James 3:2
In many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
But:
James 1:26
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
Because:
James 3:6
The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of Nature; and it is set on fire of Hell!
This is a common problem among all of us. We use our tongues in ways that are good and bad, encouraging and condemning. We are so quick to use our tongues without even thinking first, on automatic.
Our words pour out what is overflowing in our hearts, and what's in our hearts is put there by our attitudes, formed by our beliefs. Do we believe that our hearers have worth, that they deserve our respect? Sometimes our words deny that.
Then we set on fire someone's self-worth or a situation, to destroy and decimate the good creation God made. How many of us see ourselves as worthless, because someone we respected told us so when we were children?
How many situations spun out of control because of the hatred spewed forth?
Our words have great power, because God made us in His own image, and His Word is Creative. So our words can also be creative, or destructive.
That's why we need to be very careful to pause and consider the words we are about to speak (or write, or type, or text). If the words that automatically erupt are not beneficial to the hearer, then we need to examine our own hearts to find out what it is we believe, and what our basic attitude is toward that person or situation.
Are we seeing them through God's eyes? Are we valuing them as He has set their worth? Are we aligning our thinking processes with His thoughts for us?
It's not easy. Like James said, if any of us can be perfect in our words, then we can live a perfect life. But that's not possible until we are Resurrected, and our corruptible puts on incorruption, and our mortal puts on immortality (I Corinthians 15:51-56).
So we all need to work on this, continually. I know that I have been aware of this situation for many years, and I have been dealing with this problem every day that I interact with other people all this time. I can't say I've made much headway--I still find it difficult to pause to think in the heat of a passionate exchange.
But that is what is needed for us to consistently build one another up, instead of tearing down.
And we also need to build ourselves up, using God's Truth about us. If we have a diminished self-worth, then we need to re-program our thinking to align with how God thinks of us. He loves us and values us with the highest worth, and when we see ourselves as He sees us, in His mercy and grace, and how He originally designed us to be before Adam sinned; then we will love who He loves, ourselves, and we will love others with His love.
It is said that, "hurt people will hurt people," but people who know their high value will also highly value other people. We all actually do "love others as we love ourselves."
Jesus was giving us a "new commandment" when he told us to love others as He loves us! He loves us more than we can imagine; without limits or conditions--unconditionally. That's how He wants us to love one another!
Even if they have hurt us. Even those who hate us. Even the people who have destroyed everything that was good, when they were supposed to support us, that we depended on and trusted. Those wounds really gouge deep.
That's why we are to forgive as we have been forgiven. Every one of us has done that to our loving Father. And He has loved us anyway, sending His own, precious Son give up everything good to take our place in death, individually, so we can be cleansed of all the filth that stains us, and be forgiven. That's how we are to forgive those who have sinned against us, even grievously.
Then we will have a handle on controlling our tongues. We need to be vigilant and careful and watch ourselves continually, while we still live in our corruptible flesh.
God has given us His Holy Spirit to live in our spirits, to teach us and strengthen us and protect us. Let us avail ourselves of His help, and turn to Him in the midst of temptation in our words.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, January 18, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
An Appalling And Horrible Thing
Jeremiah 7: 23-24
But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.
Jeremiah 5: 30-31
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
This was the Nation Israel, and Jeremiah was lamenting how the people were suffering. He could see that God wanted to give them good, the bounty He placed in this Earth for their benefit. But the people didn't want God. They had a "better idea"!
So the Prophets, the ones who were to give the people God's instructions, gave them false "visions" that they made up themselves, to tell them what they wanted to hear. And the priests, who were to bring their offerings to God and mediate in their disputes, based their rules on their own understanding, instead of researching what God had said.
These two constituted the government in Israel before they had a king. And were to counsel and guide the king in his rulings.
But they were wrong. So they steered the people in the wrong direction, backward instead of forward. And the people lost the ability to prosper, lost the understanding of how God designed the Earth to function, and built their world on it defectively; so it didn't work.
And the people were conquered and carried away to a far-away country as slaves.
Today we need to observe their errors and consequences, and take to heart the cause-and-effect process they experienced. That should encourage us to search deep in Scripture for the basis of the bounty God put here for us. Learn from their mistakes, and determine to follow God in His ways, the ways He told us to interact with one another and with our environment.
We need to understand the priorities God gives to all the elements of Creation, to count as more valuable what God values highly, and less valuable (but not worthless) the other parts.
There is a system of authority that is intrinsic in all our World, and to recognize that hierarchy of authority and live according to it is what Jesus complimented the Centurion in Capernaum on as having "great faith" (Matthew 8:5-10). This soldier saw that Jesus had in the spiritual realm the same kind of authority that he had in the military: as under authority, and having authority over others.
When our priorities get skewed and twisted out of shape, this is what happens.
When governments and church leaders forget that they are under God's authority, they set themselves up as the final authority, and rule and teach their own ideas, which come from their own understanding, and are therefore in error, coming from our sin-nature.
