Luke 18: 9-14
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed (exalting himself) ... but the tax collector stood at a distance ... beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner" ...
I was once that Pharisee, having done everything my church said to do, and not doing what they said was a sin, and I thought I had earned my own way into God's Heaven.
So God, in His mercy to me, allowed me to stray so far from that self-righteous path that I would recognize myself as the sinner that the tax collector was. Then in His grace He drew me to Himself, and revealed to me His unfathomable love for me!
God loved me, one who could never deserve or be worthy of even a glance from Him; lavished His unconditional love over me, drowning me in His passion!
I still cannot fathom how God could consider me worth His consideration, but He considers me with extremely high value. His thoughts certainly are not my thoughts, so I must be in error, because He is True.
He loves me with the emotional passion of a newlywed groom for his new bride. And I cannot help but love Him back! He is so kind, so gentle with me; He is my Provider and my Source of everything I need and want.
He is my King, and I am His child, His princess. One Day I will reign with Him on His throne as His queen, governing in His Kingdom.
This is the future of all who will allow the Lamb of God to be their personal Sacrifice, dying the death they deserve, and allowing Him to be Lord (Boss) over their lives.
God is not willing that anyone perish, but that all would come to repentance.
Each one of us deserves death because of the defective human nature we are born into. That flesh is weak in the face of the World's allurements and the enemy's accusations. But we still convince ourselves that we deserve good, the best.
God wants to give us His best, not because we deserve it, but because He is good. But we can only receive His best when we face the truth of the whole situation, and let God be God.
He sent His only-begotten Son to be our atoning Sacrifice for each one of us individually (He saves us one-by-one).
Then He left us here to be His church, to lead others to Christ. And to help one another. To love Him and to love one another.
Until Jesus returns to this Earth to conquer all evil and set up His Kingdom to rule. Then when Satan is released, the Earth will explode, the Universe will implode, and He will "make all things new," as a New Heaven and a New Earth. Then the increase of his Kingdom will have no end, as we enjoy His unlimited creativity throughout all future eternity, for ever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Saturday, June 9, 2018
The Universe Obeys God
Paslm 119: 89-91
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in Heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations. You established the Earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances. For all things are Your servants.
What God has said cannot be unsaid. What He has done cannot be undone. What He has decided cannot be changed. God will faithfully carry out everything He has planned, no one can thwart Him.
God made the Earth and established the Natural Laws to govern it, with the rest of the Universe. And it all operates according to the rules and perameters God set for it all; it all obeys God.
And we, also, will do well to obey.
It's when we disobey that we encounter troubles. When we think we have a better idea, or we just don't want to give up our pride and selfishness.
If only we would learn that loving God and loving one another is the only right road to take to get along with this World and with each other.
God loves us more than we can imagine, and He made this Earth for us, putting into it all the abundance we will ever need. And all we need to do is just obey the rules He set for us, to both enjoy the wealth and enjoy our relationships with one another.
Our problem is that pesky defect in our "flesh" that pulls us away from the good God wants to give us. And the World around us throws all kinds of alternatives at us. And then there's our enemy, Satan, who only comes around to kill, steal, and destroy.
Three against us, and "only" God for us. But God is greater than all of these together, and when He puts His Spirit into our spirit, then we have the power to overcome those wayward tendencies. Only God in us will gain the victory over the World, the flesh and the devil.
That's why Jesus came. And He is coming again, to finish the job. He will win the final victory over all our enemies, and we will reign with Him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. And the increase of His Kingdom will have no end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in Heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations. You established the Earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances. For all things are Your servants.
What God has said cannot be unsaid. What He has done cannot be undone. What He has decided cannot be changed. God will faithfully carry out everything He has planned, no one can thwart Him.
God made the Earth and established the Natural Laws to govern it, with the rest of the Universe. And it all operates according to the rules and perameters God set for it all; it all obeys God.
And we, also, will do well to obey.
It's when we disobey that we encounter troubles. When we think we have a better idea, or we just don't want to give up our pride and selfishness.
If only we would learn that loving God and loving one another is the only right road to take to get along with this World and with each other.
God loves us more than we can imagine, and He made this Earth for us, putting into it all the abundance we will ever need. And all we need to do is just obey the rules He set for us, to both enjoy the wealth and enjoy our relationships with one another.
Our problem is that pesky defect in our "flesh" that pulls us away from the good God wants to give us. And the World around us throws all kinds of alternatives at us. And then there's our enemy, Satan, who only comes around to kill, steal, and destroy.
Three against us, and "only" God for us. But God is greater than all of these together, and when He puts His Spirit into our spirit, then we have the power to overcome those wayward tendencies. Only God in us will gain the victory over the World, the flesh and the devil.
