It’s Go Time

 

At Pentecost in Acts 2:16-21 the Apostle Peter explained the amazing marvel of the giving and manifestations of the Holy Spirit at the Jewish feast of Pentecost (Shavuot) saying, “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel (in Joel 2:28-31): ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 

 

The Jewish feast of Pentecost (Shavuot), (“Festival of the Weeks”), is the second of the three Pilgrim Festivals of the Jewish religious calendar. During rabbinic times the festival became associated with the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, which is recounted in the Torah readings for the holiday.  

 

Pastor Willie continued in our church’s sermon series through the Book of Acts explaining that Pentecost, (from Greek pentecostē, means “50th day”), is a major festival in the Christian church, celebrated on the Sunday that falls on the 50th day of Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other disciples following the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, and it marks the beginning of the Christian church’s gospel salvation mission to the world. 

 

In John 14:15-18, 26 Jesus declared, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But 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 things that I said to you.

 

The gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit was given and present in all born-again Believers and it was the green light to “Go”, get involved in the Great Commission of Christ to make disciples of all nations, the reconciliation of lost souls, and don’t stop; open God’s Word, Praise His holy name and proclaim the Gospel. Each and all Christ follower is included in God’s plan to seek and save the lost.  2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Every person you meet is God’s concern. So, take the opportunities given to you to share the Gospel. 

 

Romans 10:8-10 asks, “what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Don’t over complicate it; Just speak the truth in love. 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and reverential fear.” Know the Gospel message, live out the Gospel, then get out and share the Gospel. It go time!

 

In Christ, Brian

Proclaiming Truth – Part 2

 

Continuing Michael’s message: In 1 Peter 2:16-20 the Apostle Peter tells us, “as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people.

Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your

masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”

 

When we suffer wrongly for the sake of righteousness, this fulfills Jesus’ exhortation on the sermon on the mount ... “blessed are they when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.” Testing produces a testimony for God. It’s easy to praise God when everything goes well with us in this world. However, we are not of this fallen world. We may suffer wrongly on this side of eternity. God’s will is that we do the “right” thing with a heart of love for God (accordant to the standard of truth and justice or the will of God. That alone is right in the sight of God), despite suffering wrongs. Jesus Christ Himself suffered to bear our wrongs. For God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Even though we were unworthy of His love and grace and deserving of death (due to our sins), He sent his Son to bear the death we deserved.  

What is God’s plan? You who were dead in trespasses and sins, whom God has made righteous through Jesus’ payment for our sins: you are God’s plan. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Psalm 37:1-5 says, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.”

There is much evil in this dark God-rejecting world. However, despite the darkness of the world around us, we can live in the light of the truth of His Word. God’s righteous judgement will prevail in the end. According to Psalm 37:14-15: “The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Therefore the righteous humbly wait on the Lord. Psalm 37:6-8 says, “He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.

 

God is still sovereign Lord overall. Despite the darkness of this world he will sustain the righteous according to Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” These verses in Psalm 37 confirm the truth of Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” ... that we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace! Proclaim that truth!

Your brother in Christ, Michael

Proclaiming Truth – Part 1

 

This week, Michael writes that the Word of God in the pages of the Holy Bible reminds us who we are, where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re going. The spiritual battles rage all around us, but when we’re in the center of the will of God, we’re in the calm eye of the spiritual hurricane. In 1 Peter 2:9, the Apostle Peter wrote in similar times to ours: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. God himself has chosen us. The purpose is that we should show forth the praises of His glory by being a witness of His love, mercy, and grace.

James 5:16 tells us that, “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” He has made us righteous in Christ, for Jesus Christ, who was without sin, became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. Therefore, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2).

1 Peter 2:10-12 continues, “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.”

God has called us as aliens and foreigners in a world of darkness of sin and unbelief. We may be natural born citizens of the United States. However, we’re spiritually born-again citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. We have been born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23). Because we have been called into His righteousness through Christ, we’re to abstain from fleshly lusts. Lusts are the carnal appetites, depraved affections and over-desires of the fallen flesh ... including anything that we desire over our desire to walk in fellowship with our Lord. The first of the Ten Commandments says in the KJV: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The literal translation of the Aramaic text is, “thou shalt have no other gods between your face and my face.” 

