Romans 12: 3-8
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Paul says he can speak only because of the grace God has given him. And to remember that we all have value in that God granted us the gift of faith to put our trust in Him.
In other words, like the song says, "I'm just a nobody, trying to tell everybody, all about a Somebody," who has given us what we need to serve Him. Nothing is of ourselves, and if we think otherwise, then we need to renew our minds.
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,
Just because you're better at something than someone else, or they're able to do something you can't, that doesn't mean that anyone is any better or worse than anybody else, just different.
so we, who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
We are all one entity, one body, one congregation; and each of us provides a different quality to the whole. All our differences make up for our deficiencies and fill all the holes to all work together as a complete unit.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly:
God has apportioned His grace-gifts to each of us individually according to the functions He wants us to carry out for the benefit of the whole being.
if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;
or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
All these different giftings are to be individually practiced according to the measure of faith He granted each of us, to the best of our abilities. Whatever our role is, we are to throw ourselves into it fully, doing it faithfully, confidently trusting our Lord in the outworkings of them all to accomplish His purposes.
Not everyone has any one of these, that's why the one that has whatever gift needs to be the one to exercise that gift, because that's why God put him there with that gift.
And there is never any reason to think that any gift makes someone better or more important than someone else with a different gift. They are all important, and they are all needed to round out the personality of the congregation.
And all of our gifts are from God, according to His desire, not from us. There is never any "self-made" Christian, we are all God-molded.
O my Father, You are working out all Your purposes using us and the gifts You have given to each of us. Please help us to distinguish our giftings, to recognize that You have given us the gift You have, and teach us how to exercise our gifts with the love and compassion and boldness each one requires.
Show us that when we see one another with different gifts and abilities, that we will honor their working of them, without comparing. Help us each to appreciate the gift You have given to us, and to honor one another with it, to bring the glory to You as the Planner and Giver of all gifts.
And help us to see how all of our diverse gifts and abilities all work together to get everything done to accomplish Your purposes in it all.
Teach us how to love one another with Your Love, Father, and to turn daily to You for the strength and stamina to stay the course.
O Father, continue to mold us and shape us into the very image of our Lord and Savior, and "I will be satisfied with Thy likeness when I awake" in glory! (Psalm 17: 15).
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever, Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Conformed Or Transformed?
Romans 12: 1-2
Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we see a "therefore" we need to ask what it's there for. What has just preceded this verse is everything we learned so far in this letter. Keeping all that in mind, we are now to present our bodies to God as though we are the animal offered in sacrifice on the altar.
We live in our bodies, and we express our thinking and attitudes through our brains and our mouths and our hands and feet, and other body parts. This physical body is the "house" we live in, and it has become the "temple of God" as He lives here with us, by His Spirit inside our spirit.
So our bodies must be considered His perfect lamb, without defect, on His altar of sacrifice every day. Jesus said to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." This is how to follow Him.
This physical act is a spiritual service of worship. God wants us to physically live our lives every day as His servants, His slaves, always putting His will before our own. We can only do this as His Holy Spirit in us strengthens us and teaches us what His will is, and leads us into it.
That's why we are to not be conformed to this World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. How we think determines how we see, how we form our attitudes, how we live our lives. This is how God as our Potter is re-making us into "vessels of honor" out of the dishonorable vessels we were (see the November 10, 2019 blog entry).
Submitting our thinking processes to God's ways, changing our minds to do it His way instead of ours, will renew our minds, to be able to recognize and desire that good and acceptable and perfect will of God for ourselves. That is how to see with His eyes, and understand with His understanding, instead of the twisted ideas of the World that are so seductive to lead us into the evil that will destroy us.
That's how important it is for us to learn to listen to His small, quiet whispers inside our spirit, telling us "this is the way, walk here." And why we need to read and study His Word that He had written down for us.
Everything that has been written is for our instruction, so that we will learn how God rewarded the people who followed His ways, and destroyed those who rebelled against Him. We can read how His faithful lived their lives, and how they returned to God when they messed up. Because we all mess up.
But if we're serious about living our lives for the glory of our Creator and our Redeemer and our Lord and King, then we will put forth the effort to nourish our spirits every day as regularly as we nourish our bodies every day.
Do you eat every day? Then be sure to eat some spiritual nourishment, also. Life itself is spiritual, so a healthy, well fed spirit will produce a healthy body, also.
O my Father, Your ways are so far above our ways, that we need to put forth the effort to seek Your face and Your ways in our thinking and our lives. Help us, Father, to schedule the time each day when we will curl up in Your lap and listen to Your stories. Teach us Your ways to respond to the things that happen in our lives, how to respond to the people we encounter each day, how to consider how the hearer will receive what we say, so that they can also understand Your ways.
