John 14:15-24
If you love Me, you will obey what I command. . . . Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. . . . If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. . . . He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching. . . .
Love really does make the world go 'round. God's love for us and for the whole universe He created. He put His order into it so it would run effectively, and He designed this world to provide everything we need right here. He told us to take care of it and use it, and He gave us His directions, the Manufacturer's Instructions, to keep it running for our benefit. When we love Him, we will follow His instructions, and when we love one another, our relationships will run more smoothly. It's when we don't follow His rules, and not love the way He loves, then we get into trouble environmentally, relationally and spiritually.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Why Satan Hates Us
A Meditation
God made the angels perfect, beings of light, beautiful, and incapable of dying. So when sin was found in them, when Lucifer decided that he didn't want to be #2, but elevated himself into God's #1 spot, he was so beautiful, charming and deceptive that he drew a third of God's angels after him in his sin. Since they could not die, there could be no redemption for them. They would have to bear the consequences of their choices for all eternity.
Then God made Mankind. He made Man capable of dying, so that if he made the wrong choice, he would be subject to death, and therefore eligible to be saved. If he had made the right choice, and ate from the Tree of Life instead (which was not forbidden), then Man would also live forever. But he ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, disobeying the only rule God placed on him.
Now we, as Adam's children, are all subject to death, the separation of our life (spiritual parts) from our bodies (corporeal part). And, because we can die, now we can have a substitute die in our place, and continue to live. This was the animal, that God demonstrated to Adam and Eve, that had to die to furnish their clothing, to cover their nakedness.
Then the Old Testament Law stipulated all the sacrifices, all the animals that were to die, and their life-blood poured out. This all gave Mankind the picture of what our Redeemer would accomplish for us.
Then when Jesus was born, lived and died, then was resurrected, He fulfilled more than 400 prophesies, pictures, that had been given over the ages past, so that we would recognize Him, and let Him take our place on that Cross of execution.
No wonder Satan (formerly Lucifer) hates us so much. He was perfect, he sinned, and there is no hope for him. We were made to have the possibility to become perfect, like Lucifer was. But we sinned, too. Unlike the angels, though, God made provision for us to be able to be redeemed, and to become beings of light; essentially to take Lucifer's place as God's worship leaders. And we will judge those angels that sinned, we will have authority over them. That's why Satan and his demons (fallen angels) are trying to destroy us, to destroy our society, and to claim our world for himself.
But God is still greater than our adversary, and He wins in the end. God has it all "on a string," like a yo-yo, and even as everything seems to be careening totally out of control, when it reaches a certain point, God will tug on that string, and this world and all creation will return to Him.
Praise God for His greatness, goodness, power, authority, wisdom, compassion, faithfulness, integrity, creativity, generosity, truth and love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
God made the angels perfect, beings of light, beautiful, and incapable of dying. So when sin was found in them, when Lucifer decided that he didn't want to be #2, but elevated himself into God's #1 spot, he was so beautiful, charming and deceptive that he drew a third of God's angels after him in his sin. Since they could not die, there could be no redemption for them. They would have to bear the consequences of their choices for all eternity.
Then God made Mankind. He made Man capable of dying, so that if he made the wrong choice, he would be subject to death, and therefore eligible to be saved. If he had made the right choice, and ate from the Tree of Life instead (which was not forbidden), then Man would also live forever. But he ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, disobeying the only rule God placed on him.
Now we, as Adam's children, are all subject to death, the separation of our life (spiritual parts) from our bodies (corporeal part). And, because we can die, now we can have a substitute die in our place, and continue to live. This was the animal, that God demonstrated to Adam and Eve, that had to die to furnish their clothing, to cover their nakedness.
Then the Old Testament Law stipulated all the sacrifices, all the animals that were to die, and their life-blood poured out. This all gave Mankind the picture of what our Redeemer would accomplish for us.
Then when Jesus was born, lived and died, then was resurrected, He fulfilled more than 400 prophesies, pictures, that had been given over the ages past, so that we would recognize Him, and let Him take our place on that Cross of execution.
