A New Thing

Isaiah 43:18-19

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Are you living in your past? Are you hanging on to old comforts … old habits … old regrets? Many of us linger in what our lives used to be instead of stepping forward into the mysterious newness of life we have received in Jesus Christ. Often, we are tempted to drift back and ruminate on our past sins and failures … doubting that we have been cleansed and received full atonement through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today I want to remind those of us who struggle with this area of unbelief:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)

Indeed, Christ has done a new thing in your life and mine. We have been born again! “According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) Through faith in Christ we have graciously received the indwelling Spirit of God; and we are now to live our lives by walking according to the Spirit:

Romans 8:1-8 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.²For the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Dear reader, it is my prayer that you will believe what the Spirit has written for our encouragement today. Yes, and let us consider the mindset of Paul in this regard:

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)

¹²Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. ¹³Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

A Final Thought:

And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5)

Have a Blessed Day!

Beloved…

Beloved…

To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 1:7

Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:8) Abraham was called the friend of God. (Isaiah 41:8) The Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed His Holy Name. (Exodus 34:5-6) We are told, “Among many nations there was no king like Solomon who was beloved of his God. (Nehemiah 13:26) The Prophet Daniel was told by the angelic messenger: “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” (Cf. Daniel 10) Indeed, the people of Israel were beloved of God, for He again declared through the Prophet Jeremiah: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love!” (Jeremiah 31:3)

We can relate to these great men of faith, and countless other men and women who have lived extraordinary lives of faith. We honor and esteem them as great examples; and yet, none of them were without sin in their lives. Indeed, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) I believe that is why many Christians struggle with the idea that any of us could be loved by God. We know our inner selves. We know the thoughts of our hearts. There is an inward shame that our holiness … our innocence has been marred with sin – even when unintended….

Paul dealt with these feelings as well. In the ignorance of his religious fervor, Paul persecuted the church of God. And in remorse, Paul referred to himself as the chief of sinners and noted: “But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) And, “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

I laid this foundation of scripture to emphasize this point: The love of God is not dependent upon our hearts, our deeds, or our degree of righteousness or holiness! Rather, consider this truth:

Romans 5:6-10 (ESV)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.

1 John 4:9-11 (ESV)

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

My friend, if you have received Jesus, the Beloved Son of God, as Lord and Savior, you too are in the Beloved. Do not allow unbelief to make you forget that you are greatly loved by God. You are so loved that you were bought with the precious blood of Christ! (1 Peter 1:18-20) For all the time you lived in sin and indulged in it, you must have been beloved for God to have been so very longsuffering with you. Yes, His grace and lovingkindness brought you repentance, reconciliation, and adoption. When you received Jesus, when you believed in His Name, you were given the right to become a child of God! (John 1:12-13) Indeed, all of this proves that God has lavished His unmerited love upon you! And there is nothing that will ever separate you and I from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38-39)

Ephesians 1:3-8 (ESV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us….”

Have a Blessed Day!

Great…

Great…

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, made us alive together with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses – it is by grace you have been saved… ~ Ephesians 2:4-5

In 1984, Whitney Houston recorded a popular song that became a huge success in her music career. Entitled Greatest Love of All, the song extols the importance of self-worth – proclaiming that “learning to love yourself … is the greatest love of all.” And while there can be merit in affirming ourselves as humans because we are made in the image of God, I do not believe that self-love is the greatest love of all.

There is something far more profound that Jesus taught; and it should impact our thinking in this regard. He said, “Greater love has no man than this – that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Indeed, before Jesus even made this statement, we read these words:

John 15:9-12 (ESV)

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Jesus asserted there is no greater love than self-sacrifice! And this is the indescribable depth of love that He demonstrated to us … a love of far greater worth than our minds can conceive! Paul, inspired by the greatest love of all, reflects on the words of Jesus:

Romans 5:6-11 (NIV)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Think about what John wrote – his words of great encouragement through the message of the cross:

1 John 4:9-11 (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. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

My friends, the greatest love of all will not be found inwardly; rather, learning the love of God through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the greatest pursuit you or I could ever embark upon. The Scriptures often declare the great love of God for those who fear Him – reminding us that His great love is higher than the heavens, and that His faithfulness reaches to the skies and endures forever. (Psalm 57:10) Yes, I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. (Psalm 89:1) This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:21-23)

Have a Blessed Day!

