Tag: Truth

Know The Truth…

John 8:31-32 (NIV)

To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

In our culture, it seems that many people have become uncertain of what is true. Indeed, it can be difficult to know what is truth and what is not when there is so much deception being promulgated around the world.  It comes in so many forms: misrepresentations; information filtered with slanted biases; half-truths; withheld information; and just down right lies. It could, in some cases, be unintentional, but I think in the majority of the time, people intend to deceive and manipulate others for their own purposes, personal gain, pride, or their own narcissism.

One thing that I believe we can all agree on is that there is a great confrontation going on in our nation and in the world between the truth and falsehood … between light and darkness.  We see it being played out every day in the media; on social platforms; and in our conversations with others.  And the intensity seems to have escalated during the past 2-3 years.  What can we make of all this conflict?  What can we be certain of in these unsettled and uncertain times in which we live? Well, Jesus affords us some insight with our Verse of the Day: 

John 8:25-36 (NIV)

25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” 30 Even as He spoke, many believed in Him. 31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

I believe we can conclude that the teaching of Jesus is truth. In fact, the whole Word of God is affirmed by Jesus to be truth! What Jesus said and shared with the world is what the Father instructed Him to do.  The Apostle John declared, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Cf. John 1:14; 1:17) When we believe in Jesus … when we trust Him at His Word … we will know the truth! And it is the truth that will set us free from lives of sin and rebellion.  Indeed, when Jesus prayed for His disciples and for those who would believe in Him because of their testimony, He asked the Father to sanctify them to live in accordance with the truth; and then declared: Father, Your Word is Truth! (Cf. John 17:17) So, if we need a standard by which to know and judge what is truth, Jesus has confirmed the truth for us.

So, the best counsel I have for anyone who wants to discern what is truth in these turbulent times is to look into the Word of God, to look at Jesus, and come to the Light of the World. Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Cf. John 12:46) And when asked by Pontius Pilate during his trial, Jesus responded: “The reason that I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (Cf. John 18:37) And we need to understand that Jesus promised to fill us with His Holy Spirit … the Spirit of Truth – who will guide us into all the truth. The Advocate will not speak on His own; rather, He will speak only what He hears – and He will tell us what is yet to come.” (Cf. John 16:13) Perhaps this is what prompted the Apostle John to write:

1 John 4:1-6 (NIV)

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

Could this instruction for our spiritual discernment be made any clearer? To me, John is quite eloquent as he provides us the guidance to discern between truth and falsehood. And I am convinced this “test” of the spirits can afford us all the clarity we need to evaluate what false information is being propagated throughout the world now. My friends, it is imperative for us as believers to have a foundation of truth … the Word of God … both in our minds and in our hearts. It will equip us and empower us to navigate through the deception and darkness that permeates the culture of this world. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:19)

Jesus said His followers would be in the world but not of this world.  He taught, “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 15:19) And Paul advised: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Cf. Romans 12:2) And James affirmed: “God chose to give us birth through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all He created. (Cf. James 1:18) And so, I just felt impressed to remind us of all these things….

Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But be courageous! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33

A Changed Faith…

Luke 1:68-70 (NIV)

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

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

Luke 1:57-80 (NIV)

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

Zechariah’s Song

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Open My Eyes…

Psalm 119:118 (NIV)

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Law….

As I read our Verse of the Day, I immediately connected with the message. For the past couple of years, I have endeavored to read through the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation each year.  It has been a challenge at times, but I am proud to say that I have stayed the course so far. I’m a little behind at this moment, but I have been doing additional study and reading commentaries that have slowed my reading plan.  I share this not to elevate myself; rather, I think it explains why my eyes have been more open to see and understand the “wonderful things” available to us in the Word of God.

I have been a serious student of the bible ever since I was saved and entered into a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.  I have read the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation several times over the years; but most of my study time, I tended to stay in the New Testament … honing my theology and knowledge of Christ. As a result, I did not venture into the foundations of the Old Testament as often as I should.  So, it has been exciting for me each year to “re-discover” so many nuances and details that I have missed or forgotten since my last reading.  It has truly been a delight to become disciplined again in my reading … connecting the dots … visualizing the course of God’s redemptive plan over the history of mankind … and gaining renewed perspective on the spiritual heritage God’s holy prophets and apostles have passed along through the millennia.

