Sunday, March 31, 2019

A Consuming Zeal



John 2:13-17 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Last Sunday, Pastor Kyle continued in our church’s Sermon series through the book of John. There are times that we need to cleanse the temple by denouncing those who make it harder for ordinary people know God, to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and find their Savior. People far from God can find Him. Jesus had a passion about reaching lost soul for salvation and a zeal for God’s house; His church. So should we.

Psalm 69:9 “Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.”

Pastor Kyle wanted to clear up a misconception the cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem by Jesus was not about the money or the giving to the temple. Tithes, offerings and temple taxes were normal and acceptable practices. Jesus was condemning the temple leadership for commercialization of the temple and the real frustration that the distraction of money-changing tables and animals being sold for sacrifice were placed in the only spot where the nations could come worship God. Jesus cares for lost souls and this marketing location in the Court of the Gentiles set a wrong tone which negatively affected worshipers. The very people that God wanted to reach received a man-made distracting and non-peaceful experience away from Him. The conflict was to restore worship for all nations. It still is today.

Isaiah 56:7 “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Pastor Kyle suggested two keys to keeping our zeal for God’s things at the forefront of our minds and hearts. (1) Sometimes we have to remove human desires and things to make room for God’s desires and things. Do a heart check and clear out space in order to pray, praise and worship God. This is called divine subtraction. Be willing to change and sacrifice for the kingdom of God. What do you need to remove for God in order to hear what God has put on your heart? “Good things” are not always God things”. There is a set of four sin things that we all need to get rid of: (a) ungodly relationships that are dragging you down. (b) Resistance of confession to another Believer. (c) Disagreeing with God and (d) not getting help. Picking up your Cross and carrying it daily is not easy and can hurt, but produces divine and eternal rewards.  

Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

(2) Always keep an evangelical mindset in your Christianity. Think, act and speak to reach the unsaved and lost sinner with Christ-like love. Jesus said the there is a wide road to destruction in Hell, but the path to Heaven is narrow and few find it. People outside the kingdom are the priority. Heart work is hard word. God is still in the business of turning over tables, so have the mindset to make space to meet others. Sure, there is an on-going need to cleanse our own temple in prayer, worship, walking in the Spirit, but our faith is not just for ourselves, but a passion for the nation and nations that the Lord wants to reach also. Does it consume you?

In Christ, Brian

Saturday, March 30, 2019

How Can a Person Be Born Again? – Part 2



Proverbs 2:1-11 “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come
knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you.”

Michael continues that Jesus knew Judas' heart was the heart of a traitor. What the devil and his minions meant for evil, God meant for good. Judas himself was part of God's plan of redemption for all mankind.  God's ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. How do you get understanding? Understanding is found in the presence of God listening to His Word. Nicodemus had no understanding, even though he had been educated in the Old Testament law as a good Pharisee. God said in Proverbs 2:2, "Make your ear attentive to wisdom." True understanding is knowing "what would Jesus do?" The wisdom of God gives knowledge of the "remarkable" and understanding of the truth of the Word of God. As Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born of water and of the spirit to enter into the kingdom of God." The first birth is a physical birth, when the mother's water breaks, but the second birth is a spiritual new birth. There are many "cant’s" in the scripture. They that are in the sinful flesh cannot please God. Regardless of a person's performance, works cannot produce good fruit. The good fruit is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Don't be amazed that I said that you must be born again.”  When you're born again, then you can discern truth from a spiritual perspective. According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, “the natural man (of body and soul) receives not the things of the spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned.” Truth is discerned and perceived through the eyes of the spirit. When Jesus taught, He did not appeal to the natural senses. Until we can see from the spiritual eyes of Christ in us, the hope of Glory, we cannot understand the truth of the Word of God.  

Jesus said that the spirit is like the wind that you can't see but you can see the effects of its invisible power. Lew Wallace set out to prove that there is no God.  When he searched the scriptures, he became a “born again” believer in Jesus.  He wrote the book Ben Hur to show the power of God's love, grace, mercy and deliverance. The theme of this book is that “Reconciliation with God is at the foot of the cross of Christ.”

The first birth is painful. You inherit your parents' nature when you're born the first time in natural childbirth. When we're “born again” of the Spirit, we inherit the nature of our Heavenly Father. The nature of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit.  According to 2 Corinthians 5:18, we no longer regard people from a natural point of view; We see them as God sees them. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me. We no longer see him in the flesh but we discern him according to the spirit of life in Christ.


Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No man cometh to the father except by me. Salvation is on God's terms not ours. Jesus' way is the exclusive way to heaven. He is the only way whereby we must be saved. If you know Jesus Christ then you know the truth. Jesus Christ is the truth of the Word of God. He is the message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael


Friday, March 29, 2019

How Can a Person Be Born Again? - Part 1



This week, Michael writes that his “Influencers Ministry to Men” has five objectives:  (1) To make Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives. (2) To make the bible our final authority for faith and practice. (3) To join together with like-minded Christians. (4) To become people of prayer. (5) To give away the gospel message. When we gather together, we create an environment where the Holy Spirit is welcome to come help Himself to our lives. Shouldn’t this be the goal of everyone? 

