4-22-2023 New Life

Spring is now in full bloom (and budding).  The earth is waking up after a long winter’s nap.  Okay, winter may have been pretty mild this year (where I live – Md, anyway) but still cold enough that nothing has really bloomed until now.

Easter Sunday we celebrated the promise of eternal fellowship with the Father through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  PTL!  Jesus gave Himself for us over 2000 years ago by allowing the Romans to hang Him on the cross.  But, praise God, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, the promise for us – eternal life.  A new life in Jesus Christ!  Yet, what does Father ask of me?   This promise of new life also brings a responsibility.  We have to ask ourselves “How can I show my thanks to Jesus for what He did?”

The answer is easy.  We show our appreciation by abiding in His love.  Again you say “But how?”  Glad you asked.

Jesus says that if you love Me “Keep My commandments” (John 14:15).  Oh.  And that includes all those “Thou shalt not’s”, right?  Okay, but what about the ‘Thou shalts’?

The Ten Commandments are a basic list of what God expects from us and are ten ways in which we can express our love for Him.  Let each one of us take a look at God’s list and ask what do those items really mean to “me”.

Most of us ‘get’ the “Thou shalt nots”.  or do we?

But first, I’d like to mention two of those ten which actually are not a “Thou shalt not”. 

Exod. 20:8-11  The 4th commandment says “Remember the Sabbath Day”. 

When God provided the manna for Israel (as they wandered around the desert) He told them that they had six days “to do their business, but the seventh day would be the Sabbath, which is holy unto the Lord.  Each day, each man would gather what he needed, then on the sixth day, there would be double the manna for there was no manna on the 7^th day, that is the Sabbath (Exod. 16:1-36).  God explains that no one should work on the Sabbath for God created the world in six days (Gen. 1:1-31) and rested on the seventh from all His works (Gen. 2:1-3).  God knows that we also need rest from our works, so the seventh day was intended to give us that day of rest.  This ‘spare time’ also gives us time to reflect on our relationship with the Lord.  Now, I’m not going to argue which is the ‘true’ Sabbath.  The Jewish tradition sets it on the day which we refer to as ‘Saturday’, the day after the crucifixion.  Yet most of the Christian community celebrates the Sabbath on the day our Lord rose from the grave – Sunday.  Arguing over this is a moot point because God tells us to meditate on the ‘law (His Word) day and night (Psalm 1:2) and Paul tells the Philippians (and us) to think on these things: what is true, honest, just, pure, lovely good report, has virtue or is worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8).  Then Paul reminds the Thessalonians (and us) to rejoice (have a joyful spirit), pray without ceasing and be thankful for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:16-18).  Daniel prayed to God three times each day – AM, PM and lunch time too (lol, Dan. 6:10).  Paul tells the Ephesians (and us) to pray with all our supplications in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18).  In short, we should be talking with our Lord on a daily basis, glad what God does for us, giving Him thanks.  Or should I say we should  always ‘touch bases’ with Him in all that we do – no matter how many times a week or a day.  A prayerful attitude might be “Lord, what should I do or say in this situation?”  I mean actually ask Him.  No we don’t have to get down on our knees every time but we can speak it in our heart or ‘under our breath (aloud, softly).  What Father is saying is give Him some time and seek His direction.  Not just on the Sabbath but, again, every day!   

Exodus 20:12   The 5th commandment says “Honor your father and your mother”.

Honor mom and dad?  This commandment actually gives us a definitive return for our obedience – long life in this world.  So why do we honor dad and mom?  As their children, God has put dad, then mom, in authority over us to guide and direct us in the paths we should follow.  Or, at least, this is God’s intent.  And dad’s and mom’s authority should be Jesus Christ, whose authority is God, the Father.  When everything lines up from God (the Father) to us (the children), then the family lines up and thrives.  So we show respect to dad and mom by being obedient to them because of their obedience to God. 

NOW, the ‘shalt nots’!

Exodus 20: 3    The 1st commandment “You shall have no other Gods before Me”.

Do we say “Duh!” here?  God created all that is (Gen. 1:1-31), even us (man).  As Creator, all things are then subject to God who knows all things (Matt. 24:35-36).  And as Creator, He deserves all respect and obedience for what He has done and how He’s done it.  Right?

Exodus 20:4-6  The 2^nd commandment  “You shall not make any graven images or likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath nor that which is in the water or under the earth”.

Also, pretty much self-explanatory.  We don’t bow ourselves down to any man-made image or serve them.  For the Lord, your God, is a jealous God and visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Him.  When we worship (adore) something else, we are saying we don’t respect you, God or maybe even we hate Him.  Yet, He has mercy on those who love Him and keep His commandments.  Until the book of Revelation (13:14-15), idols can neither see nor, hear, walk nor talk (Psalm 115:4-7).  What good can they really do for us?  They just sit or stand with a blank stare in their eyes, not even seeing what is right in front of them?

Exodus 20:7     The 3^rd commandment  “Don’t take the name the Lord, your God, in vain”.

