Salt & Light Blog

What Does "Jesus is my Lord" Mean?

11/3/2015

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30

Jesus, the Risen Christ is the Lord of my life. What does that mean? It is not just a title I give Him, it is a way of living. For Jesus to be my Lord means I am free to obey Him, I am free to belong to Him completely. My life is not my own. How can belonging to someone else possibly be freeing? Isn’t that more like indenturement than freedom? No, you see before I let Jesus be my Master, I was a slave to fear, pleasing people, and my natural tendencies toward self-preservation and pride.
John 8:31-38 reads,
“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
The truth is Jesus, my God, bought me with His death and saved me with His resurrection. He rose from the dead and obliterated every sin I have ever or will ever commit. I belong to Him. He paid the price for me and it was not cheap. The price was His life. The price was costly, that makes me precious. And it frees me up to be able to live freely for Him. I can easily give up anything in this earthly life, because my life belongs to Jesus and it is eternal with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Acts 20:24, John 3:16). I can give up honor, possessions, money, and accomplishments with no fear. They are not mine. They are God’s, and whatever I give up, He replaces with better and more. (Luke 6:38, Malachi 3:10-11). Romans 3:21-26 describes what it means that Jesus paid for and bought me,
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Propitiation means appeasement, or recompense (payment) of a debt as an act of goodwill from one for another. Because I belong to God, I understand and want to obey Him. His ownership of me in such a loving and gentle manner, His friendship with me, and His generous sacrifice for me causes me to want to please Him. In my pleasing Him, I no longer concern myself with pleasing people. As I please God it becomes natural for me to do good things for people. He loves them so much, He loves us so much that I know it makes Him happy when I do good things for anyone. That takes away my fears. If someone thinks I am strange for wanting to pray with her, it doesn’t hurt me and it could not only help her, it could change her life. I am no longer a slave to fear, I’m free to be this amazing new person God made me when He became my Lord and adopted me as His daughter. Romans 8:12-17 says it this way,
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”
Believer, is Jesus really the Lord of your life? Do you grasp the freedom of obedience to Him? Do you obey Him or do you obey yourself? Do you follow God’s will or your own? Who is your God and Lord, you or Jesus?
If Jesus is not your Lord and you want to know more, contact me and I would love to answer your questions and help you understand more about Jesus. You can also find out what it means to be saved by reading here.

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1 Kings 8 The Temple Made a Way for God to Dwell with Men

9/24/2015

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John 14:6-7 on photo of clouds over The Mississippi Rover by Donna Campbell

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7

1 Kings 8

Finally Solomon had finished building the Temple and it was ready for its purpose. That purpose was to make a way for The Lord to dwell with men. Only one thing had to be done to finalize it, and that was to bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies. It was a big occasion and Solomon did it just as The Lord deserved it to be done. Verses 1-5 read,

“Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.”

This was as festive and serious as any occasion could be. The sacrificing of the sheep and oxen was for the cleansing of sin, for peace, fellowship, and thanksgiving. It prepared Israel for The Lord. It made it possible for them to draw near to The Lord as The Ark made its way from the Tabernacle to the Temple. Our sin has separated us from God (Isaiah 59:1-3). So Solomon, the priests and the entire assembly atoned for their sins and made the sacrifices necessary for that atonement.

When the priests placed the Ark in the holy place, God gave them the sign of His presence. Verses 10-11 read,

“And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”

Today, we are the Temple of God, and before He indwells us with His Word and therefore His presence, He cleanses us of all our sin, once and for all. It is not by the blood of sheep and oxen but the blood of Jesus Christ. The Temple, the altar, and the sacrifices were all shadows of Jesus and precursors to the Glory of our Savior. Hebrews 9:23-36 reads,

“Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

And we do not need a cloud thick with God’s glory to tell us that God is with us. We have The Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14). And He manifests in gifts and a change of character. (Galatians 5:22-23). 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.”

Solomon couldn’t help but express his gratitude. Verses 21-22 read,

“Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Then Solomon prayed. Verses 27-30 are a portion of that prayer.

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.”

God didn’t need the Temple, He didn’t require man. The Temple was for Israel’s benefit, not His. Stephen said the same thing in his speech to the High Priest and council, when he was seized. Acts 7:44-51 reads,

“Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen.45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.”

