Obey My Teaching…

John 14:23-24 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Our verse has prompted me to revisit the theme of teaching and discipling. Discipling is the process, through teaching and training, of making disciples or followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our verse today, we see Jesus equating our love for Him with the keeping of His teachings and commandments. And as I continue to ponder His Word, I’m not sure what other method or mechanism we have as believers to demonstrate our love for Him. It is the obedience that comes from faith (Cf. Romans 1:5; Romans 16:26) that expresses our sincere, heartfelt love for God. This is what Jesus has emphasized to us: “If you love me, keep my commands.” (Cf. John 14:15)

Throughout the theological history of the Jewish faith, keeping the commandments (teachings) of God has been essential to the covenant relationship God desires with His people. We find this especially developed in the Book of Deuteronomy. “Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 4:1) “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. (Cf. Deuteronomy 7:9) “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Cf. Deuteronomy 11:19) The themes of teaching and training … giving instruction for righteous living is inseparable from the giving of the Law. We were created in the image of God; and He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son! (Cf. Genesis 1:27; Romans 8:29)

You will find these themes in the Psalms written by David, and further expounded upon in the Proverbs taught by Solomon. Note the exhortations to observe and faithfully follow sound teaching:

Psalm 25:4-5 (NIV)

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. ⁵Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Psalm 119:66 (NIV)

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands.

Proverbs 3:1-2 (NIV)

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

Proverbs 6:20-21 (NIV)

My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.

Proverbs 7:1-3 (NIV)

My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

But another aspect of keeping the teachings of Christ in our hearts is sharing them with others. Knowing and understanding the Word of God, and its application to the obedience that comes from faith, is something that we have been commanded to share and teach as well. We studied this last week: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Cf. Matthew 28:18-20) And, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (Cf. John 15:20)

So, as we observe what has been happening in our world over the past several months, the call the teach, train, and disciple unbelievers is just as critical as it was in the apostolic period of early Christianity. We are seeing and experiencing a great spiritual awakening in this present generation … looking for a new apostolic age to emerge from the remnant Church that has been called forth in these latter days to reach the lost. Yes, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 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. (2 Peter 3:8-9) Stepping up and taking our place in His Body and exercising the spiritual gifts we have been given for the building of the Church is what the Spirit is leading and guiding us to do!

Paul, in his epistles, was quite adamant on the necessity of teaching and discipling those who come to faith in Jesus:

2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NIV)

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NIV)

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Titus 2:1-15 (NIV)

¹You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ²Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.³ Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.⁶Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. ⁹Teach slaves (employees) to be subject to their masters (employers) in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. ¹¹For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. ¹⁵These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

So what is the application for us? I think the message is straightforward: Observing … Keeping … Obeying … the teachings and commands of God is how we demonstrate our love for Him. To obey is better than sacrifice. (Cf. 1 Samuel 15:22) And we are to worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth. (Cf. John 4:24) The emphasis is on truth … to be genuine, honest, and sincere. Not only should we be transparent before God in our obedience to Him, the truth of our love should be readily apparent to others. Our light (our understanding of what Jesus taught us) should be evident before others, that they may see our good deeds (obedience of His commands) and glorify our Father in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 5:16) And we should be able to teach these things as well. As Paul taught, there are practical ways to live out the Gospel message and to walk in the obedience that comes from faith. And so, I pray that we will endeavor to not only be disciples but to disciple (teach) others as we have been commanded to do….

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

The Master Teacher…

Isaiah 48:17 (NIV)

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

I love this verse and the wisdom it imparts to us … the reminder we need each day of who God is and how He engages with us – His people:

Isaiah 48:16-19 (NIV)

¹⁶“Come near me and listen to this: “From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there.” And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, endowed with His Spirit. ¹⁷This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. ¹⁸If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. ¹⁹Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”

Our Father declares He is the Lord our God … our Redeemer and the Holy One! The Lord declares: “I AM HE; I AM the first and I AM the last. My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.” (Isaiah 48:12-13) We need to keep this perspective that God is indeed our Creator and our lives were created for HIS glory. As we come to understand that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), we see our lives are in desperate need of redemption. We realize our lives are in full need of correction … a great salvation that we cannot provide for ourselves. It requires a sovereign act of forgiveness that can only come from the One who created us … through whom we receive the gift of His Holy Spirit to indwell us.

And here is the message: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you … who directs you in the way you should go.” Do we heed His instructions? Do we walk in the direction He shows us? The Lord pleads with us – Keep My Commandments and your peace will be like a river … your well-being like the waves of the sea! What more could He say? What more should He say? The Covenant of Love … the New Covenant … are forged in the obedience of faith. So how does the relationship of discipleship with Christ work? Consider this one pivotal lesson Jesus taught through humble, personal demonstration:

John 13:12-14 (NIV) – At the Last Supper

¹²When Jesus had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. ¹³“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

Oh, that every person would look to Jesus … the Master Teacher … the Light of the World … the living, everlasting Word of God … to teach us what is best for us and to direct us in the Way we should go! What would be the outcome? Peace and well-being flowing like a river within us! What did Jesus say? “Whoever believe in me, as Scripture has said, river of living water will flow from within them.” The Master Teacher said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock.” (Cf. Matthew 7:24-25) And, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (Cf. John 14:26) Even now, I am reminded of what the Apostle John affirmed in this regard:

1 John 2:18-29 (NKJV)

¹⁸Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. ²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. ²¹I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. ²²Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. ²³Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. ²⁴Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. ²⁶These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. ²⁷But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. ²⁸And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. ²⁹If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 3:24 (NIV)

The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.

