Matthew 7:1-2
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
“Do not judge!” How many times have you heard that? Not only have I heard that quote, I’ve used that quote. Those three words are Jesus’ words and I would guess that they are used by non-Christians more than by Christians. Why do you suppose that is?
Well, here’s the way I see it. Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people who lived under Law. Everything they did was based on a judgemental system. If you could uphold the law, you were judged to be a good person. If, however, you could not uphold the law, you were judged to be unrighteous. This system of judgement revolved around what you did and how well you did it. It was a system without grace.
Today, Christianity commonly interprets this scripture to mean this: avoid being judgemental, but still judge, that is, have an opinion of others. The idea is that there is a disconnect between judging the person and judging the actions of the person. I don’t think there is. If you judge my actions, you are judging me at the same time. If I’m sinning (according to your standard), then I’m a sinner (according to your standard). Your opinion of me is based on your judgement of my ability or inability to maintain your standards or God’s standards.
Jesus knew full well that we would judge others. This is why He stated the absolute “DO NOT JUDGE” command and immediately followed it up with the “If you judge” provision. It’s not our right to judge others; it’s our choice. If you look at unwed couples, homosexual couples, drug addicts, murderers, and thieves and judge them based on their actions, you’ll be judged based on your actions as well. Ever sinned? This could be a bad path for you to go down! But if you judge according to Jesus, who became their sacrifice at the cross, then you’ll be judged the same way. You’ll be judged according to Jesus’ finished work on the cross!
We can’t ignore the fact that the words of Jesus are true and final. If you judge, you’ll be judged with the standard by which you judged. So, that being the case, I’m choosing to judge everyone according to Jesus. Did Jesus die for the sins of all? Yes. Did Jesus bear the punishment for the sins of all? Yes. Since Jesus paid their price just like He paid my price then I will judge them according to how I wish to be judged: by the Blood of Christ.
God views you, Christian, through stained glass; it’s been tinted with the blood of Jesus. He views everything with a rose red filter. If He, who is the Perfect Creator, is judging me based on the finished work of His perfect Son, Christ, then I should be doing the same. I should be judging myself and others according to the finished work of Christ. If it were possible, we would not judge at all. That’s impossible, so instead we have a choice. That choice is this: judge based on your standards or judge based on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Just remember your standards will be used against you. His standard will be used in your favor!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Thy will be done!
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
This is part of what is typically referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”. It was the model prayer that Jesus gave to the multitude as He preached His sermon on the mount. This short little verse is commonly used to punctuate a sermon or lecture about obedience. I think there is more to it than that.
The common thought is that we are to do God’s will as it is done in heaven: immediately and without question. After all, this is how the angels operate. They have no choice; what God says is done. While I believe there is a hint of truth in this type of thinking, I believe there is more to praying “Thy will be done” than just a lesson about obedience.
When Jesus walked the earth some two thousand years ago, He did the will of the Father every day. Jesus loved others. He fed them when they were hungry (Matthew 14:13-21); He healed them when they were sick (Mark 1:40-41); He protected them when they were in danger (Mark 4:35-40); He saved them from death (John 8:2-11). Jesus did all of these things to fulfill the will of the Father, which is that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9).
What I’m getting at here is when we pray words like “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” we need to think beyond the “Sir, yes sir” attitude that so many believers have. God is not a drill instructor in the Marine Corps! He is a Servant King, a Sacrificial Lamb, an Atoning Sacrifice. God is your Provider, Protector, your ever present help in time of need (Psalms 46:1)!
God’s will is health, wholeness, happiness, safety, prosperity, and life! Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). So when we pray, let’s trust God for it. When we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done...” let’s trust God for His will, not just as obedient soldiers, but as receptive children. When you’re praying for a job, pray with the confidence that God is providing one. Remember, it’s His will to give you life. When you’re praying for a healing, pray with the confidence that God is already providing one for you. It’s His will to give you life!
Praying for the will of God to be done in your life isn’t a question, it’s a bold statement. You know what the will of God is: life. Pray for it to be done; pray for His kingdom to come. Pray for heaven and all of its blessings, which include, but aren’t limited to, health, wealth, and happiness, to come to you now. Pray that on earth you will receive just as it is in heaven!
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
This is part of what is typically referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”. It was the model prayer that Jesus gave to the multitude as He preached His sermon on the mount. This short little verse is commonly used to punctuate a sermon or lecture about obedience. I think there is more to it than that.
The common thought is that we are to do God’s will as it is done in heaven: immediately and without question. After all, this is how the angels operate. They have no choice; what God says is done. While I believe there is a hint of truth in this type of thinking, I believe there is more to praying “Thy will be done” than just a lesson about obedience.
When Jesus walked the earth some two thousand years ago, He did the will of the Father every day. Jesus loved others. He fed them when they were hungry (Matthew 14:13-21); He healed them when they were sick (Mark 1:40-41); He protected them when they were in danger (Mark 4:35-40); He saved them from death (John 8:2-11). Jesus did all of these things to fulfill the will of the Father, which is that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9).
What I’m getting at here is when we pray words like “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” we need to think beyond the “Sir, yes sir” attitude that so many believers have. God is not a drill instructor in the Marine Corps! He is a Servant King, a Sacrificial Lamb, an Atoning Sacrifice. God is your Provider, Protector, your ever present help in time of need (Psalms 46:1)!
God’s will is health, wholeness, happiness, safety, prosperity, and life! Jesus came that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). So when we pray, let’s trust God for it. When we pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done...” let’s trust God for His will, not just as obedient soldiers, but as receptive children. When you’re praying for a job, pray with the confidence that God is providing one. Remember, it’s His will to give you life. When you’re praying for a healing, pray with the confidence that God is already providing one for you. It’s His will to give you life!
Praying for the will of God to be done in your life isn’t a question, it’s a bold statement. You know what the will of God is: life. Pray for it to be done; pray for His kingdom to come. Pray for heaven and all of its blessings, which include, but aren’t limited to, health, wealth, and happiness, to come to you now. Pray that on earth you will receive just as it is in heaven!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Acceptable
Genesis 4:2
... and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Until this morning, I always wondered to myself, “What was wrong with Cain’s offering?”. Cain tilled the ground; he grew produce, and brought a portion of it to the Lord as a sacrifice. How was that any different from what Abel did? How is that any different from what we do today?
Even though the Bible doesn’t say how much Cain brought to the Lord, we always assume, in our interpretation, that it wasn’t enough, or else it wasn’t the firstfruits of his crop. The truth, however, is that God’s rejection of Cain’s offering had absolutely nothing to do with the amount or quality that he brought; God’s rejection had nothing to do with Cain. God’s rejection of the offering and the offerer had everything to do with where the offering came from.
When the fall occurred, that is, when man sinned, God cursed the ground (Genesis 3:17). Cain could have brought his entire harvest to the Lord and He still would have found fault with it because it was borne out of a curse. Abel’s offering, however, involved the shedding of blood. In that, there is the remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22).
This is why Isaiah tells us that all of our righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). Our inability to fulfill the holy requirements of God’s perfect law makes it impossible for us to bring a sacrifice He can accept. Our lack of perfection in living into God’s standards brings about the curse in our lives (Deuteronomy 28). That being the case, anything we bring to God is brought out of a curse. This puts our “offerings” in the same arena as Cain’s: unacceptable.
There is Good News, though! Jesus became our curse when He died at Calvary. He bore our iniquities, our infirmities, and all of our unrighteousness in His perfect body. Since He redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13), our offerings are no longer borne of curses and are therefore acceptable, by His blood, to God.
We are no longer tillers of the ground, that is to say, workers in what God has cursed. We are now joint heirs to the throne of Heaven (Romans 8:17). Everything that we bring to God, whether a monetary gift, a worship gift, or a sacrificial gift, is accepted, not because of our work, but by the finished work of Christ. It is Jesus who sits at the right hand of God, living to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). He marks all of our gifts and offerings with His perfection and makes everything we bring to God holy and acceptable.
Friends, don’t be worried that your offering isn’t going to be accepted by God. Don’t be misled by fear and Lawyers (those who teach the Law) that you’re not bringing an acceptable sacrifice to God. Those who are in Christ have brought the ultimate sacrifice to God: His Son. When we remind God that our faith for redemption rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ we are accepted. Furthermore, it is Jesus Himself who takes everything we bring, erases the imperfections, and presents it to God, perfect by Him from us!
