Fighting Fire with Fire

Elijah said to his king, “Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” [1]

These 850 false prophets were spreading the king and queen’s propaganda. Every major news networks was promoting the false narrative of the reigning regime to Elijah’s nation.

What did the Holy Spirit lead God’s servant to do? He called a gathering where the propagandizers would experience the power of God. Elijah told them…

“The god who answers by fire—He is God.” [2]

The government’s disinformation bureau failed to produce fire despite trying to do so to the point of hurting themselves. Elijah prayed…

“Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

“Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—He is God! The Lord—He is God!’” [3]

The Lord fights fire with fire. The major networks of Elijah’s day had been firing flaming arrows of lies against God and against God’s true servants. Now, it was God’s turn to respond. What did God do? He sent fire from heaven that could not be quenched. The result was that all 850 spreaders of lies were silenced that day…

“Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.” [4]

The fire that fell from heaven in Elijah’s day was a prototype of the tongues of fire that fell on the disciples of Jesus on Pentecost Day! The Pentecostal tongues of fire were signs of God’s presence as when God spoke to Moses from the flaming bush that did not burn up. Like, the pillar of fire over the tabernacle in the wilderness! When the fire of the Holy Spirit filled Peter in Acts 2, he preached, and more than 3,000 souls were added to God’s kingdom that day.

This is what the world needs now! God’s people filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Fighting fire with fire!

[1] 1 Kings 18:19
[2] 1 Kings 18:24
[3] 1 Kings 18:37-39
[4] 1 Kings 18:40

By My Spirit says the Lord Almighty

"Not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord Almighty." [1]

Having taken in a steady diet of stories and movies about human heroes growing up, the Lord Jesus had to do so much in my life to help me see that He has been the "hero" behind every godly man and woman in the Bible.

When I began writing about Jeremiah the Prophet, I thought I had found a human hero that I could emulate because I have a nation in spiritual decline like he did. I experience grief for the consequences of sin like Jeremiah did. I feel compelled to speak truth amidst lies as he did. But alas, no one can emulate the greatness of the Biblical characters apart from the gifting of the Holy Spirit in his or her life. Jeremiah was moved by the Holy Spirit with prophetic utterances that were precise and timely.

The Book of Judges is a case and point for the fact that apart from the Spirit of God, human leaders cannot lead their nation well...

"The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him [Samson]..." [2]

The leader cannot deliver a nation from the hands of it's enemies without an enduement of power and insight from the Holy Spirit. Its always the Spirit of God leading and guiding the judges in the Book of Judges. The Spirit of God is the difference maker.

Praise be to God for His marvelous grace! He gives gifts of His Spirit to unworthy and flawed people who believe in Him. He anoints people to do great exploits for His glory. He often works through us in spite of us. Glory to God!

[1] Zechariah 4:6
[2] Judges 14:6

Are You Ready for Eternity?

 "“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31)

Jesus Christ Is Worthy

“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’” [1]

Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. Every knee shall bow, and tongue confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Every knee! Every tongue! That’s why it is important to hear His voice and live accordingly.

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:

‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” [2]

Our Lord Jesus got it done. He paid the penalty for our sin. He alone is worshiped by the angels of heaven. The angels and all creatures proclaim that Jesus, not another, is worthy of the blessing, honor, glory, and power.

[1] John 18:37
[2] Revelation 5:11-13

The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

“’If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” [1]

If you love Me…, do I love Jesus? Do you? Yes, I do.
My Lord’s love language is obedience to His commands, so I will make it my aim to obey Him. And what does my Lord Jesus do to help me in my effort to love Him? He gives me a Helper to abide with me always. The Spirit of Truth! He does not give His Holy Spirit to worldly people, but as for me, as for you who want to speak His love language of commandment-keeping, He does not leave us without help, He gives us His Holy Spirit.

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [2]

How does the Lord manifest Himself to us who love Him and who express our love for Him by keeping His commandments? He and the Father manifest (reveal) themselves to us by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

“Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “’Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’” [3]

The Father and Son love us and come to us and make their home with us by the third person in the Trinity: the Holy Spirit.

“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” [4]

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher from the Father and the Son. He helps us remember all things that Jesus taught us so that we are made complete in Christ.

I would appreciate your prayers. I have a message and power point about the Holy Spirit for this Sunday. My goal is that He would have freedom to speak truth to us from the Father and Son via God’s Holy Word: the Bible.

[1] John 14:15-18
[2] John 14:21
[3] John 14:22-23
[4] John 14:25-26

The Spirit of Wisdom

One of the character traits of the Holy Spirit is wisdom. He gives wisdom to those who receive Him.

“Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of Wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.” [1]

The Spirit of Wisdom helped Moses to guide God’s people in God’s ways. Now, God transferred that Spirit of leadership to Joshua.