Father, as Your living sacrifice, tie me to the horns of the altar, so that I will not be jumping off of it when I feel the heat. Keep me faithful to Your ways, strengthen me to persevere even when I get weary of the fight, hold me up to keep on keeping on.
My Father, You will finish everything You have started; help me also to finish what You have led me to start, and not to leave strings hanging.
Let my life bring honor and glory to You, Father. Let my thinking be along the lines of Your Truth, so that my attitudes will be transformed to Your Love for us all. Let me display Your compassion and mercy and graciousness to everyone whose path crosses mine each day.
And use me to find some of Your lost sheep, to carry them into the safety and protection of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we see a "therefore" we need to ask what it's there for. What has just preceded this verse is everything we learned so far in this letter. Keeping all that in mind, we are now to present our bodies to God as though we are the animal offered in sacrifice on the altar.
We live in our bodies, and we express our thinking and attitudes through our brains and our mouths and our hands and feet, and other body parts. This physical body is the "house" we live in, and it has become the "temple of God" as He lives here with us, by His Spirit inside our spirit.
So our bodies must be considered His perfect lamb, without defect, on His altar of sacrifice every day. Jesus said to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." This is how to follow Him.
This physical act is a spiritual service of worship. God wants us to physically live our lives every day as His servants, His slaves, always putting His will before our own. We can only do this as His Holy Spirit in us strengthens us and teaches us what His will is, and leads us into it.
That's why we are to not be conformed to this World, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. How we think determines how we see, how we form our attitudes, how we live our lives. This is how God as our Potter is re-making us into "vessels of honor" out of the dishonorable vessels we were (see the November 10, 2019 blog entry).
Submitting our thinking processes to God's ways, changing our minds to do it His way instead of ours, will renew our minds, to be able to recognize and desire that good and acceptable and perfect will of God for ourselves. That is how to see with His eyes, and understand with His understanding, instead of the twisted ideas of the World that are so seductive to lead us into the evil that will destroy us.
That's how important it is for us to learn to listen to His small, quiet whispers inside our spirit, telling us "this is the way, walk here." And why we need to read and study His Word that He had written down for us.
Everything that has been written is for our instruction, so that we will learn how God rewarded the people who followed His ways, and destroyed those who rebelled against Him. We can read how His faithful lived their lives, and how they returned to God when they messed up. Because we all mess up.
But if we're serious about living our lives for the glory of our Creator and our Redeemer and our Lord and King, then we will put forth the effort to nourish our spirits every day as regularly as we nourish our bodies every day.
Do you eat every day? Then be sure to eat some spiritual nourishment, also. Life itself is spiritual, so a healthy, well fed spirit will produce a healthy body, also.
O my Father, Your ways are so far above our ways, that we need to put forth the effort to seek Your face and Your ways in our thinking and our lives. Help us, Father, to schedule the time each day when we will curl up in Your lap and listen to Your stories. Teach us Your ways to respond to the things that happen in our lives, how to respond to the people we encounter each day, how to consider how the hearer will receive what we say, so that they can also understand Your ways.
Father, as Your living sacrifice, tie me to the horns of the altar, so that I will not be jumping off of it when I feel the heat. Keep me faithful to Your ways, strengthen me to persevere even when I get weary of the fight, hold me up to keep on keeping on.
My Father, You will finish everything You have started; help me also to finish what You have led me to start, and not to leave strings hanging.
Let my life bring honor and glory to You, Father. Let my thinking be along the lines of Your Truth, so that my attitudes will be transformed to Your Love for us all. Let me display Your compassion and mercy and graciousness to everyone whose path crosses mine each day.
And use me to find some of Your lost sheep, to carry them into the safety and protection of Your One Fold with One Shepherd.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, the King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, November 15, 2019
All Shut Up In Disobedience
Romans 11: 25-36
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles as come in;
A mystery is something that has never been known before. This mystery is that God would allow Israel to have a partial hardening, that a veil would be put over their eyes and understanding, for a time. Until all the Gentiles who would be saved would be saved.
and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
From the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies for your sake,
When Paul wrote this letter, down to today, while the veil is still over their eyes, they are enemies, in disobedience in not seeking God or wanting to believe Him.
but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God still considers them His chosen people, because He is not a man and does not change His mind. He chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and gave them promises that He will still fulfill.
For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
so these now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
God turned to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected Him, and when all the Gentiles have come in, then He will also turn back to His chosen people and save them.
