Author: Timothy Sullivan

Welcome to this Bible Study Blog. It is my desire to encourage your reading of the Word of God each day and to encourage you along the journey of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ....

Love For God = Obedience

Psalm 97:10

Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

I always love to read the Psalms and bask in the spiritual emotion David delivers through His inspired meditations.  As these verses from the Psalms come to us, I encourage you to read the entire and not just the verse or two presented.  I pulled the immediate context around the verse today to share both its wisdom and encouragement with you:

Psalm 97:9-12 (NIV)

9 For you, Lord, are the Most-High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown on the righteous (Cf. Psalm 112:4) and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy name.

Here, David affirms the supremacy of a single Holy Being … Yahweh … who is the Most-High God. His Being and power are infinitely above anything that could even be entitled a little god.  David wanted the people to know and to understand WHO they worship and the purpose for which He is to be exalted.  God is ultimately beyond our comprehension; and yet, He wants us to know Him and to love Him with the light that we have been given through His Spirit and His Word.

Love is the defining term of the relationship we are to embrace with our Most-High God. And there are qualities to love that we would do well to examine. We are commanded by God to love Him, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commandments, decrees, and laws. (Cf. Deuteronomy 30:16) Thus, to demonstrate love for God, we are to be obedient.  David exhorts that those who love the Lord will hate evil.  Thus, to demonstrate love for God, we must abhor anything that is against what is good – as God has defined and revealed goodness through His Spirit and His Word. And love for God is manifested through faithfulness.  What we profess to God must align with what we do for God.  The Apostle John made these very same points:

1 John 2:5 (NIV)

4 Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did.

1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 5:2-3 (NIV)

2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome….

Paul wrote in Romans 13:10, “Love does no harm to a neighbor.  Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law.”  Love hates evil in any form!  This is what we need to understand.  And those who love the Lord are protected by God – for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  Faithful ones are those who love God and love others as He has commanded.  Further, we cannot walk in darkness and practice evil because “light is sown on the righteous.” (See Also Psalm 112:4) I love how that is phrased: “light is sown”.  The light and wisdom of God is place in the soil of our hearts … it is sown and watered by the Holy Spirit … to indwell us and to grow and to bear the fruit of righteousness in our lives.  And likewise, the joy of this experience is embedded within us!  This is why the righteous … those who love the Lord and hate evil … are able to rejoice in the Lord and to worship Him.  It stems from the deep love of God for us so that our response can be none other than love itself … a love expressed by worship in Spirit and in Truth … and demonstrated through love for one another.  

I hope that you will find something here that speaks to your heart … to either challenge you, encourage you, or both.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Lord – My Strength

Psalm 18:1-2

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Our theme of God our strength … our fortress … our refuge … our shield … and our salvation continues!  What a powerful word we have from the inspired pen of King David!

Oh, there is someone …  perhaps many who need this word this morning!  You are fighting battles that are beyond your own understanding … beyond your own strength … beyond your own abilities.  They are battles that belong to the Lord!  You do not have to carry them!  You were not meant to carry them! God is wanting to show you HIS power … HIS strength … HIS love and care for you … to build your faith … to increase your trust in HIM … and Him alone!  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. (Cf. Ephesians 6:12) And the weapons of our warfare are not of the world; on the contrary, they have divine power to demolish the strongholds of the enemy. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

I encourage you to take every thought of defeat captive and to make it obedient to Christ.  Through prayer, seek God and allow Him to be your stronghold and fortress … your shield and strong tower.  Go to Him in faith and trust that He is your rear-guard.  No weapon formed against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. (Cf. Isaiah 54:17) This is my prayer for you this morning … for those who are in spiritual battle.  Take refuge.  Find rest in the Lord Jesus.  He said, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Cf. Matthew 11:28) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (Cf. John 14:27) Yes, receive His peace this morning!  He is watching over you….  Amen.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Sing To The Lord

Psalm 59:16 (NIV)

