Salt & Light Blog

Romans 10 The Simple Profound Truth

5/15/2016

and [Jesus] said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

Romans 10
I have seen people, Jewish and gentile, those who claim Christ and those who do not who have this enthusiasm and passion for God which is really inspiring. Yet, that zeal for God doesn’t extend to faith in Him as God. They do not believe God the Son, Jesus Christ is the Savior. They do not trust God, the Holy Spirit to be their righteousness. They do not believe that God, the Father chose to save them through faith. I have seen even people who proclaim Christ afraid to really trust Him for salvation and so they cling to making themselves good enough, following rules and rituals in order to become righteous on their own merits.
The law cannot make anyone good enough. We cannot save ourselves. We have no righteousness of our own, full stop (Philippians 3:9). Salvation is not something we earn. It is a gift. There are no strings attached. It is a gift we accept or reject. It is not about being good. It is not about making ourselves worthy. Verses 1-4 read,
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
We’ve learned we must earn the good things we want in life. If we want a nice place to live, food on the table, or regard, we have to work for those things. We arrogantly look down on people who receive these things as handouts or were born into them. Working, earning, and striving are respected in many of our cultures.
But salvation is free! We cannot earn it. God simply gives it to us for the asking. He didn’t ask Joseph if he apologized to his brothers before he saved him. And He didn’t ask is if we made amends to all the people we hurt when we asked for forgiveness. When we were kids and wanted something from our parents, let’s say to go see a movie, we asked and they answered, “Is your room clean.” We had to earn the reward of the movie ticket from them. But salvation cannot be earned. God gives it freely. It is simple, too simple for most people to accept. Our adult minds have learned things like ‘if it’s too good to be true then it is’ and ‘nothing comes for free.’ But ask any child who has not yet learned that cynicism and she will tell you gifts are free. She wakes up on her birthday ready to open presents because she is receiving presents to celebrate her life, gifts are part of the promise of that celebration. Her parents are not going to withhold the cake until her room is clean. They are not going to withhold the gift until she can prove she is worthy to be seven years old.
But we’ve complicated salvation with strings. We’ve sullied the Gospel with burdens in order to help it make sense to us. It is our pride which cannot let go of the effort to save ourselves and trust the LORD God, the Lord of Hosts, and Holy One, our husband and our maker to be God our Redeemer. Instead of establishing our relationship on The God of Heaven and Earth, we center our religion on being good people, following laws, systems, and imperatives. Verses 5-7 read,
For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

To choose the laws and earn our own righteousness is to make the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ defunct. It insults Christ and it affronts the Gospel. It puts the person saying and doing these things in Jesus’ place as savior. Salvation cannot be earned, it is a gift of Jesus Christ, full stop. Ephesians 2:4-9 says,
Bu] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Salvation is from God and through Him. Only Jesus can save. Only the untarnished Word of God can bring the truth. Only faith and humility can allow a person to receive it. Verses 8-13 read,
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 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. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It doesn’t say for some who believe, confess, make amends, follow the law and prove their worth will be saved. It says, “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” and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” There are no addendums, small print, or strings.
So what about all those people out there trying to be good enough to get into Heaven? There are countless people hoping that when they meet God face to face He says, “Come on in your scored in the upper half, you earned yourself a place in Heaven and saved yourself from Hell.” There are innumerable people who don’t think there is a heaven, hell, or afterlife much less a god. They are lost in ignorance but we know the truth. We have a responsibility to that truth. God doesn’t want them to die and spend eternity in Hell. Verses 14-17 read,
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

The world is waiting to hear the truth. Are you asking haven’t they already hear it? Sure, many of them have heard it and they haven’t been able to believe. Some have heard it wrong. Some have not let it penetrate the heart’s hard covering of pride and fear. Some have let the world’s concerns take it away. There are many reasons people hear the truth but don’t accept it (Matthew 13:1-23). That doesn’t mean we don’t care. God still cares. God still wants them to know Him and be saved. The truth is out there. God didn’t keep it secret even from the beginning. Verses 18-19 read,
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
    and their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
    with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
The simplicity of the Gospel is too much for some people to accept. It takes the faith of a child to grasp the profundity of the Truth. Many reject it, but the invitation is open for anyone. God waits, He waits for people to accept Him with that faith and receive the awesome boundless mercy and grace He is ready to pour out on us. He will not compel us against our will. He waits with arms open in a loving invitation to a life lived in a relationship with Him. Verses 20-21 read,
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
    I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Ask yourself some questions today. Are you trying to earn salvation by being good enough? Have you made yourself the savior in Jesus’ stead? Have you called on the Lord to save you or hoped your works will save you? Have you loved people enough to tell have the beautiful feet of the one who brings the truth to the lost?