1 John 4:13 (NIV)

This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.

Yes, God has assured us that we can KNOW what is best for us and the direction we should go! We can know these things because He Himself teaches us these things through His Word by the Holy Spirit He has given us in Christ Jesus. Peter spoke to this when he 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 the inspired writer of the Book of Hebrews asserted: “For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) And Paul addressed discernment of spiritual knowledge as well:

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NIV)

¹⁰These are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. ¹⁴The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. ¹⁵The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?” (Quoting Isaiah 64:4) But we have the mind of Christ.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Filled With Love…

Psalm 119:64 (NIV)

The earth is filled with your love, Lord; teach me your decrees.

I appreciate this verse and its reminder today. When we see what is happening in the world, it is difficult to see how the earth is filled with His love. Yet, the love of God is ever-present if we would but look for it. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:11) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) All these verses declare the love of God for us … and we receive His love through Christ Jesus.

As the Body of Christ in this world … His love fills the earth through us! We must follow His command: “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) What a great challenge for us to fulfill! Yet, we are able. We are equipped. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7) And, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3) So I hope we will look at the work before us with confidence and zeal. God brought us into the world and saved us to serve for such a time as this! Let us be faithful to the call … aligned with His will! I pray you and I will be looking for our divine assignments each day to reveal the love of God with every person we encounter….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Peace Through Faith

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

If you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed with life or the distresses going on in the world right now, I encourage us as believers to keep perspective. God, the loving Father who created us, knows what is going on with His people. And He will cause all things to work for the good of those who love Him – who have been called according to His purpose. (Cf. Romans 8:28) And so, we need to trust in God … more than we trust in government or man-made systems to resolve our situations. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying in this regard. To be sure, God will use His people to address and engage in the suffering that occurs in our fallen world, but God’s people are aligned with God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven … and I believe that is the major difference. When we rely on God … when we take refuge in Him … when we trust Him for our needs … His supernatural power is released! Yes, the Spirit of God works in and through His people to accomplish His will….

1 Corinthians 12:4-12 (NIV)

⁴There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. ⁷Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as he determines.¹²Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Romans 12:3-18 (NIV)

³For 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. ⁴For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸if 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. ⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. ¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people who do more menial work. Do not be conceited. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

You see, living in this world is the will of God. And though it is fallen because of sin, God wants us here to achieve His purposes according to His own counsel and will. And I believe the greatest purpose our Father has in mind is relationship with the special creatures He made in His own image. All other creation was spoke into existence in the beginning. But God purposely “made” us from the dust of the earth. Our human existence is differential and intentional. As David reflected:

Psalm 139: 13-18 (NIV)

¹³For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, that I know that full well. ¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. ¹⁷How precious to me are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! ¹⁸Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

And so God invites us to trust Him. Because when we put our trust in Him, our minds become steadfast … we rely upon the truth of His Word. And we experience something great in our inner being. We call it “peace”. We call it “rest”. We call it assurance, confidence, and steadfastness. We call it “faith”! Indeed, Christ Jesus was sent to this world by the Father to bring us to faith … a saving faith … a serving faith. And this is what Jesus commanded, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Cf. John 13:34-35)

God is Love! Love is how God works! “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) And our work, our labor of love, is to serve as the Body of Christ in this world. Being Jesus to others is HOW God works all things for the good of those who love Him … for those who are called according to His purpose. We need not fear; rather, we need to be courageous in these times and days. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7) Let’s use these gifts to make a difference in our chaotic and fallen world! For God will keep us in perfect peace … complete peace … whose faith is fastened on Him….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Whoever Has Ears…

Revelation 3:14 (NIV)

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God.

We have a timely word for us this morning, and I want us to really consider all that has been said in this prophetic message to the Church in Laodicea. Before we begin, I think it might be interesting to have some geographical and historical information on Laodicea:

Laodicea was an ancient city located on the Lychus River in the Hellenistic regions of Caria and Lydia in Asia Minor (now modern-day Turkey). It was one of three cities in the Lychus River Valley (the other cities were Colossae and Hierapolis); and we know that churches were founded in each of these three cities, probably by Paul’s convert named Epaphras (Cf. Colossians 1:17; 4:12-13). It was founded by the Seleucid ruler, Antiochus II, who named it after his wife, Laodice, in 250 BC. In 188 BC, the city passed to the Kingdom of Pergamon. After 133 BC, it fell under the Roman Empire and later became the Roman Province of Phrygia. It was located on a major east/west trade route and noted as a banking center. The surrounding area was a fertile agricultural and pastoral region, especially suited for raising a special black sheep for which it became famous worldwide. It was Antiochus III who transported 2,000 Jewish families to Phrygia from Babylonia, so Laodicea had a very large Jewish population. It, like Pergamum, was a center for the worship of the healing god Asclepios. The city was the site of a medical school which was noted for its ear and eye salve.