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

There are moments and times when we each of us can feel that the world is crashing around us … when we feel overwhelmed and anxious about things beyond our control … and it seems that nothing is going right in life; at least not according to our desires or expectations.  Such are the situations and circumstances in our lives … often involving stress within relationships with others and within ourselves as well.  But I believe there is an overarching purpose God is using in each of those times or seasons of our lives. His purpose is to deepen our faith in Him … to build a foundation of trust in Him …  to increase our reliance upon Him. Because we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Cf. Romans 8:28)

So I love this verse for us today … because it reminds us to shift our focus from the circumstances to the purposes. “I will sing of Your strength.” This inspires me to remember that there is power and strength available to me.  The resources of heaven are only a prayer away when I feel helpless to change the circumstances that I am going through.  It reminds me that God provides His strength … His grace to endure it and to persevere in faith.  “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Cf. Isaiah 40:29) And Paul affirmed, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (Cf. Philippians 4:13) And in 1 Corinthians 1:25, Paul shared, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”  God strengthens us with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience. (Cf. Colossians 1:11)

“In the morning, I will sing of your love!” The love of God for me … for each of us … is the best knowledge of all to keep in mind.  For He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” From Jeremiah 31:3, we have the assurance that God loves us with an everlasting love.  It is an everlasting covenant of love … and God is faithful to His Word.  So, yes, we should sing of His love … we should acknowledge that His love and His strength are a fortress and a refuge in times of trouble.  Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Cf. John 16:33) Indeed, Jesus is our fortress and refuge! And we should go to Him … not to escape the problems or circumstances we face, but to navigate them with the confidence and assurance of faith that He will work them for our good according to His purposes.

In His “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus asked, “Can any of you, by worrying, add a single hour to our life or another inch to your stature?” (Cf. Matthew 6:27) Further on, Jesus instructed:  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Cf. Matthew 6:34) The Apostle Peter likewise advised, “Cast all of your cares and anxieties upon Him because He cares for you.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:7) Here Peter must have had Psalm 55:22 in mind which reads:  Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”  How well King David knew … and wrote for our admonition: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; 20 He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. (Cf. Psalm 34:17-20)

We do not have to be shaken with all the problems and troubles that come into our lives. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Cf. Romans 8:37) So, I encourage us to embrace God’s love for us … to receive His strength through the Spirit … and to express in our hearts the delight of His fulfilled promises.  Yes, sing of His strength! This morning, sing of His love!  He is your fortress … your refuge … your strength.  The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Cf. Proverbs 18:10) Indeed, your prayers to Him acknowledge His sovereignty over your life and bring you to a position of submission … of trust … of faith.  Yes, God is glorified when you enter His presence and seek Him for every need and aspect of your life. That is His purpose … because He does not want to be a part of your life; rather, He is your life.  Amen.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Confession and Forgiveness

Psalm 86:5

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Had a rough week … a challenging month … a time of spiritual battle when temptation has mounted a coordinated attack against you.  Were you caught off guard … unprepared … or just too weak to counter the offensive launched by the enemy? Did you finally surrender to the temptation? Unfortunately, it can happen to any of us. Our thoughts and behaviors do not always reflect the new creation that we have become in Christ. And sometimes I feel like I am a wider target when I am on top of the spiritual mountain.  Just when I think that my faith is strong and my armor secure … a struggle with temptation ensues; and sometimes I miss the way out in order to endure it. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13) The Apostle James has observed this process as follows:

James 1:13-15 (NIV)

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

That is the process … that is how temptation is formed and sin follows in its wake! Our carnal nature … our sinful nature as human beings … can easily raise its ugly head and engage us. And I think we need to realize that not all temptation comes from outside evil forces; rather, it can stem from our own internal desires or lusts that entice us and lead us into thought patterns and behaviors that manifest themselves as sin.  I’m not talking about the obvious sins such as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, etc.  I’m speaking about the inner sins such as covetousness, envy, jealousy, malice, deceit, hypocrisy, arrogance, slander, bitterness, anger, rage, and filthy language we have been admonished to avoid.  Whether we display these behaviors in our relationships with others in overt or subtle ways, these sins are detrimental to our witness and hinder His command to love one another as Christ has loved us. As much as I want to believe that my heart is not of this world … that I have consecrated myself unto God … there are occasions that I simply fail to resist these types of inner heart issues, and I need to repent and be cleansed.