So why have I shared my personal bible study disciplines? Because I want to encourage all of us to spend more time in the study of God’s Word.  I want us to see through spiritual eyes all the wonderful things, insights, and inspirations that God has revealed to us through His Word. Indeed, it is a life-long journey of study … learning to probe the depths of its knowledge and to find its hidden treasures of wisdom. For it was written by the Holy Spirit as He inspired and prompted holy people over the ages to record the expressed thoughts that our Creator and Father wanted to communicate with us.  As Peter explained:

2 Peter 1:16-21 (NKJV)

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin or interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Yes, the Word of God is spiritual, and it is received and understood within our spirits. When Jesus taught with parables, He once commented to His disciples: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (Cf. John 6:63) The Apostle Paul affirmed: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

So, here is the application. We cannot discover the “wonderful things” contained in the Word of God if we do not read it. Our hearts and minds will not be open to its wisdom and understanding for life if we do not have the Holy Spirit leading us into its truth. (Cf. John 16:13) Again, as Paul instructed Timothy, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Indeed, the Word of God has the incredible ability to impact and change our lives:

Therefore, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) 

For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. (1 Peter:22-23)

These are just a few passages that emphasize the “wonderful things” we can see in the Word of God.  Yes, I encourage you to spend more time in your reading and study.  I am sure you will find more insight each time you open up the scriptures; and what you discover for yourself will be exciting to learn … and to share with others. Indeed, Lord, open our eyes and our hearts to see and apply your word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.” ~ Psalm 119:105

Word of God Speak…

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

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.

Our Verse of the Day continues to emphasize the Word of God and its power to change the thoughts of our hearts. It has the power to transform our lives … affording us the knowledge of God and His will! Indeed, its importance cannot be emphasized enough because it is how God reaches out to us through His Spirit to come to a knowledge of the Truth! Perhaps the instruction of Paul can help us out in this regard:

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 (NIV)

9 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— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual truths with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

We have learned from Paul: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16) Peter affirmed: “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit. (Cf. 2 Peter 1:21) The writer of Hebrews enlightened: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the Prophets at many times and in various ways; but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe.” (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-2) And John proclaimed: “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.” (Cf. John 1:1-4)

And so, this is the key point I have found to be my guide: “Embrace what Jesus has revealed through the words He received from the Father!  He is the Living Word … alive and active! It is His words that bring discernment and judgment into our hearts! Yes, He alone, is our salvation!

John 8:25-32 (NIV)

25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But He who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.” 27 They did not understand that He was telling them about His Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM HE, and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The One who sent me is with me; He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.” 30 Even as Jesus spoke, many believed in Him. 31 To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 12:44-50 (NIV)

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

As I meditate on these things, my thoughts recall what Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus … His praises to God for the spiritual blessings we receive through His Son … our Lord Jesus Christ:

Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV)

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For He chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11 In Him we were also chosen (made heirs) having been predestined according to the plan of God who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.

And so, I join with Paul in his prayer: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Cf. Ephesians 1:17-19) Indeed, the great power of transformation is found in the Word of God! It is our light in the midst of this dark world! Amen.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. ~ Jesus

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ~ Isaiah 55:10-11

His Covenant is Known…

Psalm 25:14-15 (NIV)

The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare.

Our Verse of the Day moved my heart this morning; and as I contemplated its message, it awakened me to a simple truth that perhaps should have always been apparent. In Verse 14, David asserts that God confides in those who fear Him. The use of the word “confide” here has some strong implications. As a transitive verb, it means to impart a secret with trust; to share something with another in confidence. One definition put it this way: “To entrust; commit to the charge or knowledge of another.” The English Standard Version (ESV) renders the translation: “The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear (reverence) Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.” To me, this indicates “what” God reveals to those who love Him is His will, His promises, and His faithfulness! And, perhaps, this provides a reason as to why so many people do not understand the love of God. They simply do not fear (reverence) Him. It brings to mind this Scripture: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Cf. Hebrews 11:6)

The context of Psalm 25 gives this verse additional meaning. David declares that his hope, his confidence, and his trust are in God alone. And, therefore, David asks God to teach him and guide his life under this covenant relationship God has revealed. He asks for mercy and forgiveness for all the sin in his life; knowing that God is loving and faithful towards those who keep His covenant. And so, David affirms that God makes (an active, ongoing process) His covenant known and that believers will experience deliverance and salvation from the God of love:

Psalm 25:4-15 (NIV)

4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in His ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. 10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of His covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. 13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. 14 The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare.

