36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)
Love thy neighbor was, in part, Jesus' answer when the Pharisees, the chief religious sect of that day, asked Him about the greatest commandment in the Law. These religious leaders had made almost an art form of classifying all the various laws and giving them relative degrees of importance, so in asking Jesus this question, their aim was to test Him. His answer stunned them: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Jesus was summing up all the law in these two statements. If we love the Lord God with all our heart, soul and mind, loving our neighbor is the natural result.
The question then is, who is our neighbor, and how do we love him or her?
Let's look at who Jesus says our neighbor is: You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43)
Is our neighbor more than the guy next door? Could he or she be someone in our community or almost anyone we meet? Could our enemies also be our neighbors? Jesus says that it's so. But how can we love someone who acts hatefully toward us?
When we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we grow to recognize that everyone is part of His creation. His Word tells us that God desires that all would be saved (1Timothy 2:4). So it's clear that God sees all of us as His children. Because He lives outside of time and has seen the end from the beginning, He also knows who will choose salvation and who will not. For us, that is where faith comes in. It is not for us to know who will choose Him and who will not, but we are called to be His witnesses. In order to fulfill that calling, we must love others enough to desire their salvation just as He does.
Jesus is not talking about love as an emotion, He is speaking about love as a choice we make. It is a choice to be compassionate, forgiving, kind, and accepting.
Here's the good news for those who find this teaching difficult: Nowhere does it say we have to like our neighbor! However, we must make a conscious choice to love our neighbor whether we like them or not, whether they like us or not, whether they are mean to us or not, or whether we agree with them or not. That is what Jesus was trying to tell the Pharisees. That is Jesus' answer to religion.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
What is sacrifice?
10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:10-14)
Through the years, we all have seen folks who love Jesus, and who worked all night on Saturday night, but on Sunday morning they were in the house of God. These people know something about sacrifice. Their bodies were crying for sleep, but they sacrificed their sleep to come to the house of God.
Through the years, some of God’s people have had to work until it is almost church time. They get home tired, take a shower if they have time, and they gather the kids and they head for the house of God. These people know something about sacrifice.
Through the years, some of God’s people have worked hard, and when they came to church they were good stewards of God’s money, and placed God’s tithes in the offering plate. But the preacher talks about a mission’s work that needs a new roof on their little tin hut they worship in. The hardworking man thinks to himself, I have money to spare, but I want to buy a new boat to go fishing in, and if I give the money to missions, I won’t be able to do that. But the need seems so great that he takes that boat money that he had been saving, and sends it off to this little church. This man knows something about sacrifice.
A sacrifice is something with a cost!!
But when we think of sacrifice, we need to remember that Jesus gave the greatest sacrifice that was ever given. He sacrificed his life for us. I think that the importance of this sacrifice was not only that it was done at a cost, but it was done out of love. That is also an important characteristic of sacrifice, love is usually involved in some way. Whether we sacrifice ourselves for God, for a loved one, for our country, or for something we truly believe in, love is a part of that decision.
Jesus has shown us the way to true sacrifice. We should not be afraid to follow his example.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Through the years, we all have seen folks who love Jesus, and who worked all night on Saturday night, but on Sunday morning they were in the house of God. These people know something about sacrifice. Their bodies were crying for sleep, but they sacrificed their sleep to come to the house of God.
Through the years, some of God’s people have had to work until it is almost church time. They get home tired, take a shower if they have time, and they gather the kids and they head for the house of God. These people know something about sacrifice.
Through the years, some of God’s people have worked hard, and when they came to church they were good stewards of God’s money, and placed God’s tithes in the offering plate. But the preacher talks about a mission’s work that needs a new roof on their little tin hut they worship in. The hardworking man thinks to himself, I have money to spare, but I want to buy a new boat to go fishing in, and if I give the money to missions, I won’t be able to do that. But the need seems so great that he takes that boat money that he had been saving, and sends it off to this little church. This man knows something about sacrifice.
A sacrifice is something with a cost!!
But when we think of sacrifice, we need to remember that Jesus gave the greatest sacrifice that was ever given. He sacrificed his life for us. I think that the importance of this sacrifice was not only that it was done at a cost, but it was done out of love. That is also an important characteristic of sacrifice, love is usually involved in some way. Whether we sacrifice ourselves for God, for a loved one, for our country, or for something we truly believe in, love is a part of that decision.
Jesus has shown us the way to true sacrifice. We should not be afraid to follow his example.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
God is omnipresent.
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
(Psalm 73:23-24)
Omnipresence does not imply that God is spread out or diffused throughout the universe in that only part of Him is everywhere. This is erroneous thinking. He is wholly present as fully as if He were in only one place. God completely fills the entire universe and all aspects of it without diffusion, expansion, multiplication, or division. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully present in every minute part of His infinite dominion. This is known as God’s immanence. God is everywhere and in all things simultaneously in His totality and with all of His perfect attributes.
The Christian can take great comfort in the omnipresence of God. His continual presence in all things should be abundant consolation to believers. The following verses speaks of God’s promises to Israel and to each of us. They also speak of the mental attitude of confidence we should have in God’s ability to keep His promises. He has said that he is present when two or more assemble in God's name. God has promised that He will always be with us in every possible situation. There is no greater encouragement for the believer.
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)
Whether it is atmosphere, stratosphere, ionosphere, or throughout space, God is there. No matter how far you go out in space or even into heaven, God is there. God is in His heaven, God is throughout space, God is throughout our stratosphere, our ionosphere, atmosphere, God is everywhere, even in the depths of the ocean and in the depths of the earth. You cannot hide from God and God never hides from any of us.
That’s wonderful comfort, isn’t it. The omnipresence of God should make us realize that you can’t get away from God. It means that God knew your life’s entire history (with all of the sordid details) in eternity past. He knows all about you. But most of all, God loves you.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
(Psalm 73:23-24)
Omnipresence does not imply that God is spread out or diffused throughout the universe in that only part of Him is everywhere. This is erroneous thinking. He is wholly present as fully as if He were in only one place. God completely fills the entire universe and all aspects of it without diffusion, expansion, multiplication, or division. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are fully present in every minute part of His infinite dominion. This is known as God’s immanence. God is everywhere and in all things simultaneously in His totality and with all of His perfect attributes.
The Christian can take great comfort in the omnipresence of God. His continual presence in all things should be abundant consolation to believers. The following verses speaks of God’s promises to Israel and to each of us. They also speak of the mental attitude of confidence we should have in God’s ability to keep His promises. He has said that he is present when two or more assemble in God's name. God has promised that He will always be with us in every possible situation. There is no greater encouragement for the believer.
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)
Whether it is atmosphere, stratosphere, ionosphere, or throughout space, God is there. No matter how far you go out in space or even into heaven, God is there. God is in His heaven, God is throughout space, God is throughout our stratosphere, our ionosphere, atmosphere, God is everywhere, even in the depths of the ocean and in the depths of the earth. You cannot hide from God and God never hides from any of us.
That’s wonderful comfort, isn’t it. The omnipresence of God should make us realize that you can’t get away from God. It means that God knew your life’s entire history (with all of the sordid details) in eternity past. He knows all about you. But most of all, God loves you.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Monday, September 27, 2010
Always be joyful!
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-24)
As I was looking deeper into this reading, I saw that Paul really is not merely talking about 'tasks' that the Christian must 'do.' He is issuing a call for a certain type of life. To live the Christian life in all fullness, is not to fill our lives with certain things, but to live out our full lives in devotion to Christ. Just look at the words Paul uses: always; without ceasing; in all circumstances; test everything; hold fast (which is in the present active tense); abstain from every evil, entirely, spirit and soul and body.
