Temporary - Part 3

 

 

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 “ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 

 

Pastor Kyle continues that though the Christian longs for Heaven and to be present with the Lord for eternity, it is not that we have a deathwish and want to die and get rid of these bodies that cloth our inner self soul. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Jesus commanded all Christians in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” The children of God have the godly work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world and advancing the kingdom of Heaven on Earth in God’s overarching plan of Salvation, reconciliation and restoration. God does prepare his kingdom citizens with the blessing to come home and be with the Lord, but know that we will not pass from this life to eternity one minute earlier than the time given us.  

 

Hebrews 11:1 explains, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The Greek work for “faith” in this passage is “pistis” meaning the conviction that God exists and is the Creator and ruler of all things, the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ with a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah sent by Father God, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. This is why the Apostle Paul proclaims that we walk by faith, not by sight. The term “things hoped for” is the Greek word “elpizō” meaning to wait for salvation with joy and full trust and confidence; a sure hope. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 13:12-13, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 

 

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Even the most devout saints (those who have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit in transforming salvation through Christ) live on the promises of God by faith and hope with blessed assurance of the “things not seen” of God and certainty of Heaven to come. 1 John 5:11-13 assures us,  “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

 

Romans 10:17 explains, “ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Our Creator God has put eternity into everyone’s heart and His holy word in our hands, but when we get to eternal Heaven, face to face with the Lord, faith and hope are no longer necessary and love abides. God gives us a guarantee … He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. Jesus announces in John 14:15-17, 26 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” 

 

The fourth thing that we need to know about this tent living is (4) the guarantee is in the Holy Spirit working in Believers today. The Apostle Paul instructs us in Galatians 5:16-18, 22-25 “I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Walk in the Spirit.

 

The Lord Jesus said in John 7:37-39, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. The Greek word for “thirst”  in this passage of Scripture is “dipsaō” meaning figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened. The Lord Jesus quenches the thirst of the soul and the Helper, the indwelling Holy Spirit guides us in paths of righteousness, producing “living water having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul that flows out of the heart. The physical is temporary, but the eternal soul transcends and is permanent.

Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on our temporary earthly lives in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

Temporary - Part 2

 

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 “ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 

 

Pastor Kyle continues: No matter how much we want to believe in medical and technological advances, everything on this side of Judgement Day is temporary. We have temporary bodies with an eternal soul. Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” When we have breathed our last, everyone has a “come to Jesus” moment to give him an account of their life. Revelation 20:11-12 says, “I saw a great white throne and him [Jesus] who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” It will be victory for the sanctified in Christ, but pure Hell on whose who reject the Lord in rebellious unbelief. Bottomline: Tents are temporary shelter and never meant to be a permanent solution. This temporal tent houses the soul and is a temple for the Holy Spirit within Believers

 

The second thing that we need to know about this tent living is (2) When we take care of the essentials, then we can take our time with everything else. In camping, we need to frantically set up our camp with everything that we are going to need, then we can relax and enjoy the experience in God’s creation. There is a bit of a frenzy in day-to-day life to take care of  and handle the basics because life is full of places to be and things to do, which can be stressful. Busyness distracts us from core purposes, priorities and goals. In John 14:2-3Jesus tells Believers, “ In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” 

 

Jesus is in Heaven setting up the permanent eternal dwelling place for the children of God for when they get there. We are here doing the work of advancing the kingdom by going out in the world and making disciple through presenting the Gospel message of salvation, while the Lord is making all the detailed arrangements, preparing for our arrival. Get a glimpse of that heavenly mindset and eternal perspective for the Believer, trust that the Lord has the details worked out in advance. Man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and to delight in Him forever. That means to obey and enjoy God and His created world and order, knowing that everything was created by Him for His glory and we are a vital part of His plan, so love God and love others.  

 

The third thing that we need to know about this tent living is (3) Eventually, we long to go home. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling. The Greek word for “groan here is “stenazō”, meaning to sigh, murmur, pray inaudibly: to groan with grief, and a desire for something to be different or change. We feel that painful separation as we long for our home in Heaven. We shall put on heavenly bodies with a sense of completeness, for we shall not be spirits without bodies. Live that reality of Heaven while living here on Earth today. As much as it is nice to be away on cation, the comforts of home are such a blessing. That longing to go home is the feeling that the Christian should feel about Heaven. The born-again Christian as a citizen of Heaven, just a sojourner, a temporary resident; a stranger or traveler who dwells in a place for a time. Heaven is their eternal home and we are Ambassadors for Christ.

Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on our temporary lives and our eternal home in the next post. In Christ Brian

Temporary - Part 1

 

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 “ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 

 

This last Sunday, Pastor Kyle continued preaching through the Epistle titled 2 Corinthians. He stated that even though the vast majority of people enjoy the camping outdoors vacation experience, but know that it is very rare to find an individual that would want to live permanently in a tent. For the most of us, we know that tent living is temporary at best. We long for a permutant home. There is a parallel in that there is a temporary nature to this life as opposed to the permanence of our heavenly hope that awaits us. Heaven is going to be awesome beyond description. We spend so much time thinking about today and not enough thinking about our eternal destination in the presence of the Lord, our God. 

 

But, since we live in the “here and now” of our earthly existence, we need to discuss what heavenly living means for today. If you are a repentant born-again Believer in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and accepted Him as the Lord of your life, then your heavenly eternal life has already started. You are not waiting to get to Heaven; you are a citizen of Heaven on earth with a heavenly calling; that is the eternal perspective. Our job as Christians is to stand on the promises of God in everything, the blessed assurance of salvation in Christ, and the sure hope of eternal life in Heaven, while bringing the permanent Word, Will and Way of God into the here and now, because everything here is only temporary.     

 

The Apostle Paul compares our earthly lives to living in a tent. Our body is just a tent which your spirit, mind will and emotion dwells within until we go to be with the Lord. Greek word for “tent” in this verse is “skēnos” meaning a tabernacle or a tent, as a metaphor of the human body, in which the soul dwells as in a tent, and which is taken down at death. 

 

Pastor Kyle presented three thing that we need to know about this tent living. (1) It is only temporary. The Apostle says, “ For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed.” The Geek word for “destroyed” here is “katalyō” meaning to dissolve, disunite what has been joined together, to destroy, or demolish; to take down the tent. The body dies, decays, returns to the dust, but the soul lives on in a permanent location because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Death is a sad fact as every good aspect of this life is over and relationships naturally severed. We miss our loved ones who have pasted away. 

 

It is especially sad for those without God, without belief in Jesus Christ and do not have saving faith. Revelation 21:8 declares, “He who overcomes the world by adhering faithfully to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, drug abusers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The Greek word for “unbelieving” in this verse is “apistos” meaning faithless, unbelieving and without trust in God. We all eventually die and God strikes down the tent, then moves us to our permanent home in eternity. Everything on planet Earth is temporary.

Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on life being temporary in the next post. In Christ, Brian

Grieving - Part 3

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

 

Pastor Herk continues: One of the biggest threats to the unity and harmony of the Christian church today is the whole concept of the “Consumer Church”. Many of the Christian churches today in the world are being less sacred (separated from common secular uses and consecrated to God and his service), less holy (pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Hallowed; consecrated or set apart to a sacred use, or to the service or worship of God. Proceeding from pious principles, or directed to pious purposes of the holy law of God), and becoming more secularized by humanism, materialism, hedonism and naturalism (pertaining to the present worldview, or to things not spiritual or holy; relating to things not immediately or primarily respecting the soul, but the body; worldly. The secular concerns of life respect making provision for the support of life, the preservation of health, the temporal prosperity of men, superintending and governing the temporal affairs of men, and is contradistinguished from spiritual, ecclesiastical or apostolic power). Their focus is on the existential and temporal rather than the glory of God, being set apart by God for God’s purposes, living godly lives obedient to the Word and with eternity in mind. 

 

The Consumer Church is individuals in the body of Christ who come to church looking for what is in it for them, instead of going to church to worship, serve God and edify or help others around them. Those dedicated and devoted to self and what the church can do for themselves. When you have a church where the majority are there what they  they can get out of it  rather than how they can contribute to the ministry, then there is conflict, discord and division, where the Holy Spirit is grieved. We cannot disrupt the unity of Christian church. – the body of Christ  If you consider yourself a Follower of Christ, you need to know that the church is not here primarily for you. Though you are blessed by all aspects of the church, you are primarily there for the Lord and His church. The church is here for the community and the world for Christ’s sake. Jesus did not go to the Cross and die to make you into a satisfied customer. Our Savior died to make those who were spiritually dead in their sins alive, forgiven and reconciled to Creator God. With saving faith comes hope and blessed assurance.