That's why Jesus came. And He is coming again, to finish the job. He will win the final victory over all our enemies, and we will reign with Him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. And the increase of His Kingdom will have no end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 8, 2018
Beholding The Glory Of The Lord
II Corinthians 3:18
But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
4: 7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.
As we "behold" Him by seeking Him in His Word, we are drinking in the "milk of the Word" and chewing on the "meat of the Word," nourishing our spiritual life. This is how we grow up in the Lord, by getting to know Him better every day and learning to live by His ways, loving Him and loving one another more each day.
This glory is growing in our spirit through the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who lives in our spirit. This "treasure" is God's life in us, and we are to let it grow. All living things grow if they're not hindered. That's why we are to see to it that we remove from our thinking and our lives everything that is evil or filthy or vile. These negative things are the dis-eases that hinder the life we have.
And we have this shining life shielded by our physical bodies, made of dust. This reminds us that the glory is not from us, but from God; and we are to give Him the credit, the glory, for whatever He is doing in and through us.
So my "clay pot" is being transformed into a "crystal vase" molecule by molecule, and when someone may "see" Christ in me is when His glory is shining through a minuscule "crack" of my clay that has been changed to crystal (or diamond).
That may be why, in our glorified bodies, we will shine like the Sun, the clay all gone, transformed into crystal diamond.
O my Father, Your plan is so ingenious! To know us even in our depravity, to send Your Son to cleanse us of all that is unclean and fill us with Your own Life, Your Holy Spirit. Then to work on us, molding us into the very image of Your Son; and work through us to others, showing them Your goodness, kindness and greatness.
Father, You have loved us, loved me, more than I can imagine. Your great Plan of the Ages incorporates each of our lives--our decisions and choices we "freely" make all further Your Plan. You have determined it so, and it is.
What You do, Father, stands. No one can add to it or annihilate it (the First Law of Thermodynamics, Conservation of Matter). Mankind can take what You have made and re-form it into many new things, but it's all what You made. You alone are Creator.
Father, I look forward to the Second Coming of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will not come in humility, as He did before, but will come in His Glory, with all His Holy Ones, both angelic and sainted.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
4: 7
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.
As we "behold" Him by seeking Him in His Word, we are drinking in the "milk of the Word" and chewing on the "meat of the Word," nourishing our spiritual life. This is how we grow up in the Lord, by getting to know Him better every day and learning to live by His ways, loving Him and loving one another more each day.
This glory is growing in our spirit through the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who lives in our spirit. This "treasure" is God's life in us, and we are to let it grow. All living things grow if they're not hindered. That's why we are to see to it that we remove from our thinking and our lives everything that is evil or filthy or vile. These negative things are the dis-eases that hinder the life we have.
And we have this shining life shielded by our physical bodies, made of dust. This reminds us that the glory is not from us, but from God; and we are to give Him the credit, the glory, for whatever He is doing in and through us.
So my "clay pot" is being transformed into a "crystal vase" molecule by molecule, and when someone may "see" Christ in me is when His glory is shining through a minuscule "crack" of my clay that has been changed to crystal (or diamond).
That may be why, in our glorified bodies, we will shine like the Sun, the clay all gone, transformed into crystal diamond.
O my Father, Your plan is so ingenious! To know us even in our depravity, to send Your Son to cleanse us of all that is unclean and fill us with Your own Life, Your Holy Spirit. Then to work on us, molding us into the very image of Your Son; and work through us to others, showing them Your goodness, kindness and greatness.
Father, You have loved us, loved me, more than I can imagine. Your great Plan of the Ages incorporates each of our lives--our decisions and choices we "freely" make all further Your Plan. You have determined it so, and it is.
What You do, Father, stands. No one can add to it or annihilate it (the First Law of Thermodynamics, Conservation of Matter). Mankind can take what You have made and re-form it into many new things, but it's all what You made. You alone are Creator.
Father, I look forward to the Second Coming of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will not come in humility, as He did before, but will come in His Glory, with all His Holy Ones, both angelic and sainted.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 7, 2018
70 Years
Jeremiah 29: 1, 5, 6, 7, 10-14
The Prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.
Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there, don't decrease.
Work for the good of the city where I have taken you as captives, and pray to the Lord for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.
This is what the Lord says: When Babylon's 70 years are over, I will come to you. I will keep my promise to you and bring you back to this place.
I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.
Then you will call to Me. You will come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.
When you look for Me, you will find Me; when you wholeheartedly seek Me, I will let you find Me, declares the Lord.
I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the Nations and places where I've scattered you, declares the Lord. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.
There are several things here.
Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem, after most of the people had been carried away and deported to this far-away foreign place.
God told Jeremiah to tell the people to settle down there, in that different culture that would surround them. They were to marry, have children and grandchildren, and grow their numbers. They were to plant and plan to eat what grew. They will be there a long time.
