Category: God Centered Worship

Jesus became your scapegoat

When Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the assassination of President Kennedy, he made the comment that he was just a patsy. I believe that there are people who are imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. I believe there are people who are sitting on death row for crimes they did not commit. I believe that our criminal justice system has put people to death who were innocent of the crimes they were sentenced to die for. Having said that, I am just as certain that, even if it was not as dramatic and tragic as these, so many of us can reflect back to a time where we were actually accused of something we didn’t do. Maybe the police were not involved. Maybe your parents weren’t involved. Maybe the only consequence you suffered was a loss of a friend because they believe a rumor that you did something you really were innocent of.

In the Old Testament the Israelites, in Leviticus chapter 16, are instructed to observe sacrifice ceremony of atonement. Jewish people today celebrate it still. They call it Yom Kippur. The word Yom means “day” in Hebrew. Kippur means “to atone”. In the English language we call it the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus chapter 16 verses 15 through 22 we see instructions to the Israelites on how to proceed with a ceremony for atonement. Today there is fasting and prayer for the entire day. However, I would like to talk about an Old Testament ceremony that I find interesting.

Leviticus 16:15 – 22

15then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: and he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the place until he come out and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out on to the alter that is before the Lord and made an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them up on the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

It is in this chapter and in verse 26 we see this goat called a “scapegoat”. This is where we get our present day use of this word. Upon this goat is laid all of the sins of the Israelites. This goat is permitted to “escape” into the wilderness. Remaining in the Old Testament but moving ahead in time we come to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah is known as one of the greatest prophets. In the beginning of his prophesying, Isaiah is well respected and very well-liked. But as time goes on, and as Isaiah continues to prophesy the future truthfully, more and more people are offended by his words. Does that sound familiar? It was just as common to revile the truth and hate the truthsayer back then as it is today. There are fewer and fewer men standing in pulpits preaching the truth because there is an increasing number of men and women who are offended by the very same truths that Isaiah prophesied about in the Old Testament. The truth is, Isaiah spoke a lot about the coming Messiah. He prophesied often about Jesus the Christ. In chapter 53, in the book of Isaiah we see the great profit talking about the final sacrifice, the final atonement.

Isaiah 53:2 – 6

2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried out our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

In this chapter, and in these verses, we see a prophet, living in the Old Testament times, take an Old Testament ceremony and combine the two acts required in the ceremony of atonement into one final sacrifice. Upon the cross Jesus Christ was sacrificed. His blood flowed like a river of life from up top of Mount Calvary. Bruised, pierced, flesh cut wide open, and put to death we see Jesus our Lord take the place of the first goat. When darkness came, and Jesus felt the loneliness of the absence of His heavenly Father, as God put upon him the sin of all the world, we heard him cry out “it is finished” and die. With the sin of the world on his shoulders we see him take the place of the second goat. On the Cross, Jesus was executed for crimes he did not commit. On the Cross Jesus became your scapegoat!

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 is probably one of the most familiar verses of the Bible in the entire world. It is a snapshot of just how much God truly loves his children. It is repeated in ceremonies over and over again. But do we understand fully, the need for that love. Because of the love of God, otherwise known as Agape love, we were given the gift of atonement through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This gift was given because of God’s righteous and perfect love. Let us not forget that the Israelites were commanded to participate in the twofold sacrifice procedure on the Day of Atonement because of their sinfulness. Likewise, we needed the final sacrifice, the final and most perfect SCAPEGOAT because of our sinfulness. We need to focus on the fact that our sin is to such a huge degree, that there is nothing that man can do for himself to create an effective scapegoat. I cannot save you, and you cannot save me. That is how doomed we are without the perfect scapegoat. Jesus Christ committed no sin. Yet he took our sin to the cross. He did not try to defend himself. He never said I didn’t do it. He was a willing patsy, he was a willing scapegoat. Upon him was laid the sin of all of us. And if you choose to turn your life over to him, he will take your sin and he will put it in a place where you will never see it again, like the goat that goes to the wilderness where no one lives. God’s love provides us with this avenue to redemption. But we cannot forget there is a reason why he had to do what he did, there is a reason why he had to show us such a great love. And that reason is because we are a fallen creature, filled with sin, driven by a desire to serve our flesh.

