God Is Light…

1 John 1:7 (NIV)

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.

Our Verse of the Day challenges us to live in the light of God … according to His Word and through the life of His Son! 

In his first epistle, the Apostle John gives us some foundational theology to govern our walk with the Lord Jesus.  John begins with his eyewitness testimony regarding Jesus, and shares his desire to declare the truth of his personal encounter with the Son of God. He asserts that Jesus is the living Word of God; the light and revelation of God the Father; and the atoning sacrifice that reconciles believers with Him. I have reprinted Chapter 1 for your reference:

1 John 1:1-10 (NIV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you that which we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make your joy complete. This is the message we have heard from Him (Jesus) and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all (every) sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

From this chapter, we learn that God is Light. There is no darkness in Him at all. We also know that God is Spirit and that God is Love. And Jesus, His Son, is the living holiness and light of God. He is the very nature of God (light and love) sent in human form (Cf. Philippians 2:5-11) through whom we receive atonement, salvation, and fellowship with the Father and one another.  John said this is what we declare. Indeed, this is WHO we proclaim. Jesus is the Light of the Gospel message. Jesus is the Light that we have been called to walk in from the beginning. He is the Good News we are to share with others!

I want to note that John admonishes us to be mindful about what we claim regarding ourselves. “If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.” And, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word is not in us.”  These declarations affirm that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Cf. Romans 3:23) There is no room for “fake” fellowship. There is no allowance for hypocrisy. Our sinful human nature points to our need for atonement and salvation in order to be reconciled to fellowship with our Holy Father. It requires the humble and unequivocal submission of our own will to the will of the Father. To receive Jesus … to believe in Him … means He becomes Lord and Master of our lives.  It means the utter denial of ourselves if we want to have abiding fellowship with Him.

John 1:1-9 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

John 3:16-21 (NIV)

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. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

My friends, Jesus was sent by the Father to reveal His Light … to reveal the way and the truth and the life. If you reject Jesus, the Light of God sent into the world, you reject the truth of God and His sovereign authority.  As John affirmed: “Light has come into the world, but people love darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil.” And it is clear that people do not want to see the truth because they love their sin and darkness. As Paul explained, “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) Unless a person comes to the Light of God found in Jesus alone, they continue to walk in darkness … they continue in the condemnation of sin … they continue to be separated from the life of God. Indeed, there are eternal consequences to living and remaining in darkness! All the more reason for the light of the Gospel to be shared.  All the more reason to pray for the lost to come to the light of Jesus. All the more reason to know the truth and to walk in it. As Apostle John exclaimed: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (Cf. 3 John 1:4)

It is my hope and prayer that we who now walk in the light will testify to others that Jesus is the light of the world. He has fulfilled our need for reconciliation with the Father. Indeed, He is the only answer to our human dilemma of separation from God. Jesus commands His disciples to go into all the world and declare the Gospel to all creation. (Cf. Mark 16:15) So, let us continue the Great Commission in our generation as we approach the end of the age.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. ~ Isaiah 42:6-7

I AM with You….

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.

Do you need a Word from God to lift you up? I think our Verse of the Day will do so. It reminds us how God is active in the lives of those who love Him – who have been called according to His purpose. God is with His people! God is for His people! He is ever present and engaged to help us; to strengthen us; to uphold us … when the challenges of life tend to overwhelm us.

Isaiah 41:8-14 (NIV)

But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I 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. 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. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you. Do 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) Indeed, our Verse of the Day reminds me of what Paul shared in Romans 8 regarding the engagement of God in our lives through Christ Jesus. I have reprinted a portion for our reference and encouragement:

Romans 8:26-39 (NIV)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As you face each day and the challenges it might bring you, be encouraged! God is with you! God is for you! The Holy Spirit helps you to pray according to the will of the Father. Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for you! If you are in Christ, you are no longer condemned … you are beloved! There is nothing that is able to separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Yes, “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)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6-8

Learning Your Righteous Laws…

Psalm 119:7 (NIV)

