2-29-2020        A CONVERWATION WITH GOD

  AND HIS RESPONSE

The Open Door

Prelude

More than 40 years ago, in a Baptist church, I heard the story about “The Open Door”.  A story of how we stray from God and think that it is He who has left us.  Sort of like “Footprints in the Sand” – where were you (God) when I needed you?  In “Footprints”  God’s response was that the single set of prints in the sand was when He carried us when we could no longer stand.

In the “Open Door”, a man feels abandoned and wonders why God has left him.

If you have heard this before, this may not be exactly as you recall, but it’ll be pretty close.   (At my tender age, my memory ain’t what it used to be)

My prayer would be that this retelling of the “Open Door” might touch some hearts and having read it, some souls would reconnect with our Lord and Savior in renewing a solid relationship with Him.  Or that those who read this (already walking with our Lord) might share it with those who would.

In desperation a man tries to do something he hasn’t done in a long time ...  “talk to God”.

Mulling over how harshly life has treated him the man passes by what used to be his prayer room.  He pauses by the door, looks at it then feels a slight tug on his heart to enter in.  He does.  As he looks around, the chair he used to sit in is still where he left it.  Still pondering his lot in life, he sits down:

God, it seems that at one point in my life (years ago) everything seemed to be going OK.  It seems as though I always had enough money to get through the week and do something extra every so often.  Now it seems that my money makes it only about half way to next pay day. 

The job really sucks any more.  I ask for a raise and they say “not at this time”.  They make more and more demands of me on the job.  I think that their expectations are really unreal.  How can one person perform at the level that they are asking?  Man!  Just let me do my job and quit bugging me! 

The home front?  Boy!  The home front isn’t any better.  The wife used to greet me at the door when I got home in the evening.  A smile and a kiss!  Now she’s in the kitchen complaining about having to come home and cook after working her part time job AND take care of the house – by herself.  “A” taking care of the house is ‘her’ job isn’t it?  And “B” she just doesn’t understand the stress I’m under all day.  I’m tired when I get home and all I want to do is relax with a few beers.  Anything wrong with that? 

She used to always be ready to jump in bed when I wanted to.  Now it’s “not tonight.  I’ve got a headache”.  And she expects me to love her?  She’s my wife.  She’s supposed to meet my needs.  Right?

The kids?  Let ‘em play their video games and text their friends.  It keeps them out of my hair.  Oh, yeah!  And the kids.  They don’t seem to mind me anymore.  When they were little I could bark out a command and it was done.  I can’t see punishing them.  That would just ruin their psyches.  Anyway.  Would it do any good?

God, what am I supposed to do?  And don’t tell me to get to church regularly.  Those hypocrites have no clue about what I’m going through.  All they’ll say is “you gotta pray more!”, “you gotta read your bible more!”, “you gotta come to church more!”.  What do they know?  They don’t understand the pressures I’m under.  I gave my life to you years ago.  You said you’d never leave me nor forsake me so where’ve you been?  I’m not even sure why I’m trying to talk with you even now.

In frustration the man starts to get up and go on his way then a feeling comes over him to sit back down and be still.  He does!

After a few moments he starts wondering what he’s doing.  Then, whether in his heart or through his ears, he couldn’t tell, a voice …

My child.  I used to call you my son, but alas you are only a child.  Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth from nothing?  Where were you when I commanded the sea to roll up onto the shore, only so far, before slipping back into the ocean?  Where were you when I shaped the mighty mountains, the lush, green forests and carved the wondrous caves into the depths of the earth?  What were you doing when I threaded the land with rivers bringing their life-giving waters?  Where were you when Lucifer rebelled against my love?  What were you doing when I gave Moses the recipe for learning how to live in my love?  Where were you as I hung on the cross shedding my Son’s precious blood hoping that it might bring you, and all others, back into my fellowship?  You did come to me a while back, but then you quit coming.  What were YOU doing as I waited in your prayer closet for you to return?  I saw you passing the doorway.  You, at least, used to look in.  At first it was occasionally, then peek in as you passed by, but then you never even glanced through the doorway into the room in which I was – waiting.  Do you have any idea how I’ve missed you?

Money, my child?  Have you given anything back to me so I can bless you?  Are you robbing me of the tithe I command you to give back to me, my child?  Where has your money gone?  The lottery?  Beer?  Bars?  Do you spend frivolously on yourself without even regarding your wife, children or obligations? 

Your job, my child.  Do you really give your boss an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay?  Or do you do just what you have to do to get by?  Shouldn’t you be serving me on your job, my child?  Do you realize that serving me, no matter what you are doing, brings the blessings? 