... and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Until this morning, I always wondered to myself, “What was wrong with Cain’s offering?”. Cain tilled the ground; he grew produce, and brought a portion of it to the Lord as a sacrifice. How was that any different from what Abel did? How is that any different from what we do today?
Even though the Bible doesn’t say how much Cain brought to the Lord, we always assume, in our interpretation, that it wasn’t enough, or else it wasn’t the firstfruits of his crop. The truth, however, is that God’s rejection of Cain’s offering had absolutely nothing to do with the amount or quality that he brought; God’s rejection had nothing to do with Cain. God’s rejection of the offering and the offerer had everything to do with where the offering came from.
When the fall occurred, that is, when man sinned, God cursed the ground (Genesis 3:17). Cain could have brought his entire harvest to the Lord and He still would have found fault with it because it was borne out of a curse. Abel’s offering, however, involved the shedding of blood. In that, there is the remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22).
This is why Isaiah tells us that all of our righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). Our inability to fulfill the holy requirements of God’s perfect law makes it impossible for us to bring a sacrifice He can accept. Our lack of perfection in living into God’s standards brings about the curse in our lives (Deuteronomy 28). That being the case, anything we bring to God is brought out of a curse. This puts our “offerings” in the same arena as Cain’s: unacceptable.
There is Good News, though! Jesus became our curse when He died at Calvary. He bore our iniquities, our infirmities, and all of our unrighteousness in His perfect body. Since He redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13), our offerings are no longer borne of curses and are therefore acceptable, by His blood, to God.
We are no longer tillers of the ground, that is to say, workers in what God has cursed. We are now joint heirs to the throne of Heaven (Romans 8:17). Everything that we bring to God, whether a monetary gift, a worship gift, or a sacrificial gift, is accepted, not because of our work, but by the finished work of Christ. It is Jesus who sits at the right hand of God, living to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). He marks all of our gifts and offerings with His perfection and makes everything we bring to God holy and acceptable.
Friends, don’t be worried that your offering isn’t going to be accepted by God. Don’t be misled by fear and Lawyers (those who teach the Law) that you’re not bringing an acceptable sacrifice to God. Those who are in Christ have brought the ultimate sacrifice to God: His Son. When we remind God that our faith for redemption rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ we are accepted. Furthermore, it is Jesus Himself who takes everything we bring, erases the imperfections, and presents it to God, perfect by Him from us!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Favor shields
Psalm 5:12
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Until you know you’re righteous, verses like this one are meaningless. If you are struggling with understanding what it truly means to be righteous, then you certainly can’t fathom what it means to be shielded by the favor, the grace, of God. So let’s establish your righteousness!
Being righteous does not depend on you. Though there are certain things that you can do to appear righteous before man, nothing you do can make you righteous in the eyes of God. This is a true statement: doing righteous things does not make your righteous. Rather, being righteous will cause you to do righteous things.
Since none of our works are even close to righteous (Isaiah 64:6), how do we become righteous? The answer: we don’t. Jesus, through His death on the cross, has made us righteous. It is not by our works or deeds, but by His works and deeds that we are righteous. Since His work is finished, our righteousness is secure. Just as there is nothing that you can do to earn righteousness, there is nothing you can do to make yourself unrighteous.
This is where we lack in understanding, and this is why verses that proclaim freedom and favor for the righteous aren’t made manifest in the lives of believers. Your unrighteous acts don’t make you unrighteous! Righteousness is a gift (Romans 5:17). God does not take back the gifts that He gives. When God gave you the gift of His righteousness it became a permanent part of who you are. Forever and ever when God looks at you He sees righteousness: not yours, but His. This means that you are always acceptable to Him.
If you don’t believe me, check with Abraham. Abraham lied, but God saw him as righteous by faith. Because God saw Abraham as righteous He caused Abimelech to bless him. This is an example of the favor of God acting as a shield. God didn’t see the lie that Abraham told; Abraham was in a favor shield.
The truth today is this: you’re going to make mistakes and occasionally act in an unrighteous manner, but that can’t change your standing in Christ with God. Because Christ has made you righteous, God will continue to see you as righteous even when you do unrighteous things. If your inheritance of grace and favor depended on your ability to maintain your own righteousness then there would have never been a need for Jesus to go to the cross. Since your righteousness is secure in Christ your continued blessing under grace is secure as well.
Now this scripture can really sink in! God will bless the righteous and shield him with favor! You are righteous because Christ has made you that way (2 Corinthians 5:21). What God has joined together no man can separate! He has joined you, by the cross, to the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. You are now protected by His grace, and blessed according to His perfection. Now you are righteous. Because you are righteous you are blessed, loved, and highly favored. Even your unrighteous acts can’t get in the way of that! It’s God’s grace that protects you even from yourself!
Until you know you’re righteous, verses like this one are meaningless. If you are struggling with understanding what it truly means to be righteous, then you certainly can’t fathom what it means to be shielded by the favor, the grace, of God. So let’s establish your righteousness!
Being righteous does not depend on you. Though there are certain things that you can do to appear righteous before man, nothing you do can make you righteous in the eyes of God. This is a true statement: doing righteous things does not make your righteous. Rather, being righteous will cause you to do righteous things.
Since none of our works are even close to righteous (Isaiah 64:6), how do we become righteous? The answer: we don’t. Jesus, through His death on the cross, has made us righteous. It is not by our works or deeds, but by His works and deeds that we are righteous. Since His work is finished, our righteousness is secure. Just as there is nothing that you can do to earn righteousness, there is nothing you can do to make yourself unrighteous.
This is where we lack in understanding, and this is why verses that proclaim freedom and favor for the righteous aren’t made manifest in the lives of believers. Your unrighteous acts don’t make you unrighteous! Righteousness is a gift (Romans 5:17). God does not take back the gifts that He gives. When God gave you the gift of His righteousness it became a permanent part of who you are. Forever and ever when God looks at you He sees righteousness: not yours, but His. This means that you are always acceptable to Him.
If you don’t believe me, check with Abraham. Abraham lied, but God saw him as righteous by faith. Because God saw Abraham as righteous He caused Abimelech to bless him. This is an example of the favor of God acting as a shield. God didn’t see the lie that Abraham told; Abraham was in a favor shield.
The truth today is this: you’re going to make mistakes and occasionally act in an unrighteous manner, but that can’t change your standing in Christ with God. Because Christ has made you righteous, God will continue to see you as righteous even when you do unrighteous things. If your inheritance of grace and favor depended on your ability to maintain your own righteousness then there would have never been a need for Jesus to go to the cross. Since your righteousness is secure in Christ your continued blessing under grace is secure as well.
Now this scripture can really sink in! God will bless the righteous and shield him with favor! You are righteous because Christ has made you that way (2 Corinthians 5:21). What God has joined together no man can separate! He has joined you, by the cross, to the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. You are now protected by His grace, and blessed according to His perfection. Now you are righteous. Because you are righteous you are blessed, loved, and highly favored. Even your unrighteous acts can’t get in the way of that! It’s God’s grace that protects you even from yourself!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Serve or be served?
Luke 10:41
But the Lord replied to her by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;”
I’m tired of hearing sermons that have three points, four basics, or five solutions to effective parenting, relationships, or plain old Christian living. God gave Ten Commandments and we couldn’t live up to that standard. Yet, somewhere along the way, we decided to add to those Ten Commandments our own additional commandments. No, we don’t call them commandments; we call them principles or basic truths, but they are essentially commandments.
Look at the story of Martha and Mary. Both of these women were obviously believers in Jesus. Both were what we, today, would call Christians. They knew Christ; they knew His works. We are the same. Yet, one was focused on working for Jesus while the other was focused on Jesus working for her.
Perhaps this sounds a little backwards, but as Christians, we are to allow Jesus to work for us. He’s our Servant King. Mary wasn’t placing herself in a greater position than Christ by sitting at His feet and taking from Him. No, in truth, she was exalting Him by recognizing her need for His presence in her life. The more He gave her from His wisdom and His knowledge, the stronger she became.
Martha, on the other hand, was a hard-working Christian. She believed that it was her duty to serve Christ, even though He came to serve her (Matthew 20:28). Instead of simply receiving what Jesus came to give her, His abundance, she felt the need to give Him something to earn His favor. She was going through the steps of Christian living like so many do today instead of choosing the One Good Thing: Christ.