Condemn…

Condemn…

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. ~ John 3:17

I have read the discourse between Jesus and Nicodemus many times in this chapter of the Gospel of John; and the clarity of what Jesus said … the powerful implication of His words … continue to penetrate my soul. The mission and purpose of the Son of Man … the Messiah of God … the One and Only Son of God … is presented with complete translucence, and we would be wise to meditate upon these truths.

John 3:14-21 (CSB)

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will 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. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. This is the judgment: Light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does not come to the light, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

I encourage you to read Numbers 21:4-9, to see the Scripture Jesus referenced with Nicodemus. In this story we see the mercy of God toward those who exercised a simple action of faith to avoid death from the bite of a venomous serpent. Jesus points Nicodemus to Himself and explains that he, too, should believe in Him (the one who would be lifted up on cross) to avoid the penalty of death (condemnation) for rejecting the love and mercy of God. Indeed, this is the message of Jesus and the reason He was hung upon a cross. Those who look to Him … those who believe in His name … are no longer condemned for their rebellion against God. In Jesus, through His blood, atonement has been made. “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

Some of the sweetest words ever spoken were those of Jesus to a woman caught in the act of adultery. The account is found in John 8:1-11 when those who accused her of sin were convicted by their own. Jesus asked her, “Where are your accusers. Has no one condemned you?” She answered, “No one, Lord.” Then Jesus replied, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” My friend, when you put your faith in Jesus, He will not condemn you; rather, He will set you free! He is the only assurance for eternal life!

In Romans 8:1-4, Paul reminds us: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Paul asked and answered a rhetorical question: “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.” (Romans 8:34) Yes, God sent Jesus to save people from their sins … not to condemn them for their sins. Yet, let us remember that anyone who does not believe in Jesus remains in condemnation and judgment for their sin. Indeed, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)

1 John 3:19-24 (NIV)

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. And this is His command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 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.

Have a Blessed Day!

Savior…

Savior…

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. ~ 1 John 4:14

There are many nights that I have pondered this verse … praising God for the Apostles who were faithful witnesses of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! And the Beloved John had a special gift of articulating the intensity of all he experienced in the presence of Jesus. John saw the eternal being of Jesus – He who was, and is, and is to come….

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 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. (1 John 1:1-4)

The Good News … the Gospel … could not be clearer than what John composed for us. The Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world! It was His great love that compelled the Father to do so. (John 3:16) Indeed, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10) This is so difficult to understand when we consider ourselves and our sinful nature. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Savior. The word resounds with joy! There is a reason for hope! Paul reminds us:

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)

So, I join with John and proclaim to you – Jesus Our Savior!

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him. Yet He is the image of the invisible God. (Colossians 1:15)

There was nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him. Yet no one ever spoke the way this man does. (John 7:46)

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Yet God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, 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, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Surely, He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. Yet for the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. Yes, He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. (1 Peter 2:24)

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Yes, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

My friends, we have a perfect Savior! Let us give thanks and praise to Him! Let us proclaim Him to those around us!

Have a Blessed Day!

Graciously Given All Things…

Romans 8:32 (NIV)

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?

Our Verse of the Day offers us a tremendous, liberating hope to empower our faith. Think about the implication Paul presents here. The love of God for His people is so intense and passionate that He did not spare His own Son from death on a cross. The death Jesus died atoned for our sins … it freed us from the power of sin within our hearts … it bestowed upon us His righteousness and eternal life! Paul reasons that if these outcomes are trustworthy, then God will not withhold anything from us that pertains to life within His Son.