With its large Jewish community, very early Laodicea became a seat of Christianity and a bishopric The Epistle to the Colossians mentions Laodicea as one of the communities of concern for the Apostle Paul. It sends greetings from a certain Epaphras from Colossae, who worked hard for the Christians of the three Phrygian cities of Colossae, Laodicea, and Hieropolis. Asking for greetings to be sent to the Laodicean Christians, Paul requests that his letter be read publicly at Laodicea (Cf. Colossians 4:16) and that another letter addressed to the Laodiceans (a lost epistle of Paul) be given a public reading at Colossae. Some Greek manuscripts of the First Epistle to Timothy end with the words: “Written at Laodicea, metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana”. So the historical and scriptural manuscript records confirm the existence of Laodicea, the church that was founded there, and give us additional context for the prophetic message to this church community found in the Revelation 3.

I do not pretend to be an eschatologist or a trained scholar of church history; but what I do contend is that the words in this passage from Revelation 3 reveal truth for us to consider in the light and context it has been presented to us by the Apostle John. As he instructed in another epistle: “I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 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.” (Cf. 1 John 2:26-27) And so I pray the anointing of the Holy Spirit will fill us with wisdom, discernment, truth, and understanding of what John has recorded in this revelation.

Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)

¹⁴“To the Angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

We have already learned about the historical church founded in Laodicea. What I simply wish to draw our attention to is the author of this passage: “These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS the “Amen.”

The word “Amen” is derived from the Hebrew word which means “certainty,” “truth,” and “verily”. “Amen” is often used at the end of a prayer to mean “so it is” or “so be it”. It is a declaration or affirmation of what has been spoken. So, I believe in this context the word can be understood as “truth”. These are the words of “The Truth”. Jesus claimed, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to Father except through me.” (Cf. John 14:6)

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS “The Faithful and True Witness”. This is understood and supported by the “testimony” Jesus gave of Himself:

John 5:36-38 (NIV)

³⁶“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. ³⁷And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, ³⁸nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent.

John 8:12-19 (NIV)

¹²When 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.” ¹³The Pharisees challenged Him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” ¹⁴Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. ¹⁶But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. ¹⁷In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. ¹⁸I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” ¹⁹Then they asked Him, “Where is your father”? “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

John 10:35-37 (NIV)

³⁵If He called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶what about the One whom the Father set apart (sanctified) as His very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.

John 12:48-50 (NIV)

⁴⁸There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ⁴⁹For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

¹ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. ³The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

These are the words of Christ Jesus who IS “the Ruler of God’s Creation”. The NKJV translates this sentence: “the Beginning of the Creation of God”.

Genesis 1:1 (NIV)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1-3 (NIV)

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.

So we find in this list of “attributes” a clear description of the Lord Jesus Christ as the author of the words and the message being communicated through the Apostle John to the Seven Churches – and specifically to the church at Laodicea. He is the Truth … He is the Faithful Witness … and He has power and authority over all creation. This means Jesus is sovereign over us! So now, let’s look deeper into the message:

¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Here we understand the omniscience of Christ … “I know your deeds.” And Jesus describes their state of ministry as neither cold nor hot … but lukewarm. It is probable that there is no “love one another as I have loved you” going on with the people in this church. To me, it is clear that Jesus is referring to their works … their ministry; and His displeasure with them is quite evident from the tone. The language used is the Jesus would “vomit” them out of His mouth. The metaphor indicates that lukewarm, apathetic, indifferent followers make Jesus sick to His stomach. If you and I are not “on fire” for Christ and being witnesses of the Gospel in both word and deed, this warning of “rejection” should catch our attention for sure….

¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

As we discovered in our background above, this could be an allusion to Laodicea as a center of banking; a center for black wool; and a medical center for eye salve. The tragedy of their prosperity was that they thought they had so much when, in reality, they had so little in terms of the true riches of Christ (Cf. Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27; Colossians 2:2). The same judgment was made of the Church in Sardis when Jesus admonished: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ²Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.” (Cf. Revelation 3:1-2) Again, the issue is dead or nonexistent works (deeds); works that are unfinished and should be fulfilled.

¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

This is an interesting statement: “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire….” The metaphor may be an allusion to Isaiah 55:1-3, and it brings to mind another passage as well:

Isaiah 55:1-3 (NIV)

¹ “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. ²Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. ³Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (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 (all kinds of trials) 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.

Perhaps, the gold refined in fire is FAITH…. And to possess faith in Jesus Christ is to possess the true riches. I am reminded of the counsel Jesus had already given through His teachings:

Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

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.

Matthew 13:22 (NIV) – From the Parable of the Sower

²²Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Luke 16:10-12 (NIV)

¹⁰“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ¹¹So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? ¹²And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

James 2:5 (NIV)

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

Jesus counseled them to “buy from me white clothes to wear so you can cover your shameful wickedness”.