The love of God is often contrary to the world's concept of love. Whom the Lord loves, He will chastise, reprove and correct. To correct means to restore to an upright position so that we can walk in fellowship with Him. Sometimes God will break our hearts for what breaks His. A broken and a contrite heart God will not forsake. He'll pick up the threads of our broken hearts and weave them together again, conformed to His will according to His greater plan.  As Israel’s King David said, "Create in me a new heart O Lord."

When God leads us into the fire, He will protect us like He protected Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In the fiery furnace, the only thing that burns will be the bands of sin and iniquity that held us captive. This life is full of suffering and separation from our loved ones. Every relationship in this life will end in heartache except one, for Jesus said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." 

According to John 3:1-8 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus was a Pharisee who eventually became a “follower” of Jesus. 

Jesus knows what was in the heart every person. Jesus knew that Nicodemus had a heart that was pure. The Holy Spirit had been wooing Nicodemus. Jesus said in the beatitudes that "Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled." There is always a struggle of the will to humble our hearts before God. Even though Nicodemus was a Pharisee, Jesus knew that Nicodemus' heart was right before God to receive the truth of the Word. Jesus said, "Unless a person is born again of the spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Jesus himself had to make a decision to surrender His own will under God's will.  He humbled himself and took upon himself the form of a servant.  He became obedient even unto the death of the cross. Jesus would not give Himself to the crowds who followed Him. They said that they would be faithful to follow Him but He knew their hearts. He knew that they could not live up to their promise. The problem with “works” to earn your way into heaven is that you can never do enough to approach a holy God. Nothing we could ever do could ever deserve entering into God's throne room of righteousness and justice. As Jesus said, “There is none good, no not one.”


A works-based religion cannot bring us to salvation. A woman of ill repute approached Jesus at the Well of Jacob in John 4. Even though her reputation was a sinner, Jesus knew her heart. Her heart was ready to receive the truth of the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the fountain of living waters and the truth of the Word made flesh.

Let's continue Michael's message on being "born Again" in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Good for Evil Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Remember the last time that someone wronged you? How did you respond? Pastor Kennedy says that in matters of good and evil, our response can take one of four directions. First of all, some people return evil for good. This is the devil’s way of doing things. We see this attitude demonstrated by criminals and by cruel and tyrannical governments. Romans 12:17 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” Then some people return evil for evil. These people aren’t devil-like; they’re beast-like. Animals, especially wild animals, generally react this way. If you step on a snake’s tail, you can soon expect to find its fangs in your ankle. 1 Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.” Others return good for good. This isn’t devilish or beastly; it is a natural human response, the response of an unregenerate heart. Pastor Kennedy says that we is not find this hard to accept. In fact, when we do good to others, we expect good in return. But the fourth response, returning good for evil, makes us halt in our tracks. Jesus says in Matthew 5:39, “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person”. Jesus, in His great love and compassion, has told us how to respond this way on our own; it is not part of our human nature. Instead, we must turn to Christ Himself, who returned ultimate evil with ultimate good. Christ went into the very depths of ruin and hell for our evilness of sin, and in His goodness HE suffered for us and conquered evil for all time. Only through Christ can we fain the ability and the desire to go the second mile, to turn the other cheek. How can you return good for evil today?



Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Remember the last time that someone wronged you? How did you respond? Pastor Kennedy says that in matters of good and evil, our response can take one of four directions. First of all, some people return evil for good. This is the devil’s way of doing things. We see this attitude demonstrated by criminals and by cruel and tyrannical governments.

Romans 12:17 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.”

Then some people return evil for evil. These people aren’t devil-like; they’re beast-like. Animals, especially wild animals, generally react this way. If you step on a snake’s tail, you can soon expect to find its fangs in your ankle.

1 Peter 3:8-9 “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

Others return good for good. This isn’t devilish or beastly; it is a natural human response, the response of an unregenerate heart. Pastor Kennedy says that we is not find this hard to accept. In fact, when we do good to others, we expect good in return. But the fourth response, returning good for evil, makes us halt in our tracks. Jesus says in Matthew 5:39, “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person”. Jesus, in His great love and compassion, has told us how to respond this way on our own; it is not part of our human nature. Instead, we must turn to Christ Himself, who returned ultimate evil with ultimate good. Christ went into the very depths of ruin and hell for our evilness of sin, and in His goodness HE suffered for us and conquered evil for all time. Only through Christ can we fain the ability and the desire to go the second mile, to turn the other cheek.

How can you return good for evil today?


Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Giving and Receiving


 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 But this I say: “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The Bible tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. It also says that we shouldn’t give grudgingly or from compulsion. But many people do just that. They look on their giving not as sowing but as throwing, such as the man who put a dollar in the offering plate and afterward dwelt upon where he could have spent that buck on himself.

Although we might not have as much wealth, we still need to obediently and faithfully give tithes (one-tenth of our earnings) to the church and offerings to those in need. Pastor Kennedy states that often we have good intentions to give. But we can trust that when we give, God will give back to us abundantly. He has promised that He will do that very thing.

Let me make it clear” God does not need our money. He doesn’t command us to give because He needs it. He commands us to give because we need to trust God’s provision. Money is nothing to God except an index to our souls. Our giving shows how much we trust God to provide for us.

American Eagle 2019 One Ounce Silver Proof Coin

Do you believe that God will take care of all your needs? If so, then give what you can expectantly and gladly, believing in God’s generosity and faithfulness. Remember, no one can ever out give God. In God We Trust.