I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the book; and it extols the virtue and veracity of the Word of God. From its lengthy discourse, we are afforded insight into the power of Scripture to accomplish wisdom, righteousness, and obedience in our lives. Our Verse of the Day indicates that our praise and worship of God matures as we learn His commandments and judgments. I really love The Living Bible (TLB) translation of this verse which renders it: “After you have corrected me, I will thank you by living as I should!” The New Living Translation (NLT) phrases it: “As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should.” The point here is that the Word of God impacts how we should think … how we should conduct ourselves … and how we should intimately relate to God and worship Him. We can look at just the first few verses of this Psalm to get a glimpse of its overall teaching:

Psalm 119:1-16 (NIV)

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart— 3 they do no wrong, but follow His ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your Word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Further on, we will read about our response to the Word of God. When we exercise our “free will” and ability to choose (a willful decision), the question is what will you and I choose when confronted with the Word of God. The inspiration and deliberation within this Psalm should lead us to this same decision:

Psalm 119:30-37 (NIV)

30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. 33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it for its reward. 34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

Paul shared similar exhortation regarding the Word of God with Timothy when he wrote: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth” (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:15) And, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction (training and discipline) in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17) The inspired writer of Hebrews makes this point as well: “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)

My friends, there is a continued message for us: “Stay rooted and firmly planted in the Word of God!” For the Word of God is the power of God in your life and mine. This cannot be underestimated or overstressed. The struggle for the human will to choose righteousness and obedience is fought on the battlefield of our minds … where our thoughts are formed; and we attach words to those thoughts in order to define them. What we say and do is the outcome of our thought life. We need to remember that the Word of God reveals the mind of God … thoughts that reflect His heart and are expressed through words to us by His Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (NIV)

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For 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. 12 What 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. 13 This 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. (Citing Isaiah 64:4) 14 The 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. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?” (Citing Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.

As we have studied, Jesus said: “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it will be done for you.” (Cf. John 15:7) And framed in a similar construct, the Apostle John affirms: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (Cf. 1 John 5:14) When we have the mind of Christ … understanding His thoughts through His words as communicated by the Holy Spirit, we will engage in prayer that will be heard and conduct that will be rewarded. This is why we need to spend time in study and mediation of the scriptures; and Psalm 119 provides a great outline of how the Word of God sustains every aspect of our lives. Jesus Himself affirmed, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Cf. Deuteronomy 8:3) And I believe Psalm 119 amplifies this truth….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Unashamed of the Gospel…

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Our Verse of the Day is a familiar passage, and so many thoughts come to mind about the importance of sharing the Gospel … the Good News about Jesus Christ! Why is this so important? Well, Paul answers that question: “Because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” There are two key points here regarding the Gospel: Power of God and Salvation! The power of God is His Word. He spoke creation into existence! (Cf. Genesis 1) And so, in order for a person to come to faith and receive salvation, the Word of God (the message about Jesus) must be heard and understood. For Jesus IS the incarnate Word of God! (Cf. John 1:1-5; 14)

Paul wrote: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Cf. Romans 10:17) And what is the word about Christ?  What is the core message about Christ?

John 3:16-18 (NIV)

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.

1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

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

John 3:31-36 (NIV)

The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what He has seen and heard, but no one accepts His testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Romans 3:21-25 (NIV)

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith.

There are a multitude of Scriptures that emphasize the salvific power of the Word of God; but we can see with just these few I have shared that our atonement can only be received through Christ Jesus – the Son of God! Life, eternal life, is given to us as we hear His words, listen to them, and apply them to our hearts. And I love this pronouncement from God through the Prophet Isaiah: “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Cf. Isaiah 55:11) Indeed, God has ordained that His Word … His Son … shall bring forth salvation. As Jesus affirmed: “I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me say.” (Cf. John 12:50) This is why sharing the Gospel is so important … so that unbelievers can come to a knowledge of the truth and place their faith in Jesus Christ.

