Tag: John

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!

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!

Do not mistake God’s love for tolerance

I love you so much that I will not lie to you. I love you so much that I will not withhold from you the truth that set me free, because I want you to be free from the consequence of sin too. I will love you so much that I will not quit or give in just because you say God’s truthful love is hateful. Because I know that no one really wants to endure correction, even me. I will love you so much that I will not hoard salvation all to myself, but rather share with you the truths you need to know so you can make the best choice in your life, to receive Christ into your mind and share His greatest gift of all, the cleansing love of the blood of Christ.

Galatians 5
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

John 15
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

John 14
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

Love abounds in Jesus. God’s love is so great, no human has yet to experience in its full splendor. I look forward to the day when I travel over Jordan, and get to experience His love forever.

In the few verses from Galatians we see it declared that if you do not have God’s love in you, meaning if you commit those acts without repentance, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. These are not my words, but the words of God. You cannot willingly and happily live in sin and think you are saved. To sin and seek forgiveness is one thing. But to sin and think that you are covered by God’s love and do not need to seek forgiveness, well….that’s what we are talking about here.

Please note in the second block of scriptures that Christ himself is talking and he is telling you that if you do not have his love in you, you are like a dead vine that is ripped off and cast into the fire. The fire is a symbol of judgement in the bible. Make no mistake about it, Jesus is saying if you do not accept Him as your savior, you will not receive everlasting life. Notice again, Jesus says that if you do have his love in you, you will obey; you will do as He commands. He tells us to love each other as He has loved us. What does that look like. Did Jesus ever encourage anyone to live in sin? I don’t think so, and I would need to be led to that scripture if you would say He did. Jesus has always freed people from their sin and told people to sin no more. So if we tell people that it is okay to live in sin, are we actually doing what Jesus did? Do we really love our neighbor the way Christ loves him? Do we love him as much as we love ourselves? Salvation is not just good enough for us, it is good enough for all. So why do we understand that sin has no part in our lives, but we will stand by and allow others to live in sin just because they are our mom or dad, brother or sister, best friend or co-worker? I would challenge anyone who would say, “Well, I would never do that but live and let live.” Or “To each to his own”. No….I am sorry; you are far off the mark of what Christ says here. In fact, Jesus says that if you do not do as He has commanded; he is not with you. That is why it is dangerous to claim to be a Christian and then walk around telling people who live in sin that everything is going to be okay because God loves them. That is not the whole truth! It is a half truth that is told deceitfully, and that is not the message of Christ. Yes, god loves us. He loved Hitler and Manson and Dahmer as much as He loves us. But there is an expectation that we all share as much as we share His divine love. That is to obey. Whether your disobedience is as gross as these men, or as simple as being a great person who simply does not believe, it is all the same to our God.

Please note the final block of scripture. Christ says that he who does not do as Christ says, that person is listening to another word, and it is not the word of God. Whose word do you think Jesus is talking about. Right, I thought the same thing, Satan!

God’s love is real, and it is wonderful. Do not mistake God’s love for tolerance. We are to be obedient children to the Father. You must repent from your sin. That word means to “change your mind” If you like being drunk you are to hate it. If you like being a liar, you are to hate it. If you like being an adulterer, you are to hate it. All manners of sin. I really want to stop talking about just the issue of same sex marriage and homosexuality. It is a sin, and it does qualify here. However, there are many who point fingers and don’t understand that God hates ALL sin. Not just one, but all of it. And although we are weak in our flesh, we are to repent, and seek forgiveness for our daily failures. But we certainly are not to enjoy the sin, or live in it with some form of earthly peace. We are to hate sin, and to turn away from it. That is the fruit of God’s true love, and it should be the message of our brotherly and neighborly love.

May the divine peace from the great comforter be with you today!!

Kick back and relax

About the photo– I have been in a lot of church houses in my life, both protestant and catholic. I have been in churches with roles that exceed 600 members. This small little church house has more love, and from what I seen and felt, more people striving to live a Godly life than any other church house I have ever been in. There is no show, no theatrics, just the Spirit and His children!

