Matthew 7:3-5
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the two-by-four plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when all the time there is a plank of wood in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Jesus here employs some humor to get across His point. Who could possibly have a two-by-four stuck in his eye? The point here is that someone has a huge, glaring problem, yet is concerned for a minor flaw in someone else. We need first to work on our own moral deficiencies, and when we've been able to get a handle on those, then we will be in a place where we can help another.
One thing I learned in Celebrate Recovery is that I only needed to be one step ahead of another to be able to extend my hand to help them up that step, also. But I first needed to work on my own problems, to achieve my own small victories. I also learned that I was (am) like Shrek, an onion with layers. When I peeled off one layer, there was another underneath it that had contributed to that problem, now I needed to work on this new one that had been uncovered. But I was still in a position to help my neighbor over the hurdle I had just gotten over.
May we all have our eyes open to our own next step, as well as how we can contribute to our neighbor's growth in the Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, September 30, 2016
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Pressed Down, Shaken Together
Continuing yesterday's theme, Luke adds a more positive example of consequences of how we consider others.
Luke 6:37-38
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
When we decide to view others through a heart of love and affection for them, then we are much less likely to harshly judge their actions. When we extend to others the graciousness that Christ has given to us, then we will treat them with kindness and compassion. And when we are known as kind and compassionate people, then others will respond to us with the same generosity they see in us.
Always remember to pass along whatever blessings God gives us through others. Good deeds can be multiplied in this way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Luke 6:37-38
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
When we decide to view others through a heart of love and affection for them, then we are much less likely to harshly judge their actions. When we extend to others the graciousness that Christ has given to us, then we will treat them with kindness and compassion. And when we are known as kind and compassionate people, then others will respond to us with the same generosity they see in us.
Always remember to pass along whatever blessings God gives us through others. Good deeds can be multiplied in this way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Judging Others
Matthew 7:1-2
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Jesus is here giving us a warning to be careful how we tend to evaluate others. He is not saying to never discriminate between what is good and bad, or beneficial and damaging. He is saying to consider others in a gracious frame of mind, to not be harsh with them. However we treat others, whether kindly or sternly, that is how others will treat us.
I want to always give the benefit of the doubt to someone who is apparently doing something I don't approve of, because I know that each of us is capable of committing the worst of atrocities, given the circumstances, not seeing any other choice. Understanding the person's environment and situation goes a long way in accepting the person, and may contribute to being able to help that person out of the trouble they consequently find themselves in as the result of the poor choices they have made.
Let us all consider how we may respond to the people in our lives who rub us the wrong way, not reacting to the provocation, but considering how we can bless them, and help them. We can pray for them, not against them, and bless them in our responses to them, as our Lord has had mercy on us, and granted us His grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Jesus is here giving us a warning to be careful how we tend to evaluate others. He is not saying to never discriminate between what is good and bad, or beneficial and damaging. He is saying to consider others in a gracious frame of mind, to not be harsh with them. However we treat others, whether kindly or sternly, that is how others will treat us.
I want to always give the benefit of the doubt to someone who is apparently doing something I don't approve of, because I know that each of us is capable of committing the worst of atrocities, given the circumstances, not seeing any other choice. Understanding the person's environment and situation goes a long way in accepting the person, and may contribute to being able to help that person out of the trouble they consequently find themselves in as the result of the poor choices they have made.
Let us all consider how we may respond to the people in our lives who rub us the wrong way, not reacting to the provocation, but considering how we can bless them, and help them. We can pray for them, not against them, and bless them in our responses to them, as our Lord has had mercy on us, and granted us His grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Why Worry?
Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Jesus is telling us that the food we depend on for life is not as important than our life itself, how we live our life. Birds don't work like we do, but God cares enough for them to see that they eat. And we are much more valuable than birds. And worrying will subtract from the hours of our life.
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you--you of little faith?
Do we tend to be more concerned about the fashion of our apparel, or how new our outfits are, collecting more clothes than we can wear, rather than knowing we have something appropriate to cover our nakedness?
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.
When we worry, who are we trusting to provide these basic needs? Our own abilities, or our Father in Heaven? Are we focused on acquiring as much as we can of the best this world has to offer? Or comparing our belongings with others' things? If we have our trust in God and are not focused on the things of this world, like people who don't even know God at all, then we won't need to worry.
But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
When our focus is on God and His ways for us, then we won't be worrying; we will be trusting our Father in Heaven Who knows better than we do what it is we really need, and that includes all the things of this world for our Earthly existence while we're here. And we only need to see one day at a time, and solve today's problems today. "Don't trouble trouble 'till trouble troubles you" is an old saying I heard a long time ago, that expresses this idea: don't be concerned about what might happen, if it also might not happen. Don't let your imagination dream up all kinds of scenarios that may never happen. Just be content with what you have each day.
God knows exactly what will happen every day of our lives, and has already planned to meet all our needs through everything that happens.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Jesus is telling us that the food we depend on for life is not as important than our life itself, how we live our life. Birds don't work like we do, but God cares enough for them to see that they eat. And we are much more valuable than birds. And worrying will subtract from the hours of our life.
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you--you of little faith?
Do we tend to be more concerned about the fashion of our apparel, or how new our outfits are, collecting more clothes than we can wear, rather than knowing we have something appropriate to cover our nakedness?
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.
When we worry, who are we trusting to provide these basic needs? Our own abilities, or our Father in Heaven? Are we focused on acquiring as much as we can of the best this world has to offer? Or comparing our belongings with others' things? If we have our trust in God and are not focused on the things of this world, like people who don't even know God at all, then we won't need to worry.
But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
When our focus is on God and His ways for us, then we won't be worrying; we will be trusting our Father in Heaven Who knows better than we do what it is we really need, and that includes all the things of this world for our Earthly existence while we're here. And we only need to see one day at a time, and solve today's problems today. "Don't trouble trouble 'till trouble troubles you" is an old saying I heard a long time ago, that expresses this idea: don't be concerned about what might happen, if it also might not happen. Don't let your imagination dream up all kinds of scenarios that may never happen. Just be content with what you have each day.
God knows exactly what will happen every day of our lives, and has already planned to meet all our needs through everything that happens.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, September 26, 2016
Treasures
(Continuing our study of the Sermon on the Mount, you may see the rest of Matthew 5 on my blog entry of June 13, 2015, "My Attitude Toward My Enemies;" and Matthew 6: 1-18 on my entry of June 19, 2015, "In Doing What We Do.")
Matthew 6:19-24
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
This is self-explanatory. Anything we hoard on this Earth is subject to decay, mold and theft, as well as loss in other ways. But whatever we "send ahead" to Heaven will be kept pristine and fresh, with nothing that could possibly diminish its value.
Giving to missionaries is one way we can invest in God's Kingdom and "send it ahead." To help the poor is another way, or to spend our time serving in some way also will make a deposit in our Heavenly account. Whatever we choose to give, whether in time, money, talents and gifts, skills, whatever God has given us, we can give it back to Him and He will keep it in store for us.
Wherever we've stored the most of what we treasure, that's where our focus will be, whether here on Earth somewhere, or in God's Heaven.
(Verses 22-23: For the discussion on Light and Darkness, see my blog post of May 21, 2016 that covers the next two verses. [I certainly do not want darkness to act like light in my heart.])
(Verse 24) No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
How do you view money, what is it? If you desire money to have money, for security or whatever, then your god is money. God provides finances as a tool for us to use in order to pay for whatever it is we need, but we only need enough to supply our needs. The richest man in the world was asked, "How much is enough money?" and his answer was, "Just a little bit more"! Money will never fill that God-sized hole He placed in every one of us. No matter how much of any of this world's goods you may be able to acquire, it will never be "enough." Only God is enough. And He has given Himself to us!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Matthew 6:19-24
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
This is self-explanatory. Anything we hoard on this Earth is subject to decay, mold and theft, as well as loss in other ways. But whatever we "send ahead" to Heaven will be kept pristine and fresh, with nothing that could possibly diminish its value.
Giving to missionaries is one way we can invest in God's Kingdom and "send it ahead." To help the poor is another way, or to spend our time serving in some way also will make a deposit in our Heavenly account. Whatever we choose to give, whether in time, money, talents and gifts, skills, whatever God has given us, we can give it back to Him and He will keep it in store for us.
