Where Is Your Heart?

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

As I thought about our Verse of the Day, and its challenge for us to have a more eternal perspective on life, I think the wisdom and application we might gain from Jesus can be summed up in a word: TRUST. Jesus wants our faith in Him to be genuine … to be honest and sincere. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1) Therefore, when we are confident in His provision of all that we need to sustain us, this mindset expresses our trust in Him and not in ourselves or our abilities. Let’s look at the passage in the broader context of His “Sermon on the Mount”:

Matthew 6:19-34 (NIV) – (See also Luke 12:22-34)

¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²²“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your (spiritual) eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if your (spiritual) eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness (spiritual blindness), how great is that darkness! ²⁴“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life (or a single cubit to your height)? ²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For unbelievers run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The inspired writer of the Book of Hebrews encourages us as well to remember these promises of God to His people:

Hebrews 13:5-8 (NIV)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Citing Deuteronomy 31:6) So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Citing Psalm 118:7) Remember your leaders, who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

When we worry or fret about things beyond our control … when we look at our temporal circumstances more than we look to our eternal Savior, it reflects something about the depth of our faith. I believe Jesus is teaching us that we need to hold onto Him more than we hold onto our abilities. We need to trust Him above all else, and our trust can be seen in where we place our attention. Sometimes our attitudes toward money can undermine our faith. Paul observed this issue of the human heart and wrote: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (Cf. 1 Timothy 6:10)

John understood the lessons that Jesus taught, and he likewise admonished us to place our complete trust in the One who created: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (Cf. 1 John 2:15-17) And James shared these sharp words with us: “You unfaithful 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.” (Cf. James 4:4)

My friends, as we walk forward in faith in 2023, I encourage all of us to do a heart check with regard to our attitudes about money. Jesus said, “Where your treasure IS, there your heart will be also.” And He illustrated His point using parables like: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” (Cf. Matthew 13:44-46) What an awesome word pictures for us to consider! Paul encouraged Timothy to address this issue when he wrote: “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. (Cf. 1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Lord Jesus, I pray that you would give each of us wisdom and perspective on what to value most in our lives. Open our spiritual eyes to see that our attitudes about money truly reflect on our faith in you, and therefore, our love for you! Help us to understand that you are to be treasured above all else … that our lives are to serve you with ALL that you have given us. Remind us as you did our ancestors, to realize that it is You who gives us the ability to produce wealth … the power to be successful. (Cf. Deuteronomy 8:18) Yes, we are to be faithful with what you have entrusted to us. And I pray that we would honor you and trust you … and be faithful to you as you have been faithful to us. In your Glorious Name I pray! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” ~ Luke 16:10-13

Set Your Hope on Jesus…

1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming.

Our Verse of the Day comes from quite an interesting passage. Let’s put it in the context:

1 Peter 1:3-16 (NIV)

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. ¹³Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Citing Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2)

What a profound statement of theology that Peter has presented here. I see several key points in this passage; and I think the best approach is to simply outline those points for us to consider:

1. First of all, praise is to be given to God the Father! Indeed, we should always come before the Father in reverence and honor and adoration – to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth! (Cf. John 4:24)

2. His mercy has afforded us a new birth. (Cf. John 3:3)

3. The result of this new birth is a living hope … brought into existence through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (Cf. 1 Timothy 4:9-10)

4. This new birth provides us access to an inheritance that is everlasting and reserved in heaven for believers. (Cf. Ephesians 1:13-14, 18-19)

5. Our faith in Jesus Christ is protected by the power of God until that salvation is ultimately revealed. (Cf. Colossians 1:11-12; Ephesians 4:30)

6. This is cause for great rejoicing even though we are afflicted with the trials and tribulations of the world. (Cf. James 1:2-3)

7. But God allows challenges and hardships to shape us … to prove the authenticity of our faith toward Him. (Cf. James 1:12; Hebrews 10:22-23)

8. Your genuine faith will be rewarded at the time of His revelation. (Cf. Hebrews 10:35)

9. Though we have not physically seen Jesus, the Son of Man, we are convinced of His Being and presence in the Spirit. (Cf. John 16:28)

10. This “knowing” Jesus through faith … abiding in His Presence … fills us with a joy unspeakable that is filled by His glory. (Cf. John 16:19-22; John 17:13)

11. You experience this joy because faith in Jesus Christ will be rewarded with the salvation of your soul. (Cf. Isaiah 25:9; 61:10)