The scapegoat has already taken the sin, he has already gone to the cross, he has already provided the cleansing blood that wipes away sin, and he has already died and sacrificed himself for you. Are you willing, on this day, to give him all of your sin? Are you willing to take advantage of the greatest love that anyone man could possibly know, and repent? Are you willing to turn away from the desires of your flesh, and live a life for the scapegoat who died for you on the cross, himself being an innocent man? Are you willing to put all childishness and folly behind you and be a follower of Christ?

If you stand in the mirror what will the reflection tell you about yourself, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your house, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Joy is One Prayer Away

I think one of the reasons that people think Christians are a crazy group of people is because one true attribute is that, for those who truly worship God, we put God first. It looks crazy to those who do not worship God when a Christian rejoices in hardship.

Right now I know a man suffering from a rare form of Leukemia. Yes, it is true that he wishes this would pass and that he would remain healthy and watch his children grow old. Yes, he asks God for healing. But he prays more for peace. He trusts God will have His way, and that brings about a peace in him. There have been highs and lows in this journey, but the one consistent is his faith in the Creator. Another example is morality. I think most people have a line they will not cross. Most of us have a line where we will end friendships, walk off a job, or in some fashion terminate a relationship. For Christians who read and truly desire to be a follower of Christ, that moral line is much more conservative. People will look at a believe and say,” you left because of that?” What we find to be deal breakers in our walk with Christ is everyday living for most people in the world today. It is all because we are not the dictator of morality. We recognize God has that authority, and we try to obey God’s word, not the norms of a fallen society.

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter, with Timothy, to the church in Philippi. The first chapter starts off under the title of “Joy in Suffering”. Yet, at the time he wrote about his Joy, Paul was looking into the face of death as he anticipated his sentence from Rome for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But instead of looking at it with fear, instead of compromising his faith and beliefs to save himself, instead of looking at it as the end of his life, he looked at it as an opportunity to continue to preach Christ as he defended himself, knowing that no matter what happened, God’s throne would be glorified. Looking at the situation and wanting to stay on earth to spread the gospel, and wanting to leave this earth to be with the LORD in heaven, allowed Paul to be okay with whatever God’s plan was. Paul looked at his service as continual until he died, and was happy to die in that service. Paul stated that even as he defended his actions, because he would be proclaiming Christ, he was still serving the LORD.

Philippians 1:15-20

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:

17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

So when you have the mental attitude that no matter where you are, no matter what is going on around you, God put you there on purpose to spread His Gospel, the true believer asks, how can this get any better? How can I not cry tears of joy, in the midst of great sorrow?

So then we go to Chapter two, and read about joy in serving. Again, remember that the words Paul and Timothy put together here, were at a  time when Paul believed his sentence in Rome would be death.

Philippians 2

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Joseph Benson commented;

The apostle, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, having exhorted the Philippians to walk worthy of their Christian profession, by having their conversation according to the gospel; and, as nothing is more required by it, or can be more suitable to it, than mutual love among the followers of Christ, he here beseeches them, by every thing most affecting in Christianity, to fulfil his joy, by exercising that love.

Of verse 3 John Gill commented.

but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves; not as to the things of the world, in respect of which one man may be a better man than another, and he must know and think himself so; nor with respect to the endowments of the mind, and acquired abilities, which one man may have above another; and the difference being so great in some, it must be easily discerned, that one is more learned and knowing, in this or the other language, art, or science; but with regard to, grace, and to spiritual light, knowledge, and judgment: and where there is lowliness of mind, or true humility, a person will esteem himself in a state of grace, as the great apostle did, the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints; one in whom this grace reigns will pay a deference to the judgment of other saints, and will prefer their experience, light, and knowledge, to his own; and will readily give way, when he sees such that are of longer standing, of greater experience, and more solid judgment, as he has reason to think, than himself, are on the other side of the question; and so peace, love, and unity, are preserved. This grace of humility is an excellent ornament to a Christian, and wonderfully useful in Christian societies.

