Salt & Light Blog

Psalm 119:9-16 Delight in the Word of God

9/9/2015

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 On photo of Bible and Cup by Donna Campbell

Psalm 119:9-16

Verse 9 asks the question and gives an answer.

“How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.”

As followers of Christ, we want to remain pure, undefiled, and blameless. That is easier to want than live out. But there is a way, His name is Jesus. We have to be conscientious and persistent about protecting purity. We have to be deliberate about glorifying Jesus, about walking as He walked, living as He lives, and loving as He loves. What is God’s Word? It is God’s will expressed. It is the scriptures which record and teach His will. It is Jesus Christ the propitiation for our sin and the revelation of God, who lived His life by the perfect will of The Father and is the plan of salvation for the world. (John 1:1-5).

John 6:37-40 says it this way,

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

We have to be purposefully internalizing God’s Word. To do that, we have to read the Bible. We have to know what it says. We have to be hearers and doers of the word. (James 1:19-25). Verses 10-12 read,

“With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes!”

Seeking God with our whole heart means seeking His will and His Word. We can’t obey Him, if we don’t know what He has told us to do. We cannot store His word in our hearts if we don’t know what his word says. The Holy Spirit will teach us. He makes God’s Word plain to us, He unlocks it and allows us to hear it and understand it. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 explains it this way,

“these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Reading, learning, and discerning God’s Word helps us not to sin. As we listen to the Spirit and follow His guidance it does become easier not to sin. He replaces the desires of the flesh with God’s desires. He showers us with the blessings and joys of God will. Psalm 37:3-6 says,

“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.

5 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.”

But how can we delight in The Lord if we haven’t bothered to get to know Him? When we seek to know God by reading the Bible, following and communing with Christ, obeying His Word, praying to The Father and listening to The Holy Spirt, our character changes. We become more like Jesus exhibiting His traits, speaking in love, truth, psalms and praise, and walking in faith. Verses 13-16 read,

“With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.”

The joy, the thrill, and enjoyment that comes from knowing the Word of God and living the Word of God is beyond explanation. It must be seen by others to be wanted by them. It must be experienced to understand it. I do not know anyone who is sincerely following Jesus and living a Spirit-filled life of friendship with God who would give it up for all the money they could imagine. The glory of the riches of God is way beyond the glory of earthly riches. Ephesians 3:14-21 reads,

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Believer, I pray that you will delight in the Word of God and experience the joy and fullness of God. I ask the Lord to rain His glory, blessings, and riches on you and keep you steadfast and blameless until the Day of Jesus Christ.

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Psalm 64 Why Do Evil Men Prosper?

7/24/2015

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Psalm 64

Does it seem sometimes, as Jeremiah complained that evil men prosper? Jeremiah 12:1-2 says what so many of us think from time to time.

“Righteous are you, O Lord,
    when I complain to you;
    yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
    Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
2 You plant them, and they take root;
    they grow and produce fruit;
you are near in their mouth
    and far from their heart.”

We look up from walking our difficult road in choosing right to see people who don’t care about God or beneficence or goodness, running past us toward money, power, and an easy life. It can be discouraging. But we are not alone in this grievance. And we are not seeing the whole picture either. When we take our eyes of The Lord and compare ourselves to the people around us, we can become blinded by faithlessness. David’s enemies sometimes seemed to be winning in their quest to destroy him. He like Jeremiah complained about it in Verses 1-6 of the Psalm.

“Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
    preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the throng of evildoers,
3 who whet their tongues like swords,
    who aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless,
    shooting at him suddenly and without fear.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see them?”
6     They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
    For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.”