12. This salvation through the Messiah was prophesied by holy men of old … prophets who foretold the sufferings of the Messiah and His resurrection. (Cf. Hebrews 1:1; 2 Peter 1:21)

13. They prophesied by the Spirit of God for the benefit of those who would live after them.

14. The prophesies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ … of which the Apostles (anointed by the Holy Spirit) have fully preached to us. (Cf. Acts 8:40; Acts 14:6-7, 20-21; Acts 26:19-20; Romans 15:19-20; 2 Timothy 4:17)

15. In this context, we are admonished to pay attention to the Word of God … to respond to it … and to set our hope on it. (Cf. Colossians 1:3-6)

16. Therefore, faith in Jesus Christ will give birth to a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17)

17. The new creation … the new being … will no longer continue in the evil desires and old behaviors of a sinful person. (Cf. Romans 6:12; Colossians 3:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 Peter 1:4)

18. And such were all of us at one point in our lives. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Cf. Romans 3:23; 1 Corinthians 6:11: Ephesians 4:24)

19. Since we have been created in Christ Jesus (Cf. Ephesians 2:10), we are called to be holy people … set apart for the work of God.

20. Holiness, or sanctification by the Spirit, is a process … that will lead us into greater intimacy with Christ. (Cf. John 15:1-12)

Well, I hope this little breakdown of the passage will help you think through all that Peter is sharing with us. His theology and admonition are wonderful; and his message is corroborated by the writings of other apostles as the references (links) were provided to show. In light of the prayer and fasting we have undertaken to focus on and exercise self-discipline, I think this call to holiness is quite timely. I pray that each of us will seek greater intimacy with Christ with minds that are prepared for action and exercise self-control; setting our hope fully on the gracious salvation we will receive when Christ Jesus is revealed at His Coming. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in Him. And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. ~ 1 John 2:27-28

I Will Come Back…

John 14:1-3 (NIV)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

We have been celebrating the First Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ; and now our Verse of the Day leading us and stirring our hearts toward His Second Coming! What a great affirmation of the hope to prepare our hearts for the New Year! It is the promise of the Lord Jesus to prepare a place for us … reserved in heaven … and then return to “take” us to be with Him. Notice His affirmative statement: “I will come back and take you….” This is not some empty promise. It is intentional in every aspect. We do not know when that day or hour will come. (Cf. Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32) But we do know for certain that it will happen! For “God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? (Cf. Numbers 23:19)

Jesus said He is going to His Father’s House to prepare a place for us there. That it an interesting statement in itself. What does Jesus intend to prepare? Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. (Cf. John 1:3) For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Cf. Colossians 1:16) Yet, the One who created all things said He needs to go and prepare a place for us BEFORE He returns to “take” us there. Fascinating! The possibilities of what Jesus is doing … of what He is preparing … are beyond the imagination. Yet, what we do know is that He made a promise to come back … to return and to take us to where He dwells so that we can be with Him. As Gabriel, the angelic messenger declared to Mary: “No word from God will ever fail.” (Cf. Luke 1:37)

I believe the Second Coming of Jesus is what should be capturing our hearts now. His promised return is what should be motivating our own preparation and sanctification for that moment. His declaration here should be enough to convince our hearts – IT WILL HAPPEN! And I believe the Apostle Paul was quite confident when he wrote: “I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. (Cf. Corinthians 15:50-53)

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Faith does not doubt or fear. Faith is confidence in what we hope for, the assurance of what we do not see. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1) And He foretold us signs that would appear as the day approaches. He said, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Cf. Luke 21:28) The NKJV translates it – “look up and lift your heads….” I like that imagery because it reminds me some other passages of Scripture:

Acts 1:6-11 (NIV)

⁶Then they gathered around Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. ¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Revelation 1:7-8 (NIV)

⁷“Look, He is coming with the clouds,” (Cf. Daniel 7:13) and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.” (Cf. Zechariah 12:10) So shall it be! Amen. ⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Yes, there is a hope! There is a promise! Jesus said, that He would come and take us to be where He is … to a new place … to an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven! And we would be wise to lift our heads every day in anticipation of His coming. Yes, this is a time for us to deeply consider the reality of His Second Coming! So, I will close with the Epilogue of The Revelation for us:

Revelation 22:12-20 (NIV)

¹²“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. ¹⁴“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. ¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” ¹⁷The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. ¹⁸I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. ¹⁹And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. ²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

A Changed Faith…

Luke 1:68-70 (NIV)

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago)

As part of the Christmas story … we have the parallel narrative surrounding the birth of John the Baptist, who would be the forerunner to announce the coming of the Messiah to Israel. He would be known as the herald, a prophet of the Most-High God; the one who would announce Jesus as the Messiah … the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world … at the appointed time. So, I think we need to review the birth of John the Baptist, and the prophetic word spoken over him by his father, Zechariah. Our Verse of the Day is the beginning excerpt of that longer “Song of Zechariah.”