Wherever we've stored the most of what we treasure, that's where our focus will be, whether here on Earth somewhere, or in God's Heaven.
(Verses 22-23: For the discussion on Light and Darkness, see my blog post of May 21, 2016 that covers the next two verses. [I certainly do not want darkness to act like light in my heart.])
(Verse 24) No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
How do you view money, what is it? If you desire money to have money, for security or whatever, then your god is money. God provides finances as a tool for us to use in order to pay for whatever it is we need, but we only need enough to supply our needs. The richest man in the world was asked, "How much is enough money?" and his answer was, "Just a little bit more"! Money will never fill that God-sized hole He placed in every one of us. No matter how much of any of this world's goods you may be able to acquire, it will never be "enough." Only God is enough. And He has given Himself to us!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Watch Our Words
(We are continuing our study of the Sermon on the Mount in learning just Who this Jesus really is.)
Matthew 5:33-37
Jesus continues to speak:
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by Heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the Earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No;' anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
We are warned here to watch our words. Words are powerful; God's Word created everything that exists, and He made us in His own Image. When we make a vow, or swear to something, God holds us to it, even if we forget about it. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says, "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest [saying] 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?" This means that if we carelessly swear to something and forget about it, or change our minds, God will remember it, and not allow what we're working for to succeed.
Our words also have power to build each other up, or to destroy one another. We can speak Truth and contribute value to this world we live in, or we can speak lies and deception and manipulation to tear down our society for our own short term gain. Many times when we are talking, we're not really paying attention to what we're saying, or how we're saying it, and it comes out in a way to tear down or be misunderstood, and hurt or wound and destroy relationships.
The Truth is always the best policy, even when it seems to work against us; it will only be a temporary setback, and turn out in the end to be the best. And we need always to do what we said we will do (see Psalm 15), even when it turns out to cost us more than we anticipated, whether that cost is financial or to save face.
May we always put a guard on our mouths to speak only what God would have us talk about, and avoid all the foolish and evil words that creep in when we're not paying attention.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Matthew 5:33-37
Jesus continues to speak:
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by Heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the Earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No;' anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
We are warned here to watch our words. Words are powerful; God's Word created everything that exists, and He made us in His own Image. When we make a vow, or swear to something, God holds us to it, even if we forget about it. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says, "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest [saying] 'My vow was a mistake.' Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?" This means that if we carelessly swear to something and forget about it, or change our minds, God will remember it, and not allow what we're working for to succeed.
Our words also have power to build each other up, or to destroy one another. We can speak Truth and contribute value to this world we live in, or we can speak lies and deception and manipulation to tear down our society for our own short term gain. Many times when we are talking, we're not really paying attention to what we're saying, or how we're saying it, and it comes out in a way to tear down or be misunderstood, and hurt or wound and destroy relationships.
The Truth is always the best policy, even when it seems to work against us; it will only be a temporary setback, and turn out in the end to be the best. And we need always to do what we said we will do (see Psalm 15), even when it turns out to cost us more than we anticipated, whether that cost is financial or to save face.
May we always put a guard on our mouths to speak only what God would have us talk about, and avoid all the foolish and evil words that creep in when we're not paying attention.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Divorce
Matthew 5:31-32
It has been said, "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce." But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
(More discussion on divorce:)
Matthew 19:3-12
Some Pharisees came to Him to test Him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
"Haven't you read," He replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
(When they were in the house again,) the disciples asked him about this: 'If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others--and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
(see also Mark 10:1-12)
Jesus was born under the Law (Galatians 4:4), by His life and death He fulfilled the Law, and now we are not under the Law, but under Grace (Romans 6:14).
So according to the beginning, with Adam and Eve, before the Law was given, God determined that when a man marries a wife, then God says that when they perform "the marital act" in joining together physically, then they are essentially one body. God has joined them together, and this relationship is meant to last their lifetime. This is God's ideal, because it results in the very best for us. Many scientific studies have shown that long-time married couples have the best sexual relationship over any other situation. So this lifestyle of lifetime monogamy has still proved to bring the most happiness in this world.
But so many of us have been divorced, what about us? Can we never again do right by our fellow man in this area? Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 7, 40 verses about marriage, divorce, widowhood, religiously mixed marriages, remaining single, the whole subject. And many Bible scholars point to verse 15, "But if the unbeliever leaves [the marriage], let it be so. The brother or sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace," as meaning that the believing spouse is not bound by the marriage vows to the unbelieving spouse, so is as free to remarry as the widow who is "loosed from the law of her husband" (Romans 7:2).
Other Bible scholars say that this is "stretching" and "reaching" for justification for Christians who give up on the marriage instead of staying and working out the difficulties, and too bad for the faithful, innocent spouse who is left in the lurch.
And there is the situation where someone is already divorced and remarried and then becomes a Christian, they cannot "be reconciled" to the spouse they had divorced (verse 11), they're already married to another spouse. To break up another family would not be "liv[ing] in peace."
Today's maritally convoluted society is not a problem for God; He has given us the ideal to strive for, and He also gives us grace to deal with the situations we face. I say, today is the first day in the rest of our lives, and if we have been living in ways that don't conform to these standards, then we can begin today, "remain[ing] in the situation [we are] in" (verse 20) today, whether married or single; and if we are in any other kind of relationship, then we can do the right thing to get right, whether that means to leave that unrighteous liaison, or to marry the lover you are entangled with, or whatever other situation you may find yourself in. With God's grace, and the strength and power of "He Who lives in us Who is greater than he who is in the world," (I John 4:4) we can straighten out our lives and our lifestyles and live in the right-ness that brings the joy of the Lord into our days.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
It has been said, "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce." But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
(More discussion on divorce:)
Matthew 19:3-12
Some Pharisees came to Him to test Him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"
"Haven't you read," He replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"
Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."
(When they were in the house again,) the disciples asked him about this: 'If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."
Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others--and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
(see also Mark 10:1-12)
Jesus was born under the Law (Galatians 4:4), by His life and death He fulfilled the Law, and now we are not under the Law, but under Grace (Romans 6:14).
So according to the beginning, with Adam and Eve, before the Law was given, God determined that when a man marries a wife, then God says that when they perform "the marital act" in joining together physically, then they are essentially one body. God has joined them together, and this relationship is meant to last their lifetime. This is God's ideal, because it results in the very best for us. Many scientific studies have shown that long-time married couples have the best sexual relationship over any other situation. So this lifestyle of lifetime monogamy has still proved to bring the most happiness in this world.
But so many of us have been divorced, what about us? Can we never again do right by our fellow man in this area? Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 7, 40 verses about marriage, divorce, widowhood, religiously mixed marriages, remaining single, the whole subject. And many Bible scholars point to verse 15, "But if the unbeliever leaves [the marriage], let it be so. The brother or sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace," as meaning that the believing spouse is not bound by the marriage vows to the unbelieving spouse, so is as free to remarry as the widow who is "loosed from the law of her husband" (Romans 7:2).
Other Bible scholars say that this is "stretching" and "reaching" for justification for Christians who give up on the marriage instead of staying and working out the difficulties, and too bad for the faithful, innocent spouse who is left in the lurch.
And there is the situation where someone is already divorced and remarried and then becomes a Christian, they cannot "be reconciled" to the spouse they had divorced (verse 11), they're already married to another spouse. To break up another family would not be "liv[ing] in peace."
Today's maritally convoluted society is not a problem for God; He has given us the ideal to strive for, and He also gives us grace to deal with the situations we face. I say, today is the first day in the rest of our lives, and if we have been living in ways that don't conform to these standards, then we can begin today, "remain[ing] in the situation [we are] in" (verse 20) today, whether married or single; and if we are in any other kind of relationship, then we can do the right thing to get right, whether that means to leave that unrighteous liaison, or to marry the lover you are entangled with, or whatever other situation you may find yourself in. With God's grace, and the strength and power of "He Who lives in us Who is greater than he who is in the world," (I John 4:4) we can straighten out our lives and our lifestyles and live in the right-ness that brings the joy of the Lord into our days.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, September 23, 2016
Avoiding Sexual Sin
Matthew 5:27-30
You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). But I tell you, that anyone who looks on the opposite sex lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart.