The world speaks against Christians for being “intolerant” because the children of God lives by a biblical worldview, so cannot accept and affirm views that oppose the Word of God. In God We Trust, therefore will not sin against Him. The pagan undegenerates are tolerant of the evil in the eyes of the Lord of this world, however they are intolerant of God’s righteous standard of His revealed Word. John 3:20-21 says, “he who does evil darkness hates the light neither comes to the light lest his deeds should be clearly seen and reproved. But he who does truth comes to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.” 

1 Peter 2:13-15 continues: “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:”

We’re encouraged by secular humanists to submit to the ordinances of man. Righteous ordinances are of God; for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of those who do well. The freedom we have is to use our God-given liberty (Freedom of the will; exemption from compulsion or restraint in willing or volition), not as servants of men, but as servants of God. In doing well, we will put to silence the evil of the “natural man”. According to Romans 12:21, “be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”  We have a moment by moment decision to do the right thing. The right thing is to do as Jesus would do. In Jesus’ words, “Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?”

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

In Christ, Brian

Two Natures

 

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

 

The gospel message is good news, but real - from good to bad, then good because of the bad. Genesis 1:31 tells us that after He created everything, then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day (the original good news and meant to be eternal). Then, our first parents believed the devil, doubted God and disobeyed Him in willful rebellion (original sin), which brought the curse against the earth, corruption, a sin nature upon our body and soul (Genesis 3:1-7, 17-19), and death into the world to all (for the wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23). This is the eternal bad news and that sin nature remains with every created being throughout their lifetime. 

 

But, when God pronounced this judgment against sin, He also designed a “good news” plan of salvation through redemption by a Savior (the woman’s Seed - Genesis 3:15) in that started to play out immediately, coming about in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ – God incarnate, His sinless life, His atoning sacrificial death on the Cross for the sins of the world, His resurrection defeating death once and for all, His ascension into Heaven to intercede for us to Father God for all those who repent of their sin, believe God, accept receive Christ, are transformed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto eternal life, being born-again of the Spirit. Their sins are forgiven by the blood of Jesus, Christ’s righteousness imputed to them, they are adopted as children of God, granted citizenship in Heaven, and, as followers of Christ, serve the Lord as ambassadors of the kingdom of God here and now. Go and make disciples spreading the gospel message.  

 

In theology, regeneration defined as new birth by the grace of God; that change by which the will and natural enmity of man to God and His law are subdued, and a principle of supreme love to God and His law, or holy affections, are implanted in the heart, thereby being given a new heart with spiritual discernment and connection to God direct. Sad to say though, on this side of eternity we carry the flesh desires of our old sin nature along with us and need to take up our cross daily to consciously, willfully and intentionally follow Him. Genesis 5:17 (above) explains the battle. Romans 7:14-17 concurs, “For we know that God’s law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” The sin nature and the lusts of the fallen flesh are formidable.

 

Genesis 5:16, 24-25 directs us to mindfully, “walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. This is the recipe for success. Two natures beat within the Christian heart. One is foul , the other blessed. One we love and one we hate. The one we feed will dominate. Resolve to live a life that is pleasing in the eyes of God, walking daily in His holy Word, Will and Way, led by the Spirit.

 

In Christ, Brian

Flee

 

1 Corinthians 10:13-15 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

 

The Bible tells us to “turn and run as fast as you can” from four things. The first is idolatry. The Greek word for “idolatry” is “eidōlolatria” and you can actually see the word idolatry in it. The meaning of this Greek word is basically the worship of false gods. This stems from the first two Commandments of God’s Moral Law in Exodus 20:3-5a “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. What God is saying is that we are to have nothing between His face and our face; nothing above, over God in our elevation or pre-eminence. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary goes into greater detail, defining the word as: “The worship of idols, images, or anything made by hands, or which is not God. Not just the worship of images, statues, pictures, etc. made by hands; but also the worship of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men and animals. It is the excessive attachment or veneration for anything, or that which borders on adoration. Nothing comes before Creator God.

