Psalm 107:12
Therefore he brought down their heart with labour (Strong’s H5999 amal-toil); they fell down, and there was none to help.
You know, the Israelites were a proud bunch of people, to the point of flaunting their arrogance before God (Exodus 19:8). So what did He do? He gave them the Law, not so they could prove to Him how good they could be, but so that God could prove to them how flawed they really were. The fact was this: Israel was being blessed, delivered, and prospered by God without Law in their lives and instead of accepting their grace-filled status with God, the people chose to have a merit-based system by which they were continually proven to be not worthy!
God gave them His requirements for holiness, which they were not able to keep. His Law did nothing but place the burden of becoming holy on the people. As a result they became distraught and dismayed. The harder they worked, the more they failed. There was no one to help them; the Law was set in stone and could not bend. A year of doing good, containing just one single moment of indiscretion, would still lead to sin and condemnation. There was no hope, no freedom.
They thought they had it bad in Egypt being physical slaves to Pharaoh, but now they were spiritual slaves to God’s Law. Their daily sacrifices, purification ceremonies, and priestly routines only served to further their indebtedness to God. The harder they tried to be holy, the more they failed miserably. Why? Because the Law itself gives strength to sin and sinful desires (1 Corinthians 15:56). It is divinely designed to show imperfections and the need for a Savior (Galatians 3:24-25). But there was no one to help them, not yet anyway...
Then it happened: Jesus Christ was born and salvation has come. He lived a perfect life under the perfect Law and never failed to keep it perfectly. And, unlike the stone tablets that don’t bend, that can’t help, Christ made every day of His human existence all about help. He raised the dead, healed the sick, made the lame walk, the blind see, and the deaf hear. He fed the hungry. He saved the condemned from stoning and blessed everyone He came in contact with.
Christ came to fulfill the Law and save all of humanity from its reign over our lives. He came to give us the help that was so desperately desired under Law. He voluntarily took our burdens, that is, our spiritual need to fulfill every jot and tittle of the Law to be right with God, and in return gave us His perfection (2 Corinthians 5:21). He did all of these things out of the love in His heart and the Grace in His mind. There is nothing that we can do aside from accept that it is finished according to His words on the cross and live a productive, grace-filled life based on His unmerited favor!
I can’t put it any better than the way Jesus Himself said it.
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour (Strong’s G2872 kopiao-toil) and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Bread
Ruth 2:4
Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!”
We often times speak of Boaz as a type of Jesus. He’s an Old Testament shadow of the Christ who was to come. So, in this line of thinking, it’s only fitting that Boaz would come from Bethlehem, where our King, the one true Jesus was born.
Interestingly enough, that’s not the point of this writing, just an added “ah-ha” for you to ponder. The real point here is in the word Bethlehem. The Hebrew word is made of two separate words, “bayith” meaning house, and “lechem” meaning bread. Put them together and you have a “House of bread”. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Nothing is left to the imagination with God. It’s all plain and simple. Reading the Bible isn’t and shouldn’t be a challenge, as it’s commonly taught. “I challenge you to read such and such passage and see what the scripture reveals.” These rules and regulations that we pull from the Bible aren’t at all the purpose for its printed text. If God was determined to have us live by the rules He established and know Him only as a tyrant king who loves and blesses based on works, He would have never put away the Ten Commandments.
Yes, put away the Ten Commandments. Even in the Old Testament God told the people to put the Commandments in the Ark and cover them with the Mercy Seat. If God had wanted those Commandments to be paraded around and thrown in the faces of the people, shouldn’t we assume that He would have ordered them placed on the walls of the Tabernacle?
This compilation of 66 books that we call the Bible was put together in Holy Spirit-inspired order to reveal one thing to us: Jesus Christ. Every verse, every word, every phrase, every name, every city, every mark of punctuation was placed in order to reveal to us the nature and true friendship found in Jesus Christ. This is what a relationship with Christ is, not a continual searching of scripture to find out how to be a better person.
These stories in the Old Testament are full of Christ. Yes, there are practical life lessons to be found, but the purpose of the stories is to reveal Jesus to us. Here, Boaz plays the part. We know the story: he redeems Ruth and provides for her and abundance in her life. He takes her as his own and gives her all according to his riches. But before that, Boaz came to her from Bethlehem.
You see, God knew that we would be able to draw the obvious parallel between Boaz and Ruth and Christ and the Church. Just to ensure that we would know that to be the reason for the story, He even made His redeemer come to the redeemed from Bethlehem. This is how awesome God is; this is how well planned His scriptures are.
So, during this Christmas season, remember that unto you is born a Savior. In the little city of Bethlehem, the house of bread, you’ll find the Bread of Life wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger (where grain is placed to feed the sheep). Come on, do I need to keep going?
Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered him, “The LORD bless you!”
We often times speak of Boaz as a type of Jesus. He’s an Old Testament shadow of the Christ who was to come. So, in this line of thinking, it’s only fitting that Boaz would come from Bethlehem, where our King, the one true Jesus was born.