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Romans 3 What Good is the Law if I Can Never be Good Enough?

5/8/2016

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What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” Romans 3:3-4

Romans 3
There is a lot of sin in the world but there are many people trying to be the best person they can be. There are countless people all trying to be good people. When we look around and compare ourselves to one another we can say, “I’m pretty good. I’m way better than Hitler. I’m not as good as Mother Teresa. But then who is?” We use the law, either the Law given to Moses or the instinctive law God put on our hearts to help us understand the difference between right and wrong. The problem is being good, regardless of how good we are, cannot justify us. Good deeds do not eradicate bad ones. God is not keeping score. There is no balance to be tipped one way or the other. We cannot be good enough to earn Heaven.
So why did God give Israel His Law? What good was it? What good is there in knowing and understanding God’s law? Verses 1-8 read,
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words,
    and prevail when you are judged.”
5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
What does all that mean? What is Paul saying? Basically this says that being entrusted with understanding the law is a big deal. Yes we are unfaithful, just as many of the Jews who received the law before us were. Our faithlessness did not make God faithless. He remains Faithful and Righteous regardless of our sin and inconstancy. Our inability to keep the law only shows how truly loving, faithful, and true The Lord is. But that does not excuse sin. In fact, it gives us all the more reason to be obedient to God because of His grace. Romans 6:12-18 in The Message reads,
That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.
15-18 So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!
There is no one capable of being good enough on their own. No person can claim that. We are born with a nature, a disposition toward self-satisfaction and sin. We can’t do anything about it. Even if the only wrong thing someone ever did was have a bad thought when she was seven years old, she still had to understand that it was wrong because she came to understand that there is right and wrong in the world. She might be as good as a person can be, but she can’t be good enough, she cannot earn her way to Heaven. Verses 9-20 say it like this,
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14     “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
So is it hopeless? I mean seriously, if we can’t be good enough to ever deserve salvation, what is the point? We can’t earn it. We cannot be righteous on our own. But God loves us desperately. He made a way to eradicate all the bad stuff, to change our nature, justify us, and make us righteous. Verses 21-26 explain it.
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.

The law shows us the unattainable righteousness of God. Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God manifested or demonstrated apart from the law and puts it within our reach. All we have to do is believe. That belief is not a shallow belief that says, “Jesus sure is cool and I know He was a great teacher.” No it is a belief that Jesus is God our Savior, The Lord of the universe. It is a submission in faith that He is the Christ and we can trust Him to take charge of our lives, souls, and spirits. He is the propitiation for our sin. What does that mean? Propitiation is the atonement, the compensation, appeasement and penance for our sin. Sin has a price and that price is blood and death. God said it in Genesis 2:16-17 when he told Adam that an understanding of good and evil would mean death. He said it when He gave Israel the laws in Leviticus that sacrifices and blood were required to atone for their sins. And He said it though Paul in Romans 6:23.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Only Jesus Christ can save us, only He can justify us and make us righteous. Believer, you and I have no right to think we’re any better than the people we accuse and judge as sinners. They are lost, they don’t know the truth and love of Christ. We don’t have anything to do with our own goodness because we are not and cannot be good on our own. Verses 27-31 read,
Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Trusting God for our salvation and transformation doesn’t mean the law means nothing, it has meaning and purpose. The only way to keep God’s law is through Jesus Christ. So allowing Him to be our Savior doesn’t mean tossing the law to the side, it means we keep it now, because through Christ we can. Don’t be confused, we don’t sacrifice bulls, ostracize lepers, or concern ourselves with the myriad of 613 commandments. Those laws were fulfilled, they were met in Jesus Christ. We keep the law by obeying Christ. He said it this way,
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Later He said it this way,
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.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).
He explained a little about the way He loved us and what that looks like in John 15:12-17.
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
Reader, you cannot be good enough, no matter how good you may be. You need Jesus who loves you so much He laid His life down for you so you could be His friend. Believer, you have nothing to boast about except Jesus. You are no better than anyone else on this earth. If God compared you to the worst of the worst on your own merit, you would look the same. Are you loving people enough to tell them about Jesus? Are you loving them enough to show them how good Jesus is? Are you loving them enough to love them as Jesus loves you?