The Temple gave people a way to connect with God, a way to pray to Him, repent for sin, and be forgiven of sin. We do not need the Temple, the altar or the Ark. The Ark held the Law of Moses, it was the Mercy Seat, and the footstool of God. (1 Chronicles 28:2). We have Jesus, We have been given The Holy Spirit. We are the Temple of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Jesus is our Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat was the place where the high priest sprinkled the blood for the propitiation of sin. Romans 3:24-25 reads,

“and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins”

Solomon then gave a benediction to the people. A benediction is a good word, a blessing, and often a prophetic truth spoken in worship of the Lord. Verses 56-61,

“Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers.59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”

God was with Israel through the Temple. He is with us through Jesus Christ. He has given us rest. Every word of Solomon’s benediction is true for us because of the grace of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Hebrews 4:9-13 reads,

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 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. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He gave us the Great Commission and a promise. Matthew 28:18-20 reads,

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The purpose of The Temple was so that God could dwell with man. It was a foretaste of Emmanuel, God With Us, Jesus. God Himself, the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit are in us and we are in Him. We are indelibly united with Him. John 14:18-21 reads,

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

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Psalm 75 God is Our Righteous Judge

8/4/2015

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Psalm 75

The Lord is awesome and good. The last couple of days we have been encouraged to remember all the great things God has done for us. We continue to remember His might each day and He continues to fortify our faith. We also keep in mind what The Lord will do, what He has promised will happen. Verse 1 reads,

“We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.”

We not only thank The Lord for all He has done but also all He will do. His promises are so sure, we can count them as done. We have faith that God will always overcome, always do what is good, and always be with us. We recount God’s wondrous deeds so that He is glorified. We recount His awesome works so that people will know who Jesus is and have the opportunity to make Him Lord of their lives. We recount His beautiful acts so that we can spread the Gospel and make disciples of every nation.

One promise He has made is judgement. God will judge the earth and there is only one criterion for this judgement. It will not be based on wealth, status, race, or ability. It will not be centered on how good or bad we are, or how much good or bad we have done. It will be founded on whether Jesus is our Lord or not. Verses 2-5 say,

“At the set time that I appoint
    I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

God is a God of equity, which is impartiality, justice, and evenhandedness. He doesn’t consider some people better than others. In Christ every person is equal. Men are not more favored than women. Israelites are not more preferred than the Chinese. Race, gender, or socio-economic status do not have clout with The Lord. He loves each and every person equally. He offers Salvation to everyone the same, and never forces His will upon us. We are all measured on one thing and we have all fallen short of the standard. And we all have the same chance to receive the gift of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Romans 3:21-25 says,

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Everyone has sinned. We are all born sinners. No one can raise himself above that. But Jesus does elevate us from sinner to saint. All we have to do is ask and He gives us His righteousness. Those who try and exalt themselves to righteousness will fail and fall. God gives us all the exact same path to Salvation. It is Jesus Christ or nothing. Good works cannot save anyone. Only God’s work can save.

People judge and our judgement brings bias, prejudice, racism, hate, favoritism, and inequality. Our judgement created social classes, oppression, and privilege. Our judgment created yardsticks for measuring appearances and value. But God created us all, not just some in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27). God loves everyone dearly. And God made a way for us all to attain salvation. In John 3:16-18 Jesus puts it this way,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

God’s judgement is not like the judgement of man. He is our Almighty Omniscient Creator. His judgement is fair and perfect. It isn’t based on how much we have accomplished. He doesn’t care what the world sees as our potential. With God our potential is limitless, all things are possible. Matthew 19:23-30 reads,

“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

People don’t want to believe that there will be a Judgement Day, but there will be. Verses 6-8 describe it this way,

“For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
    with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall drain it down to the dregs.”

Who is it that God will put down and who will He lift up? It all hinges on Jesus. Matthew 26:26-29 says,

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

That night Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26:46-56). He was laid down His life on the cross the next day. He poured out His blood to save us. (Matthew 27:32-44). And on the third day, He rose again, our Risen Savior. (Matthew 28:1-10).

Jesus drank that cup for us. He drank the condemnation, punishment, and payment for our sins for us. But those who reject Christ they’ll drink every last drop of God’s wrath themselves. Revelation 14:17-20 describes it this way,

“Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[1]”

Jesus is described again as our Righteous Warrior King and Judge in Revelation 19:11-16.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Will you drink the cup or did Jesus drink it for you? Will you recount it to the world so that they too can ask Jesus to drink their cup for them? Will you judge as the world judges, or will you let God be the judge and care enough about the oppressed, prisoners, widows, orphans, and poor to tell them about the freedom, treasures, and love of Jesus? Will you lift them up? Verses 9-10 read,

“But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.”