While Mary sat and received blessings from Christ, Martha served. When Martha saw Mary receiving and not serving, she was mad. But Jesus, being gracious even in His rebuke, named Martha’s problem. It wasn’t that she was mad at Mary for not helping. Martha was anxious and troubled; she hadn’t yet realized that Jesus was there to take her burdens away.
Christian, if you are anxious and troubled about many things, know that Jesus doesn’t want you working to please Him; He doesn’t want you working to fix what He’s already restored. Furthermore, He knows that it is your anxiety and worry that is the root of many other relationship or family issues. Those five steps to a peaceful relationship, the three rules for successful parenting, are fuel for your troubles.
Today, TAKE the One Good Thing. Rest at the feet of Jesus and receive His blessings. Allow Him to fix what you can’t. Let the anxiety and the trouble of trying to live right, trying to be good, trying to do what is acceptable go to the cross. The Son of man came so that you can have life in abundance, not so that you can worry about how you’re going to earn life in abundance. When His grace takes hold of your life your worries will disappear. The relationships will be effortlessly restored and you will have the Peace that surpasses all understanding.
But the Lord replied to her by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;”
I’m tired of hearing sermons that have three points, four basics, or five solutions to effective parenting, relationships, or plain old Christian living. God gave Ten Commandments and we couldn’t live up to that standard. Yet, somewhere along the way, we decided to add to those Ten Commandments our own additional commandments. No, we don’t call them commandments; we call them principles or basic truths, but they are essentially commandments.
Look at the story of Martha and Mary. Both of these women were obviously believers in Jesus. Both were what we, today, would call Christians. They knew Christ; they knew His works. We are the same. Yet, one was focused on working for Jesus while the other was focused on Jesus working for her.
Perhaps this sounds a little backwards, but as Christians, we are to allow Jesus to work for us. He’s our Servant King. Mary wasn’t placing herself in a greater position than Christ by sitting at His feet and taking from Him. No, in truth, she was exalting Him by recognizing her need for His presence in her life. The more He gave her from His wisdom and His knowledge, the stronger she became.
Martha, on the other hand, was a hard-working Christian. She believed that it was her duty to serve Christ, even though He came to serve her (Matthew 20:28). Instead of simply receiving what Jesus came to give her, His abundance, she felt the need to give Him something to earn His favor. She was going through the steps of Christian living like so many do today instead of choosing the One Good Thing: Christ.
While Mary sat and received blessings from Christ, Martha served. When Martha saw Mary receiving and not serving, she was mad. But Jesus, being gracious even in His rebuke, named Martha’s problem. It wasn’t that she was mad at Mary for not helping. Martha was anxious and troubled; she hadn’t yet realized that Jesus was there to take her burdens away.
Christian, if you are anxious and troubled about many things, know that Jesus doesn’t want you working to please Him; He doesn’t want you working to fix what He’s already restored. Furthermore, He knows that it is your anxiety and worry that is the root of many other relationship or family issues. Those five steps to a peaceful relationship, the three rules for successful parenting, are fuel for your troubles.
Today, TAKE the One Good Thing. Rest at the feet of Jesus and receive His blessings. Allow Him to fix what you can’t. Let the anxiety and the trouble of trying to live right, trying to be good, trying to do what is acceptable go to the cross. The Son of man came so that you can have life in abundance, not so that you can worry about how you’re going to earn life in abundance. When His grace takes hold of your life your worries will disappear. The relationships will be effortlessly restored and you will have the Peace that surpasses all understanding.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Peter was not a coward!
John 18:10
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
Jesus celebrated His last supper with His disciples just hours before He was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane. Earlier that evening, at the supper table, Peter boldly proclaimed, “Lord...I will lay down my life for you!” (John 18:37). But just hours later, Peter was found with the mob around the city cursing and denying Jesus.
I think Peter gets a bad name from his triple denial of Jesus. The lesson is all too often taught that he was a prideful and boastful man who was confident in his own abilities and that’s why he failed when push came to shove. But I read it a little differently. I don’t see Peter as boastful and prideful; I see Peter as confident and secure.
Why is it that we assume it was Peter’s arrogance that caused him to betray Christ? Our understanding of the scripture is this: pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Could it have been something else that weakened Peter’s resolve to die for, or even with, his Lord? I think it was. I think it was something that we all have dealt with in the past, but will NEVER have to deal with again in the future: separation from Christ.
When Peter made his bold proclamation at the last supper, he was in the presence of Jesus. He knew the power of Christ firsthand, and that power made him bold. He’d seen Him heal and save the lives of others, and he believed that He could do the same for him. Peter was a big, strong man; he was a man of action. At the Last Supper, Peter was stepping up and giving his version of “Over my dead body!”
How do I know that Peter was a man of action? When the garrison came to arrest Christ, Peter drew his sword. He fought and he battled as he said he would for his Lord, his Christ. Peter was bold, courageous, and resolute in his convictions to fight and die for Jesus. It wasn’t until Jesus ordered Peter to stop fighting that he gave up the battle (John 18:11). Peter was determined to follow Christ to the cross, but that wasn’t his place; that wasn’t God’s will. Only Jesus could do the salvation work that was about to unfold. Christ stopped Peter from fighting and dying.
When Peter was separated from Christ, however, he lost his courage. This man, who knew the works, and who saw the miracles of Jesus, when separated from the Source of his courage, became a weakened traitor. Why? Certainly not so that two thousand years later we can bad mouth him as a cocky, arrogant coward. No, so that we can learn the simplest of lessons: apart from Christ, we are weak, but with Him we are strong (John 15:5)!
Peter, though he walked side by side with the physical Jesus, was not as blessed as we are today. Peter walked and talked with the pre-crucifixion Christ. When Peter was separated from Christ, he lost the supply of power and confidence that Christ gave him. We are never separated from Christ; He is with us always. Jesus never has to go to the cross again; His sacrifice was once for all! His courage, His strength, His health, His supply: never gone. We can, like Peter, boldly proclaim things in our lives that, apart from Christ, we would not be capable of accomplishing.
Today, through faith in the finished work of Christ, boldly proclaim your victory in Christ over sickness, debt, and loneliness. Boldly stand in Him, because He is always with you. Conquer, just as Peter boldly conquered when he stood with Christ. You are blessed more than Peter; you are not just with Christ; you are in Christ!
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
Jesus celebrated His last supper with His disciples just hours before He was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane. Earlier that evening, at the supper table, Peter boldly proclaimed, “Lord...I will lay down my life for you!” (John 18:37). But just hours later, Peter was found with the mob around the city cursing and denying Jesus.
I think Peter gets a bad name from his triple denial of Jesus. The lesson is all too often taught that he was a prideful and boastful man who was confident in his own abilities and that’s why he failed when push came to shove. But I read it a little differently. I don’t see Peter as boastful and prideful; I see Peter as confident and secure.
Why is it that we assume it was Peter’s arrogance that caused him to betray Christ? Our understanding of the scripture is this: pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Could it have been something else that weakened Peter’s resolve to die for, or even with, his Lord? I think it was. I think it was something that we all have dealt with in the past, but will NEVER have to deal with again in the future: separation from Christ.
When Peter made his bold proclamation at the last supper, he was in the presence of Jesus. He knew the power of Christ firsthand, and that power made him bold. He’d seen Him heal and save the lives of others, and he believed that He could do the same for him. Peter was a big, strong man; he was a man of action. At the Last Supper, Peter was stepping up and giving his version of “Over my dead body!”
How do I know that Peter was a man of action? When the garrison came to arrest Christ, Peter drew his sword. He fought and he battled as he said he would for his Lord, his Christ. Peter was bold, courageous, and resolute in his convictions to fight and die for Jesus. It wasn’t until Jesus ordered Peter to stop fighting that he gave up the battle (John 18:11). Peter was determined to follow Christ to the cross, but that wasn’t his place; that wasn’t God’s will. Only Jesus could do the salvation work that was about to unfold. Christ stopped Peter from fighting and dying.
When Peter was separated from Christ, however, he lost his courage. This man, who knew the works, and who saw the miracles of Jesus, when separated from the Source of his courage, became a weakened traitor. Why? Certainly not so that two thousand years later we can bad mouth him as a cocky, arrogant coward. No, so that we can learn the simplest of lessons: apart from Christ, we are weak, but with Him we are strong (John 15:5)!
