Category: Body of Christ

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)

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God 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— 26 He 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!

Grow

Grow…

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. ~ 1 Peter 2:2

A new believer … an infant disciple and follower of Jesus … has an unfamiliar and challenging journey of faith ahead of them.  Like newborn babies, we must learn to sit up and crawl before we can walk.  We are first nourished with milk before we have teeth strong enough to eat solid food. (Cf. Hebrews 5:13-14) The born-again experience is simply the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus; and from there, we are admonished to grow in every aspect of grace that faith brings us as we progress in maturity. Indeed, Peter admonishes us to live holy and godly lives in light of the soon return of our Lord Jesus! (2 Peter 3) And we can do so as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

Now, more than ever, we need to be growing in grace. It is only through the Gospel that we truly understand the manifold graces of God. For in Jesus, we receive and experience the incomparable riches of God’s grace. In Him we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. (Ephesians 1:7) Through Him we receive peace with God and receive eternal life! (John 3:36) Yes, these are just some of the expressions of God’s unmerited lovingkindness toward us in His Son. (Cf. 1 John 4:9-10; Ephesians 2:6-7) So, let us grow in full understanding of His grace in order to grow up in our salvation.

Likewise, in this generation of the Church, we need to be growing in knowledge of our Lord Jesus; increasing in all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives; and abounding in the grace that produced our faith through the Word of God, so that we can live lives worthy of the callings we have received. (Cf. Colossians 1:9-14) Each one of us needs to find our spiritual giftings and take our place of service in the Body of Christ, so that corporately we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Cf. Ephesians 4:1-16)

My friends, growth is a natural process both physically and spiritually. It is readily seen in our human maturation process; and we can certainly ascertain if our spiritual growth is keeping in step. Our Lord Jesus has called us all to flourish in body, soul, and spirit! We are fashioned for growth through the exercising of our Holy Spirit appointed roles within the Church … fulfilling the good works that God ordained in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

So, today I pray that we will always be diligent and passionate in our pursuit of spiritual growth! Let us persevere in every act produced by faith, every effort prompted by love, and every hope inspired by our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:3) Yes, let us stay connected to the glorious Head so that the whole Body will grow has God causes it to grow. (Colossians 2:19) Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

Fallen…

Fallen…

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. ~ Revelation 2:4-5

This first of seven letters written to the churches in Asia Minor, recorded in Revelation Chapters 2-3, begins with a commendation of the Church at Ephesus. Jesus affirms their righteous works and faithfulness; and yet, He soon points out a deficit in their relationship with Him:

Revelation 2:1-5 (ESV)

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Jesus appears to be grieved and wounded by their abandonment of intimacy with Him. The love they had at first – their hearts bonded to Him through the lovingkindness and atonement forged on the cross had begun to diminish. The spiritual blessings of being united to Him seemingly had begun to wane. It was no longer their love of Jesus that inspired and motivated their works of service; rather, their works had become the focus more than the Holy One whom they had been called to worship. The joy of salvation and the blessing of tender communion with Jesus had been overtaken by a sense of duty rather than an expression of love….

Jesus rebukes and calls for repentance.  He enjoins us: “Remember therefore from where you have FALLEN! The word itself conjures up images of dropping or coming down from a higher place, level, or position. It evokes a sense of being overtaken or conquered … even to the point of death. It is a strong word used here … and I think for emphasis on the tragic consequences that abandonment brings to a relationship. To abandon our love for Jesus? Who would have ever imagined that could happen? Look at their commendable works and service. And yet, Jesus instructs them to repent and to return to their first love….