Jesus is quoting the Old Testament Law, and asserting that He has authority over the Law, when He says, "You have heard...But I tell you." Only if He is the Lawgiver would He have this authority to expand the reach of the Law.
What we do is the result of what we have allowed ourselves to mentally dwell on. When we allow lustful thoughts to linger in our minds, we may or may not have actually acted it out, but God looks on our thoughts. Our fantasies can very easily lead us into very unsavory actions, so God wants us to stem this at the root, our thoughts.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14). But I tell you, that anyone who looks on the opposite sex lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart.
Jesus is quoting the Old Testament Law, and asserting that He has authority over the Law, when He says, "You have heard...But I tell you." Only if He is the Lawgiver would He have this authority to expand the reach of the Law.
What we do is the result of what we have allowed ourselves to mentally dwell on. When we allow lustful thoughts to linger in our minds, we may or may not have actually acted it out, but God looks on our thoughts. Our fantasies can very easily lead us into very unsavory actions, so God wants us to stem this at the root, our thoughts.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
I really don't think that maiming our bodies will keep us from the kinds of sins that are referenced here, because our bodies aren't the source from which they spring. Especially when the previous verses make our very thoughts accountable to God. This may be an example of cultural humor in exaggeration. The extreme act of eye-gouging or hand removal would leave a lingering picture of the lengths to which we may need to go in running from temptation. We need to remove whatever items have previously caused us moral problems, and replace them with wholesome things to fill the void. I'm sure we can all think of our own examples of what we need to throw out. Let's not keep around anything that has been an occasion of sin in our past.
Jesus, in this Sermon, is presenting what God's Kingdom will look like on this Earth. Some of these illustrations come across as very extreme. When we think about righteousness, our view is dependent on how bad the evil is around us; but God never changes, His standards never slide, but always remain firm. He is Good, the Standard for good; He is Right, the Standard for right; He is Love, the Standard for love. We can only know what good is, or right, or love, by knowing Him; He is the Ruler by which we measure.
Jesus, in this Sermon, is presenting what God's Kingdom will look like on this Earth. Some of these illustrations come across as very extreme. When we think about righteousness, our view is dependent on how bad the evil is around us; but God never changes, His standards never slide, but always remain firm. He is Good, the Standard for good; He is Right, the Standard for right; He is Love, the Standard for love. We can only know what good is, or right, or love, by knowing Him; He is the Ruler by which we measure.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Worship And Debt
(The next verses in this series, vs. 21-22, deal with consequences of certain charges, which I dealt with in my blog of June 28, 2015. Now we continue.)
Matthew 5:23-26
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your brother has aught against you; leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go to be reconciled to your brother, then come back and offer your gift. --
This means that if you have somehow offended your brother, or your brother has blamed you for something even if you don't think it's your fault, you need to first do whatever you need to do to make things right with your brother as much as you are able, before you come before God.
This is the application of King David's understanding in Psalm 51:16-17: "For You do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it: You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you re still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the Truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. --
We are never to run away from our debts. When we owe a creditor more than we think we can pay them, we are to contact them before they begin proceedings against us, to negotiate terms for repayment, even if it is only a fraction of the amount they are demanding. Good faith and faithfulness in doing what we have agreed to do go a long way in our financial dealings.
If you find that you have debts that are beyond your ability to pay, there are good Christian financial advisers who can guide you back into financial freedom. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University has helped many people, couples and families out of financial drowning into prosperity.
It is said that a person's true priorities can be seen by looking at their calendar and their checkbook. Jesus talked about money more than any other subject.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Matthew 5:23-26
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there you remember that your brother has aught against you; leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go to be reconciled to your brother, then come back and offer your gift. --
This means that if you have somehow offended your brother, or your brother has blamed you for something even if you don't think it's your fault, you need to first do whatever you need to do to make things right with your brother as much as you are able, before you come before God.
This is the application of King David's understanding in Psalm 51:16-17: "For You do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it: You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you re still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the Truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. --
We are never to run away from our debts. When we owe a creditor more than we think we can pay them, we are to contact them before they begin proceedings against us, to negotiate terms for repayment, even if it is only a fraction of the amount they are demanding. Good faith and faithfulness in doing what we have agreed to do go a long way in our financial dealings.
If you find that you have debts that are beyond your ability to pay, there are good Christian financial advisers who can guide you back into financial freedom. Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University has helped many people, couples and families out of financial drowning into prosperity.
It is said that a person's true priorities can be seen by looking at their calendar and their checkbook. Jesus talked about money more than any other subject.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Jots And Tittles
(Jesus continues His sermon after the Beatitudes with the qualities of Salt and Light, which I covered in my February 22, 2016 blog entry.)
Matthew 5:17-20
Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For I tell you the Truth: Till Heaven and Earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.
A "jot" is a tiny dot, and a "tittle" is a small accent mark, the smallest strokes possible to be made by a pen. This means that not one detail of everything God promised, no matter how tiny or seemingly insignificant, will be overlooked or forgotten by God, but will come to pass, or has already happened.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach others to do so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
No matter if we think it's not important to follow even one of God's moral rules, and our example leads someone else to also disregard it, then we will suffer loss of reward and prestige in God's realm. But when we learn how to live by all of the principles, loving others as God has loved us, then our example and our words will encourage others to also honor God and themselves by honoring others, too, and this will bring great rewards and responsibilities in God's Kingdom.
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Scribes and the Pharisees Jesus was referring to here were "the Jews" that were the religious leaders and members of the ruling Council over the Jewish people, and they were very careful to publicly adhere to all the details of the laws. But they had no interest in the principles behind the laws, so they had no love for their fellow men, but only cared about their own power and authority and standing in the community.
The problem is, we have no righteousness in ourselves that God can accept, because even our highest intentioned actions are still polluted by our sin-nature that we inherited from our fathers, from Adam (see Isaiah 64:6). That's why Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be "born again" in a spiritual way, similar to his physical birth (see John 3:1-6). When this happens is when God places His Holy Spirit into our spirit, causing our dead spirit to be alive. Then in that power, that spiritual life, we can do the good things God planned ahead of time for us to do (see Ephesians 2:8-10), and He will reward us for them.
God is so good to love us so much, to have solved the problem of sin for us. Now He can meet all our needs in giving us His Spirit to live in us permanently and give us the desire and ability to love Him back, and to serve Him and one another. And then to reward us, too!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Matthew 5:17-20
Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For I tell you the Truth: Till Heaven and Earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.
A "jot" is a tiny dot, and a "tittle" is a small accent mark, the smallest strokes possible to be made by a pen. This means that not one detail of everything God promised, no matter how tiny or seemingly insignificant, will be overlooked or forgotten by God, but will come to pass, or has already happened.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach others to do so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
No matter if we think it's not important to follow even one of God's moral rules, and our example leads someone else to also disregard it, then we will suffer loss of reward and prestige in God's realm. But when we learn how to live by all of the principles, loving others as God has loved us, then our example and our words will encourage others to also honor God and themselves by honoring others, too, and this will bring great rewards and responsibilities in God's Kingdom.
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Scribes and the Pharisees Jesus was referring to here were "the Jews" that were the religious leaders and members of the ruling Council over the Jewish people, and they were very careful to publicly adhere to all the details of the laws. But they had no interest in the principles behind the laws, so they had no love for their fellow men, but only cared about their own power and authority and standing in the community.
The problem is, we have no righteousness in ourselves that God can accept, because even our highest intentioned actions are still polluted by our sin-nature that we inherited from our fathers, from Adam (see Isaiah 64:6). That's why Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be "born again" in a spiritual way, similar to his physical birth (see John 3:1-6). When this happens is when God places His Holy Spirit into our spirit, causing our dead spirit to be alive. Then in that power, that spiritual life, we can do the good things God planned ahead of time for us to do (see Ephesians 2:8-10), and He will reward us for them.
God is so good to love us so much, to have solved the problem of sin for us. Now He can meet all our needs in giving us His Spirit to live in us permanently and give us the desire and ability to love Him back, and to serve Him and one another. And then to reward us, too!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:2-12
And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. --
This first Principle, being "poor in spirit" refers to our realizing that we cannot control our tendency to do the wrong thing, and it corresponds to AA's Step One: "We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. --
Principle Two says that we believe that God exists, that we matter to Him, and that He is the One Who has the power and authority to change me, to help me recover and heal. This corresponds to Step Two: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Insanity is defined as doing the same thing, expecting a different outcome. To make a change, we need to change.)