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Esther 9 What the Enemy Purposes as Your Destruction, God uses for Your Good.

5/4/2016

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As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20

Esther 9
Terrible things happen in this flawed and fallen world. People hate, they scheme, steal, kill, and destroy for their own needs, desires, lusts, and pleasure. This things are not from God, they are from the enemy. But God is Awesome and Almighty. He uses all those things for the benefit of His beloved bride, His believers.
The day had finally arrived; the day Haman had meant to annihilate the Jews was here. But because Mordecai had stepped in and Esther had revealed the truth to the king, the Jewish people were now allowed to fight back against the people who hated them and would kill them. Haman, the enemy of the Jews meant the day for the obliteration of the Jewish people; God used it to strengthen them and so glorify Himself. Verses 1-10 read,
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men, 7 and also killed Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8 and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9 and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they laid no hand on the plunder.
The Jewish people didn’t win because they were stronger or better at fighting. They won because of God’s reputation. They won because The Lord put fear into their hearts, fear of Him and of His people. Mordecai had gained a reputation as a man of God, highly favored by God. People knew that Mordecai’s God would fight for him. Verses 11-16 read,
That very day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled.” 13 And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.15 The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder.
16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder.
Everything Haman had meant for God’s people came back onto their enemies who tried to kill them. The death meant for the Jews was doled out to their enemies. The disgrace meant for Mordecai was poured out on Haman and his family. The Jewish people never laid a hand on the plunder, though the edict gave them the right to do so. But God had told them not to take it this time. They were not killing for the riches, they were killing because God was taking vengeance and showing His greatness to the people. Their riches rotted as God’s people triumphed. There were people who did not fight, who did not hate the Jews. Those people watched and saw the greatness of our God.
When the fighting was over, there was a great celebration. The triumph was immense and celebration poured out. The Jewish people had been handed over to certain death at the hands of the enemy of the Jews, but God had given them a witness in Mordecai and a savior in Esther. He had made a way for their salvation and instead of certain death they were given miraculous life. Verses 17-19 read,
This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.
The enemy of the people had wanted their death and defamation and he wanted glory for himself. But God used his evil plans for the good of His people and the Glory of Himself. He wanted the Jewish people to forever remember the day of their salvation and so He had it commemorated and made a feast to be celebrated just as He had commanded other feasts to be celebrated. Verses 20-32 read,
And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim.30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 32 The command of Queen Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
Purim is a joyous, truly fun holiday to celebrate. People dress in costumes, have contests, and take sweets to neighbors and friends. The book of Esther is read and whenever Haman’s name is spoken they all make loud noise and boo to drown it out. It is traditional to eat, drink and be merry.
We are supposed to remember and celebrate our salvation. Salvation is a wonderful and beautiful miracle. If we don’t celebrate it, if our lives don’t testify to it, then how will others ever know how good and awesome God is?
The enemy, Satan means bad for us. Peter describes him as a prowling lion seeking to devour someone (1 Peter 5:8). Paul said he has evil schemes and we are aware of them (2 Corinthians 2:11). But we have The Lord. We don’t have to fall to those plots against us. Satan is a coward and just like the enemies of the Jews in Ancient Persia were too afraid to fight back, Satan is too. We don’t even have to fight him! We only have to submit to God and resist him and he runs off with his tail between his legs. James 4:6-8 says it this way,
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The enemy has bad plans for us but God’s plans for us are good. We are more than conquerors! Romans 8:28-39 says it this way,
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Believer, you do have an enemy but more importantly you have The Lord God. If God is for you, who can be against you? Trust Him, know that He has good plans for you and He will bring those plans to fruition. Celebrate your salvation, celebrate the greatness of the Lord.

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What Does "Jesus is my Lord" Mean?