Since the time of my heart procedure, I have contemplated at length the condition of my own spiritual heart … and its need for correction as well. After 35 years of following and serving the Lord Jesus, I have found myself as well in a state where spiritual refreshment has languished … where the spring of living water has begun to evaporate in a parched and thirsty land. Although I have been an avid student of the Word; practiced the discipline of prayer; attended church and served on the worship team; held positions of church leadership as a deacon or elder; given tithes and offerings; supported missionaries; and provided to those who are impoverished; I have noticed an empty, hollow space in my heart that has troubled me. If we are honest, I think this might be something many of us experience from time-to-time in our walk with Jesus. I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha during a visitation with Jesus:

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

This was the same Mary who anointed Jesus with expensive ointment (spikenard) a few days before His crucifixion as recorded in John 12:1-8. So, why are these passages and their images important to understand the meaning of our study text? Because sometimes we can become so busy doing things for God, that we lose affection for Him who wrought so great salvation for us. No doubt, Martha was well intentioned in serving Jesus; but Jesus seems to indicate that our works are secondary to worship! His presence supersedes our purpose! We need to be careful that the tremendous wonder and glory of our salvation itself does not begin to dissipate within the busyness of life and service toward others. While works are an appropriate response to our redemption and rebirth, the one thing most needed is an intimate love for God and to dwell in His presence with immeasurable awe and reverence. First and foremost, He is our first love!

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV)

“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.”

Do you see how His love for us is rooted in His mercy and salvation? Our love for Him is simply responsive to His salvific purpose. As King David declared: “For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! (Psalm 92:4-5) Yet, somehow this adoration, this worship, this first love can diminish in our lives. I believe Revelation 2:4-5 is a wake-up call to bring our attention to what can happen even to servants who have endeavored to engage in commendable service.

Love is supreme! Love is utmost! Love must come first! Thus, we are reminded to consider from where we have fallen; to repent and to do the first works of love. Love expressed through adoration and worship is what matters most. Everything else stems from and completes His love in us. We love because He first loved us! Yes, God activated His love within us! So let us remember to love Him first because of His merciful atonement … His gracious redemption … His forbearance and longsuffering … His unmerited salvation … His gift of eternal life. These are the inner motivations of praise and thanksgiving … honor and worship. Yes, these are the “first works of love” to which we must return.

My friends, let us meditate on this word from Isaiah 29:13, The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is in vain. It based on merely human rules they have been taught.” Indeed, worship IS our first love … our first work to be expressed. I pray above all else that we will remember WHO we serve and why we serve Him! Yes, remember the purpose of our service is to love others as we have been loved.  Indeed, I pray we will renew our hearts once again!

Have a Blessed Day!

Jealous…

Jealous…

Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. ~ Deuteronomy 4:23-24

What does it mean for God to be “jealous”? We see this anthropomorphic attribute given prominence in the Old Testament, and further application of it in the New Testament scriptures.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the emotional term as: “One who is intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness; vigilant in guarding a possession.” The use of this term becomes quite appropriate when we consider that God “chose” His people to be His treasured “possession;” and yet, His beloved became idolatrous and worshipped other gods….

Let’s examine some of the scriptures that reference the context of God’s jealousy for His elect:

Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV)

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Cf. Deuteronomy 5:8-10)

Exodus 34:14 (NIV)

Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 32:15-19 (NIV)

They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. They made Him jealous with their foreign gods and angered Him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. The Lord saw this and rejected them because He was angered by His sons and daughters.

Israel made God jealous and angered Him because of their rebellious unfaithfulness. Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. (Joshua 24:19) Asaph the Psalmist, in Psalm 78, reviewed the historical unfaithful relationship of Israel to the Lord after their conquest and settlement of Canaan – the Promised Land. Still, after their judgement and exile, the Prophet Ezekiel would provide this hope:

Ezekiel 16:41-43 (NIV)

“I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry. “‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?

My friends, what we need to understand is that we have been chosen by the Sovereign God of all creation for an intimate relationship with Him. Our communion with the Father is prefaced on His great love and mercy for us. We have been betrothed to Him. Isaiah declared: “For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is His name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. (Isaiah 54:5) Jeremiah recited: “I Myself said, “‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:19-20) And Hosea prophesied: “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’” (Hosea 2:16) Yes, “I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you with righteousness and justice; with love and compassion. I will betroth you with faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord. (Hosea 2:19-20)

So, let us consider the application for our walk of faith. Paul uses the same analogy regarding the fidelity of our relationship with Christ Jesus. He wrote: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I have betrothed you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)

Here Paul is addressing believers and their propensity to follow the idols of their hearts; to not follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within them to pursue holiness and pure devotion to our Savior. I sense that the ease with which we dismiss our sin of self-idolatry under the banner of grace needs to be reexamined. Too often, a believe will excuse their sin and affection of the world as “being human.” I think Paul would answer:

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

And Peter concurred: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. (1 Peter 4:1-3)

And James reminds us:

James 4:4-5 (NIV)

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us?