Is a man’s home really his castle?  When a man loves his wife and family as I have loved him, that’s when his home becomes his castle.  What is the greatest commandment of all, my child?  Isn’t it to love me with ALL your heart, mind, strength and soul AND to love your neighbor as your self?  Your wife and children do come before your neighbors, right? 

What does that mean?  Living for me with every ounce of breath and energy you have and then treating those around you as you want them to treat you.  In living for Me, you will treat others even better!  Haven’t I said to do and say that which edifies others?  That opens the door my child for me to bless you in ways you can’t even imagine.

How much do you really love your wife, my child?  Do you treat her as though she is the most precious gift I could have given to you?  She is, you know.  Do you consider her thoughts and feelings?  Do you even care what they are?  My child, you are the head of your household.  You have the responsibility of your entire household.  YOU set the example.  Love your wife.  Truly love her and then watch that love come back to you. 

How long have you let the kids “do their own thing”?  Have you even tried to teach them wrong from right?  Or is it ‘do as I say and don’t ask any questions’?  Have you taught them independence with responsibility?  If you don’t give your children direction for their lives through what you say and what you do, who does? 

 Church, my child?  Churches are like people, they aren’t perfect but they should be growing – towards me.  How can you learn about my love when you don’t read my “word” (the bible)?  Go to church more often?  My child when WAS the last time you graced any of my houses with your presence?  Haven’t I said “don’t forsake the fellowshipping”?  The church can support you in your time of need, even though they are not perfect.  And you can always learn from other Christians as they share how I have helped them – they overcame by their testimonies.  What makes you any different?

And Prayer, my child?  What do you call starting this conversation with me? 

Understand, prayer is not just reciting “Our Father, which art in heaven …”.  It’s not just thanking Me for your food.  It’s pouring your heart out to me.  Your triumphs.  Your defeats.  All those things with which you wrestle.  And my child, there’s another part to prayer.  Once you’ve poured your heart out, be still and listen.  Listen to what I have to say. 

I may answer your prayer through your reading the bible.  I may send another Christian to you with the solution.  And my child, when I send another to you what they say will be in agreement with my Word and in love.  Mmm.  Mmm.  Mmm.  When was the last time you praised My name,  glorified Me or even thought about thanking Me for the blessings I have already given you?  Oh, by the way my child, as you draw closer to me in our walk, you will learn my voice and My Spirit will speak to your spirit and you will know it’s me because it too will always be in love and in agreement with my Word and designed to edify you.  It has to be in agreement, I said it.  Did you hear that?  I said “I” will talk with you.  Are you listening?

So!  Where have I been, my child?  I’ve been here all along waiting on you to come back.  Waiting for you to actually talk WITH me.  You know like two friends.  I long to have not ‘just’ another child but  another son with whom I can fellowship and upon whom I can shower my blessings.  And not just a son but a friend with whom I can share and he can share with Me.  Do you have any idea how My heart has ached for you?

My child.  Where have you been?

Amen

2-15-2020 God IS Love

    Father's love for me                        My love for my Heavenly Father

1 John 4:7-13

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loves is born of God and knows God.

            He who does not love, doesn’t know God for God is love.

God’s love is openly shown to us in that God sent His only begotten Son into this world that we might live through Him.

Love is contained in this, not that we love God but that God loves us and sent His Son to be a sacrifice to atone us (from our sin).

            Beloved, since God loves us so much, shouldn’t we also love one another?

No man has seen God, but when we love one another, God dwells in us and His love is perfected in us.

            This is how we know we dwell in Him, and He in us because He has given us His Spirit.

As I’m jotting this down, earlier this morning (while I was still in bed) Father started showing me some things about how He has grown His love in my life.

Our “salvation” experience – when we receive Jesus into our lives – is just the beginning of learning about God and how to live for Him, to love Him.  And so it is intended.  If we were fully equipped, we would never have to read the bible or interact with other Christians.  We would automatically know how to praise and worship God and love our brothers (& sisters) and do it.  It is a learning process and the greater our learning experience, the greater we can express our love. 

I confess, the day I received Jesus into my life, I knew I was His.  His Spirit confirmed it in my heart.  Yet, as time has gone on, I realize that then I had no clue about my relationship with our heavenly Father nor with my brothers and sisters in the Lord – and that included my wife with whom I was in the process of marrying.  That day, my wife to be and I were in the pastor’s office making plans to be married.  Pastor asked if I knew Jesus.  I said yep, I’ve been in this church for a while.  The pastor asked me three times before the Spirit was able to convict my heart I had never really committed my life to Jesus.