For God as shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
That is why it has been said that, "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." God sees that all Mankind has disobeyed His Law, so we all deserve death. Jesus fulfilled the Personal Sacrifice for each of us, because we are all criminals who deserve execution.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
O my Father, I give my Amen to the depth of the riches of both Your wisdom and knowledge, of Your mercy and grace, of Your compassion and cleverness to have planned out Your whole Grand Plan of the Ages!
You have shut us all up under wrath for our sinfulness, the defectiveness of our human nature that leads each one of us into making foolish, wicked decisions and choices.
So that Your Son could pay the debt for every one of us who turn to You, whether Jew or Gentile, whether Barbarian or Greek. We are all offered Your great and wonderful gift of faith to believe in Christ Jesus as our Personal Sacrifice to pay off our total, eternal debt for sin, be washed in His Blood, and to be born into Your own Royal family as Your Holy Spirit makes our dead spirits alive.
And we will be Your kings and queens, ruling from the Throne of Christ, who sits with You, Father, in Your Throne.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles as come in;
A mystery is something that has never been known before. This mystery is that God would allow Israel to have a partial hardening, that a veil would be put over their eyes and understanding, for a time. Until all the Gentiles who would be saved would be saved.
and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,
"The deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob" (Isaiah 59: 20). "This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins" (Jeremiah 31: 31-34).Then God will remove the veil, and all Israel will be saved, in that Day that He makes the New Covenant with them. That will be when everyone will see Jesus coming down out of the clouds, and His feet touch the Mount of Olives, where He had left so long ago. They will see Him, and recognize Him as Jesus their Messiah!
From the standpoint of the Gospel they are enemies for your sake,
When Paul wrote this letter, down to today, while the veil is still over their eyes, they are enemies, in disobedience in not seeking God or wanting to believe Him.
but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
God still considers them His chosen people, because He is not a man and does not change His mind. He chose Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and gave them promises that He will still fulfill.
For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
so these now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
God turned to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected Him, and when all the Gentiles have come in, then He will also turn back to His chosen people and save them.
For God as shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
That is why it has been said that, "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." God sees that all Mankind has disobeyed His Law, so we all deserve death. Jesus fulfilled the Personal Sacrifice for each of us, because we are all criminals who deserve execution.
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? (Isaiah 40:13), Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back again?" (Job 35: 7).For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
O my Father, I give my Amen to the depth of the riches of both Your wisdom and knowledge, of Your mercy and grace, of Your compassion and cleverness to have planned out Your whole Grand Plan of the Ages!
You have shut us all up under wrath for our sinfulness, the defectiveness of our human nature that leads each one of us into making foolish, wicked decisions and choices.
So that Your Son could pay the debt for every one of us who turn to You, whether Jew or Gentile, whether Barbarian or Greek. We are all offered Your great and wonderful gift of faith to believe in Christ Jesus as our Personal Sacrifice to pay off our total, eternal debt for sin, be washed in His Blood, and to be born into Your own Royal family as Your Holy Spirit makes our dead spirits alive.
And we will be Your kings and queens, ruling from the Throne of Christ, who sits with You, Father, in Your Throne.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, November 14, 2019
The Olive Tree
Romans 11: 16-24
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
Now the illustration is going from bread dough to an olive tree.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
This refers to Israel's rejection opening up the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. (This continues yesterday's message.) It's like a different branch is grafted into the place where the natural branch was broken.
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Remember that you are only saved by admitting that you don't deserve it, and that Christ saved you. He is the root that supports the tree in this illustration.
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. So not be conceited, but fear;
Because you're saved and they're not doesn't make you any better than them, so don't think that way. Guard your heart to be careful.
for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
God is still God and He will save the repentant who turns to Him, whether Jew or Gentile. And will still condemn the one who refuses His gracious gift, whether Jew or Gentile.
Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
God is just and will give His kindness to those who turn to Him, and will also turn away from those who turn away from Him. Some point to this verse and say, "See, once you're saved, you can be lost again!" But they're taking it out of context. This is an illustration of a tree.
Branches of trees can be broken and grafted, and much progress has been made in the study of Botany, in learning how God designed these living things to operate.
But it's only an illustration here, to show God's gracious mercy to us who have put our faith in Jesus' payment for our debt, and God's severe justice to those who prefer to obey their own ideas instead of turning to God. He gave us a free will to choose, and He will not interfere with it.
But those who are born into His family cannot be unborn again, but can lose fellowship with the Father for a time. They may lose all their rewards, and even be taken out of the Earthly picture if they're damaging God's reputation (I Corinthians 11: 30), but they will still be saved, yet so as through fire (I Corinthians 3: 15).