Proclaiming the message of Christ (a message that permeates both Old and New Testaments) is imperative if people are to know the truth and respond to it!  Against great opposition, trial, and persecution, Paul was determined to persevere in the preaching of the Gospel. And it is quite evident from the record of his life that Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel, its message, or its power to transform the human heart. God does not want His people in rebellion against Him; rather, He desires peace, reverence, and oneness in His relationship with us. Sharing the Gospel is the telling of God’s message of forgiveness and reconciliation through His Son, Jesus the Christ! The Gospel is not a human invention or imagination because the compassion and unfailing love of God has been revealed from Genesis through Revelation through His Word. As Paul asserted in Romans 1:17, “For in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (from faith to faith), just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Citing Habakkuk 2:4)

As Paul and the other apostles and disciples experienced, sharing the Gospel can become quite wearisome. Although we have been called in Christ Jesus to believe in Him and His atoning sacrifice for our sins, putting our faith in action will not be without cost or hardship. Jesus taught: “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” (Cf. Luke 14:27) Even now, we see that our faith in Jesus has become the impetus of ridicule, scorn, persecution, and ever-increasing hatred in this world. But we should not be surprised…. When Jesus sent out His disciples to minister to “the lost sheep of Israel,” He forewarned, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” (Read Matthew 10) And Jesus counseled: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If 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.” (Cf. John 15:18-19)

Despite whatever vitriol or persecution that might come to believers, the Gospel must be shared! This is the call and commission of very born-again, Spirit-filled believer. Our faith should be bold, courageous, unashamed, undeniable, and unwavering! Indeed, we have been filled and equipped by His indwelling Holy Spirit! “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We are to implore others on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled with God.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20) And as we see the end of the age approaching, we can enter it with full confidence; for Jesus has already told His disciples what to expect: “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other; and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Cf. Matthew 24:9-14) Even so, come Lord Jesus.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7-10

Brought To Fullness…

Colossians 2:9-10 (NIV)

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Our Verse of the Day looks into a doctrine of faith that should create deep conviction and reverence within us for our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul, in essence, asserts that Jesus is God in human form! All the fullness of the Deity … the Godhead abided in Him who lived among us! That is incredible to contemplate, so I want us to go back and read the verse in the surrounding context:

Colossians 2:1-10 (NLT)

1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself. 3 In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. 6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. 7 Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. 8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

I like the phrasing of the NLT better than the NIV. It just seemed to resonate a little stronger with me as I pondered the theological instruction of Paul.  In succinct fashion, Paul strongly affirms that any questions we might have about God or our understanding of God are answered in Christ Jesus.  Indeed, God is Spirit and mysterious, but Christ Jesus has revealed Him to us in a personal and unique way. All we can know of God’s personhood has been fully manifested in Jesus. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. To me, what Paul is saying is that we do not have to wonder any longer about God or His Existence … His Being … His Will … His Power … His Purpose … His Plan … His Nature … His Character … or His LOVE!  Jesus is the full and complete expression of God … sent by God … in human form … to reveal Himself to His creatures (humans) made in His image … in order to have full and intimate relationship with them.

John 1:1-5; 14-18 (NIV)

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

14 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. 15 (John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is the One I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”) 16 Out of His fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but 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. 3 The 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.

In his Gospel account, the Apostle John states that “out of His fullnesswe have all received grace in place of grace already given.” Paul goes further to declare “We have been brought to fullness IN Christ.” Paul states that “Jesus is the head over every power and authority.” Matthew 28:18 records the resurrected Jesus declaring, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” All this is consistent with what John states: “All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him nothing was made that was made. By His Being, Jesus is inherently ruler over all things created. Thus, His title is King of Kings and Lord of Lords….