 

Secondly, flee from youthful lusts. 2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” The Greek word for “lust” here is “epithymia”, meaning the youthful craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden”. It has been called “sowing your wild oats” in the past, meaning behaving gratifying the desires of the flesh in an uncontrolled way, engaging in rebelliousness or promiscuity in one's youth. It is sinful (the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God). Seek God and what is pleasing in His sight, not lustful desires and pleasures of youth.

 

Thirdly, flee from materialism. The excessive desire, the preoccupation with or emphasis on stuff, that considers material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values; that money, possessions, and comfort are the most important things to obtain in life. It is covetousness (the strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good) in its purest form. 1 Timothy 6:9-11states that “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” I have witnessed the driving force of true mental additions of materialism and its destructive consequences. And I bet that you have also. Love God and others, and use things; not vice-versa.

 

Fourthly, Flee from sexual immorality. 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” The incontinence or lewdness of persons, male or female (including viewing pornography, adult videos, strip clubs and intercourse) in thought, word or action. The Greek word for “sexual immorality is “porneia”, which is defined as human passions of  illicit sexuality that includes adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, pedophilia, rape, etc. (consensual or not) because it is outside of God’s design and His intent for human sexual relationships. Though fallen mankind deems them politically correct in our culture, God sets the standard; not sinful men and women. Sexual immorality is a form of idolatry also; a forsaking of the true God, and worshipping of the idol of self and sinful self-indulgence. 

 

Do we have Holy Scripture to back that up? Plenty. Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” 1 Corinthians 6:13b tells us that “The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Galatians 5:19 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery or lasciviousness.” Ephesians 5:3 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Colossians 3:5 “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” Jude 7 “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire (aka Hell).” 

 

We are told to” flee these four things because we cannot win that battle. So, put on your “cross-trainer” running shoes and “get out of Dodge” as fast as you possibly can (do not walk, but run). Galatians 5:16, 24-25 tells us, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Align your life to God’s Word, Will and Way. 

 

In Christ, Brian

Awake

Romans 13:11-14 “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

 

In a Bible Study this week on this passage of Holy Scripture, we learned four directives for the child of God. The first, we are to watch vigilantly; awake and aware. We are to watch what is going on in our surrounding, in our communities, in our state, nation and world to discern what is happening, pray for direction, listen to the indwelling Holy Spirit for assistance and respond properly through the Word of God as our social compass and guide. There much world and national chaos these days, and the Christians must attentively observe the times and seasons of life, which are constantly changing before Jesus comes again. 

 

The time between the Lord ascension in Heaven on His first earthly visitation and His return for the Church and tribulation is called “the Age of Grace”, which is also called “the Church Age”.  The late Rev. Billy Graham wrote: The world is living in the “age of grace.” Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and extended His mercy and grace to whoever will receive Him as Lord and Savior. God’s offer of forgiveness and a new life still stands. But this period of grace will not go on indefinitely and someday it will be too late for men and women to repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. Someday is “Judgement Day” and it is nearer today than it was yesterday. 

 

Like time, there are three period of salvation for the Believer – past, present and future. [A] Past Salvation, where we repent sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior, so we have been justified and saved from the penalty of sin. John 3:35-36 proclaims, “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.” [B] Present Salvation, which is the process of sanctification while still being in the sinful flesh and growing/maturing  into the likeness of Christ in our daily walk, so we are being saved from the power of sin. [C] Future Salvation, where we saved eternally in Heaven with glory, so we will be saved from the presence of sin.

 

Secondly, we are to war valiantly. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. We are to put off all darkness of sin and unbelief, then put on the full armor of God, being salt and light in this world. 1 John 1:6-7 declares, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” It is a matter of victim or victor in the war on God. Thirdly, we are to walk virtuously. Galatians 5:16 tell instructs us, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 

 

Fourthly, we are to wait victoriously. Galatians 5:22-25 explains that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Jesus Christ defeated sin and death and victory is ours, but we must be awake and defend the faith, while going and making disciples of all nations with the goal the none should perish but find salvation too at the foot of the Cross in Jesus. Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng, blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. Glory, laud, and honor unto Christ the King, this through countless ages men and angels sing.