And as I read Verse 15, another passage of Scripture came to mind. I wonder if you see any parallels in terms of personal relationship with God as presented in Psalm 25:

Hebrews 12:1-11 (NIV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily ensnares us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. 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. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.” (Quoting Proverbs 3:11-12) 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Indeed, Father God delights to train those who love Him … those who fear Him in reverence and keep His covenant. His covenant of love, that He has declared and made known through Christ Jesus, brings us to a genuine desire to share in His holiness. As the Apostle John affirmed: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when it is made known (when Christ appears) we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure (holy). Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that Jesus appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.” (Cf. 1 John 3:1-6)

My friends, God has made Himself known to us through His creation, and revealed His will to us through His Word … spoken through His holy prophets of old, and in these last days, through His Son. (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-2) The New Covenant, ordained before the foundation of the world to be appropriated through His Son, Yeshua Hamashiach, has been fulfilled. It is finished! It cannot be changed! Indeed, the immutable atonement for our sin through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, IS the power of God that brings salvation to everyone; it is the righteousness and faithfulness of God revealed. (Cf. Romans 1:16-17) It is not veiled except to those who do not know God … those who do not fear or worship the Father. As Paul has asserted: “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.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

I pray this reminder will encourage you in your journey of faith.  I pray we will not walk in fear or trepidation; rather, that we will boldly proclaim this Good News and be ambassadors for Christ. For God desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (Cf. 1 Timothy 2:4) And let us pray in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth (Cf. 2 Timothy 2:25) – His truth that leads to godliness (Cf. Titus 1:1).  Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Dealing with Unbelief…

Isaiah 43:11-12 (NIV)

I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.

When we reach the point in the history of Israel that the Prophet Isaiah is born, and he is called to fulfill his role in the Kingdom of God, we are several centuries past the Exodus of God’s people from the land of Egypt under the appointed leadership of Moses. In our Verse of the Day, we find God still pleading with His people to believe in Him … to trust Him … to place their faith in Him. God revealed Himself to His people through mighty and miraculous events; signs and wonders; judges, kings, and prophets; and yet, there is a continual call from the Spirit of God to “see” Him and to “know” Him. And as I reflected on this message this morning, I recognized that our current generation seems to struggle with the same issue: Faith! How many millennia have come and gone that multitudes of human beings have resisted to acknowledge or believe in the Creator … our Heavenly Father?

Moses struggled with the unbelief of God’s people even after the great parting of the Red Sea and their supernatural deliverance (salvation) from the pursuing armies of Pharaoh. We find the same issue of unbelief under the leadership of Joshua after crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. It continued under their Judges, under Samuel, and during the reign of the Davidic Kings. Restoration leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah urged the people returning from the judgment of exile to believe and to return to their faith and worship of God. The major and minor Prophets spoke as the mouth of God – “I AM Here!” “I AM He!” “I AM!” Indeed, I believe their unbelief was the very reason that Jesus, the Son of God, was sent unto His own; and yet, even the disciples had to be rebuked for their unbelief at times. What gives? Why are humans so resistant to believe … so rebellious against the knowledge of God? There are many Scriptures that come to mind regarding unbelief:

Deuteronomy 1:30-33 (NKJV)

30 The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ 32 Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.

Psalm 78:52-58 (ESV)

52 Then He led out His people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 53 He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54 And He brought them to His holy land, to the mountain which His right hand had won. 55 He drove out nations before them; He apportioned them for a possession and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. 56 Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most-High God and did not keep His testimonies, 57 but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers; they twisted like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places; they moved Him to jealousy with their idols.