But I also think another point Paul is trying to make here is that as followers of Christ … those who abide in Christ … we receive that same fullness of the Deity that indwells our Lord. Through His grace, we have been given access to His divine power – a capacity that gives us all things that pertain to life and godliness. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) The question is not whether His power is available to us; rather, the question is whether we believe His power is available to us. I’m pretty sure we will not access His power until we actually believe it is available to us and begin to exercise it. Think about it a moment. If we believe that Jesus is God the Son and in perfect unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit (the Godhead or Deity), why do we fail to recognize our capacity to walk in the spiritual power and authority He has given us? Jesus assures us: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Cf. Luke 10:19) Do we even realize that we have His authority abiding in us when we abide in Him?

I think there are other scriptures for us to consider in this regard. “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He (the Father) not also, along with Him (Jesus), graciously give us all things? (Cf. Romans 8:32) Yes, I believe in some sense that our Verse of the Day is trying to stir up in us the awareness of the power and authority … the “fullness” we have actually received in Jesus Christ. And it makes sense because Jesus told us, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (Cf. John 15:5) So, I hope we will focus on this deeper call of faith … to abide in Christ and to be filled to the fullness of God in Him. He designed us and ordained us to participate in the divine nature. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:4)

My friends, we need to understand that spiritual fullness is to be exercised through the Church (His Body) and not just as individual members. Paul addresses this point in Ephesians 4:11-13 and Colossians 1:18-20.  Please click on the links provided. It is my prayer is that we will find the boldness and courage to believe God at His Word and to walk in the fullness we have been given in Christ as His Body. (Cf. Ephesians 1:23) May His fullness be manifested in grace and compassion extended to those who are lost and broken in spirit; displayed in power over the chains of addiction, relentless temptation, and the dominion of darkness; and fulfilled in the accomplishment of the good works we were created in Christ Jesus to do. Yes, may His fullness be reflected in the fruit of the Spirit we bear through our lives as we abide in Him and in the sincere love we have for one another.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Humbly Accept The Word…

James 1:21 (NIV)

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you.

Our Verse of the Day takes another look at the spiritual disciplines that are paramount to our profession of faith and that lead to the obedience that comes from faith.  This ‘active’ believing, if you will, plays a critical role in our fellowship with God; abiding in Him so that we are able to accomplish the good works He ordained in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) So I would like us to see them in the surrounding context:

James 1:18-25 (NIV)

He chose to give us birth through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all He created. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to (or only simply read) the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says! Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

It is apparent that the study and practice of the Word of God is what will cleanse us from our natural, sinful human condition. It will reveal the moral filth in our lives. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Cf. Hebrews 4:12) The Word of God will direct us in our thinking and manifest itself in changed behavior. Without it, we are essentially lost in the forest of life … without a compass or guide for direction. I know we have looked at these other Scriptures before, but I think they are applicable to our theme:

Psalm 119:9-11 (NIV)

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy 3:13-17 (NIV)

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Matthew 7:23-25 (NIV)

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.

My friends, it is my prayer that we will humbly accept the Word of God into our inner beings. I pray that we will allow it to change the intents of the thoughts of our hearts … so that we might be changed. The Word of God is the power of God to reveal His will and to equip us to obey it. And we must realize that bible study and meditation require intentional time and significant effort on our part. But if we will commit to do the work and to delight in His Word, I believe the difference it will make in our fellowship with God is beyond compare! So, I pray for each of us to make it a habit to be in God’s Word each day – finding out what it says, applying it to our hearts, and then putting it into practice.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. ~ Psalm 119:12-16

Remain In My Love…

John 15:10 (NIV)

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.

Our Verse of the Day reflects a simple message of obedience, but it is wrapped in a greater context of HOW we can keep His commands:   

John 15:1-17 (NIV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes (cleans) so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

I want to outline some of the salient points that Jesus made in this passage using the vine and branches metaphor to guide our understanding of His Word:

1. God the Father is the gardener! He is the One who planted the True Vine! Jesus is the True Vine!

Isaiah 11:1-5; 10 (NIV)

1A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 3 and He will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; 4 but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of his lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist. 10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to Him, and His resting place will be glorious.