Romans 8:28-39 (NIV)

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. ²⁹For 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. ³⁰And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. ³¹What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He 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? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who 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. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Quoting Psalm 44:22) ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither 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.

And the Apostle John has attested to His gracious love as well:

1 John 4:7-17 (NIV)

⁷Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. ¹³This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

Someone here reading this message needs to know this transforming love! Someone here needs to be reminded the love of God is immutable! It does not change for those who abide in Christ Jesus. It is inseparable. It is everlasting! Oh, you need to know the love of God is not based upon your performance; “but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Cf. Ephesians 2:4-9) Indeed, His love is seen in His grace … and the Father calls to us through His Son to receive this gracious, inseparable love that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yes, the Father loves us with an everlasting love! I pray you will trust in the truth of His Word. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ~ Ephesians 3:14-19

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)

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

A Prayer of Moses

Psalm 90:2 (NIV)

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

I always love reading the Psalms! So many provide comfort and a time of wonderful meditation. Others, like Psalm 90, challenge our perspective and perception of God. Our Verse of the Day comes from a particular Psalm entitled: A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God. I think it is important to have this in mind to provide more context for the theology presented and the language used.

Psalm 90 – A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God.

¹Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
²Before the mountains were bornor you brought forth the whole world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.”
⁴A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.
⁵Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:
⁶In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

⁷We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.
⁸You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
⁹All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.
¹⁰Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
¹¹If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due Your Name.
¹²Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

¹³Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.
¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.
¹⁶May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

¹⁷May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.

In this Psalm, in this Prayer of Moses, we see the holiness, majesty, and sovereignty of God contrasted with the sinfulness, weakness, and mortality of man. Yet, within this contrast we find the anticipation of compassion … the assurance of unfailing love … and the restoration of personal relationship with the Lord God. I see this prayer as a call to understand that Father God is the Creator … and we are the created. And how we enter into relationship with God is predicated upon a humble spirit that respects, honors, and reverences Him. That we can even have an intimate relationship with God is an incredible gift of grace; and yet, to have intimacy with Him has been ordained since creation. Why? Because He created us in His image … so that we might have the capacity to know Him and to have fellowship with Him in spirit and in truth….

A focus on Verses 8-12 affords us a great opportunity to gain perspective. Our days here on earth are limited; and this knowledge in itself should lead us to wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.” (Cf. Psalm 111:10) Yet, we see that it has been the rebellion of His children … our sinfulness and disobedience that has stirred His anger … His wrath. Both of these terms convey the human emotions that we would feel under the same circumstances. Indeed, our sinful nature is so grievous to the Father, that He had to deal with it in a powerful way. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— He did it to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Cf. Romans 3:25-26) And so, this Prayer of Moses leads us to this conclusion found in other inspired writings of the Bible: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom….”

As a final thought, I want us to deeply consider what Moses wrote in the Book of Deuteronomy – the “song” Moses was commanded by the Lord to write down for the children of Israel:

Deuteronomy 31:14-30 (NIV)

The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So, Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. Then the Lord appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the tent. And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’ And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.

“Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” So, Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.

The Lord gave this command to Joshua, son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.” After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In the latter days, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse His anger by what your hands have made.”

The Song of Moses

And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel: (Click Here to Read Deuteronomy 32 – The Song of Moses).

When I read these scriptures, I am convinced that our relationship with the Father through our Lord Jesus is predicated upon the same principles: a humble spirit that respects, honors, and reverences Him for His mercy and for His salvation from our sin. I am reminded that love, relationship, and intimacy with God is ultimately discovered through our obedience! God has not changed! His Word has not changed! We can experience the relationship for which we were created in Christ Jesus to enjoy … through the obedience that comes through faith! My prayer is that we will feel both challenged and encouraged as we continue along the journey of faith….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and is in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” ~ John 14:15-18

Keep His Covenant…

Psalm 103:17-18 (NIV)