So I love the reminder of our verse today.  God is forgiving and good! God abounds in love to those who call upon Him.  That is why prayer and confession is so essential to spiritual discipline.  That is why transparency is necessary to have intimacy with the Lord Jesus. Fellowship with God requires honesty … integrity … sincerity. I am so grateful that the Apostle John articulated and shared how believers must walk in the light and in the truth.  There is no continuum between darkness and light – only one or the other.  God is light and in Him is no darkness at all!

John 1:1-5 (NKJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

1 John 1:5-10 (NKJV)

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that 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. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.

1 John 2:1-2 (NKJV)

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Yes, John is quite forthright about confession. It is vital for us to acknowledge our sin to God when it occurs … when the Holy Spirit convicts us (Cf. John 16:8) … and to agree with God that we have fallen short of His command to be holy just as He is holy.  The writer of the Book of Hebrews addresses the need for confession:

Hebrews 4:11-16 (NKJV)

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Yes, when we come before the throne of grace, we can apply the example of King David as recorded in Psalm 51 to better understand “how” to make our confessions before God. David demonstrated honesty.  He exhibited sorrow and repentance.  He recognized the authority and sovereignty of God to execute judgement for sin.  And He knew God would have mercy because of His great love and faithfulness.  Oh, we cannot feign anything with God.  He knows our hearts.  He knows the truth. All things, including the inclinations within our hearts, are naked and open to the eyes of Him before whom we MUST GIVE account.  Jesus knows our weaknesses … and He wants to restore us to fellowship with Him.  Confession and repentance are the first steps to reconciliation … and the sacrifices of a broken spirit – a broken and contrite heart – are the path to restoration.

Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever! (Cf. Psalm 106:1)

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

A.S.K.

Matthew 7:7-8

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

A few weeks ago, as I drove my granddaughter Kennedy to school, she asked me a question.  The question was concerning whether her mother should ask a client if Kennedy might be able to volunteer in their nursing home this summer.  Well, I thought that was the greatest idea … for an 8-year old to spend time with our elderly and to learn the deeper lessons of compassion.  I was truly touched by her sincerity….  Anyway, she repeated the question.  Would it be okay to ask for the administrator’s permission?

Well, I seized the moment and told her Jesus would like to give her some advice.  And then I proceeded to quote her this passage:  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Well, she thought that was pretty cool….  So I began to tell her this verse from Matthew 21:21-22:  21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (See also Mark 11:23-24) Well, now I had her attention.  So I threw one more at her from 1 John 5:14-15 which reads:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”  By this time Kennedy had wised up and asked me if we could just go to Dunkin Donuts and get some Munchkins!  LOL!  And of course Granddaddy simply answered, “Ask and you shall receive.”

What a wonderful time for me … to share the Word of God with a sensitive young heart.  And I think that moment we shared somehow planted another seed of faith within her.  And I hope this little story planted a reminder in your own heart – to spend intimate time in prayer with the Father.  Prayer is the most powerful conduit we have to access the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and spiritual resources of God.  He is ever present … ever available to us!  Like a small child – go to Him in prayer.