They want to have authority over others without submitting to the Authority that is over them.
This results in governments imposing tyrany over the masses of people, imposing on them many rules and regulations that only benefit the ones in power.
And churches that approve of what God condemns as harmful to us, and goes so far as to excommunicate members for disagreeing with their demonic demands, and even for mere personality issues.
O Father, thank You for giving us our Maker's instructions: the system of loving You and one another as the foundation; and all the particulars of the rules and precepts laying out how we are to do that--how we can consider other as better than ourselves, and how to worship You alone, giving You the honor and glory You alone deserve.
O Father, I pray for all those who are in authority over us, whether in our governments, our employment, our churches, or even our families. As Your children, teach us to honor all who have power over us, to obey and live our lives in humility and meekness.
And guide and direct those who are over us to submit to You as Final Authority in their ministry of serving all of us. Whether as king, president, governor, police officer, pastor, mentor, boss, parent, or whatever other position we/they hold, help us to live our daily lives under Your rule, and under and over others that You have given us to benefit us so we can help one another.
Father, even in this time period I am living in, I have seen how You bless a people when their leaders are godly, and how as the moral tone of a Nation declines away from Your standards, we lose the benefits we had, and suffer loss and dysfunction and troubles and sorrows.
And when the moral slide continues, Father, all Your godly children find themselves under persecution, as is already in the World now, and is spreading.
Help us, Father, to be effective witnesses to Your Truth that benefits the whole World; and strengthen us to withstand the persecution, at whatever level, we will encounter as we do so.
Continue to work Your Plan that You revealed to us in the writings of Your prophets, as You direct and control everything that relates to it. Continue to use all the acts of Your people, as well as all the works of those who reject You, as You bring this World into accepting the lie of the devil to welcome the One World Government that will attack Your people Israel and bring our Great King to defeat them!
Even so,come, Lord Jesus!
But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.
Jeremiah 5: 30-31
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
This was the Nation Israel, and Jeremiah was lamenting how the people were suffering. He could see that God wanted to give them good, the bounty He placed in this Earth for their benefit. But the people didn't want God. They had a "better idea"!
So the Prophets, the ones who were to give the people God's instructions, gave them false "visions" that they made up themselves, to tell them what they wanted to hear. And the priests, who were to bring their offerings to God and mediate in their disputes, based their rules on their own understanding, instead of researching what God had said.
These two constituted the government in Israel before they had a king. And were to counsel and guide the king in his rulings.
But they were wrong. So they steered the people in the wrong direction, backward instead of forward. And the people lost the ability to prosper, lost the understanding of how God designed the Earth to function, and built their world on it defectively; so it didn't work.
And the people were conquered and carried away to a far-away country as slaves.
Today we need to observe their errors and consequences, and take to heart the cause-and-effect process they experienced. That should encourage us to search deep in Scripture for the basis of the bounty God put here for us. Learn from their mistakes, and determine to follow God in His ways, the ways He told us to interact with one another and with our environment.
We need to understand the priorities God gives to all the elements of Creation, to count as more valuable what God values highly, and less valuable (but not worthless) the other parts.
There is a system of authority that is intrinsic in all our World, and to recognize that hierarchy of authority and live according to it is what Jesus complimented the Centurion in Capernaum on as having "great faith" (Matthew 8:5-10). This soldier saw that Jesus had in the spiritual realm the same kind of authority that he had in the military: as under authority, and having authority over others.
When our priorities get skewed and twisted out of shape, this is what happens.
They want to have authority over others without submitting to the Authority that is over them.
This results in governments imposing tyrany over the masses of people, imposing on them many rules and regulations that only benefit the ones in power.
And churches that approve of what God condemns as harmful to us, and goes so far as to excommunicate members for disagreeing with their demonic demands, and even for mere personality issues.
O Father, thank You for giving us our Maker's instructions: the system of loving You and one another as the foundation; and all the particulars of the rules and precepts laying out how we are to do that--how we can consider other as better than ourselves, and how to worship You alone, giving You the honor and glory You alone deserve.
O Father, I pray for all those who are in authority over us, whether in our governments, our employment, our churches, or even our families. As Your children, teach us to honor all who have power over us, to obey and live our lives in humility and meekness.
And guide and direct those who are over us to submit to You as Final Authority in their ministry of serving all of us. Whether as king, president, governor, police officer, pastor, mentor, boss, parent, or whatever other position we/they hold, help us to live our daily lives under Your rule, and under and over others that You have given us to benefit us so we can help one another.
Father, even in this time period I am living in, I have seen how You bless a people when their leaders are godly, and how as the moral tone of a Nation declines away from Your standards, we lose the benefits we had, and suffer loss and dysfunction and troubles and sorrows.
And when the moral slide continues, Father, all Your godly children find themselves under persecution, as is already in the World now, and is spreading.
Help us, Father, to be effective witnesses to Your Truth that benefits the whole World; and strengthen us to withstand the persecution, at whatever level, we will encounter as we do so.