Dear reader, let us seek sincere fidelity within the covenant of love that the Father has ordained for us through His Son, Jesus. I pray you will review these scriptures on your own and examine your own heart. God chose you to believe in His Son! You are His elect! He loves you with an everlasting love. He has given you His precious promises. Therefore, He is most jealous for us! We are called to be faithful to our Maker who is our Husband— the Lord Almighty is His name.

Have a Blessed Day!

Chosen…

Chosen…

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession. ~ Deuteronomy 7:6

What does it mean to be “chosen”? The Oxford Dictionary defines the verb this way: “Having been selected as the best or most appropriate.” Notice that the word indicates past tense. Chosen is an action that has already taken place. The Collins Dictionary states the adjective means: “Picked out by preference.” Further, Vocabulary.com defines the noun as “One who is the object of choice; who is given preference.” I especially like the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition: “One who is the object of choice or divine favor – an elect person; one who selected or marked for favor or special privilege.”

From the beginning, Scripture informs us of this theological concept of divine election:

Genesis 6:7-8 (NIV)

So, the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 18:18-19 (NIV)

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.  For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see that God chose certain individuals to accomplish His purposes for His creation. And because God is omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning, His elect were ordained before the creation of the world. As Paul affirmed: “For He (God) chose us in Him (Christ Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. (Ephesians 1:4-6)

In this biblical context, I ask again, “Do we as believers truly understand the implications and significance of being chosen by God?” Is not the thought of being chosen by God for redemption and eternal salvation one of miraculous wonder? As I mediated on this reality this morning, I became overwhelmed in my heart. To understand that we are “chosen” by the Creator brought a deep, reverential fear to my soul. While I felt immense gratitude and praised the Lord for His unmerited kindness and grace; I realized the gravity of responsibility that election brings with it….

When I was a child and played outdoors with my neighborhood friends, we would gather to play a game of baseball, basketball, or football. The best players would be team leaders, and they would choose other players for their teams. I would be anxious because I was not usually selected first, second, or even third round. Still, I would be chosen for a team. I can remember how desperately I wanted to make a big play, score points, or otherwise prove my ability to contribute to our success … to demonstrate worthiness for my selection … to be the winner at the end of the game.

This morning, I was confronted with the same conviction during my prayer time. The God of the Universe had chosen me to be on His team … to bring and use the talents that He sovereignly gifted me for this life, and to contribute those talents in such a way as to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven. Indeed, “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:29) Needless to say, I was filled with tears of regret and remorse. Father God often wanted to put me in the game, but too often I was content to sit on the bench.  Lord Jesus, I pray you would forgive me this wrong….

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV)

To God’s elect … who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

My friends, I pray that we will reflect deeper on our election. We were chosen for an ordained purpose – to commit our lives to His service and to fulfill our individual roles in the Kingdom of God. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10) Therefore, let us be even more diligent to make our calling and election sure. (2 Peter 1:10) Yes, we have graciously been chosen for eternal redemption; and our Father has ordained that we should serve Him with our whole being. Amen.

1 John 4:9-11 (NKJV)

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atonement for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Have a Blessed Day!

Worship…

Worship…

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. ~ Isaiah 29:13

The Prophet Isaiah, moved by the Spirit of God, brings to our attention the deeper issues of our worship of God. As he points out, our fear or reverence for God often comes through the commandment of men which has been taught to us. It takes on the form of traditions and rituals that are learned by repetition without any regard as to the meaning. These forms become memorized and cemented into our theological constructs. Indeed, human rules and doctrines often direct how we worship God, but such worship is in vain if our hearts are far from Him.