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. --
Principle three has me deliberately choosing to give my life to Jesus, to commit all my life and will and desires to Christ's care and His control. Step Three states that: We made a decision to turn our lives and wills over to the care of our Higher Power.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. --
This is Principle Five, being willing to let God change me, and asking Him to do so, however He chooses. This corresponds to Step Six: We were entirely ready to have God remove all our defects of character; and Step Seven: We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. --
This is Part One of Principle Six, to evaluate all my relationships, and offer forgiveness to all who have hurt me or harmed me in any way. It corresponds to Step Eight: We made a list of all persons [who had harmed us, or] we had harmed, and become willing to [forgive and] make amends to them all.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. --
This is Principle Four, to openly examine myself, and admit to myself, to God, and to someone else I trust, all my faults and shortcomings. Step Four says: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves; and Step Five says: We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. --
Part Two of Principle Six, Evaluate all my relationships, and make amends for harm I've done to others, except when it would cause more harm to bring it up openly. Step Nine says: We made direct amends to these people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for in the same way they persecuted the prophets which went before you. --
Principle Eight says to yield ourselves to God to be used by him to bring His Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. Often, and in many parts of the world today, to speak out boldly for God and His ways will bring opposition, or worse. Step Twelve says: Having had a spiritual experience as a result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Principle Seven is to have an appointment with God every day for self-examination, Bible reading and study, and prayer; in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain His power to follow His will. Step Ten says: We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it; and Step Eleven is: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.
I left these in the order the Bible lists them, rather than the order of the Principles or Steps. The order of the Steps and Principles are a logical progression of the levels to master in order to attain spiritual, moral and psychological healing. I've found that to skip one to go on to the next will cause me to get "stuck" and stop making progress, and I had to go back to the one I skipped. And only one time through will get to all the surface issues; to go deeper for greater healing, I needed to repeat these steps several times.
If you want healing and cleansing, you can't do it by yourself. Find a Celebrate Recovery group in your neighborhood, and don't be afraid to go. "Those people" are all of us. Maybe you aren't addicted to drugs, or alcoholic, or relationship obsessed, but we all have been wounded, and have wounded others in our lives.
And Jesus is coming soon. Be prepared to see Him.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And He opened His mouth, and taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. --
This first Principle, being "poor in spirit" refers to our realizing that we cannot control our tendency to do the wrong thing, and it corresponds to AA's Step One: "We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. --
Principle Two says that we believe that God exists, that we matter to Him, and that He is the One Who has the power and authority to change me, to help me recover and heal. This corresponds to Step Two: We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (Insanity is defined as doing the same thing, expecting a different outcome. To make a change, we need to change.)
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth. --
Principle three has me deliberately choosing to give my life to Jesus, to commit all my life and will and desires to Christ's care and His control. Step Three states that: We made a decision to turn our lives and wills over to the care of our Higher Power.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. --
This is Principle Five, being willing to let God change me, and asking Him to do so, however He chooses. This corresponds to Step Six: We were entirely ready to have God remove all our defects of character; and Step Seven: We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. --
This is Part One of Principle Six, to evaluate all my relationships, and offer forgiveness to all who have hurt me or harmed me in any way. It corresponds to Step Eight: We made a list of all persons [who had harmed us, or] we had harmed, and become willing to [forgive and] make amends to them all.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. --
This is Principle Four, to openly examine myself, and admit to myself, to God, and to someone else I trust, all my faults and shortcomings. Step Four says: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves; and Step Five says: We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. --
Part Two of Principle Six, Evaluate all my relationships, and make amends for harm I've done to others, except when it would cause more harm to bring it up openly. Step Nine says: We made direct amends to these people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for in the same way they persecuted the prophets which went before you. --
Principle Eight says to yield ourselves to God to be used by him to bring His Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. Often, and in many parts of the world today, to speak out boldly for God and His ways will bring opposition, or worse. Step Twelve says: Having had a spiritual experience as a result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Principle Seven is to have an appointment with God every day for self-examination, Bible reading and study, and prayer; in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain His power to follow His will. Step Ten says: We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it; and Step Eleven is: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.
I left these in the order the Bible lists them, rather than the order of the Principles or Steps. The order of the Steps and Principles are a logical progression of the levels to master in order to attain spiritual, moral and psychological healing. I've found that to skip one to go on to the next will cause me to get "stuck" and stop making progress, and I had to go back to the one I skipped. And only one time through will get to all the surface issues; to go deeper for greater healing, I needed to repeat these steps several times.
If you want healing and cleansing, you can't do it by yourself. Find a Celebrate Recovery group in your neighborhood, and don't be afraid to go. "Those people" are all of us. Maybe you aren't addicted to drugs, or alcoholic, or relationship obsessed, but we all have been wounded, and have wounded others in our lives.
And Jesus is coming soon. Be prepared to see Him.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, September 19, 2016
How Jesus Begins To Serve
Luke 3:19-20
But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch [of Galilee] because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
Mark 1:14-15
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news."
Jesus went to the very region where Herod was the tetrarch.
Matthew 4:12-17
Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, (see, He did move to Capernaum) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
The Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles--
The people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
On those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:1-2)
Jesus fulfilled more than 400 Old Testament prophesies in His birth, life, death and resurrection, and He will fulfill all the rest of them when He returns.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near."
Jesus is now beginning His public ministry in earnest. He's walking by the Sea of Galilee calling fishermen to be His disciples, preaching in the synagogues, healing all manner of diseases; people are coming to Him from all the regions around and large multitudes are gathering (Matthew 4:18-25).
Matthew 5: 1-2
And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples sat around Him, and He began to teach them.
What He is teaching them is called the "Sermon on the Mount." When Jesus began to draw crowds of people, He starts out by teaching them what God's Kingdom will look like on this Earth, and He begins with the Beatitudes (vs. 3-12).
These eight "Blessed are -- for" statements are the introduction to the realities of life in the Kingdom, and they fit very nicely into the same progression that Alcoholics Anonymous lays out in twelve steps; Celebrate Recovery is based on these eight principles, using the twelve steps, for healing our hurts, habits and hangups.
This tells me that we all need healing before we can enter this Kingdom. God is making us into the very image of Jesus, healing and renewing us continually. And He will never give up on us, but will continue this process in the New Heaven and New Earth, for the leaves of the Tree of Life growing in New Jerusalem are for healing, also (see Revelation 22:2).
Tomorrow let's look at these Beatitudes.
Even so,come, Lord Jesus.
But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch [of Galilee] because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
Mark 1:14-15
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news."
Jesus went to the very region where Herod was the tetrarch.
Matthew 4:12-17
Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, (see, He did move to Capernaum) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
The Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles--
The people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
On those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:1-2)
Jesus fulfilled more than 400 Old Testament prophesies in His birth, life, death and resurrection, and He will fulfill all the rest of them when He returns.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near."
Jesus is now beginning His public ministry in earnest. He's walking by the Sea of Galilee calling fishermen to be His disciples, preaching in the synagogues, healing all manner of diseases; people are coming to Him from all the regions around and large multitudes are gathering (Matthew 4:18-25).
Matthew 5: 1-2
And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain and sat down. His disciples sat around Him, and He began to teach them.
What He is teaching them is called the "Sermon on the Mount." When Jesus began to draw crowds of people, He starts out by teaching them what God's Kingdom will look like on this Earth, and He begins with the Beatitudes (vs. 3-12).
These eight "Blessed are -- for" statements are the introduction to the realities of life in the Kingdom, and they fit very nicely into the same progression that Alcoholics Anonymous lays out in twelve steps; Celebrate Recovery is based on these eight principles, using the twelve steps, for healing our hurts, habits and hangups.
This tells me that we all need healing before we can enter this Kingdom. God is making us into the very image of Jesus, healing and renewing us continually. And He will never give up on us, but will continue this process in the New Heaven and New Earth, for the leaves of the Tree of Life growing in New Jerusalem are for healing, also (see Revelation 22:2).
Tomorrow let's look at these Beatitudes.