Our enemy the Liar and his followers bitterly hate us. Their hate comes out in vicious words accusing us of many wrongdoings. The enemy lies in wait for us and even though we are forgiven and righteous in Christ, he attacks us. He is determined to destroy our walk with Jesus, our testimony, and our effectiveness. Our enemy thinks we are stupid and won’t recognize his attacks. Sadly many Christians do fall for his lies, accusations, and schemes. They do not know who they are in Christ. They forget who The Lord really is. And they succumb to Satan’s attacks. They are not wearing the full armor of Christ because they don’t understand their identity in Him well enough to wear that noble armor. Paul encouraged us in Ephesians 6:10-13,

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

Armor is protective. But it must be worn deliberately and properly to be effective. We have to put it on. We have to choose to know who we are and trust who God is to avail ourselves of God’s perfect protection. Paul described the armor in Ephesians 6:14-18,

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

When we know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (John 14:6) we can understand who we are in Him and combat every lie with the Truth. When we know who we are in Christ and what He has done for us we know we nothing can take the eternal life Jesus’ righteousness gave to us. When we understand who God our Redeemer is we are able to boldly be a testimony to Him, always ready with the Gospel which makes peace between God and man. When we know who Almighty God is we can have faith in Him, and then the lies and attacks of the enemy bounce off of our Shield unable to hurt us. When we know who we are in Christ, Salvation which can’t be taken from us protects our minds and souls and gives us the ability to fight back. We don’t fight with just any weapon, we don’t sling useless retorts at the enemy, we cut him down with the Word of God, the Scriptures and Jesus Christ whose very name holds immense and holy power. When we know who God is and who we are, we don’t worry, we pray in The Spirit for all the saints battling the enemy.

Satan doesn’t care about justice. He lies to people and blinds them to the consequences of sin and the cost of rejecting Christ. But our Lord God Elohim is our Justice and our Righteous Judge. He is The Truth and the Way. He is our Righteousness, our Shield, our Salvation, and our Sword. He is The LORD. Verses 7-9 describe The Justice of The Lord for us.

“But God shoots his arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly.
8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them;
    all who see them will wag their heads.
9 Then all mankind fears;
    they tell what God has brought about
    and ponder what he has done.”

God avenges us. He wounds the followers of the prince of this world. He gives them a chance to turn to Him. But whatever their choice, God’s mighty power and perfect love are demonstrated for the whole world to see. He is glorified. And more people can come to Him as we, wearing the readiness of the Gospel tell of the awesomeness of our Lord.

Why do evil men seem to prosper? So that when they fall the impact will be felt, seen, and heard by the multitudes. God will be glorified. And we will rejoice and glorify Him further. Verse 10 tells us to stop complaining and whining and rejoice instead because we know who The Lord is and we know who we are in Him.

“Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord
    and take refuge in him!
Let all the upright in heart exult!”

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Psalm 50 Do You Know God or Do You Know a god?

7/10/2015

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Psalm 50

I think that many proclaimed Christians want to forget part of God’s Character, perhaps thinking of Him as a grandfatherly Santa Claus in the sky doling out gifts or the wrathful destroyer of evil. But when we ignore parts of who God is, we do not worship The LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we worship an idol, a god of our own making. But God is holy, and God is the creator of the entire universe. It is His, and He is judge over every soul in it. Verses 1-2 read,

“The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.”

Asaph, the psalmist, priest, and temple singer begins this Psalm by identifying The Lord by His names The Mighty One and God the Lord. He establishes the power, strength, and sovereignty of The Lord with these names. The Lord speaks His will and His will is manifested. That is how great He is. He spoke and the world was created. His Word became law. His Word became flesh and lived among us, showed us who God is, lived for us, died for us, and resurrected for us. (John 1:1-18). The Lord summons, calls all the earth, not just one race of people, but everyone. He never stops calling people to Him. To those who don’t know Him, He says, “Come and know Me.” to those who call Him Father and Lord, He says, “Come and know Me.” He doesn’t only call with words, He speaks through His work, His perfect beauty is evident through creation, through Jesus life, death, and resurrection, through the Holy Spirit, through the storm, the sun, troubles, and peace. Verses 3-6 say,

“Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
    before him is a devouring fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge! Selah”