Peter, though he walked side by side with the physical Jesus, was not as blessed as we are today. Peter walked and talked with the pre-crucifixion Christ. When Peter was separated from Christ, he lost the supply of power and confidence that Christ gave him. We are never separated from Christ; He is with us always. Jesus never has to go to the cross again; His sacrifice was once for all! His courage, His strength, His health, His supply: never gone. We can, like Peter, boldly proclaim things in our lives that, apart from Christ, we would not be capable of accomplishing.
Today, through faith in the finished work of Christ, boldly proclaim your victory in Christ over sickness, debt, and loneliness. Boldly stand in Him, because He is always with you. Conquer, just as Peter boldly conquered when he stood with Christ. You are blessed more than Peter; you are not just with Christ; you are in Christ!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
...yet it did not fall!
Matthew 7:25
And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Here’s a common Christian misconception: bad things are going to happen to me because that’s what happens in the world. It’s all too easy to get into this mindset. We see things happening all around us every day. The economy is down; there are wars and natural disasters killing and harming people all over the world; and let’s not forget about the ever increasing popularity of crime! With all of this happening, is it any wonder why Christians believe it’s going to happen to them too?
Sometimes, it seems to me, that we take this scripture and apply it the same way we apply Romans 8:28 to our lives. When bad things happen to me, when my world falls apart, God will cause it to work for good. And, because I have built my house on the Rock, at least my soul is secure. But, a look at the verse shows that the man who built his house on the rock did not lose his house. This is where we need to reevaluate our faith.
God never says that bad things aren’t going to happen in the world, but He does promise protection for us from them. Do we believe Him for that? While this man was in his house with the wind and the rain and the storms outside, he was secure. His house was built on the Rock and nothing, not a single part of the storm’s fierceness, could get in to him or take his house away. He could hear it; he could see it. But it couldn’t touch him, unless of course he went out of his house into the storm.
The Devil knows that he can’t get you in your house, that is, into your faith, built on the Rock, the confession that Jesus is your personal Savior. He has been disarmed (Colossians 2:15). He has no authority where you are: in Christ. But, if he can roar like a lion (1 Peter 5:8) and get your attention and tempt you to come out of your house, to lose faith in the promises of God, then he can get at you. If he can manipulate your opinion of God, then he is able to cause you harm.
This is why Jesus repeatedly made statements like, “Don’t worry” and “Fear not”. God wants us resting in our house of faith, surrounded by His blessings, firmly established on the confession of the finished work of His Son, Jesus. And when the wind, rain, storms, and troubles come, they will have no power to take what God has given: grace, unmerited favor. Jesus said it Himself, “...be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).
And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Here’s a common Christian misconception: bad things are going to happen to me because that’s what happens in the world. It’s all too easy to get into this mindset. We see things happening all around us every day. The economy is down; there are wars and natural disasters killing and harming people all over the world; and let’s not forget about the ever increasing popularity of crime! With all of this happening, is it any wonder why Christians believe it’s going to happen to them too?
Sometimes, it seems to me, that we take this scripture and apply it the same way we apply Romans 8:28 to our lives. When bad things happen to me, when my world falls apart, God will cause it to work for good. And, because I have built my house on the Rock, at least my soul is secure. But, a look at the verse shows that the man who built his house on the rock did not lose his house. This is where we need to reevaluate our faith.
God never says that bad things aren’t going to happen in the world, but He does promise protection for us from them. Do we believe Him for that? While this man was in his house with the wind and the rain and the storms outside, he was secure. His house was built on the Rock and nothing, not a single part of the storm’s fierceness, could get in to him or take his house away. He could hear it; he could see it. But it couldn’t touch him, unless of course he went out of his house into the storm.
The Devil knows that he can’t get you in your house, that is, into your faith, built on the Rock, the confession that Jesus is your personal Savior. He has been disarmed (Colossians 2:15). He has no authority where you are: in Christ. But, if he can roar like a lion (1 Peter 5:8) and get your attention and tempt you to come out of your house, to lose faith in the promises of God, then he can get at you. If he can manipulate your opinion of God, then he is able to cause you harm.
This is why Jesus repeatedly made statements like, “Don’t worry” and “Fear not”. God wants us resting in our house of faith, surrounded by His blessings, firmly established on the confession of the finished work of His Son, Jesus. And when the wind, rain, storms, and troubles come, they will have no power to take what God has given: grace, unmerited favor. Jesus said it Himself, “...be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).
Friday, April 13, 2012
Twig and berries
Genesis 9:23
So Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it upon the shoulders of both, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
I’m sure we’ve all heard about the Bible and how it’s full of stories of sinners. I’m sure we’ve all heard, “Noah was a drunk!” But was Noah really a drunk? The Bible accounts for one time that Noah drank too much. This, to me, does not make him a drunk; it made him drunk. Maybe we could correctly say, “Noah got drunk, once.”
This short story, however, isn’t about Noah’s drunkenness, what we imply to be his “big sin”. It’s not about Ham disgracing his father, though he did. And, it’s not about Shem and Japheth, though they appear to be the heroes. Nope, this short story is about the garment and how it covers the nakedness.
It wasn’t until the fall in the Garden that man was made aware of his nakedness. Nakedness, in the Bible, is not just a picture of people walking around with no clothes. Nakedness is also a metaphor for unrighteousness. Stories in the Bible of nakedness are both literal and metaphorical.
Likewise, the garment, while a literal article of clothing, is also a metaphor. Looking back to the earlier chapters of Genesis, the first thing God did for man after the fall was this: He created clothing for them, garments, out of animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This was the first sacrifice and it was a foreshadowing of the cross. God covered their nakedness the same way He covers our unrighteousness: with His Perfect Sacrifice.
Back to Noah. Did he make a mistake by drinking too much on this particular occasion? Obviously, yes. His drunkenness caused him to lose sight of what is proper and he flopped down in his tent, naked. Ham, like so many of us, saw his father’s nakedness, his mistake, and desired to point it out to his brothers. How often does this happen today?
Shem and Japheth chose not to see their father’s mistake. Instead they chose to cover him with a garment. But before they could cover their father, they had to cover themselves with the same garment. The Bible says that they laid the garment over themselves before backing into the tent to lay it over their father.
Friends, this is why the garment is the most important part of the story: it covers nakedness. Before we can go out and cover the nakedness of the world, that is, unrighteousness with Jesus’ righteousness, we have to first be conscious of the fact that we are covered in His righteousness. When we realize that we are covered by His sacrifice we are graciously enabled to cover the other sinners we connect with with that very same righteousness. This is what Paul meant when he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
It is the righteousness of Christ that covers our sins. So then, that same righteousness is what we should use to cover the sins of the world, choosing not to see their nakedness and point it out, but rather seeing each person as God does through Jesus: perfected, sanctified, clean, clothed, and restored.
So Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it upon the shoulders of both, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
I’m sure we’ve all heard about the Bible and how it’s full of stories of sinners. I’m sure we’ve all heard, “Noah was a drunk!” But was Noah really a drunk? The Bible accounts for one time that Noah drank too much. This, to me, does not make him a drunk; it made him drunk. Maybe we could correctly say, “Noah got drunk, once.”
This short story, however, isn’t about Noah’s drunkenness, what we imply to be his “big sin”. It’s not about Ham disgracing his father, though he did. And, it’s not about Shem and Japheth, though they appear to be the heroes. Nope, this short story is about the garment and how it covers the nakedness.
It wasn’t until the fall in the Garden that man was made aware of his nakedness. Nakedness, in the Bible, is not just a picture of people walking around with no clothes. Nakedness is also a metaphor for unrighteousness. Stories in the Bible of nakedness are both literal and metaphorical.
Likewise, the garment, while a literal article of clothing, is also a metaphor. Looking back to the earlier chapters of Genesis, the first thing God did for man after the fall was this: He created clothing for them, garments, out of animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This was the first sacrifice and it was a foreshadowing of the cross. God covered their nakedness the same way He covers our unrighteousness: with His Perfect Sacrifice.
Back to Noah. Did he make a mistake by drinking too much on this particular occasion? Obviously, yes. His drunkenness caused him to lose sight of what is proper and he flopped down in his tent, naked. Ham, like so many of us, saw his father’s nakedness, his mistake, and desired to point it out to his brothers. How often does this happen today?
Shem and Japheth chose not to see their father’s mistake. Instead they chose to cover him with a garment. But before they could cover their father, they had to cover themselves with the same garment. The Bible says that they laid the garment over themselves before backing into the tent to lay it over their father.