The Spirit of Wisdom drew Joshua to God’s Word. To meditate on it! To adhere to it…

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” [2]

The Lord gave Solomon the opportunity to ask Him for anything that he wanted. Solomon asked the Lord for an understanding heart…

“Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” [3]

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.” [4]

The Spirit of wisdom rested on Jesus…

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” [5]

The Spirit of Wisdom speaks…

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion. By Me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me diligently will find Me. The Lord possessed Me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.”

Therefore, we should ask God for wisdom…

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” [7]

"Dear God, our Heavenly Father, please graciously grant the leaders of the nations the Spirit of Wisdom to lead and guide the affairs of Your people. And please graciously grant each of us Your Spirit of Wisdom to discern and do Your will. For it in Jesus' Name that I pray. Amen."

[1] Deuteronomy 34:9
[2] Joshua 1:9
[3] 1 Kings 3:9
[4] 1 Kings 4:29-30
[5] Isaiah 11:2
[6] Proverbs 8:12, 15, 17, 22-23
[7] James 1:5

Choose Life Choose Love

Moses is at the end of his days here on earth. The Lord gives him a prophetic message for the nation of Israel. In the future, they will be scattered like refugees all over the earth. In those days, they will remember what Moses said about God’s blessings and curses. They will recognize that their sin caused the distance between them and God. In those days, God will bring them back to the Promised Land. He will prosper them. He will remove the thick skin from their hearts, so that they are able to love Him again. Love Him with all their hearts and souls and LIVE! [1]

The Lord will place the curses on their enemies. Those who hate them! Those who persecute them! They will once again obey God’s commandments. They will enjoy good increases. The Lord will rejoice to do them good because they are now turned towards Him with all their hearts and with all their souls. [2]

The Lord set before them life and good, death and evil. He commanded them to love Him, and to keep His commandments so that they might live and be blessed by Him. [3]

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…” [4]

I like the prayer that is repeated three times in Psalm 80…

“Restore us, O God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!” [5]

Amen! May it be so for us and for our nation!

[1] Deuteronomy 30:1-6
[2] Deuteronomy 30:7-10
[3] Deuteronomy 30:15-16
[4] Deuteronomy 30:19-20
[5] Psalm 80:3, 7, 19

Blessings, Curses and Persecution

God instructed Moses to teach His people that He blesses obedience and curses defiance. He said, “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and do them, then I will give you…” [1]

Seasonal rains

Productive fields

Fruitful trees

Year-round food supplies

Plenty to eat

Safety

Peace

Fearless nights

Removal of evil beasts

Absence of enemy swords

Victory over your enemies

Five people to chase a hundred

One hundred to chase ten thousand

Favor

Population growth

Covenantal Relationship

New supplies before old vanish

My presence

Identification with Me

Freedom from slavery

Uprightness [2]

God promised to set His obedient servants “high above all nations of the earth.” [3]  If they listened to His voice, He promised that the following blessings would overtake them:

“Blessed in the city.”

“Blessed in the field.”

“Blessed in body, ground, animals, livestock, and flock.”

Blessed breadbasket.

Blessed in travels.

Blessed in enemies fleeing from you.

Blessed barns, labors, and land.

Established as God’s holy people.

Identified and respected by others as God’s people.

Treasures of heaven to lend to nations and not borrow.

Made the head, not the tail; above only, not beneath. [4]

On the other hand, God promised to curse them in the above areas if they defied Him. [5] God promised to feed rebels to birds and beasts. [6]  He promised to strike rebels with incurable boils of Egypt, with tumors, scabs, and itch. Rebels would incur madness, blindness, confusion of heart, oppression, and robbed continually without rescue. [7] Men would steal their fiancés. Others would possess their newly built houses. Others would eat the fruits of their vineyard fruit and the meat of their livestock. Others would have their children. They would long for their children. They would feel crushed. A foreign dictator would rule them. Locusts would eat their crops. Foreign nations would increase at the expense of their decline. They would be indebted to other nations. [8]

The Lord promised them:

Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; therefore, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord sends against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack of all things. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. The Lord will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies: a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce facial expressions, which does not respect the elderly, nor show favor to the young. [9]

God said:

It will happen that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be plucked from the land that you are going in to possess. the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. There you will serve other gods which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. [10]

As I read the curses, I noticed that the Lord issues a set of judgments and then stops. He waits for a response. If they defy Him, He issues the next set of judgments.