Even so,come, Lord Jesus.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
The Wedding Feast At Cana
John 2:1-12
On the third day a wedding took place in Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They have no wine."
Okay, Mary is already there, apparently responsible for certain aspects of this party, so she's the one who noticed that they were running out of wine.
Jesus, no doubt, had previously had the conversation with His mother arranging for His brothers to support the family now, because He was leaving the family business to preach. And John the Baptist has introduced Him and He's starting to gather some followers; now she's decided it would be a good time for Him to "come out of the closet" and help out with a bonafide miracle. That is why Jesus responded with:
"Woman, why do you involve Me? ... My time has not yet come."
But Mary still acts like she's in charge.
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."
Now the servants are all looking at Jesus, waiting for His instructions! [Sigh!] So He goes ahead (He would never disrespect His mother, considering the fifth commandment) and tells them to fill these six huge, 20-30 gallon jars with water, which He turns into the wine they've run short of, and it turns out to be the best drink of the whole party! (v. 10).
This was the first miracle He ever performed, which miracles proved He was, and still is, Who He claimed to be: The Son of God, the Son of Man, the Great I AM of the Old Testament.
After this He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, and that's where He came from to be baptized by John. Now, after this party, He goes with His family and His followers to Capernaum for a few days. I think He's considering moving His family there, too, along with His ministry.
Stay tuned for the next episode of this gripping tale of super-natural concepts and feats.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
On the third day a wedding took place in Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They have no wine."
Okay, Mary is already there, apparently responsible for certain aspects of this party, so she's the one who noticed that they were running out of wine.
Jesus, no doubt, had previously had the conversation with His mother arranging for His brothers to support the family now, because He was leaving the family business to preach. And John the Baptist has introduced Him and He's starting to gather some followers; now she's decided it would be a good time for Him to "come out of the closet" and help out with a bonafide miracle. That is why Jesus responded with:
"Woman, why do you involve Me? ... My time has not yet come."
But Mary still acts like she's in charge.
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."
Now the servants are all looking at Jesus, waiting for His instructions! [Sigh!] So He goes ahead (He would never disrespect His mother, considering the fifth commandment) and tells them to fill these six huge, 20-30 gallon jars with water, which He turns into the wine they've run short of, and it turns out to be the best drink of the whole party! (v. 10).
This was the first miracle He ever performed, which miracles proved He was, and still is, Who He claimed to be: The Son of God, the Son of Man, the Great I AM of the Old Testament.
After this He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples. There they stayed for a few days.
Jesus grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, and that's where He came from to be baptized by John. Now, after this party, He goes with His family and His followers to Capernaum for a few days. I think He's considering moving His family there, too, along with His ministry.
Stay tuned for the next episode of this gripping tale of super-natural concepts and feats.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, September 17, 2016
John's Introduction Of Jesus
The next we learn about Jesus is when He begins His public ministry. We aren't told any more about His growing up years.
Luke 3:1-18
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar--when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitus, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene--during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, --
This is exactly when, what year, precisely.
the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. --
This is when John the Baptist began to baptize. He is the one who will introduce Jesus.
He says, "One Who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of His sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" ... and with many other words.
This is Jesus' introduction by John: "Ladies and gentlemen, we now present . . ."
Then:
Mark 1:9
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Jesus comes on the scene publicly, with Heaven opening and the Spirit descending and lighting on Him like a dove, and the Father declaring Him to be His Son (see Matthew 3:3-7, Mark 1:10-11 and Luke 3:21-22). Wow, no one can out-dramatize God!
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the Wilderness where He fasted for forty days and was tested, tempted by the devil (see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-5).
While Jesus is in the Wilderness, John is still baptizing, and "the Jews," which were the leaders of the Jewish people, questioned John, asking him who he thought he was, anyway, if he was Messiah, Elijah or That Prophet (in the prophesies).
John 1:19-28
He answered, "I am not the Messiah," and "I'm not Elijah" (I'm only John), and I don't consider myself That Prophet; I'm just a voice calling out in the desert, "Make straight the way for the Lord" (see Isaiah 40:3-5).
John 1:29-31
Then, The next day (Day 1) John saw Jesus coming toward him [back from the Wilderness] and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said 'A man Who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.' I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel."
John knew Jesus, He was his cousin. But now he knows that Jesus is Messiah, and is introducing Him. The Greek word for "Lamb" here is specifically "lamb set aside for sacrifice," and He would not just "cover up" sin, as the Old Testament sacrifices did, but actually take it away.
John 1:35-37
The next day (Day 2) John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
This passage, the rest of this chapter, has Jesus beginning to gather His own disciples; He acquires at least five right here.
John has given us a preview of the work Jesus completed by dying for us and rising from the dead. We are witnessing the very start of the public ministry of Jesus, presenting the Kingdom of God, that will be rejected by the Jewish leaders.
The third day is the Wedding in Cana. I will cover that tomorrow.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Luke 3:1-18
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar--when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitus, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene--during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, --
This is exactly when, what year, precisely.
the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. --
This is when John the Baptist began to baptize. He is the one who will introduce Jesus.
He says, "One Who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of His sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" ... and with many other words.
This is Jesus' introduction by John: "Ladies and gentlemen, we now present . . ."
Then:
Mark 1:9
At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
Jesus comes on the scene publicly, with Heaven opening and the Spirit descending and lighting on Him like a dove, and the Father declaring Him to be His Son (see Matthew 3:3-7, Mark 1:10-11 and Luke 3:21-22). Wow, no one can out-dramatize God!
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the Wilderness where He fasted for forty days and was tested, tempted by the devil (see Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-5).
While Jesus is in the Wilderness, John is still baptizing, and "the Jews," which were the leaders of the Jewish people, questioned John, asking him who he thought he was, anyway, if he was Messiah, Elijah or That Prophet (in the prophesies).
John 1:19-28
He answered, "I am not the Messiah," and "I'm not Elijah" (I'm only John), and I don't consider myself That Prophet; I'm just a voice calling out in the desert, "Make straight the way for the Lord" (see Isaiah 40:3-5).
John 1:29-31
Then, The next day (Day 1) John saw Jesus coming toward him [back from the Wilderness] and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said 'A man Who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.' I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel."
John knew Jesus, He was his cousin. But now he knows that Jesus is Messiah, and is introducing Him. The Greek word for "Lamb" here is specifically "lamb set aside for sacrifice," and He would not just "cover up" sin, as the Old Testament sacrifices did, but actually take it away.
John 1:35-37
The next day (Day 2) John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
This passage, the rest of this chapter, has Jesus beginning to gather His own disciples; He acquires at least five right here.
John has given us a preview of the work Jesus completed by dying for us and rising from the dead. We are witnessing the very start of the public ministry of Jesus, presenting the Kingdom of God, that will be rejected by the Jewish leaders.
The third day is the Wedding in Cana. I will cover that tomorrow.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Friday, September 16, 2016
Jesus' Early Years
Jesus' early years teach us about His conception, birth and all that happened to show Who He really is.
The Angel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah, and God would be His Father, not Joseph (Luke 1:26-38). When she told Joseph, he was about to break up with her for unfaithfulness, even though he loved her, but he just couldn't believe this fanciful story. Then the Angel told him in a dream that it was all true, and he didn't need to doubt her (Matthew 1:18-25).
The culture in that day gave engaged girls freedom to travel, and Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. Here is where Mary's beautiful prayer, the Magnificat, is recorded, where she admits that God is her Savior. She stays with Elizabeth three months, long enough to learn first-hand about childbirth, the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:39-56).
About six months later, Caesar Augustus' decree had Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and he brought Mary with him at the most difficult time for her, so late in her pregnancy. We all know the Christmas story, with the stable, the manger and the shepherds, with God announcing to the shepherds by His angels that their Messiah was just born (Luke 2:1-20).
When Jesus is eight days old, He is circumcised and officially receives His name. Then when the rest of Mary's 40 days are finished for her purification (Leviticus 12:1-4), they go to the Temple in Jerusalem and both Simon and Anna prophesy about Jesus.
When Jesus is about two years old, they are still living in Bethlehem, but have moved into a house, and the Magi came to worship Him and present their gifts (Matthew 2:1-12). Joseph had another dream, and takes his little family all the way to Egypt to live, until the death of "those who were trying to take the Child's life." When they returned to Israel, they didn't stop in Bethlehem again, instead continuing all the way to Galilee, to their original town of Nazareth (Matthew 2:13-23).