This is about the complete embodiment of our life in the devotion of Christ. In that sense it is far beyond moralizing, but about a radical reorientation of life.
I really love this passage. Here Paul seems that he wants to cut to the chase: Here is what we need to do! Here is how we need to live! This summation of his letter is a loving and exuberant voice of encouragement to the congregation at Thessalonica and also to us, with the assurance of God's presence and grace. This is a passage that should be read aloud with real joy in one's voice. We must rejoice in the fantastic life we can have if we make the choice to truly follow Jesus.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-24)
As I was looking deeper into this reading, I saw that Paul really is not merely talking about 'tasks' that the Christian must 'do.' He is issuing a call for a certain type of life. To live the Christian life in all fullness, is not to fill our lives with certain things, but to live out our full lives in devotion to Christ. Just look at the words Paul uses: always; without ceasing; in all circumstances; test everything; hold fast (which is in the present active tense); abstain from every evil, entirely, spirit and soul and body.
This is about the complete embodiment of our life in the devotion of Christ. In that sense it is far beyond moralizing, but about a radical reorientation of life.
I really love this passage. Here Paul seems that he wants to cut to the chase: Here is what we need to do! Here is how we need to live! This summation of his letter is a loving and exuberant voice of encouragement to the congregation at Thessalonica and also to us, with the assurance of God's presence and grace. This is a passage that should be read aloud with real joy in one's voice. We must rejoice in the fantastic life we can have if we make the choice to truly follow Jesus.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Friday, September 24, 2010
We are God's instruments of redemption.
6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled under him
as straw is trampled down in the manure.
(Isaiah 25:6-10)
Waiting for God's deliverance never means waiting around. Waiting for God’s deliverance of the creation entails our impassioned involvement with it, entails our zealous doing on behalf of it, wherever it is frustrated and for whatever reason. Unless we are doing something about the world’s frustration we aren’t waiting for God at all; we’re merely waiting around, loitering, soon to be part of the problem instead of its alleviation.
Remember: God waited for Israel to bear fruit by spending himself unreservedly for Israel. We wait for him who came once for the world’s redemption. We wait for him who continues to come to us unfailingly day after day. We wait for him who will come again to vindicate all who are about his business now. What that means is we must be involved in the business of redemption, with everything we do and with everyone we meet.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his people
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
9 In that day they will say,
"Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled under him
as straw is trampled down in the manure.
(Isaiah 25:6-10)
Waiting for God's deliverance never means waiting around. Waiting for God’s deliverance of the creation entails our impassioned involvement with it, entails our zealous doing on behalf of it, wherever it is frustrated and for whatever reason. Unless we are doing something about the world’s frustration we aren’t waiting for God at all; we’re merely waiting around, loitering, soon to be part of the problem instead of its alleviation.
Remember: God waited for Israel to bear fruit by spending himself unreservedly for Israel. We wait for him who came once for the world’s redemption. We wait for him who continues to come to us unfailingly day after day. We wait for him who will come again to vindicate all who are about his business now. What that means is we must be involved in the business of redemption, with everything we do and with everyone we meet.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Make my life a prayer.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:20-21).
I believe that being a follower Jesus is not something I do in my spare time, it is who I am and it defines my feelings, thoughts, and behavior. My prayer is how I live my life. My life is focused on Jesus. Jesus is my role model and the one I will always need to walk with me through life. Humans can come and go, but Jesus walks with me always and I feel Jesus presence with me as I go through my day. As I go through my day and make it my prayer, I clothe myself in Jesus.
This means I try to live like Jesus would. This is what I pray for. As I go through my day, I try to ask: Is this something Jesus would do? Would Jesus get involved in the pursuits I am involved in? This requires no specific prayer form; prayer becomes a state of being.
When I say that I put on Jesus, it means I try to do the following:
Put on his humility.
Put on his compassion.
Put on his wisdom.
Put on his forgiveness.
Put on his zeal.
Put on his patience.
Put on his love.
The following song describes how I feel about life being a prayer.
Make My Life A Prayer by Keith Green
Make my life a prayer to You
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise
I wanna shine the light You gave
Thru Your Son You sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know You`re really there
Chorus
Well I wanna thank you know
For being patient with me
Oh it`s so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I`ll have to trust
And just believe what You say
Oh you`re coming again
Coming to take me away
I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free
I wanna tell the world out there
You`re not some fable or fairy tale
That I`ve made up inside my head
You`re God the Son and You`ve risen from the dead
Chorus
I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free
Enjoy!
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
I believe that being a follower Jesus is not something I do in my spare time, it is who I am and it defines my feelings, thoughts, and behavior. My prayer is how I live my life. My life is focused on Jesus. Jesus is my role model and the one I will always need to walk with me through life. Humans can come and go, but Jesus walks with me always and I feel Jesus presence with me as I go through my day. As I go through my day and make it my prayer, I clothe myself in Jesus.
This means I try to live like Jesus would. This is what I pray for. As I go through my day, I try to ask: Is this something Jesus would do? Would Jesus get involved in the pursuits I am involved in? This requires no specific prayer form; prayer becomes a state of being.
When I say that I put on Jesus, it means I try to do the following:
Put on his humility.
Put on his compassion.
Put on his wisdom.
Put on his forgiveness.
Put on his zeal.
Put on his patience.
Put on his love.
The following song describes how I feel about life being a prayer.
Make My Life A Prayer by Keith Green
Make my life a prayer to You
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise
I wanna shine the light You gave
Thru Your Son You sent to save us
From ourselves and our despair
It comforts me to know You`re really there
Chorus
Well I wanna thank you know
For being patient with me
Oh it`s so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I`ll have to trust
And just believe what You say
Oh you`re coming again
Coming to take me away
I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free
I wanna tell the world out there
You`re not some fable or fairy tale
That I`ve made up inside my head
You`re God the Son and You`ve risen from the dead
Chorus
I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free
Enjoy!
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Please God, not humanity.
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)
The apostle loved these young Galatian Christians. He was so concerned about their being sucked into the dead-end religion of behavioral performance that he could not remain silent, but felt compelled to confront the intolerable situation. His grieving soul was full of emotional intensity that would criticize their credulity and denounce their defection, but it was the infiltrating false-teachers that most roused his seething consternation and indignant invectives. New Christians are so fragile, vulnerable and susceptible to the introduction of distortions and perversions. They so want to believe that religious teachers have their highest good and intent in mind, and will lead them on in their walk with God. They often lack the discernment to recognize that diabolically inspired religious peddlers (II Cor. 2:17) will inevitably misrepresent the gospel of God's grace in Jesus Christ for their own selfish benefit and ends. This is not to imply that the neophyte Galatian Christians were not to be held responsible for their backsliding, for Paul certainly holds them accountable. They should have been able to recognize that when the peripatetic outsiders began to criticize Paul and the gospel he shared, there was "a skunk in the woodpile." Apparently some of them did realize the perversion, and they were probably the ones who initiated or participated in the delegation who traveled to give a full report of the tragic situation to Paul.
Paul was so convinced that the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ alone, that he received and was commissioned to share on the road to Damascus, was the exclusive good news of the singular divine reality for the restoration of mankind, that no matter who advocated anything else, be they men or angels, were dead-wrong and damnably in jeopardy. That, of course, included, and was specifically aimed at, the Judaizers who were seeking to add legalistic observances as necessary accretions to Christianity. Any addition to Christ necessarily implies the insufficiency of the all-sufficiency of Christ, and is therefore at variance with and antithetical to the gospel.