Tuesday, March 26, 2019

The Majesty of God



Psalm 96:3 “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”

Have you ever weighed in the mind and considered the majesty and awesomeness of Almighty God? Think about this list of God’s attributes:

(1)   God is Spirit. While He is personal Spirit who touches each individual life, He is also an infinite Spirit, inhabiting every place, filling heaven and earth and reaching beyond the farthest star. Psalm 139:7-8 says, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.”
(2)   God is eternal. He has existed forever. Psalm 90:2 says, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” God was before time began and shall remain after time ends.
(3)   God never changes. Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change.” God doesn’t evolve or learn; He is complete and perfect and His counsels never change. Psalm 33:11 says, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.”
(4)   God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being and in His power. Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.” To grasp even the smallest inkling of God’s immenseness, think of our entire universe as a tiny grain of sugar on God’s finger. While this still doesn’t accurately depict God because it implies that He is finite, it does give us an idea of His magnitude.


When we catch just a glimpse of God’s Majesty, we can so nothing but respond in continual praise! Today, take time to dwell on the awesomeness of our God, and praise Him for His majesty. Glory be to God!

Monday, March 25, 2019

The Promised Child



Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

In a study of Isaiah, the lesson points out that some interpret this passage and others having to do with the “child of promise” as speaking only of a person born in Isaiah’s day. Many Jewish interpreters say this text is speaking of Hezekiah’s son. Others maintain Isaiah was speaking of His own sons, who were given names as signs of God’s promises: “A Remnant Shall Return” and “Speed the Spoil, Hasten the Booty.” While chapters seven and nine could be referring to these two sons, the text also seems to support a greater promise: the coming Messiah.

The child is described as the “Son.” While this designation can refer to any son, and the capitalization is given by the translator, the term is usually connected with something, i.e. “the son of his father” or “the sons of a hundred years.” But that “Son” with no addition can only mean the Son of God. If this is true, in this text, the promised Messiah is distinguished from the rest of mankind. The Jews would have caught the connection between Isaiah’s prophecy and the well-known prediction “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son” in 2 Samuel 7:14 (repeated in Ps. 2:7: “You are My Son; this day I have begotten You”). Had it not been generally known that the Messiah would be the Son of God, it would have been unclear for Isaiah simply to call Him the Son. The writer of Hebrews reasons in Hebrews 1:5 that this title exalts Christ above all the angels in excellence and glory.

The lesson makes it clear that Isaiah adds that the Son was given to the people, so as to inform them that their salvation and that of the whole church is contained in the person of Christ. The Messiah would be different from all other kings because He would bear the burden of the nation on His shoulders. His government would be one of superiority and grandeur because by His own power Christ would obtain homage to Himself. As the Messiah, He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. While many of these titles were given to kings in the past, all of them together under the first designation of “Son,” along with the praise and adulation given to this “Child,” speak of the excellency of Christ alone. Man is to glory in no one but God. Such designations as these, that point to the power, glory, and excellency of our King, are reserved solely for God.

How does Christ fulfill each of these designations perfectly and completely? How can you show Christ more honor and respect by thinking of Him in terms of these names? Find assurance and comfort in the power of God.

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Preach the Good News



Mark 16:15 And He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Pastor Kennedy explains that when we first come to the Savior Jesus Christ, we come with empty hands, empty of anything that could commend us to His kingdom. With empty hands we embrace His Cross and trust to His redeeming work to save us. But when we meet Christ in heaven, we may hope our hands will be full to overflowing with the souls we have led into His everlasting kingdom.

Pastor asks, if you were to meet Christ in heaven today, what would you hold in your hands to offer Him? Christ has commanded us to give witness of Him to the world. He said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Our world is lost and dying in sin, and we Christians have within our hands the only cure: the good news that Jesus Christ freely offers salvation to all who would come to Him. We need to share that good news freely to bring hope and healing into the world.

Pastor points out that as we share Christ with others, we will gain a real sense of significance and purpose for our lives. And as we walk in faith, giving away the abundant resource of God’s grace, we gain even more spiritual growth in return. Not only is witnessing to people a command from Jesus Christ, it is a tremendous privilege. Do you know someone who needs to hear the Good News today?

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Rescue



Daniel 6:26b-27a “For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.”

Pastor Kyle continued in our church’s Sunday sermon series through the book of John. He said that when he performs the pre-wedding consultation, he tells the couple to be prepared for a couple things to go wrong during the ceremony. That way, if something happens, it won’t be caught off-guard and the wedding will not have to be rescued.

Jesus Christ is our “Blessed Redeemer”, who came to our rescue, for our salvation. Jesus can rescue us by (1) changing our circumstances. The Messiah has the power. Sin issues are overcome at he Cross. But, why would God change our sin issues if we do not want to change? It is a heart issue, so Jesus can rescue us by (2) changing our heart. Pray for God to change our heart; may our heart be aligned with the Lord’s. We may have a “thorn in our flesh”, (our attitude, our thoughts or our conversation). Honestly, the church is full of “fallen” human beings, repenting and following Jesus. Let Jesus turn your water into wine within your regenerated spirit and transformed heart. Everything we do that impacts our life positively has structure. Be open to God’s teaching, the Holy Spirit’s leading, and be open to Christ’s church. The Christian church equips the saints and is the hope of the world, where the light of Christ shines and gives the light of truth.