11/3/2015

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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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Garments covered in menses blood or washed clean by the blood of Jesus

10/20/2015

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We cannot be righteous without Jesus. We can never be good enough for God without His saving grace.
Isaiah 64:4-7 reads,
“From of old no one has heard
    or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
    who acts for those who wait for him.
5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
    those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
    in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls upon your name,
    who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
    and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.”
Isaiah says God meets him who works righteousness and remember Him in their ways. Under the Old Covenant when people worshipped and sacrificed as The Lord has prescribed, there was peace between them and God. When they had faith in Him there was peace between them. The people sought God through works, but their works were empty without faith. The Lord is happy over good works, yet they are worthless to Him. Verse 6 says, our good works are like a polluted garment. The Hebrew word for polluted is עִדִּים, ed. It means the garments are stained with menstrual blood. The Israelites understood that women were unclean during their menses and that anything touched by menses was untouchable or else the person who touched it became unclean as well.
Good works apart from Jesus do not lead people to Jesus. But when we glorify The Lord through all our deeds, we become a testimony to Jesus. (Hebrews 13:20-21).
We can do countless good works but they mean nothing if we are not doing them in Jesus’ name. Good works cannot save us. Titus 3:4-7 says it this way,
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
We can do amazing great works, prophesy, cast out demons, and even save countless lives but those works do not save us. (Matthew 7:21-23, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3). If we count on good works to save us or earn us favor with God, we may as well be wearing robes covered in menses. But if we call on Jesus, He covers us with His blood gives us and gives us His righteousness. Our filthy robes are washed in Jesus blood. (Revelation 22:14). We are no longer clothed in menses covered filth and sin but in Jesus’ righteousness. Isaiah 1:15-18 reads,
“When you spread out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
    I will not listen;
    your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17     learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
    plead the widow's cause.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.”
Pilate tried washing the blood from his hands to remove his guilt, but only Jesus can take our guilt away. We can do good deed after good deed to try and erase our sin or balance our “karma” but it will do no good. 1 John 1:8-9 says,
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Good works are good if they are done with the right motive. God does after all meet him who joyfully works righteousness. (Isaiah 64:5). Colossians 1:10-12 says,
“so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
We are not saved by good works but faith. We do good works because we are saved. Ephesians 2:4-10 reads,
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Our good works apart from Jesus may as well be menses covered rags. So Believer, do good works, but do them in Jesus name and for His glory. Do them because they are the natural outpouring of the Spirit and a result of your transformation.

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Striving to Enter God’s Rest

10/16/2015

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for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:10-11

By Jim Barringer
We as Christians live in the Sabbath every day. The writer of Hebrews employs the term "Sabbath rest" to describe our lives in the kingdom of God, and adds, "Whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:10).

In Philippians 4:3-7, the apostle Paul says that he, as a Pharisee, was blameless according to the law - he never consciously committed a single sin, and so, as far as the law was concerned, he was morally perfect. Yet Jesus, in Matthew 5:17-20, taught, "Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." I can only imagine the crickets chirping when he said that. How do you exceed - not just match, but surpass - the righteousness of someone who had never consciously sinned? How do you be more perfect than someone who is perfect?

The answer, obviously, is: "You don't." There is simply no way you can do it. Whatever it is that gets you into the kingdom of heaven, it can't be something that you do for yourself; it has to be something that is done to you and for you. This is the doctrine of salvation by grace when you believe. Essentially, you get saved when you recognize that all your good deeds wouldn't be good enough to get you into heaven, so you stop trying, and trust Jesus' righteousness instead. This is a beautiful doctrine of free salvation that is utterly alien to all other religions of the world that stress human effort and exertion.

So why does the writer of Hebrews, in 4:11, say, "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest"? I thought you didn't enter the kingdom of God by striving?
I repeat: you don't. But think about what it means to grow up in the United States in 2014. You are bombarded - literally - by messages from television and movies, people hawking worldviews, trying to tell you what to believe, what will make you happy, what couples do to each other's bodies outside the confines of marriage. You are assaulted by messages in popular music telling you that nothing in life matters as much as having a good time with your friends, possibly with the aid of huge quantities of alcohol, possibly culminating in a trip under the covers with a woman or three. And all of this happens within a culture that believes you can get to heaven by being "good," that believes different people can have different ideas about right and wrong and still all be correct somehow, and that laughs in scorn at the idea that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Many people can't understand why anyone would trust such an old book; many others believe that science has made it impossible to trust the Bible; many others simply don't care about living a good life as long as they're enjoying themselves; many others aren't interested in any rules except the ones they make for themselves.

And this is in one of the most "Christian" countries on planet earth.