Throughout Scripture we see a Holy God revealing Himself to us … His created beings. He manifests Himself as a Father who is devoted to His children through a covenantal relationship rooted in His holiness and deep love. The desire of His heart is for us to respond to Him in genuine love and reverence. Such a responsive, reciprocal love can only come from our inner beings (i.e. our own hearts) in order to be authentic … real … sincere….  God commands us to love Him alone; and His command emanates from His intrinsic love…. (Exodus 20:1-17)


Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2) Indeed, the Lord our God tests us to find out whether we love Him with all our hearts and with all our souls. (Deuteronomy 13:3) King David also prayed, “Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness. (Psalm 26:2-3)

We are informed by Scripture that God initiates how we are to worship Him. We are to hallow His Name. (Exodus 20:7, Matthew 6:9) We are to obey His commands. (Numbers 15:39-40) We are not to worship any other god or idol. We are to offer the sacrifices of a humble and contrite spirit and tremble at His Word. (Isaiah 66:2) As King David prophesied: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)

Worship is the will of God for His created ones. For by His will, we were created and have our being. Yes, and all the angels in heaven worship Him day and night without ceasing saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8-11) And let us consider the instruction of our Lord Jesus in this regard: “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in Truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in Truth.” (John 4:23-24)

My friends, let us consider then how we worship YWHW through our beings. Is it heartfelt and intimate? Are we reverent of the holiness of God? Is our worship covenantal? Indeed, YWHW is a jealous God. (Exodus 34:14, Deuteronomy 4:24, Joshua 24:19) He will not permit us to worship another. And I pray that we will contemplate practices that will conform our hearts to the will of our Father. As Jesus affirmed: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) And Paul exhorted: “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. (Romans 12:1)

Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. ~ Revelation 15:3-4

Have a Blessed Day!

Complete…

Complete…

For in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority.~ Colossians 2:9-10

As believers who abide in Christ Jesus, you and I are made complete in Him! We have received all the necessary requisites to inherit everlasting life! We have been filled with His fullness to the greatest extent possible! We have been made whole; even made perfect in Him.  When Jesus spoke His last words on the cross, He said, “It is finished.” And with that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (John 19:30) His atoning sacrifice was complete. It was total and absolute!

But I wonder, do we truly understand what it means to be complete? First of all, we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus … for He is the author (originator) and finisher (perfecter) of our faith! (Hebrews 12:2) Indeed, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ. (Romans 10:17) He is the confidence of what we hope for and the assurance of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1) Yes, and I am confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you and me will complete it! (Philippians 1:6)

This is our confidence in Christ … in Him we are complete! Imperfection has been made perfect through the unblemished Lamb of God. Think about that a moment…. Think about the perspective Paul shared in this regard:

Ephesians 1:3-8a (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.

Yes, in Christ we are complete because He has made us holy and blameless through His own perfect righteousness. He is the One who is able to keep us from falling and to present us before the glorious presence of God without fault. (Jude 1:24) Jesus will present to Himself a radiant Church without spot or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:26-27)

Can we truly fathom the depth or certitude of our redemption and salvation in Christ? Indeed, “May God Himself, the God of Peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

My friends, we might live in the brokenness of this fallen world, but we will be made whole as new creations in Christ. The old order of things will pass away! (Revelation 21:4) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:53) We may experience profound emptiness in life, be we will be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God through Christ. (Ephesians 3:19) Yes, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Indeed, the journey of faith is life-long. We have not yet arrived at the finish line nor have we yet been perfected; but we must press on and lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us. Let us press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus! (Philippians 3:12-14) For in Him we are complete!

Have a Blessed Day!