Continue to work Your Plan that You revealed to us in the writings of Your prophets, as You direct and control everything that relates to it. Continue to use all the acts of Your people, as well as all the works of those who reject You, as You bring this World into accepting the lie of the devil to welcome the One World Government that will attack Your people Israel and bring our Great King to defeat them!
Even so,come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
The Lord And The King
Proverbs 24: 21-22
My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
And in the New Testament:
Romans 13: 1ff
Let every person be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
When Solomon was mentoring his son, he told him to give honor to both the Lord and to whatever king was in power, and to not listen to people who want to overthrow a sitting government for something different.
Not long ago a man who was advocating "Change" was elected into power, and he decreed so much evil that the people decided to go back to the tried-and-true. Then all the wicked people throughout the whole government who remained after the evil politician ceeded his position tried to remove the new leader, as he was undoing many of their ruinous plans and instituting more righteous programs.
The battle is ongoing.
When Paul wrote to the Romans, he was telling them that the corrupt and morally bankrupt government of his time was to be honored and obeyed, and taxes paid, and given respect. He did not nullify the principle of obeying God rather than man (Acts 5:29), but most governing, even by unrighteous leaders, is not against God's commands. So we must be very careful in discerning when we can righteously disobey some secular law.
If a precept allows something that is unrighteous, we have the choice to not do whatever it is, and to share with others how detrimental it is, in a gentle and patient way.
But if it is a command to do something that God's Word expressly forbids, then that is when we must "obey God rather than man." But we still must refuse in a firm, but gentle and patient manner. If we allow ourselves to become hard, harsh, or condemning, then we have fallen into a trap.
We must build our characters into the character of Christ; producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus always displayed these qualities, even when He was reviling the evil religious leaders: we can read His harsh words, but we tend to not hear His tone of voice, which makes all the difference.
So, obey God and the government, and don't listen to those who advocate change from either. Because both God and the government can and will bring calamity and ruin.
O my Father, I look toward Your righteous Kingdom, in which Your will will be done on this Earth, just as it now is done in Your Heaven. Right now, in this Age, Your will is being done in our hearts and our lives, as Jesus said that the Kingdom is within us.
But I long for the Day when our King will appear and execute judgment on this old Earth, setting up His Throne to rule, for a thousand years, then throughout all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not associate with those who are given to change; for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?
And in the New Testament:
Romans 13: 1ff
Let every person be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
When Solomon was mentoring his son, he told him to give honor to both the Lord and to whatever king was in power, and to not listen to people who want to overthrow a sitting government for something different.
Not long ago a man who was advocating "Change" was elected into power, and he decreed so much evil that the people decided to go back to the tried-and-true. Then all the wicked people throughout the whole government who remained after the evil politician ceeded his position tried to remove the new leader, as he was undoing many of their ruinous plans and instituting more righteous programs.
The battle is ongoing.
When Paul wrote to the Romans, he was telling them that the corrupt and morally bankrupt government of his time was to be honored and obeyed, and taxes paid, and given respect. He did not nullify the principle of obeying God rather than man (Acts 5:29), but most governing, even by unrighteous leaders, is not against God's commands. So we must be very careful in discerning when we can righteously disobey some secular law.
If a precept allows something that is unrighteous, we have the choice to not do whatever it is, and to share with others how detrimental it is, in a gentle and patient way.
But if it is a command to do something that God's Word expressly forbids, then that is when we must "obey God rather than man." But we still must refuse in a firm, but gentle and patient manner. If we allow ourselves to become hard, harsh, or condemning, then we have fallen into a trap.
We must build our characters into the character of Christ; producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus always displayed these qualities, even when He was reviling the evil religious leaders: we can read His harsh words, but we tend to not hear His tone of voice, which makes all the difference.
So, obey God and the government, and don't listen to those who advocate change from either. Because both God and the government can and will bring calamity and ruin.
O my Father, I look toward Your righteous Kingdom, in which Your will will be done on this Earth, just as it now is done in Your Heaven. Right now, in this Age, Your will is being done in our hearts and our lives, as Jesus said that the Kingdom is within us.
But I long for the Day when our King will appear and execute judgment on this old Earth, setting up His Throne to rule, for a thousand years, then throughout all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
A Throne Of Destruction
Psalm 94: 16, 20
Who will stand up for Me against evildoers? Who will take his stand for Me against those who do wickedness?
Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, one which devises mischief by decree?
A "throne of destruction" is a government that "devises mischief by decree," it makes laws that promote unrighteousness and evil.
Like the ancient rulers who decreed human sacrifices to idols, and illicit sexual acts in worship of demons.
Or the official persecution of Jesus-followers.
Or the permitting of the destruction of the most innocent, and the forbidding of counsellors to counsel anyone who wants to get rid of unrighteous physical urges, or to make legal what used to be "controlled" because it alters the brain, or decrees that Christian businesspeople must promote ungodly lifestyles.