Luke 1:57-80 (NIV)

⁵⁷When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. ⁵⁹On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” ⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” ⁶²Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

⁶⁷His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ⁶⁸“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them. ⁶⁹He has raised up a horn (symbolizes a strong king) of salvation for us in the house of His servant David ⁷⁰(as He said through His holy prophets of long ago), ⁷¹salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— ⁷²to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember His holy covenant, ⁷³the oath He swore to our father Abraham: ⁷⁴to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear ⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. ⁷⁶And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, ⁷⁷to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, ⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven ⁷⁹to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” ⁸⁰And the child grew and became strong in the Spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

This is an incredible prophetic word from the father of John the Baptist at the time of his birth. Not only did Zechariah declare the role of his son to be the forerunner to announce the coming Messiah (Anointed One) and His role to effectuate salvation for the Jewish people, he proclaimed the covenantal prophesies that would be fulfilled in the Messiah. This is a portion of New Testament scripture that we do not want to miss or overlook. The Christmas narrative as well as the foundations of the message of Christ (how we come to faith) are being laid here in the Gospel record. It is important for us to see the covenant promises of God as they advance between Abraham and King David and the coming Messiah. The role of John the Baptist is to “prepare the way (for the coming) of the Lord” – as prophesied in Isaiah 40. Remember, there is a multitude of prophesies converging on the Advent of Jesus Christ; and John the Baptist was ordained by God to open of hearts of people to the coming reality. John initiated a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus. (Cf. Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; Acts 13:24; and Acts 19:4)

What is our takeaway? I see the application in this: There is a Second Advent foretold … the Second Coming of Jesus! Daniel prophesied: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Cf. Daniel 7:13-14) And the Gospel writers affirmed that when Jesus spoke about the “end times,” He declared: “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Cf. Matthew 24:30-31; Mark 13:26-27; Luke 21:27-28) In the Gospel of John, Jesus said He would go and prepare a place for us; and He promised to come back and take us to be with Him so that we might be where He is. (Cf. John 13:2-3) And Peter asserts: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise (to return), as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (Cf. 2 Peter 3:9)

And therein lies the application. The time is growing short and the final curtain call is being drawn. The Lord Jesus wants everyone to come to repentance! Yes, whosoever will must ready themselves for the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory! And so, we the Church, have a role to play just as John the Baptist did at the First Advent. Our role is to “prepare the way (for the coming) of the Lord!” We must urge those who do not know Jesus that the hour of repentance is now! He Is Coming Soon! It is time for the Prodigal to repent and return to the Lord. It is time for the Remnant Church to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people! (Cf. Jude 1:5) The TRUTH has drawn a line in the sand. It divides and separates light from darkness! The LIGHT has already come! His name is Jesus! Yes, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Cf. John 1:3) When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Cf. John 8:12) And, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Cf. John 12:46)

As believers, we have a mandate to enter the time of harvest. (Cf. Luke 10:2) And just as Paul testified before King Agrippa, so we must fulfill our role as the Church … as servants who follow Jesus … to go where Jesus is. (Cf. John 12:25-26) Even now, I hear these same words resonate in my spirit: “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to themto open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Cf. Acts 26:16-18)

O Church, do you not know that we have been given a SECOND CHANCE to be HIS Church? Indeed, this is our assignment for this time … for this generation … to prepare this people for His coming … to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. How I pray we will use every opportunity we have been given to “prepare the way of the Lord” for His Coming! Let us, our generation, now be the voice of one crying out in the wilderness of this culture. Yes, I pray that we will not fear but will be bold and courageous for such a time as this…. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

A Changed Decision…

Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV)

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”

As we look at the various pieces of the Advent puzzle, I continue to see applications that I did not really notice before … though I have read the stories many times. Our Verse of the Day is one of them that impressed me with a thought I would like to share, but I will broaden the passage a little more:

Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the Law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. ²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” ²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Cf. Isaiah 7:14) ²⁴When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.

