Where Can I Go?

Psalm 139:7

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

The question is provocative…. The question is poignant…. Yet, the question is rhetorical…. The answer should be self-evident….

I love the depths of thought that King David poses in Psalm 139. Let’s read a portion:

¹You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. ²You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. ⁵You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. ⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ⁷Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? ⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. ⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” ¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. ¹³For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. ¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ¹⁷How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

What beautiful words depicting the eternal presence, knowledge, and sovereignty of our Creator … our Father in Heaven! Indeed, too often, we are not mindful of the unceasing presence of God in and over our lives. So, David, a man who pursued after the heart of God, captures what I believe should be the contemplative mindset of our beings – to continually acknowledge and be surrendered to the presence of God. Afterall, where can you or I go to be away from His Spirit or His Presence? But, perhaps, the more pertinent question might be: If we could separate ourselves from the Presence of God, why would we even want to do so?

I am reminded of a similar question Peter asked when Jesus declared: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51) Let’s review the narrative recorded for us:

John 6:59-69 (NKJV)

⁵⁹These things Jesus said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. ⁶⁰Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a difficult saying; who can understand it?” ⁶¹When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” ⁶⁶From that time many of His disciples departed and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” ⁶⁸But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”

Only by the Holy Spirit, active through the Word of God, will our hearts ever be drawn to Jesus and to the redemption, salvation, and eternal life promised to us through Him. Yes, we must be born-again of the Spirit … not of perishable seed but imperishable; through the living and enduring Word of God. (1 Peter 1:23) Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Is this question any different than the one that David had asked?

A Final Thought:

Put the Bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times. (Exodus 25:30)

Have a Blessed Day!

Your True Life

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Have you surrendered your sinful nature and nailed it to the cross? If so, with your repentance and confession of faith in Christ Jesus, you have become a new creation in Him! “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4) And,^“This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

Yes, we are born-again … changed … predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) And so, what does this mean for us? Well, it means that we have new lives in Christ. We have been sanctified (set apart) through Him. He has called us out of the world, and our lives are no longer our own anymore. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Let us consider what Paul has instructed with regard to our new lives in Christ:

Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Did you see his declaration: Christ who IS your life? Jesus IS our life right now! “It is no longer I that lives but Christ who lives in me!” Do you understand the totality of that truth? Is that the passion of your heart … to be totally and completely living in Christ? To be clear, Jesus is not and cannot merely be a part of your life; rather, He is the very life of your being! Jesus becomes everything when you have put your entire faith in Him!

Let’s keep reading!

Colossians 3:5-4 (ESV)

⁵Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶On account of these the wrath of God is coming.⁷In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. ¹¹Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Dear reader, it is my prayer that you will believe what the Spirit has written for our encouragement today. “In Him is life, and that life is the light of men. (John 1:4) Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Indeed, true life is only possible when you abide in Christ Jesus and He abides in you. (John 15:4-5)

A Final Thought:

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)

Have a Blessed Day!

A New Thing

Isaiah 43:18-19

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Are you living in your past? Are you hanging on to old comforts … old habits … old regrets? Many of us linger in what our lives used to be instead of stepping forward into the mysterious newness of life we have received in Jesus Christ. Often, we are tempted to drift back and ruminate on our past sins and failures … doubting that we have been cleansed and received full atonement through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today I want to remind those of us who struggle with this area of unbelief:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

Indeed, Christ has done a new thing in your life and mine. We have been born again! “According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) Through faith in Christ we have graciously received the indwelling Spirit of God; and we are now to live our lives by walking according to the Spirit:

Romans 8:1-8 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.²For the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Dear reader, it is my prayer that you will believe what the Spirit has written for our encouragement today. Yes, and let us consider the mindset of Paul in this regard:

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)

¹²Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

A Final Thought:

And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)

Have a Blessed Day!

RESCUE…

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” ~ Psalm 91:14-15

What does it mean to be rescued? What thoughts does this word conjure up in your mind? As I think about the condition of my heart before I encountered Jesus, I needed to be set free from its prison of darkness … from the dangers of its thoughts and inclinations … and from the spiritual forces of evil ever present to exert their dominion over my soul. Without question, I was a captive who desperately needed to be set free … to be rescued from my fallen state.