The consequence for those who would thus cut the heart out of the gospel by reducing Jesus Christ to an adjunct redundancy is that they should receive the curse of God's condemnation. Paul's reasoning is based on the fact that God's curse is the opposite of His blessing, and if "God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1:3), then the only alternative to accepting the blessings of the "finished work" of Jesus Christ is to experience God's anger for thinking that we can finish off God's work and be blessed.
What an indictment on so much of Christian religion that sells the gospel short by demanding ethical duties in addition to the grace of God in Christ. These moralistic additions are not innocuous diversions and contingencies, but are diabolic misrepresentations worthy of the indictment of God's anger for the damnableness of religion. Who could better issue the pronouncement of "Religion be damned!," than the former Pharisee who knew the bankruptcy (cf. Phil. 3:2-9) of Judaic religion, and would under no circumstances allow its encroachment upon the Christian gospel? Blessed be Paul.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)
The apostle loved these young Galatian Christians. He was so concerned about their being sucked into the dead-end religion of behavioral performance that he could not remain silent, but felt compelled to confront the intolerable situation. His grieving soul was full of emotional intensity that would criticize their credulity and denounce their defection, but it was the infiltrating false-teachers that most roused his seething consternation and indignant invectives. New Christians are so fragile, vulnerable and susceptible to the introduction of distortions and perversions. They so want to believe that religious teachers have their highest good and intent in mind, and will lead them on in their walk with God. They often lack the discernment to recognize that diabolically inspired religious peddlers (II Cor. 2:17) will inevitably misrepresent the gospel of God's grace in Jesus Christ for their own selfish benefit and ends. This is not to imply that the neophyte Galatian Christians were not to be held responsible for their backsliding, for Paul certainly holds them accountable. They should have been able to recognize that when the peripatetic outsiders began to criticize Paul and the gospel he shared, there was "a skunk in the woodpile." Apparently some of them did realize the perversion, and they were probably the ones who initiated or participated in the delegation who traveled to give a full report of the tragic situation to Paul.
Paul was so convinced that the gospel of grace in Jesus Christ alone, that he received and was commissioned to share on the road to Damascus, was the exclusive good news of the singular divine reality for the restoration of mankind, that no matter who advocated anything else, be they men or angels, were dead-wrong and damnably in jeopardy. That, of course, included, and was specifically aimed at, the Judaizers who were seeking to add legalistic observances as necessary accretions to Christianity. Any addition to Christ necessarily implies the insufficiency of the all-sufficiency of Christ, and is therefore at variance with and antithetical to the gospel.
The consequence for those who would thus cut the heart out of the gospel by reducing Jesus Christ to an adjunct redundancy is that they should receive the curse of God's condemnation. Paul's reasoning is based on the fact that God's curse is the opposite of His blessing, and if "God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 1:3), then the only alternative to accepting the blessings of the "finished work" of Jesus Christ is to experience God's anger for thinking that we can finish off God's work and be blessed.
What an indictment on so much of Christian religion that sells the gospel short by demanding ethical duties in addition to the grace of God in Christ. These moralistic additions are not innocuous diversions and contingencies, but are diabolic misrepresentations worthy of the indictment of God's anger for the damnableness of religion. Who could better issue the pronouncement of "Religion be damned!," than the former Pharisee who knew the bankruptcy (cf. Phil. 3:2-9) of Judaic religion, and would under no circumstances allow its encroachment upon the Christian gospel? Blessed be Paul.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Be still and know that I am God.
“Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10).
Here, the word still comes from a Hebrew word meaning to “let go” or “release.” The meaning would be best understood to say “cause yourself to become restrained or to let go.” In other words, we need to come to a place where we are willing to submit ourselves to God and acknowledging that he is in sovereign control.
When we realize that we are truly incapable of controlling life, we can surrender our will to God’s will. It may be a matter of finally saying we trust him. This will open the door so that we may experience the fullness of all God wants and has for us. After all, he is our Creator and has a perfect plan for us when we let him orchestrate it.
“…and know that I am God” denotes recognition, acknowledgement, and answering God. First, we must know that God is God, the one and only Supreme Being who created all the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1).
We can know him by having an intimate relationship with him. That does not come from knowing about him, but rather getting to personally know him by what he says (in his Holy Word, the Bible), recognizing the things he does in our lives, and by way of His Holy Spirit who comes to guide and comfort us. In John 14:26, Jesus says “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you” .
When we read the Scriptures, we will learn to recognize the way God talks to us, the kinds of things God says, and the merciful love he offers.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Here, the word still comes from a Hebrew word meaning to “let go” or “release.” The meaning would be best understood to say “cause yourself to become restrained or to let go.” In other words, we need to come to a place where we are willing to submit ourselves to God and acknowledging that he is in sovereign control.
When we realize that we are truly incapable of controlling life, we can surrender our will to God’s will. It may be a matter of finally saying we trust him. This will open the door so that we may experience the fullness of all God wants and has for us. After all, he is our Creator and has a perfect plan for us when we let him orchestrate it.
“…and know that I am God” denotes recognition, acknowledgement, and answering God. First, we must know that God is God, the one and only Supreme Being who created all the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1).
We can know him by having an intimate relationship with him. That does not come from knowing about him, but rather getting to personally know him by what he says (in his Holy Word, the Bible), recognizing the things he does in our lives, and by way of His Holy Spirit who comes to guide and comfort us. In John 14:26, Jesus says “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you” .
When we read the Scriptures, we will learn to recognize the way God talks to us, the kinds of things God says, and the merciful love he offers.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Deliverance from sin is through Jesus.
13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[c] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:13-17)
Jesus continues in His explanation to Nicodemus, because Nicodemus is expecting the Messiah to come into the world on a white war horse and defeat the Romans with His fiery sword, and this followed by a big celebration. Nicodemus ignored, as so many of his time did, the need for salvation and the judgment of sin. So Jesus continues in verse 17. God did not send His Son into the world this first time to judge the world, but to save it, and here is the problem with Nicodemus. He is expecting the second advent rather than the first advent. He has lost the point of the judgment of sin and the death and resurrection of the Messiah, and the victory over Satan which is required before there can be any eternal life for anyone.
Sin saturates the world, and we all are guilty of sin. Therefore judgment is our reward. But Christ went to collect on that reward in our place. None of us could withstand the judgment for a single sin, let alone all our sins. The question of sin has to be dealt with before the question of eternity can be addressed. Therefore the first advent and the Cross.
So Nicodemus is receiving the explanation he did not want, but in terms he can clearly understand, and from knowledge which he clearly has possession of. He is a teacher of scripture, yet he does not understand the lessons he teaches. He rejects the need for salvation, or the work of God on the Cross. Jesus has identified Himself as the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah. Jesus has identified Himself as God, having been the only one who has been in heaven. Jesus has described the only means of salvation, believing in the Son of God, Himself. Jesus has explained the purpose of this first advent of God, which is not to judge, but to save. Nicodemus is expecting the judgment of the Romans, not Christ on the Cross. And last, Jesus states that this deliverance is through Himself. Not the Law, not through good works, but only through Christ comes deliverance from sin and death.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[c] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:13-17)
Jesus continues in His explanation to Nicodemus, because Nicodemus is expecting the Messiah to come into the world on a white war horse and defeat the Romans with His fiery sword, and this followed by a big celebration. Nicodemus ignored, as so many of his time did, the need for salvation and the judgment of sin. So Jesus continues in verse 17. God did not send His Son into the world this first time to judge the world, but to save it, and here is the problem with Nicodemus. He is expecting the second advent rather than the first advent. He has lost the point of the judgment of sin and the death and resurrection of the Messiah, and the victory over Satan which is required before there can be any eternal life for anyone.