No wonder Satan (formerly Lucifer) hates us so much. He was perfect, he sinned, and there is no hope for him. We were made to have the possibility to become perfect, like Lucifer was. But we sinned, too. Unlike the angels, though, God made provision for us to be able to be redeemed, and to become beings of light; essentially to take Lucifer's place as God's worship leaders. And we will judge those angels that sinned, we will have authority over them. That's why Satan and his demons (fallen angels) are trying to destroy us, to destroy our society, and to claim our world for himself.
But God is still greater than our adversary, and He wins in the end. God has it all "on a string," like a yo-yo, and even as everything seems to be careening totally out of control, when it reaches a certain point, God will tug on that string, and this world and all creation will return to Him.
Praise God for His greatness, goodness, power, authority, wisdom, compassion, faithfulness, integrity, creativity, generosity, truth and love.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, February 26, 2016
Loving Our Enemies
Matthew 5:43-48
You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor" and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
["Perfect" is "teleios" in the Greek, it means Complete, as in labor or growth, mental and moral character, etc. When paired with "the" it refers to full age, maturity, perfection.]
So to be fully mature, complete in the moral and spiritual growth God intends for us, to be "the man," is to give the same care to anyone who needs help; whether they are our brothers, our friends, or even our enemies. We are never to rejoice in the troubles of others, even of those who hate us. We are to do what we can to help them in their distress.
But this does not mean that we should invite violent, hate-filled enemies into our home, our Nation. We also love our families and compatriots, and want to protect them from danger. God sends His sun and rain on both those who love Him and those who hate Him, but He doesn't invite enemies into His Heavenly home, He cares for them where they are. And if, by our care for them, they can see Christ in us and turn to Him from their darkness, then God gets the glory and we all share the benefits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor" and hate your enemy. But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.
["Perfect" is "teleios" in the Greek, it means Complete, as in labor or growth, mental and moral character, etc. When paired with "the" it refers to full age, maturity, perfection.]
So to be fully mature, complete in the moral and spiritual growth God intends for us, to be "the man," is to give the same care to anyone who needs help; whether they are our brothers, our friends, or even our enemies. We are never to rejoice in the troubles of others, even of those who hate us. We are to do what we can to help them in their distress.
But this does not mean that we should invite violent, hate-filled enemies into our home, our Nation. We also love our families and compatriots, and want to protect them from danger. God sends His sun and rain on both those who love Him and those who hate Him, but He doesn't invite enemies into His Heavenly home, He cares for them where they are. And if, by our care for them, they can see Christ in us and turn to Him from their darkness, then God gets the glory and we all share the benefits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Loss And Gain
Philippians 3:2-7
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
These are those who said they were Christians but demanded that to be a true chosen one of God they would have to obey the Old Testament Laws including circumcision.
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh.
We are believing in and trusting in Jesus as God's Christ, who have circumcised our hearts in cutting away all that draws us away from God's Truth and realize that "the flesh counts for nothing" (Jesus, John 6:63), so physical circumcision becomes meaningless.
Though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Paul had been Saul, and he will now tell us all about his perfect pedigree according to the flesh to be counted among God's chosen:
(1) Circumcised on the eighth day,
As an eight-day-old infant, the physical cutting-away.
(2) Of the people of Israel, (3) of the Tribe of Benjamin,
Saul had been born Jewish, as when the kingdoms separated after King Solomon died and his son became the king, the Ten Tribes became Israel while Judah and Benjamin became Judah, from whence we derive the designation "Jew."
(4) A Hebrew of the Hebrews;
He was at the pinnacle of Jewishness, or Hebrewness.
(5) In regard to the Law, a Pharisee;
In accordance with the Old Testament Law, Saul was educated to be at the highest, purest level of their religion, one who memorized the Scriptures the best and most extensively, and was a teacher to others of God's Word.
(6) As for zeal, persecuting the Church;
Saul's passion for God extended to the extreme against these people of the Way who seemed to be against the Jewish Religion.
(7) As for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
According to the legal standards, Saul was the Perfect Jew, who did everything right and reached the highest level of honor and authority.