Righteous Holy God judges the whole earth but first He judges those who have made a covenant with Him, those who claim to follow Him, love Him, and be His. Those who represent Him to the rest of the world have a higher calling and responsibility to holiness. Verses 7-15 read,

“Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

God is always aware of the rituals of our religion. He ordained some of them and He is not displeased with our sincere offerings, sacrifices, and prayers. But He doesn’t need them. When Israel sacrificed bulls and goats, they were not giving them to God although they viewed it that way. When we give money in the offering, we are not giving our money to God. It is His money we offer back to Him in faith and thanksgiving. God has no needs. We have needs. He doesn’t need us. We need Him. We aren’t doing God any favors when we obey Him or otherwise worship Him. He is The Mighty One, God our Lord.

What displeases our Lord is disingenuous religion and insincere sacrifice. The pious person who recites verse after verse without a relationship with Him, the sanctimonious person who heals the sick without love, and the moralizing person who demands people follow all the laws but leaves out love may as well be a cacophony. They leave the Lord out. Their religiosity is futile. Their god is themselves. They lead people to Hell. They forget that God is their judge. Verses 16-21 read,

“But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.”

So many people claim to be Christians but do not call Jesus Christ Lord. They spout God’s laws but the law is not written on their hearts. They are religious but ignore the wholeness of God. They do not rejoice in suffering, knowing God uses it to mature. They hate discipline and refuse to think God might allow trials and tribulations. They are the ones who speak hate against others. They talk themselves into believing God is pleased by their insincere piety and arrogance. God judges us. We will all be judged. Those who have not formed a friendship with Him through Christ and been sealed by the Holy Spirit, no matter how religious they are, no matter the miracles they perform or the scriptures they preach will go to the eternal pit of Hell. Verses 22-23 read,

“Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!”

Do you know The LORD or do you know a god of your imagination and wishes? Do you depend on God or does your god depend on you? Who is exalted by your life? Who is glorified by your testimony? We need to examine our hearts and lives and be sure we know God for who He is. He is not only Love or only Avenger or Justice, He is God our Almighty Loving Father, Savior, Peace, and Creator. He desires for us to know Him and love Him. He wants a relationship with us not a religion with us. In Mark Chapter 12 Jesus had a conversation with a scribe Verses 28-34 recorded it.

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.”

God wants you, not your religiosity. God doesn’t need you, He desires you. He loves you and wants you to know the joy of knowing Him.

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Philippians 3 Are You So Good, You No Longer Have To Pursue Godliness?

4/15/2015

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Philippians Chapter 3

How much do you strive to be like Jesus? Do you expect that your transformation will happen eventually and so you wait on the Lord and keep walking in the flesh? He’s ready, He’s begun, and He’s waiting for you. Are you determined to be righteous and so you keep as many laws as you can recall and hope the Lord won’t count it against you when you come upon laws impossible to keep? Neither of these paths bring you to the hope of Jesus.

The first step to Jesus is Salvation and salvation comes by faith. Romans 10:9-10 tells us,

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

But you can’t just stop believing after that, your faith doesn’t just evaporate and you either live in the flesh or live by the law. Faith continues, believing in Jesus’ grace carries on. Salvation isn’t fire insurance, it is an active lifestyle in which you choose to exercise faith.

But some people forget the great miracle of redemption, the mystery of the Gospel, and the beauty of God’s grace. In Philippians chapter 3 Paul reminded the church that righteousness is something to pursue, but not by the law but by faith in Christ. If anyone had reason to believe the law could save him, it was Paul. Verses 1-6 read,

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”

But not one iota of Paul’s impressive résumé mattered when it came to salvation. It was garbage to him. His greatness in the world, his piety, and his passion for the law nearly kept him from knowing Jesus. All he strove for before Jesus saved him was waste. He put it like this in verses 7-11,

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Our righteousness doesn’t and cannot come from ourselves. Righteousness comes from faith in Jesus. It comes from depending on God, it comes from letting the Holy Spirit do His great work in us. Paul was one of the greatest Christians of all time. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He was mature. Acts 19:11-12 describe how powerful Paul was, not in himself, but in the Lord.