John 17:10-17 “All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

God wants us to be in the world, living as those born of Him. We need to make responsible choices in the world as we are born of God. 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” The temptations of the sinful flesh, the God-rejecting world system and the devil are always at our doorstep. Avoid temptation, walk in the Spirit and put yourself where you can help others.

Psalm 30:11-12 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

God wants our obedience before we see His results. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Anything that we lose control over ourselves (desires, temptations, dependencies or emotions), it is a sin that God wants us to repent and reclaim. He wants us to make the decision to be right in the eyes of the Lord, believing that His results are always good. Some see the problem, but don’t take action for godly change. This is like empty jars sitting in the corner waiting to be filled. Bring them out to be filled. Some stopped believing that “turns water into wine” in their lives. But, we need to know that the Lord saves the “best” wine till the last.

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

In Christ, Brian

Friday, March 22, 2019

Delivered from Darkness



Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined”.

In looking through a small Bible Study on the book of Isaiah, I came across this excellent little lesson on redemption. As was typical of the prophets, Isaiah proclaimed judgment, prophesied of deliverance, and looked forward to the promised Redeemer all in a single prophecy. In the passage before us, he speaks of the deliverance of God’s people from the Babylonian captivity. They would be taken into the “land of darkness,” but God would deliver them out of it. The deliverance that Isaiah proclaimed had to do with their actual return from Babylon, which God would bring about in His own time. But it also illustrates the deliverance of both Jews and Gentiles from spiritual darkness by the promised Messiah. God’s people would be delivered from Babylon, but that deliverance was not to be seen in isolation from the rest of God’s redemptive plan for His people. It would continue until the coming of Christ’s kingdom, when the light would shine in darkness.

Matthew 9:2 quotes this passage, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined,” in reference to the preaching of Christ, even though it originally had nothing to do with it. Matthew quoted this as a biblical illustration, not a proof text, to confirm the work of Christ. Isaiah often dealt not only with the current events of his time, but with how those events fitted into the whole scheme of redemption for God’s people. To us, on the other side of the cross, Isaiah’s prophecies seem to always point toward the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ.

Not only would God bring His people back from captivity, but He would place Christ on His royal throne in Heaven, and under Him supreme and everlasting happiness may be enjoyed. The Jews needed to look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises, just as we need to fix our eyes on Christ as our only comfort in times of trial. God’s mercy is not temporary, extending only to isolated events, but it encompasses the entire history of His people. The return of the Jews from Babylon would commence the restoration of the church, which would be completed when Christ appeared. Isaiah, therefore, taught the Jews not to confine their attention to the present, but to consider the end and see what was happening to them in that context. We should do the same as we look forward to Christ’s second coming.

The lesson concluded that when we read passages such as the one before us, we are reminded of how God orchestrated and is working out His plan in all of history. Events do not occur in isolation—they are part of a bigger picture. What comfort and hope can a Christian derive from these prophecies! Put your hope in Christ today.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

The Mission – Part 2



2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Michael continues that because we've been saved by grace, we have been set apart to deliver the good news of the gospel of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our calling is to preach the gospel of redemption for He has called us as "living epistles"...  God's love letters known and read of all men and women. Our mission is to demonstrate the good news of God's salvation.

Sanctification is growing to become more like Christ. It means "separated according to the purpose for which the Designer designed us." The purpose of our testimony is that we show forth the glory of the One who has called us to His grace, mercy and love. Our purpose is to lift up our Lord Jesus Christ in glory, honor and praise. Our life's mission is to bless others by demonstrating the love of God.

Most Americans think that the purpose of life is the "pursuit of happiness." They think that the "good things in life" will make us happy. However, blessings according to God's  standard are different from the world's definition of happiness. The devil's original lie was that "man and woman are the center of the universe, not God." He said "God's not God ... you are. You shall be like God knowing good from evil."  However, blessing is not in being served but in serving to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. A bond servant says, "your wish is my command." My pleasure is the good pleasure of your will. For it is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure.

God will teach us to love others when we love Him above all. He will use trials, tribulations, heartbreak and pain so that we can know that He is the one who is our comfort and strength ... that we must decrease so that He may increase. He teaches to run to Him for refuge ... casting all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. He has called us to preach the gospel and to use words when necessary ... to proclaim the glory of the One who has called us from the darkness of this world and into the glorious light of the gospel of truth.

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ, Michael

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

The Mission – Part 1



It's difficult for people to decide what they really want. What's your passion in life? What makes it worthwhile to jump out of bed each morning? When your prayer is, "God, give me the passion to do your will," God will break your heart for what breaks His. When you ask God for a passion, then He will work with you, in you and through you to will and to do of His good pleasure.

According to Romans 1, Paul knew his mission and his one purpose in life. He began this book by calling himself a "bondservant" of his Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had a dramatic "conversion experience" on the road to Damascus while he was traveling to persecute Christians. He was a devout Pharisee who wanted to stamp out Christianity. Jesus said of the Pharisees that they were "whitewashed sepulchers, tombstones that look pretty on the outside but have dead bones on the inside.” Jesus reserved his harshest criticism for the Pharisees. On the road to Damascus Saul heard a voice from heaven that said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" He was called by the Lord Jesus to serve a new master.

