VS. 32, " HE IS NOT A MERE MORTAL LIKE ME THAT I MIGHT ANSWER HIM,
THAT WE MIGHT CONFRONT EACH OTHER IN COURT,
IF ONLY THERE WERE SOMEONE TO MEDIATE BETWEEN US,
SOMEONE TO BRING US TOGETHER,
SOMEONE TO REMOVE GOD'S ROD FROM ME,
SO THAT HIS TERROR WOULD FRIGHTEN ME NO MORE,
THEN I WOULD SPEAK UP WITHOUT FEAR OF HIM,
BUT AS IT NOW STANDS WITH ME, I CANNOT."
Written in the story of Job, lies this precious statement, spoken by Job himself, while suffering deeply having lost family, friends, and worldly goods he was blessed with, from the hand of his God. He was "hedged in," so said the accuser, Satan when he appeared before the throne of God and was questioned by God.
Job knew his God. He knew that he was awesome in might. That he spread out the heavens and formed the constellations perfectly to form that which we navigate by. He formed the mighty mountains and sent the thunder to remove them too. So he was well aware of his state and that he was a mere mortal, afflicted, and abased suddenly, all to prove a point in the heavens....to Satan. God would be God, for himself, to himself and to Job, and his three friends who gave boastful words without wisdom.
The beauty of his prayer though speaks volumes. There was no way for him (or any man) to approach God and live. For to do that is death. There was separation between us and God. Sin had broken the bond, the communion we had in the beginning. Moses saw just the back of God and he was hiding behind a rock, covered by God's hand, And still his face glowed for days and days.
Holiness of God was a terror. The Israelites saw the mountain smoke.
Fast forward, In comes Christ, the Lamb of God, slain, the atonement for all time. He was the mediator for us. The blood carried into the heavens, and into the presence of God himself. The only offering to appease the terror of a Holy God.
So did God answer this prayer of his, a (a righteous man's prayer availeth much).
For us too?............
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Wrestling; So that our hearts don't condemn us.......
"This is how we know we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence." If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts....
Think about this little scripture of John's for a moment. The disciples and John walked and talked with the Lord Jesus and had intimate contact with him daily for three years. He was Holy, without sin, and because of his power, he was most likely intimidating (to us to now because of the HOly Spirit) because they felt their sin when they were around him. It was exposed like an open sore. More often that not confession of their sin was on their tongues around Jesus, especially after a miracle was performed or some event occurred to totally make them aware of this state. "Away from me for I am a Sinful man!" This is stated more than once even in the Old Testament. But......
John, in his letter to the Brethren, wants to soothe them and assure them that Jesus has born their shame, and no longer condemns them. It has been taken care of. But we wrestle with ourselves because our hearts still condemn us and we must know beyond a doubt that we can and do enter his presence fully accepted, providing we continue in the faith, abide in him with doing the things he asked. If we fall, we get up. Simple as that. Of course the greater the magnitude of falling requires a greater awareness of repentance and forgiveness, even forgiving ourselves again and again.
We are not Holy people otherwise we would not need a savior. Jesus fit all that was written about both in the Law and the Prophets. NOt one thing was left out. On the cross at the end of his natural life....he cries, "It is Finished!"
Sin was conquered, death was overcome. And our hearts accounted for. Think Peter and the Rooster...........
Think about this little scripture of John's for a moment. The disciples and John walked and talked with the Lord Jesus and had intimate contact with him daily for three years. He was Holy, without sin, and because of his power, he was most likely intimidating (to us to now because of the HOly Spirit) because they felt their sin when they were around him. It was exposed like an open sore. More often that not confession of their sin was on their tongues around Jesus, especially after a miracle was performed or some event occurred to totally make them aware of this state. "Away from me for I am a Sinful man!" This is stated more than once even in the Old Testament. But......
John, in his letter to the Brethren, wants to soothe them and assure them that Jesus has born their shame, and no longer condemns them. It has been taken care of. But we wrestle with ourselves because our hearts still condemn us and we must know beyond a doubt that we can and do enter his presence fully accepted, providing we continue in the faith, abide in him with doing the things he asked. If we fall, we get up. Simple as that. Of course the greater the magnitude of falling requires a greater awareness of repentance and forgiveness, even forgiving ourselves again and again.
We are not Holy people otherwise we would not need a savior. Jesus fit all that was written about both in the Law and the Prophets. NOt one thing was left out. On the cross at the end of his natural life....he cries, "It is Finished!"
Sin was conquered, death was overcome. And our hearts accounted for. Think Peter and the Rooster...........
Thursday, August 17, 2017
"I Assure You That What I Am Writing Is No Lie."