Round One

You will experience:

Terror

Disease

Fever

Loss of vision

Sadness of heart

Futility

Loss of crops

Loss of wars

Evil oppression

Cowardice [11]

Round Two

Brokenness

A sky hard as iron

A land hard as bronze

Strength spent without benefit

Fields without increase

Trees without fruit [12] 

Round Three

Children consumed by beasts

Livestock destroyed by beasts

Population diminished by beasts

Highways unused due to beasts [13]

Round Four

Seven setbacks due to sin

Death by sword

Enemy invasions

Epidemics

Prisoner of war camps

Lack ovens for cooking

Unsatisfied appetites [14]

Round Five

Cannibalism of sons and daughters

Destruction of idols

Corpses atop idols!

Rejection by God

Destruction of cities and sanctuaries

Rejection of your offerings to God

Barrenness

Loathing from enemies

Displacement among the nations

Death by sword (again)

Distance from places of worship

Faintness of heart due to captors

Cowardice (again)

Stumbling

Weakness before enemies

Death in foreign lands

Demise due to iniquity [15]

In Revelation, God describes three rounds of seven judgments. In round one, seven seal judgments! [16] In round two, seven trumpet judgments! [17] In round three, seven bowl judgments! [18] These curses are strong incentives to choose repentance of sin and salvation by God. Tragically, the people described in the Revelation prophecy do like the people did in Jeremiah’s day, they blaspheme the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They did not repent and give Him glory. [18]

God shortened the five rounds of judgments recorded in Leviticus 26 to three rounds of judgments in Revelation 6-16:

Round One

First seal

A conqueror conquers

Second seal

Peace departs and killing starts

Third seal

Inflation increases

Fourth seal

Sword, hunger, death, wild beasts kill a quarter of the people

Fifth seal

God promises justice to His martyrs

Sixth seal

Earthquakes, sun darkens, moon reddens, stars fall to the earth

Seventh seal

Thundering, lightning, and quaking

Round Two

First trumpet

Hail and fire mingled with blood destroy a third of trees and grass

Second trumpet

A third of the sea turns bloody

A third of the sea creatures die

A third of the earth’s ships destroyed

Third trumpet

A third of water turn bitter and many people die

Fourth trumpet

A third of sun, moon, stars darken

A third of day and night darken

Fifth trumpet

People tormented by locusts five months

People seek death but it alludes them

Sixth trumpet

A third of people killed by a 200,000,000-soldier strong army

Seventh trumpet

The devil descends to earth, beast, and false prophet gain power

Round Three

First bowl

Foul and loathsome sores form on those with mark of the beast

Second bowl

The sea becomes bloody and every living creature in the sea dies

Third bowl

Rivers and springs of water become bloody

Fourth bowl

The sun scorches men with fire

Fifth bowl

Beast worshippers gnaw their tongues in pain

Sixth bowl

The kings of earth gather for battle

Seventh bowl

Thunder, lightning, earthquake, a great city, other cities collapse

The Jerusalemites experienced the curses of sin for defying God. Eventually, the Babylon army would enter their city. Soldiers would confiscate their riches and burn down their city. They would execute their leaders. The Jerusalemites would be: “Carried away captive to Babylon for their disobedience.” [20]

The same will happen to our people when we prefer defiance towards God rather than obedience to His commands. The son of destruction will be revealed. The anti-Christ will be released. He will sit in God’s temple and pretend to be God.

King Saul was God’s early warning signal to Israel. In him, God revealed what happens to unfaithful people. “Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the Lord, because of the Lord’s word, which he did not keep; and because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire, and did not inquire of the Lord. Therefore, He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” [21]

What about God’s servants? How do we discern the difference between divine curses due to sin and suffering for the sake of righteousness? Jeremiah escaped the consequences of personal sin. He humbled himself before God and glorified God. He was neither carried away captive nor slain by the Babylonian army. His suffering was due to wayward people who persecuted him. Peter wrote, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” [22] God’s love in one’s heart is the difference. Knowing that God loves you and knowing that you love Him in return is a sign that you are suffering for sake of righteousness.

The priests of Judah colluded together to silence Jeremiah. The Lord revealed their plot to him. He wrote, “The Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings.” [23] The Lord rescued Jeremiah from the plots of those who sought to destroy him.

The Apostle Paul had a similar experience to Jeremiah. Forty men made plans to ambush and kill him. Paul’s nephew overheard the plot and told Paul about it. Paul asked his nephew to report the plot to the Roman commander in-charge. Thanks to God’s grace, the ambush was averted. [24]

God’s Word cannot be silenced. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will not pass away. [25] God’s Word accomplishes what He pleases. [26]

God allowed Jeremiah to write a personal note in his book. He wrote, “I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I did not know that they had devised plans against me, saying, ‘Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.’” [27] Jeremiah envisioned himself as a gentle lamb and a fruitful tree. No threat to others! Normally, those who bear good fruit need not worry about being cut down. But he was dealing with incredibly evil people. They wanted to kill him and erase him from everyone’s memory.