A bond servant serves his master voluntarily from a heart of love. Most slaves serve because they "have to", not because they "want to." In biblical times, slaves were required by law to serve their masters because of a legal obligation for a certain period of time. Most slaves couldn't wait to be freed from the bondage of their hard task masters. However, a bond slave is one who had paid his debt of service to his master. He returned to his master to plead for his master to allow him to continue to serve, not because of obligation but voluntarily from a heart of love. To mark his bondservant, the master put black ink on his servant's ear and pierced his ear to the doorpost. This indelible mark told the world that the bondservant was bound by love to voluntarily serve his master from a heart of love for life.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his disciples, "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations ... and I will be with you even unto the end the world." This "great commission" is the calling of men and women of God. We are called to deliver the message of the good news of God's salvation through Jesus Christ.  

The call of God to the Apostle Paul was to preach the gospel. The gospel consists of bad news and good news. The bad news is that "there is none righteous, no not one for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” According to Hebrews 9:27, It is appointed once for all men to die and then comes the judgment.  Most men and women will reject the message that "sin" is the nature of all mankind. However, the massage of salvation is not whether we sin, but whether we accept the Savior from sin. Those who are committed to share the gospel know that they are not perfect, just forgiven. Not because of our own righteousness but because of His righteousness.

Let's continue Michael"s message on our Mission in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

America’s Greatest Hero – Part 2



Continuing our Wednesday night Small Group Bible Study on the establishment of America as a Christian nation by God. Pastor Kennedy resumes his recount of the historical event that lead to this country’s formation to “one nation under God”.

In the 600’s Anno Domini (A.D.), Islam rose, sweeping across and conquering north Africa, then in the 700’s A.D. attacked westward across Europe, through Spain and into France to the region of Tours. In an attack on October 10, 732, a rumor started that the Muslim’s plundered booty was being stolen behind them, so some Islamic brigades turned back to defend. The other brigades saw and assumed a retreat, so the entire Muslim army turned back. The Frankish and Burundian forces under Charles Martel overtook the invading army and were victorious. The Islamic effort to convert all of Europe to Islam failed. But, next the Muslim’s invaded and conquered Turkey, through Central Europe and into Germany where they were defeated again. Then, Islamic forces sent a fleet of ships to conquer Rome, but a great storm rose and sank the whole fleet outside the river mouth. Another Islamic fleet sailed across the Mediterranean Sea towards America, but a great storm rose again and sank that entire fleet also. We, as a nation, do not speak Arabic or worship Allah because the God of the Bible had ordained that this would be a Christian nation; even an evangelical Christian nation.

The Christian population in America in the 1990’s was growing at over 1% per year. Biblical morality, values, ethics and godliness were reflected in the nations citizens influence on society and election of their godly Civic representatives. God, of course, also wants that kind of a church where the gospel of Jesus Christ is clearly taught, the gospel of the pure grace of God is clearly proclaimed, and where the gospel would not only be witnessed here, but go around the world. What the Pilgrim’s had done (advancing the Kingdom of Jesus Christ), Christian Americans continue to do. It's by God's design.

In 1588, Spain’s fleet attacked England, but a storm sank most of the Spanish fleet and the remainder of the invading ships mistakenly landed in Ireland. We are not speaking Spanish in America. In 1606, a France Canadian fleet set sail to colonize New England, but torrential weather stopped them. We do not speak French in America. In 1620, the Pilgrim sailed to America. God, who controls all things, guided them to where He wanted them to go. Seeing that they made land north of their desired destination in Cape Cod, They turned the ships south and headed for Virginia, but storms blew them back north. This was because Indian tribes were massacring  settlers along the east coast at the time, except where God led the Pilgrims that we would have a strong evangelical Christian nation to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. God, our Commander-in-Chief, had so arranged His providence to bring this to pass. It is a magnificent story.

In 1787 at the Federal Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at a critical juncture in the writing of the U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin addressed the President of the Convention: "I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, That God governs in the affairs of men!" America’s first President wrote: “Anyone who cannot see the conspicuous  providence of God in all these things (in the formation and establishment of America) is worse than an infidel and more than wicked, because they will not show their gratitude to Almighty God.” A lot of people have a great deal of trouble saying “Thank you”, or particularly “Thank you God for what you have done”.  Therefore, it is far easier to deny God exists or deny that He has done anything for you. In that case, you do not have to be thankful. That is wickedness in the eyes of God. Known under God are the purposes of God from the very beginning, that there would be a Christian nation, and that the Christian nation of Christ would be here in America and thrive. In God We Trust.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Pastor Kennedy asks: Are you a part of it? Has God touched your heart and changed your life? Has father God causes you to become a new person in Christ? Has God invited and brought you into His kingdom? Have you experienced the certainty of life eternal? Do you know that all of your sins are forgiven at the foot of the Cross and that you will be with the Lord forever in Heaven?

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” If you have not surrendered your heart to Christ, then as far as you are personally concerned, all of the providential effort of God was in vain. 1 John 5:11-13 says, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

In Christ, Brian


Monday, March 18, 2019

America’s Greatest Hero - Part 1


 

Psalm 107:23-31 “Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for  His wonderful works to the children of men!”

Our Wednesday night small group Bible study has been studying the establishment and foundation of America through a video series by the late Pastor D. James Kennedy. In this session, Dr. Kennedy revealed that America’s greatest hero, the one who did the most for our freedom and the establishment of a Christian nation here than anyone else, is God – the often forgotten One. God determined here to establish a Christian nation. If He had not determined that, we would not have one.