The Apostle Matthew gives us a glimpse into the human dynamics of what was taking place as God prepared to send His Son into the world … to be the Savior of the world. We can only imagine what was going through Joseph’s mind when Mary broke the news to him about the supernatural visit from the angel, Gabriel, and his explanation of what was taking place and why. It seems too improbable; yes, unbelievable; and in the moment, I would assume heartbreaking for Joseph. Still, there is something about the character and innocence of Mary that raised questions. Joseph knew her heart and the strength of her faith in God. Was Mary telling the truth? Had she indeed found favor with God? But … this is not the way things were supposed to be….

As Joseph ponders … as he prays and seeks God for answers … as his tears and heartache overwhelm his soul, Joseph determines that he must separate from Mary and divorce her. Yet, because he loves her so deeply, he feels compelled to do so in a private manner. He does not want to ridicule her or expose her to public stoning for the offense of adultery. Joseph asks again, “Why has this happened?” This is not the way things were supposed to be…. But after he had considered this decision, Joseph is encountered by the Lord as well. In dream, he received the revelation needed to resolve the conflict within. At the right time … God’s time … through prayer and patience, Joseph was given insight and knowledge that would lead to a better course of action. He DID what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

What I see as an application here is the need to be prayerful and patient when we are confronted with life-changing decisions to make. Whether it is a decision concerning a relationship, a vocation, a location, or an inner temptation; we are advised to seek the face and the heart of God the Father AND to not be impulsive in our reactions to what has given rise to the need for major decision-making in our lives. Too often we can let our emotions in those circumstances “incite” us to make impulsive decisions that could ultimately lead us in a direction away from God’s will. Think about the choice Joseph considered. What if he, in a rage of jealousy, had marched Mary up to the public square and told the townspeople that she had committed adultery and cast the first stone is accordance with the Law? How would history have been impacted by that decision? Go back even further. What if Eve had not opened the door of the knowledge of good and evil? What if Adam had exercised obedience and prevented Eve from doing so? Indeed, decisions have consequences! So, it is imperative that we spend time in fasting and prayer; that we stay spiritually prepared; that we patiently access the necessary information to formulate a response, BEFORE we make decisions that could have unanticipated long-term consequences….

So, I pray that we would heed the Word of God, its instruction and the examples it affords us to make wiser decisions for our lives. Let us remember that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Cf. Proverbs 9:10) And Lord, if we lack wisdom, give us courage to ask you. For your Word says that if any of us lacks wisdom, we should ask You because you will give it generously to all without finding fault. (Cf. James 1:5) I pray, even as Paul prayed, asking that You, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glorious Father, would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that we may know Him better. (Cf. Ephesians 1:17) Yes, I continually ask God to fill each of us with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. (Cf. Colossians 1:9) May we ever be prayerful and patient as we seek your face and embrace your heart to do your will through every choice and decision that we make in our lives. Indeed, I pray that we will be as Mary and Joseph … wholly surrendered to Your plans and promises for our lives. In Jesus’ Name … the Name the angel told Mary and Joseph to give our Lord and Savior … I pray. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The Set Time…

Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

But when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

Our Verse of the Day is connected with the Advent because it affirms for us the “waiting” for the Messiah was over! The set time for God to send His Son to the earth had arrived under the circumstances and for the purpose that God had already ordained from the beginning. And that purpose was for us to “receive adoption” in order to become “children of God.” The Apostle John affirmed this purpose when he wrote:

John 1:9-13 (NIV)

⁹The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. ¹¹He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— ¹³children 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 … our right to receive adoption … comes only through faith in the life and finished work of Jesus Christ. Jesus purchased our adoption with His own blood. And the Apostle Paul speaks to this theological concept in further detail:

Romans 8:14-16 (NIV)

¹⁴For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Romans 8:22-23 (NIV)

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

Ephesians 1:3-8a (NIV)

³Praise 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. ⁴For He (God) chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love ⁵God predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. ⁷In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that He lavished on us.