Revelation 5:5-6 (NIV)

5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, that is, the sevenfold Spirit of God sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 22:16 (NIV)

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

2. We (those who believe in Christ Jesus) are the Branches of the Vine!

This means that believers emerge from the vine. We are an integral part of the Vine. We have no existence or life except that the Vine has produced us and we are an inherent part of its growth. It is from the branches that flowering buds will emerge, fruit will be set (borne), and a harvest will come forth … from ALL the branches that have formed from the Vine. I believe this is the image of the metaphor Jesus has used to illustrate not only our relationship to Him and the Father, but also to manifest the depth of His life-giving love for us. Always remember that God the Father “tends” to the Vine. He observes the branches and their well-being. The Father notes those branches which are producing fruit and He prunes in order for them to produce even more fruit. Branches in Jesus that do not produce fruit, He cuts off. And what is the key to fruit production? Abiding in the Vine! ALL the resources we will ever need and utilize to produce fruit will come from the roots and through the Vine. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (Verse 5) So each individual branch must understand that nothing less than an intimate relationship with Jesus will be able to produce the harvest that the Father is looking to receive from His Vine….

3. If we keep (obey) His commands, we will REMAIN in Jesus … we will abide in Him and remain in His love.

Jesus states that He is the example of obedience for us. As we visualize the obedience of Jesus to the Father, we see that His intimate relationship with the Father stems from HOW Jesus lived in obedience. His relationship was that of Son. What did Jesus say? “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.” (Verse 9) As Jesus bore the image of the Father, so we are conformed to the image of Him. The inspired writer of the Book of Hebrews gives us some additional insight into how we too can become empowered for obedience:

Hebrews 5:7-10 (NIV)

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Son though He was, Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

First, we observe the prayer life of Jesus. He offered up prayers and supplications with fervent cries and tears to God! Note the intensity described here…. Second, the prayers of Jesus were heard by the Father because of His “reverent submission.” I truly believe from this verse that “reverent submission” is the most important element of prayer! As Isaiah noted: “Our iniquities have separated us from God, and our sins have hidden His face from us, so that He will not hear.” (Cf. Isaiah 59:2) But Jesus was filled with the Spirit of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He delighted in the fear of the Lord. And I believe it follows that we are to have the same mindset if we desire to obey His commands and for His love to remain in us.

As Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered, I surmise that we must enter the same “winepress” in the pursuit of obedience. Sometimes God refines us in the furnace of affliction. (Cf. Isaiah 48:10) So, as I ponder the idea of suffering in order to learn obedience, I am reminded by the thought that suffering will be manifested in the natural realm … in our bodies as we die to sin. (Cf. Romans 6:2) It is inevitable! Sin itself will not die; rather, we have to die to it! And the process of sanctification will often feel like suffering as addictions are withdrawn … as strongholds of bitterness and unforgiveness are uprooted … as the iniquity of the tongue is tamed … and as a myriad of temptations are resisted and escaped. Yet, “In our struggle against sin, none of us have resisted to the point of shedding our blood.” (Cf. Hebrews 12:4) But that is the course we must pursue if we are going to be truly serious about holiness in our lives. “Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.” (Cf. 1 Peter 4:1)

4. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

If we are to love one another as Jesus loved us, then we will also need to prepare for the suffering that accompanied His love for us! As Jesus shared His heart with the disciples, He told them that He was willing to lay it down for them. Jesus called them friends! And this is important to see: “You are my friends IF you do what I command”. This is my command: Love one another! “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love.” (Cf. 2 John 1:6) Since by the example of Christ Jesus we know that the love of God is sacrificial, our love for one another will manifest as sacrificial as well. And we need to understand that sacrificial love will bring some degree of suffering into our lives … suffering that we will be challenged to endure unless we abide in the Vine through reverent submission to Him. So, let us consider that through suffering we learn obedience; the obedience that comes from faith (Cf. Romans 16:26) … the obedience that leads to righteousness (Cf. Romans 6:16) … and the obedience that accompanies our confession of the Gospel of Christ. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 9:13)