God did not let Jeremiah’s enemies destroy him. He promised him, “Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine. There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.” [28] The Lord was not unjust, to forget his work and the labor of love which he showed toward God’s name. [29]

The prayers of martyred souls in heaven echo Jeremiah’s prayer. They cry with loud voices, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” [30] The Lord’s response to their prayer was to give them long white robes. He told them to rest until their fellow servants and their brothers were killed even as they were. [31] Vengeance followed… “He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.” [32] God blesses those who obey Him, while sin curses those who commit it.

“Dear Heavenly Father, please keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil. Help us to submit ourselves to obeying You. Please deliver us from those who conspire against us. Please graciously bring our enemies to repentance. May they too bring glory and honor to You. For it is in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ, that I pray. Amen.”

[1] Leviticus 26:3-4

[2] Leviticus 26:4-13

[3] Deuteronomy 28:1

[4] Deuteronomy 28:3-13

[5] Deuteronomy 28:15

[6] Deuteronomy 28:26

[7] Deuteronomy 28:27-29

[8] Deuteronomy 28:30-37, 43-44

[9] Deuteronomy 28:47-50

[10] Deuteronomy 28:63-64

[11] Leviticus 26:16-18 

[12] Leviticus 26:18-20

[13] Leviticus 26:21-22

[14] Leviticus 26:24-26 

[15] Leviticus 26:29-44

[16] Revelation 6:1-8:1

[17] Revelation 8:2-11:15

[18] Revelation 16:3-21

[19] Revelation 16:9 

[20] 1 Chronicles 9:1

[21] 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

[22] 1 Peter 4:14

[23] Jeremiah 11:18

[24] Acts 23:12-32

[25] Matthew 24:35

[26] Isaiah 55:11

[27] Jeremiah 11:19

[28] Jeremiah 11:22-23

[29] Hebrews 6:10

[30] Revelation 6:10

[31] Revelation 6:11

[32] Revelation 6:12-13

Why Did Jesus Choose Judas Iscariot?

Judas was “a devil.” [1]
Judas was “a thief” [2]
Judas was an unbeliever [3]
Judas was spiritually unclean [4]
Judas held a respected position within the group [5]

Jesus “knew what was in each person” [6], yet He selected Judas.

As we witness the truth of God’s Word freely to those around us, there’s always the risk of being betrayed by someone that we have taught about Jesus.

The attached link connects to an article with good insights from the Bible as to why Jesus included Judas to be in His inner circle of followers.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-choose-Judas.html

[1] John 6:70–71
[2] John 12:6
[3] John 6:64
[4] John 13:10
[5] John 13:29
[6] John 2:25

Overwhelmed by God’s love, grace and Holy Spirit

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” [1]

As I read these verses, the great commission of Jesus Christ came to mind. See Matthew 28:19-20. When I am filled with a holy awe of my Creator and embrace His ways because His Spirit has filled me with love for Him, the next thing that happens to me is that I want to tell others about Him, especially those around me like the strangers… those who do not know the love of God. They don’t know that God is their Heavenly Father and that He sent His Son into the world to become an atoning sacrifice for their sins. They don’t know that He resurrected from the dead, ascended to heaven and is returning again. They don’t know about the blessed Holy Spirit who He sent to indwell and empower those who believe in Jesus Christ. They need someone to introduce them to the Triune God - the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

So, I am praying for those around me and especially for the strangers to the Trinity that He might use my life to introduce them (him or her) to Him.

“Heavenly Father, please overwhelm those who don’t know You with Your love, grace and Holy Spirit. This I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ Your Son. Amen.”

[1] Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 19

Syncing Obedience with Grace

Jesus is the Gospel. He is our salvation. We receive all the benefits of who He is as we trust in Him and cast aside (repent of) all rival objects of trust. We then enjoy union and communion with Jesus as our Lord and God. Our lives are united to Him, and we share in His life, participating with Him in what He does.

The Bible relates and integrates grace and obedience as fundamental to Christian faith and life. For example, in Romans 1:5 and 16:26 the apostle Paul says that bringing about this integration was the goal of his ministry.

Most recognize the validity of both grace and obedience, but, at the same time, experience a “seesaw theology” where the connection between law (works) and grace (faith) remains vague if not altogether absent. The challenge is avoiding either lawlessness (antinomianism) or works-righteousness (legalism).

Jesus is both Savior and Commander [Lord]. Jesus saves us by grace and also commands things of us. Our obedience to His commands does not earn us salvation, so why is obedience important? Is it because we fear He will punish us? This is the obedience of a slave.

God’s grace is the foundation of a Christian worldview. Every command of God is tied to some aspect of His character:

We forgive because we have been and will be forgiven.

We love because we are first loved by God.