Matthew 21:28-32 (ESV)

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the Kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

John 12:37-45 (ESV)

37 But although Jesus had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Cf. Isaiah 53:1) 39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” (Cf. Isaiah 6:10) 41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him. 42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. 44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not only in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should stay in darkness.

John 14:5-11 (ESV)

5 Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does His works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Hebrews 3:7-19 (NIV)

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. 10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ 11 As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So, we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Well, I think the point has been made here regarding the seriousness of unbelief. And I think it stems from our own human pride. Somehow, we think that we know more than God on how things are supposed to be … how He is supposed to govern His Kingdom … how He should do things the way we think He ought to do them. Rather than believe what God has revealed, we want to question Him regarding what He has not revealed. In my observation, I believe God has revealed Himself sufficiently for humans to believe in Him. Paul asserted that what may be known about God is plain to see because God has made it plain to us. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen; being understood from what has been made so that people are without excuse. (Cf. Romans 1:19-20)

The challenge for each generation has always been unbelief … intermittent doubt … wavering faith! Well did the inspired writer of Hebrews define the concept of faith: “Now faith is the substance (confidence) of things hoped for, the evidence (assurance) of things not seen.” (Cf. Hebrews 11:1) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He reward those who earnestly seek Him. (Cf. Hebrews 11:6) Isaiah prophesied, “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Cf. Isaiah 53:1) And I am reminded that God declared: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Cf. Isaiah 55:8-9)

Instead of trying to second guess or out maneuver God, perhaps we should just simply believe Him at His Word. “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known.” (Cf. John 1:18)Indeed, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.(Cf. Hebrews 1:1-3a)

I think about what Jesus said to Thomas after His resurrection: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Cf. John 20:29) Thomas had been with Jesus for three years. He saw the miracles. He heard the sermons. He knew Jesus personally. Yet, he did not believe the testimony of his fellow disciples concerning His resurrection. Even now, I recall the words of Jesus to Martha at the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  (Cf. John 11:25)

A Final Thought:

Note that we are ordained to be witnesses … to give our testimony of God: His Revelation … His Salvation … His Proclamation. As Paul affirmed: “Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Cf. Philippians 2:9-11) Remember, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Cf. Romans 10:17) And so I think for us to be effective, we cannot be wavering in our faith. If we want to reach our generation with the hope of the Gospel, it will require us to not only believe the message about Jesus Christ, but to put faith into action. We are called to persevere in our faith … to be steadfast and to trust in the Lord forever. And though our faith will be tested and refined throughout our journey, let us remember that we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Cf. Hebrews 4:16)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Removing the Veil…

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Our Verse of the Day brings an important point to the table regarding our mission to share the Gospel with those who do not know the truth. Paul explains: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” In 1 Corinthians 1:18-19, Paul wrote: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Citing Isaiah 29:14) And Paul observed in another place, “Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 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. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3-5)

Therein lies the challenge that we also faced before we came to faith in Jesus; and it is the same issue for someone who is not ready to receive the message of hope and salvation. And so, we are to be servants to unbelievers for Jesus’ sake. That is our commission … our marching orders from the Lord. We are to love others as we have been loved. We are to speak the truth in love; and we are to be salt and light in this world … to be Jesus in this world. That is why I believe it is imperative that we work together with the Holy Spirit to prepare the soil of hearts God has called to salvation. What I mean is that we should be in fervent prayer for those who need salvation to be receptive to what the Spirit of God is prompting them to hear in their heart. We need to pray for spiritual ears to hear … for the spiritual eyes of hearts to be opened to see the Gospel. Indeed, the preparation of prayer is more important than our words in the beginning of leading someone to Christ….