“And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”

But Paul didn’t stop and sit in his haunches. He continued to strive toward Jesus righteousness. If Paul had to keep endeavoring toward the actualization of Jesus, how much more so do we? God is immense. We can’t even begin to fathom the depth and breadth of His Love, much less anything else of His nature. He wants us to know Him and to know Him deeply. There is always more of Him to know. Verses 12-16 say,

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

One day, we will be changed in an instant. We will have reached the goal. But while we still live, while we wear suits of flesh and walk this earth, we have not yet reached that objective. And it’s not alright to just sit back and say, “I’ll change eventually” or “I can sin as much as I want because of grace.” We are not part of this world, we are part of the Kingdom of God. Our path should be one that leads to Jesus and we should be walking that path, ever-growing ever-maturing.

We are meant to glorify Christ. That means we are meant to reflect His image. We can’t do that if we don’t know Him intimately. He gave us His Spirit, He gave us His name, and He gave us His nature. We must, like Paul earnestly pursue a profound knowledge of God so that His Love and Righteousness, Jesus shines out of us. Our lives should lead people to faith in Christ not worthless hope in the law. Verses 17-21 read,

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Are you maturing? Are you different today than the day you were saved? Are you different today than you were last year? Or are you fooling yourself and trying to follow the law or floundering in your flesh? Believer, the Spirit of the Living God is in you! You are united with Jesus. He has made possible your transformation. He is there waiting for an intensely beautiful and profound relationship. You are His bride. He adores you.

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Philippians 1:1-11 When One Suffers, We All Suffer. Pursue Godliness Together.

4/11/2015

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Philippians Chapter 1 Verses 1-11

Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi begins with an affectionate note. Verses 3-5 reads,

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Paul not only thinks about the church but whenever he does, he prays for them and thanks God for them. Do we do that for one another? Regardless if we know the intimate details of a brother’s life, we can and should pray for him. We are one with our fellow brothers and sisters united in Christ and partners in our mission to make disciples.

We know too that our brothers and sisters are suffering. We know that because they are on the same path we are, and it is filled with suffering, trials, hardships, and other tribulations meant to transform us, strengthen us, and glorify Jesus. The encouragement we can give to one another is priceless. It is such a good thing to know we are not alone in our struggles and someone is praying for us.

Those struggles have a purpose. They mature us and strengthen us in Christ, they bring us closer to the Lord and they transform us to His image. Verse 6 reads,

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

It is a good work that the Spirit is doing in us. That work ought to be evident. One day that work will be completed. We will be completely transformed in an instant, but for now we praise God, we rejoice that we are being transformed. Each day we are more mature, steadfast, patient, kind, joyful, and loving. Each day we look a little more like Jesus.

That is part of the grace we received from God. He forgave us. Jesus covered us in His righteousness. And the Spirit conforms us to Jesus. When one of our fellowship suffers, we suffer with him. When another rejoices we rejoice with her. We are one, united and sharing the same Spirit, God’s Awesome Holy Spirit.

Paul was in prison. Prison was a horrible place to be, yet he understood the reason he was there and he was acutely aware of all the good coming from it. He also knew that his beloved children in the churches he had planted loved him and were praying with him. The church at Philippi was not in prison but they like Paul used the situation to grow closer to God and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Verses 7-8 say,

“It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

The church was one with Paul and because of that he knew that they suffered with him over his imprisonment and they understood the good coming from it. He also knew that they were not letting his punishment stop them from defending and confirming the gospel, in fact they used Paul’s incarceration to uphold and prove the Gospel.