 

The most successful churches are those that have a singular focus on Christ’s Great Commission of making disciples (a student and follower of Jesus Christ - one who receives or professes to receive instruction from the Word of God and an adherent to the doctrines of Christian faith with a biblical worldview. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts), and not those that have numerous programs and trendy attention-getters designed to make people interested in coming to church on Sunday. We come to the House of God to connect with God, to humbly worship and praise our Maker, Savior and Lord in grateful and rejoiceful adoration in the unity of the body of Believers, to know God and make Him known as together we continue to grow, know and go. We care for our church community and the community in which we reside (our ministry of light). If we lose this godly focus and fall into that “What in it for me?” attitude, we will be distracted and pulled in directions that will disrupt the unity and grieve the Holy Spirit. The body works in harmony and Christ is the head.  

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

 

Another thing that grieves the Holy Spirit is that we fail to “pull our weight” and do our part within the body of Christ. The Christian learns what their spiritual gifts are so that they know what they are, where they fit and how to serve God, the church and the community in good works that advance the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Every Christian is given a gift for ministry and a means of service that God has designed them for. 

 

We come in our unity, in our faith and in our knowledge of Jesus Christ to serve the Lord and serve others for the kingdom of God. Romans 12:4-5 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” When we fail to carry out our God-given function within the body of Christ, we using our talents to help others in ministry, and not do the things that God has designed and purposed for us to do, then we fail to glorify God, damage the unity of the body of Christ and grieve the Holy Spirit. 

 

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Another thing that grieves the Holy Spirit is when we revert back to our old ways. In Luke 9:62 Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” When we work only for our own selfish desires and not for the Lord and His purposes, we grieve the Holy Spirit. We are far from perfect and grieve the Holy Spirit when we stumble and fail. But, let’s make sure that we do everything that we can to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

 

In Christ, Brian

Grieving - Part 2

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

 

Pastor Herk continues: Proverbs 1:7 proclaims, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The Greek word for “fear” in this Bible verse is “yir'â” meaning fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety. So, the reverence of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and the fear is that we never want to disappoint Him or do anything that would let Him down and cause Him grief. We do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit. So, how can we avoid grieving the Holy Spirit?

 

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

 

Every sin that we commit grieves the Holy Spirit because sin is the voluntary departure of a moral agent [us] from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act of iniquity, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. Ultimately, our sin is willful rebellion again against God and His authority; the fallen finite creature wronging against its just and holy Creator. The Holy Spirit wants the best for us. We are supposed to be talking in a way that edifies and encourages people; so, our words can also grieve the Holy Spirit.  

 

In Ephesians 1:17, the Apostle Paul states, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 2:18,22: “For through him {Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Then in Ephesians 3:4-5 Paul instructs, “In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.” In Ephesians 3:16-17 Paul says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Finally, in Ephesians 4:3-4, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called.” 

 

These verses are about unity and harmony within the body of Christ in the Spirit. Anything we do that damages the unity of the body of Believers, grieves the Holy Spirit and takes away from the glory that God receives; to God be all glory and praise. Amen. We are His body and the Holy Spirit is in us. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we do something that harms the unity of the church. Everything the you say and do, the Holy Spirit hears, sees and knows. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. The Apostle has identified keys to maintaining unity of the Spirit, it would be profitable for God’s people to know these truths in order to identify that which grieves the Spirit.  

 

One thing that leads to sin and grieving the Holy Spirit is focusing on ourselves, instead of focusing on the Lord, our God. The unifying elements of the church body are the picture of the perfect unity of God Himself as the Godhead to work together to accomplish His purposes on this side of eternity. When we, as a body of believing disciples, keep our focus on God and His work in our lives, we are maintaining harmony and unity in that church body. We cannot grieve the Holy Spirit when the church body is united in harmony of God’s perfect Word, Will, Way and purposes. Being Self-focused leads to self-led lives and disunity, that grieves the Holy Spirit. But, being Spirit-focused leads to Spirit-led lives and true unity, where the Hoy Spirit rejoices.   

Let's continue PAstor Herk's message on grieving the Hoy Spirit in our next post.

In Christ, Brian

Grieving - Part 1

 

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

 

Last Sunday, Pastor Herk continued in his church’s sermon series through the Epistle by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. What does this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit? (1) The Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is a person. Holy Spirit is the combination of two Greek words (1) “Hagios” meaning “most holy”, reverend, worthy of veneration, and “Pneuma” meaning the third person of the triune God, the Godhead or the Trinity. The Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son; never referred to as a depersonalized force. The Holy Spirit is 100% God, sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his personality and character (the "Holy" Spirit) and sometimes referred to in a way which emphasizes his work and power (the Spirit of "Truth"). 