 

Lord, use me today in your way, that I am not an embarrassment to You or let you down in any way, but live in thoughts, words and deeds which are pleasing in your sight. Amen. 

 

In Christ, Brian

 

 

First love - Part 2

 

Revelation 2:2-4 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Michael continues: Agape love is that God initiated love by loving us first. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” We can love Him only because He loved us first. We received His gift of the Holy Spirit when we repented of our sins, received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and were born-again, converted, transformed and regenerated. With the Holy Spirit, we received the ability to love Him with spiritual, agape love in return.

Ephesians 3:16-19 says: That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints [those who have been sanctified] what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

To know God is to know the love of God which passes earthly knowledge. This super-natural spiritual knowledge assures our hearts of God’s unconditional love. For we are the sons and daughters of God in the midst of a wicked and perverse nation among whom we shine as lights in a world of darkness. Knowing the heart of God, to forsake the darkness of the world is forsake God commission. Knowing God’s heart is to love Him above all ... to acknowledge, despite the world’s malicious accusations, that we’re loved with the pure unadulterated love of God. 

Apart from the spiritual love of God, worldly types of love are fragile, limited and fleeting. Worldly love is conditional on the performance of the other party. To love with God’s love, we must approach His throne of grace on His terms according to His word. The love of this world will leave us frustrated and unfulfilled. However, Jesus said, Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Within his grace, mercy, and love, it is God who worketh in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.  

What does it mean to accept Jesus as Lord of your life? Lord means owner. The people of God are God’s people. This is the genitive of possession. Who are we when Jesus is Lord? Christianity is not who we are? Instead Christianity is “whose we are”. According to Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” What is the love of God? 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.” Herein is the love of God made perfect. He who was without sin [Jesus] was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.  

In order to turn from sin and unto the Lord, we must approach Him with a contrite heart of repentance in humility. Therefore, 1 John 9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God has called us into fellowship with Himself. When we give up the rights of our sinful flesh, then we can come to Him with a heart of humility according to His terms. God will come to us with the grip of His Son’s nail-pierced hands. If He must break our hearts in order for us to reach for His hand, then thank Him for breaking our heart.  

The devil will tempt us to think that we need to be on the throne and in control. The question is not who will sit on Christ’s right and left hand in positions of honor in God’s kingdom. The right question is, do you love me? You are not your own, You are bought with a price. Therefore we are His and He is ours. This is our challenge and our calling: Remember your first love and to love God above all. For He alone is worthy. May  we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace.

Your brother in Christ, Michael

First Love - Part 1

 

Ephesians 1:15-23, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

This week, Michael asks is anyone smarter than God? Is anyone wiser? Is anyone more powerful? Do we know the future better than God? God alone is the one who knows the future. He alone is all powerful and all wise. Why then do we have difficulty believing and trusting in his word? In reality, God is the one who by His mercy and grace loves, protects, and provides for us. Therefore, James 1:22-25 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, this person shall be blessed in his deed. It’s one thing to hear the Word of God in all its authority and power. The challenge is to do that which the Lord commands. This is what it means to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. The word of God is contrary to the word of secular humanists. To follow according to God’s command is to forsake the commands of fallen mankind. Some of His perfect commands may offend our sense of “human” rights”, but we do not set the standards. 

According to Ezekiel 33, the prophet was frustrated because the people would not heed the word of God. They hear your word but they do not follow them. Verse 31 says, “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.” Many don’t call Jesus “Lord” because they want to be in control of their own lives. The diagnostic question is, “Why would God let you into His heaven?” Is eternal life on your own terms, or on God’s terms? God’s terms say that you can’t make it on your own. Your own performance is not good enough to deserve eternal life by a long shot. And we know it. If we’re to come to Him, we must enter in according to His terms, not ours.