These are a few instances of the "mischief" which is "devised" "by decree."
Every generation has its share of "spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12), and these are not just spiritual places, but worldly political places; governments. No earthly government is immune to these spiritual forces, but are particularly vulnerable to their influence.
That is why "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
How can we stand up against these "evildoers"? What stand can we take against "those who do wickedness"?
To start with, we need to remember that our fight is not with people. The people involved in these devisings have been deceived, and are victims of the devil. They are still very dangerous, but the power behind them is the source we need to focus on.
That's why Paul told the Ephesians to put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (see Ephesians 6:10-18).
In a democratic government, your spiritual duty is to vote. In a republican government, your spiritual duty is to ensure that your representative is representing your views in their governing; or even run for office yourself.
In a kingdom or dictatorship, your duty is to pray for your leaders, and promote righteousness in your own circle of influence.
We all are to pray for our leaders, both governmental and spiritual (I Timothy 2:1-3, 8).
And we are all to be living according to the Righteousness of Christ, showing the World around us God's goodness and compassion and kindness; encouraging those in our circles of influence; promoting the Kingdom of God in all that we think, do, and say in the societies in which we live.
We cannot do this in our own human strength; we must rely on God's Holy Spirit Who resides inside our bodies in our spirits. He will give us the strength and power and ability to stand against all this wickedness and evil, and hold us up to stand after we've done everything we can do.
It won't be easy, but with our hand in His, we can weather every attack against us with victory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Who will stand up for Me against evildoers? Who will take his stand for Me against those who do wickedness?
Can a throne of destruction be allied with You, one which devises mischief by decree?
A "throne of destruction" is a government that "devises mischief by decree," it makes laws that promote unrighteousness and evil.
Like the ancient rulers who decreed human sacrifices to idols, and illicit sexual acts in worship of demons.
Or the official persecution of Jesus-followers.
Or the permitting of the destruction of the most innocent, and the forbidding of counsellors to counsel anyone who wants to get rid of unrighteous physical urges, or to make legal what used to be "controlled" because it alters the brain, or decrees that Christian businesspeople must promote ungodly lifestyles.
These are a few instances of the "mischief" which is "devised" "by decree."
Every generation has its share of "spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12), and these are not just spiritual places, but worldly political places; governments. No earthly government is immune to these spiritual forces, but are particularly vulnerable to their influence.
That is why "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
How can we stand up against these "evildoers"? What stand can we take against "those who do wickedness"?
To start with, we need to remember that our fight is not with people. The people involved in these devisings have been deceived, and are victims of the devil. They are still very dangerous, but the power behind them is the source we need to focus on.
That's why Paul told the Ephesians to put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (see Ephesians 6:10-18).
In a democratic government, your spiritual duty is to vote. In a republican government, your spiritual duty is to ensure that your representative is representing your views in their governing; or even run for office yourself.
In a kingdom or dictatorship, your duty is to pray for your leaders, and promote righteousness in your own circle of influence.
We all are to pray for our leaders, both governmental and spiritual (I Timothy 2:1-3, 8).
And we are all to be living according to the Righteousness of Christ, showing the World around us God's goodness and compassion and kindness; encouraging those in our circles of influence; promoting the Kingdom of God in all that we think, do, and say in the societies in which we live.
We cannot do this in our own human strength; we must rely on God's Holy Spirit Who resides inside our bodies in our spirits. He will give us the strength and power and ability to stand against all this wickedness and evil, and hold us up to stand after we've done everything we can do.
It won't be easy, but with our hand in His, we can weather every attack against us with victory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 14, 2019
Pure Or Defiled?
Titus 1: 15-16
To the pure all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestible and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.
Those who know and follow the Lord can recognize what is holy and pure, and can see the good in everything God made. That's what they are to focus on.
Those who refuse to choose God are refusing what is good and pure, so they only see what is worldly; what is defiled, twisted, or just plain wrong.
Because we are all born into the Human family with damaged DNA, we all have a fallen nature, which Scripture calls "sinful flesh." This is what causes us to make poor decisions that transgress God's rules for us.
Then, those who persist in defying God deliberately harden their hearts like Pharaoh did when Moses confronted him. Just like him, they will reach a point that God will give them over: Pharaoh to a hardened heart that led to the destruction of his whole Nation; people today to depravity and detestible things (see Romans 1:18-32).
So this is all about our focus. Whatever we're looking closely at fills our vision and everything else fades into the background, whether our focus is on what is pure or what is defiled.
O my Father, please continue to teach me Your ways. Help me keep my focus on Your goodness that You pour into every day. Help me to see You in everything I see, and everyone I interact with.
Help me to always be positive, and not let the negative get the upper hand. Keep my words encouraging, especially with those I don't agree with, those who don't know You yet.
Show me how to communicate with every kind of personality and belief in a way that is not accusing or condemning, but encouraging and drawing to Yourself, Father.