 

In John 14:16-17 Jesus declares, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.” The person of the Holy Spirit is fully God. Acts 13:2 states, While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.” The Holy Spirit is eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omnibenevolent. 1 Corinthians 12:11 proclaims, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” But, the Holy Spirit can be grieved. The Greek word for “grieve” is “lypeō” meaning to offend to make sorrowful, to affect with sadness, or cause grief. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary echoes the definition: 1. To give pain of mind to; to afflict; to wound the feelings. 2. To afflict; to inflict pain on. 3. To make sorrowful; to excite regret in. 4. To offend; to displease; to provoke. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God (Eph.4). It gives the notion of betrayal, as when someone close betrays our confidence or trust. 

 

The second thing that this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit is: (2) The Holy Spirit loves us. The Holy Spirit is in an omnibenevolent love relationship with us. Agape love is an attribute of God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit longs for us; thinks about us, and desires to be close to us. When knowingly and willfully engage in sinful behavior (that what is “wrong in the eyes of the Lord”, or neglect of what is “right in the eyes of the Lord”), the Holy Spirit is deeply grieved by the rebellious sinful thoughts, words or actions. God’s holy Word, Will and Way set the righteous standards by which to live and are sacred criterion for the best life that He lovingly designed.  

 

The third thing that this verse reveal about the Holy Spirit is: (3) The Holy Spirit will never leave us. Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” The moment that we truly repent of sin, believe in God, and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit is given and indwells our transformed hearts, sealed for eternity; the guarantee of the complete fulfillment of our redemption. Our redemption, as well as our salvation, has three aspects to it. (A) We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ from the wages of sin. (B) We are being redeemed and made alive in Christ for the abundant life that leaves behind the dark and empty way of life of unbelief. 

 

(C) One day in the future, we are going to experience the full extent of our redemption. The Holy Spirit will be in us and with us always. Jesus tells us in Luke 21:27-29, “they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” The Apostle Paul proclaims in Romans 8:23, “we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” The Holy Spirit is in our lives until Jesus calls us home to Heaven, then our redemption is complete.  

Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on what grieves the Holy Spirit in the next Post.

In Christ, Brian

The Proper Prospective - Part 4

 

The fourth way to keep an eternal perspective is (4) when you are feeling down and out, don’t check out or zone out but zoom out. As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Sometimes, the problems, afflictions or trials in our life become all-consuming in that moment and we lose the big perspective. People get caught up in reactionary emotion and cannot is beyond the immediate issue. God can use light momentary afflictions to move us into greater ministry opportunities. God can use the tribulations of life to work his masterpiece in us, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Like Christ’s crucifixion, God turns the seemingly depressing defeat into the ultimate victory over sin and death for eternity, a pathway to Heaven through the forgiveness of sins.    

 

When we go through the trials of life in this fallen world, it is easy to get drawn into the discouragement and be tempted to lose heart. Christian, do not grow weary in doing good. Zoom out and look at those problems with the perspective of eternity and God’s over-arching plan to reconcile and restore this world. God is working a greater masterpiece that you do not see at the moment. Remember what the Lord Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We live in a fallen in sin world on this side of eternity. We have to deal with problems in life, but deal with them from the God’s over-arching and eternal perspective. 

 

Psalm 90:10-12 “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

 

In 2021, a worldwide study showed that the average life expectancy was 73.2 years. Imagine the timeline of your life in the timeline of history. We can illustrate this with the use of a rope, with the near end being the Genesis 1:1 beginning of God’s creation. About 18 inches along that rope, God sent Jesus Christ to redeem the world and divide time as BC AND AD. BC (B.C.) is an abbreviation used in the Julian calendar, then later the Gregorian calendar (introduced in October 1582), that means "before Christ." The letters AD (A.D.), although commonly thought to represent "After Death," actually stand for "Anno Domini," a Medieval Latin phrase that is translated as "in the year of our Lord." The original designation for this type of year also included the Latin words "Jesu Christi" or "Jesus Christ" written after the word "Lord." 

 

About 24 inches along that rope, we find our life, less than an inch from beginning to end. Everything that you work for, stress about, poured your blood sweat and tears into happens within that tiny length of rope and then you are off into eternity. The rope keeps going after our time on this earth. Ten feet along that rope is one hundred million years. Twenty-five feet along the rope is one-hundred billion years. Forty feet along the rope is is a trillion years into eternity. Do you get the point? That rope keeps on going, and eternity is infinitely long. Your plus or minus seventy to eighty years of life (on average) in comparison and in the light of eternity, our problems are put into proper perspective. All the battles that you fight, all the heartache and suffering, all the worry and stress that you endure, and all the pain and ailments take place within that thin span of time, then we spend the rest of our life in eternity. 