Bill Gothard, who had youth conferences in the 70’s ministered to a young couple. They asked him, “What if we want to live together without getting married?” He answered, “Then that means that you haven’t made Jesus Lord of your lives. If Christ were Lord, you would do His will. Sin outside of the context of holy matrimony is a sin. And because we sin in thought, word, and deed, Jesus explains in Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Marriage is the will of the Lord.” 

In John 21:15-17 Jesus asked Simon Peter, “do you love me more than these?” Meaning, do you love me with the highest form of unconditional love, more than your fishing business ... your nets, your boats, and your fishing crew? Peter responded with a different word for love, “I love (phileo) you like a brother...I’m fond of you.” He asked Peter this question three times. The first two times Jesus used the word “agape”, the unconditional love of God. The third time he used the word “phileo” brotherly love. The third time Peter said, you know all things. You know that I love (phileo) you... I love you the only way I know how. Jesus answered, “Feed my sheep.”

Peter could not love his Lord with agape love, the unconditional spiritual love of God, because he did not yet have the Holy Spirit. Jesus had not yet paid the price for our salvation and the Holy Spirit was not available until after the day of Pentecost. The question Jesus has for his disciples is, “do you love me?” Jesus had said in John 14:15 “if you love me, keep my commandments”, and again in verse 23 “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.”

Let’s continue Michael’s message on the next post. 

In Christ, Brian

Lord and Savior

 

Luke 6:46-49 “Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when there was a flood, the river burst against that house and yet it could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; and the river burst against it and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

A member of our Tuesday Bible Study asked me, “If a person says that they are sorry for their iniquitous sins, says the Sinner’s prayer and makes a profession of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but then continues in their sinful lifestyle, are they going to Heaven? The answer is in the definition of the word “Lord”. The Greek word is “kyrios”, meaning he to whom a person belongs, about which he has power of deciding; the master, the owner; one who has control of the person; this title is given to: God, the Messiah. To say “No Lord” to the commandments, statutes, teachings and direct orders is willful disobedience and gross insubordination of the sovereign Creator and Magistrate of Heaven and Earth. In Mark 7:6 Jesus said, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.’” So the answer to this lady’s question is “no”, because it is a false Profession of Faith because their actions revealed that in their heart that they did not truly accept and receive Jesus Christ as Lord of their life. 

CCC - Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as CRU, which is short for crusade) founder Dr. Bill Bright states in the organizations Gospel outreach that the Bible tells us that there are three kinds of people: [1] the Natural Person (Self-Directed Life and someone who has not received Christ.). Self is on the throne of their life, directing decisions and actions blindly. Jesus is outside the life. “A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). [2] Spiritual Person (living a Christ-Directed Life - one who is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.) Jesus is in the life and on the throne. Self is yielding to Jesus. The person sees Jesus’ influence and direction in their life, obeys and follows. “He who is spiritual discerns all things…We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15). [3] Carnal Person (Self-Directed Life - one who has received Christ, and Jesus is in the life, but not on the throne. Self is on the throne, directing decisions and actions, often resulting in sinful lives obeying self in fleshly desires and disobeying God. They are Lord, not Jesus.  

The Lord Jesus explained His lordship in metaphoric terms in John 10:14-16 “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.” Put your full and complete trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

In Christ, Brian

FYI, my account has been hacked by the devil making it difficult to post messages. 

Why is Jesus Coming Back?

John 14:1-6 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

 

Ever since Jesus ascended into Heaven after His atoning death for the sins of the world,  his death-defeating resurrection, and His ascension into Heaven, people have been asking when is Christ going to return, but rarely think of asking why the Lord is going to return? The symbolism of the Galilean wedding ritual of the betrothed couple gives a clue. The bridegroom goes away to his father’s house and takes time to build a room addition onto the existing house for him and his wife-to-be. The day and the hour that the bridegroom will return for his bride is not known, so the bride and the wedding guests have to be ready and waiting. John the Baptist, in speaking of the Christ, stated in John 3:29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom. Jesus Christ is the bridegroom gone to His Father’s House to prepare a place for His bride and is coming back to take her home. This is why He is coming back.