Show me how to show Your Love to those in my circle of acquaintance who have so far been rejecting Your gracious and merciful offer of Salvation.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
To the pure all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestible and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed.
Those who know and follow the Lord can recognize what is holy and pure, and can see the good in everything God made. That's what they are to focus on.
Those who refuse to choose God are refusing what is good and pure, so they only see what is worldly; what is defiled, twisted, or just plain wrong.
Because we are all born into the Human family with damaged DNA, we all have a fallen nature, which Scripture calls "sinful flesh." This is what causes us to make poor decisions that transgress God's rules for us.
Then, those who persist in defying God deliberately harden their hearts like Pharaoh did when Moses confronted him. Just like him, they will reach a point that God will give them over: Pharaoh to a hardened heart that led to the destruction of his whole Nation; people today to depravity and detestible things (see Romans 1:18-32).
So this is all about our focus. Whatever we're looking closely at fills our vision and everything else fades into the background, whether our focus is on what is pure or what is defiled.
O my Father, please continue to teach me Your ways. Help me keep my focus on Your goodness that You pour into every day. Help me to see You in everything I see, and everyone I interact with.
Help me to always be positive, and not let the negative get the upper hand. Keep my words encouraging, especially with those I don't agree with, those who don't know You yet.
Show me how to communicate with every kind of personality and belief in a way that is not accusing or condemning, but encouraging and drawing to Yourself, Father.
Show me how to show Your Love to those in my circle of acquaintance who have so far been rejecting Your gracious and merciful offer of Salvation.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 13, 2019
The Narrow Gate
Matthew 7: 13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
This is interesting. Why is it that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9), but only a few find this narrow gate. Why would this be? Why doesn't God just save everybody, since He loves everybody?
What I have learned about God's character is that He loves us too much to not let us choose for ourselves whether we want to respond to Him.
It must break His heart to see His loved human beings doing so much to hurt, harm, and destroy themselves and each other.
What impressed me the most when God showed me Jesus on the Cross so many decades ago, is how much God loved me, to let Jesus take the death I deserved. I had been living my life totally against what I knew were His standards. He loved me anyway, and I knew I had been breaking His heart with my rebellion.
It still amazes me that God loves even the most depraved mass murderer (like Hitler) that He would even save him, had he turned to Him instead of suicide.
"The ground is level at the foot of the Cross," which means that God has counted all of us as under sin, deserving death, so that His offer of rescue is available to every single person, regardless of the depth of their sin. Jesus paid it all when God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21), which means Jesus actually took upon Himself our very sin-nature; He didn't die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, and everything in it. For each one of us.
All the sins we commit, from entertaining that random thought all the way to mass murder, it all comes from that corrupted DNA the Bible calls the human sin-nature. We are all born with that propensity to stray in our own way.
But if the gate is small and the road narrow, how do we find it while we're among the crowd on Broadway?
We must want to find it. We must realize how much we need God, that we can't do it on our own. That's why only a few find it. A few compared to the masses on the broad road that everyone else is on.
Most people think that, I'm Okay, You're Okay, so I just need to deal with it or deny it or forget about it, and I'll be all right. They don't want to face the "bad news" that they are headed for destruction, so that they can turn to the "Good News" that Jesus paid their debt to God. If they don't think they have a debt, they won't look to see how to pay it. So they'll end up paying it for all eternity. Ignorance isn't bliss, it's deadly.
So if "only a few" of the billions are saved, I see in Revelation that they amount to an uncountable number! (5:9-11, read on through verse 14) They sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals of it; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and Nation; and have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the Earth. And I looked and heard the voice of many around the throne and the Beasts and the Elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. This is the largest number available to John, and it wasn't near enough.
Those who have been redeemed by Jesus' Blood are the only ones qualified to sing this "New Song," because Jesus became human to save humans. No angels or cherubim or aliens can sing this song, because they are not human.
You and I are human, so this great Salvation and Redemption is free for each one of us human beings, if only we would want it. It all starts in our will. If we will open our options to let God in, that's the beginning of our finding that small door that leads along that narrow path.
This narrow path is hemmed in; the word refers to a road lined by walls or hedges or some such, so that you cannot wander off of it, but follow it to its end.
O my Father, I trust Your wisdom and goodness. I do not understand why You would create so many billions of Mankind, and yet save only a few!
And yet the "few" turn out to be myriads and myriads, a number beyond counting!
I thank You, Father, that You set my feet on that narrow road, hemmed in on both sides. I want never to turn to the right hand nor to the left, never to run ahead nor lag behind You, never to wander off nor pull away.
Thank You that I can trust You to never let go of my hand, that Your Light brightens my path, so I can avoid all the stumbling stones and pitfalls.
Thank You for Your Spirit living in my spirit, to lead and guide me, to give me knowledge and understanding, to guard me from the wiles of the devil, the draws of the World, and the weaknesses of my own flesh.
Dear Father, continue to draw me ever closer to Yourself, every moment of every day, that I may be seen as in You; that those who look at me would see You, in Your sweetness and gentleness and graciousness and kindness; and not me in my frail flesh.
