Jealous…

Jealous…

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

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

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

Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV)

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

Exodus 34:14 (NIV)

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

Deuteronomy 32:15-19 (NIV)

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

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

Ezekiel 16:41-43 (NIV)

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

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

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

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

Romans 6:1-7 (NIV)

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

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

And James reminds us:

James 4:4-5 (NIV)

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

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

Have a Blessed Day!

Forgive…

Forgive…

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

The New Covenant declared by God through His prophet is founded upon His decision to forgive the sins of His people. God provided His atonement through the blood of His Son, Jesus, who confirmed: “This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Cf. Luke 22:14-20) And the Apostle John would later affirm:

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.

To forgive requires action! It means to cease feeling resentment against an offender. It means to grant relief or release someone from payment of a debt that is owed. And so, God promised that He would remember our sins no more, and He paid the debt of our sins and transgressions. I have heard some say “our sin debt was cancelled”; but I believe it is more accurate to say it was “paid in full!” Yes, we were bought at a price! We were redeemed with His precious blood! (Cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19)

When Jesus taught about prayer, He included: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Cf. Matthew 6:8-13) But then, Jesus added, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Verses 14-15) Yes, to forgive requires action! It requires a decision. It requires love … because love keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5)

Paul shared with Timothy, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in Him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT) Therefore, my friends, as Paul admonished: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

Have a Blessed Day!

Promise…

Promise…

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.” (Genesis 18:18-19)

God made a promise to Abraham. It was a declaration or assurance that He would do certain things for him. God assured Abraham saying: “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.” (Genesis 17:17) His inheritance of the Promised Land was established, and the journey of his descendants commenced. And in time, when the Israelites had entered and possessed the land, Joshua would attest: “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one of them was fulfilled.” (Joshua 21:45)

When the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem, King David offered thanksgiving before the Lord and said: “He remembers His covenant forever, the promise He made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” (1 Chronicles 16:15-18) Likewise, King Solomon proclaimed: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today. (1 Kings 8:23-24)

Indeed, God has been faithful to keep His promises to His people throughout all generations! And today, those who love Him have great assurance in the promises of the New Covenant –established and sealed in the blood of Christ Jesus! Yes, from King David, God brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised! (Acts 13:23) In Him we have the promise of salvation and eternal life. In Him, we receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. In Him, we have the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) For Jesus promised to return and take us to be with Him forever….

Have a Blessed Day!

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.~ 2 Peter 3:9

The Way of Faithfulness…

Psalm 119:30 (NIV)

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.

Our Verse of the Day affords us a simple, yet powerful message. The decision to be faithful –faithful to God and to one another is always individual. God has created each of us with a personal will that allows us to choose according to the dictates of our own hearts. So, we are challenged to thoughtfully consider our decisions before we make them, as well as the commitments we have determine in our hearts to fulfill. It brings to mine other verses that I believe are applicable: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Cf. Psalm 119:11) And, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (Cf. 1 Samuel 15:22)

The Psalmist gives us, perhaps, the most vital key to exercising the wisdom we need to apply for both short-term and long-term decisions. Actions are essentially the output or engagement of the thoughts of our hearts. And so, what we set our hearts on ultimately determines what we will do. If we set our hearts on the laws of God … His Spirit-inspired Word (the expressed will of God), then we will discern the right choices available to us. Why? Because we will have the knowledge needed to exercise our personal wills in a manner that produces correct decisions for our lives. And, again, our choice to be obedient will be manifested by our conduct. What we ultimately do will always be the expression of the inclination of the thoughts of our hearts. And therein lies the tension … the internal conviction that arises when we do not set our hearts on the will of God and surrender to Him….

Here are some other Scriptures that might bring some additional insight on this subject:

1 Chronicles 28:8-9 (NIV)

“So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever. “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV)

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was like a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

James 1:22-25 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to (or read) the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to (or reads) 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 (read), but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

My friends, we know the will of God has been expressed in His Word, but it is up to us to align the inclinations of our hearts and to surrender ourselves to His revealed will! The difficulty here for us is that no one truly has the capacity to change their own heart. It is God who changes the heart and conforms us to the image of His Son. It is the merciful gift of His Spirit and grace that draws us to Christ Jesus so that we can be filled with the power of His anointing! And, as we have learned, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (Cf. 2 Peter 1:3) Even so, as believers, we will experience a continual spiritual battle for our minds because thoughts determine behavior; and the thoughts of our hearts must be brought captive to the Word of God at all times. “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 4:13) Yes, we need to be reading the Word … studying it … knowing what it instructs … and applying it to our hearts.