The concept of “adoption to sonship” – from the Greek word used here – is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. Thus, the additional theological concepts of “heirs” and “inheritance” stem from this “adoption to sonship” as Paul has conveyed it to us. Paul wrote, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (Cf. Romans 8:17) And, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Cf. Galatians 3:29) And if we continued reading through the opening chapter of his Letter to the Ephesians, we will find this assertion from Paul:

Ephesians 1:11-14 (NIV)

¹¹In Him (Jesus) we were also made heirs, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

So, I pray that we will understand that our right to become children of God, our adoption and inheritance, is through faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone. And we could not have come to faith in Jesus if He had not been sent to this world. God the Father chose for His Son to be born … born of a woman … born under the law … to redeem those under the law … so that we might receive adoption to sonship. Praise God for His kindness and lavish grace! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I AM the Vine…

John 15:5,8 (NIV)

“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. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Our Verse of the Day provides one more “I AM” declaration to us to ponder: I AM the Vine! It is a great metaphor to communicate to us our absolute dependence upon Jesus for life itself! What Jesus is teaching is that we are simply branches … an extension of Him who is the root … the foundation … the core being of the vine that God (the sole Gardener) planted for Himself. Branches do not sustain the root or the structure of the plant; rather, they are an expression of the internal seed … of its DNA if you will. Branches arise out of the vine … extend its breadth and height … and provide positions where fruit can be formed and harvested. Indeed, a grapevine is the perfect picture of our relationship with Christ Jesus and reflects how we are to abide and function through that relationship….

John 15:1-12 (NIV)

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

I see some key concepts for us to consider from this teaching. One is that we must abide or remain in Jesus. We must live in Him and He in us through His Spirit. And how do we know if He is living in us? We will be bearing fruit … much fruit. If you or I are not bearing the fruit of His Spirit … I believe it can be concluded that we are not abiding in Him. Fruit bearing is not a decision or an option; rather, righteousness and bearing fruit is the outcome of abiding in Jesus. We cannot help but bear the fruit of the Spirit in and through our lives when we abide in Jesus and He in us. As Paul in his experience affirmed: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Cf. Romans 8:9) Just as Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

So, what is the fruit of the Spirit we will bear as branches of the vine? Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 the following: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (longsuffering), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” And though this fruit will be manifested in different varieties, each unique fruit derives its expression from its seed which bears the image of Christ Jesus. The Apostle John exhorted: “We know that we have come to know Him if we keep His commands. Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. (Cf. 1 John 2:3-6)

Question? Do we live as Jesus did? Well, if we obey His Word and abide in Him, we are empowered to do so. The Apostle Peter affirmed: “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.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) And to receive that divine power (the Holy Spirit), we must come to Jesus and abide in Him … in order to bear much fruit as He appointed us to do … as we were created in Him to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Remember, it is for the Father’s glory that we bear much fruit and show ourselves to be disciples of Christ. So, let each of us take delight in being a branch in the vine! You and I are in ordained positions to be nurtured and nourished … to grow and spread out … and to bear fruit!

Another thought that came to mind is that these I AM claims reveal an emphasis that I had not really considered; namely, each I AM statement requires an interactive response on our part. Let me explain. Here Jesus chooses the metaphor of a vine. He is the “true” vine and we are the branches. There is a connection … an intimate relationship between us. What is the invitation or response? Abiding – in order to bear fruit. We cannot produce any fruit except that we abide in Him. It provides great word imagery; and I thought that perhaps I should apply this same idea to the other “I AM” declarations we have studied.

For example, John 6:35 reads: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.” What is the invitation or response? Eating – in order to be filled! For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. In John 6:51, Jesus stated, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world.” What is the invitation or response? Following – in order to leave the darkness! In John 8:12 we read: When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Jesus declared, “I am the gate.” What is the invitation or response? Entering – in order to receive salvation. In John 10:9 we read: I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Jesus declared, “I am the Good Shepherd.” What is the invitation or response? Knowing – in order to hear HIS voice. In John 10:14-15 we read: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.” What is the invitation or response? Believing – in order to experience eternal life! In John 11:25-26 we read: “Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

I believe you get the point. And I am excited that these patterns were shown to me in my study. I encourage you to consider each “I AM” claim Jesus made and to consider your own personal response in order for His declarations to have application for your life. Can you anticipate a response for “I AM the way and the truth and the life?” (Cf. John 14:6) What is the invitation or response? And what about “I AM the Alpha and the Omega?” (Cf. Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13) What is the invitation or response? Indeed, I believe you will find this exercise both enlightening and faith building…. If you have the time, please send me your responses to the study exercise. I would be interested in your thoughts….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life…