By the time Jesus is twelve years old, his parents have apparently forgotten about His Divine origin, having focused on the every-day mundane living of life, and He reminds them of Who His Father really is (Luke 2:41-52).
We are told that Mary "treasured all these things in her heart," but that didn't mean that she was thinking about them all the time.
I'm glad that God saw fit to share with us all these amazing things about Jesus' birth and childhood, that prove He was not just an ordinary boy. But He lived a very ordinary life as the son of a carpenter, learning that trade.
Even the Lord of the Universe grew up as a normal boy, learning and relating in a family situation, like the rest of the human race. And He suffered the loss of His dad, Joseph, before He reached adulthood, so He probably was the family bread-winner with His carpentry until He began His public ministry.
So Jesus was God, having been conceived supernaturally, yet He was also now a genuine human Man, being born of a woman, the same as every other man. We'll see later in this series how both His genuine Divinity and His genuine humanity were both necessary for Him to redeem us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Angel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of the Messiah, and God would be His Father, not Joseph (Luke 1:26-38). When she told Joseph, he was about to break up with her for unfaithfulness, even though he loved her, but he just couldn't believe this fanciful story. Then the Angel told him in a dream that it was all true, and he didn't need to doubt her (Matthew 1:18-25).
The culture in that day gave engaged girls freedom to travel, and Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. Here is where Mary's beautiful prayer, the Magnificat, is recorded, where she admits that God is her Savior. She stays with Elizabeth three months, long enough to learn first-hand about childbirth, the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:39-56).
About six months later, Caesar Augustus' decree had Joseph travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and he brought Mary with him at the most difficult time for her, so late in her pregnancy. We all know the Christmas story, with the stable, the manger and the shepherds, with God announcing to the shepherds by His angels that their Messiah was just born (Luke 2:1-20).
When Jesus is eight days old, He is circumcised and officially receives His name. Then when the rest of Mary's 40 days are finished for her purification (Leviticus 12:1-4), they go to the Temple in Jerusalem and both Simon and Anna prophesy about Jesus.
When Jesus is about two years old, they are still living in Bethlehem, but have moved into a house, and the Magi came to worship Him and present their gifts (Matthew 2:1-12). Joseph had another dream, and takes his little family all the way to Egypt to live, until the death of "those who were trying to take the Child's life." When they returned to Israel, they didn't stop in Bethlehem again, instead continuing all the way to Galilee, to their original town of Nazareth (Matthew 2:13-23).
By the time Jesus is twelve years old, his parents have apparently forgotten about His Divine origin, having focused on the every-day mundane living of life, and He reminds them of Who His Father really is (Luke 2:41-52).
We are told that Mary "treasured all these things in her heart," but that didn't mean that she was thinking about them all the time.
I'm glad that God saw fit to share with us all these amazing things about Jesus' birth and childhood, that prove He was not just an ordinary boy. But He lived a very ordinary life as the son of a carpenter, learning that trade.
Even the Lord of the Universe grew up as a normal boy, learning and relating in a family situation, like the rest of the human race. And He suffered the loss of His dad, Joseph, before He reached adulthood, so He probably was the family bread-winner with His carpentry until He began His public ministry.
So Jesus was God, having been conceived supernaturally, yet He was also now a genuine human Man, being born of a woman, the same as every other man. We'll see later in this series how both His genuine Divinity and His genuine humanity were both necessary for Him to redeem us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Our Good And Others' Trouble
Matthew 2:16-18
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah (31:15) was fulfilled:
"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
Sometimes when we do what is right, other people suffer for it. These Benjamite children were innocent, but were murdered by a wicked king.
We are to mourn with those who have sustained a loss, but we are never to not do what is right in order to spare some one else the negative consequences. God is still in control, and when other people experience sorrow or loss or other trouble because of our doing right, then God's plan for those other people is to carry them through whatever they're facing. We each have our own road to travel with our Lord, and they have theirs.
We only need to make sure that the trouble others face is not the result of our own selfishness or neglect. I know that my own careless words have resulted in broken hearts, when I could have kept that muzzle on my mouth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah (31:15) was fulfilled:
"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
Sometimes when we do what is right, other people suffer for it. These Benjamite children were innocent, but were murdered by a wicked king.
We are to mourn with those who have sustained a loss, but we are never to not do what is right in order to spare some one else the negative consequences. God is still in control, and when other people experience sorrow or loss or other trouble because of our doing right, then God's plan for those other people is to carry them through whatever they're facing. We each have our own road to travel with our Lord, and they have theirs.
We only need to make sure that the trouble others face is not the result of our own selfishness or neglect. I know that my own careless words have resulted in broken hearts, when I could have kept that muzzle on my mouth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Be Prepared
Matthew 25:1-13
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Five foolish and Five wise, ends with this conclusion:
(v. 13) Be on the alert then [therefore keep watch], for you do not know the day nor the hour.
This is a warning to be constantly on the alert, and to prepare for the coming of the Bridegroom.
These are the virgins, the friends of the Bride (we, the church, are the Bride), but their example to us is to be prepared ahead of time, before we see Him or hear Him call us from within the clouds. As His Bride, we will be called up to be with Him without warning, except to see all the "end times" happenings taking place all at the same time. We should recognize when it is near, maybe even the season, but we won't know the exact day or hour.
So we need to be preparing for Him every day, because He can be coming now any day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Five foolish and Five wise, ends with this conclusion:
(v. 13) Be on the alert then [therefore keep watch], for you do not know the day nor the hour.
This is a warning to be constantly on the alert, and to prepare for the coming of the Bridegroom.
These are the virgins, the friends of the Bride (we, the church, are the Bride), but their example to us is to be prepared ahead of time, before we see Him or hear Him call us from within the clouds. As His Bride, we will be called up to be with Him without warning, except to see all the "end times" happenings taking place all at the same time. We should recognize when it is near, maybe even the season, but we won't know the exact day or hour.
So we need to be preparing for Him every day, because He can be coming now any day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Jesus Took YOUR Place On The Cross
Acts 4:12
For there is no other name by which we must be saved. -- Jesus, God's Christ.
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus. --
There is no mediatrix, or any priest or minister that can negotiate between God and mankind, other than Jesus, Himself.
Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. --
When Eve ate the Forbidden Fruit, she thought she was doing a good thing. She had sinned a personal sin. But when Adam ate it, he knew he was disobeying God.
I Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die; --
We know enough today about DNA and genes and how traits are "inherited" from our parents, and how the mother and the father each contribute different traits.
Adam would pass along his "original sin" to every other person born into the human race, so each of us is born with that "sin-nature," that bent that draws every one of us into thinking that we know better, we're smart enough to make our own decisions; we are our own god. That's what leads us into making the poor decisions that cause our problems, missing the bull's eye.
We are each born into this life already under condemnation.
II Corinthians 5:21
God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin ... --
Jesus didn't die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, our sin-nature, which is the root and fountainhead of every sin, from the smallest to the most horrendous.
... for us, --
In our place, just as a lawyer will represent us and speak for us before the judge.
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. --
This is a possibility for us now, that we might become, not just have, God's own righteousness. But only when we face our own frailty and culpability, and recognize God for Who He is and what He's done for us, and let Jesus take our place in the death each one of us deserves on the Cross.
Isaiah 53:12
... And he (1) bare the sin of many, and (2) made intercession for the transgressors. --
This is the chapter that describes Jesus so accurately that Jewish people today who study it recognize Him as their Messiah. Jesus' Divine blood had endless value, to cover all sins everywhere. Often in doctrinal passages, "many" actually refers to "all;" and "sin" is the sin-nature, "sins" are individual acts.
The end of this verse, essentially, is saying, "Jesus' blood ransomed all those who have been born with a sin-nature, and paid in full the whole debt of those who have disobeyed a law."
So babies, even though born with a sin-nature, are covered; and those who have reached the "age of accountability" and deliberately disobeyed a rule, can be redeemed by admitting their guilt, and letting Jesus pay their debt for them.
God does not leave out anyone, no matter who they are, when or where they live, or what kind of life they've lived. All we need to do is just turn around, He's there with arms stretched out to receive every one of us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For there is no other name by which we must be saved. -- Jesus, God's Christ.