I like these definitions of rescue offered in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

a: to take (someone, such as a prisoner) forcibly from custody

b: to recover (something, such as a prize) by force

c: to deliver (a place under siege) by armed force

Notice that in each of these definitions, rescue is accomplished by “force”. In each instance, I think about the force God used to rescue us; and yet, there was no physical force exerted at all! Rather, in His lovingkindness and tender mercies, God drew us unto Himself through Jesus – His Beloved Son. How I can relate to King David in this blessed experience:

Psalm 18: 16-19 (NIV)

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my great help! He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

Today, I am reminded of this declaration: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) And this truth: “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14) Indeed, the freedom we have come to experience in Christ Jesus is due to an invisible force that cannot be withstood – the Holy Spirit revealing the power of His everlasting mercies and His unfailing covenant of love!

John 1:1-5 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear reader, if you have been rescued, if you have been delivered, if you have been set free from the dominion of darkness through the spiritual power of the Word of God and through the blood of Jesus for your sin, then give joyful thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the Kingdom of Light! Yes, all praise, honor, and glory is due to the God of our Redemption … to God our Deliverer … and to our Lord Jesus Christ!

But if you have not yet experienced this grace of God in your life, I urge you to seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6) Indeed, if you will seek the Lord God, you will find him – if you seek Him with all your heart and will all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29) Yes, humble yourself because “in their pride the unrighteous do not seek God; in all their thoughts there is no room for God. (Psalm 10:4) And understand this: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Oh, dear friend, if you will forsake your unrighteous thoughts and ways … if you will repent and turn to the Lord, He will have mercy on you and will freely pardon your sins. (Isaiah 55:7) Yes, come to Jesus and believe in Him, and you will be rescued from a life without hope….

Have a Blessed Day!

GLAD…

Glad…

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. ~ Psalm 9:1-2

I needed a word today to express what my soul is feeling…. To be glad is to experience pleasure, joy, or delight. It expresses the feelings of being pleased, satisfied, and full. It connotes the emotions of elation, happiness, and gratitude. Indeed, to be glad should be the preeminent response of our hearts to the love and mercy of God our Savior … who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Yes, today and always, I will be glad and rejoice in the One who loved me and gave Himself for me!

If you need a word of encouragement today, I think you could revisit these thoughts of King David … a man after God’s own heart. Let each one remind you to be glad for the faithfulness and goodness of God in your life:

Psalm 5:11-12 (NIV)

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 16:8-10 (NIV)

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Psalm 31:7-8 (NIV)

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.

Psalm 32:10-11 (NKJV)

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 40:16-17 (NIV)

May all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long go Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be exalted!” But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.

Psalm 68:3-4 (NKJV)

But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.Sing to God, sing praises to His name; praise Him who rides upon the clouds, by His name YAH,
and rejoice before Him.

Psalm 92:4-5 (NIV)

For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts!

Psalm 118:22-24 (NIV)

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.

Lord, I am filled with gladness this morning. I am overflowing with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. For you are my Redeemer … you are my Deliverer … you are my Fortress and my Refuge. In you and you alone, I have placed my trust! My heart abounds with your lovingkindness … your tender mercies and your unfailing love. What can I offer You … O Lord my Rock … You who have anointed me with the oil of gladness? I will offer you the sacrifices of my lips. Yes, my lips shall praise you! My mouth shall praise You with joyful lips! Yes, Lord, receive the fruit of my lips as I offer boundless thanks to your wonderful, glorious name!

Have a Blessed Day!

Guard…

Guard…

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ~ Proverbs 4:23

Guard is an informative word for us. Used here as a verb, it means to keep safe from harm or danger; to protect; to watch over; to keep under control or restraint as a matter of caution or prudence. King Solomon, in his wisdom, saw the preeminence of safeguarding our hearts in order to protect us and others from everything that flows from it. Indeed, if we look at the assessment of Scripture regarding our hearts – our innermost beings – we find the following:

Genesis 6:5 (NIV)

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Our Lord Jesus admonished His disciples and followers to guard their hearts as well:

Luke 12:1-2 (NIV)

Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to His disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

Luke 12:15 (NIV)

Then Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Indeed, Jesus taught that the pure in heart would see God. (Matthew 5:8) He advised that we should store up for ourselves treasures in heaven … for where your treasure is, there your heart will be. (Matthew 6:20-21) He, too, warned that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) Yes, the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:18-19)

Likewise, the Apostles spoke of the necessity for us to guard our hearts and salvation we have received by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. In 2 Timothy 1:13-14, Paul urged his protege: “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Peter, affirming the inspired writings of Paul, concluded: “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:17-18)

Dear believer, in these last days, it is imperative that we stay alert and on guard because our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Yes, like Paul, I encourage you: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) Set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming! (1 Peter 1:13)

Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Have a Blessed Day!