Other verses throughout the bible that remind us that we are to have joy as followers of Christ and being His, no trouble is too great, no situation is too bleak, no fear is too great for God to overcome.

James 1:2-3

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Romans 15:13-14

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Being filled with the spirit should bring you so much joy that you no longer need to rely on yourself for happiness. When we lack joy, we, as believers, have freely handed it over to satan and said here it is, take it, I don’t feel like focusing on God today. Non-believers cannot even begin to imagine what it is like to be filled with comfort and joy when times are so hard you literally have no idea where the next meal is coming from. Many non-believers try to fill that void inside with sin, pleasures of the flesh that lead  you down the path to utter darkness. But when we rely on God, when we rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no trust in the flesh. That sadness, that desperation, that loneliness is replaced with the joy of hope for an everlasting tomorrow. Love, which was once conditional and emotional, is now shared with everyone you meet, known and unknown. Sinners and brethren are loved from the depths of your soul that you never new existed until it was revealed to you by the dwelling of the Holy Spirit. You understand that love because you now get the picture of how God loved you even when you did not love Him. I have never in my life felt love for stranger like I do since accepting Christ. I have never known the depths of love like I know for my brothers and sisters in Christ, some of whom I have never met face to face. There is no greater joy than feeling that FOR them, and feeling that FROM them. I can make it through anything; not because my name is Mike, and not because I am special. Mike is an utter failure, destined for hell before I ever left my mother’s womb. No, I can do anything because my head is an Almighty, Omniscient, Sovereign God, creator of all that is. He is in me and all around me because that is how I choose my inner-circle. It is only one prayer away for you too.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

What is it that we should prove?

I wish that I could say that the political season we are in is the reason for this thought, but it is not. There are many people who are alive today thinking pretty highly of themselves. So many, it is fruitless to list. I was reading these verses and thought that God was speaking to me about this very day.

As I spoke with the LORD, I was blessed to be led to read a couple of verses from this chapter. I am not one who likes to pick out one liners to prove a point because I believe if I am truly representing a point that is actually God’s point, which is what we are to do, then I like to read a few verses before and after the chosen verse. As I did that here, I kept saying wait, that’s good, let me go up a couple more, and let me read down a couple more.

I could not stop reading because I feel like these instructions are abandoned today, not only by the lost and dying world, but by Christians. Do we even know what it means to present our bodies as a ‘sacrifice’ and ‘holy’? Do we really know what it means to be transformed in the mind and to not conform to the world? And what is it that we should prove, our thoughts and desires? According to the scripture we are to prove God’s will, not ours. Yet, I look around and big churches are letting the smaller things go in the name of attendance. I don’t see that as an acceptable exception here. In fact, that looks more like man trying to save man. That looks like man doing what it takes to bring people to a building rather than just speaking the truth and letting the spirit bring people to the His house. In one case, it is man’s house, in the latter it is God’s house, and I fear man will not learn the difference until judgment day.

It is up to you; you read and you tell me, are we doing it God’s way, or are we doing it our way? That’s my thought, my question to you.

Romans

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

First we see Paul almost begging his brothers in Christ, whom he loves, to remember that we are to give our bodies over to Christ. We are to hold onto nothing for ourselves. We are to sacrifice the sins of our flesh that we loved and that we enjoyed. We are to give that up by not belonging to the worldly activities that promote and celebrate these activities. We are to be transformed in our mind, thinking of God and the things that are His and not the worldly lies satan tells us. Once ‘transformation’ takes place, it is no longer about our thoughts and our will, but the Father’s. As hard as it is, we are to speak His word to the world, and that includes people we love. We do not hold His truth back because we are afraid of hurting our loved ones. Which one is worse, you hurt them now for a season and possible save them, or you let them the live in sin and enjoy your relationship on earth and never see them for all of eternity because you are in heaven and they are in hell? Our minds are to be focused on God (Sober). We are to prove that the Holy Ghost is in us by doing these things. We cannot prove that the Holy Ghost is in us if we are not separate from the world; we cannot prove that we are different if we are the same. We cannot prove the sin saving blood of Christ if we are no different as a saved child of God than we were as a lost sinner. Where is the Glory of God in that?