Interestingly enough, that’s not the point of this writing, just an added “ah-ha” for you to ponder. The real point here is in the word Bethlehem. The Hebrew word is made of two separate words, “bayith” meaning house, and “lechem” meaning bread. Put them together and you have a “House of bread”. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Nothing is left to the imagination with God. It’s all plain and simple. Reading the Bible isn’t and shouldn’t be a challenge, as it’s commonly taught. “I challenge you to read such and such passage and see what the scripture reveals.” These rules and regulations that we pull from the Bible aren’t at all the purpose for its printed text. If God was determined to have us live by the rules He established and know Him only as a tyrant king who loves and blesses based on works, He would have never put away the Ten Commandments.
Yes, put away the Ten Commandments. Even in the Old Testament God told the people to put the Commandments in the Ark and cover them with the Mercy Seat. If God had wanted those Commandments to be paraded around and thrown in the faces of the people, shouldn’t we assume that He would have ordered them placed on the walls of the Tabernacle?
This compilation of 66 books that we call the Bible was put together in Holy Spirit-inspired order to reveal one thing to us: Jesus Christ. Every verse, every word, every phrase, every name, every city, every mark of punctuation was placed in order to reveal to us the nature and true friendship found in Jesus Christ. This is what a relationship with Christ is, not a continual searching of scripture to find out how to be a better person.
These stories in the Old Testament are full of Christ. Yes, there are practical life lessons to be found, but the purpose of the stories is to reveal Jesus to us. Here, Boaz plays the part. We know the story: he redeems Ruth and provides for her and abundance in her life. He takes her as his own and gives her all according to his riches. But before that, Boaz came to her from Bethlehem.
You see, God knew that we would be able to draw the obvious parallel between Boaz and Ruth and Christ and the Church. Just to ensure that we would know that to be the reason for the story, He even made His redeemer come to the redeemed from Bethlehem. This is how awesome God is; this is how well planned His scriptures are.
So, during this Christmas season, remember that unto you is born a Savior. In the little city of Bethlehem, the house of bread, you’ll find the Bread of Life wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger (where grain is placed to feed the sheep). Come on, do I need to keep going?
Friday, December 23, 2011
Reminders
Psalm 103:2-5
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
It’s verses like this that really get me fired up. Would you like to know why? Because we are constantly forgetting all of these things. We’re so busy reminding ourselves of the laws and rules that have been established that we completely forget about the benefits of being children of God! That’s right, not servants or slaves: CHILDREN! We are heirs to His throne, in Christ (Romans 8:17), who is the fulfillment of the law and the end of its authority over us (Romans 10:4).
Because these things are true, we are the beneficiaries of His will. We know, from our own society, that in order to be a beneficiary, someone must have died. In this case, that someone was Jesus Christ. He died our death on the cross and bequeathed to us all that the Father had written in His will.
It seems that all too often we act as though we’re confused about God’s will for our lives. We pray words like, “Lord, if You’re willing...” as if God isn’t willing. Folks, we’re talking about a God who chose to sacrifice Himself to restore our relationship with Him. We should never have to question whether or not He is willing! We’ve seen His willingness demonstrated in every aspect of Jesus’ life. He healed (Matthew 8:3), raised from the dead (John 11:43-44), and prospered the people (John 6:10-13). Christ’s own words are “I came that they may have life...” (John 10:10).
This is where we need the preaching in our lives: a daily, hourly, even moment-by-moment reminder that we are heirs to all the benefits of God! We don’t need to hear reminders of how sinful we are. We don’t need to hear messages about how to get back on the right track. We need to be constantly reminded of what Jesus did, who He is, and what He gave us!
This is the Gospel that gives the peace that Jesus spoke of (John 14:27), not as this world gives, but as a gracious and loving Savior gives: freely! The world expects work in order to receive redemption. The world expects work in order to provide a pay check and a roof. The world expects an apology before it considers forgiveness. Jesus, my Jesus, the Savior born on Christmas day, expects nothing.
Freely He gives. He forgave all of our sins, removed all guilt, and took all of our punishment. He continually heals all of our diseases. He saves us from destruction, while imparting grace and favor in our lives. He is our source of nutrition and our provider. He renews our strength.
Don’t forget these things; they are the fertilizer of faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)! Faith isn’t works, actions, or a feeling. Faith, as Joseph Prince says, is simply having a good opinion of God. Well, friends, these verses should pretty much solidify a good opinion of God. He gives all and asks nothing in return!
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
It’s verses like this that really get me fired up. Would you like to know why? Because we are constantly forgetting all of these things. We’re so busy reminding ourselves of the laws and rules that have been established that we completely forget about the benefits of being children of God! That’s right, not servants or slaves: CHILDREN! We are heirs to His throne, in Christ (Romans 8:17), who is the fulfillment of the law and the end of its authority over us (Romans 10:4).
Because these things are true, we are the beneficiaries of His will. We know, from our own society, that in order to be a beneficiary, someone must have died. In this case, that someone was Jesus Christ. He died our death on the cross and bequeathed to us all that the Father had written in His will.