Sin saturates the world, and we all are guilty of sin. Therefore judgment is our reward. But Christ went to collect on that reward in our place. None of us could withstand the judgment for a single sin, let alone all our sins. The question of sin has to be dealt with before the question of eternity can be addressed. Therefore the first advent and the Cross.
So Nicodemus is receiving the explanation he did not want, but in terms he can clearly understand, and from knowledge which he clearly has possession of. He is a teacher of scripture, yet he does not understand the lessons he teaches. He rejects the need for salvation, or the work of God on the Cross. Jesus has identified Himself as the Son of Man, a title for the Messiah. Jesus has identified Himself as God, having been the only one who has been in heaven. Jesus has described the only means of salvation, believing in the Son of God, Himself. Jesus has explained the purpose of this first advent of God, which is not to judge, but to save. Nicodemus is expecting the judgment of the Romans, not Christ on the Cross. And last, Jesus states that this deliverance is through Himself. Not the Law, not through good works, but only through Christ comes deliverance from sin and death.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Who are the lost sheep?
1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:1-7)
My favorite Bible story is the Parable of the Lost Sheep. A close reading of Jesus' parable of the lost sheep sheds light not only on the work he did while he was on earth, but on the mission he calls believers to embrace.
The parable of the lost sheep appears in the opening verses of Luke 15, in the context of the Pharisees and scribes witnessing Jesus spending time among the tax collectors and sinners. In their rush to judge, the Pharisees failed to understand the importance of Jesus' interaction with this group of people. The parable of the lost sheep is a reprimand not only to them, but also to all Christians who may be guilty of a similar rush to judgment.
Some Christians may read this parable and identify themselves with the ninety-nine sheep that never went astray, left in the wilderness while the shepherd sought out the lost sheep. As such, they may grumble and complain that the idea of rejoicing more over a sinner than one who needed no repentance seems a bit backward:
Jesus shared the parable in response to the Pharisees' charges, explaining to them why he spent so much of his time with sinners: to restore them to his flock. On another level, Jesus called out those who supposedly had "no need for repentance." The Pharisees looked down upon sinners, evidently believing themselves to be without sin. The people Christ called lost sheep, the Pharisees regarded as a lost cause.
I believe that it is more palatable to align oneself with the ninety-nine. But the truth of the matter is, unless a person sees himself as a sinner, he can never be saved. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, anyone who recognizes in himself a propensity to sin and the need for a Savior. The ninety-nine sheep in the parable represent those who recognize no need for a Savior, unaware of their sinful condition.
Another way of looking at this parable is as a challenge to those in ministry. What does a pastor do if one of his 100 sheep stray away from the flock? Jesus as the utmost loving and caring shepherd will go out after this lost sheep and bring him back to the fold. Each sheep is important to Jesus the shepherd. I believe that our modern shepherds would rather cut their losses and be happy that they have 99 sheep left, leaving the one stray sheep to remain lost. It challenges us as ministers to go after that lost member of our congregation. Everyone is important and no one should be forgotten and allowed to stay lost.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:1-7)
My favorite Bible story is the Parable of the Lost Sheep. A close reading of Jesus' parable of the lost sheep sheds light not only on the work he did while he was on earth, but on the mission he calls believers to embrace.
The parable of the lost sheep appears in the opening verses of Luke 15, in the context of the Pharisees and scribes witnessing Jesus spending time among the tax collectors and sinners. In their rush to judge, the Pharisees failed to understand the importance of Jesus' interaction with this group of people. The parable of the lost sheep is a reprimand not only to them, but also to all Christians who may be guilty of a similar rush to judgment.
Some Christians may read this parable and identify themselves with the ninety-nine sheep that never went astray, left in the wilderness while the shepherd sought out the lost sheep. As such, they may grumble and complain that the idea of rejoicing more over a sinner than one who needed no repentance seems a bit backward:
Jesus shared the parable in response to the Pharisees' charges, explaining to them why he spent so much of his time with sinners: to restore them to his flock. On another level, Jesus called out those who supposedly had "no need for repentance." The Pharisees looked down upon sinners, evidently believing themselves to be without sin. The people Christ called lost sheep, the Pharisees regarded as a lost cause.
I believe that it is more palatable to align oneself with the ninety-nine. But the truth of the matter is, unless a person sees himself as a sinner, he can never be saved. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, anyone who recognizes in himself a propensity to sin and the need for a Savior. The ninety-nine sheep in the parable represent those who recognize no need for a Savior, unaware of their sinful condition.
Another way of looking at this parable is as a challenge to those in ministry. What does a pastor do if one of his 100 sheep stray away from the flock? Jesus as the utmost loving and caring shepherd will go out after this lost sheep and bring him back to the fold. Each sheep is important to Jesus the shepherd. I believe that our modern shepherds would rather cut their losses and be happy that they have 99 sheep left, leaving the one stray sheep to remain lost. It challenges us as ministers to go after that lost member of our congregation. Everyone is important and no one should be forgotten and allowed to stay lost.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Gospel is not just a ticket out of this world.
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col. 1:15-20)
All things were created by Jesus. If Jesus were not God himself, then the Bible could not make that claim. The gospel of John says, John 1:3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Now again, there are some fancy word games to explain this away. They say, "Well, God created Jesus, and then Jesus made everything else." The easy answer to that is that "all things" cannot mean "all things except himself." A second issue they have not answered is the simplicity of Genesis 1:1. It certainly does not say, "In the beginning God created Jesus, who then created the heavens and the earth."
If Jesus was not the "first thing created," then what does it mean that He is the firstborn of all creation? In Bible days, the first-born was the inheritor of the father's estate - everything the father had would be given to the son. The same is true for Jesus Christ. He inherited everything. Jesus said, John 3:35 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand."
Paul writes this letter to defend the Gospel by celebrating and proclaiming the Gospel joyously and with great spectacle. Paul does not hold back, in the early verses he explains how the Gospel has been growing all over the world, he explains that the Gospel was about redemption and that those who in faith receive the Gospel are heirs of the kingdom and they are free of this world and its trappings. He calls them to live in the light of the Gospel, to live righteous lives. You see the Colossians were being challenged in their perspective and Paul writes to keep them oriented in the right direction by giving them perspective from Jesus who is good news. Right off the start this passage declares something most magnificent, Jesus is the image –Jesus is the representation of the invisible God. The text very boldly unites the son to the father, leaving no doubt that in Jesus we saw God. Where once God had only been seen and known in clouds and voices and shadows he is now known in the person of Jesus the Christ. This is phenomenal. Here is the perspective - God is not distant, he is not impersonal but rather he is Immanuel, with us. Not as some cosmic force or essence but as a person, whom we can know. One whom we can relate with, the father has shown himself through his son! This is phenomenal; in Jesus we can know God. Ponder that for a moment. God has in his great mercy come to us to be known through his son Jesus.