We see Paul talking, and expounding on the fact that we, believers in Christ, are all members of the same body, when we believe in Jesus. There is one church, no matter how many names we put on the denominations. There is the church of God and we are all members who believe in God. Now that last part is very important. I know there are groups of people who have taken the bible away, and who do not follow the LORD’s commands and are calling themselves a church. Often I am asked, “What should I look for in a church?” My personal answer to that is that you are looking for a church where the message that is being delivered matches the words you read in your bible. If you don’t talk about sin, and the blood, and redemption through that blood, and if you don’t love people and want to see people saved from the consequences of sin, then I would find another church.

Paul talks about not hating or cursing those who persecute you, but rather you bless them, you pray for them. We did not accept the beautiful gift of salvation without the understanding that we were going to be persecuted for being different. We knew that was coming. He tells us that we cannot let this stop us from using the gifts that we have. Some are given the beautiful gift of service. For some reason doing the work of helping, the labor of giving, is a gift that is heaped upon some people. Meanwhile others are called to preach, to teach. Some are called to work with children, and others are called to help organize the church. We tell our members all the time that the job of the pastor is no more or less important than the member who cuts the grass, cleans the sanctuary, pays the church bills, sends in the news articles, organizes the extracurricular ministries, and even offers the wisdom of experience. In our church we love our elders for the wisdom that blesses us all whenever they speak. He tells us here to do what we are led to do. But he also tells us to remember that we do not do it to bring people to us, but to bless God with our service. Everything we do should be for the Glory of our God!!

This whole chapter is just beautiful in its instruction. I feel that in this chapter Paul is not preaching but rather teaching. I feel like this these words are more of a lesson, and we are the student who should hear and then apply. Application is so important in the life of a Christian. We do not need to lean to our own understanding when we look at this as a lesson. Nothing here needs interpreted. Of course, as a Sunday School Teacher, my favorite verse is verse number 9. Our love should not be hidden but exposed, not camouflage but clearly identified, not suppressed but it should be freely given to all. In the process of giving that love we are to hate that which is evil. We are not to like sin. This is another example of love the sinner, but hate the sin. It does seem like we forget that second part these days. We want to love the sinner, and that’s it. We are to do both.

Finally we are to overcome evil. We cannot do that on our own. We can only overcome by way of the truth. That is the only power that is strong enough to overcome evil. That is why we have to be filled with it, in order that we will not succumb to it. Christ has already won. I believe satan knows that. So many people act as though satan has your best interest at heart. I feel like people believe that satan is an advocate wanting them to enjoy life. Satan does not care one tittle about any of us. He is angry that God threw him out of heaven and he knows he is going to lose. He does not want to simply pull you away from rewards in heaven; he wants to keep you from going there all together. Why? He wants to hurt God. That is the only way. God wants us in heaven with Him. He created us to have that relationship with Him. When we worship satan and not God, it hurts God. I believe that. For God so loved the world…… When we love someone so much and they betray us, does it not hurt you? If we are made in His image, is it too far out there to believe that God has feelings too? I say His feelings are pure. His love is more pure than any love we could possibly know. So yes, I believe disobedient children hurt the Father.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

Beware of men!

People say that this is not 1959 anymore. No, it isn’t. In my opinion, it is worse. We have brothers shooting brothers. And today we have a media that is not merely reporting it, but driving it. The media takes a story from one location in the country and fuels the fire in bellies from one shore to the other. Hate is a sin, and yet today we have more hate in us than ever. Our leaders are wholly ineffective as they too are filled with hate. Our elections are no longer about who has the best plan, or vision, but rather who spews the most vile and hateful speech. We pick our leaders according to who can make the other look more inept. Things are reversed to say the least.