[1] That is a river of blood about 5 feet tall and 184 miles long

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Psalm 63 My Soul Thirsts for Living Water

7/23/2015

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Psalm 63

Imagine you are in a land where all the crops have died, where there is no flowing water and you are starving and thirsty. Maybe that is too much for us in countries like America, Canada, and Great Britain. Most of us have never been as hungry or thirst as an orphan in a third world country. But try to imagine yourself at your hungriest and thirstiest, you empty stomach growling and your tongue and throat so dry you can’t speak. How badly would you want a glass of clean pure water to relieve your parched throat? How intensely would you want a piece of fresh warm bread to satisfy your growling stomach?

It that the way you yearn for God? Is that the way you long for The Lord? Do you pursue Him the same way you would search for water to alleviate your thirst? We have it so easy today. God is easy to find. I don’t know how accurate the research was but the statistic I found seems likely, the average American household has 4.7 Bibles. We have access to know God. Maybe because it is so easy for us, we don’t seek Him with the intense desperation of people in other countries. In some countries people must sneak in a Bible and worship God secretly in basements because if they are caught they will be tortured, imprisoned, or killed. But who is better off? Should we develop the desperation for God that Christians in China or India have? I think so.

David, the King of Israel who could enter the tabernacle and worship God anytime he liked had the deep desire to know God more. Verses 1-4 read,

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands.”

Even though David knew God well, he understood there was so much more of the Lord to know and experience. He didn’t take his access to the throne of God for granted. Perhaps because he was a king who understood what it meant to be royalty in a land of commoners, he understood the privilege.

When we desire God so profoundly, we act on it. We do not lay on our beds wishing we could know God more. A thirsty man doesn’t just sit feet from a spring wishing he could drink. He goes to the spring and drinks. We pray, we listen we consider all He has done, and all He has promised. We read His Word. We contemplate His love. And we praise and worship Him.

When we seek God, His kingdom, and His nature. He satisfies us. Though we yearn desperately, He gratifies completely, more than completely. David compare it to the man desperate for a crust of bread receiving a banquet fit for a king, rich flavorful fatty and nourishing foods. God does that for us. Verses 5-8 read,

“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food,
    and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
    and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
    and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you;
    your right hand upholds me.”

It is easy for the privileged, like those of us in nations where our poorest are richer than the rich of third world countries to forget to be grateful. We consider privileges to be our rights. We forget how actually blessed we are. David showed his thankfulness and appreciation to God by meditating on Him, by considering and contemplating the awesomeness of The Lord, his Provider, his Sovereign, his Redeemer, and his Almighty and Sufficient God.

David praised God for His unwavering love and His consistent ever-present help. He sang for joy in the shadow of God’s wings. The shadow of His wings refers to the wings of the cherubim on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant. The shadow of his wings is God’s mercy and grace to us, our salvation. We rest in the shadow of His wings since we cannot earn His love which is freely given. We cannot warrant His favor since He is just. We cannot merit Salvation since Jesus died and rose for us before we took our first breath and while we were still lost. (Romans 5:6-9). The word for mercy seat means propitiation, the satisfaction of our debt to God. Propitiation is the gaining of favor, to appease and wipe away wrath. Jesus is our propitiation, He is our mercy seat. 1 John 2:1-6 reads,

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

David clung to The Lord. To cling is to latch on, hold tightly like a baby latches on to the mother’s breast for life sustaining milk. But it was not only David who held tightly to God, God held David upright. God David’s Savior made it possible for him to be upright. The right hand of God, Jesus Christ our savior upholds us. Acts 5:29-32 reads,

“But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Jesus saves those who call on His name for salvation. But to the enemy, his minions, and his prisoners of war, Jesus will defeat them and send them to the eternal fires of the pit of Hell. Verses 9-11 read,

“But those who seek to destroy my life
    shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword;
    they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God;
    all who swear by him shall exult,
    for the mouths of liars will be stopped.”