A simple short verse can awaken us once again to the choice of faithfulness! I feel so strongly about the message it imparts. God has been unfailing in His faithfulness to us! (Cf. Psalm 89) So, if we want to be faithful to God, then we will have to discipline ourselves and our thoughts through the light and wisdom of His Word. If we want to be effective and productive in the Kingdom of God, we will have to be students of the Word of God. If you get a moment this week, I would encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 2. I believe you will find it applicable to the general discussion here. If we want to live as Jesus did and be conformed to His image, then we will need to have His mind. And Paul asserts we do have the mind of Christ because His Spirit imparts His thoughts to us as believers. It is my prayer that we will reflect on this truth more deeply. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. ~ 3 John 2-4

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

Love That Surpasses Knowledge

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)

I pray that out of His glorious riches the Father 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.

Have you ever doubted God’s love for you? Do you, even now as a believer, question whether He loves you? In our Verse of the Day, Paul prayed that the believers who lived in Ephesus would receive power from the Holy Spirit to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ … and to know this love that surpasses knowledge. Yes, through the Holy Spirit we CAN know the One who dwells in our hearts through faith; and we CAN know the surpassing, incredible love He has for us. Let’s look at the entire passage for the context of his prayer:

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)

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. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Such a powerful prayer is presented here, and it should capture our attention. Paul focuses on the role and the power of the Holy Spirit not only to bring us to faith in Christ Jesus but to have the power to experience the love of God through Christ. Yes, we can KNOW it so that we may be filled with the fullness of God. To me, the key concept for us to understand is that KNOWING His love brings the fullness of God into our lives! His love supersedes our sinful nature … our failures … our disobedience … our trespasses … our iniquities … our rebellion … and our rejection of Him. Still, we should understand that His love does not accept, embrace, overlook, or dismiss those things at all; on the contrary, His love was so great that He died a sacrificial, atoning death on the cross to remove all those things from our lives! God demonstrated His own love for us in this: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8) When we understand the necessity of the atonement Jesus died to achieve for us; perhaps then, we will begin to comprehend the expanse of His great love….

1 John 4:7-11 (NKJV)

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

My friends, I pray you will always rest assured that God love is an everlasting love. It is not dependent on our performance; rather, it is inherent in His creation of us. God has demonstrated His love for us; and I believe what the Father desires most is for us to demonstrate our love for Him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Likewise, He said: “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. (Cf. John 15:10) God’s love was demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Son. Our love can be demonstrated through obedience to His will. As Paul urged: “In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – for this is your true and proper worship.” (Cf. Romans 12:1) Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

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. ~ Romans 8:35-39

God’s Dwelling Place…

Revelation 21:2-4 (NIV)

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Our Verse of the Day always stirs my imagination and deepens my longing for that Glorious Day! I think of what Paul wrote to the Corinthians as he quoted the Prophet Isaiah:

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)

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.

Indeed, there are things that God has revealed to us by His Spirit. Yes, there is a day that awaits the people of God … that glorious day when Jesus returns to “take” us to be with Him so that we may be with Him in the place He has prepared for us!

John 14:1-4 (NIV)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. 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.”

And what captures my thoughts is this promise: “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.” So, I searched the scriptures to find additional references to this promise of God to dwell among His people. Here are a few for your consideration:

Exodus 29:44-46 (NIV)

“So, I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

2 Samuel 7:23-24 (NIV) – See also 1 Chronicles 17:22

And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for Himself, and to make a name for Himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

Jeremiah 24:6-7 (NIV)

My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV)

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NIV)

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 34:23-24 (NIV)

I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and He will tend them; He will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.

As I read through the prophecies of Ezekiel, my heart trembled and I just had to smile at these words he wrote under inspiration. Look at the language he used … the message. I can only imagine the connection and confirmation that the Apostle John felt as he wrote The Book of Revelation….

Ezekiel 37:22-28 (NIV)

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. “‘My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”

It is clear to me that God has always desired to dwell with His people … the living beings He created for fellowship with Him. We are the object of His great love and affection! Over and over, He has said: “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” This is the created order! The first living beings, Adam and Eve, communed with the Lord until their transgression … when sin breached their holiness and separated them from God. Yet, God has passionately pursued His people ever since! God has continued through the millennia of human history to reveal Himself and His holiness to His people. In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-3) It is ONLY in Christ Jesus, through the atonement of His blood, that we are restored to holiness and fellowship with the Father. And I believe it is in Jesus that Father God makes His dwelling place among us both now and forever….

