John 8:34-35,31-32
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." --
Everyone who gives himself to a sin to commit it becomes a slave of that sin; it becomes a habit, then an addiction.
Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, --
A slave has been bought and can be sold again at any time, at the whim of the slave-holder.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free, indeed. --
The Son has the authority to set a slave free, to never have to return to that position of slavery ever again.
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. --
If I actually take hold of what Jesus said, then I will be a true disciple, a student, learning from the Teacher.
Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. --
So this Truth Jesus is talking about is His Truth concerning Eternal Life, and the power and authority of His Holy Spirit living in us enabling us to do the things He planned for us to do, and avoid the things that are detrimental to us, that draw us away from Him. The authority to break the chains of addiction, and heal broken relationships, and every other enticing way of thinking and acting that would be self-centered rather than God-centered.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
To Not Slip
Psalm 37:30-31
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, --
The righteous person will say the things that are wise, that show understanding.
and his tongue speaks what is just. --
He will be honest and fair.
The law of his God is in his heart; --
He knows God's Word by heart.
his feet do not slip. --
He will not be in danger of slipping off the road. Because he has extensively read, studied and memorized the Bible and gained a clear understanding of the mind of God thereby, then when he speaks it will be with words of wisdom, compassion, understanding of the bigger picture, and will see the truth of what is going on around him to judge with honesty and true justice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(You must pardon my omission of a posting yesterday, my computer was hacked and I had it in the shop for repair.)
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, --
The righteous person will say the things that are wise, that show understanding.
and his tongue speaks what is just. --
He will be honest and fair.
The law of his God is in his heart; --
He knows God's Word by heart.
his feet do not slip. --
He will not be in danger of slipping off the road. Because he has extensively read, studied and memorized the Bible and gained a clear understanding of the mind of God thereby, then when he speaks it will be with words of wisdom, compassion, understanding of the bigger picture, and will see the truth of what is going on around him to judge with honesty and true justice.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(You must pardon my omission of a posting yesterday, my computer was hacked and I had it in the shop for repair.)
Monday, March 7, 2016
Sparrows And Hairs
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I cannot think of any detail about me that would have less significance than the number of hairs on my head! Yet my Father's care for me is so great, so extensive, so intensive, that He keeps track of even my hairs. And if He is so concerned for that non-consequential detail, how much more does He care for what impacts my life and the lives of those around me.
O my Father, teach me how to be aware of myself and those around me, to see them through Your eyes, and care for them as You do!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I cannot think of any detail about me that would have less significance than the number of hairs on my head! Yet my Father's care for me is so great, so extensive, so intensive, that He keeps track of even my hairs. And if He is so concerned for that non-consequential detail, how much more does He care for what impacts my life and the lives of those around me.
O my Father, teach me how to be aware of myself and those around me, to see them through Your eyes, and care for them as You do!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, March 6, 2016
The Enormity Of The Reality of God
Job 11:7-9
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.
Job's friend Zophar states here the enormity of the reality of God. Even though some of what Job's friends stated to him, he recognized as lies and deceit about himself and about God (that's why God told him to pray for them), what God allowed to be recorded here excluded the untruthful comments, because He is the God of Truth and this is His Word. So we need not be judges of the Word to determine what we think is true or not. And we see here that God is unfathomable to our human minds, He is far beyond what our minds can conceive.
O my Father, thank you so much that You are God, not us, and that we can trust Your Word to always be True. Grant us please the discernment to understand what You are telling us, and the wisdom to know what to do and how to do Your will, to further Your plans and accomplish Your purposes in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above--what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below--what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.
Job's friend Zophar states here the enormity of the reality of God. Even though some of what Job's friends stated to him, he recognized as lies and deceit about himself and about God (that's why God told him to pray for them), what God allowed to be recorded here excluded the untruthful comments, because He is the God of Truth and this is His Word. So we need not be judges of the Word to determine what we think is true or not. And we see here that God is unfathomable to our human minds, He is far beyond what our minds can conceive.
O my Father, thank you so much that You are God, not us, and that we can trust Your Word to always be True. Grant us please the discernment to understand what You are telling us, and the wisdom to know what to do and how to do Your will, to further Your plans and accomplish Your purposes in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
The Wisdom Of Old Age
Job 12:12
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
Job is defending himself to his friends, and stating a truth (or a truism) that can be applied universally. People who have attained advanced age, who have lived many years, can be expected to have learned something useful to teach the young. Those who have walked with God for many years have certainly learned much from Him. They will be able to connect the dots of all the world happenings to see the relationships there (understanding) and to realize the right way to respond to them (wisdom). Both world-wide events and also personal and family issues will be open to their examination and judgement.
Help me, Father, to be that aged one.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?
Job is defending himself to his friends, and stating a truth (or a truism) that can be applied universally. People who have attained advanced age, who have lived many years, can be expected to have learned something useful to teach the young. Those who have walked with God for many years have certainly learned much from Him. They will be able to connect the dots of all the world happenings to see the relationships there (understanding) and to realize the right way to respond to them (wisdom). Both world-wide events and also personal and family issues will be open to their examination and judgement.
Help me, Father, to be that aged one.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Family Rights
Galatians 4:1-7
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. --
The child of a Noble in the world will inherit the whole estate on the death of the father, even if he's still an infant or toddler: he will, by law, be the owner. But he will be under a nanny, or a guardian or a trustee and cannot make any decisions for himself, just like a slave cannot decide for himself.
He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. --
The guardians and trustees will be making all the decisions on running the estate, and the child will have no say at all in the matter until he attains the age set by his father, when he will be legally old enough to assume the responsibility.