Come…

Come…

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ~ Matthew 11:28

Come. It means to move toward someone or something – to approach with a specific purpose or destination in mind. It is an invitation to advance, rise, or improve your current state or position. It is a word that draws us to move closer to someone or something of greater desire. Indeed, when we heard Jesus bid us to come to Him, it was an open invitation to approach Him; to abandon our worries and struggles; to find rest in Him from the weariness that the burdens of life often bring us.

Lovingly, Jesus gently calls us to Himself. And His invitation is not without reward. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who come to Him. (Cf. Matthew 19:14, Mark 10:14) Jesus said, “Come to me in order to have true life.” (Cf. John 5:40) Yes, Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Cf. John 6:35) And He invites us all saying, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (Cf. John 7:38) Indeed, Jesus says everyone who comes to Him, hears His words, and puts them into practice, is wise to do so! (Cf. Luke 6:47)

And yet, for all the desire anyone might have for these precious promises and great rewards, the ability to come to Jesus is requisite upon the sovereign will of God. Consider these emphatic words that Jesus taught:

John 6:35-48 (NIV)

³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹At this the Jews there began to grumble about Him because He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴²They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” ⁴³“Stop murmuring among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ (Citing Isaiah 54:13) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to me. ⁴⁶No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life….

It is clear from the text that our capacity or ability to come to saving faith in Jesus has been enabled and empowered by the Father. As Paul affirmed, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Further, this empowerment comes through the Holy Spirit – who teaches us and guides us into all truth – the very Word of God. (John 17:17) It is through the Word of God that a person “hears” the Father and learns from Him. (Cf. Romans 10:13-15) As Jesus, the living Word of God declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:6-7)

Dear reader, have you yet to come to Jesus? Is the Father still working to draw you through His Word and His Holy Spirit? Do not delay! I assure you the Father is not willing that anyone should perish! (2 Peter 3:9) Yes, I want to encourage you to consider these words of Paul written to Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Have a Blessed Day!

Trespass…

Trespass…

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. ~ Matthew 6:12 (New Matthew Bible)

Our text comes from one of a few English translations that use the word trespasses instead of sins or debts like we find in the more prominent English translations of the Bible. I can remember in Catholic Catechism reciting the Lord’s Prayer with the word trespasses; and it has stuck with me. So, I wanted to research if there are any differences in the meanings of these various words used here.

Looking at the word trespass, we find these definitions in its use as a noun: an unlawful act; a violation of moral or social ethics; wrongdoing; transgression; offense; a breach; sin; or debt. When we trespass, we have made an unwarranted or uninvited incursion into the private or protected space of another.

Looking at the word sin, we find these definitions in its use as a noun: an offense against religious or moral law; a violation that is highly reprehensible; a transgression of the law of God; offense; a breach; trespass; or debt. When we commit a sin, we have encroached upon or violated the rights of another.

Looking at the word debt, we find these definitions in its use as a noun: something owed; an obligation; the state of being under obligation to pay or repay someone in return for something received; a liability; sin; or trespass. Thus, when we are indebted to someone, we have an obligation to repay them what is owed.

With these definitions in view, we can readily see a convergence of meaning regardless of which word is used in the translation; and we would do well to expound on what Jesus was expressing as He taught His disciples and followers how to pray. The primary focus here is on asking forgiveness for our trespasses or sins and the resulting debt or obligation created by our transgressions – whether committed against God or (by extension) other people. From the context, we should understand that we have a debt or obligation owed to God for our sins and trespasses; and our prayer is to receive forgiveness; that is, a cancellation of the debt owed because it is exceedingly beyond our ability to ever repay.

In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant found in Matthew 18:21-35, we are afforded a penetrating glimpse into the enormity of our own sin debt as Jesus taught the importance of forgiving others their debts or obligations to us. He concluded by asserting the necessity for His disciples and followers (believers) to forgive others for their trespasses, wrongdoings, violations, transgressions, sins, and any other form of indebtedness owed. As Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14)

If we carefully ponder these scriptures and lessons, we would do well to realize who has the greater debt to be repaid. The sin debt we owe to our Heavenly Father is far greater than any debt another human being could ever owe to us. For us to contrast the “degree” of our own iniquity toward God with the trespasses of others against us truly misses the point of the message Jesus taught. Quite frankly, there is no comparison in terms of worthiness to receive forgiveness of sins. None of us is worthy to receive forgiveness of any measure. Forgiveness is an act of mercy … an act of love on the part of the one who forgives (releases the debt). As Paul affirmed: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Cf. Ephesians 2:4-5)

Colossians 2:13-15 (NIV)

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Dear reader, I urge you to refrain from ever considering of how much someone else might owe you for any trespasses committed against you. Whatever their debt to you might be, while justified, does not compare to the debt any one of us owe to God. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) So, if God in His great love and mercy can choose to forgive you and me through the death of Jesus, then as His children we have the same capacity to forgive one another. Indeed, it is a commandment that we do so!

Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

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

Have a Blessed Day!

Content

Content…

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ~ Philippians 4:11

In his letter to the believers at Philippi, Paul shares profound insight into the self-discipline necessary for a mature faith in Christ Jesus to persevere. He describes what it takes to attain a faith that will surmount and endure the challenges we will experience in life – contentment. Paul had gone through unimaginable hardship and suffering during his missionary journeys; and yet, his faith seemed to abound all the more through the afflictions he suffered. As he indicates in the text, there is a deep lesson to be “learned” as we walk with Christ and participate in his sufferings. (Cf. Philippians 3:10, 1 Peter 4:13)

Contentment. What does it mean to be content? The word connotes a state of being filled or satisfied. To be content means to be happy, pleased, gratified, or blessed … to the point of complete delight or enjoyment. Being content … feeling full and satisfied is rather easy when you have plenty and the circumstances of life seem in your favor. But Paul indicates that he had cultivated the ability to be content even when he had been unjustly locked in a stock and thrown into the utter darkness of an inner prison dungeon. (Cf. Acts 16:16-40)

Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)

I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

In reading the text, we readily understand that contentment is not our natural tendency. When Paul states, “I have learned,” it indicates that at one time he did not know how to be content. Through the difficulties that he suffered in life, Paul learned how to be content in any situation or circumstance. It was a mindset that he attained after many years of experiencing the grace of God in times of trouble. And so, there is a wonderful lesson Paul affords us for our walks as Christians.

Here are some other scriptures to focus on as we pursue the virtue of contentment:

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. Romans 8:17

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. Philippians 3:10

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 1 Peter 4:12-13

I believe the secret to contentment is to possess an unwavering focus on the inheritance that is kept in heaven for you. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:3-5) Yes, keep your eyes upon the goal and press onward to attain it. (Cf. Philippians 3:14) Indeed, Christ Jesus is our example – who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Cf. Hebrews 12:2) For “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ Jesus should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:11-14)

Yes, dear reader, keep your eyes upon Jesus and His redemption! He is the One who provides you with the strength needed to attain contentment in this life. Only in Him will you find true contentment or real delight in any circumstance. Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:7-8)

Have a Blessed Day!

Righteousness

Righteousness…

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. ~ Jeremiah 23:5-6

In Genesis 15:6 we read that Abraham believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. In Deuteronomy 6:25, Moses conveyed that the righteousness of God revealed in His Law would be conferred upon those who are careful to observe it (obey it). In Psalm 7:17, David exclaimed: “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” Yes, “The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.” Psalm 98:2

Throughout the sacred writings of the Old Testament, we are informed of the righteousness of God through His creation, His commandments and ordinances, and His Prophets:

“The Heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory.” Psalm 97:6 “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth.” Psalm 119:142 “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172

And, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17

Righteousness, that state or status of being in a right relationship with God, is a gracious gift of mercy granted by Him to those who believe. It was his faith that positioned Abraham to be credited with righteousness by God. When he believed God at His Word, Abraham received the righteousness that comes through faith … as Paul greatly expounds in Romans 4:1-8. In revealing His Commandments through Moses, believers were afforded the wisdom of how to live in a right relationship with God … and with one another. (Galatians 3:21) And yet, grace upon grace, the righteousness of God has been made known to us; indeed, demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus!

Romans 3:21-26 (NIV)

²¹But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. ²²This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

I believe it is important for us to understand that righteousness is a gift of God … imputed to us on the basis of faith in Him through faith in Jesus Christ – because we have no inherent righteousness within ourselves. (Cf. Titus 3:4-6) As the Prophet testified:

Isaiah 64:5-6 (NIV)

You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.
But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Yes, and consider what King David affirmed: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit, there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2)

As a believer, you are in Christ Jesus and have received the righteousness of God through Him. Yes, Jesus became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30) “For the Father made Jesus who knew no sin to be a sin offering for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) So, awake to righteousness, and do not sin! (1 Corinthians 15:34) “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

My friend, living in obedience to Christ Jesus and His commandments should be our grateful response to His merciful gift of imputed righteousness! Yes, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices is our reasonable service – our spiritual act of worship. (Cf. Romans 12:1) So I pray that we will pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with one another. (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:22)

Have a Blessed Day!