 

The bride is Christ’s Church, the universal body of born-again Believers worldwide. We are in the “Age of Grace” between when the Lord left and His return for His Bride. As in the days of the ancient Hebrew wedding rituals, only the Father knows when Jesus will return for His Church. Until then, we are to be ready; waiting, watching and working in kingdom ministry until He comes. 

 

This is the point of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Let's get busy.

 

It really doesn’t matter when the Lord returns. The real question is: Are you ready?

In Christ, Brian

Total Eclipse - Part 2

Acts 1:6-11 “Therefore, when the disciples had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

 

Well, the spectacular natural total solar eclipse event has come and gone with no extracurricular activity. My son, who lives in southeast Michigan travel an hour to watch this rare eclipse in totality and stated that it was the greatest natural phenomenon he had ever experience; a once in a lifetime event. But, the “end times” crowd was left scratching their heads. Last Sunday, in anticipation of this momentous natural wonder, our Pastor Kyle made the correlation of when it comes to the immanent return of Christ and the end of the world promised in the Bible, Christians should  be confident in the reality of Jesus’ eventual return and satisfied with the answer that it will happen some day and not be concerned with when it happens. The Lord told us in Matthew 24:34-36 “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” 

 

But, the Lord changes their attention on the indwelling gift of the empowering Holy Spirit to equip all Believers and turns their and our focus on the mission and kingdom work at hand. In John 14:15-17 “Jesus gives the conditional promise, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” Adding in verses 25-26, “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But 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 things that I said to you.” 

 

The Holy Spirit equips the saints (those who have been sanctified) for ministry of “good works” of God and spreading the “good news” of the Gospel, with the ministry of witnessing to the blessed Savior of the world to the world for forgiveness, salvation, abundant life in Christ and eternal life; converted, transformed and adopted as children of God and citizens of the kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Jesus communicated to His followers the mission and commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 to “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. And Pastor Kyle preached that the born-again Christian should be concerned about being a good witness as long as we are in this world, because advancing the kingdom of Jesus Christ and eclipsing the population of Hell is the goal.

 

Jesus stated in Luke 19:10, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”, and that is our mission also as Christ-followers. Two key indicators of a true Christian who is waiting for Christ’s return are [1] an increasing desire to live for God in thought, word and deed, and [2] an increasing longing to reach the lost sinner with the Gospel of Salvation, which totally eclipses sin by the cleansing blood of Christ. We are to be salt and light in the darkness of sin and unbelief, carry the torch of truth and point the way to the foot of the Cross. We are “Goers for the Gospel” because God wins. Let go!

 

In Christ, Brian

Total Eclipse - Part 1

 

Matthew 24:29-33 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”

 

On Monday, April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible on Earth. It will pass through Mexico and first appear in Deer Run, Texas, at 12:10 PM CTD, and at 1:30 PM, it will be at its maximum with 100 % darkness. From the beginning to the end, it will take 2.51 hours and leave the US in Northern Maine at 4:41 PM ETD. 

 

I read that for the total solar eclipse to occur, three objects must align perfectly – the sun, moon, and earth, with specific conditions. They should line up at relative distances between each object, with the size of the moon and sun measuring a specific height so that the sun’s light is blocked except for its top layer, called the chromosphere. It demonstrates that these objects are carefully orchestrated, moving at incredible velocities like the moon at 2,286 miles per hour around the earth, giving a spectacular show for all to see. 

 

The size of the moon is critical not only for a total Solar Eclipse but also for life on Earth. It is the right size to stabilize the critical tilt of the earth at 23.5 degrees with a variation of 1 degree above or below. The tilt of the earth causes the seasons so that the planet can be watered by rain through the water cycle. It is also responsible for the ocean tides responsible for mixing nutrients from the lands to the oceans. It has been recently revealed that tidal energy transfers to the deep ocean floor and drives ocean currents that regulate climate. Along with this rare natural solar event comes many superstitious predictions, from devastating earthquakes, catastrophic power outages, limited food and water availability, globalist government attacks, Jesus’ Second coming and the end of the world to name a few where life on Earth will be eclipsed.  