Revelation 19:6-8 (NIV)

⁶Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. ⁷Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride (the Church) has made herself ready.8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Revelation 19:11-8 (NIV)

¹¹I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. ¹²His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his Head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. ¹⁴The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Cf. Psalm 2:9) He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Jesus counseled them to “buy from me salve to put on your eyes, so you can see”.

Psalm 146:6-8 (NIV)

⁶He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— He remains faithful forever. ⁷He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

Isaiah 42:16 (NIV)

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Mark 10:51-52 (NIV)

⁵¹“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” ⁵²“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

John 9:24-25 (NIV)

²⁴A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He replied, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

John 9:39-41 (NIV)

³⁹Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” ⁴⁰Some Pharisees who were with Him heard Him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” ⁴¹Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Jesus counseled His Church to examine themselves and to consider their lack of fruitfulness. Though members of His Body, deception of their true spiritual condition had drawn them into idleness, indifference, and attachments of darkness. The shame of nakedness (the sinful human nature) refers to our spiritual poverty and defeat. But Jesus wants His people to be victorious over our sinful nature. He wants us to come and obtained from Him the true riches of faithfulness and steadfastness; perseverance in love and care for one another; and the joy of His salvation. There is no other source for what we truly need to live effective and productive lives in Him. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3)

¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. (Cf. Proverbs 3:12 and Hebrews 12:6)

Jesus declares His affection for the Church. He has rebuked them in righteousness and judgment. He has spiritually disciplined them. So He is expectant of prompt repentance from the people! The members of His Body there need to receive what Jesus revealed and give full consideration to what Jesus has exposed in the condition of their hearts. While this message was for the Church in Laodicea, I think it could be directed at the modern church of our generation … especially the Western Church … the American Church … which has said, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But we do not fully realize how this spiritual attitude has rendered us wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked…. Indeed, in this present hour, we are being called to humble ourselves and to repent … to turn from our wicked ways and to seek His face … and then Jesus would restore and heal us.

²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Jesus said to the Church: “Here I am!” I am available to you … even standing at the door of your heart and knocking. The implication is potential but not certain action. The person or the church must respond! So, we need to hear His voice … as the voice of a Shepherd. We need to open our hearts to His rebuke and disciple. For Jesus does so because He loves us and wants us to stay the course of faith and to do the good works which God prepared for us in advance to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) If we open our hearts to Him, He will enter and initiate fellowship with us. Eating a meal together has long been a sign of covenant, friendship, and fellowship. Yes, we will experience the intimate relationship with Jesus that He desires for us to have with Him but we must respond to His invitation….

²¹To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne.

This concept of being victorious is repeated through the messages to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation.

Church in Ephesus:

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Cf. Revelation 2:7)

Church in Smyrna:

The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the Second Death.” (Cf. Revelation 2:11)

Church in Pergamum:

To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” (Cf. Revelation 2:17)

Church in Thyatira:

To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nation – that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery” – just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. (Cf. Revelation 2:26-28)

Church in Sardis:

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels. (Cf. Revelation 3:5)

Church in Philadelphia:

The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. (Cf. Revelation 3:12)

Church in Laodicea:

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Cf. Revelation 3:31)

When I look at this list, those who are victorious are those who have kept their first love; those who have endured hardships; those who have overcome afflictions and poverty; those who have persevered in suffering and persecution; those who have not denounced the faith or followed false apostles; those who have served God and others. These will receive the rewards Jesus has promised to them in these messages to the churches, and there is great reward in faithfulness with God, and Jesus wants us to know so….

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 (NIV)

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:3-5 (NIV)

³In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, ⁴for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

²²Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

This phrase is repeated within the message delivered to each church as well. It is an invitation to take note and to heed the rebukes and disciplines administered. It is a call for repentance and the renewal of faith … even in 2020 as we observe the signs of the times. He knows our deeds … our works … any many of us are found “deficient” because faith without works is dead faith. It is through our deeds that we profess and live out our faith in Jesus. There are warnings against idolatry and sexual immorality … to which we will be held accountable. So Jesus wants us to wake up … pay attention … and listen to the Spirit of Truth. He is our Advocate:

John 16:13-15 (NIV)

¹³But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you. ¹⁵All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you.”

Well, I know this has been quite lengthy, but I just felt led to expound on this message … to this particular church. I believe in some ways the lukewarm church in Laodicea reflects the modern church of our generation. We need to heed the rebukes Jesus spoke to this church and to repent if we individually and communally want to be effective witnesses in these latter days. I hope this study will prompt us to dive deeper into the Word of God and allow it to penetrate even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and to judge the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) We should not be deceived, but be reminded that God will not be mocked. A person will reap what they sow. (Cf. Galatians 6:7) Because as we have seen, there is nothing in all creation hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Cf. Hebrews 4:13) And as Paul wrote: “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5)

So let us be earnest and repent! Let us get on fire and make a difference in these days that God has granted us to live! Let us each complete the works God prepared in advance for us to do! Let us be faithful and true witnesses ourselves! Let us open the doors of our hearts and invite Him into the intimate place of our souls. Let us persevere and be victorious in our confession and practice of faith! And let us hear what the Spirit says to the churches! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

My Refuge and My Shield

Psalm 119:114 (NIV)