But whatever was to my profit
All the things he just listed here.
I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
All these things that profited him in the world only drew him away from the truth of Christ, and became a barrier between him and God, keeping him away from being able to believe. That's why Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, to tear down that wall of religion and give him opportunity to put his trust in Jesus Christ.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things; I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Saul (means "great one"), now Paul (means "small one"), has lost his position and his possessions, but has gained immeasurably more.
I once put my trust in a religion, a system of doing "good works" to earn favor with God and work my way into Heaven. But it's God's Heaven, and He's the One who decides who gets to come into His home, not some collection of men. I had been looking for the Truth. It didn't matter to me whether it would be what I had always believed, or something completely different, or something in between; I just wanted to believe what was actually True, that I could trust would never change.
I didn't know that Jesus was The Truth, but God honored my seeking (as He said He would) and let me know that Jesus took my place on the Cross; He didn't deserve any of it, I deserved it all. That's when He birthed me into His own Family, and gifted me with His Holy Spirit to dwell in me.
I pray that you, dear Reader, also has put your trust in Jesus paying Your debt to God, and rising from the dead. That's how much God loves each of us, to send His only Son to die for us, and cause the miracle in each of our lives to be born into His own Family.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
These are those who said they were Christians but demanded that to be a true chosen one of God they would have to obey the Old Testament Laws including circumcision.
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh.
We are believing in and trusting in Jesus as God's Christ, who have circumcised our hearts in cutting away all that draws us away from God's Truth and realize that "the flesh counts for nothing" (Jesus, John 6:63), so physical circumcision becomes meaningless.
Though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:
Paul had been Saul, and he will now tell us all about his perfect pedigree according to the flesh to be counted among God's chosen:
(1) Circumcised on the eighth day,
As an eight-day-old infant, the physical cutting-away.
(2) Of the people of Israel, (3) of the Tribe of Benjamin,
Saul had been born Jewish, as when the kingdoms separated after King Solomon died and his son became the king, the Ten Tribes became Israel while Judah and Benjamin became Judah, from whence we derive the designation "Jew."
(4) A Hebrew of the Hebrews;
He was at the pinnacle of Jewishness, or Hebrewness.
(5) In regard to the Law, a Pharisee;
In accordance with the Old Testament Law, Saul was educated to be at the highest, purest level of their religion, one who memorized the Scriptures the best and most extensively, and was a teacher to others of God's Word.
(6) As for zeal, persecuting the Church;
Saul's passion for God extended to the extreme against these people of the Way who seemed to be against the Jewish Religion.
(7) As for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
According to the legal standards, Saul was the Perfect Jew, who did everything right and reached the highest level of honor and authority.
But whatever was to my profit
All the things he just listed here.
I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
All these things that profited him in the world only drew him away from the truth of Christ, and became a barrier between him and God, keeping him away from being able to believe. That's why Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, to tear down that wall of religion and give him opportunity to put his trust in Jesus Christ.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things; I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
Saul (means "great one"), now Paul (means "small one"), has lost his position and his possessions, but has gained immeasurably more.
I once put my trust in a religion, a system of doing "good works" to earn favor with God and work my way into Heaven. But it's God's Heaven, and He's the One who decides who gets to come into His home, not some collection of men. I had been looking for the Truth. It didn't matter to me whether it would be what I had always believed, or something completely different, or something in between; I just wanted to believe what was actually True, that I could trust would never change.
I didn't know that Jesus was The Truth, but God honored my seeking (as He said He would) and let me know that Jesus took my place on the Cross; He didn't deserve any of it, I deserved it all. That's when He birthed me into His own Family, and gifted me with His Holy Spirit to dwell in me.
I pray that you, dear Reader, also has put your trust in Jesus paying Your debt to God, and rising from the dead. That's how much God loves each of us, to send His only Son to die for us, and cause the miracle in each of our lives to be born into His own Family.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Entertainment
Proverbs 10:23
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
What kind of entertainment do I enjoy?