 

It is not the first time talk of “End times” has been discussed. Earlier in Matthew 24:3-14 Now as Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” But, when is that exactly?

Let's find out more in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

When I Consider – Part 2

Continuing the Moral Law of God's Ten Commandments: [4] “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work”, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work.” God is to be served and honored daily, but one day in seven is to be particularly dedicated to his honor and spent in his service. The Sabbath was made for man, so it is a day of rest and a holy day set apart to the honor of the holy God; solemnly blessing Him. Remember it. [5] “Honor your father and your mother” - an inward esteem of them outwardly expressed upon all occasions in our conduct towards them. Give them reverence and support from a principle of love. [6] “You shall not murder’. You shalt not do anything hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life, of your own body, or any other person’s unjustly.” This is one of the laws of nature and forbids all malice, hatred and persecution to the person of any. [7] “You shall not commit adultery” - for our chastity should be as dear to us as our lives. This commandment forbids all acts of uncleanness, with all those fleshly lusts which defiles the mind, body and soul. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:28, “I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

 

[8] “You shall not steal”. This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have by sinful spending, rob others by invading our neighbor’s rights, taking his goods from his person, or house, or field, withholding just debts, rents, or wages, and (which is worst of all) to rob the public. [9] “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This forbids, 1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbor. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbor, to the prejudice of his reputation; and (which involves the guilty of both), 3. Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath (by which the third commandment, and the sixth of eighth, as well as this, are broken), or extrajudicially. [10] “You shall not covet, anything that is your neighbor’s.” this forbids envy; all inordinate desire of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves. Those irregular appetites and desires which are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the first risings of the sin that dwelleth in us, and the beginnings of all the sin that is committed by us. How do we measure up to God’s Moral Law? 

 

Romans 3:23 gives the verdict that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. We need a Savior and by the grace of God, He sent Jesus Christ to redeem repentant, born-again Believers. In Romans 12:1-3 the Apostle Paul directs us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

 

When I consider my true sinful state before my just and holy heavenly Father, I cannot help but not to think of himself more highly than he ought to. I come to Him with empty hands and by His grace alone am I saved through faith in the Savior of the world. God has the throne of my life. Praise be to God!

 

In Christ, Brian

When I Consider - Part 1

 

Psalm 8:3-4a “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained. What is man that You are mindful of him?

 

These last few weeks, multiple message sources and varied biblical studies have reveal divinely coincidence of calling us to reflect on how infinite Creator God is in power and majesty. Living in a created material world, we tend to forget that there is an Almighty Creator that is sovereign in every aspect of His reign and rule of His creation. As Job was brought to this reality by God in Job 38:3-5 saying, “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!” God was saying, Surely, we do not know! The finite cannot fathom the depths of the infinite. God explains in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” When we stop and take account of ourselves by our Maker, how do we compare to His perfection in every ways?

 

The prophet of God tells us in Isaiah 6:1-5, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 

Do we see ourselves as ruined, undone, or dissolved in unworthiness before our just and holy Lord God Almighty because of our sinful thoughts, words and actions of doubt, selfish pride and rebellion against Him and His holy Moral Laws for our life? Just look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-17 and the explanation about them from Bible commentator Matthew Henry, [1]“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Is there anything between His face and yours? They are idols. [2] “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” John 4:24 explains that, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

[3] “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. - We take God’s name in vain, [a] By hypocrisy - do not depart from iniquity, [b] By covenant-breaking - perform not to the Lord our vow to follow and serve, [c] By using the name of God lightly and carelessly, and without any regard to its awful significance  - mentioning the name of Almighty God frivolously, or any of his attributes without any just occasion for it, or due application and without due consideration of mind to it, but as a by-word, to no purpose at all, or to no good purpose. [d] By false swearing – to swear by his name. But affronting him, instead of doing him honor, if they called Him to be witness to a lie. [e] By profanation of the forms of invective foul language, insults, swearing, cursing or any of those things whereby God makes himself known, His word, or any of His institutions; when they are either turned into charms and spells, or into jest and sport, the name of God is taken in vain. Have we done these once, twice or a million times? it's not okay.