Paul encouraged the church to actively and deliberately pursue godliness. Verses 9-11 read,

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

As the Spirit transforms us, we show more and more of the characteristics of Jesus that we call the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of righteousness. But we have to exercise those traits to show them. We have be patient, we have to have faith, and we have to be kind. These are intentional choices made possible because we have the Holy Spirit and we have God’s grace, and Jesus’ righteousness. Paul encouraged the church to abound or overflow, proliferate and thrive in love more and more.

He also included that that love should be accompanied by knowledge and discernment. Knowledge of God and His word is key to being able to love like He does. Discernment is vital to our maturity and to remaining steadfast and on the right path. It keeps us following the truth and revealing the truth instead of falling victim to heresies.

We, the church are united. We, in our local church are knit together tightly. We are responsible for one another. We are not all at the same place on the road to maturity. Some of us have more discernment, some have studied the Bible much more, and some know God on a much deeper level than others. Since we flourish in love for one another, we aren’t going to allow the weaker to follow the wrong path because their wisdom or discernment isn’t as developed as ours. We are going to trust the elder when he exhorts us, teaches us, and guides us.

Remember, we are in this together. If one of us is suffering, we all are. We all face trials of various kinds. We have one another. We pray for one another, we cry with one another, we rejoice with one another. We grow together increasing ever more in love, knowledge and discernment. We are not alone. We have one another. We have our Lord.

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2 Peter 3 Haven't We Been Saying "Soon" for about 2,000 years?

4/9/2015

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2 Peter Chapter 3

Judgement Day is coming. I’ve heard people make thoughtless jokes about it. About how perhaps the Prophets and the writers of the Epistles should look up the definition of the word ‘soon’. I’ve heard people ridicule the prophecies and those who believe them. They depict believers as insane homeless people preaching on street corners or crazy cult leaders ready to kill their entire congregation.

But the fact is The Day is coming, and it is coming soon. We don’t know exactly when, so we need to live like it might be tomorrow, today, or in ten minutes. It is something all believers need to keep in mind as we live our lives. Peter urged the church to remember The Day of the Lord. Verses 1-7 in The Message read,

“My dear friends, this is now the second time I’ve written to you, both letters reminders to hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention. Keep in mind what the holy prophets said, and the command of our Master and Savior that was passed on by your apostles.

3-4 First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.”

5-7 They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word. Then God’s word brought the chaos back in a flood that destroyed the world. The current galaxies and earth are fuel for the final fire. God is poised, ready to speak his word again, ready to give the signal for the judgment and destruction of the desecrating skeptics.

Those scoffers also don’t know who God is. They don’t know Him the way we do. They imagine Him to be made-up, or ever angry, or a sweet but wise bumbling old man. However the world imagines God, we know that they’ve got Him wrong because they don’t know Him the way we know Him and they deny parts of Him to fit Him in their own definition.

We know time is different for God than for us. He has existed since the beginning and we, mere humans can’t conceive of how very long ago that was. God lives in time without end. We live on this earth such a short time compared to eternity. For us waiting a week can seem like forever, 40 weeks seems like eons, and four years may as well be four ages. But it isn’t that way for God. Time is not the same for Him. Verses 8-9 read,

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

God loves us and He is patient. He doesn’t want anyone to die lost. God is Love. Ultimately, His love will manifest in Judgement Day. For now, He holds back judgement, waiting for as many as possible to hear the Gospel had have the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior.

He is a God of truth and light. That Day will reveal the truth, all of the truth. All our deeds, all our words, everything about us will be divulged. And every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:10-11). Verse 10 reads,

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed”

What does all this mean for us? It means that we ought to live like Jesus is coming back very soon. It means that we should live godly Christ glorifying lives. It means we must share the wonderful and beautiful truth of Christ with the world. It means we can hold onto the hope and promise of eternity with our Lord. Verses 11-16 puts it this way,

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,”