Friends, this is why the garment is the most important part of the story: it covers nakedness. Before we can go out and cover the nakedness of the world, that is, unrighteousness with Jesus’ righteousness, we have to first be conscious of the fact that we are covered in His righteousness. When we realize that we are covered by His sacrifice we are graciously enabled to cover the other sinners we connect with with that very same righteousness. This is what Paul meant when he said, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
It is the righteousness of Christ that covers our sins. So then, that same righteousness is what we should use to cover the sins of the world, choosing not to see their nakedness and point it out, but rather seeing each person as God does through Jesus: perfected, sanctified, clean, clothed, and restored.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Get some rest.
Psalm 4:8
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Fear and anxiety keep a lot of people up at night. I guess that’s why we have so many drugs out there like Ambien and Lunesta: to help us forget about our problems for a while. But doping up and forgetting about them for a short term “rest” isn’t what God desires. It is God’s desire to take away our burdens and make our lives better.
This is why the best sleep aid available and known to man is prayer. That’s right, prayer. Fear and anxiety over that business meeting, big test, or job interview in the morning can plague your mind, keeping you from getting the rest that your body needs in order to succeed. This is what the Devil wants. He wants to keep you up, worrying about the “what ifs” of the next day. He wants you to have an unrestful night so that you’ll fail the next day. He wants you to wake up “ugly” because you tossed and turned all night long.
God’s perfect solution to the Devil’s strike is a conversation with Jesus. Prayer will help. I’m not talking about getting out of bed and going to your secret closet where you get on your face and ask God to supply you for the meeting. That’s an anxiety-laden prayer. That’s a work-oriented prayer. I’m talking about praying from your bed. Praying an eyes closed, lying with your head on the pillow, blanket over your body, rest centered prayer.
This is the kind of prayer Jesus wants to hear from you: the “come unto me, all you who are burdened” prayer. He wants you to tell Him what’s bothering you and why. He wants you to just talk it out. He wants you to tell Him your fears and anxieties; He doesn’t want you to try and hide them because you think they’re a sin. Jesus wants to take them from you and give you His perfect peace: shalom. He wants to give you sleep, security, protection, prosperity, and salvation.
The result of this type of prayer is this: deep, restful sleep. I know that every time I pray in bed because I’m anxious I sleep! This is the salvation work of Jesus Christ being brought right into the bedroom. I never know what time I fall asleep and I never get to say, “In Jesus’ name, amen.” At some point during my prayer Christ actually takes away whatever it was that was keeping me from sleeping and I sleep.
Jesus is glorified by taking your burdens and removing them from you. He is exalted by making you dwell in safety. He is blessed by blessing you and He loves it when you take Him up on His offer: “...I will give you rest.”(Matthew 11:28) Whatever your burden, whatever your need, whatever it is that is keeping you up at night, talk about it with Jesus and, without even trying, you’ll have the best night’s sleep of your life. Ambien and Lunesta can’t hold a candle to the Grace of Jesus Christ.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Fear and anxiety keep a lot of people up at night. I guess that’s why we have so many drugs out there like Ambien and Lunesta: to help us forget about our problems for a while. But doping up and forgetting about them for a short term “rest” isn’t what God desires. It is God’s desire to take away our burdens and make our lives better.
This is why the best sleep aid available and known to man is prayer. That’s right, prayer. Fear and anxiety over that business meeting, big test, or job interview in the morning can plague your mind, keeping you from getting the rest that your body needs in order to succeed. This is what the Devil wants. He wants to keep you up, worrying about the “what ifs” of the next day. He wants you to have an unrestful night so that you’ll fail the next day. He wants you to wake up “ugly” because you tossed and turned all night long.
God’s perfect solution to the Devil’s strike is a conversation with Jesus. Prayer will help. I’m not talking about getting out of bed and going to your secret closet where you get on your face and ask God to supply you for the meeting. That’s an anxiety-laden prayer. That’s a work-oriented prayer. I’m talking about praying from your bed. Praying an eyes closed, lying with your head on the pillow, blanket over your body, rest centered prayer.
This is the kind of prayer Jesus wants to hear from you: the “come unto me, all you who are burdened” prayer. He wants you to tell Him what’s bothering you and why. He wants you to just talk it out. He wants you to tell Him your fears and anxieties; He doesn’t want you to try and hide them because you think they’re a sin. Jesus wants to take them from you and give you His perfect peace: shalom. He wants to give you sleep, security, protection, prosperity, and salvation.
The result of this type of prayer is this: deep, restful sleep. I know that every time I pray in bed because I’m anxious I sleep! This is the salvation work of Jesus Christ being brought right into the bedroom. I never know what time I fall asleep and I never get to say, “In Jesus’ name, amen.” At some point during my prayer Christ actually takes away whatever it was that was keeping me from sleeping and I sleep.
Jesus is glorified by taking your burdens and removing them from you. He is exalted by making you dwell in safety. He is blessed by blessing you and He loves it when you take Him up on His offer: “...I will give you rest.”(Matthew 11:28) Whatever your burden, whatever your need, whatever it is that is keeping you up at night, talk about it with Jesus and, without even trying, you’ll have the best night’s sleep of your life. Ambien and Lunesta can’t hold a candle to the Grace of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sowing lessons
Mark 4:14
The sower sows the word.
Have you ever planted a garden? It’s tough work. First of all, you have to till up the ground. Second, you have to remove the stones and debris that could hinder growth. Third, you have to prepare the soil. Fourth, you have to plant the seeds. Fifth, you have to tend to the seeds by weeding, watering, and pruning. Finally, after a boat load of work, you get to pick the fruit and enjoy the harvest.
What if, however, you were just the seed thrower? Think about that for a minute. Imagine only having to worry about throwing the seeds out into the garden. That doesn’t sound too difficult! If that were the case, it would mean that someone else had done the prep work and it would also mean that someone else is going to do the follow up work, weeding, and harvest. Well, in God’s kingdom, we, Christians are only called to be seed throwers.
What that means is this: we don’t have to till the soil. We don’t have to remove the rocks and debris. We don’t have to lay out starter fertilizer and top soil. We don’t have to come back and weed and prune. We only have to sow the seed. The Bible tells us that God Himself is the gardener and Jesus is the vine (John 15:1). What that means is God cultivates the soil and works the garden that has been planted with seeds from the True Vine, Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1). If the sower sows the word, as Jesus said, then what should we be sowing? Certainly not the four principles for effective prayer, the three ways to have a healthy child, or the five ways to better love your spouse. No, what we should be sowing is Jesus.
The cross was God’s way of preparing the ground for us to sow Jesus. It was only through the cross that the Law, the stone that separated us from God by exposing our sinfulness, was fully removed and its power, cleverly wielded by the Devil, rendered void (Colossians 2:14-15)! It is by God’s grace that the seeds sown are able to take root in good ground. And, because we are only sowers, not farmers, it is God who will come after we have planted a good Word and tend His crop!
So, sow the Word, that is, Jesus Christ. Speak His blessings, His accomplishments, His healings, righteousnesses, and perfections into the soil prepared by God and allow God to grow and reap a thirty, sixty, or hundred fold harvest!
The sower sows the word.
Have you ever planted a garden? It’s tough work. First of all, you have to till up the ground. Second, you have to remove the stones and debris that could hinder growth. Third, you have to prepare the soil. Fourth, you have to plant the seeds. Fifth, you have to tend to the seeds by weeding, watering, and pruning. Finally, after a boat load of work, you get to pick the fruit and enjoy the harvest.
What if, however, you were just the seed thrower? Think about that for a minute. Imagine only having to worry about throwing the seeds out into the garden. That doesn’t sound too difficult! If that were the case, it would mean that someone else had done the prep work and it would also mean that someone else is going to do the follow up work, weeding, and harvest. Well, in God’s kingdom, we, Christians are only called to be seed throwers.
What that means is this: we don’t have to till the soil. We don’t have to remove the rocks and debris. We don’t have to lay out starter fertilizer and top soil. We don’t have to come back and weed and prune. We only have to sow the seed. The Bible tells us that God Himself is the gardener and Jesus is the vine (John 15:1). What that means is God cultivates the soil and works the garden that has been planted with seeds from the True Vine, Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1). If the sower sows the word, as Jesus said, then what should we be sowing? Certainly not the four principles for effective prayer, the three ways to have a healthy child, or the five ways to better love your spouse. No, what we should be sowing is Jesus.