They were even to pray for the prosperity of this pagan city. Here's a principle that is repeated in the New Testament: to pray for the political officials who govern the city where you live. And the reason why is right here: When it prospers, you will also prosper.
Even today we are to seek the welfare and well-being of the secular society we live in, because when they prosper, we will also prosper. And we are also to pray for the officials by name, that they would come to know the Lord. If they do know the Lord, then to grow in their faith, and implement their godly world view into their governing.
In our American society, we have a particular responsibility--to cast our vote for the best candidate who will govern according to God's ways. That means we need to get to know the people who are running, what their beliefs are about governing, and their character.
God had Jeremiah tell them that they would be in Babylon for 70 years. This is very specific. Several generations later, Daniel would read this letter Jeremiah had written, and realize that the 70 years were almost over, and he sought the Lord, which prompted him to write his scroll (see Daniel 9:2-3).
God always says what He means, and He means what He says, just as He says it. He said, "70 years" and it was a literal 70 years, just as God said. And he did bring a remnant of Israel back to the Land of Israel then.
I think the most important thing we need to implement here is to seek the Lord with all our heart. This is a promise. He always keeps His promises, we can bank on it. And when we really, sincerely, honestly want to know our God, He wants us to know Him, so He will reveal Himself to us as much as we can stand.
And He will still bring all Israel back to that same Land He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From all over the World. That's a promise He will keep, too.
So we would do well to be pro-Israel in our political climate today, even when the World will turn against them--God is still for them. And we want to be on God's side. With Him, we win in the end! I know, I've read the last chapter!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon.
Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.
Get married and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there, don't decrease.
Work for the good of the city where I have taken you as captives, and pray to the Lord for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.
This is what the Lord says: When Babylon's 70 years are over, I will come to you. I will keep my promise to you and bring you back to this place.
I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.
Then you will call to Me. You will come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.
When you look for Me, you will find Me; when you wholeheartedly seek Me, I will let you find Me, declares the Lord.
I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the Nations and places where I've scattered you, declares the Lord. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.
There are several things here.
Jeremiah was still in Jerusalem, after most of the people had been carried away and deported to this far-away foreign place.
God told Jeremiah to tell the people to settle down there, in that different culture that would surround them. They were to marry, have children and grandchildren, and grow their numbers. They were to plant and plan to eat what grew. They will be there a long time.
They were even to pray for the prosperity of this pagan city. Here's a principle that is repeated in the New Testament: to pray for the political officials who govern the city where you live. And the reason why is right here: When it prospers, you will also prosper.
Even today we are to seek the welfare and well-being of the secular society we live in, because when they prosper, we will also prosper. And we are also to pray for the officials by name, that they would come to know the Lord. If they do know the Lord, then to grow in their faith, and implement their godly world view into their governing.
In our American society, we have a particular responsibility--to cast our vote for the best candidate who will govern according to God's ways. That means we need to get to know the people who are running, what their beliefs are about governing, and their character.
God had Jeremiah tell them that they would be in Babylon for 70 years. This is very specific. Several generations later, Daniel would read this letter Jeremiah had written, and realize that the 70 years were almost over, and he sought the Lord, which prompted him to write his scroll (see Daniel 9:2-3).
God always says what He means, and He means what He says, just as He says it. He said, "70 years" and it was a literal 70 years, just as God said. And he did bring a remnant of Israel back to the Land of Israel then.
I think the most important thing we need to implement here is to seek the Lord with all our heart. This is a promise. He always keeps His promises, we can bank on it. And when we really, sincerely, honestly want to know our God, He wants us to know Him, so He will reveal Himself to us as much as we can stand.
And He will still bring all Israel back to that same Land He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. From all over the World. That's a promise He will keep, too.
So we would do well to be pro-Israel in our political climate today, even when the World will turn against them--God is still for them. And we want to be on God's side. With Him, we win in the end! I know, I've read the last chapter!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Search Me
Proverbs 20: 27
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being.
So the Lord uses a man's spirit in him to shine into all his innermost parts, revealing what is hidden there.
So David could say,
Psalm 139: 1
You have searched me and known me.
And he could also ask,
Psalm 139: 23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
David knew that God knew him intimately, so he asked Him to reveal whatever was in David's being that was hidden away from himself (in denial) so he could deal with it and do right (the "everlasting way").
O my Father, I also pray with David; please search me, too, and show me whatever is in my being that is not in accordance with Your thinking processes and attitudes and character. Help me to face these things and deal with them by replacing them with Your ways, Father, Your everlasting way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being.
So the Lord uses a man's spirit in him to shine into all his innermost parts, revealing what is hidden there.
So David could say,
Psalm 139: 1
You have searched me and known me.
And he could also ask,
Psalm 139: 23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
David knew that God knew him intimately, so he asked Him to reveal whatever was in David's being that was hidden away from himself (in denial) so he could deal with it and do right (the "everlasting way").