So, this morning, I challenge each of us to be in prayer for someone who needs to see the light of the Gospel; the good news that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, within their heart. Pray that they will not seek the wisdom of this world … which is foolishness in God’s sight … and ask the Lord to unveil and reveal the truth to them. In other words, the Spirit must do the prompting and leading … for it is HE who guides us into all truth. Yes, “When He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” (Cf. John 16:13) For you and I cannot enter the heart of a person, but we can let our light so shine before them, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 5:16)

Father, You call our hearts in prayer this morning for the lost and the prodigal.  We ask and pray that You will remove the veil of darkness from their hearts so that the light of the Gospel will shine before them.  We ask You, Holy Spirit, to reveal the Truth to their hearts so that they would receive Jesus into their hearts and atonement for their sins … redemption and reconciliation … deliverance and healing … grace and peace … within their souls. Yes, we pray in the Mighty Name of Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus the Messiah), Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Life-Giving Word

Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

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

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

Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tested) by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3) 5 Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Note: Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12) 7But Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:16) 8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” (Note: Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 6:13) 11 Then the devil left Him, and angels came and attended Him.

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

1 John 2:18-27 (NIV)

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

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

John 16:12-14 (NIV)

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

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

1.         We must read the Word of God diligently.

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

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

One final thought on the words of Jesus:

John 12:44-50 (NIV)

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

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Eternal Word…

Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

This verse is probably familiar to us.  It is nestled in a larger narrative that records the words of Jesus to His disciples concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and signs of the End Times.  So in that context, Jesus told them, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.” Perhaps, we should take a closer look at what Jesus said because He, in essence, declares that His words have been established forever.  The Chapter is quite large, but I think it bears examining and noting what Jesus foretold would take place:

Matthew 24:1-35 (NIV)

1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when His disciples came up to Him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” He asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 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. 15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ (Cf. Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ (Cf. Isaiah 13:10; 34:4) 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. (Cf. Daniel 7:13-14) 31 And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it (or He) is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you all, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Chapter 24 will continue, but I want to stop here a moment for us to grasp all that Jesus said, and then, to consider the gravity of Verse 35 in the context. As we read what Jesus told us ahead of time would happen upon the earth, we can see and understand what the end times will entail.  Heaven and earth will pass away.  What we see … what we know … what we experience here and now will disappear.  It will pass away.  So I will provide some Scriptures for you to ponder regarding this statement Jesus made.  I’ll start with Old Testament prophecy first.

Isaiah 65:17-25 (NIV)

17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. 20 “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them. 24 Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 66:22-24 (NIV)

22 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

2 Peter 3:10-14 (NIV)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.  That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.

Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV)

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” (Cf. Isaiah 65:17) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 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. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ (Cf. Isaiah 25:8) or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 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.”

Yes, we can be sure that the current heaven and earth will pass away; and a new heaven and a new earth will be created. But then Jesus said: “My words will never pass away.” His words remind me of several Scriptures which affirm this truth.  “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” (Cf. Psalm 119:89) “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. (Cf. Psalm 119:160) The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (Cf. Isaiah 40:8) And Peter shares the application of this truth: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:22-23) And think about what the Apostle John declared: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” (Cf. John 1:1-3) Perhaps, it is more readily evident what Jesus was telling His disciples and those who followed and believed in Him.  His words will never pass away because Jesus will never pass away. Jesus declared,  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Cf. Revelation 1:8) And Jesus confirmed, “I AM HE who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen!” (Cf. Revelation 1:18) Yes, the Word of God is the beginning of all things, and He is eternal!

Jesus, the ever-living Word of God, has spoken. (Cf. Hebrews 1:2) He has told us ahead of time what will happen … what will take place in the latter days … so that we will know and believe Him.  But even more, Jesus wants us to trust Him at His Word. He knows what will come to pass.  He knows that heaven and earth will pass away.  But Jesus said, “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.” (Cf. John 14:3)  Indeed, Jesus is coming a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. (Cf. Hebrews 9:28) So, we must trust.  We must wait. We must persevere in faith. And, yes, we must serve.  So, let us go back to the remainder of Matthew Chapter 24:

Matthew 24:42-51 (NIV)