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

So I may sound like a broken record, but it appears the Holy Spirit wants to continue to emphasize this truth with us; namely, that God is our refuge and our strength as He has declared in His Word to us! Yes, we hope in His Word because that is how we KNOW through faith that He is with us … He surrounds us … He protects us! Let’s just look at this section of Psalm 119 for the immediate context:

Psalm 119:113-120 (NIV)

ס Samekh

¹¹³ I hate double-minded people, but I love your law.
¹¹⁴ You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
¹¹⁵Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!
¹¹⁶ Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.
¹¹⁷Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees.
¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing.
¹¹⁹All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.
¹²⁰My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

In a world where we feel surrounded by chaos and confusion and conflict and coercion and cancel there is a place of refuge and strength for believers. His name is Jesus! I did not say there is a place of hiding because we are not called to hide from the world; rather, we are to be His light in the world. We are to be that city on a hill where it cannot be hidden. (Cf. Matthew 5:14-16) We need to remember the prayer of Jesus when He prayed for all believers:

John 17:13-21 (NIV)

¹³“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.¹⁴I 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.

Jesus wants us IN the world, but He prayed for God to protect us … to be our refuge from the evil one. So, we do not ignore what is happening in the world or stick our heads in the proverbial sand. Believers have been called … we are sent into the world to testify to the truth! That truth is God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Cf. John 3:16-19) Yes, we are to engage the world with the light of the Gospel … with truth of the Word. That is all we can do … even though we know that believers will be hated for it:

John 15:18-27 (NIV)

¹⁸“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ (Cf. John 13:16) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. ²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴If 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. ²⁵But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ (References to Psalms 35:19; 69:4) ²⁶“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of Truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about me. ²⁷And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

So we need to know the Word of God. We need to know the Truth. And we do know – if we believe Jesus is the Christ, receive His sacrificial atonement for our sin, and become a new creation in Him. And through the Advocate who comes to indwell us, we receive wisdom and discernment. The Apostle John has elaborated on this for us:

1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)

¹ Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. ⁴You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Do you see it? Every spirit (that would be referencing a human spirit) that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. This means that a person has received the Spirit of God through placing their faith in Jesus Christ. Then John goes on to refer to believers as “children who are from God.” Again, the emphasis is on having the Spirit of God within us because he affirms “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Yes, the Spirit of Truth is greater … He is more powerful than the spirit of falsehood. Why? “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (Cf. 1 John 5:4) It is through faith in Christ we have overcome darkness and deception. Indeed, the Spirit of Truth has set us free! But the god of this age (Satan) 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)

So believers should forever praise God for His mercy … for His gift of grace that removed the veil from before our eyes that we might see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. It is only by His grace that our eyes were opened and we were enabled to come to faith in the blood atonement He provided through Jesus. By His grace we are forgiven. By His grace we are accepted. By His grace we are received into eternal life … ONLY because of Jesus and no other reason. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:8-9) If this does not humble us as believers, I’m not sure what will. I am reminded what Peter asserted in 1 Peter 4:17-18, “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the Gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (Cf. Proverbs 11:31) Indeed, how can we ever doubt the compassionate love God has demonstrated? His love is our refuge! His love is our strength! His love is our everlasting hope! His love is revealed through His Word! And, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Cf. John 1:14)

Lord Jesus, you are our refuge and strength because You have given us your Spirit … the Spirit of Truth … to indwell us and fill us with Your abiding presence and love. Only in You is the wisdom and knowledge of God made known. Only in You is the great love of the Father fully expressed and experienced in our hearts. You are the true light that gives light to everyone. Oh, that the light you have given to us might be received in every heart. Oh, that every soul would come to your life … the light of all mankind. (Cf. John 1:4) For You are the Living Word in which we hope and find shelter. You are the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through you. (Cf. John 14:6) And so I pray that we, your children, would be your image in this world just as you are the image of the Father. You have sent us into the world just as the Father sent You into the world. And so, I pray that through our lives and testimonies that your kindness will lead more people to repentance. I pray that your great love, which is rich in mercy, will bring life to those who are dead in transgressions. Oh, that your grace, Lord Jesus, would abound as your people proclaim the light and hope, the joy and peace, the truth and love of the Gospel … so that no one would perish but come to a knowledge of the truth and receive eternal life in you. This is my prayer, Lord, and I ask in Your Great Name. Amen….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Do Not Be Afraid…

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

I always loved this verse of encouragement … how we can trust God … how God is there for us just as He was for His people Israel … how He will strengthen, help, and uphold us in times of adversity or suffering.