May my tiny thread in Your great Tapestry of Time shine brightly with Your Light against the black velvet of evil all around me.
And every creature which is in Heaven, and on the Earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing and Honor and and Glory and Power be unto Him Who is sitting on the Throne, unto the Lamb forever and ever.
And the four Beasts said, Amen! And the twenty-four Elders fell down and worshipped Him Who lives forever and ever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
This is interesting. Why is it that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9), but only a few find this narrow gate. Why would this be? Why doesn't God just save everybody, since He loves everybody?
What I have learned about God's character is that He loves us too much to not let us choose for ourselves whether we want to respond to Him.
It must break His heart to see His loved human beings doing so much to hurt, harm, and destroy themselves and each other.
What impressed me the most when God showed me Jesus on the Cross so many decades ago, is how much God loved me, to let Jesus take the death I deserved. I had been living my life totally against what I knew were His standards. He loved me anyway, and I knew I had been breaking His heart with my rebellion.
It still amazes me that God loves even the most depraved mass murderer (like Hitler) that He would even save him, had he turned to Him instead of suicide.
"The ground is level at the foot of the Cross," which means that God has counted all of us as under sin, deserving death, so that His offer of rescue is available to every single person, regardless of the depth of their sin. Jesus paid it all when God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21), which means Jesus actually took upon Himself our very sin-nature; He didn't die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, and everything in it. For each one of us.
All the sins we commit, from entertaining that random thought all the way to mass murder, it all comes from that corrupted DNA the Bible calls the human sin-nature. We are all born with that propensity to stray in our own way.
But if the gate is small and the road narrow, how do we find it while we're among the crowd on Broadway?
We must want to find it. We must realize how much we need God, that we can't do it on our own. That's why only a few find it. A few compared to the masses on the broad road that everyone else is on.
Most people think that, I'm Okay, You're Okay, so I just need to deal with it or deny it or forget about it, and I'll be all right. They don't want to face the "bad news" that they are headed for destruction, so that they can turn to the "Good News" that Jesus paid their debt to God. If they don't think they have a debt, they won't look to see how to pay it. So they'll end up paying it for all eternity. Ignorance isn't bliss, it's deadly.
So if "only a few" of the billions are saved, I see in Revelation that they amount to an uncountable number! (5:9-11, read on through verse 14) They sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the Book, and to open the seals of it; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and Nation; and have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the Earth. And I looked and heard the voice of many around the throne and the Beasts and the Elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. This is the largest number available to John, and it wasn't near enough.
Those who have been redeemed by Jesus' Blood are the only ones qualified to sing this "New Song," because Jesus became human to save humans. No angels or cherubim or aliens can sing this song, because they are not human.
You and I are human, so this great Salvation and Redemption is free for each one of us human beings, if only we would want it. It all starts in our will. If we will open our options to let God in, that's the beginning of our finding that small door that leads along that narrow path.
This narrow path is hemmed in; the word refers to a road lined by walls or hedges or some such, so that you cannot wander off of it, but follow it to its end.
O my Father, I trust Your wisdom and goodness. I do not understand why You would create so many billions of Mankind, and yet save only a few!
And yet the "few" turn out to be myriads and myriads, a number beyond counting!
I thank You, Father, that You set my feet on that narrow road, hemmed in on both sides. I want never to turn to the right hand nor to the left, never to run ahead nor lag behind You, never to wander off nor pull away.
Thank You that I can trust You to never let go of my hand, that Your Light brightens my path, so I can avoid all the stumbling stones and pitfalls.
Thank You for Your Spirit living in my spirit, to lead and guide me, to give me knowledge and understanding, to guard me from the wiles of the devil, the draws of the World, and the weaknesses of my own flesh.
Dear Father, continue to draw me ever closer to Yourself, every moment of every day, that I may be seen as in You; that those who look at me would see You, in Your sweetness and gentleness and graciousness and kindness; and not me in my frail flesh.
May my tiny thread in Your great Tapestry of Time shine brightly with Your Light against the black velvet of evil all around me.
And every creature which is in Heaven, and on the Earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing and Honor and and Glory and Power be unto Him Who is sitting on the Throne, unto the Lamb forever and ever.
And the four Beasts said, Amen! And the twenty-four Elders fell down and worshipped Him Who lives forever and ever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Stop Living Like The World!
Colossians 3: 1-11
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Since you died, also put to death all the things that pertain to your Earthly nature:
Sexual immorality--fornication (sex outside of marriage);
Impurity--uncleanness;
Lust--inordinate affection (lustful longing);
Evil desires--evil concupiscence (ardent, sensuous longing for what is evil);
and Greed--covetousness (wrongly desirous of others' wealth or possessions),
which is Idolatry--(proritizing worldly things over God).
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience.