It seems that all too often we act as though we’re confused about God’s will for our lives. We pray words like, “Lord, if You’re willing...” as if God isn’t willing. Folks, we’re talking about a God who chose to sacrifice Himself to restore our relationship with Him. We should never have to question whether or not He is willing! We’ve seen His willingness demonstrated in every aspect of Jesus’ life. He healed (Matthew 8:3), raised from the dead (John 11:43-44), and prospered the people (John 6:10-13). Christ’s own words are “I came that they may have life...” (John 10:10).
This is where we need the preaching in our lives: a daily, hourly, even moment-by-moment reminder that we are heirs to all the benefits of God! We don’t need to hear reminders of how sinful we are. We don’t need to hear messages about how to get back on the right track. We need to be constantly reminded of what Jesus did, who He is, and what He gave us!
This is the Gospel that gives the peace that Jesus spoke of (John 14:27), not as this world gives, but as a gracious and loving Savior gives: freely! The world expects work in order to receive redemption. The world expects work in order to provide a pay check and a roof. The world expects an apology before it considers forgiveness. Jesus, my Jesus, the Savior born on Christmas day, expects nothing.
Freely He gives. He forgave all of our sins, removed all guilt, and took all of our punishment. He continually heals all of our diseases. He saves us from destruction, while imparting grace and favor in our lives. He is our source of nutrition and our provider. He renews our strength.
Don’t forget these things; they are the fertilizer of faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)! Faith isn’t works, actions, or a feeling. Faith, as Joseph Prince says, is simply having a good opinion of God. Well, friends, these verses should pretty much solidify a good opinion of God. He gives all and asks nothing in return!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Is that what you're wearing?
Zechariah 3:4
Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
When I get dressed to go to work in the morning there is a certain outfit that I have to put on. It consists of various layers of polyester, wrapped around Kevlar, overlaid with leather, and garnished with weapons. I wear this outfit because it is the uniform that I am required to wear as a State Trooper. It doesn’t matter how I feel when I wake up in the morning, whether sad or happy, angry or silly; I have to wear the uniform. Rain or shine, twelve below, or one hundred and three degrees, I must adhere to policy and wear the outfit.
I’m sure that we’ve all had to wear a uniform at some point in our lives or at least seen someone else wearing a uniform. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard all have uniforms. The cashier at Sheetz has a uniform and the greeter at Wal-Mart has a uniform. From McDonald’s to Gold’s Gym, uniforms define the employee.
When we put on a uniform, we become who the uniform dictates we are. For me, this means I have to put aside the fun-loving, always joking, ready to just be crazy Gary, and become a picture of the law: firm and unbending. Perhaps it’s different for you. What do you become when you put on your uniform and go to work?
Just like we have our own perceptions of ourselves in our uniforms, those who don’t wear our uniform have their own perception of us when we’re in our uniform. Sometimes this can be negative and sometimes positive. And, like those people seeing and judging us based on our uniform, we also judge (subconsciously at times) others based on their uniforms or even just their choice in clothing.
The point is this: we allow the clothes we wear and the uniforms we don to define who we are and dictate how we act. Whether good or bad, this is how it is. Well, I have some wonderful news about you and me and what we are wearing today!
When Christ died on the cross He gave us His righteousness. A lot of time we hear this referred to as His “Robe of Righteousness”. Christ even teaches a parable that illustrates this spiritual gift (Luke 15:22 The Prodigal Son). Since we are wearing His righteousness, we have every right to define ourselves accordingly. Just like when we put on that uniform and allow it to dictate who we are, we can KNOW that we ARE righteous because Christ has made us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). Hand in hand with this realization comes our view of others: we’re all wearing the same clothes!
It’s too easy to get out of bed and allow the world’s view, Satan’s manipulations, to creep in and sabotage your day. But the truth is, no matter what, you are righteous and you are wearing righteousness. Let your clothing define you! Allow your clothing to dictate who you are, not your circumstances or your struggles. When you sin, and you will (trust me, I’m good at this one), simply remind yourself that you are clothed in His righteousness and are therefore righteous!
Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
When I get dressed to go to work in the morning there is a certain outfit that I have to put on. It consists of various layers of polyester, wrapped around Kevlar, overlaid with leather, and garnished with weapons. I wear this outfit because it is the uniform that I am required to wear as a State Trooper. It doesn’t matter how I feel when I wake up in the morning, whether sad or happy, angry or silly; I have to wear the uniform. Rain or shine, twelve below, or one hundred and three degrees, I must adhere to policy and wear the outfit.
I’m sure that we’ve all had to wear a uniform at some point in our lives or at least seen someone else wearing a uniform. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard all have uniforms. The cashier at Sheetz has a uniform and the greeter at Wal-Mart has a uniform. From McDonald’s to Gold’s Gym, uniforms define the employee.
When we put on a uniform, we become who the uniform dictates we are. For me, this means I have to put aside the fun-loving, always joking, ready to just be crazy Gary, and become a picture of the law: firm and unbending. Perhaps it’s different for you. What do you become when you put on your uniform and go to work?