Isaiah 41:8-14 (NIV)

⁸“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, ⁹I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. ¹⁰So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ¹¹“All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. ¹²Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. ¹³For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. ¹⁴Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Look at the context for a moment. Those who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced … those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish … those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. God said we are not to fear! “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Cf. Isaiah 54:17) And I think it is important for us to remember, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) And this makes perfect sense to me because the only offensive weapon that we have in this spiritual battle is the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. (Cf. Ephesians 6:17) “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Cf. Hebrews 4:12)

If we want to elevate faith and alleviate fear in our lives, then the Word of God must our resource! For it is the power of God to strengthen you and help you! His Word will uphold you, and through it the Holy Spirit will guide you into the truth. It is the truth you will need to refute every tongue that accuses you … to confound those who oppose you … to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. You need to know the truth so that you can withstand those who want to suppress the truth by their wickedness. (Cf. Romans 1:18) Indeed, I sense that the human conflicts, chaos, and violence we see in our nation is not about the alleged issues of rights, equality, or justice. If you look deeper into the agendas and ideologies that have emerged, you will see that the true battle is a spiritual one between those upholding truth and those suppressing truth … between obedience and disobedience of God’s commands … between His marvelous light and the veil of darkness. Yes, the strife is a sin problem at the core. (Cf. Genesis 6:5) It is the movement and goal of those that want to worship the creature rather than submit to and worship the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen. (Cf. Romans 1:25)

Romans 1:28-32 (NIV)

²⁸Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, ³⁰slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; ³¹they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. ³²Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

If you think about it, the list here addresses much of what we are seeing on our televisions and on social media. It is understandable that what we have witnessed has caused concern and even fear. But I feel we need to have spiritual perspective on what is happening and the “real” source of the conflict that seems to be growing at exponential speed over the last several months. The issue is that those who want nothing to do with God or His righteousness have found a cover and a narrative to exploit for their own purposes. And the danger is that these people want to impose their godless views on everyone else through whatever means at their disposal … including suppression of speech; opposition to authority; and violence when needed to eliminate anyone who disagrees with their world view. I think that only through knowledge of the truth, and its proclamation through the Body of Christ, will we be able to shine as the light of the world … a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. (Cf. Matthew 5:14) This is what we have been called (saved) to do: to let our light shine before others that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 5:16)

Well, I hope through these reflections that we will all take pause and pray for discernment in these turbulent times. I mostly think we need to see the events of 2020 as a wake-up call to the Church … to the people of God. The Body of Christ needs to repent of its “lukewarm” attitude and get back on the mission for which Christ Jesus is the Head! We need to understand that the god of this age 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) And this is why the culture war is so intense! We need to realize that true believers are the remnant light for this world, and while it is day we must be working. Night is coming when no one can work. (Cf. John 9:4) And really, what an exciting time it is for us to be living in these pivotal times for the Kingdom of God! We should not fear the world; rather, we should all the more reverence our God and Creator who deemed us trustworthy to live in this hour upon the earth … and to serve Him during such a time as this! Oh, we need to be faithful … not fearful … because He is with us. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Cf. Joshua 1:9) Indeed, it is time to be about the Father’s business….

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ~ Romans 8:31

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Life-Giving Word

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

When Jesus was tempted by Satan, His offensive weapon to withstand the attack was the Word of God. The account is provided for us and I’ll reprint it for our context.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

4 Then 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.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3) ⁵Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Note: Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12) ⁷But Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:16) ⁸Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:13) ¹¹Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.

I find it interesting that in every temptation … every test … Jesus countered the maneuvers of Satan with Scripture. And when Satan tried to use Scripture to induce deception, Jesus countered with an opposing tension to balance the assault. So do not be fooled when others teach and use the Word of God out of context or create this type of conflict. We should seek and ask for discernment … rightly dividing the Word of God. The Apostles warned of those who pervert the Gospel and distort the truth. They are false teachers and prophets – who masquerade as servants of righteousness. Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15) So it is important both to know the Word and to understand its Truth. That is why the following passage resonates with me:

1 John 2:18-27 (NIV)

¹⁸Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. ²⁰But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. ²¹I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. ²²Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. ²⁴As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what He promised us—eternal life. ²⁶I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. ²⁷As 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.

John was familiar with the realities of dealing with false teachers, those who left the faith, and Antichrists. Yes, even in the earliest days after Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, demonic adulteration and deception was already in motion to separate the wheat from the chaff … the sheep from the goats. The battle between light and darkness continues within the hearts of people. The choice between good and evil … between the truth and the lie is ever present. But John knew the Word of God. He knew Jesus! And so when Jesus spoke about the Spirit of Truth to the disciples, I believe John listened with full conviction:

John 16:12-14 (NIV)

But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you.

So all of this points us to two applications for our lives:

1. We must read the Word of God diligently.

2. We must rely on the Spirit of God to guide us into the truth of His Word.

What Jesus is telling us is that BOTH are essential for life … true life as God intended for it to be in us. If we are to ever resist temptation and to consecrate our hearts and lives, we must know the Word of God and submit to the indwelling Spirit. And it is Jesus who gives us BOTH for our benefit because of His great love for us. Jesus IS the living Word of God. He has given us His words so that we might believe and no longer walk in darkness. It is through Jesus that we come to the knowledge of God. Jesus sent His Word through the Spirit to guide us into the truth. Indeed, what a wonderful Savior we have in Jesus! He has given us everything that we need for life … eternal life IN HIM. He is worthy of our praise! And we are wise to listen and respond to His Word! Amen.

One final thought on the words of Jesus:

John 12:44-50 (NIV)

⁴⁴Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the One who sent me. ⁴⁵The one who looks at me is seeing the One who sent me. ⁴⁶I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. ⁴⁷“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ⁴⁹For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. ⁵⁰I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

End Times?