 

You are a created eternal spiritual being, made up by body, soul (mind, will and emotion) and spirit, so your existence will outlast your physical body. You will live this short life, then spend eternity somewhere. It is either it is going to be with sovereign God in the kingdom of Heaven, or without God in Hell. Heaven is heaven, not primarily because it is paradise, but because the presence of Almighty God is there. Hell is not Hell because of the Lake of Fire or the weeping and gnashing of teeth, but primarily because God is not there (no Light, no Mercy, no Good, no God).      

 

Sin is defined as the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law.  Habakkuk 1:13 “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.” Sin is against our Just and Holy Creator God. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

 

What you do during this momentary temporal time that we have on planet Earth will determine where you spend the rest of eternity. Let us be future focused with our faith. Let us live with eternity in mind. What are you living for? People are too content with their life now that they, that they don’t seriously think about the world to come. Are you living for the things that outlast this life? People are too busy with living for today and working towards their retirement in this life, rather than working for eternal things in the next. In Matthew 6:19-20 Jesus warns, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Are you living for eternity?  

 

God is in control. Let us live with an eternal perspective, and then when you view your problems that you face, it makes everything much clearer. Even the problem of death is put into its proper perspective when we zoom out and see the whole picture. The worst that this world can do to the true Christian is kill us, but because we spend eternity with the Lord in Heaven, to die is gain. Soon this life will pass, and only what is done for Christ will last. 

 

In Christ, Brian   

 

The Proper Prospective - Part 3

Pastor Obie continues: The Second way to keep an eternal perspective is (2) Renew yourself daily in God’s Word. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. God is renewing our character to be more Christ-like. God is renewing the inner moral strength within each of His born-again, sanctified children. Our emotional, psychological self is growing under blessing assurance of salvation by grace through faith. The Apostle describes an external decline of the old self (the sin nature of the flesh) with an internal revitalization that is transforming the Christian life daily. The Lord Jesus told us in His model prayer of Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Just like the body needs physical food for nutrition and sustenance every day to function, our spirit requires spiritual food daily for renewal. The Apostle Paul instructs us in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

 

Get into the Word of God daily. Build those spiritual disciplines by having quiet times of prayer and meditating upon God, His Word, His Will and His Way. Eat spiritual food and connect with God every day. Sin caused the spirit of man to die within them and broke the spiritual connect, but regeneration of the spirit at true born-again conversion in repenting and accepting the redeeming gift of God by faith reconciled and restored that spiritual connection to our Creator Father in Heaven through the blood of Christ (His death on the Cross in our place for our sins). You need to feed your spirit every day in some way, and when you do this it will change your focus towards the things that are eternal. It will change the place where you put your hope also. You see, our hope determines our habits, and when we put our hope on the eternal things, it will change how we think and act today. It will change the way that you respond to life’s trials and life’s blessings. So, daily renew yourself in God’s holy Word with an eternal perspective. Read your Bible.   

 

The third way to keep an eternal perspective is (3) weigh everything against the weight of God’s glory. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. One of the most damaging things that Social Media has done to this current generation’s mental health is that it has made demeaning comparisons of one’s life to another person’s highlights and it is creating materialism, jealous covetousness and hurting society. There are heavy things in life that weigh us down, but weighed against God’s eternal glory and this life is worth the hardships. The Christian progresses from justification at salvation, to sanctification in life’s journey on this side of eternity, to glorification in Heaven for eternity when this earthly life is over. Knowing and trusting in Almighty God establishes the standing firmly of His Word and the promises of eternal glory, making the distractions and issues of this world not worth our focus, our overt attention or getting bitter over. 

 

The true attention is on someone coming to a “saving” faith in Jesus Christ and advancing the kingdom of God, which brings glory to God. For that glory, anything in comparison is just light and momentary affliction. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. As we are living for God and accomplishing His Will in our lives today, facing these problems and trials of life that come temporally compared to the Gospel of eternal glory our life to be lived eternally, the eternal perspective tips the scale and is worth it. The Apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our work is in becoming more Christ-like and diligently working in God’s over-arching plan of salvation and restoration in the saving of souls for God’s glory.

 

The Apostle Paul illustrates in 1 Corinthians 9:23-25, I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Modern Olympic athletes sacrifice extensive time and training to win a gold, silver or bronze medal and momentary illustriousness, believing that it all is worth it. For the true Christian, as the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our race is in becoming more Christ-like and diligently running to win in God’s over-arching plan of salvation and restoration in the saving of souls for God’s glory. The focus on the heavenward prize is having an eternal perspective. 