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Continuing with his illustration, he contends that if the Jews turn around and believe in their Messiah, then they can still be saved.
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
This only makes sense. This is again saying that if Israel's rejection means salvation for the Gentiles, then what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11: 15) using the illustration of a tree.
Every Earthly illustration of the Kingdom of God will eventually break down at some point, because God's Kingdom is so far beyond this Earth. That's why we cannot base our doctrines on mere illustrations, but on the whole body of Scripture.
When we're dealing with trees, we can break off and graft in many kinds of branches repeatedly. This is Botany. An Earthly study. Paul is using this as an illustration of God's mercy to us, who are Gentiles, and were forbidden in the Old Testament Tabernacle. So he compares us to the branches of a wild olive tree, being grafted into a cultivated olive tree, now that we have access to the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 4: 16).
But Jews are of the genealogy of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, so they are compared to the natural branches of the cultivated (cared for) olive tree.
When the Jews refuse to recognize their Messiah, then they are "taken out" and "broken off" the cultivated "tree," but if they open their eyes to see and seek the Lord, then they can be "grafted back in" to the cared-for population, the "cultivated olive tree."
We Gentiles are to appreciate God's kindness to us in allowing us access to His very Throne, and not think that He chose us over His chosen people, but in addition to them, all of us, both Gentiles and Jews, His own sons and daughters.
O my Father, the magnitude of Your generosity to us, to give us the privileges of being Your own family! No matter if we are Jews or Gentiles, educated or barbarian, noble or savage; we are all given the same opportunity to turn to You as God over all, and put our faith in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
And we all, as Your sons and daughters, will live with You, in Your Heaven, eating from Your Tree of Life and drinking from Your River of the Water of Life (Revelation 22: 1-2), worshiping You continually, working for You as Your kings and queens, sitting in the Throne of Christ as He sits in Your Throne, governing all the Universes that You have and will create as Your Kingdom of God! (Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 19: 28).
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too.
Now the illustration is going from bread dough to an olive tree.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
This refers to Israel's rejection opening up the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. (This continues yesterday's message.) It's like a different branch is grafted into the place where the natural branch was broken.
do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Remember that you are only saved by admitting that you don't deserve it, and that Christ saved you. He is the root that supports the tree in this illustration.
You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. So not be conceited, but fear;
Because you're saved and they're not doesn't make you any better than them, so don't think that way. Guard your heart to be careful.
for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
God is still God and He will save the repentant who turns to Him, whether Jew or Gentile. And will still condemn the one who refuses His gracious gift, whether Jew or Gentile.
Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
God is just and will give His kindness to those who turn to Him, and will also turn away from those who turn away from Him. Some point to this verse and say, "See, once you're saved, you can be lost again!" But they're taking it out of context. This is an illustration of a tree.
Branches of trees can be broken and grafted, and much progress has been made in the study of Botany, in learning how God designed these living things to operate.
But it's only an illustration here, to show God's gracious mercy to us who have put our faith in Jesus' payment for our debt, and God's severe justice to those who prefer to obey their own ideas instead of turning to God. He gave us a free will to choose, and He will not interfere with it.
But those who are born into His family cannot be unborn again, but can lose fellowship with the Father for a time. They may lose all their rewards, and even be taken out of the Earthly picture if they're damaging God's reputation (I Corinthians 11: 30), but they will still be saved, yet so as through fire (I Corinthians 3: 15).
And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Continuing with his illustration, he contends that if the Jews turn around and believe in their Messiah, then they can still be saved.
For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
This only makes sense. This is again saying that if Israel's rejection means salvation for the Gentiles, then what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11: 15) using the illustration of a tree.
Every Earthly illustration of the Kingdom of God will eventually break down at some point, because God's Kingdom is so far beyond this Earth. That's why we cannot base our doctrines on mere illustrations, but on the whole body of Scripture.
When we're dealing with trees, we can break off and graft in many kinds of branches repeatedly. This is Botany. An Earthly study. Paul is using this as an illustration of God's mercy to us, who are Gentiles, and were forbidden in the Old Testament Tabernacle. So he compares us to the branches of a wild olive tree, being grafted into a cultivated olive tree, now that we have access to the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 4: 16).
But Jews are of the genealogy of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob, so they are compared to the natural branches of the cultivated (cared for) olive tree.
When the Jews refuse to recognize their Messiah, then they are "taken out" and "broken off" the cultivated "tree," but if they open their eyes to see and seek the Lord, then they can be "grafted back in" to the cared-for population, the "cultivated olive tree."