Revelation 21:5-6 (NIV)

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

My friends, these ancient prophetic words are trustworthy and true! Yes, the Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place. (Cf. Revelation 22:6) Let us share with the world: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.” (Cf. Isaiah 55:1-3)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! ~ Revelation 22:20

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

I Want To Know What Love Is

1 John 3:16 (NIV)

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Our Verse of the Day captures a great truth that Jesus desires each of us to attain from our personal encounter with Him; namely, the truth of God’s unfathomable love for those He created in His image … and all of His creation. Indeed, we find this truth repeated in the inspired writings of the New Testament authors. John wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (Cf. John 3:16) And Paul wrote: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Cf. Romans 5:8)

What the Apostle John affirms here is that the sacrificial death of Jesus is how we KNOW what love is! Jesus Christ defines the love of God in terms that we have yet to fully comprehend. Yet, Jesus assures us that this truth can be known and understood by us. Consider the following text:

John 17:20-26 (NIV) ~ Excerpt from the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus

“My prayer is not for them (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

My friends, we can know God and know His love because of Jesus Christ … His Son. The veil covering the holy place in the temple was torn in two – opening our access and revealing our capacity to have fellowship with the God who created us in His image. Jesus attested that He was sent to reveal the Father and to make Him known. Because of Jesus, we can know God … His Being and His passionate love for us. Paul understood this revelation; and his prayer for the Ephesian believers in Ephesians 3:14-21 encompassed a deep, heartfelt desire for them (and us) to KNOW “this love that surpasses knowledge.”

Indeed, God has spoken His love for us. God has revealed His love for us. God has shown and demonstrated His love for us. All the Father asks of us is to believe in His Son, Jesus, and to love one another as He has loved us! His will is not mysterious or unknown. His expectation of those created in His image is attainable. The reciprocation of His love can be achieved. The only question for us is whether we truly desire in our hearts to make it actual in our lives. For love requires us to humble ourselves … to subdue own wills … to exalt God above all else. And Christ Jesus, who ascended into heaven to become our High Priest before the throne of God, has demonstrated what this submission entails. Indeed, the Son, who being in very nature 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 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! (Cf. Philippians 2:6-8)

When we humble ourselves and exert our own wills to be obedient … to pick up our cross daily … to die to sin … to believe God at His Word … to see God through His Son; I am persuaded that we will intimately experience His love that surpasses knowledge and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We will have the capacity to love others as we have been loved. Indeed, that is the purpose of God … to complete His love. The Apostle John shared these insights with us:

1 John 4:7-17 (NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 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. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And 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. This 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.

All of these scriptures reveal the meaning and purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ being sent by the Father to this earth. God sent His Son to fulfill all of these truths because of His great love for us! I pray we will continue to reflect on these things as we recount His crucifixion and celebrate His resurrection!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then Jesus returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When Jesus came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So, He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. ~ Matthew 26:36-44

Jesus Died For All…

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV)

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

Our Verse of the Day brings a great opportunity for deeper understanding of the purposes and implications of the resurrection of Christ Jesus. I have decided to reprint the entire chapter to afford the context because it is packed with theological applications for us to consider. For me, there are lessons that impact not only my view of the world, but my understanding of finding my identity in Christ Jesus. Paul helps us discover who we are and what we are supposed to be doing with our lives as new creations who has been born of the Spirit to abide in Christ Jesus forever. Yes, this portion of scripture captures a myriad of faith-building tenets; and I hope you will find faith-growing encouragement as you review these insights of Paul….

2 Corinthians 5 (New Living Translation)

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God Himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So, whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love compels us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know Him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

I’m not quite sure how the theological thoughts and applications of the resurrection could be more succinctly presented. What God has done for us through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord and Savior, is overwhelming to contemplate! His great mercy; His amazing grace; His abiding Spirit; His everlasting love are fulfilled and completed in Jesus! His last words while on the cross were: “It is finished!” And with that, Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (Cf. John 19:30) There is nothing else to be done except to receive His gift of reconciliation!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

For this reason. I kneel before the Father, from whom every familyin 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. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:14-21