Let's conclude Pastor Obie's message on having the proper perspective in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

The Proper Prospective - Part 2

Pastor Obie continues: The Apostle Paul spoke from real-life experience when he talked about trials and tribulations, yet amid all the affliction he was able to persevere through. How can we persevere through ours? Persevere through life’s problems by having an eternal perspective. The Apostle has able to live effectively in the present because he was able to view his problems in light of eternity, able to say: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” We know in our hearts that there is life after death; death is not the end; there is an ever-lasting afterlife ... immortality of the soul. We are made for eternity, but most people do not an eternal perspective. If they did, it would change everything.    

 

The Apostle Paul life of hardship, suffering, persecution, and martyred seemed like a failure to the world. But, the world only sees the outward temporal things, not the unseen eternal things. Paul lived with eternity in mind, so persevered through life because of his eternal perspective. He said in Philippians 1:21-24, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” In his lifetime, the Apostle Paul, personally called by the Lord Jesus Christ, founded fourteen or more churches throughout the Mediterranean area and wrote thirteen books or Epistles, equating to 28% of the Bible’s New Testament. What does it mean to have this eternal perspective ourselves? Why worry because God has everything under control and when we die we go the Heaven to spend eternity with the Lord.

 

Pastor Obie listed four ways to keep an eternal perspective. (1) Shine the light of the Gospel by being a Servant for the sake of Jesus. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. This is what a Christian disciple is called to do. Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This Great Commission was Jesus’ last marching order to His followers then and now. This is a mission that Christians are commanded and assigned to do, which has an eternal outcome.

 

John 3:16-18, 36 explains, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. You are meant to help people find everlasting eternal life through Christ. The Christian on mission with the Great Commission will have the eternal perspective at the forefront of their mind. 

 

The Apostle states, “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” He equates us to jars of clay, which are fragile and easily damaged, but cheap and widely used in daily life. What give jars of clay value is what has been put inside of it. The light of the glory of God is the Gospel of Jesus Christ input into every Believer. 

 

The Christian is not supposed to keep the treasure in us, but to let it out and shine that Gospel light out for all to see. Today, ceramic Piggy banks are a cheap container for saving coins, which grows in value as more is deposited into it. We are “earthly vessels” but our value is because God breathed His life into us: making us in His image. Like the Piggy bank, the treasure within it is not supposed to stay inside of it. Sometimes, some shaking and breaking needs to be done in our lives in order that the treasure that is within us can shine its true value. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:14-16 declares: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Treasure that is kept within and unused is useless. Light is useful when it is shined out into the darkness.  

 

God also uses rough and tough times in our lives to refine us, because it’s the problem in life that we face which God uses to perfect us. Sometimes, it is through the difficulties that God uses to redeem people to Him. "There are no atheists in foxholes" is an old saying that means, roughly, that when things are bad, people tend to turn to God. In light of eternity, going through suffering and witnessing to the light of the Gospel in the face of our problems, it is worth persevering through it because you have that eternal perspective. 

Let's continue Pastor Obie's message on the proper perspective in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

The Proper Perspective - Part 1

2 Corinthians 4:1-18 “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[d] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

 

This last Sunday, Pastor Obie continued in our church sermon series through the Pauline Epistle of 2 Corinthians. He opened with the biblical story of David and Goliath, found in 1 Samuel chapter 17. The entire Israelite army feared the Philistine giant warrior, but young David stepped forward to take him on in battle. Why? Because David viewed the problem of Goliath through a different perspective. When the army of Israel looked up at the giant problem, David looked down at Goliath and saw a giant opportunity. Look how big this Philistine is, so how can I miss hitting such an easy target and take him down. David looked at the problem from the perspective of victory and thought “my God has already defeated him and will deliver him over into my hand”. The dangerous issue was there, but the difference was the perspective that the problem was viewed from. In our lives, we are going to face problems, and some of them will be giant problems. What will make all the difference in the world is viewing the problem with the proper perspective. Your prospective matters. 

 

Problems in life will come, but do not lose heart. The Apostle Paul’s Christian church planted in Corinth was proof that he was legitimately sent by God for ministering the Gospel to the people of Corinth and since he has received the mercy of God and has a ministry established there, they do not lose heart. He repeated the phrase “we do not lose heart” in verse 16. In the Greek, the word for the term “lose heart” (or faint not – KJV) is “ekkakeō”, which means to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted; to lose courage, wilt, wane, languish or faint and carries the idea of a physical, emotional or psychological depletion that leads to one giving up or giving into evil deeds. So, the phrase “do not lose heart” can be better translated as “do not grow weary in doing good”. Through the troubles and trials that you face in life, do not grow weary in doing the godly “right” thing.  