You can see pretty clearly that you don't enter the kingdom of God by striving to do good works, but embracing the message of grace means cutting through years or decades of static and false claims made by the society around you. It means consciously rejecting the worldviews and priorities that everyone else around you holds sacred. It means understanding that you will be forever viewed as weird, if you are even making the slightest attempt to live the way Jesus lived, because people in this culture are not used to seeing that kind of lifestyle. You will be mocked by some, misunderstood by others, labeled, stereotyped, rejected, pigeonholed, and ignored. Wrapping your mind around all of that certainly counts as "striving." Intentionally making up your mind to be different and weird certainly counts as "striving." Rejecting all the lies you've been told, even if you're the only one believing the truth, certainly counts as "striving."
This is why the writer says, "Strive to enter that rest." Don't be content to believe what the culture is hawking. Don't be content to aimlessly drift through life. Don't just believe what celebrities tell you to believe, wear what celebrities tell you to wear, sing what celebrities tell you to sing. Seek truth. Ask the hard questions. Find out whether life really has meaning or whether we're all just hanging on till the next weekend of partying. All of that searching is hard work - but if you do it, you will find the restful and relaxing message that, once you find the kingdom, your work is done, and all that remains is to believe.

Jesus said it himself. People asked him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" He answered, "This is the work of God: that you believe in him whom he has sent" (John 6:28-29). The people of his day faced a similar dilemma. The Pharisees told them that righteousness meant following the law, the same law that Paul said he never broke before he stopped trying and started following Jesus instead. Embracing Jesus' message, for the Jews of his day, meant not only rejecting what they had always been taught, but also risking the wrath of these religious leaders who also had powerful political support. Their lives, and their families' lives, might be in danger. They would be cut off from their entire support system, since their society was built around religion and the temple. It is in no way out of line to say that they had to strive to enter the kingdom - not striving by doing good works, but striving to believe the truth of free grace.

Ultimately salvation by grace is revolutionary. No other religion on earth teaches that God himself wants to be in a relationship with you so much that he himself came down here to make it happen and that he demands nothing out of you except that you have faith in what he did when he was here. Yet it is hard work, of a sort, to wrap your head around the simplicity of that idea, especially in a culture that wants you to believe everything except the truth. You can see how accepting Jesus' promise of rest and ease, even though it is welcome, still takes a certain measure of striving, of consciously rejecting other ideas and worldviews, before we can reach the point of being able to accept it.

Jim is a Pastor at The Church of Life in Orlando, Florida, an author, teacher, and blogger.

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JEHOVAH-TSID-KENU The LORD is Our Righteousness

10/3/2015

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The LORD is Our Righteousness. Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu
Jeremiah 33:14-16 says,
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.”
Think on that today. This is God we are speaking of. This is His plan for you and me. This is one of the names He gave Himself. The LORD is Our Righteousness.
We are not righteous because we are so good. No, we have all sinned. Everyone has fallen short of being who God created him to be. Romans 3:21-26 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.”
We are righteous because Jesus is righteous and gave us credit for His goodness through His death and resurrection. Nothing we could do could ever earn the title of righteous. We cannot earn salvation 1 Corinthians 1:26-32 says,
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
It is in Jesus Christ that we are made good, we are redeemed and sanctified. To be sanctified is to be blessed, made holy, consecrated, set aside for a divine purpose. Isn’t that amazing? And we didn’t earn it! It is a gift from the Lord. Ephesians 2:1-10 reads,
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Is the Lord your righteousness? Have you considered the magnitude of your sin? Have you been forgiven? It is easy. There is no magic trick, no special charm or recitation. You simply acknowledge you need Jesus, remember everyone has sinned, everyone needs Jesus. Once you’ve admitted you have sinned, you repent (that means are sorry and you choose not to continue sinning), make Jesus your Lord (the one in charge of you) and believe that He resurrected from the dead for you, and proclaim it, shout it to the world. Romans 10:8-13 puts it this way,
“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 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. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Are you already a believer is Jesus your righteousness? Then love people enough to tell them about Jesus. Romans 10:14-17 says,
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
The LORD is our Righteousness! Righteousness is being virtuous, moral, just, and honest. To be those things, implies you are doing good, acting in a fair and appropriate manner, and telling the truth. We do not do to earn salvation, we do in response to salvation. The Holy Spirit is making us more like Christ every day. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 says,
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 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.”
Thank you Lord, for your salvation. Thank you for forgiveness and redemption, justice, security, and eternal life. You God are my righteousness. It is only because of you that I can be blameless. You are my LORD. I praise you Lord and I am so deeply grateful for your never-ending love and sovereignty.
In Jesus’ Name Amen.