Here is the perspective - Jesus who created all things is redeeming all things, that is there is no area of creation which he did not create and which is left untouched by his work of redemption. The physical is being redeemed along with the spiritual. God’s salvation in Christ excludes nothing. Relationships, sex, work, industry, worship, leadership, authority, prayer, community… It is not just the spiritual which is being redeemed but the physical as well. The Gospel leaves no stone unturned, all of creation is being reconciled unto God through Jesus who has made peace through his blood on the cross His Cross. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:19-21 that creation is eagerly waiting for its liberation at the redemption of the children of God.‖ The Gospel is not just a ticket out of this world but rather it is a reorientation, a new life, a new beginning, a new creation in which every area of creation is being reconciled.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
All things were created by Jesus. If Jesus were not God himself, then the Bible could not make that claim. The gospel of John says, John 1:3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
Now again, there are some fancy word games to explain this away. They say, "Well, God created Jesus, and then Jesus made everything else." The easy answer to that is that "all things" cannot mean "all things except himself." A second issue they have not answered is the simplicity of Genesis 1:1. It certainly does not say, "In the beginning God created Jesus, who then created the heavens and the earth."
If Jesus was not the "first thing created," then what does it mean that He is the firstborn of all creation? In Bible days, the first-born was the inheritor of the father's estate - everything the father had would be given to the son. The same is true for Jesus Christ. He inherited everything. Jesus said, John 3:35 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand."
Paul writes this letter to defend the Gospel by celebrating and proclaiming the Gospel joyously and with great spectacle. Paul does not hold back, in the early verses he explains how the Gospel has been growing all over the world, he explains that the Gospel was about redemption and that those who in faith receive the Gospel are heirs of the kingdom and they are free of this world and its trappings. He calls them to live in the light of the Gospel, to live righteous lives. You see the Colossians were being challenged in their perspective and Paul writes to keep them oriented in the right direction by giving them perspective from Jesus who is good news. Right off the start this passage declares something most magnificent, Jesus is the image –Jesus is the representation of the invisible God. The text very boldly unites the son to the father, leaving no doubt that in Jesus we saw God. Where once God had only been seen and known in clouds and voices and shadows he is now known in the person of Jesus the Christ. This is phenomenal. Here is the perspective - God is not distant, he is not impersonal but rather he is Immanuel, with us. Not as some cosmic force or essence but as a person, whom we can know. One whom we can relate with, the father has shown himself through his son! This is phenomenal; in Jesus we can know God. Ponder that for a moment. God has in his great mercy come to us to be known through his son Jesus.
Here is the perspective - Jesus who created all things is redeeming all things, that is there is no area of creation which he did not create and which is left untouched by his work of redemption. The physical is being redeemed along with the spiritual. God’s salvation in Christ excludes nothing. Relationships, sex, work, industry, worship, leadership, authority, prayer, community… It is not just the spiritual which is being redeemed but the physical as well. The Gospel leaves no stone unturned, all of creation is being reconciled unto God through Jesus who has made peace through his blood on the cross His Cross. Paul reminds us in Romans 8:19-21 that creation is eagerly waiting for its liberation at the redemption of the children of God.‖ The Gospel is not just a ticket out of this world but rather it is a reorientation, a new life, a new beginning, a new creation in which every area of creation is being reconciled.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Do you believe in the power of the Gospel?
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
(Matthew 28:16-20)
Why did Jesus leave his beloved apostles forty days after his resurrection? Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. For forty days after his resurrection Jesus appeared numerous times to his disciples to assure them that he had risen indeed and to prepare them for the task of carrying on the work which he began during his earthy ministry.
Jesus' departure and ascension into heaven was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time. He assured them of his power -- a power which overcame sin and death. Now as the glorified and risen Lord and Savior, ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, Jesus promised to give them the power of his Holy Spirit, which we see fulfilled ten days later on the Feast of Pentecost (Luke 24:49 and Acts 2:1-4). When the Lord Jesus departed physically from the apostles, they were not left alone or powerless. Jesus assured them of his presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' last words to his apostles point to his saving mission and to their mission to be witnesses of his saving death and his glorious resurrection and to proclaim the good news of salvation to all the world. Their task is to proclaim the good news of salvation, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations. God's love and gift of salvation is not just for a few, or for a nation, but it is for the whole world -- for all who will accept it. The gospel is the power of God, the power to forgive sins, to heal, to deliver from evil and oppression, and to restore life. Do you believe in the power of the gospel?
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
(Matthew 28:16-20)
Why did Jesus leave his beloved apostles forty days after his resurrection? Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. For forty days after his resurrection Jesus appeared numerous times to his disciples to assure them that he had risen indeed and to prepare them for the task of carrying on the work which he began during his earthy ministry.
Jesus' departure and ascension into heaven was both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time. He assured them of his power -- a power which overcame sin and death. Now as the glorified and risen Lord and Savior, ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, Jesus promised to give them the power of his Holy Spirit, which we see fulfilled ten days later on the Feast of Pentecost (Luke 24:49 and Acts 2:1-4). When the Lord Jesus departed physically from the apostles, they were not left alone or powerless. Jesus assured them of his presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' last words to his apostles point to his saving mission and to their mission to be witnesses of his saving death and his glorious resurrection and to proclaim the good news of salvation to all the world. Their task is to proclaim the good news of salvation, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations. God's love and gift of salvation is not just for a few, or for a nation, but it is for the whole world -- for all who will accept it. The gospel is the power of God, the power to forgive sins, to heal, to deliver from evil and oppression, and to restore life. Do you believe in the power of the gospel?
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
There is a time for everything.
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(Eccl 3:1-11)
According to Thomas Edison: “There is time for everything”. According to George Head: “If time be judiciously employed, there is time for everything”. Ecclesiastes says “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven”.
“Judiciously employed” means someone needs to make a judgment if this is a right time for that “specific activity under heaven”. Who specifically makes the judgment? Who decides which activity when?
Who decides what you are reading right now? Who decided about watching TV yesterday? Who decides when to relax and rest?
Of course you can read during the night, sleep during the day, sing when you eat and eat when you read and “if time be judiciously employed, there is time for everything”. If we would add to our judgment that knowledge about “specific time for every activity under heaven” maybe deciding every single time which activity I want to choose would be easy.
Is this a right time for what I am doing right now? When is the right time for what I want to do? There is time for everything, but when specifically? And for for activity specifically?
One of my friends came to me and said: “I haven’t reached my goal yet? “When did you want to reach it?” – I asked. “As SOON as POSSIBLE” – he answered.
“Maybe it was not POSSIBLE” or maybe “SOON” lasted longer. How long is “SOON” for you by the way? Is it long enough to make reaching your goal possible? There is time for everything. There is specific time for every specific thing. There is time for everything under heaven. So what do you choose and when? Where is God in all of your activity?
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
(Eccl 3:1-11)
According to Thomas Edison: “There is time for everything”. According to George Head: “If time be judiciously employed, there is time for everything”. Ecclesiastes says “Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven”.
“Judiciously employed” means someone needs to make a judgment if this is a right time for that “specific activity under heaven”. Who specifically makes the judgment? Who decides which activity when?
Who decides what you are reading right now? Who decided about watching TV yesterday? Who decides when to relax and rest?
Of course you can read during the night, sleep during the day, sing when you eat and eat when you read and “if time be judiciously employed, there is time for everything”. If we would add to our judgment that knowledge about “specific time for every activity under heaven” maybe deciding every single time which activity I want to choose would be easy.
Is this a right time for what I am doing right now? When is the right time for what I want to do? There is time for everything, but when specifically? And for for activity specifically?
One of my friends came to me and said: “I haven’t reached my goal yet? “When did you want to reach it?” – I asked. “As SOON as POSSIBLE” – he answered.