We Gentiles are to appreciate God's kindness to us in allowing us access to His very Throne, and not think that He chose us over His chosen people, but in addition to them, all of us, both Gentiles and Jews, His own sons and daughters.
O my Father, the magnitude of Your generosity to us, to give us the privileges of being Your own family! No matter if we are Jews or Gentiles, educated or barbarian, noble or savage; we are all given the same opportunity to turn to You as God over all, and put our faith in Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
And we all, as Your sons and daughters, will live with You, in Your Heaven, eating from Your Tree of Life and drinking from Your River of the Water of Life (Revelation 22: 1-2), worshiping You continually, working for You as Your kings and queens, sitting in the Throne of Christ as He sits in Your Throne, governing all the Universes that You have and will create as Your Kingdom of God! (Hebrews 12:2; Matthew 19: 28).
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Has God Rejected Israel?
Romans 11: 1-15
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin.
Since Paul is Jewish, then he's proof that God didn't just reject and abandon His chosen people.
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
But what is the divine response to him?
In the same way, then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.
So now today, in the Church Age, God still has a few, a remnant of the Israelite Nation, who are scattered among all the Nations, who recognize their Messiah. And this is the only time in the Earth's history that a Nation scattered among other Nations has maintained it's identity, and not been lost as drops in the ocean. This means that God still has plans for Israel.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Grace and works are opposites. If you work for it, you've earned it, you deserve it. But if it's grace, then it's a free gift, that you couldn't ever earn or deserve.
What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it,
We saw before that Israel was seeking righteousness, but missed it because they were trying to work for it.
But those who realized they couldn't work for it or deserve it, found it, because they were chosen to receive grace.
and the rest were hardened;
just as it is written,
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be!
But there is still hope for Israel; they are not written off by God.
But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
God had said that since they were trying to make God jealous with their idols, then He would make them jealous by people who weren't even a Nation, with no understanding of the advantages He had given Israel, in Deuteronomy 32: 21.
Now if their transgression is riches for the World and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
If God is calling people to Himself from the rest of the World among the Gentiles because the Jews rejected Him, how much more benefit and riches will come to everyone when Israel does recognize Him!
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
Paul says that since he is the Apostle to the Gentiles, he will grow his ministry to include more and more Gentiles if it will cause the Jews to turn to God.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the World, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Wow! This verse says it all. If Israel's rejection of their Lord brings the benefit of reconciliation with God to the World, then when Israel does recognize Him, then how much more will God's favor be upon everybody everywhere! Like life from the dead!
O my Father, Your Plan for us all is so magnificent! As You are! Your Chosen People, Your born-again children, Your holy Angels, and whoever else You choose, will populate all the Universes You will create!
In the mean time, Father, help us now, while we seek Your face, and look for all the lost sheep who are still to be found.
Father, teach us how to be Your hands and feet to do Your work in promoting Your great Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin.
Since Paul is Jewish, then he's proof that God didn't just reject and abandon His chosen people.
God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
"Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life" (I Kings 19: 10, 14).It looked to Elijah that there was no one left but himself.
But what is the divine response to him?
"I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (I Kings 19: 18).God told him that he wasn't alone, there were thousands of people still faithful to the Lord.
In the same way, then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice.
So now today, in the Church Age, God still has a few, a remnant of the Israelite Nation, who are scattered among all the Nations, who recognize their Messiah. And this is the only time in the Earth's history that a Nation scattered among other Nations has maintained it's identity, and not been lost as drops in the ocean. This means that God still has plans for Israel.
But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Grace and works are opposites. If you work for it, you've earned it, you deserve it. But if it's grace, then it's a free gift, that you couldn't ever earn or deserve.
What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it,
We saw before that Israel was seeking righteousness, but missed it because they were trying to work for it.
But those who realized they couldn't work for it or deserve it, found it, because they were chosen to receive grace.
and the rest were hardened;
just as it is written,
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes to see not and ears to hear not," down to this very day (Isaiah 29: 10).And David says,
"Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a stumbling block and a retribution to them. Let their eyes be darkened and see not, and bend their backs forever" (Psalm 69: 22-23).All the rest, who were still trying to earn it, were blinded to God's spiritual program, and the veil is still over most of them today, with only a few finding salvation in their Messiah.
I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be!
But there is still hope for Israel; they are not written off by God.
But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
God had said that since they were trying to make God jealous with their idols, then He would make them jealous by people who weren't even a Nation, with no understanding of the advantages He had given Israel, in Deuteronomy 32: 21.