O my Father, I also pray with David; please search me, too, and show me whatever is in my being that is not in accordance with Your thinking processes and attitudes and character. Help me to face these things and deal with them by replacing them with Your ways, Father, Your everlasting way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
The Mind Of Christ
Luke 5: 16
But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
Luke tells us at least ten times when Jesus went off by Himself to pray (2:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 10:21; 11:1; 22:39-46; 23:24, 46; 28:29).
So if Jesus needed to commune privately with His Father so often, that shows me how much more I need to pray continually!
I know that my thoughts don't always agree with His thoughts for me, so I need to be in His Word and talking with Him every day, even all day.
I want the Mind of Christ.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
Luke tells us at least ten times when Jesus went off by Himself to pray (2:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 10:21; 11:1; 22:39-46; 23:24, 46; 28:29).
So if Jesus needed to commune privately with His Father so often, that shows me how much more I need to pray continually!
I know that my thoughts don't always agree with His thoughts for me, so I need to be in His Word and talking with Him every day, even all day.
I want the Mind of Christ.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 4, 2018
Unintentional
Leviticus 5
This chapter deals with unintentional sins.
V. 2: If a person touches anything ceremonially unclean ... even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty.
V. 3: ...touches human uncleanness, even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.
V. 5: ...in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned.
V. 7: If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.
God holds us responsible for anything we do or say that is not according to His ways for us, even if we're not even aware of it!
Why is this? Is God unfair for punishing us when we don't even know we've done something wrong? Never! God has told us what we need to know about what is right and wrong, and when we do wrong it not only is against Him, it is also damaging to ourselves and one another.
God wants us to know to do right, because He loves us and wants us to enjoy the bounty He has placed in this Earth for us. But even when we inadvertently do something awry, we will suffer the consequences. This is not God punishing us, because He put all our punishment on Jesus on the Cross. This is merely our reaping what we sow, to put it in an agrarian form.
Even when we have confessed the sinfulness of our sin, and He has forgiven us, we may still face the consequences in this World.
Even when we have offended another person, even without realizing it, we still need to apologize and ask their forgiveness.
How much more do we need to confess to God and seek His forgiveness.
When Jesus died on the Cross, His precious Blood had power enough to pay for all the sins of everyone who has ever or will ever live. So He's already forgiven all of our sins today, even before we were born.
So why do we need to confess? For our own good. For our own frame of mind, to think the way He thinks and follow His ways.
That is the only way to align our lives to the way He designed this World to operate. We need to love God with all our heart, mind, will, and strength, and we need to love one another in the same intimate way we care for ourselves. This is how God loves us. He knows us intimately, and wants the very best for each of us. And we need to know one another well enough to realize what they need that we can help them with.
God put us in societies, because we need one another. He has gifted us all differently, so that everything will get done, as we help and serve one another.
So let us all get to know God better, love Him more, and serve one another effectively today and every day. To show His character to the World so they will be able to get to know Him also.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
This chapter deals with unintentional sins.
V. 2: If a person touches anything ceremonially unclean ... even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty.
V. 3: ...touches human uncleanness, even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.
V. 5: ...in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned.
V. 7: If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible.
God holds us responsible for anything we do or say that is not according to His ways for us, even if we're not even aware of it!
Why is this? Is God unfair for punishing us when we don't even know we've done something wrong? Never! God has told us what we need to know about what is right and wrong, and when we do wrong it not only is against Him, it is also damaging to ourselves and one another.
God wants us to know to do right, because He loves us and wants us to enjoy the bounty He has placed in this Earth for us. But even when we inadvertently do something awry, we will suffer the consequences. This is not God punishing us, because He put all our punishment on Jesus on the Cross. This is merely our reaping what we sow, to put it in an agrarian form.
Even when we have confessed the sinfulness of our sin, and He has forgiven us, we may still face the consequences in this World.
Even when we have offended another person, even without realizing it, we still need to apologize and ask their forgiveness.
How much more do we need to confess to God and seek His forgiveness.
When Jesus died on the Cross, His precious Blood had power enough to pay for all the sins of everyone who has ever or will ever live. So He's already forgiven all of our sins today, even before we were born.
So why do we need to confess? For our own good. For our own frame of mind, to think the way He thinks and follow His ways.
That is the only way to align our lives to the way He designed this World to operate. We need to love God with all our heart, mind, will, and strength, and we need to love one another in the same intimate way we care for ourselves. This is how God loves us. He knows us intimately, and wants the very best for each of us. And we need to know one another well enough to realize what they need that we can help them with.
God put us in societies, because we need one another. He has gifted us all differently, so that everything will get done, as we help and serve one another.
So let us all get to know God better, love Him more, and serve one another effectively today and every day. To show His character to the World so they will be able to get to know Him also.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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