Just like we have our own perceptions of ourselves in our uniforms, those who don’t wear our uniform have their own perception of us when we’re in our uniform. Sometimes this can be negative and sometimes positive. And, like those people seeing and judging us based on our uniform, we also judge (subconsciously at times) others based on their uniforms or even just their choice in clothing.
The point is this: we allow the clothes we wear and the uniforms we don to define who we are and dictate how we act. Whether good or bad, this is how it is. Well, I have some wonderful news about you and me and what we are wearing today!
When Christ died on the cross He gave us His righteousness. A lot of time we hear this referred to as His “Robe of Righteousness”. Christ even teaches a parable that illustrates this spiritual gift (Luke 15:22 The Prodigal Son). Since we are wearing His righteousness, we have every right to define ourselves accordingly. Just like when we put on that uniform and allow it to dictate who we are, we can KNOW that we ARE righteous because Christ has made us righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). Hand in hand with this realization comes our view of others: we’re all wearing the same clothes!
It’s too easy to get out of bed and allow the world’s view, Satan’s manipulations, to creep in and sabotage your day. But the truth is, no matter what, you are righteous and you are wearing righteousness. Let your clothing define you! Allow your clothing to dictate who you are, not your circumstances or your struggles. When you sin, and you will (trust me, I’m good at this one), simply remind yourself that you are clothed in His righteousness and are therefore righteous!
Friday, December 16, 2011
To: You Love: Jesus
1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
I always find it fun to open presents on Christmas morning. After staring at them wrapped up under the tree for what seems like an eternity, it’s nice to finally get to tear into that paper and see what’s inside. I can only assume that everyone feels the same way.
At the same time, don’t we feel a great deal of joy just watching others open the presents that they’ve been given? It doesn’t really matter if they are from us or not; it is just fun to watch others open gifts. Of course, it’s even more exciting to watch people open the gifts that you have selected for them. What a great blessing: to watch and see the delight in someone’s face when they open the gift you have carefully chosen just for them.
That period of time leading up to Christmas, however, can be a bit unnerving, especially if you’re a kid. I can remember growing up and feeling as though I was going to explode waiting to see what was under the tree for me. Boxes and bags with my name on them that I couldn’t touch. Special things, fun things, things just for me that I was unable to have until a certain time.
Sadly, Christians live their spiritual and physical lives today as though they are little children waiting for Christmas morning to finally arrive. The truth, according to this verse, however, is Christmas has already come. Now we have received, past tense, already done, the Spirit who is from God, the Holy Spirit, Comforter, Helper, that we might know, see, perceive, discover,and experience the things that have been freely given to us by God.
We’re not living in the time before Christmas. More appropriately, we’re not living in the time before Grace. Christ has come! He fulfilled the Law, died our death, and paid our debts, and now sits glorified at the right hand of the Father. When He walked the earth and lived according to the Law, as He was required, Christ made mention of this to His disciples. (“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-15)
The disciples who physically walked the earth with Christ were like kids during the days leading up to Christmas morning. There were blessings and riches untold waiting under the tree for them, but they were all off limits until Easter!
Folks, it’s Christmas! Christ said, “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” What does Christ have? Riches untold, glory, honor, righteousness, health, wealth, prosperity, peace, joy, forgiveness, and love. (The list, I’m sure, goes on for eternity.) What we need to know is this: all of these things have been freely given to us by God. His Spirit has been given to us, to declare in our hearts, that we can KNOW we have all these things. We didn’t work for them, we didn’t earn them. These are the things freely given to us by God. And, just as we love watching others open the gifts we’ve given, Jesus Christ loves when we freely receive all the gifts He’s given to us. Don’t leave them sitting under the tree, waiting to be opened; claim them as yours!
So with that I say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
I always find it fun to open presents on Christmas morning. After staring at them wrapped up under the tree for what seems like an eternity, it’s nice to finally get to tear into that paper and see what’s inside. I can only assume that everyone feels the same way.
At the same time, don’t we feel a great deal of joy just watching others open the presents that they’ve been given? It doesn’t really matter if they are from us or not; it is just fun to watch others open gifts. Of course, it’s even more exciting to watch people open the gifts that you have selected for them. What a great blessing: to watch and see the delight in someone’s face when they open the gift you have carefully chosen just for them.
That period of time leading up to Christmas, however, can be a bit unnerving, especially if you’re a kid. I can remember growing up and feeling as though I was going to explode waiting to see what was under the tree for me. Boxes and bags with my name on them that I couldn’t touch. Special things, fun things, things just for me that I was unable to have until a certain time.
Sadly, Christians live their spiritual and physical lives today as though they are little children waiting for Christmas morning to finally arrive. The truth, according to this verse, however, is Christmas has already come. Now we have received, past tense, already done, the Spirit who is from God, the Holy Spirit, Comforter, Helper, that we might know, see, perceive, discover,and experience the things that have been freely given to us by God.