Now if their transgression is riches for the World and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
If God is calling people to Himself from the rest of the World among the Gentiles because the Jews rejected Him, how much more benefit and riches will come to everyone when Israel does recognize Him!
But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.
Paul says that since he is the Apostle to the Gentiles, he will grow his ministry to include more and more Gentiles if it will cause the Jews to turn to God.
For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the World, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
Wow! This verse says it all. If Israel's rejection of their Lord brings the benefit of reconciliation with God to the World, then when Israel does recognize Him, then how much more will God's favor be upon everybody everywhere! Like life from the dead!
O my Father, Your Plan for us all is so magnificent! As You are! Your Chosen People, Your born-again children, Your holy Angels, and whoever else You choose, will populate all the Universes You will create!
In the mean time, Father, help us now, while we seek Your face, and look for all the lost sheep who are still to be found.
Father, teach us how to be Your hands and feet to do Your work in promoting Your great Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Beautiful Feet
Romans 10: 13-21
For "Whoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2: 32).
Beginning today where we left off yesterday, we see that God has opened the door to Salvation to everyone, regardless of who they are or where they're from.
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
How can anyone call on someone they don't believe exists?
How will they believe in whom they have not heard?
How can anyone believe in someone they've never heard of?
And how will they hear without a preacher?
How can anyone know about Jesus unless someone tells them?
How will they preach unless they are sent?
How can someone tell them, unless they get off their duff and go?
Just as it is written,
However, they did not all heed the Good News; for Isaiah says,
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.
The message of Christ is that He fulfilled all those requirements that the Law demanded, for us, He did all the work; we just need to let Him do it, and stop trying to do it ourselves. Accept that He is our Personal Sacrifice.
People need to hear this in order to be able to believe it.
But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
But they must have heard, because God caused His creation to show His majesty to the whole World.
But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they?
Surely Israel had all the advantages, how could they not know?
First Moses says,
And Isaiah is very bold and says,
But as for Israel He says,
God's plan, though, has taken this into account. He will leave no strings hanging, He will sew up every loose end, and weave into His Grand Tapestry all the dark as well as the bright threads, for the wonderful, beautiful future He has prepared for us.
My dear reader, God has given to us the charge and commission to go into all the World, and as we go, to share His Love with everybody! And teach them His ways, so that they, in turn, will also leave their comfort zones to carry this Good News even farther! It's up to us! Let God beautify our feet!
O my Father, I pray for all those who have had all the advantages, that they will realize how blessed they have been, and turn back to You in Your calling them to faith. And I also pray for all those who still have never even heard Your Word of Grace.
Father, send out Your workers into all Your fields fallow for seed and ready for harvest. Send out Your children to find all Your lost sheep that have wandered away, and gotten caught in a thicket or trapped in a gorge. Let us carry them all in, by the hand or kicking and screaming, into the safety of Your One Fold with One Shepherd!
And may Your Great House be full, Your Grand Banquet Table have every place filled, to feast and rejoice with our Father and our Lord.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
For "Whoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2: 32).
Beginning today where we left off yesterday, we see that God has opened the door to Salvation to everyone, regardless of who they are or where they're from.
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
How can anyone call on someone they don't believe exists?
How will they believe in whom they have not heard?
How can anyone believe in someone they've never heard of?
And how will they hear without a preacher?
How can anyone know about Jesus unless someone tells them?
How will they preach unless they are sent?
How can someone tell them, unless they get off their duff and go?
Just as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News of good things! (Isaiah 52: 7).I never thought of feet as being beautiful, but if God wants to put beauty in them, He's God! And He's telling us that those who will get out of their box and go somewhere inconvenient so they can share with people how much God loves them, then God will appreciate them and reward them.
However, they did not all heed the Good News; for Isaiah says,
Lord, who has believed our report? (Isaiah 53: 1).Paul quotes Isaiah's complaint that the hearers were not heeding the report, they weren't paying any attention to what God wanted them to know and do.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.
The message of Christ is that He fulfilled all those requirements that the Law demanded, for us, He did all the work; we just need to let Him do it, and stop trying to do it ourselves. Accept that He is our Personal Sacrifice.
People need to hear this in order to be able to believe it.
But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;
Their voice has gone out into all the Earth, and their words to the ends of the World (Psalm 19: 4).Paul says, surely, they must never have heard this, or they would have believed it, wouldn't they?
But they must have heard, because God caused His creation to show His majesty to the whole World.
But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they?
Surely Israel had all the advantages, how could they not know?