“Maybe it was not POSSIBLE” or maybe “SOON” lasted longer. How long is “SOON” for you by the way? Is it long enough to make reaching your goal possible? There is time for everything. There is specific time for every specific thing. There is time for everything under heaven. So what do you choose and when? Where is God in all of your activity?
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Monday, September 6, 2010
Clothe yourself in Jesus
11And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Romans 13:11-14)
We are a society that is enslaved to time. There are many companies who have as their sole purpose, to make time saving devices. We have laptop and tablet computers, cell phones, pagers, PDAs or a host of calendar planners all to help us keep on schedule. It makes you wonder how in the world anyone accomplished anything before we had all these labor saving things. Many of us feel like we have too much to do and too little time to do it.
Part of the reason for this is that we are trying to do too much. We are pulled in so many directions that we aimlessly move from one demand to another. The key principle in most management seminars is to determine the things that are most important and then put your focus on these things.
This is the same thing Paul seems to be saying tt the end of Romans 13. After all he has told us about serving Jesus, using our gifts, showing genuine love, paying our debts, submitting to authorities and loving our enemies, Paul now writes a different piece of advice.
Paul tells us that we must understand the present time. We need to know what is going on.
Have you ever been awakened from a sound sleep? Perhaps you took a nap in the afternoon and you were awakened suddenly. At first you are dazed. You don’t know what day it is or what time it is. You weren’t sure whether it is morning, afternoon, or evening. Depending on how hard you were sleeping, it might take several minutes for you to regain perspective and to gain your bearings.
In a sense this is what Paul tells us we have to do. We must wake from our slumber and realize where we are. We are to recognize the present time. We need to understand that we live in a world that is hostile to the things of God. The values of our society are not the values of the Kingdom of God. We need to recognize that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. I’m not sure whether Paul is telling us to realize that the second coming of Christ is nearer than it ever has been or whether he is simply trying to say, “life is short” and we had better stop wasting our time.
Notice something. Paul is not talking to non-believers, he is talking to the saints! Paul recognizes that many believers are living in a spiritual stupor. They are just going along without any real direction or purpose. It is almost like some believers are in a coma. Paul’s cry is for us to “Wake Up!”
We should be living with a new urgency. We must remember that we are terminal. We understand that we could die or Jesus could return at any time. Paul suggests that those who understand this fact will change the way they live. He uses the metaphor of changing clothes. He says we need to change from the deeds of darkness to the armor of light.
Our job is to get focused on what is truly important. We only have so much time and we ought not to waste it on things that are not really important.
When we wake up, we are to clothe ourselves in Christ. That sounds good but the question is, “What does it mean?” It means to get to immerse ourselves in Christ. It means working hard to get to know Jesus through Bible Study, prayer, listening to tapes etc. It means to try to live like Jesus would. The believer should always be asking: Is this something Jesus would do? Would Jesus get involved in the pursuits I am involved in?
It means to put on the traits of Jesus.
Put on his holiness.
Put on his beauty.
Put on his humility.
Put on his purity.
Put on his compassion.
Put on his wisdom.
Put on his forgiveness.
Put on his righteousness.
Put on his zeal.
Put on his patience.
Put on his love.
Clothe yourself with Jesus early in the morning and you will be well-dressed all day long. (Pritchard)
To use another metaphor, when you receive Christ, you have awakened. The next step is to get out of your P.J.’s and begin living life as someone who understands the big picture. Our job is to remember that we are to live like those who are dying, and to remember that those around us are dying as well. It is time to put on our clothes and let everyone know that we represent Jesus. We do this in the hope that those who are dying might also entrust themselves to Jesus, so they might live even though they die.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
We are a society that is enslaved to time. There are many companies who have as their sole purpose, to make time saving devices. We have laptop and tablet computers, cell phones, pagers, PDAs or a host of calendar planners all to help us keep on schedule. It makes you wonder how in the world anyone accomplished anything before we had all these labor saving things. Many of us feel like we have too much to do and too little time to do it.
Part of the reason for this is that we are trying to do too much. We are pulled in so many directions that we aimlessly move from one demand to another. The key principle in most management seminars is to determine the things that are most important and then put your focus on these things.
This is the same thing Paul seems to be saying tt the end of Romans 13. After all he has told us about serving Jesus, using our gifts, showing genuine love, paying our debts, submitting to authorities and loving our enemies, Paul now writes a different piece of advice.
Paul tells us that we must understand the present time. We need to know what is going on.
Have you ever been awakened from a sound sleep? Perhaps you took a nap in the afternoon and you were awakened suddenly. At first you are dazed. You don’t know what day it is or what time it is. You weren’t sure whether it is morning, afternoon, or evening. Depending on how hard you were sleeping, it might take several minutes for you to regain perspective and to gain your bearings.
In a sense this is what Paul tells us we have to do. We must wake from our slumber and realize where we are. We are to recognize the present time. We need to understand that we live in a world that is hostile to the things of God. The values of our society are not the values of the Kingdom of God. We need to recognize that our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. I’m not sure whether Paul is telling us to realize that the second coming of Christ is nearer than it ever has been or whether he is simply trying to say, “life is short” and we had better stop wasting our time.
Notice something. Paul is not talking to non-believers, he is talking to the saints! Paul recognizes that many believers are living in a spiritual stupor. They are just going along without any real direction or purpose. It is almost like some believers are in a coma. Paul’s cry is for us to “Wake Up!”
We should be living with a new urgency. We must remember that we are terminal. We understand that we could die or Jesus could return at any time. Paul suggests that those who understand this fact will change the way they live. He uses the metaphor of changing clothes. He says we need to change from the deeds of darkness to the armor of light.
Our job is to get focused on what is truly important. We only have so much time and we ought not to waste it on things that are not really important.
When we wake up, we are to clothe ourselves in Christ. That sounds good but the question is, “What does it mean?” It means to get to immerse ourselves in Christ. It means working hard to get to know Jesus through Bible Study, prayer, listening to tapes etc. It means to try to live like Jesus would. The believer should always be asking: Is this something Jesus would do? Would Jesus get involved in the pursuits I am involved in?
It means to put on the traits of Jesus.
Put on his holiness.
Put on his beauty.
Put on his humility.
Put on his purity.
Put on his compassion.
Put on his wisdom.
Put on his forgiveness.
Put on his righteousness.
Put on his zeal.
Put on his patience.
Put on his love.
Clothe yourself with Jesus early in the morning and you will be well-dressed all day long. (Pritchard)
To use another metaphor, when you receive Christ, you have awakened. The next step is to get out of your P.J.’s and begin living life as someone who understands the big picture. Our job is to remember that we are to live like those who are dying, and to remember that those around us are dying as well. It is time to put on our clothes and let everyone know that we represent Jesus. We do this in the hope that those who are dying might also entrust themselves to Jesus, so they might live even though they die.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Take up your cross
25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33)
Jesus says, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” This also must have shocked the great crowds. After all, unlike us, many of them may have witnessed what Jesus here described: a condemned criminal bearing his own cross through the streets of a town out to the place of crucifixion. Only the most vile felons were had to carry their crosses. Why on earth would Jesus say that they too had to do this?
But of course, Jesus didn’t mean that each of them must carry a literal cross to a literal crucifixion. Here the word “cross” takes on a new meaning. It means “suffering.” To “bear one’s own cross” means to be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus.
For many who followed Jesus, they sensed that a new age was dawning. The kingdom of God was at hand. But they wrongly understood that to mean that victory, peace, and prosperity would be theirs. Some new Christians make the same mistake today.