2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

I sense with each passing day of infection surges and quarantines … inner city violence and destruction … there are many who are asking if we are living in the “end times”. Is the Lord Jesus returning? If all the “required” prophecies have been fulfilled, then what is His delay in coming? The Apostle Peter gives us some insight into answer because these same questions were being asked within a generation of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Times of unrest and civil disorder within the Roman Empire and the Jewish nation had reached a fervor that by 70 A.D. Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed. For the followers of Christ Jesus … believers … it must have felt similar to the times we see unfolding before our own eyes. And it is a question that believers would continue to ask in generations to come as kingdoms rise and fall … as totalitarian dictators attempt world dominance … and as untold humans are subjected to a myriad of atrocities under the influence of demonic forces. So the people of God ask: “Where are you, God? How long will you allow evil to continue? In the Book of Acts, we read this account:

Acts 1:3-11 (NIV)

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ²until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. ³After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God. ⁴On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵For John baptized in water, but in a few days you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit.” ⁶Then they gathered around Him 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.”

Notice the question they asked of Jesus before He ascended: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They must have believed that Jesus in His risen body would now rule and reign over Israel. To me, to have this discussion recorded, indicates the apostles were indeed eyewitnesses of His bodily resurrection in a physical human form to have interacted with Him over the past 40 days to inquire of His intentions post resurrection. But observe a couple of things: 1) Jesus does not answer their question; rather, He tells them “it is not for you to know.” None of us will ever know the day or the hour. But then Jesus turns their thoughts to the anointing of the Holy Spirit to “receive power” to become His witnesses. The question regarding the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel had been redirected to the building of the coming Kingdom of Heaven. And then, without explanation or further physical contact, Jesus left them … ascending into the clouds and leaving their view. Then two angels appeared and spoke to the apostles; assuring them Jesus would come back again.

But the apostles knew these things … or at least Jesus told them what would occur. Did they listen to the parables? Did they understand their riddled metaphors? Maybe, we too, should revisit the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-26. It begins:^“While they were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear at once. He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.” And the nobleman provided resources for his servants to work while he was gone. You can read the rest of it. Of interest, Jesus shared this story just prior to entering Jerusalem on a donkey before zealous voices proclaiming “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

So, what was Jesus trying to tell His disciples about the Kingdom of God? Well, it would not appear at once. It would be “received” upon His return. And His servants are to be engaged in building and expanding the Kingdom He is returning to receive unto Himself. That’s the best I can distill it down. Maybe the question being asked is not one of concerning ourselves with the “timing” of His promised return; rather, the concern to be reflected upon is building the Kingdom in His absence…. In short, we are to be busy with Kingdom work right here … right now. We have been given the power of His Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. This means we believe in the One God sent. This means we testify to the truth of His life, death, burial, and bodily resurrection. This means we abide in Him. This means we live as Jesus did. This means we are working … not for our salvation … but for the Kingdom of God. “In His defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.” (Cf. John 5:17) And, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” (Cf. John 9:4) That we were saved to work in the Kingdom is evident, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10)

So, I pray that we will look deeper at these questions? When will the Kingdom be restored? When will Christ return? Only the Father knows … and it is NOT for us know. But what we do know is that Jesus is returning for His Church. And so the question is whether His Church will be filled or will it be emptied? Jesus has planned a marriage supper … a banquet … and we are to invite the guests to His celebration. We are to go into the highways and byways to bring guests. There is a lot work to be done. There is a lot of preparation to be made. There is a great sense of urgency because the Day of the Lord will come like a thief!” We have no time to waste because the bridegroom will soon appear as He told us. So let us be about His business … let us be found doing what He commanded us to do. And then … let what Peter exhorted somehow motivate us more – knowing this: The Lord is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:3-14 (NIV)

³Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ⁵But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. ⁶By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. ⁷By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. ⁸But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. ¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹²as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. ¹⁴So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

The Work of Your Hands…

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

I find Psalm 139 one of the most insightful meditations on the nature of God. I thought it would be useful for us to discuss our verse in the broader context of the full Psalm. David considers the sovereignty of God: His omniscience … His omnipresence … His omnificence … His omnipotence. David captures the essence of each attribute and personalizes it; meaning, he brings perspective on how we as created beings can relate to our Creator in personal terms. So I have reprinted it here:

Psalm 139 For the director of music. Of David. A Psalm.