In vain?  Lie about His name, use His name and not giving Him the respect due and realizing that when we invoke (call upon) His name, His intent is to accomplish what is said.  He created all things by speaking it into existence so His word does not come back void (Isa. 55:11, Heb. 4:12).  We should not use His name in vain, or should I say ‘flippantly’, that is  just an expression.  When we ask God’s damnation over something, what do we really mean?  At best one ‘hell of a time’  here on this earth or at worst eternal damnation in the lake of fire (Rev. 29:12-15).  Is that what we truly want for anyone or anything?  Do I need to go into detail?

Exodus 20:13   6^th commandment “Thou Shalt not kill”.

Don’t kill?  Slay. Cause to cease to exist (that is live), make deader ‘n’ a doornail!  Yet Jesus carries this one step farther.  He who hates his brother is a murderer and no murderer has life abiding him (1 John 3:15).  When we truly hate someone, we withhold the life-saving gospel of Jesus Christ from them, thereby potentially condemning that soul to eternal death.  Jesus says to ‘love’ our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:39) and that means to provide what is best for them and to help them draw closer to God.  Amen?

Exodus 20:14   7^th commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery”.

In the natural, adultery is having a physical relationship with someone other than one’s spouse.  In the spiritual, adultery is worshipping any other thing or god than the One who created all things – Yaweh, Jehova, our heavenly Father.  This falls back to commandment ‘no other gods before Me’.  But, worshipping other things or gods is doing just that.  We bow down before an idol (or maybe even a person) and recite words.  Here, Father is talking about seeking after and trying to develop a relationship with that false deity.  A relationship where we put all our energies, our trust, our heart, into pursuing that false god, while attempting to maintain a relationship (of some sort) with our heavenly Father.  A man can’t serve two gods at the same time.  He’ll hold on to one but despise the other (Mat. 6:24).  His heart cannot be with both at the same time.  

Exodus 20:15   8^th commandment “Thou shalt not steal”.

Needless to say that stealing is taking that which belongs to someone else without proper compensation.  Satan attempts to steal our affections from Jesus.  He comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a) and encourages us to do the same.  We keep our ‘paws’ off that which we don’t own.  It just be might someone else’s livelihood.

Exod. 20:16     9^th commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness”.  We should not say something that is not true about another.  Bluntly, we should never lie about another person.  That is saying something untrue to get that other person into trouble, to make them look bad or just ‘gossiping’ untruths about another.  In a court of law, this is called perjury.

Exodus 20:17   10^th commandment “Thou shalt not covet”,  your neighbor’s house, spouse or anything that is his.  It is one thing to desire something like what another person has, but to desire what that person actually has, owns or possesses is a nono.  Making it a little plainer, if a neighbor owns an expensive car.  You like the car, his car and you desire to have his car, you are coveting his car.  If you desire a car like the one he has – no problem.

Jesus says that if we love Him, we should keep His commandments (John 14:15).  Israel was more concerned about ‘doing’ while neglecting the motivation behind the action.  Their faith was predicated on what they did, not what they thought.  Yet, as we read through the bible, we see where God was always been looking at our heart – even in the Old Testament (1 Sam 16:7, Luke 16:15).  Enoch so pleased God that He took Him (Gen 5:21-24, Heb. 11:5-6). King Saul lost the kingdom because his heart was not with God (1 Sam. 13:14).  God, then gave the kingdom to David because David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).  David said I delight myself in your commandments, which I have loved (Psalm 119:47). 

When we love God, we do our best to love Him and that means doing as He has told us.  That is doing what He has said, but doing from our heart.  What is the greatest commandment?  Love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30).  That is we love our Lord with every ounce of who and what we are.  Sold out to Father, through Jesus Christ, lock, stock and barrel.  We endeavor to please Him in all that we say and do.  To be a living example of His love in this world.  Do I dare say that our lives should be a living testimony (witness) to God’s love?

As we give our hearts to the Lord, we discover that He will continually renew (Rom. 12:2) us so we can love Him even more! 

Translated that means is that as we abide in His love, Father is continually growing us in that love.  He is giving us new life!

Amen

4-8-2023    Glory to God

  
                                                                                            Celebrate Jesus, Celebrate

April 9, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the tomb.  For approximately thirty-three years, He lived with us and as we do in this world, exposed to the same things which we are exposed.  On ‘Easter Sunday’ we celebrate His victory over the grave, that is, sin and death.  That is His transition from His earthly existence into His eternal existence.  We see His promise to us that, in Him, our lives may be resurrected from this worldly existence into eternal life in Him, through Him in this life and with Him, forever.