Luke 11:10-13 (NIV)

10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

            A – Ask and it will be given to you     

            S – Seek and you will find

            K – Knock and the door will be opened to you

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Walk By The Spirit

Galatians 5:16

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

In Leviticus 11, Moses has been instructing on the practices of consecration … separation from the world in order to be a distinct people for service to God.  In the context, Moses is revealing dietary ordinances distinguishing between clean and unclean animals – what is acceptable for consumption and what has been deemed detestable.  And for our purpose today, the issue is not what foods we can eat or avoid; rather, the issue is discerning between clean and unclean … between holiness and unrighteousness.  Thus, we see warnings and admonitions as Moses proclaimed the Word of God and wrote: “43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures. Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. 44 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. 45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” (Cf. Leviticus 11:43-45)

Notice the phrases: “Do not ….”  Do not defile yourselves.  Do not make yourselves unclean.  These speak to our own conduct … our own behaviors … the fulfillment of our own desires as opposed to what God has ordained and purposed for us.  And this issue of holiness has been the challenge for humans since the beginning.  In Genesis 6:5, we read: “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.” His displeasure with humans was so great that God caused a Great Flood of the earth to eliminate its wickedness – sparing faithful Noah, his family, and a remnant of the animals.  Yet, what do we read afterwards as Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifices in worship? “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in His heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21) Interesting that despite the rainbow and the revealed mercy of God, the condition of the human heart still remains unchanged….

It is clear from Scripture (and personal experience) that humans have a sinful nature … a propensity and capacity (human will) to separate ourselves from God rather than drawing ourselves to God.  Sin separates us from God.  Sanctification draws us to God.  So, if we intend to respond to this command from God; if we want to be holy (set apart) because our Creator and Father is holy, then we need a solution to the innate inclination to practice evil within our hearts. And this concern brings me to what Paul exhorts in our verse today: “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” So let’s put the verse in its surrounding context:

Galatians 5:13-26 (NIV) – Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Cf. Leviticus 19:18) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

From this passage, we can readily understand that the acts of the flesh stem from every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart.  Such behaviors … such human conduct … define the sin which separates us from intimacy with God.  And so, to walk in the Spirit … to live under His perpetual influence … it is necessary to be filled with His abiding presence.  The Holy Spirit must indwell you in order for the process of holiness to be initiated in your heart.  And this leads me to Jesus!  Jesus sends the gift of the Holy Spirit to indwell the one who believes in Him … and receives Him through the Spirit.  This is the abiding, personal relationship that Jesus taught His disciples … and teaches us now in our generation:

John 15:1-12 (NIV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes (cleans) so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Powerful words … powerful affirmation!  God in His mercy, to address sin within the human heart and to remove its deception and corruption of our souls, sent His Son, Jesus, to this earth to rescue us … to redeem us … to deliver us from the power of sin and its penalty: Death! (Cf. Romans 6:23) Christ paid the ultimate penalty of sin for us on the cross!  Every drop of His precious blood was poured out for us.  He was the Lamb of God slain to be the propitiation for our sin.  (Cf. 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10) Why?  Because God is Holy!  And to be in relationship with Him, we must be holy according to His command.  Jesus is the one who consecrates and sanctifies us before God.  When we are in Christ, when we belong to Him, we receive His resurrection power.  As the Apostle Peter wrote: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)

God is calling His people … His children to holiness! Yes, the Father is calling all who desire to intimately know Him … who want to become His children … to sanctification and holiness through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  Because He has said, “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.  Holiness begins when a person places his or her faith in Jesus Christ; and it is manifested through the fruit of the Spirit. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh….

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Be Reconciled To God

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Although we have reviewed this passage in recent days, I wanted to take a fresh look at it again.  Perhaps there is something we are missing for it to come up again….

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

This is our primary launch verse for the New Year … perhaps even for the New Decade.  The old has gone, the new is here!  We desire and pray for new creation to come and fill us … to fill the prodigal … to fill our homes … to fill our church.  We must break the old patterns and the old habits … the sin that so easily ensnares us (Cf. Hebrews 12:1) God declared that in Christ, He is doing a new thing! This is what the Lord says— “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. (Cf. Isaiah 43:18-19) And this shall be the message for 2020.  God will redeem and restore those who have forgotten Him … those who have wandered and become lost … those who are broken and in need of His power to heal and to save! 