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

Psalm 103 is a beautiful meditation of David. In its 22 verses, he explores the foundations and depths upon which intimacy with God is established. Here we find David speaking to his own soul … addressing his inner being with truths about the nature and character of God that can only be understood and appreciated by the soul. As God is Spirit, our relationship with Him must be in the spirit realm … in a transparent form where nothing is hidden and truth abides. Psalm 103 invites us to think deeply and introspectively about the God who created us and His relationship with us:

¹Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.
²Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits—
³Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
⁴Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷He made known his ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever;
¹⁰He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him;
¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

¹³As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;
¹⁴For He knows how we are formed; He remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵The life of mortals is like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷But from everlasting to everlastingthe Lord’s love is with those who fear Him,and His righteousness with their children’s children—
¹⁸With those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

¹⁹The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Praise the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His bidding, who obey His word.
²¹Praise the Lord, all His heavenly hosts, you His servants who do His will.
²²Praise the Lord, all His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.

(Verses 1-6)

I’m really glad that David began this Psalm with praise for the nature of God. He tells his soul, “Praise the Lord.” In my view, David “commands” his soul to praise God as he unfolds the “reasons” for doing so. He says to himself, “Do not forget all the benefits that the Father has bestowed your life.” God forgives ALL your sins and heals ALL your diseases. He redeems your life from the pit … the dark abyss of sin. He crowns you and intentionally places His love and compassion upon you. His favor promotes good things to bless your life. He works righteousness and justice for those who have been oppressed by others…. And that is just the beginning of how God acts on our behalf.

(Verses 7-13)

David now continues to explore how God manifests His character. God revealed His ways to Moses and displayed His works among His covenant people. From what has been reveal and demonstrated, David concludes that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. David observes the kindness of God in that He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. David senses in his soul that the love of God … the forgiveness of God … the compassion of God surpasses our ability to comprehend.

(Verses 13-18)

David shares that what He experiences in His relationship with God is special. The intimacy he has come to know with the Creator … the benefits of fellowship with God the Father … is for those who fear Him! Indeed, His great love is for those who fear Him. (Verse 11). The Lord has compassion on those who fear Him (Verse 13). Yes, His love is with those who fear Him … with those who keep His covenant … with those who remember to obey His precepts. (Verses 17-18) As David wrote in another Psalm: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge (trusts) in Him.Fear the Lord, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Cf. Psalm 34:8-10) To fear the Lord is to exalt and reverence Him. Indeed, there are no benefits nor rewards in life except for those who fear the Lord … for those who keep His covenant and obey His command.

(Verses 19-22)

David concludes this meditation within his soul with a declaration of the sovereignty of God. His throne is established in heaven! His Kingdom is the only authority throughout the universe He created. And this conviction ignites praise and worship within David again. David sees that ALL creation is subjected to the Lord God. ALL are commanded to obedience … ALL are enjoined to worship the Almighty God! His Word … His Will … His Works have been revealed to ALL creation. So, David commands his soul, “Praise the Lord!” For the soul of every living being WILL bow before Him; and every tongue will acknowledge Him. (Cf. Isaiah 45:22-24; Romans 14:10-12; Philippians 2:9-11)

Here is the application I have found. I cannot know the blessings or rewards of God apart from an intimate relationship with Him – a covenant relationship that He initiated and conferred upon me through His Son, Christ Jesus. The Apostle John explains, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (Cf. 1 John 4:10) And Paul wrote: “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) Indeed, there is nothing I have done to earn it or deserve it … but I am compelled in my innermost being to respond to His irresistible grace and love with great reverence. For I am convinced that His desire for relationship with me is knowable, and the thought of such love overwhelms me!