And you also used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived, before you were saved.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all the things like these:
Anger,
Rage,
Malice (desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another),
Slander, blasphemy (cursing, using God's Name inappropriately, attributing God's qualities or authority to self or other),
and filthy language from your mouth (cussing, using "dirty words").
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge into the image of its Creator.
Paul is writing to the Christians in the City of Colosse, where he had established the church, and he knew these people. He knew that it was a very wicked city, and these Christians once were part of that evil society.
Now he's telling them that they don't need to conform to the ways of their society any more, because they have New Life in Christ; and now have the Holy Spirit's power to be able to live better lives, different from what they used to do.
Here (in God's family) there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free; but Christ is all and is in all.
So there is to be no prejudice against a brother or sister for genetic descent, for geographical origin, for cultural background, or for societal position.
Paul is also writing to us. We also, who have been placed into the Body of Christ, should also consider ourselves as set apart from all these worldly attitudes.
We also, like the Colossians, need to stay away from all sexual improprieties; any act or desire that conflicts with God's good intent for our bodies--the intimacy of a husband and wife within the shelter of marriage, given to no other.
And our minds are to be conformed to the thoughts God has for us, to consider others as God sees them: as fellow family members, or as sinners who need God's mercy and grace to be brought into His family. That's the only difference God sees.
So we need to take care that our attitudes and words not disparage either God or the person God made in His image. God values us at a very high worth, so we are to respect ourselves in not permitting any kind of filthy or slandrous words to form or be expressed, also showing respect for the worth of the hearers.
We need to remember that we have taken off the old man and have put on a new man that is holy, separated and washed clean from all evil and filth, and is being made more and more like Christ in knowing and doing things His way.
The more we learn of Who God is and His ways and thoughts, the better we will know Him and we will love Him back in response to the great Love wherewith He has loved us. And we will also love what and who He loves: primarily, Mankind. All of us. Every one of us, as children of Adam, in need of God's goodness.
God loves everything He made; the order He placed in the Universe is His love for it. He made this Earth for us, and put into it everything we need to live here. Then He made us of it (our bodies are made of all the same elements as the Earth, in the same proportions--Science), and gave us His rules for living here so that we could enjoy it's abundance.
And He sent His Son so we could face our sinful condition and let Him cleanse us of all the sinful filth by taking our paycheck, death, on His altar, the Cross; then giving us New Life as His Holy Spirit takes up residence in our spirits, making us God's own children in His family. That's why it's called a New Birth (see John 3:3-8).
And we who have been born into God's family need to think like our Father and live our lives here as His children with His values, not like those of the World around us.
And His Spirit in us will help us to do that. We only need to be willing to let Him change us, instead of those around us, or the World we live in.
That's why God will receive all the credit, all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise from every creature He has created (see Isaiah 45:34, Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11, and Revelation 5:13-14).
Because He thought it all up, designed it, planned how it would all work out, then made it and worked it all out according to His plan, and finished everything perfectly, justly, fairly, generously, and completly. He got it done.
We are still in the midst of it, so we can look at history and where we are now, but we need to understand His Word to see how it will all work out.
He laid out how all the Nations would proceed from Daniel's day all the way to today.
And He gave all the sacrificial laws to show what Jesus would accomplish on our behalf, and how He would do it as the Lamb of God.
So we can trust God to tell us everything we need to know to live here with one another, to seek Him for rescue, and to reward us generously for what He enables us to do in His power.
And also trust Him to display His Love for us by righteously judging all that works against His good, and hurts, wounds and damages those He loves.
Since He loves all of us, He is patient with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
He is also a Gentleman, so He won't force Himself on anyone.
Whoever refuses to be willing to come to Him doesn't want anything of God; so since God is good, they have refused goodness, God is Beauty so they prefer ugliness, God is Light so they run to the darkness.
Everything God is, He is the Source, He is the Standard. So when they refuse God, they are left with emptiness and nothingness; pain and sorrow and dispair. Not what God wants, but what they have freely chosen.
O my Father, thank You for everything You are! Thank You for Your great Salvation from sin and Redemption from death.
Thank You for Your justice and fairness to grant even what You don't want, to those who have freely chosen it.
Thank You for Your generosity in offering release to all Mankind.
Thank You for Your patience, for Your faithfulness, for Your steadfastness, for Your constancy in not ever changing; so we can fully trust You to always be You, regardless of the circumstances and situations we may find ourselves in.
I know, Father, that You have my back, and no weapon, physical, mental, or psychological, that is formed against me will be successful (Isaiah 54:17).
Keep me close at Your side, my Father; Your protection over me, Your arm around my shoulders and Your hand over my mouth. Teach me more of Yourself, Father, that I can love You more and serve You better each day.
And I will be in that numberless throng praising and honoring and giving glory to You forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Since you died, also put to death all the things that pertain to your Earthly nature:
Sexual immorality--fornication (sex outside of marriage);
Impurity--uncleanness;
Lust--inordinate affection (lustful longing);
Evil desires--evil concupiscence (ardent, sensuous longing for what is evil);
and Greed--covetousness (wrongly desirous of others' wealth or possessions),
which is Idolatry--(proritizing worldly things over God).