Would I prefer to watch a movie about how a gangster robs all those "shlups" and buys his way out of prison? Or would I rather watch something about how two friends deepen their friendship over the years? Or a Nature show demonstrating how God designed this world to operate by everything doing its part in relation to everything else, so that all are benefited?
What kind of humor do I laugh at?
Do I find humorous someone doing something that would hurt or harm himself or someone else? Or is it funny when someone successfully deceives someone else to trick him or cheat him? Even if we consider that the victim deserves it, will we be the judge to determine his sentence?
Like a wise clock-maker, our Creator designed our world to run smoothly, with even the fires, floods and storms contributing to the health and well-being of this planet. And He has given us His Manufacturer's Instructions to show us how to live in this world, and how to relate to Him and one another to deepen our relationships. All for our benefit and He receives the glory, the credit.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
What kind of entertainment do I enjoy?
Would I prefer to watch a movie about how a gangster robs all those "shlups" and buys his way out of prison? Or would I rather watch something about how two friends deepen their friendship over the years? Or a Nature show demonstrating how God designed this world to operate by everything doing its part in relation to everything else, so that all are benefited?
What kind of humor do I laugh at?
Do I find humorous someone doing something that would hurt or harm himself or someone else? Or is it funny when someone successfully deceives someone else to trick him or cheat him? Even if we consider that the victim deserves it, will we be the judge to determine his sentence?
Like a wise clock-maker, our Creator designed our world to run smoothly, with even the fires, floods and storms contributing to the health and well-being of this planet. And He has given us His Manufacturer's Instructions to show us how to live in this world, and how to relate to Him and one another to deepen our relationships. All for our benefit and He receives the glory, the credit.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Worship First
Ezra 3:2-3
. . . [Built] the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord.
When the people returned to the land of Israel from Babylon, everything had been destroyed. The first thing they did was not to build houses for themselves, but to replace the Temple that had been demolished. But even though the foundation of the Lord's Temple had not yet been laid (v. 6), they wanted to worship God. They knew that their power and strength were in the Lord their God, and they immediately went to the instructions and built the altar first, so they could obey God and offer the sacrifices prescribed by The Law, even in spite of their fear of the pagan peoples surrounding them. Worship itself came first, even before the Temple was begun.
Do we consider our Lord worth our worship first, before anything else we do each day?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
. . . [Built] the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord.
When the people returned to the land of Israel from Babylon, everything had been destroyed. The first thing they did was not to build houses for themselves, but to replace the Temple that had been demolished. But even though the foundation of the Lord's Temple had not yet been laid (v. 6), they wanted to worship God. They knew that their power and strength were in the Lord their God, and they immediately went to the instructions and built the altar first, so they could obey God and offer the sacrifices prescribed by The Law, even in spite of their fear of the pagan peoples surrounding them. Worship itself came first, even before the Temple was begun.
Do we consider our Lord worth our worship first, before anything else we do each day?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, February 22, 2016
Salt And Light
Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the Earth . . .
Salt flavors by bringing out the flavor of the food it is put on. As Christians, we need to bring out in others the good qualities with which God has gifted them, whether their natural or spiritual qualities.
Salt also purifies and preserves. We are to purify our society and our families of the harmful attitudes that are drawing us away from the prosperity God wants for us.
You are the light of the world . . .
Light dispels darkness and fills the whole area. Our light shines out into our families, neighbors and our Nation, to show up what is hidden and to reveal secrets that are harmful. Sunlight is also purifying--our light can clean out hidden wounds so they can heal.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
You are the salt of the Earth . . .
Salt flavors by bringing out the flavor of the food it is put on. As Christians, we need to bring out in others the good qualities with which God has gifted them, whether their natural or spiritual qualities.
Salt also purifies and preserves. We are to purify our society and our families of the harmful attitudes that are drawing us away from the prosperity God wants for us.
You are the light of the world . . .
Light dispels darkness and fills the whole area. Our light shines out into our families, neighbors and our Nation, to show up what is hidden and to reveal secrets that are harmful. Sunlight is also purifying--our light can clean out hidden wounds so they can heal.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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