiles among the world. But we are not hopeless. We know where our home is, we know who our family and fellow pilgrims are, and we know who our Lord is. He keeps our citizenship for us. Verse 2 describes believers.

“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

Our Father knew us and chose us from the beginning. The Spirit consecrates and purifies us. He makes it possible for us to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ who saved us by His blood. That is wonderful news. And because of that we have hope. Not some distant fantasy, but confidence we live in and with, in the everyday. Because God is with us. He loves us, sanctifies us, and saves us. That is a living hope.

Peter describes that hope beautifully in verses 3-5.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Jesus is alive! His life gives us life. Peter describes eternal life as an inheritance, the legacy or bequest we receive from our Father. Normally to leave an inheritance the father would die, but in this case God rose from the dead and it is through His life that we live and receive eternal life. We died to our previous life, to sin and eternal death and live as new creations, sons of God eternally. Romans 6:8-11 reads,

“Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Our salvation, our eternal life is kept safe for us by God. Peter describes it as imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us.  Imperishable means permanent, eternal, and enduring. It cannot be destroyed. Undefiled means pure spotless and unpolluted. It remains perfect. It can’t be corrupted. And unfading means it can’t even lose a little of its richness or vibrancy. And it is being kept in Heaven for us. Not far from us, not for one day but for us now, since we live in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is protected and will remain safe until Jesus is fully revealed in us on The Day when we are in New Jerusalem face to face with Jesus.

That awesome hope, our eternal life, which we live now and it is guarded and protected by The Lord Almighty is what gives us reason to rejoice. Life is messy, hard, and difficult. Tragedy and calamity happen. But because we have Jesus Christ our hope, we can celebrate and be glad though all of it.

Do you realize that the precious treasure of eternal life can actually become more pure, more vibrant, and stronger? It does. It does when we go through the fires of life clinging to our Hope, rejoicing in our Peace, and remaining faithful to our Lord. Can you imagine what the world sees when you go through some awful experience and rather than break and curse God, rather than grumble and whine, you praise the Lord and allow the Spirit to build you, strengthen you, and make you more like Jesus? They see Jesus revealed in you. They hear about the awesome power of God’s Spirit. They see the proof of El Shaddai. And so do you. He becomes more concrete to you. Verses 6-9 say it this way,

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Think about what an awesome gift salvation is. There is no earning it. There is no buying it. The only way to get it is by the grace of our Father, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Spirit. It is eternal, guaranteed, and perfect. Eternal life is a wonderful legacy. It is ours now. It can only get better, stronger, and bigger. It is an inheritance that we receive not through our Father’s death but because Jesus lives and brings us out of death. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Bless the Lord! Praise Him forever. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He is keeping it safe for us with Him, imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.

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    October 21st 2015
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