Here Jesus sets them straight. He is saying, “You do not understand. The life of a disciple is a life of suffering. It will be difficult. And if you are not prepared for this you will fall away. You will be persecuted because of me, and suffer loss because of me (See Luke 8:13; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:12). At that point you will have a choice. You can remain faithful to me or you can be unfaithful to make the cross go away. You can shut up rather than openly share your faith, be silent rather than speak of Jesus, go along with the crowd, rather than obey Jesus. You can compromise the truth instead of standing up for the truth of God’s Word. To do any of these things, to compromise or become silent or go along with the crowd rather than confess, speak, and live the life Christ has called us to, is to drop the cross instead up carrying it. But if you refuse to carry the cross of suffering you cannot be my disciple.”
The wonderful consequence of deciding to become a follower of Jesus is that we can rest assured that Jesus will always be with us and will help us to carry our cross no matter how heavy.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
31"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33)
Jesus says, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” This also must have shocked the great crowds. After all, unlike us, many of them may have witnessed what Jesus here described: a condemned criminal bearing his own cross through the streets of a town out to the place of crucifixion. Only the most vile felons were had to carry their crosses. Why on earth would Jesus say that they too had to do this?
But of course, Jesus didn’t mean that each of them must carry a literal cross to a literal crucifixion. Here the word “cross” takes on a new meaning. It means “suffering.” To “bear one’s own cross” means to be willing to suffer for the sake of Jesus.
For many who followed Jesus, they sensed that a new age was dawning. The kingdom of God was at hand. But they wrongly understood that to mean that victory, peace, and prosperity would be theirs. Some new Christians make the same mistake today.
Here Jesus sets them straight. He is saying, “You do not understand. The life of a disciple is a life of suffering. It will be difficult. And if you are not prepared for this you will fall away. You will be persecuted because of me, and suffer loss because of me (See Luke 8:13; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-5; 2 Timothy 3:12). At that point you will have a choice. You can remain faithful to me or you can be unfaithful to make the cross go away. You can shut up rather than openly share your faith, be silent rather than speak of Jesus, go along with the crowd, rather than obey Jesus. You can compromise the truth instead of standing up for the truth of God’s Word. To do any of these things, to compromise or become silent or go along with the crowd rather than confess, speak, and live the life Christ has called us to, is to drop the cross instead up carrying it. But if you refuse to carry the cross of suffering you cannot be my disciple.”
The wonderful consequence of deciding to become a follower of Jesus is that we can rest assured that Jesus will always be with us and will help us to carry our cross no matter how heavy.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
God keeps his promises
11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:11-14)
It is easy to be cynical whenever someone makes a promise. We have all known people who made promises and did not keep them, and we have all made promises we did not keep. Our society is full of promises, albeit broken promises. Governments make promises and break them. Advertisers make promises and break them. Preachers make promises and break them. Husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, uncles, aunts, friends, and enemies make promises and break them.
As Christians we are to be living examples of Christ to the world. We are to love like He loved, help like He helped, care like He cared, and share like He shared. God did not put us in the world to take advantage of others; we are here to serve others. So when a true Christian lives the way he ought to live, the world will see the reality of Christ in his life.
Whatever you might be looking for, you can be sure God promised it. God has promised believers peace, love, grace, wisdom, eternal life, joy, victory, strength, guidance, provision for all our needs, power, knowledge, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, gifts of the Spirit, fellowship with the Trinity, instruction from the Word, truth, spiritual discernment, and eternal riches, to name a few. When we became Christians we were made one with Jesus Christ. Therefore we receive everything the Father gives Him. Paul said we were made "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).
Keep in mind, that if you are struggling with a lack of self-worth, remember that you were important enough for God to give you to Jesus as an inheritance. You are a love gift from the Father to the Son.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
It is easy to be cynical whenever someone makes a promise. We have all known people who made promises and did not keep them, and we have all made promises we did not keep. Our society is full of promises, albeit broken promises. Governments make promises and break them. Advertisers make promises and break them. Preachers make promises and break them. Husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, moms, dads, uncles, aunts, friends, and enemies make promises and break them.
As Christians we are to be living examples of Christ to the world. We are to love like He loved, help like He helped, care like He cared, and share like He shared. God did not put us in the world to take advantage of others; we are here to serve others. So when a true Christian lives the way he ought to live, the world will see the reality of Christ in his life.
Whatever you might be looking for, you can be sure God promised it. God has promised believers peace, love, grace, wisdom, eternal life, joy, victory, strength, guidance, provision for all our needs, power, knowledge, mercy, forgiveness, righteousness, gifts of the Spirit, fellowship with the Trinity, instruction from the Word, truth, spiritual discernment, and eternal riches, to name a few. When we became Christians we were made one with Jesus Christ. Therefore we receive everything the Father gives Him. Paul said we were made "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17).
Keep in mind, that if you are struggling with a lack of self-worth, remember that you were important enough for God to give you to Jesus as an inheritance. You are a love gift from the Father to the Son.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Friday, September 3, 2010
Discipleship can mean being rejected.
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56and they went to another village.
Jesus instructs the disciples about the special nature of the time in which they live. It is not a time of judgment but of invitation. It is the hour of decision, and decisions about the disciples' message have everlasting consequences.
Knowing God is a blessing and life's highest priority. But that blessing is not automatic for every individual; it must be consciously entered into by embracing the hope the disciples offer. This period is so special that kings and prophets have longed to share in the blessings that the disciples get to experience through Jesus. To minister with power is exciting, but to know God and his grace is even better.
Jesus' path often leads to rejection. The lesson, however, is not rejection's presence but how we respond to it. Jesus sends messengers ahead to prepare the people for his arrival. Much like an advance public relations team, they were to help plan what would occur when he arrived. But the Samaritans did not welcome him. The explanation is that Jesus' face is set toward Jerusalem. In other words, rejection is his fate. Even though that rejection will occur in the capital of Israel, the Samaritan reaction mirrors that coming reality. The world is not responsive to Jesus; rejection is widespread.
The disciples react with the wish to use their connections and power to launch a retributive strike. James and John ask for the ancient equivalent of nuking the enemy: "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" The disciples understand the great power they have access to, but the question is whether vindictive use of this power is proper. Is their hostile reaction justified?
Jesus corrects them. The text does not tell us what he said. In a story that is a little unusual in form, it simply notes that Jesus rebukes them and they move on to the next village. Many Gospel accounts end with a climactic saying of Jesus, a pronouncement that is key to the event in question. Here Jesus' action speaks for itself. There is no saying; rather, the disciples' saying becomes a view to be rejected emphatically. The disciples are not to wield their power as a club of judgment. Vindication from God will come later, as he deals with those who reject him. In the midst of rejection, it becomes crucial to understand the nature of discipleship. The presence of the kingdom means not instant power and position but rejection by the world. It requires a focused commitment to be a disciple.
The call is to go and proclaim the kingdom of God. This is the responsibility of all disciples. All must be prepared to share the message of God's goodness in Christ. In being a disciple, all must expect at some time to be rejected by the world. But we can always take solice in the fact that Jesus is there with us in our rejection.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Jesus instructs the disciples about the special nature of the time in which they live. It is not a time of judgment but of invitation. It is the hour of decision, and decisions about the disciples' message have everlasting consequences.
Knowing God is a blessing and life's highest priority. But that blessing is not automatic for every individual; it must be consciously entered into by embracing the hope the disciples offer. This period is so special that kings and prophets have longed to share in the blessings that the disciples get to experience through Jesus. To minister with power is exciting, but to know God and his grace is even better.