We’re not living in the time before Christmas. More appropriately, we’re not living in the time before Grace. Christ has come! He fulfilled the Law, died our death, and paid our debts, and now sits glorified at the right hand of the Father. When He walked the earth and lived according to the Law, as He was required, Christ made mention of this to His disciples. (“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-15)
The disciples who physically walked the earth with Christ were like kids during the days leading up to Christmas morning. There were blessings and riches untold waiting under the tree for them, but they were all off limits until Easter!
Folks, it’s Christmas! Christ said, “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.” What does Christ have? Riches untold, glory, honor, righteousness, health, wealth, prosperity, peace, joy, forgiveness, and love. (The list, I’m sure, goes on for eternity.) What we need to know is this: all of these things have been freely given to us by God. His Spirit has been given to us, to declare in our hearts, that we can KNOW we have all these things. We didn’t work for them, we didn’t earn them. These are the things freely given to us by God. And, just as we love watching others open the gifts we’ve given, Jesus Christ loves when we freely receive all the gifts He’s given to us. Don’t leave them sitting under the tree, waiting to be opened; claim them as yours!
So with that I say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Hands on
Psalm 92:4
For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
When was the last time you looked outside at nature and just found joy in the splendor of God’s creation? Vibrant sunrises and sunsets paint the skies every day around the world. Beautiful moon-lit nights punctuate the wonder of God’s earth. Bright warm sunny days illuminate the fiery colors of fall reflected in the trees. Cardinals float through the air, whales breach off the coast of Alaska, and wild horses run free on the beaches of North Carolina, they are all part of God’s beautiful creation. But not a single one of these things is the work of God’s hands!
All of these things are the works of God’s voice. In Genesis 1 we find that God spoke everything into existence. There was no “hands on” work being done; God spoke, the non-existent became existent. It wasn’t until God made man that He went hands on (Genesis 2:7). The power of God’s voice alone was enough to make the universe and all that is in it. To create mankind, however, God became much more intimate. Out of all of creation, we, people, are the only ones to have been actually formed by God’s touch.
The body you’re in, the mind you possess, and the personality that you have been were all created by the hands of God. He didn’t just speak and you became a person. He took the time to personally form you (Jeremiah 1:5)!
When Jesus walked the earth He fully embraced the hands-on God approach. He wasn’t stand-offish, healing and preaching from a great distance. He didn’t shout across mountaintops, “Be healed, ye leprous man! Have sight, ye blind beggar!” Jesus got up close and personal with the people He intended to heal. He touched the leper and made him well (Mark 1:41). He put His hands over the eyes of a blind man and gave him sight (Mark 8:25). He replaced the ear of a wounded servant who had come to arrest Him (Luke 22:51). Jesus used His hands, the hands of God, to recreate what had been damaged by sin.
These works are nothing, however, when compared to the ultimate work done by God’s hands on Calvary. Jesus, God in the flesh, used His hands to open up the floodgates of Heaven to a lost and broken world. He used His hands to remove the curse of sin and death from our lives. He used His hands to carry the full weight of God’s wrath. He used His hands to place the robe of His righteousness on us and surround us with His grace. He used His hands to fully restore man to a right relationship with God.
We are made glad through God’s works such as sunsets and pretty birds. But more importantly, we are triumphant in the works of His hands. We will triumph in the works of God’s hands (literally our bodies) because we will triumph in the works of God’s hands (Jesus’ crucifixion).
For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
When was the last time you looked outside at nature and just found joy in the splendor of God’s creation? Vibrant sunrises and sunsets paint the skies every day around the world. Beautiful moon-lit nights punctuate the wonder of God’s earth. Bright warm sunny days illuminate the fiery colors of fall reflected in the trees. Cardinals float through the air, whales breach off the coast of Alaska, and wild horses run free on the beaches of North Carolina, they are all part of God’s beautiful creation. But not a single one of these things is the work of God’s hands!
All of these things are the works of God’s voice. In Genesis 1 we find that God spoke everything into existence. There was no “hands on” work being done; God spoke, the non-existent became existent. It wasn’t until God made man that He went hands on (Genesis 2:7). The power of God’s voice alone was enough to make the universe and all that is in it. To create mankind, however, God became much more intimate. Out of all of creation, we, people, are the only ones to have been actually formed by God’s touch.
The body you’re in, the mind you possess, and the personality that you have been were all created by the hands of God. He didn’t just speak and you became a person. He took the time to personally form you (Jeremiah 1:5)!
When Jesus walked the earth He fully embraced the hands-on God approach. He wasn’t stand-offish, healing and preaching from a great distance. He didn’t shout across mountaintops, “Be healed, ye leprous man! Have sight, ye blind beggar!” Jesus got up close and personal with the people He intended to heal. He touched the leper and made him well (Mark 1:41). He put His hands over the eyes of a blind man and gave him sight (Mark 8:25). He replaced the ear of a wounded servant who had come to arrest Him (Luke 22:51). Jesus used His hands, the hands of God, to recreate what had been damaged by sin.