John 14:6 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Our Verse of the Day provides another “I AM” claim of Jesus. And, perhaps, this one is the most controversial for our culture given the “exclusive” content and tone – Jesus IS the only path to the one true God! This same TRUTH is reflected in all of the other I AM statements we have studied the past few days. In our world, there continues to be division among people of different religions and faiths. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and the myriad of other belief systems all claim to be enlightened and serve to connect individuals with their God or gods. And this division is not to be unexpected. Consider what Jesus taught His disciples:

Matthew 10:34-39 (NIV)

³⁴“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— ³⁶a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ (Citing Micah 7:6) ³⁷“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Luke 12:51-53 (NIV)

⁵¹Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵²From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

What is the division that Jesus came to accomplish? Is it not the separation between light and darkness … truth and falsehood … believer and unbeliever … sheep and goats? In our Verse of the Day, Jesus declared exclusivity! Read it again. Jesus claimed, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And that is the line drawn in the sand! A person either places their faith in Jesus and the atonement He offered on their behalf, or they have rejected the will of the Father. Jesus said that He is the only way to receive reconciliation with the Father … to receive salvation. As Peter preached, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, “Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. (Citing Psalm 118:22) Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Cf. Acts 4:11-12)

This is why we celebrate the birth of Jesus and His coming into the world. This is why we share the Good News … the Gospel of Christ Jesus … that He was SENT by the Father. This is also why Christians are maligned because of their perceived “narrow-minded” conviction. Christians are not seen as being inclusive of other beliefs and faiths … but neither was Jesus! Jesus declared, “I and the Father are one.” (Cf. John 10:30) He told Phillip and the disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Cf. John 14:9) And, “If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. (Cf. John 15:24) No, according to Jesus, a person cannot enter into fellowship with God the Father except through Him … through the mediation of the New Covenant in His blood as a covering of atonement for our transgressions and sin. The holiness of God requires it. And I believe Jesus’ resurrection confirms the veracity of His exclusive claim; and the Holy Spirit affirms it as well. (Cf. John 15:26)

So, what does this mean? What is the application? Well, believers are in the world for the purpose of testifying the truth and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is clear we are commissioned and empowered as believers to do so. But we are to be wise in the way we act toward unbelievers; making the most of every opportunity … letting our conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that we may know how to answer everyone. (Cf. Colossians 4:5-6) Yes, we are to speak the truth in love … so as to grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” (Cf. Ephesian 4:15) At the end of the day, all we can do is share the truth with others. Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Cf. Romans 10:17) And this will continue to be a tremendous spiritual battle because “the god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4)

Even though Jesus said that He came to bring division … to separate believers from unbelievers … He did teach and does expect unity among believers. Consider what Jesus prayed:

John 17:14-23 (NIV)

“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is Truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. ²⁰“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Our unity, our love for one another as we have been loved, is essential to the message we proclaim to the world. The purpose is for the world to know that God the Father sent Jesus His Son into the world … to rescue, redeem, reconcile, restore, and resurrect the souls of people. He came to give us the light of life … true life … abundant life … eternal life. And so, I pray we will be faithful stewards of His Word and gift of faith through grace. I pray that we will be ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. Yes, let us implore others on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I AM the Resurrection…

John 11:25 (NIV)

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…

Most of us are familiar with the story that underlies our Verse of the Day. The circumstance is Jesus raising (resurrecting) his friend Lazarus from death. But before this miraculous event, Jesus has a conversation with Martha, a sister of Lazarus, where He discloses another “I AM” claim regarding His identity. Let’s read the passage for context:

John 11:11-27; 38-44 (NIV)

¹¹After Jesus had said this, He went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” ¹²His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” ¹³Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. ¹⁴So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, ¹⁵and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” ¹⁶Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” ¹⁷On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁹and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. ²¹“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²²But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” ²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹“Take away the stone,” He said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” ⁴⁰Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

Who has ever witnessed a person who was dead for four days being brought back to life? It is unthinkable … incomprehensible! And yet, this is the eyewitness account John has declared to us. Lazarus was restored to life in front of a crowd of people. The unbelievable happened right in front of their eyes. Can you imagine? What would you or I have thought in that moment? Would we have bowed down at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him on the spot? Would we conclude in our hearts and minds that God sent Him? Should our reaction be any different when we see the supernatural occur before our eyes even now in our generation? What did Jesus tell Martha? He said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

And equally unimaginable is the response of the religious rulers upon hearing of this supernatural power of God being exercised through Jesus. John 11:53 bluntly states: “They plotted to kill Him.” Seriously? And their rationale? “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” (Cf. John 11:47-48) Really? They were more concerned about preserving their religious tradition and their personal glory than experiencing the power and love of God in their lives and His glory?