Abide…

Abide…

I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  ~ John 15:5

The word ABIDE has several descriptive definitions – none of which is without significance within the context of our verse. Consider these thoughts as you contemplate what it means to abide:

  1. To remain stable or fixed in a state
  2. To continue in a place
  3. To conform to
  4. To accept without objection
  5. To wait for
  6. To endure without yielding
  7. To bear patiently

Jesus affords us a great metaphor on what it means to abide in Him … to remain in closest relationship with Him. Our search for the deepest meaning of life is satisfied in this one word: ABIDE.  For when we abide in Jesus … when we come forth as an extension (branch) of His life-giving being (vine) … we will have a meaningful life that bears fruit in the likeness of Him. Apart from Jesus, we will become lifeless and dead. He said, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4)

Jesus began His teaching with this: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2) So, we understand that the work of God is to promote the growth of each branch in the vine. The Father desires fruit that will bring Him glory! As Paul expounded: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

The question arises: “How do we abide in Jesus? How do we continue to remain in His presence? Well, Jesus Himself provides the answer:

John 14:15-18 (NKJV)

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter), that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:23-24 (NKJV)

If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

Notice there are branches (plural) in the Vine. All the branches are interconnected to the same life-giving source. Yes, all are dependent upon Jesus to give them true life in Him and with one another.  Indeed, we see John reinforcing this truth:

1 John 3:23-24 (NKJV)

And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

My friends, to have a meaningful, purposeful life, we must abide in Jesus. And the grace of abiding in Him requires obedience to His commandment – to love one another as He has loved us.  I will leave us with this thought: Abiding Through Love

1 John 4:12-16 (NKJV)

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

It is my prayer this mediation will encourage you … in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

Grieve…

Grieve…

He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so, He became their Savior. In all their distress He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and mercy, He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. Yet, they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them. (Isaiah 63:8-10)

Our verse provides a woeful commentary on the unfaithfulness of God’s chosen people. Of His treasured possession, God said: “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me.”  God had wrought His salvation as He parted the Red Sea before their eyes.  He redeemed them from the slavery and oppression of Egypt. He carried them and provided for them through the wilderness journey. Yet, all the while, they rebelled against their Savior and Redeemer; and in doing so … grieved His Holy Spirit! Even after Jesus was sent from heaven to seek and to save the lost sheep of Israel (Cf. Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24; Luke 19:10), He grieved over the unwillingness of His own to recognize the presence of God in their midst. (Cf. Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34)

To grieve is to suffer deep sorrow or feel great anguish or distress such as when a loved one dies. So, when we grieve someone, we afflict them with deep sadness, agony, heartache, and pain. This describes what Holy Spirit feels when a child of God transgresses the will of God or walks in willful rebellion.  Notice I said, a child of God … one who has been born of God.

John 1:10-13 (NKJV)

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

My friends, how unthinkable it is for the children of God, the Body of Christ, to grieve His Holy Spirit! We are children who should be true to Him! He redeemed us by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus … the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world! He has carried us in His unfailing love and mercy! Shall we continue to resist the will of our Savior – who called us to a holy life? O saints, “Do not quench the Spirit!” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) For we are commanded to love another just as Jesus loved us! (John 15:12) Indeed, it is in this context that Paul exhorts us: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the Day of Redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30) 

Have a Blessed Day!

Body…

Body…

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the Body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles (Greeks), some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit; and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NLT)

The Apostle Paul was quite eloquent with the metaphors he used to teach us about the relationship of believers with our Lord Jesus Christ.  In Ephesians, he presented the covenant of marriage as a representation of the intimacy between Christ and His Church. Wives are to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord Jesus.  And husbands are to love and care for their wives as Christ loves and cares for His Church. Paul will even describe the Church as the Body of Christ and asserts that we are members of His Body. (Ephesians 5:21-33)  In this context, we are to submit to another out of reverence for Christ.

Romans 12:3-8 (NIV)

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. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 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; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 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.

Indeed, Paul desired to bring order and unity to the community of believers in Corinth; and he assured them that God has placed each member in the Body (Church) just as HE wanted them to be. Further, Paul taught that God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have equal concern for each other. He wrote: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you ARE the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 12:18-27)

It is my prayer that the Body of Christ will endeavor to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God; becoming mature and attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Have a Blessed Day!