These works are nothing, however, when compared to the ultimate work done by God’s hands on Calvary. Jesus, God in the flesh, used His hands to open up the floodgates of Heaven to a lost and broken world. He used His hands to remove the curse of sin and death from our lives. He used His hands to carry the full weight of God’s wrath. He used His hands to place the robe of His righteousness on us and surround us with His grace. He used His hands to fully restore man to a right relationship with God.
We are made glad through God’s works such as sunsets and pretty birds. But more importantly, we are triumphant in the works of His hands. We will triumph in the works of God’s hands (literally our bodies) because we will triumph in the works of God’s hands (Jesus’ crucifixion).
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Bullet proof vest.
Romans 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Is it to be assumed that though Jesus Christ Himself exclaimed on the cross of Calvary, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), there is still work for us to do? I hear a lot of people talk about the Christian life this way. I wonder to myself, where is the rest? Christ came to remove our burdens and take our suffering away (Matthew 11:28). He didn’t come to give us yet another laundry list of dos and don’ts in order to be right with Him.
When a soldier goes into or prepares for battle, there are certain things that he or she must wear. In today’s world some of those things could be a helmet, boots, and an armor plated vest. But I’ll ask you this: is it the soldier or the vest that he is wearing that stops the bullet? Which one does the work? The answer is the vest! If the soldier could stop the bullet, then why wear the vest? This is why we don’t see soldiers doing battle in three piece Armani suits!
If this is the case with modern warfare (and historical battle as well), why do we assume there would be a difference in the spiritual realm? We clothe ourselves with Christ, yet become consumed with doing the work of protecting our minds from sin on our own. It’s as if we’re saying that Christ is just a shell we wear but really has no stopping power. And that’s not true at all!
This verse isn’t calling the Christian to fight against the lusts of the flesh in his own strength. Instead, it is giving the Christian the answer to how to battle through the lusts of the flesh: Jesus Christ. We all struggle somehow in our lives with the lusts of the flesh, that is, the sinful desires of our minds. Alcohol, pornography, depression, anxiety, anger, and drug abuse are just some of the struggles that we all have or have had in the past. But we must come to the realization that there is nothing we can do to fight against these desires. That is why we must put on Christ.
The way I read this verse, putting on Jesus Christ is making no provision for the sinful desires of our minds. It isn’t telling us to put on Jesus and then work hard, focus, concentrate, and obsess with fighting against our sinful nature. That would be no different than telling a soldier to put on a bullet proof vest and then focus all of his attention on stopping the rounds being fired at him. Imagine what war would look like if that’s what all the soldiers were doing. They’d never accomplish any of the objectives of their mission because they’d be too focused on stopping bullets!
The same holds true in our Christian lives. When we put on Christ, but then spend the majority of our time attempting to do the work that He has, is, and will be doing for us, we lose focus on the objective of the mission: spreading the Gospel! We become sin conscious and self-aware and forget about the rest of the world out there that is waiting to hear about Christ.
Friends, the rest that Christ came to give us is from both the physical and the mental stress of having to fight our way through our sinful nature. It is by His blood and by His sacrifice that we have that rest. This is why we are told to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11). The armor is Christ Jesus, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and right standing with God Almighty. By clothing ourselves with Christ and reminding ourselves daily of our standing in Christ, that is, righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), we are protected from the sinful nature that was.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Is it to be assumed that though Jesus Christ Himself exclaimed on the cross of Calvary, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), there is still work for us to do? I hear a lot of people talk about the Christian life this way. I wonder to myself, where is the rest? Christ came to remove our burdens and take our suffering away (Matthew 11:28). He didn’t come to give us yet another laundry list of dos and don’ts in order to be right with Him.
When a soldier goes into or prepares for battle, there are certain things that he or she must wear. In today’s world some of those things could be a helmet, boots, and an armor plated vest. But I’ll ask you this: is it the soldier or the vest that he is wearing that stops the bullet? Which one does the work? The answer is the vest! If the soldier could stop the bullet, then why wear the vest? This is why we don’t see soldiers doing battle in three piece Armani suits!
If this is the case with modern warfare (and historical battle as well), why do we assume there would be a difference in the spiritual realm? We clothe ourselves with Christ, yet become consumed with doing the work of protecting our minds from sin on our own. It’s as if we’re saying that Christ is just a shell we wear but really has no stopping power. And that’s not true at all!
This verse isn’t calling the Christian to fight against the lusts of the flesh in his own strength. Instead, it is giving the Christian the answer to how to battle through the lusts of the flesh: Jesus Christ. We all struggle somehow in our lives with the lusts of the flesh, that is, the sinful desires of our minds. Alcohol, pornography, depression, anxiety, anger, and drug abuse are just some of the struggles that we all have or have had in the past. But we must come to the realization that there is nothing we can do to fight against these desires. That is why we must put on Christ.