The cross was God’s way of preparing the ground for us to sow Jesus. It was only through the cross that the Law, the stone that separated us from God by exposing our sinfulness, was fully removed and its power, cleverly wielded by the Devil, rendered void (Colossians 2:14-15)! It is by God’s grace that the seeds sown are able to take root in good ground. And, because we are only sowers, not farmers, it is God who will come after we have planted a good Word and tend His crop!
So, sow the Word, that is, Jesus Christ. Speak His blessings, His accomplishments, His healings, righteousnesses, and perfections into the soil prepared by God and allow God to grow and reap a thirty, sixty, or hundred fold harvest!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Practice makes perfect?
1 John 3:7
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
I think we have a tendency to believe that in order to practice righteousness we must be “doing” something. What, exactly, is your righteous work? I ask that with a hint of sarcasm because the Bible says that all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). If our righteousnesses, that is to say, our acts or good deeds, are considered trash to God, how can they make us righteous just as He is righteous? It’s not a trick question; the answer is simple: they can’t.
If we read and interpret this verse in the typical way the only logical conclusion is this: doing good things makes you righteous. But, if we read this verse with that interpretation it contradicts earlier portions of the Bible. Since the Bible is infallible, what does this verse mean?
I like to answer questions with more questions. How does a doctor practice medicine? How does an attorney practice law? You may say, “Well, a doctor operates on a patient. He does the work of a doctor.” Maybe you’d say, “Attorneys go to court and have trials. They make arguments and present cases. They do the work of attorneys.” While that’s true, that’s not practicing medicine or law; that’s actually being a doctor or an attorney. The practice came when they read books and listened to good teachers who told them all about the body or all about the laws. Before they could do their job they had to practice and have an intimate knowledge of the field in which they were going to work. And, interestingly enough, once they became a doctor or attorney, they still have to practice by learning more.
Well folks, the same holds true for the Christian. Before you can do righteous acts, you must be righteous. The only way you can be righteous is to have an intimate knowledge of where your righteousness comes from. It doesn’t come from the works that you do. Your righteousness comes from Jesus; it’s His righteousness. In order to practice righteousness you need only learn more about Jesus. Reminding yourself day by day, hour by hour, even minute by minute if necessary, that you are righteous because He has made you that way (2 Corinthians 5:21) is the only way to practice righteousness.
The “righteous” deeds that you “do” will become a manifestation of the righteousness that you already possess rather than a way to become the righteousness that you aren’t righteous enough to possess. The more you learn about the righteousness of Jesus the more righteous you will become. The more you understand the depth of His love for you and the grace that He’s extended to us all through the cross, the more righteous you’ll become. Your life will become a manifestation of the righteousness you practice as you become intimate with the righteousness of Christ.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
I think we have a tendency to believe that in order to practice righteousness we must be “doing” something. What, exactly, is your righteous work? I ask that with a hint of sarcasm because the Bible says that all of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). If our righteousnesses, that is to say, our acts or good deeds, are considered trash to God, how can they make us righteous just as He is righteous? It’s not a trick question; the answer is simple: they can’t.
If we read and interpret this verse in the typical way the only logical conclusion is this: doing good things makes you righteous. But, if we read this verse with that interpretation it contradicts earlier portions of the Bible. Since the Bible is infallible, what does this verse mean?
I like to answer questions with more questions. How does a doctor practice medicine? How does an attorney practice law? You may say, “Well, a doctor operates on a patient. He does the work of a doctor.” Maybe you’d say, “Attorneys go to court and have trials. They make arguments and present cases. They do the work of attorneys.” While that’s true, that’s not practicing medicine or law; that’s actually being a doctor or an attorney. The practice came when they read books and listened to good teachers who told them all about the body or all about the laws. Before they could do their job they had to practice and have an intimate knowledge of the field in which they were going to work. And, interestingly enough, once they became a doctor or attorney, they still have to practice by learning more.
Well folks, the same holds true for the Christian. Before you can do righteous acts, you must be righteous. The only way you can be righteous is to have an intimate knowledge of where your righteousness comes from. It doesn’t come from the works that you do. Your righteousness comes from Jesus; it’s His righteousness. In order to practice righteousness you need only learn more about Jesus. Reminding yourself day by day, hour by hour, even minute by minute if necessary, that you are righteous because He has made you that way (2 Corinthians 5:21) is the only way to practice righteousness.
The “righteous” deeds that you “do” will become a manifestation of the righteousness that you already possess rather than a way to become the righteousness that you aren’t righteous enough to possess. The more you learn about the righteousness of Jesus the more righteous you will become. The more you understand the depth of His love for you and the grace that He’s extended to us all through the cross, the more righteous you’ll become. Your life will become a manifestation of the righteousness you practice as you become intimate with the righteousness of Christ.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Happy Easter
Job 1:21
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.
How many dead people were ever stuffed back into their mother’s womb? This is what I thought when I read Job’s words. We’ve all been to a funeral. Was the body stuffed back into mom? No! The body was placed in a coffin! Was it naked? No! Even for a cremation, the body is usually clothed before it is burned. So what in the world was Job talking about?
First off, Job was making a literal statement. He was living the tragedy that had become his life, and he perceived that he came into the world with nothing. That being the case, he assumed that he was on his way to going out with nothing as well. His family, wealth, and health had all been robbed from him by the Devil in a clever scheme to get him to curse God. Job was down and out.
Fast forward to the end of the story and see what happened to Job. His life was restored to him by God. He was given back twice as much as was taken from him by the Devil. His health was restored, his wealth was restored, and his family was made new! This seems to be the part of Job that we never associate with. It seems that we always put ourselves into the sufferings of Job and never into the restorative blessings of Job. But let’s table that for another day. This is Easter and there is a greater message to be heard!
I want to talk about Job’s words from a spiritual standpoint. Naked we came into this world. From the fall in the Garden through now, every person is born “naked”, that is to say, they are born without righteousness. But, where Job was lacking in understanding (because Christ had not yet come), we are not.
You see, Job didn’t have the pleasure of a Savior. He did not have the peace of Jesus. Job only had what he knew: be good, work hard, and in the end, you may still lose it all! While this was true for Job, it’s not true for us.
Let me explain. Naked we came into this world, but because of Jesus Christ, we will leave fully clothed and rich according to His wealth! We’re all born without righteousness, but thanks to Jesus, by grace, we have been clothed with His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Easter is a time for us to celebrate what we have, the one thing Job didn’t have: salvation through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Remember today, as you spend time with friends and family, you’re not naked! You are clothed in the King’s righteousness. You are freely forgiven. You are greatly blessed. You are deeply loved. You are highly favored. Naked you came into this world; dressed in the righteousness of the King you will go from it!
Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.
How many dead people were ever stuffed back into their mother’s womb? This is what I thought when I read Job’s words. We’ve all been to a funeral. Was the body stuffed back into mom? No! The body was placed in a coffin! Was it naked? No! Even for a cremation, the body is usually clothed before it is burned. So what in the world was Job talking about?
First off, Job was making a literal statement. He was living the tragedy that had become his life, and he perceived that he came into the world with nothing. That being the case, he assumed that he was on his way to going out with nothing as well. His family, wealth, and health had all been robbed from him by the Devil in a clever scheme to get him to curse God. Job was down and out.
Fast forward to the end of the story and see what happened to Job. His life was restored to him by God. He was given back twice as much as was taken from him by the Devil. His health was restored, his wealth was restored, and his family was made new! This seems to be the part of Job that we never associate with. It seems that we always put ourselves into the sufferings of Job and never into the restorative blessings of Job. But let’s table that for another day. This is Easter and there is a greater message to be heard!
I want to talk about Job’s words from a spiritual standpoint. Naked we came into this world. From the fall in the Garden through now, every person is born “naked”, that is to say, they are born without righteousness. But, where Job was lacking in understanding (because Christ had not yet come), we are not.
You see, Job didn’t have the pleasure of a Savior. He did not have the peace of Jesus. Job only had what he knew: be good, work hard, and in the end, you may still lose it all! While this was true for Job, it’s not true for us.