The Lord promised this in His Word that Jesus, the Word of God would Judge and anyone not covered by His righteousness would go to the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20). It is by the Word, the Sword of God, the living will of God that people will be judged. John 1:1-5 tells us Jesus is the Word, the living manifestation of God’s will. We will all be judged by the Word of God. Either we are covered by His righteousness or we are not. Those who reject Christ choose to be judge by the Law. And no one but Jesus was able to live up to the Law.

Hebrews 4:11-13 tells us that Scripture, the Word of God is a discerning judge.

“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 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. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

And Revelation 19:11-16 describes Jesus,

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Is your soul desperate for the Lord? Do you desire Him the way a man trekking through the desert longs for water? Is Jesus your oasis, your Living Water satisfying your thirst forever? (John 4:7-14). Jesus promises to satisfy our souls’ longing for Him. John 7:37-39 reads,

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

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Ezekiel 18 Your Sins are on Your Head. Someone Has to Pay.

3/4/2015

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Ezekiel 18

In Israel during Ezekiel’s time there was a popular proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.” (Verse 2). This meant that the fathers sinned and their children paid the price. One can see why this was a popular saying as it might discourage men from sinning since their children would be the ones to suffer and die for their sins. But it also offered a kind of hopelessness. Why bother trying to follow God’s ordinances, when one’s ancestors’ actions required penance?

The Lord didn’t like this saying. It propagated a harmful lie. God said, “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” (Verse 4). He said, ‘If a person doesn’t sin, he will live but if he sins, he’ll die. It doesn’t matter what his father did, it matters what the man himself does.’

In Christianese society we have a ton of proverbs, sayings, and songs which we use to encourage one another, reassure the lost, and hearten the broken. We treat them like scripture. But they are not. Many of them promulgate lies. The truth sometimes hurts. These pretty little sugary nuggets of “wisdom” cheer the person who may finally have been at the point of admitting their need of Jesus. They turn the Christian from the difficult path to the easy one. They lead the believer to look for a way out of suffering rather than thank God for it and allow Him to transform him through it.

The proverb in Ezekiel 18 had people thinking their behavior didn’t matter and they could blame someone else for their choices. God said take responsibility for your own actions. In verses 5-9 the Lord describes righteous conduct.

“If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— 6 if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity, 7 does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8 does not lend at interest or take any profit, withholds his hand from injustice, executes true justice between man and man, 9 walks in my statutes, and keeps my rules by acting faithfully—he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.”

That is a long list but it boils down to a person who actively loves God first and foremost and treats his neighbor as he would want to be treated. Likewise God describes the evil man. He is described as the man who does not do the things listed above. And God says “he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.” (Verse 13).

God clarifies it by saying if the son sees the father being evil and chooses not to follow in his footsteps, the son will live. And God says, if the wicked man turns from his evil and does good, then his sin won’t be remembered and that man will live. Similarly if the man who practiced good changes and does practices injustice, his good will not be remembered and he’ll die. (Verses 21-24).

The Israelites didn’t like this idea. The lie of the proverb was deeply ingrained into them instead of the truth God gave them. Verses 19-20 read.

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

They wanted to blame others for their bad behavior. They wanted to say, ‘Joe is trash because his dad is trash and we shouldn’t expect anything from him.’ They wanted to discount people based on their heritage. But God doesn’t want to discount anyone. Every person has the same opportunity to choose life in Jesus’ righteousness or life chasing false gods. Each person is responsible for their own choices. A man is not damned by his father’s choices, he is damned or saved by his own choices. Everyone’s sins must be paid for. We choose to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind by making Jesus our Lord, and living out His life by loving our neighbors. Or we choose to reject God and follow philosophies, false religions, and lies, or elevate ourselves to godship.

The Israelites cried foul! It’s not fair! But God answered them in verse 25 and said, “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?”

We do that. We call God’s ways unfair, especially if they do not agree with us or if His way ends badly for us. People cry, “A loving god wouldn’t send people to hell!” but God says, “How could I let evil go unpunished? How would that be justice?” God doesn’t want anyone to die, but His love and holiness demand that iniquity be requited. Verses 30-32 read,

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

The great news is this we can repent, we can turn from all the evil. Sin must be paid for but God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the price for us. All we have to do is believe and repent and let Jesus be the propitiation, the payment that placates the promise between the Lord God and ourselves.

You are responsible for your choices. It isn’t your parents. It isn’t the abuse, the suffering, the lack, or the excess. You made your choices. You and no one else must pay for them. And the only way to pay is with your life. But God loves you such, He made a way for you. Jesus came and He paid the price. He took responsibility for every wrong and gave you life. All you have to do is accept it.