Let's continue this message on God and us in the next post.

In Christ, Brian

The Doctrine of Imminency

 

2 Peter 3:10-13 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

 

The “Good News” of the gospel is through repenting of sin and by faith accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, our sins are forgiven and we are saved. Saved from what? Saved from God’s just and holy wrath against sin. John 3:35-36 tells us, “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.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-9 declares, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day (the day of the Lord) should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

The day of the Lord, the Rapture of the Church (the body of true Believers in Christ worldwide), the End Times and the Tribulation are imminent future event in world history. With the advancement of sin and unbelief, coupled with the recent advancement of darkness and unbelief, coupled with rampant immorality and perversion of decency, one may be saying: “Lord, come quickly. But, in light of these days and while the Lord tarries, “what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness.” In our current Bible Study, Dr. David Jeremiah lays out four words for practices which the children of light need to be exercising daily in anticipation. Live in “Consolation” is the first practice. We are to comfort one another until Jesus returns. Live in “Expectation” is the second practice. Live every day in anticipation of the Great Day of the Lord’s return. 

 

Live in “Consecration” is the third practice to put into place, committing ourselves fully to God – our Refuge and our strength. Be obedient to the Word of God.and purpose in your hearts to faithfully serve the Lord and to pursue sanctification by being transformed into the likeness of Christ. Live in examination is the fourth practice. The Lord could come at any moment, so we need to stay ready. Have we committed ourselves to Jesus Christ and submitted ourselves to Him as Savior and Lord? 

 

The imminent Rapture of the Church at any moment challenges us to live every day with eternity in view and make every moment here and now. Are you ready?

In Christ, Brian          

Happy Easter 2024

May you and yours have a truly blessed Easter! 

Christ has risen indeed! 

Rest in Hope

Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” 

On Holy Saturday, Jesus continued in the grave just as long as Jonah continued in the fish’s belly, three days and three nights; not three whole days and nights: it is probable, Commentaries point out that Jonah did not lie so long in the whale’s belly, but part of three natural days (nychthemerai, the Greeks called them); he was buried in the afternoon of the sixth day of the week, and rose again in the morning of the first day; it is a manner of speech very usual in that era. What happen on the Second day, which we called “Holy Saturday”. 

 

While certain Christian traditions, including Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Reformed Protestantism (especially Anglicanism and Presbyterianism) have robust doctrines of the descent of Jesus between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, there are differences between these traditions in their understanding of the descent clause in the Apostles’ Creed : “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell: The third day he rose again from the dead.”

 

Christ when he lay in the grave, is expressly said to rest in hope, as one assured he should not see corruption. The Apostle Paul proclaimed in Acts 2:22-27 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” The wages of sin is death, but Jesus never sinned. Once the blessed Redeemer paid for our sin (the sins of the world laid upon Him) on the Cross, He had no sin for Himself to pay. 

 

Scripture affirms that Jesus experienced death as all other humans who pass away before Christ’s return experience it. His human body was interred and his human soul departed to the place of the dead, an intermediate state and that Jesus experienced it as all humans do. In Second Temple Judaism, the most common view of the afterlife—one reflected in Jesus’s language in the Gospels—expected indeed an intermediate state in a place called Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek). All of the dead, righteous and wicked, enter this state, but they enter distinct compartments. The New Testament speaks of the righteous entering “Abraham’s Bosom” or “Paradise”. It speaks of the wicked heading to “Gehenna” or Sheol/Hades. The doctrine of the descent says Jesus, who had a human soul, maintained consciousness in an intermediate state. Specifically, he journeyed to the place he himself called Abraham’s Bosom, or Paradise. 

 

King David says concerning the Christ in Psalm 16:8-10, ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades. Christ when he lay in the grave, is expressly said to rest in hope, as one assured he should not see corruption. The Apostle Paul proclaimed in Acts 2:22-27 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. In resurrection Christ conquered death forever. 

 

Psalm 22:26b-28 “Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever!

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.” Find rest in Hope with blessed assurance! 

 

We must take our measures from the last judgment; things are really, what they are eternally. In Christ, Brian