 

In 2 Corinthians 4:2 the Apostle says, “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word.” False teachers of the Word of God were handling Holy Scripture in a disgraceful way; professional traveling orators peddling false teachings of prosperity for reputation and profit for speaking. The Apostle was explaining that he was not proclaiming was not themselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord. The truth is this: there will be hard times in a Christians life. In John 16:33 Jesus told us, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” In this Christian life, a child of God will face troubles and hardships. Following Jesus is not a guarantee that you are going to avoid of pain and problems, but believing and following the Lord will give you the strength to endure through whatever trouble and hardship that may come, and be able to get through it to the other side or it with a deeper heart of praise and faith for Him. James 1:12 states, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” 

Let's continue Pastor Obie's message on the proper perspective in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

Unity - Part 2

Michael continues: The fusion reaction of salvation is in our reconciliation through Jesus Christ’s payment for sin on our behalf: Romans 5:10-11 says: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” The word atonement can also be translated “at-one-ment”. This is the word for reconciliation which means to bring together that which has been separated. Jesus’ atoning sacrifice is the nuclear fusion reaction that fuses our hearts back together with God’s heart.

What is the tie that binds our hearts together and reconciles us back together with God?
Colossians 3:12-15 says: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be thankful.”

The tie that binds is “charity”, the love of God, God’s agape unconditional love. The love of God through Jesus Christ fuses our hearts back together with God’s heart. Then the peace of God is the result of reconciliation through Jesus Christ. The result of fusing our hearts with God’s heart through Jesus Christ is the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

Unity is the theme of Ephesians 4:1-5, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

In conclusion, the result of the fusion reaction set off by Jesus’ death and resurrection is Unity: the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. As Psalm 133:1 says, “how good and pleasant it is that the brethren dwell together in unity”. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Unity is why God has fitted us together in one body, for the church is the body of Christ. According to Ephesians 4:16, “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. God has set us in the body of Christ as individual fittings, fit to serve one another in love in the unity of the spirit.”

We’re each living epistles, God’s love letters known and read of all men and women. As the poem by Edgar A. Guest says, “One good person teaches many, people believe what they behold; One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told. Who stands with men and women of honor learns to hold their honor dear, for right living speaks a language which to everyone is clear. Though an able speaker charms me with their eloquence, I say, I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.’  

We were reconciled to God through Jesus’ sacrifice for sin on our behalf, so that we could live in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Why did Jesus redeem us and purchase us with the price of His sinless innocent blood? According to a poem by my sister-in-Christ Helen Porter, “He died, arose, and ascended so our lives could all be blended in one family rejoicing with our God that in the unity of the Spirit, we may together live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael

Unity - Part 1

 

This week, Michael writes how there is so much confusion in this world today. Confusion divides, and separates our hearts one from another. It pits one faction against another. Confusion is of the devil; for where there is strife and contention there is confusion and every evil work. This is what James 3:16 says.

The devil is real and uses confusion to divide and conquer. Confusion separates, it atomizes, explodes, mortifies, deconstructs, repels, disintegrates and destroys. The opposite of confusion is fusion. Fusion unites, implodes, constructs, attracts, Builds up, makes whole and integrates. Fusion produces unity.

The context of James 3:14-16 regarding confusion says: “But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” However, to counter the confusion of this world and the god of this world, James 3:17-18 says, in contrast to the wisdom of this world: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.”

And how do we receive the wisdom that is from above? 
Have you heard about the first atom bomb used in warfare? It wasn’t the atom bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to bring about the end of WW2. It was the Adam bomb dropped in the Garden of Eden when Adam bombed by committing the original sin. Adam and Eve both bombed when they disobeyed God’s only command by eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve was tricked… she was beguiled and deceived by the devil into doubting the love of God and the Word of God. Genesis 3:6 says, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” She succumbed to the lie of devil instead of God’s wisdom. The wisdom of this world is earthly, sensual and devilish. 

The original Adam bomb when Adam and Eve sinned was a nuclear fission reaction that separated all mankind from God. The human being was created as body, soul and spirit. On the day Adam and Eve sinned, their spirit died that day. The repercussions of the first Adam bomb has reverberated down through the ages from generation to generation and continues even today, for we have all inherited Adam’s fallen sin nature that results in death. This is why we needed the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, to redeem with a fusion reaction to reconcile us back to God.