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1 Thessalonians 2 How to Share the Gospel even if You're not an Evangelist

8/26/2015

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1 Thessalonians 2

I know that many believers are afraid to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people. Or at least many are very anxious about it. I understand that trepidation. But whether not we are gifted with evangelism, it is still a command of Jesus to us, and it is a core purpose and manifestation of love and our response to our own salvation. 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.”

But many of us, leave evangelism to the two people in our church who are gifted. We say we don’t know how. Many of us associate evangelism with knocking on doors and asking, “If you were to die tonight, where would you go?” Many of us associate sharing the Gospel with men on street corners carrying signs that read, “Repent Today!” But evangelism, truly witnessing to the lost is not like that at all. And as believers we not only have the compulsion to share the love of Jesus with the world, we have the ability and the authority to do so. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He didn’t leave us. He said He would be with us until the end of the age. His Holy Spirit came to us, indwelt us and fills us. (John 14:15-17). He makes it possible for us to testify to the awesome love of The Father. Verses 1-4 read,

“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

The Lord entrusted us, He commended us with the wonderful Truth. This is a secret and a mystery to the lost, but it is not supposed to remain an enigmatic secret. Ephesians 3:4-13 says,

“When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”

We don’t share the gospel because we want to impress the church. We don’t testify to the Lordship of Jesus Christ to please men. We do it because The Lord loves us so deeply and we want to please Him by giving Him what He wants, which is for everyone to come to know Him. (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). And sharing the Gospel does not always mean walking up to people at the bus stop and having a pre-scripted conversation ending in leading them in the ‘sinner’s prayer.’ Sharing the Gospel is done when people see how we respond to suffering. Witnessing is done in our relationships and conversations when we deliberately bring the conversation to Jesus. Evangelism is done through our acts of love and faith to people. Verses 5-8 say,

“For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

When we share the gospel we are not selling something. We don’t have to cajole people to like us. We don’t need to persuade anyone with sweet-talk. We are genuinely loving, kind, and giving as The Holy Spirit has made us to be. (Galatians 5:22-24). If we love The Lord then like Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, we desire people to come to Jesus just like God does. (1 John 4:7-21). We love Him and our desires align with The Spirit of God and not with our selfish flesh. (Philippians 2:12-13).

We witness by our attitude and love toward one another. (John 13:34-35). We mentor believers and make them disciples by our love toward one another. Verses 9-12 read,

“For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

When we witness, we don’t have to be fearful. We do not have to worry about not knowing how or what to say. The Holy Spirit will do the work. He saves, not us. The Holy Spirit emboldens us and even gives us the words to say. (Acts 4:23-31, Matthew 10:19-20). Verse 13 says,

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

There is persecution for believers today and it will only get worse as time gets closer to The Day of Judgement. But that is all the more reason to spread the Gospel, people need Jesus or they will burn in Hell. We will face opposition because Satan hates people, he is our enemy and he schemes and plans to keep people from the fullness of God. (1 Peter 5:8). As, the body of Christ in a world of people who do not know Jesus we need one another and we need to remain faithful witnesses and keepers of The Gospel. The enemy and his followers will experience the wrath of God. We can snatch the lost out of his hands and lead them to Jesus. Verses 14-16 read,

“For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!”

Do we love one another as Jesus loves us? Do we love people as Jesus loves them? If we do, we can’t let them walk to Hell without giving them a chance to know Jesus. If we do we can’t leave the newly born again as orphans without a way to know their Father more. We are responsible for dispensing the Gospel. Verses 17-20 read,

“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.”

First of all, love people with the Love of God. Be bold and courageous, not fearful. Trust and obey the Lord. This is not a job for 1% of the church. This is a job for 100% of the church. We were given our gifts for a reason, which is the building up of the church. (Ephesians 4:11-16). How will people know Jesus of they never hear about Him. Romans 10:13-17 reads,

“For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

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Psalm 85 We May Forget Our Promises, but The Lord Never Does

8/14/2015

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Psalm 85

I was reminded today that when we make a commitment to The Lord, although we may stray from it, He never does. We believe that Jesus is Savior, and He is our Savior. We confess our sinfulness, we make Him Lord, and we believe He is Christ. But how often do we sin, even in a single day? There are those people who said they wanted Jesus to be their Lord, but never made Him their Lord. They gave Him half their hearts, out of fear of what it could mean to make someone the Master of their lives. While some may not carry through and let the seed grow and develop fruit, God our Vinedresser will prune, feed, and water until fruit grows. Verses 1-3 read,

“Lord, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you covered all their sin. Selah
3 You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.”