Jesus has the authority (exousia G1849) from God the Father as well as the power (dunamis G 1411) to do what He did.  Why because the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are one.  In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).  Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father.  Jesus’ response “…he who has seen Me has seen the Father …” (John 14:8-11).  The angel tells Joseph not to be concerned about taking Mary as his wife for in her womb, she carries our Savior, Jesus.  Then the angel cited Isaiah, the prophet that he should call the child’s name ‘Emmanuel’, that is ‘God is with us’ (Mat. 1:28, Isa. 7:14).  We know that God is Spirit and that we should worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24).  We know that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God which, in the Greek, is pneuma, ‘the breath of God’ (G 4151).  In the beginning God created all things.  As He spoke, His breath carried His Words into action (Gen. 1:1-26).  In chapter one “he said”, nine times.  Nine time that the Spirit went into specific action.  And we know that God can share His Spirit with us.  Just before He ascended back into heaven, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem a few days for then the Holy Ghost would come upon them (Acts 1:4-9).  He would be in them [us] (John 14:17).  And He did (and has for us) (Acts 2:1-16, Joel 2:28).  Ergo, Jesus is the ultimate authority to live this life and do the things to which He has called us (John 14:12-13).  Jesus sent the apostles (Matt. 10:7-8) then the 70 disciples (Luke 10:1-17) giving them power (authority) to heal sickness and disease and to cast out devils.  And with the Holy Ghost in us, we also have the same power (authority) Jesus had.  So we see that it is God working in us through the Holy Ghost (who dwells within our heart) in Jesus’ name because we keep His commandments of love (John 14:10-15) allowing Him to work in us and through us.  Glory to God!

And just what are Jesus’ commandments?  To love!  The scribes came to test Jesus by asking “What is the greatest commandment?”  Jesus responded “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.  Then, love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Mark 12:28-31, Matt. 22:37-40).  Why? Because God is love (1 John 4:8).  And everyone who knows God, loves (1 John 4:16-21).  For the Law and everything the prophets said stems from God’s law of love (Matt. 22:40).  Jesus also tested the Hebrew religious by asking them the same question and they responded correctly (Luke 10:25-28).  By the way, if you haven’t figured it out yet, the whole bible is God explaining the capacity of His love towards us.  Amen?

Jesus is our authority and ability to love – God and our fellow man.

So, how do we express our gratitude for the wonderful gift God has bestowed upon us?

Of course, living for and in Jesus is foremost.  We start by acknowledging what Jesus has done for us.  That is confessing our sin before Him then declare Him as our Lord and Savior as we give Him thanksgiving for His blood which was shed on the cross, cleansing us.  He has given us access into His kingdom - forever. 

He is the one who gives us an existence with the Father throughout all eternity. 

We then commit to serve God and only God, with all that we are.  We acknowledge that God is the ultimate authority in all things and that the Father and Son are, indeed, one.  Then, through Jesus, we become one in Them.

We start living for Him by learning the depth and breadth of His love so we may also live (this life) in Him.  We strive to allow God to become so much of our life that people might say about us what Jesus said about His relationship with Father (John 17:21).  That is because the love of God is so evident in our lives others will have seen the essence (love) of God in us. 

This doesn’t happen overnight and to realize the full impact in our lives, will take a lifetime.  The question to us is “How quickly can we truly yield our life over to the Lord?”  Some are quick learners and doers while others (like me) take a bit longer (lol).  What I’m saying is that chronological age really isn’t a factor.  Why?  Some give their life to the Lord early in life (chronologically) and give Him full access as they continue to grow in Him.  While others ask Him into their life later in life.  And we all grow at different paces.  The quicker we learn God’s love and yield to His direction, the quicker we grow spiritually.  The key is to always stay the course and run a good race (Heb. 12:1).  Know that we have done all that we can do in this life (2 Tim. 4:7).  Remember that as we seek God, He will gives us the strength of an eagle in flight to finish our race (Isa. 40:31).  The eagle has very keen eyesight and doesn’t lose sight of its goal.  And that crown of life is the goal that awaits each and every one of us (James 1:12). 

In doing all this we need to always give Father thanksgiving and praise, the glory for all that He has, is and will do in our lives (1 Chron. 16:28-29, Psalm 11:1-10, Heb. 13:15).  Even in those things which don’t seem so good.  God, for our benefit, corrects us whom He loves (Heb. 12:6) so we stay the course.

Sing praises to our Lord.  I’m not saying ‘just’ listen to songs that uplift God and our relationship with Him, but find the lyrics and actually sing along with those songs.  It is soothing to listen and it brings peace into our heart, but singing along with songs of praise will uplift our spirit!  Don’t be afraid to get excited about our God.  Praise God.  Praise Him in His sanctuary.  Praise Him where ever His power is.  Praise Him for all that He has, is and will do.  He is above all!  Praise him with our ‘wind’ instruments.  Praise Him with our stringed instruments.  Praise Him with our percussion instruments.  Praise Him with any instrument we have access to use.  So with our voice, let’s praise our Lord with even our very breath (Psalm 150:1-6).  Get the picture?

Let’s raise all that we have and are up to the Lord as we celebrate His resurrection day!  We have the promise of our resurrection through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  So it is also our day of resurrection.  Our resurrection means a new beginning in our lives. God asks Israel to remember the glory they experienced when He first brought them out of Egypt and established His temple.  Then compare that to where they were at in Haggai’s day (Haggai 2:1-23) and us today.   God promised Israel that the state of their latter house would be greater than their first (Haggai 2:9).  He promises us that in the incoming Spiritual explosion, the house of the Lord will burst forth in new power and glory! 

Welcome to a new day.  Welcome to the first day in our new beginnings.  Glory be to the one and only true, living God.  hallelujah!

Amen