Remember too that the prophecy surrounding this is fodder for false teachers and false prophets. They love to take it and twist it and put fear into people with it. They take the parts they can use, throw out the parts that don’t go with their message and use it for their own benefit. It has even become a popular subject for horror films. But we know the truth, and if we don’t yet know it, we need to read the Scriptures for ourselves. Yes, sometimes there are parts that are very deep or otherwise difficult to comprehend, but we have the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning to us. The lost don’t have Him. That enables us to discern their lies. If we are ignorant of what the Word says we need to change that. Repeatedly in the Bible we are told to pursue knowledge, unlock the mystery of Salvation, seek God, and seek truth. We are told to study the scriptures, meditate on them, and be hearers and doers of them. Verses 16-18 read,

“as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Remain diligent in growing in Christ. Remember that includes studying the Bible for yourself, belonging to a group of Believers, and depending on God through the trials and suffering of your life. Follow Jesus. Pursue Love. Seek Truth.

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The Beatitudes Study Part 7: Blessed are the Pure in Heart

1/3/2015

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As we continue to study the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We come to the 7th one. Matthew 5:8 reads,

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

As I have done with the other beatitudes, I looked up the Greek words and their meanings first to help me understand what Jesus was saying. The Greek word translated as pure is katharos. It means without admixture, separated, purged and therefore clean. (Strong's, 1987). Heart is translated from the word kardia which is defined as the affective center of our being, the inner-self, the intention that establishes who we are. (Strong's, 1987). So pure of heart means that our inner-self, our true self has been flushed out of everything that would make it unclean. A pure heart is forgiven, cleansed by Jesus’ blood and intends to follow Him. It is not an outward ritualistic cleanliness. God doesn’t want the outward show of looking religious. He wants the heart, the desire to follow Him in love.

In Psalm 51 David asked God for a clean heart. He knew the way to that end was the forgiveness of his sins. Verses 1-2 say,

“Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!”

It is only Jesus who can cleanse your heart. It is only His blood that can forgive sins. Hebrews 10:19-22 reads,

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

What is it to see God? 1 John 3:2 says that one day we will see God as He is. It reads,

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

And 1 Corinthians 13:12 reads,

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

So it is a promise of our future hope as we live in New Jerusalem in the presence of Jesus. But there is more to the promise. Every promise of eternity is also shadowed for us now in this life. One day we will see God clearly and fully, but right now we know Him incompletely. But we still seek Him. We still want to know Him and we strive know Him more deeply every day. God wants us to know Him. He said so in Hosea 6:6

“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Knowing God, having a deep relationship with Him was the reason He saved us. (John 17:3). Knowing the Father is done by knowing Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:15, John 14:6).

So how do we know God more deeply?

I’ve already established that you must have a relationship with Jesus first in order to have a relationship with God. That is done by making Jesus the Master of your life and acknowledge that only He can forgive your sins and reconcile you to God.

God will enter into you as the Holy Spirit when you ask Jesus to save you. The Holy Spirit then begins teaching you and transforming you. He shows you who He is in the innermost way. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says,

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

And 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 reads,

“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
    nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”--

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”

The Holy Spirit is God. He reveals His nature to us, He transforms us so that we reveal Him as well. That is one reason we need other Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Each one is indwelled with God and we speak to each other, teach, encourage, exhort, and edify one another through the Spirit.

We read the Bible, His word and learn more about Him. Psalm 119:105 says,

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

The Word of God will do work on us to purify our hearts and help us know Him more. Hebrews 4:12 says,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

One day, we will see God wholly, but for now we seek Him and get to know Him as best we can in our flesh. If we seek and ask, He will reveal and answer. Deuteronomy 4:29 says,

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

And Matthew 7:7-8 reads,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Is it the desire of your inner core to know God? Then you will know Him. Has your heart been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? Then you will see God.

References:

Strong's. (1987). 2513. katharos. Retrieved from Biblehub; Strong's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/2513.htm

Strong's. (1987). 2588. kardia. Retrieved from Biblehub; Storng's Concordance: http://biblehub.com/greek/2588.htm

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The Beatitudes Study Part 7: Blessed are the Pure in Heart

Donna Campbell

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