How can we be sure that what we read of the Gospel is truth? After all it has been translated over and over again into many languages and tongues. How can we be sure that nothing is lost or perverted and so continue in a faith that is 2000 plus years old? In the day in which we live where even the President of the United States lies so effortlessly, and distorts to his own end facts and statements to lead astray and foster his agenda, we need to be on our toes when it comes to truth. The premise of this blog then is that Paul whose title this blog is about received direct revelation from God the Father about Jesus and his death and atonement. You can be sure that given the explosive way that God intervened in his path it was not only for effect but for effective purposes given that Paul was thoroughly Jewish and thoroughly zealous for God, so therefore God had to be equal to the task and apprehend Paul in such manner. So that the Gospel could be spread through the Gentile populations, God separated him from the current Apostles save for Peter and James whom he met three years after his conversion. So we have the self same message divinely given to Paul and the message given in person the the 12 who spent three years walking and talking to the savior. Amazing!
So in the letter to the Galations, apparently there were those who brought into the Church, false teachings to which the Galations listened to and maybe gave heed to. Paul was "astonished" that they left so quickly the message of "the Gospel" and were open to "another Gospel" which Paul said was not a Gospel at all! After all Gospel simply means good news. The good news that the Kingdom of God had arrived here on earth and salvation for man was available for all not just for a select few or select race any longer. The truth was out!
Now in the manner to which we hear today about the Gospel...it is entirely the same as then. It is preached, it is heard, and it is either accepted or thrown away depending upon which soil it falls on. Look to the parable Jesus told his disciples. But and this is a big but....it absolutely has to be unadulterated not twisted in any way to have the power it is supposed to have for conversion to happen. Don't go to church for the programs, the nurseries, or even the fellowship alone or the promise that God will give you thousand fold if you give to the Church. I just don't see that doctrine in the Gospel. But what I do see is the promise of the HOly Spirit promised and given to those who believe on Jesus. This is the root of salvation and is just the tip of the iceberg of the journey you are about to begin. For we work out our Salvation with "fear and trembling." Daily we take up the cross and follow another way. Not our own any more. For giving to the poor, or loving our enemy, or forgiving the horrendous things some one does is not a natural response we have within ourselves. It takes the Spirit. And so Paul admonishes the Galations for easily losing the truth they heard, and following another Gospel.
So we have a responsibility as Christians to follow the truth, and not a winding path that proceeds to lead us astray. How you say? Do we know we are going In the right direction? Test it. Test the ones who say they are Christians. Do they live by it? Or do you see hypocrisy? Is it strong and actionable? Or weak like the Laodicean church? Are they rich, or are they poor , blind and naked? It is sometimes a disappointing journey to find out these things but necessary. For as Jesus warned, we will all be judged on every empty word. That is a fearful place to be. And today we must be sure to believe the Gospel as presented in Scripture as Paul exhorted his church. He went through Hell to give us these letters! And he was blessed in his logic and presentation to us today that we can read these letters of his and glean from them a truth about a Savior who never lied.
So in the letter to the Galations, apparently there were those who brought into the Church, false teachings to which the Galations listened to and maybe gave heed to. Paul was "astonished" that they left so quickly the message of "the Gospel" and were open to "another Gospel" which Paul said was not a Gospel at all! After all Gospel simply means good news. The good news that the Kingdom of God had arrived here on earth and salvation for man was available for all not just for a select few or select race any longer. The truth was out!
Now in the manner to which we hear today about the Gospel...it is entirely the same as then. It is preached, it is heard, and it is either accepted or thrown away depending upon which soil it falls on. Look to the parable Jesus told his disciples. But and this is a big but....it absolutely has to be unadulterated not twisted in any way to have the power it is supposed to have for conversion to happen. Don't go to church for the programs, the nurseries, or even the fellowship alone or the promise that God will give you thousand fold if you give to the Church. I just don't see that doctrine in the Gospel. But what I do see is the promise of the HOly Spirit promised and given to those who believe on Jesus. This is the root of salvation and is just the tip of the iceberg of the journey you are about to begin. For we work out our Salvation with "fear and trembling." Daily we take up the cross and follow another way. Not our own any more. For giving to the poor, or loving our enemy, or forgiving the horrendous things some one does is not a natural response we have within ourselves. It takes the Spirit. And so Paul admonishes the Galations for easily losing the truth they heard, and following another Gospel.