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1 John 2:1-6 If You Know God, You Won't Sin... But if (and when) You Do, Jesus has Your Back.

1/12/2015

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1 John Chapter 2 Verses 1-6

Verse 1 reads,

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

John addressed the readers of his letter with affection as his “little children.” He also addressed them that way understanding that many of them were not as mature in Christ as he was. He was someone they looked up to, followed, and listened to.

He exhorted them not to sin. In verse 10 the last verse of the previous chapter and the sentence directly preceding the one above John said, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” So he had just said that everyone sins and anyone saying they don’t is sinning in the most grievous of ways, blasphemy by calling God a liar. So John followed up his appeal not to sin with the encouragement that if we do, we have an advocate (supporter, intermediary, intercessor, and mediator). And not just any advocate but Jesus Christ who unlike us is righteous. Moreover Jesus is with the Father. He is right there beside the Father. But Jesus doesn’t have to plead our case with the Father. He doesn’t have to beg Him to forgive our sins. Jesus and the Father are one, they have the same nature and their wills and desires are aligned. Jesus is our mediator because He paid for our sins and made His righteousness, ours. Verse 2 reads,

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We should absolutely not sin intentionally. We should strive to live virtuously but when we do sin, we don’t have to be racked with guilt, unable to continue walking with Christ. Jesus is the propitiation, the appeasement for our sin. He paid the price. He is with the Father as the reconciliation and peace between us. His righteousness is ours. So God isn’t looking down us with condemnation and disappointment. (Romans 8:1). He is looking at us with the love of our Father, our devoted doting Daddy.

But that doesn’t mean we should go around sinning as much as we like claiming grace over everything and assuming there will be no consequences. John says that if we know God, our lives will prove it by our commitment to obey His commands. Knowing God is having a personal relationship with Him, gaining firsthand experience of who He is. If we know God in such an intimate way, we agree with Him because our nature is being conformed to His. Verses 3-5 read,

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:”

Once again, John accuses people of being liars, but this time it is people who claim to know God, but don’t keep His commandments. People who say, “I’m a Christian” but live their lives looking just like the world, purposely sinning and declaring grace do not really know God. They do not walk in the light of truth. Walking in the light of truth means walking transparently, not attempting to hide our sins but at the same time diligently obeying God. The truth is Jesus came to earth lived perfectly, died horribly, and rose triumphantly to pay the price for our sin and bring us peace with the Father. Living in that truth opposes continual willful sinning.

What are the commandments we ought to be keeping? There are more than 600 commandments. But Jesus said that the crux of all the commandments, the Law, and every word the prophets spoke were these two in Matthew 22:36-40.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus said we are to love God with everything we have our entire being, everything we think, do, and want. He also said we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, to consider other people just as important as we consider ourselves. Their needs and hopes are just as much as priority as our own.

Later Jesus gave a new commandment. John 13:34-35 says,

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus was about to give His life for us, He made us more important than Himself. Loving others as we love ourselves makes us consider others equally with us, loving others as Jesus loved us means we put the needs of others ahead of our own needs, we sacrifice for them, we love others with all our being and in every we do, think, and want.

Jesus said that by obeying that command, people would know we were His disciples. John said that when we obey, we ourselves will know that we know God. It is important for people to see Jesus in us, to understand there is something peculiar about us. It is just as important for us to realize it of ourselves, loving others like that, obeying God’s commandments takes faith impossible without God.

In verse 6 John says,

“whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

John says that if we abide in Jesus, we ought to do what He did and love as He loved. That is the commandment that Jesus gave us. “love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Believer, walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. Do not fool yourself by claiming grace so that you can keep looking like the world. Walk in God’s light and by His supernatural might obey His commandments. You won’t have to question your salvation when you know that you are doing something impossible in the world as you love others the way Jesus loved you.

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What Does "Jesus is my Lord" Mean?

1 Kings 8 The Temple Made a Way for God to Dwell with Men

Psalm 75 God is Our Righteous Judge

Psalm 63 My Soul Thirsts for Living Water

Ezekiel 18 Your Sins are on Your Head. Someone Has to Pay.

1 John 2:1-6 If You Know God, You Won't Sin... But if (and when) You Do, Jesus has Your Back.

Donna Campbell

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