Romans 5: 17-21 says: “For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: \That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Let's continue Michael's message on 'Unity" in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

Tomorrow

 

Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

 

Our Wednesday evening Small Group Bible Study is discussing this week the question: What can we change today to not have regrets tomorrow? There is a line in a Tim McGraw song that say: "Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying'." We hear that tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone, but who lives with that sense of urgency really? They say that the only two things in life that are guaranteed are death and taxes. 

 

Original sin by our original parents (Adam and Eve) brought sin and death into the world. The body dies, losing all vital signs of life and the soul leaves. There are four primary vital signs: body temperature, blood pressure, pulse (heart rate), and breathing rate (respiratory rate), often notated as BT, BP, HR, and RR. When they are gone, so are we. We know that we are being made up of body, soul and spirit, but where does our soul go? 2 Corinthians 5:8 tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. John 3:35-36 declares, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 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.”

 

In Revelation 20:11-12 the Apostle John tells us, “And I saw a great white throne and Him [Jesus Christ] who was seated upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them [for this heaven and earth are passing away]. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged according to what they had done as written in the books [that is, everything done while on earth]. We all appear before the Lord, our Maker, to give an account of our life. Hebrews 9:27 proclaims, “as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment. Where will you spend eternity?

 

There is a term called “kick the bucket”. Its earliest appearance is in the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785), where it is defined as "to die". Thus, the associated term “bucket list” refers to the things that we want to accomplish before we die and leave this earthly existence. There is an old adage that says, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Why? James 4:13-15 tells us, Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 

 

Psalm 118:24 proclaims, “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Has this tempting materialistic world and the hedonistic desires of the physical flesh distracted our attention, deferred our direction, detoured our walk with the Lord and deceived our goal? Do we have our priorities straight? Psalm 25:1-5, 21 pronounces, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.” Live today with tomorrow [eternity] in mind and have no regrets.

 

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

In Christ, Brian

Sticks and Stones - Part 4

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

 

Pastor Herk continues that other words that edify and build up are those that rebuke. Proverbs 9:8 “ Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.”  Both the words “reproof” and “Rebuke” in this verse are the same Hebrew word “yāḵaḥ”, meaning to be right or correct; reciprocal, to argue causatively, to decide, justify or convict:—appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correction, daysman (arbiter), dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason together, rebuke, reprove for the purpose of restoring to an upright position. Jesus tells us in Luke 17:3 “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.”

 

We know many that are quick to point out the faults in others and have a negative attitude. No matter how positive the situation and conversation, they always find something to rebuke in order to tear others down and feel better about themselves. But, a rebuke that is handled correctly is actually crucial in imparting grace, edifying and building others up. The dictionary definition of “rebuke is to chide; to reprove; to reprehend for a fault; to check by reproof. To check or restrain. To chasten; to punish; to afflict for correction. To check; to silence. To check; to heal. To restrain; to calm. In Scripture, chastisement; punishment; affliction for the purpose of restraint and correction. The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” The Word of God is the standard and moral compass by which to measure.

 

In Revelation 3:19 the Lord declares, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” Nobody likes to be rebuked, but since we sometimes error rebuke is essential to our correction, to develop our character and our well-being. When we see a brother or sister who is involved in some kind of sin or harmful activity, the most loving thing that we can do is to rebuke that person in a gentle, manner for the purpose of correction to an upright position before God and build them up. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

  

Other words that edify and build up are those that forgive. On this side of eternity, because we live among sinful human beings, there are going to be times when people say and do things that hurt. Galatians 5:19-21 tells us, “The acts of the flesh are obvious … hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy.” In this world we are going to experience trouble, but we can choose to respond to those hurts in a godly and positive manner. Dwelling on the negative aspects of living in a fallen world, which festers into bitterness or we can choose to forgive. This same Apostle Paul instructs us in Colossians 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Forgiveness characterizes our relationships within the body of Christ. 

 

Ephesians 1:7-10 declares, “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” When we are hurt, chose to forgive and speak words of forgiveness to the other person, and thereby edifying two lives.  

 

Other words that edify and build up are those that restore. The purpose of rebuking and forgiveness is always restoration. Galatians 6:1 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” Words of encouragement, words of instruction, gentle words of rebuke, and forgiveness mark the born-again Christian, the child of God, the citizen of Heaven and the Phileo love in the brotherhood of man.

 

In Christ, Brian