Let me explain. Naked we came into this world, but because of Jesus Christ, we will leave fully clothed and rich according to His wealth! We’re all born without righteousness, but thanks to Jesus, by grace, we have been clothed with His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Easter is a time for us to celebrate what we have, the one thing Job didn’t have: salvation through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Remember today, as you spend time with friends and family, you’re not naked! You are clothed in the King’s righteousness. You are freely forgiven. You are greatly blessed. You are deeply loved. You are highly favored. Naked you came into this world; dressed in the righteousness of the King you will go from it!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Good Friday
Exodus 17:12
...and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
When Israel fought with the Amalekites, their victory depended on the position of Moses’ hands. It didn’t matter how fast they were with the sword or how accurate they were with the bow. Their victory wasn’t contingent on the strength of their fists or the resolve in their hearts to win. It wasn’t based on their abilities; it was based on Moses’ ability to keep his hands up.
Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a mountain near the battlefield. It was there that victory would be gained or lost. When Moses held his hands high, Israel prevailed. When he wasn’t able to keep his hands up, Israel’s enemy, Amalek, prevailed (Exodus 17:11). When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur gave him a stone to sit on and they took over holding up his hands. Moses’ hands were raised, held in position by Aaron and Hur, on the top of the mountain until the sun set. It was because of this that Israel won the battle!
There is no better day than today, Good Friday, to see a beautiful picture of Calvary in this story. It was on top of Calvary’s mountain that Jesus’ hands were raised and nailed to the cross. They were pinned in an upright position for the duration of the day. It wasn’t until evening that Jesus gave up His spirit and died. When the sun went down they came and took His body off the cross. At that point the war was over; the battle was won!
Friends, you make think that winning depends on you. You may be believing that there is some seed you can sow in order to have that financial victory. You may be thinking that there is some program you can put in place to resolve the issues between you and a loved one. You may think that there is some work that you can do to win whatever battle you’re in right now. But the truth is this: Jesus has already won the war!
It is only because Jesus kept His hands up for the entire day that you and I are able to walk in freedom and liberty from sin’s curses. Because He went to the top of the mountain and raised His hands high, you and I will be victorious in every aspect of our lives. Moses grew weary and rested his arms. When he did, the enemy gained ground. Jesus’ hands were nailed up. This means that there was no chance that the enemy would prevail or gain any ground. Jesus never put His hands down. The fight from the summit of Mount Calvary was one sided. Jesus won!
The story in Exodus closes by stating that Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:13). How fitting that his name means “God saves”! Two thousand years ago Jesus fought the battle, did the work, and won the war so that you can rest easy in His finished work. Everything is made new by the cross; everything is restored by the blood of Jesus Christ. He went up the mountain in the morning, raised His hands, and didn’t put them down until it was finished! That’s my King!
...and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
When Israel fought with the Amalekites, their victory depended on the position of Moses’ hands. It didn’t matter how fast they were with the sword or how accurate they were with the bow. Their victory wasn’t contingent on the strength of their fists or the resolve in their hearts to win. It wasn’t based on their abilities; it was based on Moses’ ability to keep his hands up.
Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a mountain near the battlefield. It was there that victory would be gained or lost. When Moses held his hands high, Israel prevailed. When he wasn’t able to keep his hands up, Israel’s enemy, Amalek, prevailed (Exodus 17:11). When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur gave him a stone to sit on and they took over holding up his hands. Moses’ hands were raised, held in position by Aaron and Hur, on the top of the mountain until the sun set. It was because of this that Israel won the battle!
There is no better day than today, Good Friday, to see a beautiful picture of Calvary in this story. It was on top of Calvary’s mountain that Jesus’ hands were raised and nailed to the cross. They were pinned in an upright position for the duration of the day. It wasn’t until evening that Jesus gave up His spirit and died. When the sun went down they came and took His body off the cross. At that point the war was over; the battle was won!
Friends, you make think that winning depends on you. You may be believing that there is some seed you can sow in order to have that financial victory. You may be thinking that there is some program you can put in place to resolve the issues between you and a loved one. You may think that there is some work that you can do to win whatever battle you’re in right now. But the truth is this: Jesus has already won the war!
It is only because Jesus kept His hands up for the entire day that you and I are able to walk in freedom and liberty from sin’s curses. Because He went to the top of the mountain and raised His hands high, you and I will be victorious in every aspect of our lives. Moses grew weary and rested his arms. When he did, the enemy gained ground. Jesus’ hands were nailed up. This means that there was no chance that the enemy would prevail or gain any ground. Jesus never put His hands down. The fight from the summit of Mount Calvary was one sided. Jesus won!
The story in Exodus closes by stating that Joshua won the battle (Exodus 17:13). How fitting that his name means “God saves”! Two thousand years ago Jesus fought the battle, did the work, and won the war so that you can rest easy in His finished work. Everything is made new by the cross; everything is restored by the blood of Jesus Christ. He went up the mountain in the morning, raised His hands, and didn’t put them down until it was finished! That’s my King!
Forgiveness
Matthew 18:22
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
It amazes me that people think Jesus, when He made statements like these, was actually expecting us to do it. Before His crucifixion Christ had to live and teach under the rule of the Law. Not Roman law, but Heavenly Law, the Ten Commandments. So, that being the case, He made it a point to use stories and examples that showed how unfulfillable the Law was for man.
This is also the reason that Christ said things like “pluck out your eye, cut off your hand, and go the extra mile.” This is why Christ used the example that simply looking at a person with lust was the same as adultery; thinking hateful thoughts about your brother was as good as murdering him. It was to illustrate to us that we couldn’t even come close to God’s holy standard. It was to put us in our place, not give us additional unattainable goals.
Back to seventy times seven. If you do the math (which I’m sure the “literalists” have) that’s 490 times. If we use this logic, if we use Christ’s teaching as a literal rule, then once you forgive someone 490 times you’re done forgiving them. Is that the case; is that what He was saying? Certainly not! The truth is that none of us will ever forgive a friend or brother 490 times. Once, twice, three times maybe, but that’s about it. We’re likely to not even make it to the original standard of simply seven! Truthfully, some of us won’t forgive once! And, while we’re on that topic, Jesus alludes at the end of His parable, to what will happen to those who don’t forgive.
We are never going to be able to live into the standards that God has set before us. This is why we have Jesus. He is the only One who can meet all the expectations. In fact, He is the only One who exceeds all the expectations! How many times has Jesus forgiven you? How about me? I’m sure that it’s already far surpassed the 490 mark, and He continues to forgive me. Moment by moment, day by day, whether I ask or not, Jesus Christ forgives and forgives and forgives. This is His nature.
If you’re struggling with forgiveness, think about Jesus. Don’t think about the rule that you must forgive “X” amount of times. Meditate on the truth that Jesus has infinitely forgiven you. In doing this, you’ll realize how great His love is for you. It will be His forgiveness in your life that will effortlessly allow you to forgive another. It will be His grace that works in you and through you to forgive those who you couldn’t forgive before.
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
It amazes me that people think Jesus, when He made statements like these, was actually expecting us to do it. Before His crucifixion Christ had to live and teach under the rule of the Law. Not Roman law, but Heavenly Law, the Ten Commandments. So, that being the case, He made it a point to use stories and examples that showed how unfulfillable the Law was for man.
This is also the reason that Christ said things like “pluck out your eye, cut off your hand, and go the extra mile.” This is why Christ used the example that simply looking at a person with lust was the same as adultery; thinking hateful thoughts about your brother was as good as murdering him. It was to illustrate to us that we couldn’t even come close to God’s holy standard. It was to put us in our place, not give us additional unattainable goals.
Back to seventy times seven. If you do the math (which I’m sure the “literalists” have) that’s 490 times. If we use this logic, if we use Christ’s teaching as a literal rule, then once you forgive someone 490 times you’re done forgiving them. Is that the case; is that what He was saying? Certainly not! The truth is that none of us will ever forgive a friend or brother 490 times. Once, twice, three times maybe, but that’s about it. We’re likely to not even make it to the original standard of simply seven! Truthfully, some of us won’t forgive once! And, while we’re on that topic, Jesus alludes at the end of His parable, to what will happen to those who don’t forgive.
We are never going to be able to live into the standards that God has set before us. This is why we have Jesus. He is the only One who can meet all the expectations. In fact, He is the only One who exceeds all the expectations! How many times has Jesus forgiven you? How about me? I’m sure that it’s already far surpassed the 490 mark, and He continues to forgive me. Moment by moment, day by day, whether I ask or not, Jesus Christ forgives and forgives and forgives. This is His nature.