We love our enemies because God first loved us and also loves (wants his best) for his and our enemies.

We can be generous because God is generous with us.

We can be truthful and honest because God is truthful and honest and will bring out the truth in the end.

We can be creative and helpful because God is creative and helpful to us.

We comfort others in their grief because God comforts us in our grief.

We can be patient because God is patient with us.

We can be peacemakers because God is a peacemaker.

We can pursue justice and right relationships at every level because God is just and righteous.

We can be reconcilers because God is a reconciler.

All our doing by faith is participating in what God is doing through Christ and in the Spirit. That means everything we do is fellowship and communion with Christ. We never act alone—because we are never alone but are united to Christ as his brothers and sisters and members of the family of God.

Connected to every command in Scripture is some kind of reference to who God is. His commands to us (the imperatives) arise out of His own character, heart, nature, and purpose, including everything He has done for us in Jesus Christ. God’s will for us always is informed and controlled by His nature and character as the Triune God who came to us in Jesus Christ so that we might have fellowship and communion with Him in holy love.

Guidelines for witnesses to keep grace and obedience together in Jesus:

Never call for an act of obedience without first showing how that call to action corresponds to something we can trust God for.

Always look for the provision of grace that are the foundation for the commands in every biblical passage.

Always indicate the character of the gracious, saving, redeeming Commander.

Never present God as merely a commander with a strong will disconnected from his heart, mind, character, and purpose, which we see in Jesus Christ.

Always begin by answering the foundational question, Who are you, Lord? Doing so makes our preaching and teaching truly Trinitarian and Incarnational.

Never simply preach to a person’s will or power of choice. Behind every act of will and choice is a desire, a hope, a love, a fear, a trust, or distrust.

Preach to persons’ hearts, their affections, their yearnings concerning the character, purpose and heart of God and their desire for communion with Him.

Preach what God can be trusted for. He can be counted on to keep His promises. Feed people’s faith, hope, and love for God. Obedience will flow out of that.

Do not preach: “If you…then God.” Doing so tempts people into legal obedience and works-righteousness. Instead, preach: “Since God in Christ by the Spirit…then you ____.” For example, say, “As we confess our sins, we experience the forgiveness that God has already given us in Christ.”

Present obedience as “going to work with God”—as an act of fellowship with God that involves us in what the Spirit of God is doing.

Preach obedience as a “get to,” not a “have to.” Preach obedience as the privilege of a child of God, not the grit-your-teeth duty of the slave of a God.

Do not seek to motivate others on the basis of trying to close a supposed “credibility gap” between the “reality” of this fallen world and an ideal that we suppose God hopes for. Preach the reality of who God is and what He does (and has done), and the calling we have to participate with God in it. We have no power to change that reality, but only to choose whether we will participate.

Preach and teach the grace of God as a finished work—a reality that we can count on even if it is hidden for now. Do not teach it as a potential that God has made possible if we do x, y, or z—God is not dependent on our actions. Rather, He invites our participation in what He has done, is doing and will do.

Preach like Jesus: “The kingdom of God has come near, so repent and believe in that good news.” Preach like Peter: “Since God has made Jesus Lord and Savior, therefore repent and believe.” The desired action is presented as a response to who God is and what he has done.

Never preach as if God cannot be more faithful than we are—as if God is limited by what we do or don’t do. Paul says, “If we are faithless, He [God] remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13). We may miss out on being involved, but God will still accomplish His good purposes. God does not need us, but He delights in having His children involved in what He is doing. He created us for fellowship with Him.

Do not grant reality-making power to human actions, as if what we do makes “all the difference.” Our actions are signs pointing to the coming kingdom of God. We are mere witnesses, and our sign-acts are partial, imperfect, temporary and only provisional. But by God’s grace, the Spirit uses these meager things to point people to Christ so that they may put their entire trust in Him.

Realize that you will have to trust in the unconditional grace of God to bring about the obedience of faith—in order to preach and teach this way and not succumb to the temptation to revert back to making it sound like God’s grace depends on our response (and thus conditional upon our action).

Know that you, like Paul, cannot control people’s response to the truth. You will be accused by some, as Paul was, of encouraging sin (antinomianism)! But Paul did not change his message of grace under the pressure of such accusations. We must not change our message to a conditioned grace, as happened in Galatia. Making that switch would be a denial of the Gospel of God in Jesus Christ. [1]

I googled for articles about syncing obedience and grace and found article above after I read the following verses from Deuteronomy 4:

“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.” [2]

“Take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.” [3]

“You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” [4]

We do want keep God's commandments (by His grace and the power of His Holy Spirit) out of love for Him and out of love for our children and grandchildren.