Jesus' path often leads to rejection. The lesson, however, is not rejection's presence but how we respond to it. Jesus sends messengers ahead to prepare the people for his arrival. Much like an advance public relations team, they were to help plan what would occur when he arrived. But the Samaritans did not welcome him. The explanation is that Jesus' face is set toward Jerusalem. In other words, rejection is his fate. Even though that rejection will occur in the capital of Israel, the Samaritan reaction mirrors that coming reality. The world is not responsive to Jesus; rejection is widespread.
The disciples react with the wish to use their connections and power to launch a retributive strike. James and John ask for the ancient equivalent of nuking the enemy: "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" The disciples understand the great power they have access to, but the question is whether vindictive use of this power is proper. Is their hostile reaction justified?
Jesus corrects them. The text does not tell us what he said. In a story that is a little unusual in form, it simply notes that Jesus rebukes them and they move on to the next village. Many Gospel accounts end with a climactic saying of Jesus, a pronouncement that is key to the event in question. Here Jesus' action speaks for itself. There is no saying; rather, the disciples' saying becomes a view to be rejected emphatically. The disciples are not to wield their power as a club of judgment. Vindication from God will come later, as he deals with those who reject him. In the midst of rejection, it becomes crucial to understand the nature of discipleship. The presence of the kingdom means not instant power and position but rejection by the world. It requires a focused commitment to be a disciple.
The call is to go and proclaim the kingdom of God. This is the responsibility of all disciples. All must be prepared to share the message of God's goodness in Christ. In being a disciple, all must expect at some time to be rejected by the world. But we can always take solice in the fact that Jesus is there with us in our rejection.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Don't add to the Gospel.
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)
Paul is saying that the very gospel itself is at stake and that there are some people who have thrown the church into confusion by trying to pervert the gospel. Paul says they have been called by the grace of Christ. This means that it all began with God. God calls us first, and that the reason he called is because of his grace, which means that we are accepted into his favor right away, right off the bat. This is different from how
many people think a relationship with God develops. Most people think it begins with our calling upon God and then there are things we need to do to enter into a relationship with him. But Paul says no, the order is God calls you and accepts you and that is how things commence.
So, to reverse the order means to teach and believe that there is something you need to do before grace comes to you. This is why elsewhere in Galatians Paul says that these same people are trying to add to the Gospel. Whether you add a step (“do this and then God will love you”) or reverse the order amounts to the same thing, you end up with a gospel (good news) that is really no gospel at all. Of course Christians are to lead holy lives, but grace comes first, reverse this and you destroy the Gospel.
The gospel gives us courage, and should set us free from living for the approval of others. Paul says that living to try to please men is incompatible with being a servant of Christ. Wow. That is sobering, and even depressing if we are trying to measure our performance against the Apostle Paul.
But what is it that gives him such freedom? It is the gospel! The confidence that comes from knowing that you are fully accepted in God’s embrace because Jesus did everything necessary for you to earn God’s love. He kept the law perfectly from the heart, and took everything that would cause God to cast you out from his presence at the cross, allows you to face the world and say “I don’t need your approval today.” When you are tempted to live for the approval of others, recognize that you have reversed the gospel, you have said in your heart “I need Jesus plus the approval of others for life” and that is a complete reversal of the gospel!
But then, remember who Jesus is and what he did and that his love for you is not based on how well you trust Him (the strength of your faith) but upon his free grace and sense his love on your heart in a way that sets you free.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)
Paul is saying that the very gospel itself is at stake and that there are some people who have thrown the church into confusion by trying to pervert the gospel. Paul says they have been called by the grace of Christ. This means that it all began with God. God calls us first, and that the reason he called is because of his grace, which means that we are accepted into his favor right away, right off the bat. This is different from how
many people think a relationship with God develops. Most people think it begins with our calling upon God and then there are things we need to do to enter into a relationship with him. But Paul says no, the order is God calls you and accepts you and that is how things commence.
So, to reverse the order means to teach and believe that there is something you need to do before grace comes to you. This is why elsewhere in Galatians Paul says that these same people are trying to add to the Gospel. Whether you add a step (“do this and then God will love you”) or reverse the order amounts to the same thing, you end up with a gospel (good news) that is really no gospel at all. Of course Christians are to lead holy lives, but grace comes first, reverse this and you destroy the Gospel.
The gospel gives us courage, and should set us free from living for the approval of others. Paul says that living to try to please men is incompatible with being a servant of Christ. Wow. That is sobering, and even depressing if we are trying to measure our performance against the Apostle Paul.
But what is it that gives him such freedom? It is the gospel! The confidence that comes from knowing that you are fully accepted in God’s embrace because Jesus did everything necessary for you to earn God’s love. He kept the law perfectly from the heart, and took everything that would cause God to cast you out from his presence at the cross, allows you to face the world and say “I don’t need your approval today.” When you are tempted to live for the approval of others, recognize that you have reversed the gospel, you have said in your heart “I need Jesus plus the approval of others for life” and that is a complete reversal of the gospel!
But then, remember who Jesus is and what he did and that his love for you is not based on how well you trust Him (the strength of your faith) but upon his free grace and sense his love on your heart in a way that sets you free.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
All we need is faith.
11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
(Luke 17:11-19)
Leprosy in Biblical times was a terrible thing. We're not exactly sure what Biblical leprosy was. While it may have described what is known today as "Hansen's Disease," the word probably included other skin diseases, as well. Whatever it was, once a person caught it, it was considered incurable, and those diagnosed with leprosy were banned from society.
Notice two things: (1) Jesus is just outside of the village and (2) he meets a group of lepers. It wasn't uncommon for lepers to group together. They can't have much social contact with the "clean" members of society, so they form their own society of the "unclean," the "untouchables." Being just outside a village would be common, since they probably obtain food from family members or those in the village who have pity on them. Since they have no land to till, no livestock to look after, they are dependent upon others.
Jesis did not heal the ten immediately. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they were going, following his instructions, they were healed. If they had not had faith in Jesus, if they had not followed his instructions, they would not have been healed. It is like that with us. Faith in Jesus' mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties. Faith in Jesus' mercy will heal us when we feel that there is no hope. Just as Jesus healed the lepers of that horrible disease, Jesus can heal us of whatever disease of mind or spirit that may possess us. All we need is faith.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
14When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
(Luke 17:11-19)
Leprosy in Biblical times was a terrible thing. We're not exactly sure what Biblical leprosy was. While it may have described what is known today as "Hansen's Disease," the word probably included other skin diseases, as well. Whatever it was, once a person caught it, it was considered incurable, and those diagnosed with leprosy were banned from society.
Notice two things: (1) Jesus is just outside of the village and (2) he meets a group of lepers. It wasn't uncommon for lepers to group together. They can't have much social contact with the "clean" members of society, so they form their own society of the "unclean," the "untouchables." Being just outside a village would be common, since they probably obtain food from family members or those in the village who have pity on them. Since they have no land to till, no livestock to look after, they are dependent upon others.
Jesis did not heal the ten immediately. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they were going, following his instructions, they were healed. If they had not had faith in Jesus, if they had not followed his instructions, they would not have been healed. It is like that with us. Faith in Jesus' mercy, will enable us to get over the greatest difficulties. Faith in Jesus' mercy will heal us when we feel that there is no hope. Just as Jesus healed the lepers of that horrible disease, Jesus can heal us of whatever disease of mind or spirit that may possess us. All we need is faith.
Peace and love,
Sue
"Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me". (Luke 9:23)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)