If you’re struggling with forgiveness, think about Jesus. Don’t think about the rule that you must forgive “X” amount of times. Meditate on the truth that Jesus has infinitely forgiven you. In doing this, you’ll realize how great His love is for you. It will be His forgiveness in your life that will effortlessly allow you to forgive another. It will be His grace that works in you and through you to forgive those who you couldn’t forgive before.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Take It From Jesus
Matthew 27:22
Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
Have you ever asked yourself the same question that Pilate asked the Jewish mob: “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” If not, perhaps you should.
We know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is worthy of all praise, but there is more to Jesus than praise and worship. Perhaps I’m ruffling some feathers here, but in order to really know Jesus as a friend we have to first put aside some of the doctrinal teachings that actually push us away from a true relationship with Christ.
Jesus Himself says, “The Son of man did not come to be served but to serve.” (Mark 10:45, Matthew 20:28) We take this as an example for the Christian lifestyle, and while there is nothing wrong with service, this is not what Jesus intended. The truth is that Christ’s purpose, what makes Him happy, what truly blesses Him, is His ability to serve. The Servant King is how He likes to be known. That’s what makes Jesus so special.
Jesus spent His days in the flesh healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding the hungry, and comforting the hurting. It was His purpose to provide, in every way possible, salvation for everyone He encountered. All of His works and deeds were leading up to His crucifixion. It was in Pilate’s arena that Jesus would stop healing only those that He physically touched, and start healing the entire world. It was at the cross that Jesus would do His greatest service to mankind by bearing the fullness of the wrath of God in His body, restoring the relationship that had been broken. This is how He came to serve.
When Pilate posed his question to the angry crowd, he was unaware of the provision he was making for the world. Christ, being the perfect servant, had subjected Himself to the governing body of the time. He willingly allowed Pilate to rule over Him. When the crowd answered, “Let Him be crucified!” they unknowingly opened the gates of Heaven. Their cries for His death allowed Jesus to serve in His capacity as the Sacrificial Lamb of God.
So, back to the original question: what then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? Consider allowing Him to be what He came to be: Savior. In being your Savior, Christ will take the place in your life as your King. He, by being your Savior, will become your provider, your healer, your peace, your joy, your rest, and your love. Jesus loves to serve; He is blessed by blessing you. Everything He did, does, or will do, revolves around blessings, healings, and restoration.
If you need health, take it from Jesus. If you need wealth, take it from Jesus. Peace, joy, jobs, friends, family, forgiveness, all of these things are free for the taking from Jesus. It is by His grace that we have access to them; it is by His grace that we are saved! The realization of who Jesus is, what He does, and how He blesses will result in a mass of Christians who worship in Spirit and in Truth!
Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
Have you ever asked yourself the same question that Pilate asked the Jewish mob: “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” If not, perhaps you should.
We know that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is worthy of all praise, but there is more to Jesus than praise and worship. Perhaps I’m ruffling some feathers here, but in order to really know Jesus as a friend we have to first put aside some of the doctrinal teachings that actually push us away from a true relationship with Christ.
Jesus Himself says, “The Son of man did not come to be served but to serve.” (Mark 10:45, Matthew 20:28) We take this as an example for the Christian lifestyle, and while there is nothing wrong with service, this is not what Jesus intended. The truth is that Christ’s purpose, what makes Him happy, what truly blesses Him, is His ability to serve. The Servant King is how He likes to be known. That’s what makes Jesus so special.
Jesus spent His days in the flesh healing the sick, raising the dead, feeding the hungry, and comforting the hurting. It was His purpose to provide, in every way possible, salvation for everyone He encountered. All of His works and deeds were leading up to His crucifixion. It was in Pilate’s arena that Jesus would stop healing only those that He physically touched, and start healing the entire world. It was at the cross that Jesus would do His greatest service to mankind by bearing the fullness of the wrath of God in His body, restoring the relationship that had been broken. This is how He came to serve.
When Pilate posed his question to the angry crowd, he was unaware of the provision he was making for the world. Christ, being the perfect servant, had subjected Himself to the governing body of the time. He willingly allowed Pilate to rule over Him. When the crowd answered, “Let Him be crucified!” they unknowingly opened the gates of Heaven. Their cries for His death allowed Jesus to serve in His capacity as the Sacrificial Lamb of God.
So, back to the original question: what then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? Consider allowing Him to be what He came to be: Savior. In being your Savior, Christ will take the place in your life as your King. He, by being your Savior, will become your provider, your healer, your peace, your joy, your rest, and your love. Jesus loves to serve; He is blessed by blessing you. Everything He did, does, or will do, revolves around blessings, healings, and restoration.
If you need health, take it from Jesus. If you need wealth, take it from Jesus. Peace, joy, jobs, friends, family, forgiveness, all of these things are free for the taking from Jesus. It is by His grace that we have access to them; it is by His grace that we are saved! The realization of who Jesus is, what He does, and how He blesses will result in a mass of Christians who worship in Spirit and in Truth!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Salvation is HERE!
Luke 2:11
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
What better time of year could there be to proclaim the Truth about Jesus than the Easter week? Really, this is what it all boils down to when we talk about Christ: salvation!
It seems to me that Jesus has been boxed in and redefined by society and Christianity. He’s a teacher and an example. He’s one we should follow. He’s who we should desire to be like. And, though none of these things are untrue, the fact is this: Jesus is the Savior. He wasn’t born to be your teacher. He didn’t become flesh to lead by example. He came to save. That’s it and that’s all.
In His salvation are the following things: life, liberty, prosperity, health, happiness, joy, peace, forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and restoration. All of the things that we try to gain by following and learning from Jesus are freely given when we accept Him for who He is, our Savior. When you look at Christ as Savior you are able to fully embrace His grace. When you see Jesus as your teacher or your example you take grace out of the picture. You put the emphasis back on what you must do to be like Him when the truth is that there is nothing you can do to be like Him.
On the night that Jesus was betrayed He mentioned that someone at the table was His betrayer. The conversation exploded and the question was asked, “Lord, is it I?”. This was asked by 11 of 12 disciples. Judas, who we know was the betrayer, asked, “Rabbi, is it I?” (Matthew 26:21-25). Judas, though he followed Christ, saw Him heal and restore, and learned from his example, was not a believer in who Jesus is: Savior and Lord. He saw Jesus the way many Christians today see Him, as a Rabbi, a teacher, and an example.
The Law, which was given to Moses, was your teacher and your example (Galatians 3:24). It’s been proven time and again that there is no way you can fulfill even a portion of it. This is why God gave us Christ, the fulfillment of the Law, the Sacrificial Lamb, the full Payment for sin. He is not your teacher; He is your Savior. He saves you from death, sickness, anxiety, society, fear, aggression, hurt, suffering, disease, and all other curses.
Unto you THIS DAY a Savior is born!
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
What better time of year could there be to proclaim the Truth about Jesus than the Easter week? Really, this is what it all boils down to when we talk about Christ: salvation!
It seems to me that Jesus has been boxed in and redefined by society and Christianity. He’s a teacher and an example. He’s one we should follow. He’s who we should desire to be like. And, though none of these things are untrue, the fact is this: Jesus is the Savior. He wasn’t born to be your teacher. He didn’t become flesh to lead by example. He came to save. That’s it and that’s all.
In His salvation are the following things: life, liberty, prosperity, health, happiness, joy, peace, forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and restoration. All of the things that we try to gain by following and learning from Jesus are freely given when we accept Him for who He is, our Savior. When you look at Christ as Savior you are able to fully embrace His grace. When you see Jesus as your teacher or your example you take grace out of the picture. You put the emphasis back on what you must do to be like Him when the truth is that there is nothing you can do to be like Him.
On the night that Jesus was betrayed He mentioned that someone at the table was His betrayer. The conversation exploded and the question was asked, “Lord, is it I?”. This was asked by 11 of 12 disciples. Judas, who we know was the betrayer, asked, “Rabbi, is it I?” (Matthew 26:21-25). Judas, though he followed Christ, saw Him heal and restore, and learned from his example, was not a believer in who Jesus is: Savior and Lord. He saw Jesus the way many Christians today see Him, as a Rabbi, a teacher, and an example.
The Law, which was given to Moses, was your teacher and your example (Galatians 3:24). It’s been proven time and again that there is no way you can fulfill even a portion of it. This is why God gave us Christ, the fulfillment of the Law, the Sacrificial Lamb, the full Payment for sin. He is not your teacher; He is your Savior. He saves you from death, sickness, anxiety, society, fear, aggression, hurt, suffering, disease, and all other curses.
Unto you THIS DAY a Savior is born!
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