[1] Edited and Abbreviated from an article by Gary Deddo entitled, “Grace and Obedience.” Attached please find the link to the full article: learn.gcs.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=4243
[2] Deuteronomy 4:2-4
[3] Deuteronomy 4:9
[4] Deuteronomy 4:40

Don't Underestimate the Value of Saying "No"

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11)

May the Lord help us all to embrace the word, "no" when "no" is the right word for us at that moment. Sometimes an unwanted, "no," precedes a much better, "yes."

The Love of Jesus and Spiritual Gifts

We went to see the Jesus Revolution movie. It hit number three at the box office this weekend.

 
Afterwards we watched a documentary on Chuck Smith. I liked that Chuck Smith held to the Biblical perspective that LOVE is the greatest spiritual gift, or fruit of the Spirit. 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” [1]

 
Last Sunday, I shared with our congregation an illustration that Pastor Hong Sit shared with me years ago. It shows love being poured into the locomotive by the Holy Spirit. The love of Jesus for the lost, the last and the least keeps the gifts of the Spirit moving forward on the right track, and at the right speed so the train is not derailed.

 
Attached is the link to the Chuck Smith documentary.

https://youtu.be/lrxsFErLcHY

[1] Galatians 5:22

Good Convictions of Unbelief, Righteousness and Judgment

“When He [the Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” [1]

Convictions of unbelief, righteousness, and judgment are from God. Without such convictions, we won’t repent and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior.

People once asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” [2]

God’s righteousness comes to us through FAITH in Christ. “…The righteousness of God… is revealed… by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” [3] God’s righteous stamp is given to all who believe in Christ.

“For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” [4] Did you catch that? There is no difference. All have sinned. All of us fall short of God’s glory. All saved people are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ.

“God set forth Him [Christ] as a propitiation by His blood…” [5] To propitiate is to atone for or to cover one’s sin by a perfect blood sacrifice. When we believe in Christ, God forgives our sin.

“God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” [6]

Praise to be God that His Holy Spirit convicts us that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and that He helps us to believe in Jesus Christ.

[1] John 16:8-11
[2] John 6:28-29
[3] Romans 3:21-22
[4] Romans 3:22-24
[5] Romans 3:25
[6] Romans 3:26

In a Relationship with GOD

That you may know that JESUS CHRIST has the power to forgive sins... He instantly healed a man who was paralyzed and unable to walk. The man glorified God!

“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins’—He said to the man who was paralyzed, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ 

Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.” [1]

People could not SEE that the man’s sins were forgiven, but they could SEE that his body was healed. JESUS said that his physical healing was a sign that GOD had forgiven his sin as well.

When some complained to JESUS that they saw Him eating with “sinners” (which of course everyone has sinned), JESUS said to them... “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” [2]

I am so glad that the JESUS CHRIST forgives sin when we believe in HIM and ask Him to forgive us.

The LORD speaks to us at the place of forgiveness of sin. This can be SEEN in the Old Testament...

“Now when Moses went into the tabernacle of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice of One speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spoke to him.” [3]

The mercy seat was where the high priest poured the blood of sacrificed animals for the forgiveness of the people's sin. And from this place, Moses heard God's voice.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” [4]

God explains to us in the Book of Hebrews that His SON JESUS CHRIST has replaced the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. He is now the One who takes away our sin and give us a clean conscious. He gives us peace with God!

“Therefore, having been justified [before God] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [5]

Instant healing from illness is a miracle. But an even greater miracle is God’s forgiveness of our sins. It is through our repentance of sin and His forgiveness of our sin that we enjoy a relationship with GOD!

[1] Luke 5:23-25

[2] Luke 5:32
[3] Numbers 7:89
[4] Hebrews 9:14
[5] Romans 5:1

Take Heed, Watch and Pray

“Tell us, when will these things be? What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” These are the questions Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus to explain. They wanted to know signs of the end of the age. [1]

The first sign Jesus gave them to beware of was deception. Many will claim to be Jesus. They will create a Jesus of their own imagination. One that allows for all that is accepted by the sinful world but that is condemned by God. A Jesus that does not talk about sin and the need to repent of sin, and the need for forgiveness of sin! Many will be deceived. [2]

News of wars and rumors of wars will be rampant. Nation will rise against nation. There will be earthquakes, famines, and troubles. “These are the beginnings of sorrows.” [3]

Genuine followers of Christ will be beaten in religious gathering places. Governing authorities will try them. They are to be witnesses of Christ to them. The Holy Spirit will give them the words to say. The Gospel will be spreading to the nations. Family members will betray one another’s trust resulting in the betrayed member’s execution. Everyone will hate genuine followers of Jesus Christ. “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” “Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.”