First Moses says,
I will make you jealous by that which is not a Nation, by a Nation without understanding will I anger you (Deuteronomy 32: 21).Paul quotes Moses, when God told him that, since Israel was trying to make God jealous and angry with all their idols, then God would turn around and let them know how God feels by making them jealous and angry with people who are not even a proper Nation, or even have any understanding of all the advantages He had given Israel.
And Isaiah is very bold and says,
I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me (Isaiah 65: 1).God called me to faith. I am not descended from Abraham, I never even have been to the Promised Land. I am from across the World from where God gave all His promises and fulfilled them all in His Son. How could I be so privileged when I didn't have any of the advantages they had? I am an example of this verse.
But as for Israel He says,
All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people (Isaiah 65: 2).How frustrated I would be, to give all the advantages to someone who ignored me! All I can do is pray for them.
God's plan, though, has taken this into account. He will leave no strings hanging, He will sew up every loose end, and weave into His Grand Tapestry all the dark as well as the bright threads, for the wonderful, beautiful future He has prepared for us.
My dear reader, God has given to us the charge and commission to go into all the World, and as we go, to share His Love with everybody! And teach them His ways, so that they, in turn, will also leave their comfort zones to carry this Good News even farther! It's up to us! Let God beautify our feet!
O my Father, I pray for all those who have had all the advantages, that they will realize how blessed they have been, and turn back to You in Your calling them to faith. And I also pray for all those who still have never even heard Your Word of Grace.
Father, send out Your workers into all Your fields fallow for seed and ready for harvest. Send out Your children to find all Your lost sheep that have wandered away, and gotten caught in a thicket or trapped in a gorge. Let us carry them all in, by the hand or kicking and screaming, into the safety of Your One Fold with One Shepherd!
And may Your Great House be full, Your Grand Banquet Table have every place filled, to feast and rejoice with our Father and our Lord.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, November 11, 2019
A Zeal For God
Romans 10: 1-13
Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
Paul is still talking about the Jewish people, his relatives.
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
Like Paul, himself, when he was still Saul of Tarsis; he was very passionate in fighting for God, but he didn't know that he was fighting against the Messiah until Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and completely turned him around.
For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
Since they wanted to be righteous, they tried to establish their own righteousness; but they didn't realize what God's righteousness consisted of, and being fixed on their own ways, they didn't open their hearts to God's ways.
I don't want to be so set in my ways that I'm not open to changing them for God's ways.
For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law to establish righteousness for each of us: He lived a perfect life, then He obeyed His Father and went to the Cross as the Sacrificial Lamb of God to cleanse us with His Blood, taking upon Himself our sin.
Now when each one of us believes that He took our place in death as our personal Sacrifice: God places our sin on Christ's side of the ledger, and puts His perfect life on our side, declaring us righteous, justified.
For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on Law shall live by that righteousness.
This means that the one who wants to earn righteousness by following rules, will have to follow every rule perfectly all the time and never make a mistake, in order to attain it. This is impossible for any of us, because we still are living in our flesh, with the damaged DNA. That's why the righteous Law brings death, when we mess up (see, "Why Good Law If It Brings Death?" in Chapter 7).
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows:
Paul is bringing out, using this passage, that even when they had the Ten Commandments and the other precepts and laws and rules, that they still needed to trust God to have given them a true record of His will for them, to take it to heart, and speak and do it as a lifestyle.
That is, the Word of Faith which we are preaching,
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Paul is distilling everything He has just said in the last nine chapters into these two statements. These are not simplistic statements that stand alone, they must be understood according to all that has gone in to them. We must believe, not just go through the motions. And we must believe all that God says, and acknowledge that Jesus is your Lord, your Boss who directs your life. And this includes sharing with others what God has done for you through Christ Jesus, and how much He loves them, too.
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness,
Believes what? A person trusts that Jesus took his place in death, and His precious Blood cleansed him thoroughly, resulting in Christ's righteousness being placed on his side of the ledger, being justified.
and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
And he actually verbally admits to what he believes, and witnesses to others, sharing this Good News that Christ is our Savior, which shows that he is saved.
For the Scripture says,
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
for
Joel only talked about the Day of the Lord. Joel saw a lot of what John wrote about in the Revelation, and Peter quoted from Joel 2: 28-32 on the Day of Pentecost, about God putting His Spirit on ordinary people to see visions and dream dreams in Acts 2: 15-21, to explain that the languages they were speaking were not drunkenness, but the work of God.
So from the Day of Pentecost, we've been in "the Last Days" before the Day of the Lord comes. And every day is another day closer to that Day.