Love requires an emptying of ourselves. It challenges us to be servants to others. As Paul admonished, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Cf. Romans 12:1) Paul goes on to instruct us to be devoted to one another in love; honor one another above yourselves; share with the Lord’s people who are in need; live in harmony with one another; live at peace with everyone; and do not take revenge. (Cf. Romans 12:9-21) And Paul wrote similar instructions to other churches: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Cf. Philippians 2:3-4) This is love in action! This is HOW we fulfill His command! Indeed, this is HOW we remain in His love. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Jesus Christ IS Lord…

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

Our Verse of the Day is a declaration of the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the exaltation due Him. To surrender and submit ourselves to the authority and sovereignty of Jesus Christ is the will of God the Father who is glorified through His Son. So, I would like us to take a closer look at Jesus, the exalted Son of God, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given by the Father. (Cf. Matthew 28:18) We can start with the Gospel of John and his introduction of Jesus to the world:

John 1:1-5; 14 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 14 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.

With this scripture in mind, I want us to look at our verse in some context:

Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature (in the form of) God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature (the form) of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In this context, there is a focus on humility and submission to one another; and the purpose is to exhort us to be of the same mindset as Christ Jesus. And then Paul introduces the surpassed example of Christ showing how genuine humility should be manifested among ourselves. For God the Creator to appear in the form of a Son of Man, made in human likeness, is an incomprehensible act of divine humility in itself. As John articulated it – “the Word of God became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” It is because of this extreme humility that Christ Jesus willingly took upon Himself (even so far as to experience human death upon a cross) that God the Father exalted Him to the highest place and position of authority. Perhaps, this is the part of the reason why Jesus taught: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Cf. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14) The Apostle James admonished, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (Cf. James 4:10) And, Peter likewise taught, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that HE may lift you up in due time.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:6) If God humbled Himself to reach us, then we should humble ourselves in our relationships with one another.

The other lesson that I see is the exaltation of Christ Jesus. Because of His death upon the cross and because His own blood was shed as an atoning sacrifice for the remission of our sins, Jesus is most assuredly worthy of our adoration, worship, and praise! His name is above every other name! As Peter declared, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Cf. Acts 4:12) And so, God the Father has ordained that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, for His own glory. And we have seen this same call for worship declared through the Prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 45:22-24 (ESV)

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance (shall confess to God).’” Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to Him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against Him.

Indeed, every soul ever created by God WILL bow before Him! Every tongue WILL confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Every person who has rejected God and the Son, who have rebelled and raged against Him, will come before Him and be ashamed. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10) There is no one who will be exempt! For He has said, “I am the Lord, that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another nor my praise to idols.” (Cf. Isaiah 42:8) See Also Isaiah 48:6-11.

My friends, it is clear to me that ALL people … of every tribe, of every language, of every nation … will one day bow before the throne of God and worship Him. The issue is whether we will do so now while we are alive through our own free will … or whether a person will be “required” to do so when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It WILL happen because Father God has declared it, and He is sovereign over all things. Therefore, it is urgent for ALL people to confess Jesus Christ as Lord now … while it is still called today. “For just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (Cf. Hebrews 9:26-28)

It is my prayer that each soul will come to the knowledge of God and make their confession of faith. And I pray the Church, the Body of Christ, will work as His ambassadors to lead others to the truth … so that repentance and reconciliation will come to those who respond to the Gospel. Jesus declared that He was sent to seek and to save the lost. (Cf. Luke 19:10) And we, as His Body, as His presence in the world, must continue His mission. Therefore, I challenge myself, and I challenge you to consider this as well: to set sight on just one person you know is not saved and to get focused … get intentional … and be persistent. Enter into devoted prayer and intercession for that one person and be patient. Yes, be present and available to them. Engage them when opportunities are presented. Let your conversation be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer them. (Cf. Colossians 4:6) Let your light shine before them so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 5:16) This is how we humble ourselves with the same mindset of Christ; this how we serve in hope to prepare them for an authentic encounter with Christ Jesus. We prepare the soil and plant seed; we fertilize and water; and God will provide the increase for harvesting. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:7)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ~ 2 Timothy 2:1-6

The Word of Life…

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.’”