“False christ and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” [5]

“After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then, they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Then, He will send His angels, and gather His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.” [6]

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch, and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” [7]

So, let us learn to lean. Lean on God our Savior in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ! Think about HIs love! Think about His grace! Think about His death on the cross for our sins, and about His resurrection which guarantees to us that He will indeed resurrect us from the dead.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit is the promise of the Father. The Holy Spirit is our helper, our advocate, our comforter, and our navigator! He is the One who is greater in us than he (the enemy of our souls) who is in the world. God's love for us helps us to be more than conquerors.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” [8]

[1] Mark 13:1-4
[2] Mark 13:5-6
[3] Mark 13:7-8
[4] Mark 13:9-13, 20
[5] Mark 13:22
[6] Mark 13:24-27
[7] Mark 13:32-33
[8] Romans 8:37

Eyes Fixed Forward on the Heavenly Father

To plow straight rows, keep your eyes fixed on a focal point and plow towards that point. Our Heavenly Father is our focal point. Jesus revealed the Father to us - with His Holy Spirit’s empowering presence we can keep our eyes fixed on Him.

Proverbs 8:34

“Yes, thank You Heavenly Father for Your Holy Word through which You speak to all who pause and listen.”

God's Presence in One's Life is Amazing Grace!

 

Not Ashamed of Jesus Amid an Adulterous Generation

“…The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He [Jesus] spoke this word openly.”

Previously, Peter professed that Jesus is the Son of God. Was Jesus undermining His own popularity purposefully? He spoke of His own demise openly, or did He? Six important words follow His message about being rejected and killed by the religious leaders of the people. They are, “And after three days rise again.” [1]

Peter was upset. He took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him. But Peter turned towards His disciples and looked at them. “He rebuked Peter, saying, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” [2]

Yes, the Son of God needed to be tortured by wicked people. He needed to be crucified. In so doing, He would expose the evil of false prophets; atone for the sins of the world; and resurrect from the dead for the resurrection of all who believe in Him.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” [3]

Jesus says that we must deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him. We need to lose our lives for the sake of Gospel to save them. Christ is everything! The Gospel is everything! Nothing is more important than safe-guarding and living for Jesus Messiah and His message.

Our Lord Jesus will be ashamed of whoever is ashamed of Him amidst an adulterous and sinful generation. There will not be glory for them. Jesus will descend to earth with the glory of the Father and His holy angels, but it will not be glorious for the one who has been ashamed of Jesus amidst those who are perishing in their sins.

“Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive us for all the times we have been ashamed of Your precious Son Jesus. Lord Jesus, please grant us the will-power and Holy Spirit anointing to speak up for You even when we are amidst adulterous and sin-loving people. Let us be willing to bear the cross for their sake that they might be saved. It is in Your Name Lord Jesus, that we pray. Amen.”

[1] Mark 8:31-32
[2] Mark 8:33
[3] Mark 8:34-37

The Fear of God as a Gift from God

Suddenly, it was done! As though an eagle had swept down from the sky, picked them up and carried them away to a better place. Their bondage to idolaters and slavers was over. They left Egypt with gold, silver, and precious jewels, but better yet, with a new opportunity to be close with God and to walk in His ways. The Lord brought them out of a land of idolatry and enslavement…

“‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” [1]

They had the opportunity to hear God’s voice and be in a covenant relationship with Him. To be His special treasure above all other people groups! A light on a hill! The salt of the earth! A kingdom of priests! A holy nation!

When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, there was the sound of the trumpet, and other signs and wonders. The people trembled. They were afraid to be close to God at that point. It was a moment comparable to when Peter fell at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” [2]

God graciously granted unto the Israelites and unto Peter the fear of God to keep them from sinning against Him…

“Now all the people witnessed the thundering, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’ And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’ So, the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.” [3]

The fear of God is a gift of the Spirit of the Lord in one’s life and is a blessing…

“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the SPIRIT of the FEAR of the LORD.” [4]

To be among a people who do not fear the Lord is a dangerous place to be…

“And Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.’” [5]

“Thank You Heavenly Father for Your Holy Spirit who makes us aware of how precious You are to us and how wonderful Your ways are for us. We pray for more of the SPIRIT of the FEAR of the LORD to be upon us and upon all people. For we ask this in the Name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

[1] Exodus 19:4-6
[2] Luke 5:8
[3] Exodus 20:18-21
[4] Isaiah 11:1-2
[5] Genesis 20:11

The Healing Touch of Jesus Messiah

 

How Did Christ Convert Him?

The greatest event in all my life was coming into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior!

The Lord initiated my conversion.

The process was that He revealed Himself to me through the Bible. He called me to believe in Him. He gave me the grace to respond to His invitation. After I gave my life to Jesus, I experienced God’s forgiveness via the lifting off of my sense of being guilty before God. Christ gave me a wonderful peace that I never experienced before. He gave me a 100% assurance that the creation around me was created by Him. He gave to me a hunger and desire to read His Word the Bible. My delight in His Word has never left me since my conversion in August of 1979.