O my Father, You are God over all creation, and You have put everything into the hand of Your Son to be Lord over all You have made.
Now You have chosen the human race to be Your children. You are not willing that any would perish, but that all would come to the repentance to turn around and accept Your gracious gift. You have opened the door of Salvation to every member of Mankind.
And when every living person has heard what You have accomplished for them in Your Son Jesus Christ, with sufficient understanding to make an informed decision, and has decided whether to accept or reject Your gift; that's when the Day of the Lord will come upon us, and the King will return to claim His Kingdom over the whole Earth.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is Christ, Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
Paul is still talking about the Jewish people, his relatives.
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
Like Paul, himself, when he was still Saul of Tarsis; he was very passionate in fighting for God, but he didn't know that he was fighting against the Messiah until Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and completely turned him around.
For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
Since they wanted to be righteous, they tried to establish their own righteousness; but they didn't realize what God's righteousness consisted of, and being fixed on their own ways, they didn't open their hearts to God's ways.
I don't want to be so set in my ways that I'm not open to changing them for God's ways.
For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law to establish righteousness for each of us: He lived a perfect life, then He obeyed His Father and went to the Cross as the Sacrificial Lamb of God to cleanse us with His Blood, taking upon Himself our sin.
Now when each one of us believes that He took our place in death as our personal Sacrifice: God places our sin on Christ's side of the ledger, and puts His perfect life on our side, declaring us righteous, justified.
For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on Law shall live by that righteousness.
This means that the one who wants to earn righteousness by following rules, will have to follow every rule perfectly all the time and never make a mistake, in order to attain it. This is impossible for any of us, because we still are living in our flesh, with the damaged DNA. That's why the righteous Law brings death, when we mess up (see, "Why Good Law If It Brings Death?" in Chapter 7).
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows:
Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into Heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) (Deuteronomy 30: 12), or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).But what does it say?
The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (Deuteronomy 30: 14)--Moses was telling the people that the Commandment he had given them, "is not hidden from you, nor is it far off. It is not in Heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us into Heaven, and bring it down to us, that we may hear it and do it?" Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the Word is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it" (Deuteronomy 30: 11-14).
Paul is bringing out, using this passage, that even when they had the Ten Commandments and the other precepts and laws and rules, that they still needed to trust God to have given them a true record of His will for them, to take it to heart, and speak and do it as a lifestyle.
That is, the Word of Faith which we are preaching,
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Paul is distilling everything He has just said in the last nine chapters into these two statements. These are not simplistic statements that stand alone, they must be understood according to all that has gone in to them. We must believe, not just go through the motions. And we must believe all that God says, and acknowledge that Jesus is your Lord, your Boss who directs your life. And this includes sharing with others what God has done for you through Christ Jesus, and how much He loves them, too.
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness,
Believes what? A person trusts that Jesus took his place in death, and His precious Blood cleansed him thoroughly, resulting in Christ's righteousness being placed on his side of the ledger, being justified.
and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
And he actually verbally admits to what he believes, and witnesses to others, sharing this Good News that Christ is our Savior, which shows that he is saved.
For the Scripture says,
Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed (Isaiah 8: 14).We talked about this verse yesterday. Faith in what God has told us has always been what God requires of us, and believing Him will always prove to be the best, most beneficial way for us to go.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;
for
Whoever will call on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Joel 2: 32).God told Joel that He would pour out His Spirit "on all flesh" when that time came, and this doesn't preclude anyone. No matter who you are, who your parents were, where you're from, you are invited to participate in this pouring out of God's Spirit, by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Joel only talked about the Day of the Lord. Joel saw a lot of what John wrote about in the Revelation, and Peter quoted from Joel 2: 28-32 on the Day of Pentecost, about God putting His Spirit on ordinary people to see visions and dream dreams in Acts 2: 15-21, to explain that the languages they were speaking were not drunkenness, but the work of God.
So from the Day of Pentecost, we've been in "the Last Days" before the Day of the Lord comes. And every day is another day closer to that Day.
O my Father, You are God over all creation, and You have put everything into the hand of Your Son to be Lord over all You have made.
Now You have chosen the human race to be Your children. You are not willing that any would perish, but that all would come to the repentance to turn around and accept Your gracious gift. You have opened the door of Salvation to every member of Mankind.
And when every living person has heard what You have accomplished for them in Your Son Jesus Christ, with sufficient understanding to make an informed decision, and has decided whether to accept or reject Your gift; that's when the Day of the Lord will come upon us, and the King will return to claim His Kingdom over the whole Earth.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is Christ, Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, to the eternal glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
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