The way I read this verse, putting on Jesus Christ is making no provision for the sinful desires of our minds. It isn’t telling us to put on Jesus and then work hard, focus, concentrate, and obsess with fighting against our sinful nature. That would be no different than telling a soldier to put on a bullet proof vest and then focus all of his attention on stopping the rounds being fired at him. Imagine what war would look like if that’s what all the soldiers were doing. They’d never accomplish any of the objectives of their mission because they’d be too focused on stopping bullets!
The same holds true in our Christian lives. When we put on Christ, but then spend the majority of our time attempting to do the work that He has, is, and will be doing for us, we lose focus on the objective of the mission: spreading the Gospel! We become sin conscious and self-aware and forget about the rest of the world out there that is waiting to hear about Christ.
Friends, the rest that Christ came to give us is from both the physical and the mental stress of having to fight our way through our sinful nature. It is by His blood and by His sacrifice that we have that rest. This is why we are told to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11). The armor is Christ Jesus, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and right standing with God Almighty. By clothing ourselves with Christ and reminding ourselves daily of our standing in Christ, that is, righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21), we are protected from the sinful nature that was.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Open doors.
Joshua 4:11
Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people.
I’m sure that at some time or another we’ve all had the opportunity to hold the door open for someone, somewhere. It happens to me a lot when I go out with my family. When we’re going into a restaurant, I like to go out ahead of my family and open the door for them (good husband and father moment here). After they have entered the building, I usually follow them in and close the door behind me. Occasionally I stay for an extra minute or two and hold the door a little longer for that couple running across the parking lot in the rain. Either way, I enter after everyone else and the door closes behind me.
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river it was the Ark of the Covenant, an Old Testament representation of the future human manifestation of Jesus Christ, that went into the river first. The river was overflowing at the time. The Bible tells us that the Jordan River always overflows its banks during the entire time of the harvest (Joshua 3:15). This was no small stream or brook; it was a raging river. As soon as the priests bearing the Ark touched the water, however, God stopped the flow. He pushed back the waters of the river all the way back to a city called Adam (Joshua 3:16), and created a safe place for His children to cross. God’s people were able to cross on dry land.
Those priests stood, with the Ark, in the middle of the river bed until all of Israel had made it safely to the other side. When everyone had crossed, when all they had to do was complete, the priests were finally allowed to step out from the river bed. As soon as their feet touched the shore, the river rushed back into place, once again overflowing its banks and cutting off access to the other side.
Are there raging rivers blocking you in your life, career, family, or finances? Does it seem to be that there is no hope for getting across? Well here’s the Good News: Jesus has already gone in the water for you. He is the Ark, the priests, and God all wrapped up in one. He has prepared the way and promised to come back for you (John 14:2-3). Just like in the story of Israel crossing the Jordan, Jesus has pushed back the torrent of sin, fear, stress, unfruitfulness, and holy separation all the way to Adam, the man. He has righteously and completely restored us to a pre-sin status with God the Father. He has returned us to Eden; He has brought us to the promised land!
There is no one who can close the door (Revelation 3:8). He has gone ahead and prepared the way. He has fought the battle against Satan and won the war. He has conquered sin and death, sickness and disease, and heartache and sorrow so that we can have perfect peace with Him.
Jesus has gone ahead of us; He’s opened the door and is waiting for us to enter. He has seen to it that the rage of the world is held back by His hands in order that we may safely enter His rest. What a blessing that Jesus isn’t going to allow the door to slam shut just before we get there. He’s holding it open and waiting, for you, me, the couple running in, and anyone else desiring to enter. He’s waiting for all of His family to come in and eat at the banquet table of the King!
Then it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over, that the ark of the LORD and the priests crossed over in the presence of the people.
I’m sure that at some time or another we’ve all had the opportunity to hold the door open for someone, somewhere. It happens to me a lot when I go out with my family. When we’re going into a restaurant, I like to go out ahead of my family and open the door for them (good husband and father moment here). After they have entered the building, I usually follow them in and close the door behind me. Occasionally I stay for an extra minute or two and hold the door a little longer for that couple running across the parking lot in the rain. Either way, I enter after everyone else and the door closes behind me.
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river it was the Ark of the Covenant, an Old Testament representation of the future human manifestation of Jesus Christ, that went into the river first. The river was overflowing at the time. The Bible tells us that the Jordan River always overflows its banks during the entire time of the harvest (Joshua 3:15). This was no small stream or brook; it was a raging river. As soon as the priests bearing the Ark touched the water, however, God stopped the flow. He pushed back the waters of the river all the way back to a city called Adam (Joshua 3:16), and created a safe place for His children to cross. God’s people were able to cross on dry land.
Those priests stood, with the Ark, in the middle of the river bed until all of Israel had made it safely to the other side. When everyone had crossed, when all they had to do was complete, the priests were finally allowed to step out from the river bed. As soon as their feet touched the shore, the river rushed back into place, once again overflowing its banks and cutting off access to the other side.