Below is a conversion story of a jailer to Christ from the Bible:

“At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.’” [1]

The jailer had a problem. The problem was that those in authority over him executed jailers who let prisoners escape. At first, he believed that suicide was his best alternative to being executed.

The jailer had a blessing. A prisoner assured him that no one escaped. The same prisoner pleaded for him not to harm himself.

Next, the jailer, with a light in hand, fell before God’s servants, and asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” [2]

Their answer was simple, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” [3] He was to place his hope of being saved in Christ. He was not to look for another rescuer. Christ only transport souls from this life to the next one. No one else can do this miracle.

Believing in the merits of Christ for one’s salvation is the way to have blessed assurance. To know that you have eternal life because it is Christ doing the saving of you and not another.

The jailer dressed the wounds of God’s servants and fed them. They continued to speak God’s Word to him and to his family. He rejoiced in the Lord! His entire family believed in Christ. He and his entire family was baptized into Christ. [4]

Have you been saved from your sins? If not, why not? Accept the offer of the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from your sins today.

[1] Acts 16:25-28
[2] Acts 16:29-30
[3] Acts 16:31
[4] Acts 16:32-34

With God All Things Are Possible!

 

Praying with Our Eyes on God

 

GRACE, LOVE, FELLOWSHIP

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” ~ 2 Corinthians 13:14

Praise Be to God our Father for His Glorious Grace in Christ Jesus

 

Faithful Despite Betrayal

Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

The Lord showed Joseph in a dream that one day his brothers and even his parents would bow down to him. In this way, he was a type of Christ. Our Messiah was born into the human race but was hated for being the favored one of His Heavenly Father more than any other son born to people.

Pontius Pilate perceived the reason the religious leaders betrayed Jesus: “For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.” [1]

Joseph’s brothers hated him because of his dreams and his words. [2]

One day, Joseph’s brothers conspired to kill him. However, his oldest brother, Reuben, overheard their plot and urged them to throw Joseph into a pit instead. Reuben’s secret plan was to return to the pit later when his brothers were not around and rescue Joseph. The hateful brothers heeded Reuben’s advice, but while Reuben was gone, Judah advised them to sell Joseph to slave traders.

Here again Joseph is a type of Christ. Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, betrayed Jesus to the priests of Jerusalem for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus referred to His disciples as brothers. So, His “brother” sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver. Thirty pieces of silver was the going price of a slave. Thus, Judas Iscariot was shocked when he discovered that the priests planned to kill Jesus, and not sell Him off as a slave. Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver to the priests and hung himself. Judas is the New Testament name for the Old Testament name Judah. Judah sold Joseph for a slave. Judas sold Jesus presumably to be a slave.

“Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.’ And his brothers listened.” [3]

The next story in the Bible after this one is the story of Judah’s wicked sons and his scandalous relationship with Tamar his daughter-in-law. The Lord slew the first two of Judah’s three sons. Judah deprived his father Israel of a son and was himself deprived of two of his sons.

After Judah’s wife died, he found a harlot and went into her. What Judah did not realize was that this veiled harlot that he had intimacy with was not a stranger, she was Tamar, his daughter-in-law. Judah’s third son was obligated to impregnate Tamar when his first two sons failed to do so before they died. Without a son, Tamar would have no one to provide for her in her old age. Judah had promised to give his third son to Tamar when he was old enough to marry but did not do so. Tamar felt obligated to deceive Judah into having intimacy with her because she wanted a son, and he did not keep his promise to her.

Judah sold his brother Joseph to slavers. He deceived his father into believing that Joseph had been slain by wild animals. Afterwards, Judah grieved the loss of two of his sons. He was also deceived by Tamar to bring about the sons she needed to survive in her old age. Judah should not have betrayed Joseph or lied to his father.

Joseph was the brother that God had chosen to save his family and the world from death during a worldwide famine. He was the son who was reported by his brothers be dead, but then, after a period of mourning, was discovered to be alive. In this way, he was also a type of the Messiah that was to come.

Jesus was also betrayed by one whom He treated as a brother. John the Apostle quoted Psalm 41:9 as being fulfilled in Jesus:

“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” [4]

“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” [5]

Jesus Messiah was betrayed by His brothers, but praise God, He came back from the pit they had thrown Him in and redeemed us from our sins.

To be like Jesus. To faithfully reflect Him after a trusted brother’s betrayal: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” [6]

[1] Mark 15:10
[2] Genesis 37:8
[3] Genesis 37:26-27
[4] John 13:18
[5] Psalm 41:9
[6] Psalm 55:22