In Matthew 10 Jesus said,

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Notice that he did not just instruct his disciples to go out and do acts of service without speaking the gospel. In fact he clearly stated that if you are not received your peace shall return to you and you are to shake the dust off your feet. But the biggest test he gave here is “You shall be hated for my name sake.” I have experienced my own people turn their backs to me for my beliefs. This is a real statement of Christ. It seems to me that we look not for truth, but for acceptance. Any man who stands up and tells the truth about racism and sexism is discredited. That person’s own people attack instead of hear. The truth is the truth, yet we turn a blind eye to it fearful of the impending loss. This is not the truth that lies in the mind of a Christian. The guilty are accountable, no matter who you are, or what you do. We are to fear the one who can take both our present life and our eternal life. Be careful not to sacrifice the eternal for the temporary relationship in this temporary life.

Hebrews 10

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

These words say that because the crucifixion of Christ was the perfect sacrifice we have salvation. Only through the blood of Christ can we be saved. It also says, in verse 26, that we cannot willfully live in sin and be saved. The sacrifice of Christ is not for you because you have chosen the world over God. You cannot be saved from hell, while joyfully and willingly living in the world. This is the gospel and this is the message we should preach to everyone everywhere.

The truth is, there really is a satan, and he really is hard at work. Satan crafts his lies to the weakness of each person. Are you proud in an unhealthy way. I think that pride fits any ism. I can have an unhealthy pride to be a man, causing me to look disparagingly at women. To be so full of pride that I think men are better than women is a sinful pride. The same is true of race and age and geography. If you are so proud of your race that you think it is dominant over other races you are guilty of idolatry. We should be most proud to be a follower of Christ. That pride should be a humble pride in that we want others to have it too. We should not see ourselves as better, but redeemed because we were nothing before receiving the gift of Christ. We need to reject all mediums that try to separate us from this truth. Today, much different than the day of Christ, we have the media working so hard to cause division. We need to walk out of the church house and into the communities and preach the gospel. Notice how Christ tells his disciples to travel. One observation I have is that the only place to hear the true gospel these days is the church house, or the radio- either way there is a choice to not go and not tune in. The days of the street preacher seem to be over. Yet the street is where the message needs to be heard the most. Satan is there, in the streets. He fills it with men calling themselves preachers who spread not the gospel, but hate. Using the name of Jesus, they spread racism and call for violence. This is not of the spirit. Jesus told us to beware of men. We are to look, and examine, and judge the fruit of men. If it is rotten, we are to flee. Today I fear Christians look at these men and follow them because they fill a fleshly desire to be more proud of an ‘ism’ rather than a desire to be proud of being a Christian. We are to speak the truth of God, not repeat the lies of satan.

Likewise, there really is a God, there really was a sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ, there really is redemption available, and there really is a hell for those who refuse. God has left His word not for his benefit, but for ours. It is not hard to know what God’s will is. All we have to do is read. What is hard is for us to deny ourselves. But God tells us His burden is light. He is there to be our savior, not a burden. God is also there to help us endure accountability, and responsibility. Two very core characteristics that are absent in all of satan’s work. God is real, and is the only answer to all that satan puts forth. If we accept God, and rely on His grace and mercy, we will endure all that the world puts us through.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!

 

We need to suffer loss to value gain!

Why do I believe there is a God? Why do I believe in heaven and hell? Why do I advocate so hard on salvation and sin? There are many people walking around denying Christ because they are in control of their life, or so they think. I know this to be the truth because I used to be one of them. I know how it goes; I know what the thought process is. As long as you didn’t bring the message of sin and salvation to me, I was cool with letting people do what they wanted because I was not being blocked from doing what I wanted and I wasn’t being made to feel any kind of way about doing what I wanted. That’s a big deal to the sinner. ‘I want to do it because it is fun and makes me happy’. ‘You cannot tell me how to run my life’. The funny thing is that none of us, not a single one of us is wise enough and powerful enough to run our own lives. Some of us have to go through some terrible times before we look toward God for the help and answers He has always been ready to provide. Why do bad things happen? Could the truthful answer be so that we seek the face of God? Could it be so that we strengthen our relationship with Him daily? Could the answer be that we need to feel pain to enjoy health, endure hardship to enjoy prosperity, endure sadness to appreciate joy, suffer loss to value gain, experience blindness to truly see? Could the answer be that bad things happen because man truly believes that he is the creator, the true authority on morality, the keeper of the rules and as a result we are the ones that actually create the bad? Of course we do not create weather tragedies, but the same God that creates the flood, also draws back the water. Yes, we know not the hour of our departure from this earth, as well as the departure of others. This is not a reason to hate God, but a reason to cling firmly to the cross so we can rejoice in loss.