 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 

Indeed, God has declared this year to be a year of reconciliation … for all to experience reconciliation with Him through Jesus Christ! He reconciled us who believe and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.  ALL THIS IS FROM GOD!  Forgiveness and reconciliation is His will! “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  (Cf. John 3:16-17)

19 that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

The Good News … the Gospel … is this very passage.  God is reconciling the world to Himself!   The Father is doing so through His Son … the Lord Jesus.  His will is active … perpetual … steadfast … unchanging.  God is faithful even when we fail.  His mercy endures forever!  His love endures forever! His love is unfailing! These are the truths confirmed in Scripture and fulfilled in the Son.  God has demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8) Jesus bore the ultimate penalty for our sins.  Only through faith in Him is our sin not imputed against us. This is the message of reconciliation that has been committed to us. For our modern culture, perhaps the hashtags should be #redeem #reconcile #restore #resurrect #revive #rest.

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Indeed, we are His ambassadors because we have put on the mantle of Christ and followed Him. As I read this last verse of the passage, the thought kept coming to my mind: “Today is the day of salvation!” In 2 Corinthians 6:1-3, Paul wrote: As God’s co-workers, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. There is a sense of urgency … a sense of imminence … to the message. We implore the prodigal, the wayward, and the lost to be reconciled with the Father.  God is appealing, and that through us, to a world that has been ravaged by darkness and rebellion and unbelief.  And though people may have hardened their hearts because of the abuse, pain, rejection, bitterness, and brokenness they have experienced in this fallen and sinful world, God is still calling out to them … speaking to their inner hearts … and asking them to listen and to hear His voice.  And He says, “Do not harden your heart … just believe me!”

Hebrews 3:7-19 (NIV)

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Cf. Psalm 95) 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter His rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

This is the appeal God is making through us because He committed to us the message of reconciliation.  Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) And so through prayer and fasting, God is preparing us.  His church will itself experience a new birth.  It will become a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! Oh, how I pray that each of us will become obedient to this call upon our lives. All this is from God…. May each of us, “Reach One. Teach One.”  Amen.

So Know You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

Children of God

Galatians 3:26-28

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Our verse today has huge theological implications that cannot be ignored … nor is the text ambiguous.  Let’s follow it and look at other supporting Scriptures.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.

Simply stated, for a person to be a child of God, he or she must be in Christ Jesus through faith in Him.  Compare this assertion from Paul with the declaration of John:

John 1:11-13 (NIV)

11 He came to that which was His own, but his own did not receive Him. 12 Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Our right to become children of God was GIVEN by Jesus Christ through receiving Him into our hearts … through believing in Him!  We do not have the right to claim that we are children of God except that it has been given us through the authority of the Son.  And of those who reject Jesus, John writes:

John 8:31-47 (NIV)

31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.” 39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God Himself.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

Wow!  Being physical children of Abraham does not in itself confer the right to become children of God.  Jesus said, If you were Abraham’s children, then you would do what Abraham did.  So what did Abraham do?  What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) A person has to believe God at His Word to become His child through the adoption of sonship (as we have seen in previous studies).  Even John the Baptist, in preparing a way in the wilderness for the coming of Jesus, said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Cf. Luke 3:7-9)

So a child of Abraham is a child who believes God. And to believe God means to believe in the Son that He has sent – Jesus. As the Apostle John wrote:

1 John 5:1-13 (NIV)

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the One who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 theSpirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

To me, there can be no other conclusion.  Only those who believe in Jesus Christ … the Son of the Living God …  become children of God.  And to become a child of God means that you have been saved and you receive the gift of eternal life.  Yes, and God has revealed these truths through His Son … through His Spirit … and through the Apostles who testified of His Son. As the Father Himself testified, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” (Cf. Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35) As Peter testified, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) And Jesus Himself proclaimed, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