Our Verse of the Day comes from the account of when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. His offensive weapon to withstand the attack of the Adversary was the Word of God. I’ll reprint the passage for our context.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus 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) 5 Then 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) 8 Again, 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.” 10 Jesus 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) 11 Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended to 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)

Dear 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. They 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. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I 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. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. As 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. And this is what He promised us—eternal life. 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.

John was quite 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 to this day. 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, I think all of this material 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.

My friends, what Jesus is telling us is that both are essential for life … true life as God intends for 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 His 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 true knowledge of God. Jesus sent His Word through the Holy 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!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

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. There 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. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say. ~ John 12:47-50

Ah, Sovereign Lord…

Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Our Verse of the Day affirms God as the creator of everything and sovereign over all His works. But if we look at the surrounding context, we will see that Jeremiah prayed this prayer in the midst of an impending national crisis. The remnant people of Israel were being invaded and taken over by the Babylonian Empire because of their unfaithfulness to God; and yet, he is buying land (while in prison) as a display of his trust in the ultimate mercy and goodness and faithfulness of God to redeem and restore His people:

Jeremiah 32:8-23 (NIV)

I knew that this was the word of the Lord; so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’ After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land that you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So, you brought all this disaster on them.

The disaster that Jeremiah speaks of is the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem and the land of Judah.  Indeed, God brought judgment upon His people for their disobedience to His covenant; but there is still hope for a future.  If you go back to the famous passage (most of us can quote it) from Chapter 29, we can see the confidence Jeremiah had in the promises of God to restore His people once again.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV)

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

We are not told, but perhaps the cousin was selling his land to Jeremiah out of fear; or maybe, just survival. I would think there was all kinds of distress at the time because of King Nebuchadnezzar and his ensuing armies. But I believe Jeremiah saw the situation as an opportunity to demonstrate his confidence in the prophetic words of God to restore a remnant of believers after His justice has been meted out.  Buying the land with the intent to possess it after the exile offered hope and encouragement to those around him; and perhaps, to those who otherwise distrusted Jeremiah’s prophecies and the instructions from God concerning the exile.

My friends, I believe there is an application for us in this generation as we see and experience economic distress and the travails of upheaval coming upon our land … even the world. Could the unrest and tribulation be judgment for the unbelief, rebellion, and hostility toward God in our culture? Perhaps. God has been more than patient with the sin and unrighteousness of this nation! He has not treated us as our iniquities deserve. (Cf. Psalm 103) Yes, there will be a day of wrath … a day of judgment. And so, we are admonished to persevere so that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what He has promised. For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.” (Cf. Hebrews 10:36-37) As Peter advised: The Lord is patient and not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (Cf. 2 Peter 3:9)

For me, Jeremiah has presented a prophetic metaphor that speaks to our faith in the power and promises of God for those who love Him. Indeed, we should be investing in the Kingdom of God “now” to be received in the Kingdom of God “not yet”. Our devotion and service to God now … as we engage with a rebellious culture … serves to demonstrate our faith in God’s word and His promise of redemption and resurrection! In other words, we should not be fearful or distressed by what we can already see is coming upon this nation (and the world) in these latter days; rather, we should be prepared and at work for the harvest … being confident in the gracious love of God for those who have placed their faith in Jesus. 

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) – the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

I am hopeful the application is discernable to us. In the midst of tribulation, we need to stay positive and active – confident in the future God has planned for us. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) Yes, I think we need to respond to our current circumstances like Jeremiah did in his generation … forward-looking and trusting in the Almighty God who is for us and not against us … believing in the loving, compassionate Father who has planned an inconceivable future for us!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. ~ John 14:1-4