So we have a responsibility as Christians to follow the truth, and not a winding path that proceeds to lead us astray. How you say? Do we know we are going In the right direction? Test it. Test the ones who say they are Christians. Do they live by it? Or do you see hypocrisy? Is it strong and actionable? Or weak like the Laodicean church? Are they rich, or are they poor , blind and naked? It is sometimes a disappointing journey to find out these things but necessary. For as Jesus warned, we will all be judged on every empty word. That is a fearful place to be. And today we must be sure to believe the Gospel as presented in Scripture as Paul exhorted his church. He went through Hell to give us these letters! And he was blessed in his logic and presentation to us today that we can read these letters of his and glean from them a truth about a Savior who never lied.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
SWAY
"REV. 22:18. If any one adds to the Prophecy in this scroll I will add the plagues mentioned in this Scroll. And if anyone takes away from the words on this Scroll I will take away any share in the tree of life in mentioned in this Scroll."
The command of Jesus at the end of the age, a revelation beheld by John of Patmos, exiled on the account of the testimony of the Lord Jesus.
Also, "Beware the Leaven of the Saducees and Pharisees."
What do we take away from this? I say a little fear and wisdom. The title of this blog, SWAY, is meant to convey a certain message of men's words and power. The religious leaders of Jesus's time held sway over men and so they had power. They had the power to influence the outcome of men's activity and a power over their minds. They controlled the temple tax, they controlled how much work was to be done. They controlled the sick, the wealthy, the poor, and those who would eventually teach and carry on the correct teachings of Jesus. They could stop or try to stop and challenge even the word of God. So nothing has changed, even today. Once upon a time I heard the message of the Gospel of Good News and embraced it heartily and readily after much skepticism from messages I could not accept. Why did I embrace it this time? Because the HOLY SPIRIT backed it up. But after many years the words of truth began to be subtly twisted into a message not of the Gospel. A vision of one man held on so tightly that nothing even light of truth could not get in to sway the once true word. And so the mix of man and the word of God turned the Gospel once that had power to save into a vessel of a version of vision that was unable to be moved. To the hurt of many who followed. So as Jesus warned, beware of what has the power to sway. Keep to the words You know are true to the Gospel. Be wary of programs of promise in Churches, designed to keep the programs pumping away, regardless of the people who may have much to give but unable because of the mechanisms In place. The gears must grind! Sometimes de-construction must occur
before construction begins. Teachings especially religious can be especially harmful if wielded incorrectly. So much in the word of God has the ability to aid in the way we live. Not only in wisdom, but lifestyle, health, and a sane mentality, if we interpret it with wisdom and not of rigid rules and do's and dont's.
Why did the "Christians" of this age vote for a man like Trump? Because they believed he would deliver on some issue they valued......regardless of the man himself or his blatant openly vulgar and blasphemous words. And I use the word Christian very loosely! Because The "Sheep hear his voice." Peace.
The command of Jesus at the end of the age, a revelation beheld by John of Patmos, exiled on the account of the testimony of the Lord Jesus.
Also, "Beware the Leaven of the Saducees and Pharisees."
What do we take away from this? I say a little fear and wisdom. The title of this blog, SWAY, is meant to convey a certain message of men's words and power. The religious leaders of Jesus's time held sway over men and so they had power. They had the power to influence the outcome of men's activity and a power over their minds. They controlled the temple tax, they controlled how much work was to be done. They controlled the sick, the wealthy, the poor, and those who would eventually teach and carry on the correct teachings of Jesus. They could stop or try to stop and challenge even the word of God. So nothing has changed, even today. Once upon a time I heard the message of the Gospel of Good News and embraced it heartily and readily after much skepticism from messages I could not accept. Why did I embrace it this time? Because the HOLY SPIRIT backed it up. But after many years the words of truth began to be subtly twisted into a message not of the Gospel. A vision of one man held on so tightly that nothing even light of truth could not get in to sway the once true word. And so the mix of man and the word of God turned the Gospel once that had power to save into a vessel of a version of vision that was unable to be moved. To the hurt of many who followed. So as Jesus warned, beware of what has the power to sway. Keep to the words You know are true to the Gospel. Be wary of programs of promise in Churches, designed to keep the programs pumping away, regardless of the people who may have much to give but unable because of the mechanisms In place. The gears must grind! Sometimes de-construction must occur
before construction begins. Teachings especially religious can be especially harmful if wielded incorrectly. So much in the word of God has the ability to aid in the way we live. Not only in wisdom, but lifestyle, health, and a sane mentality, if we interpret it with wisdom and not of rigid rules and do's and dont's.
Why did the "Christians" of this age vote for a man like Trump? Because they believed he would deliver on some issue they valued......regardless of the man himself or his blatant openly vulgar and blasphemous words. And I use the word Christian very loosely! Because The "Sheep hear his voice." Peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)