David said the love of God is everlasting with those who fear Him. His compassion is on those who fear Him. So, we need to understand this “fear” … this “reverence” … for God our Creator. To show reverence is an intentional act; and it encompasses how I regard God with the highest honor and deepest respect. Shall we not humble ourselves, and repent, and submit to Him in faith? Shall we not observe His commandments which reveal His will? God said, “Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord.” (Cf. Leviticus 22:31) Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (Cf. John 14:15, 14:21; 15:10) Shall we not worship (love) in the manner that God has ordained? Obedience demonstrates our love. Obedience reveals truth. And obedience is better than sacrifice. (Cf. 1 Samuel 15:22)

My friends, I hope that something said here will resonate with your soul. What King David imparted in his Psalms is prophetic of the intimate relationship God desires with us in Christ Jesus. Indeed, the grace of God we know and experience in Christ Jesus should elicit an overwhelming desire within us to love and adore Him … which is manifested in truth through obedience. Reverence IS obedience … because the New Covenant has not been written on tablets of stone; rather, it has been written on our hearts.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

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. ~ Romans 8:38-39

No More Condemnation…

John 3:17 (NIV)

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Our Verse of the Day is perhaps the greatest news we could share with anyone who is struggling with their past failures and feeling unworthy of the redemption and reconciliation Father God has offered to the world through Jesus Christ! Self-condemnation can be a vicious stronghold to break if our concept of a God is one of judgment and wrath alone. To be sure, Scripture reveals both the judgment and wrath of God … but both are reserved for those who reject Christ Jesus and do not place their faith in Him. Indeed, this verse declares the kindness and love of God so that each person is given the opportunity to repent of their sins and failures. Let’s look at this verse in the surrounding context:

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.

God sent Jesus to be the atonement for the sins of the world. That is the purpose for which God gave Him to us. It is the atonement of His blood that we are to believe and receive … to place our faith in Him and to proclaim His self-sacrifice as all-sufficient to pay our sin debt and to redeem us from the condemnation of sin. Whoever believes in Him is no longer condemned! Believers have been set free … forgiven … released. Believers are no longer under the law of sin (Cf. Romans 7:23-25) … but now abide under the law of liberty! (Cf. James 1:25) So the application here is to believe! Believe the testimony of God regarding His Son whom He sent to be our Savior. “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Cf. Romans 2:4) As the Apostle John expounded: when we reject the testimony of God about His Son, Jesus, we have in essence called God a liar….

1 John 5:9-12 (NIV)

We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

God does not want us to live under the weight of condemnation, but God has made it clear that each human must make their personal decision about Jesus. Believe and receive eternal life OR reject and remain in condemnation. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Cf. Romans 5:8) A person is not condemned for what they have done … the sin they have committed … or their failure to live up to the moral law God has decreed; rather, a person remains under condemnation for rejection of God’s grace … for refusing the forgiveness and redemption He has offered to us through the death of His Son. Think about it a moment! God willingly sacrificed His One and Only Son for the sin of the world. Jesus is the only atonement God would accept because of His own holiness. The blood of an animal sacrifice is insufficient to purge sin. (Cf. Isaiah 1:11; Isaiah 66:1-4; Hebrews 10)

So, when a person rejects what God has done … what has God ordained for true life in Him … He allows that person to remain in condemnation because they refused to receive the propitiation provided on their behalf. When a person rejects Jesus Christ … they reject the Father as well. (Cf. John 5:22-24; 1 John 2:22-23) It is not a loving God that sends a person to hell; rather, it is a loving God who makes provision for a person to be saved from the condemnation and wrath of sin. That provision is His Son … Jesus! And this is the message that we who are ambassadors of Christ are called to share. As Paul asserted: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

Romans 8:1-10 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.

Do you know anyone who feels condemned or has fallen into self-condemnation? Share this good news with them! God has made provision to remove all condemnation through Christ Jesus. Let condemnation be replaced with conviction! Yes, let conviction bring confession … so that we agree with God that His Word and righteous decrees are holy and just. Oh, there is hope for the sinner who feels condemned! There is freedom for the captive and the broken-hearted! For the kindness of God is intended to lead us to repentance! God sent His light into the world, and His light has overcome the darkness! (Cf. John 1:5) I pray we will share that light with whosoever will listen; and pray God will grant them the gift of repentance and bring them to a knowledge of the Truth….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. ~ Romans 5:15-19