So this past week I spent a lot of time thinking about what “deny yourself” really means. I found out that the meaning is hard core. So hard core that most Christians just like me say we do it, but really we don’t. The meaning is so hard core that understanding what it really means makes some not even want to follow Christ. The meaning is very simple; it is very black and white, it is very clear. There is no watering it down, and there is no manipulation, no wiggle room. Either you deny yourself and follow Christ or you choose to follow yourself and not Christ.

Luke 9- 23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Mark 8- 34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matthew 16- 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Jesus himself said that in order to be a true follower of Him, we must deny ourselves. The bible offers a definition of what this means.

Galatians 2- 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

“I have been crucified” means I have died. Before Christ, I was an unrepentant sinner. Either you were too, or you still are, only you and God know which. We were doomed. We lived for ourselves and through ourselves. When Christ went to the cross, His perfect sacrifice gave us a way to repent and be redeemed for all eternity. In the act of salvation, we- the old unrepentant sinners that we were or are- is crucified, we die to our self.

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” After Christ enters in, we are now alive IN CHRIST. This is the meaning of rebirth. The old man dies and a new man is reborn in an instant. We are now alive because of Christ and for Christ. This means that you and I are to take on the characteristics of Christ. If we were a drunkard before, we are to be no more. If we had hate in our heart, we are to love instead. If we were sexually immoral, in ANY way, we are to stop and cherish our body as the priceless gift that it is. If we were proud and boastful, we are to be meek and humble until our second death. If we think about the NT, Christ spoke about the Father all the time. He wanted to lead people to God the Father. Jesus was obedient to His Father. Christ not only spoke these words, but He lived them as well. He was the model of the life He requires of His followers. No, it is not an option. He has said so over and over.

John 14- 15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Jesus expects those who chose to follow Him to obey Him. “If you love me, you will keep My commandments.” Notice this is written in the plural. And notice that ‘My” is capitalized. That means the commandments that are spoke of here are the LORD’s commands, not yours, not mine, and not satan’s. Many think this means love everyone and you will be okay because love is the greatest gift, or because it is the command above all commands. But that theology negates that there are more than just that one command. There are hundreds of commands in the NT that we are to live out. They are not hard, they are not complicated. They are all wrapped around Christ and His agape love for us. We are to live according to His will, not our own. When we do that, Jesus says that He will advocate on our behalf to the Father. The Father will send the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, to us. The world does not know the truth, because they do not have the spirit. But because we live according to Christ, we have the spirit and we know the truth.

The truth is we are a fallen man, and sometimes we hold on to the parts of us which are dead, or at least are supposed to be dead. Hate, fornication, murder, lying, idolatry and such are not behaviors of Jesus, but of the devil. If you are the center of your universe, Christ is not in you. You simply have not denied yourself. That is simple and it is the truth. I don’t need to be Christ to make that call. Christ has left the word here for all of us to know what the fruit of the spirit looks like, and that rotten fruit of idolatry, man centered anything, tells all who know the truth, and have the spirit so that we can recognize it that the  spirit is not in that man centered person. It is not hard really. In fact, it is more simple and plain than most people think. People only think these words are complicated or have more complicated meanings because they want to feel comfortable in their sin.

We must become a people who are in submission, that is, submitted completely to the mission of the Church, ‘in statu missionis.’ Thus, living fully within the mainstream of grace, under the mantle of God’s divine authority, and by uniting ourselves to the obedience of Christ on the cross, we participate in the reversal of Adam’s sin.

Michael O’Brien

For many years I refused to go to church. I had a number of bad experiences and ended up saying that Church is not for me. I used to say, all the time, “I can have a relationship with God without having to go to church.” Even after I went back to church, I used to say; “nowhere in the bible does it say you ‘HAVE’ to go to church.” Let me tell you, I was wrong and so is everyone who is saying what I used to say.