This is what it means to be IN Christ … in order to become a child of God through Him.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Christ, the diversity of our identities become irrelevant.  In Christ, there is only unity of believers.  There is unity among the children born of God because we love the Father and the Son … and one another.  Indeed, we are commanded by Christ to love one another as He loved us.  And He loved us in all of our individual uniqueness and diversity.  Yes, He even loved us while we were still sinners. (Cf. Romans 5:8) So there should be unity in “family” of God … even there is also diversity in the gifts of grace that have been given to each of us to serve in the Body of Christ.  These gifts were ordained and apportioned as Christ determined for each of us according to the uniqueness with which He created each person.  Therefore, we should submit ourselves to one another in the effort to please Him who saved us.  As Paul admonished:

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV)

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

When Hard Pressed

Psalm 118:5-6

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Feeling uncertain about what lies ahead in your life? Feeling distressed? Feeling anxious or stressed? Afraid?

In Psalm 118, King David describes how he managed his countenance when he felt surrounded and overwhelmed from the stresses of life.  Interestingly, as I read this Psalm, I noted that it begins with this thought: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”  For indeed, His love is an everlasting love. (Cf. Psalm 103:17; Jeremiah 31:3) And His love is the source of the courage we need to face the challenges and hardships that we will encounter in life.

This passage affords us insight into what action we should take when “hard pressed” in life – namely, we should cry out to the Lord.  Go to the quiet place … the secret place … and pour out your heart before Him.  Yes, it is natural and normal to cry … to weep … to seek refuge … to seek consolation and understanding.  When we become distressed, our first thought should be to find the place of refuge God makes available to those who love Him.  To cry out is not to groan and complain! To cry out is not an attempt to run from our problems or to ignore them.  Rather, to cry out is the first step we need to take to confront them.  We need to go to the Father in prayer … release our feelings to Him … and then wait … and listen.

What you and I go through in managing our emotions and our responses to the circumstances of life in this fallen world is a common process for us all. There are physiological aspects for sure (we’re human), but there are spiritual aspects as well. And getting distressed and anxious and fearful is not what God has in mind for us.  On the contrary, He wants trust and faith to abound within us. David wrote, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”  He goes on to share: “The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:7-9; 14)

James indicates that the emotion we should feel is joy whenever we face various trials.  Now I agree to feel joy would be difficult at best when we are suffering, hurting, feeling overwhelmed or hard pressed, but I encourage us to consider the reason that James goes in this direction :

James 1:2:8 (NIV)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Trouble, hardship, suffering … these test our faith – our trust in God.  But the outcome of this process is to produce perseverance. When David cried out to the Lord, he probably did so in an effort to find consolation for his emotions … or the reassurance God had not forsaken him. But I believe David also prayed to seek wisdom from God. He had difficult and complex problems to manage and resolve.  He was stressed out because of the pressures he felt.  Yet, David knew God loved him and would understand what he was feeling and going through.  He knew where to find both comfort and answers.  Indeed, God will give us the wisdom to solve our problems if we would but ask Him – and then trust in the answer He gives. Yet, sometimes that wisdom does not take the form of an executable plan of action.  Sometimes wisdom is just silence in the deep quiet of God’s presence … trusting Him for the unseen and for the unknown.  Did He not say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you?” (Cf. Hebrews 13:5-6)

A final thought on the consolation we receive from God when we paddle through the rough waters of life.  What we experience, the triumphs and failures … the victories and defeats, all these shape us.  They grow us.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) As James wrote, they make us “mature and complete” in faith.  And so, I believe God wants to use all of the brokenness each of us has felt and endured and navigated, to be useful and effective as we minister to others in their situations.  As overcomers, God has created us in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) So I will end with this passage from 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 where Paul wrote: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles (and afflictions), so that we can comfort those in any trouble (or distress) with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