Look what Jesus has done for us! It is a beautiful miraculous thing to wipe our sin away and spare of from the wrath He rightfully could direct at us. He doesn’t leave us like He found us though. When we are willing, when we submit, He changes us. He conforms us to His image. He already gave us His righteousness, but now He works to make us more like Him.

But some people even though they made a commitment, still have not submitted to Jesus as Lord. They live life and look like the world, act like the world, and think the world. We can’t tell them apart from the world. But God doesn’t give up on them. He keeps calling, He keeps bringing them to circumstances where they can call on Him for deliverance. And we hope and pray they do recognize their need of God instead of continually looking to themselves or some false god for rescue. We pray they call on Jesus’ name. Verses 4-7 read,

“Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.”

We know there is more to following Jesus than merely asking for salvation. We know there is more to making Jesus Lord than calling Him Lord. We have to bow to Him. In order to surrender, we have to obey and in order to obey, we have to listen. We know that what He has to say is wonderful but those who won’t acquiesce to The Lord don’t know that. But we can tell them. Verses 8-9 say,

“Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.”

Submission to The Lord doesn’t mean a difficult slavish life. On the contrary it is a wonderful life of peace and freedom, enjoying God’s steadfast love, not the dictatorship of a heavy handed tyrant. Our awesome loving Lord wants the best for us. Although He could have directed His wrath at us, He loves us, He is patient, and He never forgets us. He gently leads us up the path. He teaches us and transforms us. We learn His righteousness and faith. He gives us peace in our souls and minds and best of all he gives us peace with Himself. Verses 10-13 say,

“Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
    and make his footsteps a way.”

Isn’t that glorious? The Lord doesn’t forget the promises we make, even when we do! He remembers us. He cherishes us. Though some may be afraid to bow and give their life to someone else, He makes it worth it. He is awesome. His love is amazing. He would never force us. And He would never ask us to do anything He hadn’t done. His footsteps are there because He went first.

People won’t know unless we tell them. People won’t follow unless we follow first. Let’s love as Jesus loves.

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Psalm 68 The Lord of Angel Armies Brings Us Victory

7/28/2015

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Psalm 68

We praise the Lord because he defeats the enemy and He saves His people. This Psalm is a song of military victory for Israel as she sang The Lord’s acclaim and glorified Him. But more so this Psalm is a song of spiritual victory, a messianic prophecy of Jesus’ victory over Satan, sin, and death. Verses 1-6 read,

“God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered;
    and those who hate him shall flee before him!
2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away;
    as wax melts before fire,
    so the wicked shall perish before God!
3 But the righteous shall be glad;
    they shall exult before God;
    they shall be jubilant with joy!

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
    lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the Lord;
    exult before him!
5 Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
    is God in his holy habitation.
6 God settles the solitary in a home;
    he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
    but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”

God is our Almighty Lord of Hosts, He is pictured here marching out in lead Israel to defeat the enemy. As Israel left Mt. Sinai and trekked through the wilderness toward The Promised Land they sent the Ark of the Covenant three days ahead of them to secure their safety in the dangerous terrain. And each time they set off Moses said, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” And when they camped for the Ark rested and so did they behind it he said, “Return, O Lord, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.” (Numbers 10:33-35).

He is extolled as the triumphant military champion. In Judges Chapter 5 Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise for the victory over the Hazinite army who were swept away by a river, and Sisera their commander who fled in terror and was killed by Jael, a woman. Many verses in their song are echoed in this song.

The Lord is praised as our Justice and Avenger. He is the Father to fatherless, Defender of the widow. He lifts up the humble and humbles the prideful. He fights for the ones who depend on Him. He is our strength. He gives the sojourner a home in Him. And He frees the prisoners and leads them to the Promised Land while all those who oppress and fight His children shall thirst and suffer without Him. Verses 7-10 recall the great things God has done for His people.

“O God, when you went out before your people,
    when you marched through the wilderness, Selah
8 the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain,
    before God, the One of Sinai,
    before God, the God of Israel.
9 Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;
    you restored your inheritance as it languished;
10 your flock found a dwelling in it;
    in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.”