We are not fatalist, who do not believe in “second causes”. We believe in the Divine sovereignty of God and His providence. There is a great difference. Fatalism does not believe in “second causes”, acknowledging only God. But, whether we realize it or not, we are a second cause. God is the “first cause”. Secondly, instead of falling into the arms of a loving God, fatalism is like falling into the impersonal cogs of a great machine. Christians believe that God is the sovereign Ruler of the world, that His purposes stand and that He can do them all. Nobody can stay His hand or say to Him: “What are you doing?” God is the Ruler still of Heaven and Earth, and His purposes will come to pass. He purposed to establish a Christian nation here on these shores between two great oceans.

Now there are people who would question that statement, that this nation was established as a Christian country. But, in 1892, this question came before the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Church of the Holy Trinity vs. United States. They examined every known document concerning the formation of America for ten years. The High Court voted unanimously that this is a Christian nation. And this has been confirmed many times since. Just look at the historical aspects of America’s formation. In 1776, the population of this country was 98% Protestant Christians, 1.8% Roman Catholic Christians and .2% Jewish. That means that 99.8% of the population in America professed to be Christians on Independence Day. This is a Christian nation.   

How did we come to be that way? God orchestrated with a little history: in 490 B.C., the Persian Empire conquered the known world. The massive Persian army attacked Greece’s much smaller army, but God brought heavy rains which bogged down the armored Persian army, while the light Greek army overtook and won the battle. The Greek  army sent (the now famous) Marathon runner to Athens with the message of victory, and he dropped dead after the 26 mile sprint. Ten years later, the Persian Empire mounted another attack of Greece, this time by sea. But, God brought a storm again that sank 200 Persian war vessels. If Persia  succeeded in either attack against Greece, then we would most likely be a “Zoroastrian” today. You may have never heard of “Zoroastrianism”, but it was the world’s great religion 500 years before Christ. But, we are not Zoroastrian because God places His feet upon the waves and rides on the storm.

Let's continue this message on America's greatest hero in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Come and See Jesus



John 1:35-42 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter.

Last week, Pastor Obie continued in our church’s Sunday sermon series through the book of John. He stated that all of Christ’s disciples (followers/students) are called to be a Christian witness of the gospel to others, but are not in it for fame or followers of themselves, but to point to the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ and to bring glory to God. What are you seeking? What is the desire and motive of your heart? Are they toward making an eternal impact? Do we want to be in the presence of the Lord?

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

God does not see His children from our failures in the past, but from our future potential. Expect great things to happen. Pastor Obie gave us three steps in evangelism; taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to our family, friends, acquaintances and neighbors within our sphere of influence. (1) Invest in individual lives. Let them in and share the “good news” of forgiveness, salvation and eternal life in heaven. But, in doing so, abide in Christ and stay connected in the Word of God, prayer and the church. The goal is to have the people that the Holy Spirit has prepared in advance to come to the realization that Jesus is the Messiah of God, their personal Savior and Lord.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

The second step in evangelism; taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to our family, friends, acquaintances and neighbors within our sphere of influence is (2) Be an influence by moving to action in trust. Jesus said “Go” and it wasn’t a recommendation. In marketing there are touch points of contact. Their touch points can be face-to-face discussions, promotional fliers, online ads and anything else that involves a business marketing message, brand name or logo reaching the customer. The Christian touch points are relational in genuine caring, heartfelt loving, legitimate interest, and a honest concern for one’s today, tomorrow and eternity by telling others the gospel truth. Therefore, influence is gained by trust through intentional and consistent time spent with others. To invest in and influence others are the first two touch points of the Great Commission to reach them for Christ and the third is invite.

Psalm 95:1-3 “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.”

(3) Think and write down the names of people that you know who need Jesus and extend an invitation to them to get to know the Savior of the world. There is someone within our sphere of influence who needs to hear from you, whether they are open to the gospel or a septic. The truth shall set them free. You cannot force someone to believe in Jesus because faith is the work of the Holy Spirit, but you can invite them to a place where they can experience the Lord at eh foot of the Cross for themselves. Invite them to “taste and see for yourself” because Jesus reveals truths to the seeker and the skeptic with a revelation from God. Flawed humans will fail, but the Lord is good and in the business of redemption.

John 1:43-46 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

Jesus is the only ladder that links Heaven and Earth. Christ is the connection sent from God to reconcile and restore sinners. Advance the kingdom of God. help others come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and reduce the population of Hell; from sin’s death to salvation’s life - life true and eternal.

Remember the six B’s: The kingdom is built best by Believers bringing buddies, so invest, influence and invite.  
In Christ, Brian

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Do Not Be Afraid



Isaiah 8:13 “The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread”.

In a commentary on this verse of Holy Scripture, we are reminded that when God judges the world and the church for its rebellion against Him, it is easy for believers to be afraid. We see the world spinning out of control, markets crashing, wars brewing, morals disintegrating, and the fabric of our nation, from family relationships to governmental entities, breaking apart. Such chaos can incite fear even in the most faithful of God’s people. This was certainly what happened during Isaiah’s day. Judgment was coming, and the people saw it. But instead of trusting in the Lord, they gave way to fear. In Isaiah 8:13, the prophet Isaiah warned them to wait upon the Lord, to trust in Him, and not to be afraid.