I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus. --
There is no mediatrix, or any priest or minister that can negotiate between God and mankind, other than Jesus, Himself.
Genesis 3:6
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. --
When Eve ate the Forbidden Fruit, she thought she was doing a good thing. She had sinned a personal sin. But when Adam ate it, he knew he was disobeying God.
I Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die; --
We know enough today about DNA and genes and how traits are "inherited" from our parents, and how the mother and the father each contribute different traits.
Adam would pass along his "original sin" to every other person born into the human race, so each of us is born with that "sin-nature," that bent that draws every one of us into thinking that we know better, we're smart enough to make our own decisions; we are our own god. That's what leads us into making the poor decisions that cause our problems, missing the bull's eye.
We are each born into this life already under condemnation.
II Corinthians 5:21
God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin ... --
Jesus didn't die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, our sin-nature, which is the root and fountainhead of every sin, from the smallest to the most horrendous.
... for us, --
In our place, just as a lawyer will represent us and speak for us before the judge.
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. --
This is a possibility for us now, that we might become, not just have, God's own righteousness. But only when we face our own frailty and culpability, and recognize God for Who He is and what He's done for us, and let Jesus take our place in the death each one of us deserves on the Cross.
Isaiah 53:12
... And he (1) bare the sin of many, and (2) made intercession for the transgressors. --
This is the chapter that describes Jesus so accurately that Jewish people today who study it recognize Him as their Messiah. Jesus' Divine blood had endless value, to cover all sins everywhere. Often in doctrinal passages, "many" actually refers to "all;" and "sin" is the sin-nature, "sins" are individual acts.
The end of this verse, essentially, is saying, "Jesus' blood ransomed all those who have been born with a sin-nature, and paid in full the whole debt of those who have disobeyed a law."
So babies, even though born with a sin-nature, are covered; and those who have reached the "age of accountability" and deliberately disobeyed a rule, can be redeemed by admitting their guilt, and letting Jesus pay their debt for them.
God does not leave out anyone, no matter who they are, when or where they live, or what kind of life they've lived. All we need to do is just turn around, He's there with arms stretched out to receive every one of us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, September 12, 2016
Candy For Your Soul
Psalm 97
The Lord reigns; let the Earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Fire goes before Him, and burns up His adversaries round about.
His lightnings light up the world; the Earth saw and trembled.
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth.
The Heavens declare His righteousness.
And all the peoples have seen His glory.
Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,
Who boast themselves of idols;
Worship Him, all you gods.
Zion heard this and was glad,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Thy judgments, O Lord,
For Thou art the Lord Most High over all the Earth;
Thou art exalted far above all gods.
Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown like seed for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones;
And give thanks to His holy Name.
Wow, this is like candy to the soul!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Lord reigns; let the Earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Fire goes before Him, and burns up His adversaries round about.
His lightnings light up the world; the Earth saw and trembled.
The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth.
The Heavens declare His righteousness.
And all the peoples have seen His glory.
Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,
Who boast themselves of idols;
Worship Him, all you gods.
Zion heard this and was glad,
And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
Because of Thy judgments, O Lord,
For Thou art the Lord Most High over all the Earth;
Thou art exalted far above all gods.
Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown like seed for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones;
And give thanks to His holy Name.
Wow, this is like candy to the soul!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Prophesy Of Joel
Joel is all about the Day of the Lord.
Chapter 1 is twenty verses of devastation in the land of Israel. He starts off saying,
(v. 2) Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors?
The implied answer is, "No!"
It will be a story worth telling to their children, their grandchildren, and even their great grandchildren.
(1:15 and 2:11) Alas for that Day! For the Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. ... The Day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
Who can endure it? In Matthew 4:21-22 and Mark 13:19-20 Jesus tells us that if God had not shortened the days (to only 7 years?) then "no flesh" would survive. Because this Day will be ultimately destructive to our Earth (see Revelation).
(v. 10) Before them the Earth shakes, the Heavens tremble, the Sun and Moon are darkened, and the Stars no longer shine.
(v. 31) The Sun will be turned to darkness and the Moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.
(3:15) The Sun and Moon will be darkened, and the Stars no longer shine.
Revelation 6:12-13, 8:12, Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-25 and Luke 21:25 all talk about these same astronautical phenomenons of observable changes in the Sun, Moon and Stars, immediately preceding the Glorious Appearing.
Chapter 2 talks about God's mighty locust army that,
(v. 4) have the appearance of horses.
So they're locusts that look like horses; Revelation talks about this same thing, with much more description of them in chapter 9, verses 7 to 10.
Then right in the middle of all this gloom-and-doom, Joel says that there's still an opportunity to not be among those who are judged. He says,
(2:12-14) "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing--grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
Even though Joel is pronouncing God's judgments on Judah and Israel, there is still room for them to change their minds and decide to do things God's way. And He just might turn the planned judgment into a blessing!
Then the following passage (vs. 15-27) describes all the blessings God will shower upon His people when they do turn around their attitudes and actions, and God even says that,
(v. 25) "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten."
This is a promise for all of God's people, not just for the Hebrews. As Christians today, we can claim this promise, and expect our Heavenly Father to restore what our own foolish choices have lost us, when we also turn our own attitudes and thinking processes around from the World's ways to align with God's ways for us.
Now in chapter 3 Joel talks quite a bit on what we refer to as the "Battle of Armageddon" (from Revelation 16:16), calling the place the Valley of Jehoshaphat (vs. 2, 12) and the Valley of Decision (twice in v. 14), as a judgment of the Nations for their treatment of Israel and the Jews, to
(3:2) put them on trial for what they did to My inheritance, My people Israel, and
(3:19) because of violence done to the people of Judah.
In Matthew 25:31-40 Jesus says that when the Son of Man comes in His glory with His holy ones, He will sit on His throne of glory and judge the Nations, according to how they treated, "the least of these, My brethren" (v. 40).
We are those Nations, the individuals who choose our leaders with our votes, or allow them to rule us through not bothering to vote or voice our views. We are responsible to be on the side of God's people Israel, as they are again a Nation among the Nations of the World, and to help those who are still dispersed to meet their material and spiritual needs, or to even do what we can to help them make aliyah back home to their ancient land of Israel.
This little 3-chapter book is so densely filled with meaning, I don't think I've even scratched the surface of it's depth.
If you have further thoughts on any of this, I welcome your comments, and will consider your views.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Chapter 1 is twenty verses of devastation in the land of Israel. He starts off saying,
(v. 2) Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors?
The implied answer is, "No!"
It will be a story worth telling to their children, their grandchildren, and even their great grandchildren.
(1:15 and 2:11) Alas for that Day! For the Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. ... The Day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
Who can endure it? In Matthew 4:21-22 and Mark 13:19-20 Jesus tells us that if God had not shortened the days (to only 7 years?) then "no flesh" would survive. Because this Day will be ultimately destructive to our Earth (see Revelation).
(v. 10) Before them the Earth shakes, the Heavens tremble, the Sun and Moon are darkened, and the Stars no longer shine.
(v. 31) The Sun will be turned to darkness and the Moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord.
(3:15) The Sun and Moon will be darkened, and the Stars no longer shine.
Revelation 6:12-13, 8:12, Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-25 and Luke 21:25 all talk about these same astronautical phenomenons of observable changes in the Sun, Moon and Stars, immediately preceding the Glorious Appearing.
Chapter 2 talks about God's mighty locust army that,
(v. 4) have the appearance of horses.
So they're locusts that look like horses; Revelation talks about this same thing, with much more description of them in chapter 9, verses 7 to 10.
Then right in the middle of all this gloom-and-doom, Joel says that there's still an opportunity to not be among those who are judged. He says,
(2:12-14) "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing--grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
Even though Joel is pronouncing God's judgments on Judah and Israel, there is still room for them to change their minds and decide to do things God's way. And He just might turn the planned judgment into a blessing!
Then the following passage (vs. 15-27) describes all the blessings God will shower upon His people when they do turn around their attitudes and actions, and God even says that,
(v. 25) "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten."
This is a promise for all of God's people, not just for the Hebrews. As Christians today, we can claim this promise, and expect our Heavenly Father to restore what our own foolish choices have lost us, when we also turn our own attitudes and thinking processes around from the World's ways to align with God's ways for us.