Hebrews 10- 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

These verses indicate that not only are we to go to church, but we are to urge and encourage others to go to church. It also indicates that not going to church is not a new idea. There were people thinking what I thought long before I thought it. These verses tell me it wasn’t right then and it isn’t right now. Finally, as it states, we should be gathering even more as the end times approach. No, this is not a quatrain declaring the end date! But my eyes work, do yours?

John Gills comments, “Now to “forsake” such assembling, signifies a great infrequency in attending with the saints, a rambling from place to place, and takes in an entire apostasy. It is the duty of saints to assemble together for public worship, on the account of God, who has appointed it, who approves of it, and whose glory is concerned in it; and on the account of the saints themselves, that they may be delighted, refreshed, comforted, instructed, edified, and perfected; and on account of others, that they may be convinced, converted, and brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ; and in imitation of the primitive saints. And an assembling together ought not to be forsaken; for it is a forsaking God, and their own mercies, and such are like to be forsaken of God; nor is it known what is lost hereby; and it is the first outward visible step to apostasy, and often issues in it.”

The great King David proclaimed that we need to Praise God in His house.

Psalm 150- 1Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Apostle Paul said we need to get together for the purpose of learning and growing.

Colossians 3- 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

How do you teach and admonish one another if you are at home alone? This is a command that we do this. Today, people want to accuse others of judging because they don’t like what’s being said. Funny connection, the devil doesn’t like the truth too! Sometimes people are wrong, that’s why the mirror is an important piece of equipment. That’s why brothers and sisters need to be more honest with each other. On brother says another brother said I should stopped swearing. He is at home, who does he ask. If he is at church he can ask other brothers, is it true, should I stop. Everyone who loves this brother should tell him the truth. Yes, you swear too much and you need to stop. If you have numerous brothers and sisters agreeing that this something amiss in your worship, then a wise person should be convicted to check himself. People don’t go to church anymore, at least the churches that still preach the truth, because they want to remain comfortably in sin. People want to kick back and relax. They do not want to be corrected because they do not want to deny themselves. There is just too much fun in sin. Isn’t that some sad short term thinking?

Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.

Lionel Kendrick

 

I will conclude with the parable of the rich young ruler

Key Verses

Luke 18- 18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

And this is the truth more often than not. The idea of hell scares people, so they seek Christ. The idea of heaven is so comforting. A lot of people want Christ right up until Christ starts to infringe on one’s health, wealth, loves of entertainment and happiness, idea of fairness, and so on. God is good as long as the sinner comes first and God comes last. People, there shouldn’t even be balance. It is ALL for God, nothing for you. This ruler had power and possessions and wealth. To him, Jesus told him to deny himself because Jesus knew the ruler had a love for that stronger than his love of Christ. Christ new He was not first in this ruler’s life. But that ruler wanted it all. He wanted all he had on earth, and he wanted heaven, and he wanted it for him, not for Christ. When Jesus infringed on that, when Jesus told him to put Christ first and deny himself, that was too much to bear. He walked away sad. But he could not stay sad forever, right? So what did he do? Probably the same thing we do. We start saying there is no God, and there is no heaven and hell because I have to do something with this fear of hell. So if I negate the truth, and everything that reminds me that this is the truth, I can remain comfortably in my sin. That is why there are fake Christians in the world, and people who walk away. Everything is great until God asks us to sacrifice that which we love. Here is a plain and easy example. God tells me to love my wife like Jesus loves the church. Now, I don’t know about all husbands out there, but there are times when I do not want to love my wife. Sometimes I want to walk out that door. That would be a bad choice. Why? Because that is a choice made under extreme emotion, where I am lacking a God grip on my life. That would be Mike’s will, not God’s. God wants me to stay there and love her enough to let Christ take care of the devil who is trying to destroy my marriage. I have to love God enough to love my wife even when my flesh is screaming not to. I have to deny myself. What God may be asking you to do, or not to do, can be different than this. And knowing it is easy. Are you doing it, or do you have it for God, or for yourself. Deny yourself, die to your flesh. Life is not about you!

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!