Whenever we give way to fear, we tend to latch onto worldly things for comfort and protection. The Judean Jews reached out for the Assyrian king, thinking he could give them the protection they needed against Syria and Israel. They also turned to spiritists and mediums, not trusting the Word of the Lord. Isaiah rebuked them for this. He told them that they needed to fear the Lord, not the threats of the world. He told them to hope in God and to wait on Him. He told them to turn to His Word, to the Law and the Testimony, instead of trusting in the wisdom and vain promises of the world.

In his first letter, the Apostle Peter warns us not to fear with the fear of the ungodly, but to place all our confidence in God and to keep our eyes fixed on Him (1 Peter 1:17-21). The Lord is in control of everything, and to be afraid is to diminish His glory. It is as if we were saying, “God, you aren’t really in control. You can’t really protect us.” No higher affront can be offered to God than to give way to fear, as if He were not exalted above all creatures, so as to control all events. But when we rely on His aid, and, through victorious steadfastness of faith, despise dangers, then do we actually ascribe to Him lawful government. If we are not convinced that Almighty God can use any and all methods to deliver His people, then we conceive of Him as a dead idol.

The commentator concludes that in those times when the world seems out of control and God’s judgment is coming, we are told not to be afraid but to wait on the Lord. To wait means “I will not turn aside from God,” and “I will look for Him.” The ungodly will cling to their terror and hate God because of it, but those who are truly His will put their hope in Him and trust in Christ. What do you do when everything around you seems out of control? Do you pray to God or do you seek comfort in worldly things? What often substitutes for the comfort of the Holy Spirit in your life? The next time you are afraid, stop, pray, read Scripture, and wait on the Lord.

Blessings

Friday, March 15, 2019

The Fruit of the Gospel



Colossians 1:5b–6 “The word of truth, the gospel . . . in the whole world
it is bearing fruit and growing — as it also does among you, since the day
you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth”.

I started another short Bible Study the first chapter of the letter to the Colossians today. This lesson on the passage above focused on the fruit of the gospel truth. This lesson stated that heresies differ from one another in the precise errors that they teach, but they are always grounded in the same kind of assumptions basic to all false teaching. For instance, Islam’s insistence that Jesus is only a prophet and Mormonism’s contention that He is a man who has achieved the exalted status of godhood are plainly different in content. Yet both of these falsehoods are based on the assumption that Jesus is not who the New Testament says He is — God, who became incarnate to redeem sinners.

Another basic assumption in which all heresies are rooted is the belief that because the Bible is an insufficient revelation, we need more from God to know Him and His plans truly. Sometimes this “extra” revelation exists in written form, like the Qur’an of Islam. On other occasions, it is a secret knowledge known only to a select group of elites. The teachings that plagued the Colossians when Paul wrote to them resemble this kind of elitism, which is why the apostle takes care to assert in Colossians 1:5b–8 that the true gospel had come to Colossae in the past, before the arrival of the false teachers, and that Epaphras, the man who brought it to the city, was a faithful servant of the truth as it has been revealed in Christ Jesus.

The lesson points out that we know little about Epaphras except that he was a co-laborer of Paul’s who was willing to suffer with the apostle in prison if need be (Philemon 23). He was likely from the region in which Colossae was located, but even if he was not, he had a fruitful evangelistic mission there and in nearby cities like Laodicea. That Epaphras’ presentation of the gospel was true, Paul indicates, is seen not only in the fact that there is a self-evident truth to the content of the gospel (the gospel is called the “word of truth” in Col. 1:5b), but also to the transformative effects of its preaching among the Colossians and the whole world (vs. 6–8). Paul’s point seems to be that God’s people recognize the gospel’s veracity as it is preached accurately and effects change among its hearers. As the New Testament scholar Douglas J. Moo explains, “The gospel is authenticated not by its truth only nor by its power in people’s lives only but by both working in tandem”. May the truth of the gospel continue to transform us.

The bottom line is that if there is no change from smug self-righteousness to humble, selfless repentance in those who profess the gospel, then the church should consider whether it is in fact preaching the gospel and its application to all of life. Of course, the Spirit sometimes works longer than we might like to bring change through the gospel, so a lack of apparent transformation does not automatically mean the gospel is being compromised. Keep witnessing to the gospel truth that Jesus Christ is Savior and Lord.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

The Remarkable One – Part Two



Michael continues that grace is caught and not taught. To understand grace, we must spend time in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is grace personified. As we delight ourselves in the law of the fullness of grace, we will be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of living waters ... that gives forth its fruit in due season. His leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he does shall prosper. Jesus went about doing remarkable things. His manner of living was to proclaim the gospel. He felt compassion for the people who were like sheep without a shepherd.  

After Adam and Eve sinned, God came to them in the cool of the evening. They didn't pursue him. They ran and hid from God in their guilt and shame. Who is seeking whom? He's the Good Shepherd that will leave the ninety nine sheep to seek the one lost sheep. Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful but the laborer's are few.  He said, you are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. He has called us as able ministers of the New Testament. We are His fellow laborers in the field of harvest.  

Jesus taught his disciples the meaning of humility and service when he wrapped a towel around his waist, bowed down, and washed their feet. The question is, "are you doing what you're doing for the commission or for the Great Commission?"  Therefore, whatsoever your hand finds to do, do all as unto the Lord and not unto men. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. He has called us to relationships so that we can bear one another’s' burdens ... so that we can build each other up within the body of Christ. There is no greater relationship than the one He has called us to in godly marriage. A marriage relationship is a picture of Christ's relationship with His church.  