¹You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
²You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

⁷Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
¹²even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

¹³For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful – I know that full well.
¹⁵My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
¹⁷How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

¹⁹If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
²⁰They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
²¹Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
²²I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
²³Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Wow! Such a powerful meditation … filled with humbled emotion. When I read this Psalm, I feel overwhelmed with the divine power and presence of our Creator … a God who expresses deep concern and love for a mere speck of dust on a speck of solar dust traversing through one of billions of interstellar spirals within the infinite expanse of what we call the universe…. Yes, like David, I find such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Yet, this infinite God is an intimate being. He knows each of us … every detail from conception through all the days ordained for each one. The gift of life each one of us receives is wholly an experience of grace … which is why we should feel nothing less than deep reverence for Him. Our lives are 100% in His hands from beginning to end whether we desire to accept this truth or not. There are no surprises for God. Nothing has ever happened or will happen in your life that He is not aware. He is unmoved, unshaken by anything within His created order. Stars are formed … and they are scattered in supernova fashion. Galaxies spin and collide to produce new formations. This brings to mind another Psalm in which David shares additional perspective on our purpose with the created order. Again, the emphasis becomes focused on our relationship with God:

Psalm 8

¹O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. ²Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. ³When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? ⁵You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. ⁶You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: ⁷all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, ⁸the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. ⁹O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

David appeals to that inner knowing we can experience when we are at a loss for words … when only our spirits can express with groans what our hearts feel. It is in that quiet contemplative moment we ponder: “Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Cf. Psalm 144:3-4) King Solomon, David’s son and successor, often contemplated the observance of creation and its profound mystery as the manifestation of a personal, relational Creator. God enables human beings to see the handiwork of His Word in all of its majesty; yet, we cannot find out the work that God does from beginning to end. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) And Solomon wrote: “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the spirit enters the body being formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 11:5) I think the mysteries of God and His Creation are designed to intrigue us and to activate our faith in Him.

But for all the awe-inspiring mystery and visual splendor of creation we can observe, there is a greater work of God in our inner being that should rapture our hearts like nothing else: “To believe in the One He has sent.” (Cf. John 6:29) Jesus implored people to believe in Him! He said to know Him is to know the Father! To abide in Him is to abide in the Father! Indeed, Jesus embodies the eternal love and passionate concern of God for all who are created in His image. Jesus answered the question David asked: “What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You visit him? Jesus asserted, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.” (Cf. John 6:38) Jesus shared, “I have come that people may have life, and have it to the full.” (Cf. John 10:10) And Jesus declared, “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) I have to emphasize here that Paul explained how those who believe in Jesus are the handiwork or workmanship of God: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Cf. Ephesians 2:10). Indeed, all of creation exists for the pleasure of God. As the Apostle John recorded in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 4:8b – 11 (NIV)

Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ (Cf. Isaiah 6:3) who was, and is, and is to come.” ⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ¹¹“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will (for your pleasure) they were created and have their being.”

Oh, how I pray that every heart would receive and respond to the manifold revelations of God … through His creation … through His Word … and through His Son! For His creation reveals His eternal power and divine nature. (Cf. Romans 1:20) His Word reveals His will and purpose. (Cf. Isaiah 46:10) And His Son reveals the exact representation of His being. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) In addition, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of faithful witnesses! “Therefore,let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Cf. Hebrews 12:1-2a) I have long felt convicted that the “sin that so easily entangles” is the sin of unbelief or a lack of faith. Why? “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Cf. Romans 14:23) And while I realize the context of Romans 14 explores the matter of conscience concerning food, the spiritual principle is there nonetheless. Evaluate any specific sin, and you will discover its origins in darkness. As the Apostle John wrote: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Cf. John 3:19)

So what is the application here? What is the conclusion?

First, God has revealed Himself through His Creation. He has manifested His incredible attributes:

His Omniscience He is the Knower of all things Psalm 139:1-6

His Omnipresence He is the Being of all things Psalm 139:7-12

His Omnificence He is the Creator of all things Psalm 139:13-18

His Omnipotence. He is the Authority of all things. Psalm 139:19-24

Second, God has revealed Himself through His Word. He has manifested His desire for relationship with us from Genesis through Revelation.

Third, God has revealed Himself through His Son. He manifested His everlasting, immutable love for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Yes, there is a multitude of mysteries we will never understand in this life. The mysteries of God will forever remain in our quest for understanding because there is knowledge too high for us to attain. But Moses attested: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 29:29) Yes, it is clear that our Father wants us to know Him through what He has revealed through His creation … His Word … and His Son. To me, it is no mystery that God exists … that I AM is Spirit … and that He cannot be seen with human eyes. Yet, the Father has ordained for us to see Him through the eyes of faith alone … with spiritual eyes and ears to discern and know Him. And the greatest visual image we will ever have of the Father is His One and Only Son … Jesus. Jesus embodied the Word of God. Indeed, He is the living Word of God! (Cf. John 1:1-5) Jesus declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Cf. Matthew 5:17)

If people would consider these truths in their hearts, what can be known of God should move their hearts to repentance and reverence. God has made known His covenant of love … His compassion … and His desire for fellowship with those He created in His image. Yes, God has visited us and even borne the judgment for our sin of unbelief upon the cross. The purpose of all His works is this: God wants us to believe in the One He sent. It is only through faith in Jesus that we will come to perfect faith in God the Father. It is only through Jesus that we will understand the unsurpassed love of God … the riches of His grace … and the desire of His heart for our sanctification and holiness. Through faith in Christ, we become new creatures! The old is gone. The new has come. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) We become the handiwork of God! And this is the message we need to share with the prodigal, the wayward, and the lost: “Consider all that God has made known, and believe in the One He sent!” The Lord God declares: “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no Savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?” (Cf. Isaiah 43:10-13)