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. --
This was the Law of Moses, as well as the legal system of the world's governments. We, the human race, were under restrictive limits in how to run our own lives. We were expected to walk in the steps of our fathers' professions, stay in our own economic and cultural sphere, etc.
But when the time had fully come, --
God waited all the centuries after Adam and Abraham; waited until Rome had conquered the whole known world and built roads making every part of the world easily accessible (for the spread of the Gospel); when the philosophies of Men had developed the thinking processes of intelligent minds; had developed the Greek language, the most descriptive and accurate language ever spoken, etc.
God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, --
God's own Son, the Second Person in the Trinity, Who proceeds from the Father from Eternity Past, Who broke into this World by means of a birth as a human baby, born of a woman who supplied His human nature, subjecting Himself to all the natural laws of the Universe and all the political and religious laws of the time. Setting aside His Divine prerogatives and subjecting Himself to all the limitations we are under.
To redeem those under law, --
To rescue us from the bondage and slavery we are all subjected to in this world.
That we might receive the full rights as sons. --
We will one day be released from all the limitations that hold us down from achieving all that we were created for.
Because you are sons, --
We are, right now, sons; not in some future day.
God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, --
The Spirit of Jesus, in our hearts right now, today.
The Spirit who calls out, "Abba," "Father." --
We call God "Abba," which is the Greek word for the first word an infant will say, "Da-da"; and "Father," which we would say, "Daddy." That's who God is to us when we are "born again" spiritually into His family.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, --
We've been rescued from the slave-market of sin and received into the family of God as His own child.
And since you are a son, God has also made you an heir. --
We are born into God's own family, and God has also determined that we will inherit His Kingdom (unlike Ishmael, who was born of Abraham by the slave-woman, so had no part at all in Isaac's inheritance as the heir).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. --
The child of a Noble in the world will inherit the whole estate on the death of the father, even if he's still an infant or toddler: he will, by law, be the owner. But he will be under a nanny, or a guardian or a trustee and cannot make any decisions for himself, just like a slave cannot decide for himself.
He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. --
The guardians and trustees will be making all the decisions on running the estate, and the child will have no say at all in the matter until he attains the age set by his father, when he will be legally old enough to assume the responsibility.
So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. --
This was the Law of Moses, as well as the legal system of the world's governments. We, the human race, were under restrictive limits in how to run our own lives. We were expected to walk in the steps of our fathers' professions, stay in our own economic and cultural sphere, etc.
But when the time had fully come, --
God waited all the centuries after Adam and Abraham; waited until Rome had conquered the whole known world and built roads making every part of the world easily accessible (for the spread of the Gospel); when the philosophies of Men had developed the thinking processes of intelligent minds; had developed the Greek language, the most descriptive and accurate language ever spoken, etc.
God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, --
God's own Son, the Second Person in the Trinity, Who proceeds from the Father from Eternity Past, Who broke into this World by means of a birth as a human baby, born of a woman who supplied His human nature, subjecting Himself to all the natural laws of the Universe and all the political and religious laws of the time. Setting aside His Divine prerogatives and subjecting Himself to all the limitations we are under.
To redeem those under law, --
To rescue us from the bondage and slavery we are all subjected to in this world.
That we might receive the full rights as sons. --
We will one day be released from all the limitations that hold us down from achieving all that we were created for.
Because you are sons, --
We are, right now, sons; not in some future day.
God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, --
The Spirit of Jesus, in our hearts right now, today.
The Spirit who calls out, "Abba," "Father." --
We call God "Abba," which is the Greek word for the first word an infant will say, "Da-da"; and "Father," which we would say, "Daddy." That's who God is to us when we are "born again" spiritually into His family.
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, --
We've been rescued from the slave-market of sin and received into the family of God as His own child.
And since you are a son, God has also made you an heir. --
We are born into God's own family, and God has also determined that we will inherit His Kingdom (unlike Ishmael, who was born of Abraham by the slave-woman, so had no part at all in Isaac's inheritance as the heir).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Joseph's Economics
Genesis 47:13-26
And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land be not desolate.
And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass, in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
This extended passage describes the economics that Joseph determined in Egypt. He sold the grain to the people, and when their money was gone, having been transferred into Pharaoh's coffers, they paid with their animals and livestock, which all became Pharaoh's property; then, amazingly, the people all consented to give up their land and be slaves of Pharaoh! All because of the famine. So Joseph established in Egypt that the people would all work for Pharaoh, giving him 20% of all their produce and could retain the other 80% for seed and food.
Today I see a very similar system at work in the governments of the world, in extracting at least a 20% tax on all that is earned by the populace, which have been reduced to this slavery. Except for the churches (the priests).
This is also similar to how I see the Man of Sin (the Antichrist) will reduce the whole world to servitude, ruling over not only their lives and finances, but also demanding their worship.
When economic conditions get drastic, people will always be willing to give up freedoms for security, and will end up with neither.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land be not desolate.
And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them from Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass, in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
This extended passage describes the economics that Joseph determined in Egypt. He sold the grain to the people, and when their money was gone, having been transferred into Pharaoh's coffers, they paid with their animals and livestock, which all became Pharaoh's property; then, amazingly, the people all consented to give up their land and be slaves of Pharaoh! All because of the famine. So Joseph established in Egypt that the people would all work for Pharaoh, giving him 20% of all their produce and could retain the other 80% for seed and food.
Today I see a very similar system at work in the governments of the world, in extracting at least a 20% tax on all that is earned by the populace, which have been reduced to this slavery. Except for the churches (the priests).
This is also similar to how I see the Man of Sin (the Antichrist) will reduce the whole world to servitude, ruling over not only their lives and finances, but also demanding their worship.
When economic conditions get drastic, people will always be willing to give up freedoms for security, and will end up with neither.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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