Now in chapter 3 Joel talks quite a bit on what we refer to as the "Battle of Armageddon" (from Revelation 16:16), calling the place the Valley of Jehoshaphat (vs. 2, 12) and the Valley of Decision (twice in v. 14), as a judgment of the Nations for their treatment of Israel and the Jews, to
(3:2) put them on trial for what they did to My inheritance, My people Israel, and
(3:19) because of violence done to the people of Judah.
In Matthew 25:31-40 Jesus says that when the Son of Man comes in His glory with His holy ones, He will sit on His throne of glory and judge the Nations, according to how they treated, "the least of these, My brethren" (v. 40).
We are those Nations, the individuals who choose our leaders with our votes, or allow them to rule us through not bothering to vote or voice our views. We are responsible to be on the side of God's people Israel, as they are again a Nation among the Nations of the World, and to help those who are still dispersed to meet their material and spiritual needs, or to even do what we can to help them make aliyah back home to their ancient land of Israel.
This little 3-chapter book is so densely filled with meaning, I don't think I've even scratched the surface of it's depth.
If you have further thoughts on any of this, I welcome your comments, and will consider your views.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, September 10, 2016
The Throne Of The Lord
I Chronicles 29:23
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.
When God made David to be the king of Israel, He put him on the Lord's throne to rule under Him. And his son Solomon also sat on the Lord's throne, to rule as God's representative. And because he recognized his position, as governing for God over God's people, he prospered; and the people submitted themselves to his authority, and all Israel prospered during Solomon's reign.
So David's throne that all the prophesies talk about, the throne David sat on, is not really David's, but the Lord's throne. When our Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will sit on His throne that He had sat David on, and Solomon; they ruled in His stead; then, at His return, He will rule on His own throne Himself. It always was His throne.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.
When God made David to be the king of Israel, He put him on the Lord's throne to rule under Him. And his son Solomon also sat on the Lord's throne, to rule as God's representative. And because he recognized his position, as governing for God over God's people, he prospered; and the people submitted themselves to his authority, and all Israel prospered during Solomon's reign.
So David's throne that all the prophesies talk about, the throne David sat on, is not really David's, but the Lord's throne. When our Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will sit on His throne that He had sat David on, and Solomon; they ruled in His stead; then, at His return, He will rule on His own throne Himself. It always was His throne.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, September 9, 2016
Knowing The Right Way
Nehemiah 8:8-12
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. --
They were weeping because they finally understood the things they were supposed to be doing, but hadn't been all the time they had been in exile, and even before.
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve." --
God was pleased that the people now knew what to do, how to live. So He would want His people to rejoice with Him. Later there would be a time to grieve and repent.
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. --
This sounds to me like a great Christmas feast and celebration, with gift giving and eating sweets.
It's a wonderfully good thing to be able to understand how it all fits together into a grand, glorious scheme. That God would reveal Himself to us, and teach us how to cooperate with how He made this world, is a wondrous thing to me. God is so good, like a loving parent who only wants good for the children, but is brokenhearted to see how they are messing it all up, and suffering the consequences. Now that the children are finally learning how to do it right, He only hopes that they will remember and follow these rules when they're under pressure to "go easy."
It always seems easier to decide for ourselves what we want to do, even when we know the consequences. But to still follow the right way to live, even when it's hard, we know will result in more prosperity, better relationships, and more good in every way. And God will strengthen us to choose that good way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. --
They were weeping because they finally understood the things they were supposed to be doing, but hadn't been all the time they had been in exile, and even before.
Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve." --
God was pleased that the people now knew what to do, how to live. So He would want His people to rejoice with Him. Later there would be a time to grieve and repent.
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. --
This sounds to me like a great Christmas feast and celebration, with gift giving and eating sweets.
It's a wonderfully good thing to be able to understand how it all fits together into a grand, glorious scheme. That God would reveal Himself to us, and teach us how to cooperate with how He made this world, is a wondrous thing to me. God is so good, like a loving parent who only wants good for the children, but is brokenhearted to see how they are messing it all up, and suffering the consequences. Now that the children are finally learning how to do it right, He only hopes that they will remember and follow these rules when they're under pressure to "go easy."
It always seems easier to decide for ourselves what we want to do, even when we know the consequences. But to still follow the right way to live, even when it's hard, we know will result in more prosperity, better relationships, and more good in every way. And God will strengthen us to choose that good way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Suffering
II Corinthians 4:8-18
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; --
God enables us to "bounce back" from whatever works against us, whether it be sickness, doubt, attack, or any other kind of overpowering; we need never give up or give in.
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body, for we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. --
Paul was constantly being persecuted and slandered and attacked, so was near death much of the time. He was willing to risk death and opposition in order to teach God's Truth to the Corinthians. Paul knew Jesus had taken his (Paul's) place in death, so he, in effect, died with Him, so now he knows that he will also be Resurrected with Him. So he says that Jesus' death is working in himself so that the Corinthians can have life.
But having the same spirit of faith according to what is written, "I believed, therefore I spoke" (Psalm 116:10), we also believe, therefore also we speak. --
Paul is saying that the same spirit that allowed the Psalmist to have the confidence in God to speak out is also in him (and in us) to say out loud what God has done for us and that He also wants to do for others.
Knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. --
All of Christ's church will be raised in Resurrection together.
For all things are for your sakes, that the grace that is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. --
Everything Paul has gone through so far in his missionary travels is for the good of the church in bringing the benefit to them by bringing more and more people into the knowledge of God, increasing the multitudes who will magnify and glorify God.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. --
Even though our physical bodies get sick and wounded and grow old and wear out, we can rejoice that our inner man, our spiritual parts, are growing stronger every day through the troubles we experience in this world.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, --
No matter how serious and painful our problems are now, they are only temporary in this world; but are gaining for us so much more life and wealth and joy, more than we can even imagine, forever.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. --
Our focus needs to be on what will last, not on what is only temporary. Anything we can see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and feel in our bodies, is only, in reality, for a very short time, and is not even worthy of our notice. When we focus on God and what He's preparing for us to enjoy for ever and ever, then whatever we are suffering through now looses its hold on us.
While we are here in this schoolhouse of an existence, we are to learn the lessons our Heavenly Father wants to teach us. I don't want to have to "repeat a grade" because I didn't pay attention the first time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; --
God enables us to "bounce back" from whatever works against us, whether it be sickness, doubt, attack, or any other kind of overpowering; we need never give up or give in.
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body, for we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. --
Paul was constantly being persecuted and slandered and attacked, so was near death much of the time. He was willing to risk death and opposition in order to teach God's Truth to the Corinthians. Paul knew Jesus had taken his (Paul's) place in death, so he, in effect, died with Him, so now he knows that he will also be Resurrected with Him. So he says that Jesus' death is working in himself so that the Corinthians can have life.
But having the same spirit of faith according to what is written, "I believed, therefore I spoke" (Psalm 116:10), we also believe, therefore also we speak. --
Paul is saying that the same spirit that allowed the Psalmist to have the confidence in God to speak out is also in him (and in us) to say out loud what God has done for us and that He also wants to do for others.
Knowing that He Who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. --
All of Christ's church will be raised in Resurrection together.
For all things are for your sakes, that the grace that is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. --
Everything Paul has gone through so far in his missionary travels is for the good of the church in bringing the benefit to them by bringing more and more people into the knowledge of God, increasing the multitudes who will magnify and glorify God.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. --
Even though our physical bodies get sick and wounded and grow old and wear out, we can rejoice that our inner man, our spiritual parts, are growing stronger every day through the troubles we experience in this world.
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, --
No matter how serious and painful our problems are now, they are only temporary in this world; but are gaining for us so much more life and wealth and joy, more than we can even imagine, forever.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. --
Our focus needs to be on what will last, not on what is only temporary. Anything we can see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and feel in our bodies, is only, in reality, for a very short time, and is not even worthy of our notice. When we focus on God and what He's preparing for us to enjoy for ever and ever, then whatever we are suffering through now looses its hold on us.
While we are here in this schoolhouse of an existence, we are to learn the lessons our Heavenly Father wants to teach us. I don't want to have to "repeat a grade" because I didn't pay attention the first time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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