God doesn’t have to help those who help themselves. He wouldn’t force His assistance on anyone. He helps those of us who need Him. Those who call on Him for righteousness, for justice, and redemption. God, our Deliverer rescues those who are humble enough to need His deliverance. Even the weakest among the Lord’s people are victorious conquerors. The strong man of the enemy cannot defeat the frailest woman or smallest child of God. In Judges Chapter 4 Deborah, a woman led the Israelite army, and Jael, a woman killed the commander of the enemy’s army. They relied on the Lord for their strength and He brought them victory. Verses 11-14 read,

“The Lord gives the word;
    the women who announce the news are a great host:
12     “The kings of the armies—they flee, they flee!”
The women at home divide the spoil--
13     though you men lie among the sheepfolds--
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
    its pinions with shimmering gold.
14 When the Almighty scatters kings there,
    let snow fall on Zalmon.”

Zalmon means dark, it is a forested hill near Shechem. (Judges 9:46-49). To have a snow fall on a black forested hill gives us the picture of God’s pure holiness overcoming the evil dark of the enemy, Jesus’ blood washing us white as snow.

Verses 15-18 further give us a picture of Jesus’ salvation.

“O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan;
    O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16 Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain,
    at the mount that God desired for his abode,
    yes, where the Lord will dwell forever?
17 The chariots of God are twice ten thousand,
    thousands upon thousands;
    the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.
18 You ascended on high,
    leading a host of captives in your train
    and receiving gifts among men,
even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.”

Mount Sinai is the mountain where God visited Moses and gave him the Law. It is the place that represents Zion our eternal home with God where He dwells with us face to face. The enemy cannot hope to go there. God’s enemies can only seek home and shelter in lesser places which will one day be burned up. (Hebrews 12:18-24). This Psalm as it describes our Lord of Hosts describes Jesus Christ. He is our Redeemer, our Deliverer, and The Rider on the white horse. (Revelation 19:11-16). Jesus came down to earth before and He will come again. He saves those who call on Him and makes us victorious with Him. But until he comes again, He has given us gifts. He gave us The Holy Spirit. He gives us abilities such as prophecy, teaching, evangelism, healing, and mercy to edify the church, glorify Him by making us like Him, and bring the lost to Him. Paul described it in Ephesians 4:1-16, he even quoted verse 18 of this Psalm in Ephesians 4:8. Verses 10-13 of Ephesian 4 read,

“He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

It is not by our own strength we are saved. It is not by our own gifts, skills, and abilities we walk in Jesus. It is by The Lord. Our Father chose and anointed us. (Ephesians 1:3-5). Jesus is the propitiation the appeasement and payment of our sin so we can be saved. (1 John 2:1-2). The Holy Spirit transforms us to be holy, He teaches and guides us. (Romans 8:29-30). It’s not us who makes us conquerors, it is The Almighty God, Lord of Hosts who conquers for us. That is why we praise Him. That is how the whole world hears. Verses 19-27 read,

“Blessed be the Lord,
    who daily bears us up;
    God is our salvation. Selah
20 Our God is a God of salvation,
    and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.
21 But God will strike the heads of his enemies,
    the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.
22 The Lord said,
    “I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23 that you may strike your feet in their blood,
    that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe.”

24 Your procession is seen, O God,
    the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary--
25 the singers in front, the musicians last,
    between them virgins playing tambourines:
26 “Bless God in the great congregation,
    the Lord, O you who are of Israel's fountain!”
27 There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
    the princes of Judah in their throng,
    the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.”

We can trust the Lord to defeat the enemy because when Jesus gave up His life on the cross, it was done. When Jesus rose from the dead the enemy was crushed. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, His people were equipped for the war. And When Jesus returns the enemy will know he is defeated and will be chained up and powerless. The enemy has no power over Believers. (1 John 5:18-19). He tries to chain us and oppress us. But we are free in Christ. We cannot be chained against our will. We are more than conquerors. The enemy cannot touch us without our approval. But he still fights us. He still tries. He doesn’t want us releasing any of his prisoners and bringing them into their new royal status as citizens of Heaven.

One day we will all sing our praises to Jesus forever. One day we will celebrate victory eternally. One day we, the true kings will be with our Sovereign, the King of kings for all time. Verses 32-35 read,

“O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
    sing praises to the Lord, Selah
33 to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
    behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34 Ascribe power to God,
    whose majesty is over Israel,
    and whose power is in the skies.
35 Awesome is God from his sanctuary;
    the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!”

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Donna Campbell

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