Yet, I have seen this same rationale … this same phenomenon in the Church today. I see the manifestations and work of the Holy Spirit being suppressed by many of the religious leaders within the modern Church … especially here in America. There are some who assert that the signs of the Holy Spirit and supernatural works ended with the Apostles. Yet, how can that be? Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Cf. Hebrews 13:8) Jesus is still performing miracles before our very eyes. Jesus is still raising the dead to new life. He is still healing the sick, comforting the broken hearted, and setting the captive free. There are thousands upon thousands of testimonies to these wonders throughout the world!

Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world so that we might believe in Him; the Holy Spirit was sent in His Name to indwell believers so that we might be empowered to continue His work and to bring glory to the Father. Before His ascension into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Cf. Acts 1:8) Paul affirmed: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-disciple.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) Jesus declared, “Abide in me, as I also abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must abide in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (Cf. John 15:4-5) And Paul affirmed, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Cf. Romans 8:9b)

Oh, how I pray in these last days that the Church will awaken to these truths! Jesus Christ is risen! He is seated at the right hand of God! (Cf. Luke 22:69; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1) Indeed, our Lord Jesus gave His disciples power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. (Cf. Luke 9:1-2) After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place where He was about to go. And Jesus said: “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects Him who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Cf. Luke 10:1; 16-20)

Some of the ancient manuscripts have this ending passage from the Gospel of Mark:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Cf. Mark 16:15-20)

Well, I will close with the same question that Jesus asked Martha. “Do you believe this?” Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? Do you believe that Jesus continues to perform His supernatural work today so that people will believe the Father who sent Him? I am convinced that He still does! My own life is a testimony of the One called me out of darkness into light … who performed miracles of deliverance, healing, and salvation within me. Yes, let us celebrate and rejoice in the author and the redeemer of life. “I AM the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Cf. Revelation 1:8)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I AM the Bread of Life…

John 6:35 (NIV)

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

As I read our Verse of the Day I thought about “fullness”. I pondered the metaphor Jesus used here: “bread of life”. What did He mean? In the physical, bread represents food … life sustaining nourishment for our bodies. Without bread (food) we would perish. The same principle would apply for water. Without a continuous supply of water, we would perish as well. And so, we find in this passage, the spiritual application that Jesus wanted to bring to our attention. Without spiritual food and drink, our souls cannot be sustained. And that spiritual bread and water is Jesus Himself! Let’s look at the entire context in which Jesus uses this “I AM” statement to declare His identity to the world:

John 6:25-65 (NIV)

²⁵When they found Him on the other side of the lake, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” ²⁶Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.” ²⁸Then they asked Him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” ²⁹Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.” ³⁰So they asked Him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

³²Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ³⁴“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” ³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴²They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?” ⁴³“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ (Quoting Isaiah 54:13) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to me. ⁴⁶No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. ⁵⁰But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

⁵²Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

⁶⁰On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” ⁶¹Aware that His disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before! ⁶³The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. ⁶⁴Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

Upon reflection, we see a deep spiritual truth being taught here. Jesus connects our life-sustaining physical needs with our life-preserving spiritual needs. In essence, Jesus indicates that we have no true life within us apart from Him. Unless we are consumed and filled with Him, we will ultimately wither and have no fullness of life. Jesus is our life-empowering source – both for spiritual life as well as physical life. Jesus proclaimed Himself to be “the bread that comes down from heaven.” This bread gives true life! It is all-sustaining and gives us power for life! And this bread is the Word of God … the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us! He spoke the very words given to Him by God the Father … and those words lead to eternal life. Jesus bids us: come to His table … you shall be satisfied and thirst no more!

I believe if we want to have fullness in our lives, we must remain in the source of fullness. If we never want to hunger or thirst for true life, we must come to Jesus and remain in Him. Jesus used another “I AM” metaphor to describe our need to abide in Him. He said, “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.” (Cf. John 15:5) Indeed, that is the message for us today. Jesus wants us to know that He alone is our fullness … our sustainer of life … both physical and spiritual. Jesus wants us to feed on Him daily so that we have all we need to enjoy true life as He designed it for us. May His name be ever praised … may the fruit of our lives ever bring Him glory! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Luke 4:1-4 (NIV)

¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. ³The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (NIV)

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. ²Remember 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. ³He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.