I have one verse for today. No commentary, just a verse and my thoughts on it. I hope you read this and see how our flesh calls us to be the old selfish man, and that the spirit calls us to rely on the holy word of God, to call out for the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Because the LORD Jesus loved us, he ordained the disciples to go out into the world and preach his gospel. They did that, and they rose up churches and created more disciples. The churches have followed that line up until this very day. God is still calling his children to preach and teach his gospel. All because he loves you. If you love HIM, you will follow HIS teachings.

I like verse 14. Notice, sin and lust are of your ignorance, meaning what you did not know. Once you have been told the truth, once you have the knowledge, Christ does expect you to turn from those ways and be mindful of Him, not your own thoughts, wants, and addictions.

As this chapter ends with verses 24 and 25, notice that Jesus tells us that relying on ourselves results in death. This is not a reference to the earthly death. This is a metaphor to eternal death. A blade of grass and the flower, they wither away and never return. To live according to man’s ways, man’s thoughts, satisfying man’s flesh is to live for a season, and then to wither away and never return. Eternal death is not just an empty space; it is a consequence for not being obedient. So eternal death will not be pleasant. Think about this, if there is such a thing as eternal life, well then there must be an experience that you will be able to comprehend for all eternity, right? Well….. what then I ask, is eternal death. Do you think that you will not know you are dead eternally? Will you have an experience that lets you know, constantly, that you are dead and you are absent from our God? I don’t think Heaven is a never never land that I won’t be able to touch, nor do I think hell will be a never never land that, after death, you just fade away into some darkness unaware of where you are. I think you will know you are not in heaven, that you are absent from the presence of God, and that this knowledge will not be pleasant.

I am a sinner. I do not believe at all that I am better than anyone else. I make mistakes everyday. But I praise God that my mind has be changed. I know where morals come from and it is not me. I know who the creator is and it is not me. I know who mends the broken and heals the sick, and it is not me. That is the difference between me and the unsaved sinner. I know I cannot do anything for myself. The sinner still thinks they have control. I have to speak God’s word if I am going to have any purpose at all. Without God, there is no purpose, just sin. I opened my eyes to one amazing thought many years ago. Satan does not care at all about me. He has one goal, and that is to cause as much pain in the heart of God as possible. You truly need to believe on Christ to know why this is important to Satan. I used to believe Satan thought that if he built a big enough Army of unrepentant sinners, he would be able to defeat God. I dismissed that thought because I now that an endless army of human souls against God is no army at all. There is no match for the powerLESS against the powerFUL. So it then occurred to me that even satan knows he will lose. His effort is not to build an army with the thought of beating God and his effort is certainly not to keep you from earning rewards in heaven, but to disconnect our relationship with our creator. His effort is to keep you from having a genuine relationship with God to hurt God because is all about himself, has been ever since being ejected from heaven. Satan wants to hurt God for hurting him. You and I are just tools in that effort. Satan could not care one inch about us or anything about us. He knows they things we long for and lust after are all things that will send us straight to hell. And that is why he makes those things look so good, and that is why he leads us to believe we can live without God, that we create morality, that we are greater scientists than God himself. He knows that as long as we are in hell, we are not with the Father, and that hurts the Father. That is the goal of satan.

We need to read these verses and truly understand that we need to rely on God before it is too late. God is the head of our lives and He needs to be at the top of our priority list, at the forefront of all our thoughts, and in every act we commit.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!