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in His household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when He returns. 47 Truly I tell you, He will put him in charge of all His possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect Him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Since Jesus has already told us ahead of time what “this generation” should expect to see unfold, we should not fear; rather, “When these things begin to take place, we should stand up and lift up our heads, because our redemption is drawing near.” (Cf. Luke 21:28) And we should be faithful and wise servants, whom the master has put in charge of His house while He is away.  We should be doing the good works prepared in advance for us to do. (Cf. Ephesians 2:10) Yes, we should be about sharing the truth of the Gospel and making disciples of all people … not making denominational converts. Religion is divisive. But leading people to an authentic encounter and relationship with Jesus Christ will bring unity and peace. For there is no division in Christ! Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. We abide in Him and He in us … for apart from Him we can do nothing. (Cf. John 15:5) Though many members, we form one body in Christ, and therefore, each member belongs to all the others. (Cf. Romans 12:5) Indeed, unity and assembling ourselves has become even more important as we see the Day approaching. Why? Because the purpose is to encourage each other to bear the fruit of love and good works. (Cf. Hebrews 10:24-25)

So what application do you see for yourself?  Knowing that the Word of God is settled forever … what impact does that have on your faith? To me, it has everything to do with faith! The Word of God is what saved us!  It is the light and revelation of God.  It removes the veil of darkness from those who are perishing! The Word … the Truth … is the most important thing we can receive or to declare to this world.  It is the ministry to which we have been called as believers.  We are those with “unveiled faces” … who see and have embraced the New Covenant which is through Christ Jesus!

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (NIV)

1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 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. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” (Cf. Genesis 1:3) made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Did you see it … in Verse 5?  Paul said, we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord … and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  Do you see any connection with the words of Jesus?  He asked, “Who is a faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in His household to give them their food at the proper time?  It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when He returns.”  That connection really caught my attention because I now have to answer that question He posed.  Am I a faithful and wise servant?  Am I a servant for Jesus’ sake? If the master, our Lord Jesus, returned in this hour, what would He find me doing?  Not the pastor … not the evangelist … not the missionary. No, what will He find ME doing? I think that is an important question for each of us to ask ourselves.  And so I will leave it there for us to spend some time before the Lord in introspection.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/28/19

John 4:24

God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in Truth.”

I love this Verse of the Day because it addresses two great points about worship.  Jesus taught that our worship of God must be specific and intentional.  Specific addresses that worship must be spiritual.  Intentional addresses that worship must be sincere.  To explain spiritual matters in practical terms, I always look to the Apostle Paul for insight.

Romans 12:1 (New International Version)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1 (English Standard Version)

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your (rational) spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1 (New American Standard Version)

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your (rational) spiritual service of worship. 

Romans 12:1 (New King James Version)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (rational) service.

I reprinted several translations of Romans 12:1 because I wanted you to get a diverse since of how the Greek is translated in this passage.  Regardless of how the relationship to worship is presented (i.e. true and proper worship or spiritual worship), all the passages agree that acceptable worship to God is the presentation of yourself … your body as a living and holy sacrifice.  In other words, true and rational worship in bodily action is how your spiritual worship is manifested. And Paul indicates to us that true worship is sacrificial in conduct and holy in nature.  Acceptable worship means we have set ourselves apart (consecrated ourselves) to serve God and His Kingdom in these vessels He has given us – that is our human bodies….

Perhaps easier said than done, but spiritual worship … true worship is ultimately a sacrificial offering of our “surrendered” selves to God.  It means everything we are in our inner being … our souls… is focused on pleasing Him and doing His will. That requires submission not to religious rites or human constructs; rather, it requires a reverent fear of the holy God who saved us and calls us to be holy just as He is holy. (Cf. 1 Peter 1:16) It means that we must deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Jesus. (Cf. Luke 9:23) It means to do what is right and just … which is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifices. (Cf. Proverbs 21:3) And it is because of His mercy toward us that we feel compeled to do so.

Isaiah 29:13-14 (NIV)

13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.  14 Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”

You see, worship is not something we can pretend. It is not merely following a prescribed set of rules or rituals taught by organized denominations or hierarchies.  Worship is ultimately the sincere, rational expression of the personal relationship you have with Jesus Christ.  The closer you draw to Him … the more you submit to His authority … the more you will abide in Him (and He in you).  Worship then becomes a natural expression of your life in Christ. Everything you do in your body, as a living sacrifice, is Spirit led, so it will not be contrived or feel unnatural.  It will be an outpouring of the wellspring of living water within you…. 

So Now You Know.

Have a Blessed Day.