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience.
And you also used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived, before you were saved.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all the things like these:
Anger,
Rage,
Malice (desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another),
Slander, blasphemy (cursing, using God's Name inappropriately, attributing God's qualities or authority to self or other),
and filthy language from your mouth (cussing, using "dirty words").
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge into the image of its Creator.
Paul is writing to the Christians in the City of Colosse, where he had established the church, and he knew these people. He knew that it was a very wicked city, and these Christians once were part of that evil society.
Now he's telling them that they don't need to conform to the ways of their society any more, because they have New Life in Christ; and now have the Holy Spirit's power to be able to live better lives, different from what they used to do.
Here (in God's family) there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free; but Christ is all and is in all.
So there is to be no prejudice against a brother or sister for genetic descent, for geographical origin, for cultural background, or for societal position.
Paul is also writing to us. We also, who have been placed into the Body of Christ, should also consider ourselves as set apart from all these worldly attitudes.
We also, like the Colossians, need to stay away from all sexual improprieties; any act or desire that conflicts with God's good intent for our bodies--the intimacy of a husband and wife within the shelter of marriage, given to no other.
And our minds are to be conformed to the thoughts God has for us, to consider others as God sees them: as fellow family members, or as sinners who need God's mercy and grace to be brought into His family. That's the only difference God sees.
So we need to take care that our attitudes and words not disparage either God or the person God made in His image. God values us at a very high worth, so we are to respect ourselves in not permitting any kind of filthy or slandrous words to form or be expressed, also showing respect for the worth of the hearers.
We need to remember that we have taken off the old man and have put on a new man that is holy, separated and washed clean from all evil and filth, and is being made more and more like Christ in knowing and doing things His way.
The more we learn of Who God is and His ways and thoughts, the better we will know Him and we will love Him back in response to the great Love wherewith He has loved us. And we will also love what and who He loves: primarily, Mankind. All of us. Every one of us, as children of Adam, in need of God's goodness.
God loves everything He made; the order He placed in the Universe is His love for it. He made this Earth for us, and put into it everything we need to live here. Then He made us of it (our bodies are made of all the same elements as the Earth, in the same proportions--Science), and gave us His rules for living here so that we could enjoy it's abundance.
And He sent His Son so we could face our sinful condition and let Him cleanse us of all the sinful filth by taking our paycheck, death, on His altar, the Cross; then giving us New Life as His Holy Spirit takes up residence in our spirits, making us God's own children in His family. That's why it's called a New Birth (see John 3:3-8).
And we who have been born into God's family need to think like our Father and live our lives here as His children with His values, not like those of the World around us.
And His Spirit in us will help us to do that. We only need to be willing to let Him change us, instead of those around us, or the World we live in.
That's why God will receive all the credit, all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise from every creature He has created (see Isaiah 45:34, Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11, and Revelation 5:13-14).
Because He thought it all up, designed it, planned how it would all work out, then made it and worked it all out according to His plan, and finished everything perfectly, justly, fairly, generously, and completly. He got it done.
We are still in the midst of it, so we can look at history and where we are now, but we need to understand His Word to see how it will all work out.
He laid out how all the Nations would proceed from Daniel's day all the way to today.
And He gave all the sacrificial laws to show what Jesus would accomplish on our behalf, and how He would do it as the Lamb of God.
So we can trust God to tell us everything we need to know to live here with one another, to seek Him for rescue, and to reward us generously for what He enables us to do in His power.
And also trust Him to display His Love for us by righteously judging all that works against His good, and hurts, wounds and damages those He loves.
Since He loves all of us, He is patient with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
He is also a Gentleman, so He won't force Himself on anyone.
Whoever refuses to be willing to come to Him doesn't want anything of God; so since God is good, they have refused goodness, God is Beauty so they prefer ugliness, God is Light so they run to the darkness.
Everything God is, He is the Source, He is the Standard. So when they refuse God, they are left with emptiness and nothingness; pain and sorrow and dispair. Not what God wants, but what they have freely chosen.
O my Father, thank You for everything You are! Thank You for Your great Salvation from sin and Redemption from death.
Thank You for Your justice and fairness to grant even what You don't want, to those who have freely chosen it.
Thank You for Your generosity in offering release to all Mankind.
Thank You for Your patience, for Your faithfulness, for Your steadfastness, for Your constancy in not ever changing; so we can fully trust You to always be You, regardless of the circumstances and situations we may find ourselves in.
I know, Father, that You have my back, and no weapon, physical, mental, or psychological, that is formed against me will be successful (Isaiah 54:17).
Keep me close at Your side, my Father; Your protection over me, Your arm around my shoulders and Your hand over my mouth. Teach me more of Yourself, Father, that I can love You more and serve You better each day.
And I will be in that numberless throng praising and honoring and giving glory to You forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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