When you reflect on your life … the stresses and anxieties and fears that arise … when you are hard pressed and need to make decisions, cry out to the Lord!  He is there! He is waiting for you!  He is listening!  As you trust Him, the Lord will order your steps and delight in the progress you make growing in faith. (Cf. Psalm 37:23-24) Then as you mature, and your faith is being completed, share your story with others.  Your own life experience is a proven platform to minister to others … to love others as you have been loved. As the Scripture above stated, the comfort you will receive from God is given so that you can comfort others who experience the same trials you have endured.  I pray our own prodigal experiences can be used by the Father to bring other prodigal children home to Him.  For it is our own stories of repentance … return … reconciliation … restoration … and redemption that testify to the incredible, unsurpassed, love of God for us. As David said: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” 

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!

First Place is Last Place

Mark 9:35

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

I find it interesting that the message of humility continues to cross our attention…. And, again, the verse provided for us is one where Jesus is teaching His disciples on how to view themselves in the context of their roles as disciples … and later as apostles.  Let’s put our verse into its surrounding context.  It is similar to the narratives that we have read from Matthew and Luke a few days ago.

Mark 9:30-36 (NIV)

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because He was teaching His disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what He meant and were afraid to ask Him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom He placed among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

I find this fascinating … regarding the argument over who was the greatest in the group of disciples.  Why?  Because the matter came up on the heels of their failure to heal a boy possessed by an impure spirit.  Jesus had rebuked them for their lack of faith … even when He had given them power and authority to perform such signs and wonders. (Read Mark 9:14-29) Nevertheless, they were apparently enamored with their “power” to exercise authority over physical affliction, illness, and demonic oppression.  One can sense that these giftings began to fill them with spiritual pride. It would seem they were misguided with self-importance because of the power and authority given to them. So Jesus had to correct their wrong thinking.  Their gifts were given to serve other people … not themselves or to affirm their own spiritual egos.  Their gifts were given to draw people to the divine source of power manifested through those gifts … to confirm the truth of the testimony of God concerning His Son, Jesus, the One whom He sent into the world to save the world.  Spiritual gifts are about Jesus … and not about us.

How easy it can be in our flesh to glory in our spiritual gifts rather than to exalt the One who gave them. Jesus cautioned the disciples to keep their attitudes in check … to remain humble even while operating in the supernatural.  This is evident from the narrative recorded in the Book of Luke when Jesus appointed and sent out disciples to heal the sick and to share the Gospel:

Luke 10:17-20 (NIV)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

It is not always about what we do or how we serve the Lord Jesus.  It is simply about Him … His Name … His Identity … His Love which surpasses all understanding!  As Jesus stated, we should rejoice in our salvation through Him!  The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the tools He uses through us (His servants) to show forth His power and glory … so that the Gospel is seen and heard in truth by unbelievers!  Gifts confirm your authority to speak the truth … not to exhibit some sort of superiority over others.  Spiritual gifts manifest your heart is obedient to the One who called you and gifted you to serve one another in love.  With this thought in mind, there are two passages regarding spiritual gifts that Paul wrote which I would like to share here:

Romans 12:1-8 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

1 Corinthians 12

1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Paul will continue in 1 Corinthians 13 to expound on the way of love … to affirm that love is the most excellent way to approach the exercise of the gifts that we have been entrusted to us by the Holy Spirit. As Jesus taught (commanded) His disciples and us as well … “Love one another as I have loved you.” (Cf. John 13:34) Love is the reason for the gifts He has distributed to us … to empower us to work together as one body for the sake of those who are lost … those who have wandered … those who are broken in spirit and in need of healing.  Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Cf. Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, Luke 5:32) As the Body of Christ, that is our mission as well.  We are ambassadors for Christ … and He has given us of His authority and His power to accomplish His mission in our time; in our generation.  So, I pray that we would all humble ourselves and carried out the work that we were created in Christ Jesus to do … good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Amen.

So Now You Know!

Have a Blessed Day!