God has called us to live remarkable lives to the praise of the glory of His grace! The song "Only Jesus" by Casting Crowns is on point: The name of Jesus Christ is the only name to remember!  He is the remarkable one. Your heart will be uplifted when you listen to this song.  Here is the link to the video on YouTube:


Jesus Christ is the Remarkable One.  
May we live to his praise and honor and glory!
Your brother in Christ, Michael


Wednesday, March 13, 2019

The Remarkable One - Part 1



This week, Michael writes that the gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ is the truth that sets men and women free. Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  This is the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Just by looking around today, it's easy to lament the state of affairs of this world ... for they call evil good and good evil.  However, Jesus came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful but the laborer's are few." The depravity of this fallen world is the mission field, having remained fallow, but is now ready to be planted and watered with the seed of the gospel of truth. He has called us as fellow laborers to plant, water and bring in the salvation harvest of souls.

The gospel of the truth of the word of God is remarkable. Jesus the “Word made flesh” is the Remarkable One.  Remarkable means Observable; worthy of notice. It makes others want to investigate and learn. When the people saw Jesus, they were drawn to Him. They had never seen someone who spoke with the authority of God and did the miracles that He did. Remarkable means Extraordinary; unusual; that which is beyond the ordinary; that deserves particular notice. They marveled that He was able to heal the sick and raise the dead. Remarkable is wonderful in a unique and marvelous way that may excite admiration or wonder. It is extraordinary and rare, atypical and standing apart from the norm. They had never seen anything as remarkable as Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus said to the lame man whose friends laid him before Jesus, "Your sins are forgiven, rise up and walk."  The Pharisees were furious because Jesus said, "your sins are forgiven." They considered this blasphemy because only God can forgive sin. However, regardless of the scoffers and unbelievers, the world will take notice when the power of God is manifest.

At the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the first sermon after Jesus' resurrection.  The crowd at the Temple marveled at his remarkable words. They noticed that he was an "unlearned and ignorant" Galilean. Then they took note that he had been with Jesus. Peter had been filled with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and preached empowered by the spirit.

Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth." Salt was precious for the preservation of food. The Romans paid their soldiers in salt. The source of the word “salary” is the Latin word ‘salarium’, with the ‘sal’ being salt. It is also required to preserve life itself since many biological processes depend on salt. However, if the salt has lost its flavor, what good is it? It's only good to be cast into the street and walked on. Jesus Christ is the savor (flavor and sweet smelling fragrance) of life unto life to those who are called to salvation. Jesus said, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you, then you will be witnesses unto me.  The power of my resurrection will be manifest in your life.  You will be able to do all things whatsoever I have commanded you.  For you are our epistles known and read of all men.

Let's continue Michael's message on Jesus Christ in our next post.
In Christ, Brian

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

The Judgment of God



Isaiah 5:25 “Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them and stricken them, and the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.”

The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines the word “Judgment” in Scripture as (1) the spirit of wisdom and prudence, enabling a person to discern right and wrong, good and evil. (2) A remarkable punishment; an extraordinary calamity inflicted by God on sinners. (3) The spiritual government of the world. (4) The righteous statutes and commandments of God are called his judgments. (5) The doctrines of the gospel, or God's word. (6) The final trial of the human race, when God will decide the fate of every individual, and award sentence according to justice. Hebrews 9:27 “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

A study on Isaiah 5:25 explains that judgment was coming to Judah because the people had rejected the law of God. They refused to keep His precepts as their fathers had done, and they threw the law away from them as if it were nothing more than a piece of trash. Isaiah said that two things roused God’s wrath against His chosen people: their rejection of His law and their disdain for His Word. These are one and the same, the latter just being one step further down the path of apostasy than the other. The Jewish people had rejected the law as the standard for their conduct, but they didn’t stop there. They even despised it to the point that they mocked and ridiculed it, and hence derided the holiness of God.

The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 12:35-36 “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”

Protestant Reformer John Calvin says of Judah’s treatment of God’s law that “it was not through ignorance or mistake, but through inveterate malice, that they shook off the yoke of God, and abandoned themselves to every kind of licentiousness; which was nothing else than to reject so kind a Father, and to give themselves up to be the slaves of the devil.” This being the state of Judah, God’s wrath was kindled against them. They already had suffered some chastisement in the past, but they hadn’t learned from it. And now, in the days of repose and prosperity, they were being warned that God’s hand was still stretched forth; a more severe punishment than they could ever imagine was coming.

Romans 2:12 “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”

Isaiah said that punishment would come in the form of war. An enemy from “far off” would attack them. This would have made the Jews scoff, because they were currently at peace with their neighbors. But when God chooses to bring judgment on a people, He often does it by unexpected and unlikely means. Though the kingdom of Israel had faced God’s wrath, the kingdom of Judah was not yet overturned. The people thought themselves safe from the calamities of their brethren. But Isaiah warned them that God would command foreign nations to rise up against them, and in this case it was the Assyrians.

Isaiah 26:9 “My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.”

The lesson concludes that if God decides to bring judgment on a nation that has rejected His law and held His holiness in contempt, He will use any means necessary to that end. Judgment might come through pestilence, famine, war, or some other form. We don’t know. But one thing we can be sure of: if we no longer honor God’s law, judgment will come from the least expected place, and with it will come death and destruction.

May righteousness with God prevail.