Are there raging rivers blocking you in your life, career, family, or finances? Does it seem to be that there is no hope for getting across? Well here’s the Good News: Jesus has already gone in the water for you. He is the Ark, the priests, and God all wrapped up in one. He has prepared the way and promised to come back for you (John 14:2-3). Just like in the story of Israel crossing the Jordan, Jesus has pushed back the torrent of sin, fear, stress, unfruitfulness, and holy separation all the way to Adam, the man. He has righteously and completely restored us to a pre-sin status with God the Father. He has returned us to Eden; He has brought us to the promised land!
There is no one who can close the door (Revelation 3:8). He has gone ahead and prepared the way. He has fought the battle against Satan and won the war. He has conquered sin and death, sickness and disease, and heartache and sorrow so that we can have perfect peace with Him.
Jesus has gone ahead of us; He’s opened the door and is waiting for us to enter. He has seen to it that the rage of the world is held back by His hands in order that we may safely enter His rest. What a blessing that Jesus isn’t going to allow the door to slam shut just before we get there. He’s holding it open and waiting, for you, me, the couple running in, and anyone else desiring to enter. He’s waiting for all of His family to come in and eat at the banquet table of the King!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
What a Friend.
Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
You don’t have to say to much to someone to really make or break their day. A good word, a thank you, or a compliment can really change the course of a person’s day, even their life. On the other hand, a negative word or a criticism can be devastating and, in some cases, deadly. This is why I find the need to search the scriptures daily for the Good Word of God, that is, Jesus Christ.
Sometimes I’m able to find a symbol of Christ hidden in a passage of scripture like in the case of Noah’s Ark or the sacrificial offerings of the Old Testament. But more often than not, I find that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit inspired writings of the Bible, likes to just straight up tell us things. This is what makes reading the Bible fun. It’s not about looking for rules and regulations, fix-it programs, or a how-to guide to Christian living, but rather finding out what our friend, Jesus, has to say.
Jesus is all about grace and glory. He’s all about forgiveness, healing, and blessing. He’s not condemnation. He is altogether lovely. He is the perfect friend. When you’re down and out, Jesus has an encouraging word (John 5:7-8). When you screwed up your life, Jesus has forgiveness (John 8:11). When you don’t have enough, Jesus has an abundance (John 6:11). When you betray Him, Jesus calls specifically for you (Mark 16:7)! That’s the Prince of peace, the King of kings; that’s my Jesus!
When Jesus went to the cross He made a willful decision to trade all of His riches, glory, and honor for our sin, corruption, and heartache. He became our sin so that we could become His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Since we have become righteous because of Him, God the Father sees us as perfect, blameless, and upright (complete)! When God looks at us He sees Jesus’ sacrifice, perfection, and righteousness (1 John 4:17). Knowledge of this gives us the hope (a confident expectation of good and eternal salvation) to inherit all of the promises of God.
Today, I have the confidence to declare to you who are in Christ that, according to His word, no good thing will be withheld from you. That’s awesome news! Think about all of the good things that are out there in this world. Prosperity, security, life, and health are just the tip of the iceberg. Friends, the Lord God who is righteous and holy has made you righteous and holy through the once and for all sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Through Him [Jesus] we are made complete; we are those who walk uprightly!
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
You don’t have to say to much to someone to really make or break their day. A good word, a thank you, or a compliment can really change the course of a person’s day, even their life. On the other hand, a negative word or a criticism can be devastating and, in some cases, deadly. This is why I find the need to search the scriptures daily for the Good Word of God, that is, Jesus Christ.
Sometimes I’m able to find a symbol of Christ hidden in a passage of scripture like in the case of Noah’s Ark or the sacrificial offerings of the Old Testament. But more often than not, I find that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit inspired writings of the Bible, likes to just straight up tell us things. This is what makes reading the Bible fun. It’s not about looking for rules and regulations, fix-it programs, or a how-to guide to Christian living, but rather finding out what our friend, Jesus, has to say.
Jesus is all about grace and glory. He’s all about forgiveness, healing, and blessing. He’s not condemnation. He is altogether lovely. He is the perfect friend. When you’re down and out, Jesus has an encouraging word (John 5:7-8). When you screwed up your life, Jesus has forgiveness (John 8:11). When you don’t have enough, Jesus has an abundance (John 6:11). When you betray Him, Jesus calls specifically for you (Mark 16:7)! That’s the Prince of peace, the King of kings; that’s my Jesus!
When Jesus went to the cross He made a willful decision to trade all of His riches, glory, and honor for our sin, corruption, and heartache. He became our sin so that we could become His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Since we have become righteous because of Him, God the Father sees us as perfect, blameless, and upright (complete)! When God looks at us He sees Jesus’ sacrifice, perfection, and righteousness (1 John 4:17). Knowledge of this gives us the hope (a confident expectation of good and eternal salvation) to inherit all of the promises of God.
Today, I have the confidence to declare to you who are in Christ that, according to His word, no good thing will be withheld from you. That’s awesome news! Think about all of the good things that are out there in this world. Prosperity, security, life, and health are just the tip of the iceberg. Friends, the Lord God who is righteous and holy has made you righteous and holy through the once and for all sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Through Him [Jesus] we are made complete; we are those who walk uprightly!
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