Over the years, I learned to love my wife – more than I realized until after Father took her home.  We were together for 34 years when He took her home and it took me most of those years to realize that He had given me the virtuous woman (Prov. Chptr. 31).  I find it amazing that in living life, we miss how much God is doing or has done for us – until we sit back and reflect on life.  Then He shows us.  Too busy I guess.

In reflection, I often wish I could have truly loved my wife more in the beginning.  Our lives would have been so much fuller.  But, I thank Father that she had a greater sense of our relationship than I, this woman He gave me.

Paul tells us that the temporal (temporary) things of this life will all pass away, but three things will abide forever: faith, hope and love, the greatest of which is love (1 Corinth. 13:13). 

Jesus knew He was going to the cross.  The prophets prophesied it (Psalm 22:1-31, Isa. 53:1-5).  Yet He came and gave the ultimate sacrifice for us.  There is no greater love than a man give his life for his friend (John 15:13).  Jesus calls us ‘friends’ and tells us what the Father has ‘said’ (John 15:15).  That is, everything Father has spoken.

Out of love, Jesus gave His life that we may live – in this life and forever.  Can we give our lives to repay that debt? 

Tradition tells us that all the apostles, save John, died at the hands of the Romans (Acts 12:1-2) and Stephen (just a ‘deacon’) was stoned by the Jews (Acts 7:54-60).  Missionaries have lost their lives serving God in foreign lands and even today, in the Mid-East and Africa (as well as other places), people are imprisoned and/or executed for their faith!  Tradition says the apostle John most likely died a natural death @ 95-97 AD.  Yet, as I said, there are still those who do die (literally) for Jesus, even now.

Obviously, not every Christian is physically and literally martyred (killed), but we all will experience ‘spiritual martyrdom’ to some degree.  As people rejected Jesus and His disciples, disciples today will also be rejected by the masses.  Convicted of their own sins, people will steer clear of Christians so they can keep on ‘feeling good’ about themselves.  ‘Friends’ will fall off by the wayside and others may avoid us like the plague simply because they don’t want to change.  But even so, Father will not leave us comfortless (John 14:15-21).  Not only does Father give us the Holy Ghost in our hearts.  When we don’t forsake fellowshipping with other Christians (Heb. 10:25) we find that Father provides the fellowship we need (Matt. 19:29).  The church should be more than ‘just’ a social club.

An expression of our love towards others is in edification (Rom. 14:19, 1 Thess. 5:11), that is doing things that build up others.  Paul tells us to put others before ourselves.  This doesn’t mean we neglect ourselves, but rather we put the needs of others before our own wants and desires (Rom. 15:2).  Do what helps them to become a better person.

We edify others when we endeavor to keep peace between us and others (Rom. 14:19).   When we edify others, we’re trying to build them up, not tear them down (2 Corinth. 13:10).  When we learn things, we may get puffed up with what we have learned but we need to be content with the fact that God knows us (1 Corinth. 8:1-3).  God gives us gifts (talents, abilities) so we can help others and build the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-12).  When we edify each other, we find comfort (1 Thess. 5:11).  When we build each other up (edify) in love, we find that all may do the task Father has laid before them (Eph. 4:15-16).  Consider that when we that we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit those imprisoned (in the natural and spiritual) it is the same as having done it to Jesus (Matt. 25:32-40).    Do a little research and you can add to this short list of ways to express our love towards others.

We show our love for Jesus by helping others to a better self-esteem.  I’m not talking about creating a super ego.  I’m talking about helping people to gain some self-worth, realize that they are somebody. 

I am nothing without Jesus, but with Jesus I CAN do all things because He is with me (Phil. 4:13).

Our base verse says that God is love.  God is also spirit so we can show our love by worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth (4:24). 

Oh, let me count the ways we can do this.

Father gives us a Spiritual language with which we can converse with Him (John 14:16-21, Act 1:8, Acts 2:1-19).  This is the ‘baptism’ or ‘infilling’ of the Holy Ghost.  It gives us a Spirit to spirit connection with our heavenly Father.  During the ‘cold war’ there was what was called the ‘red line’ a direct line between Moscow, Russia and Washington DC, so operators were not needed in case of a serious emergency.  Our president could call their premier or vice versa.  We don’t always know how to pray, but the Spirit does (Rom. 8:26-27).  When we pray in the Spirit, God edifies us (1 Corinth. 14:3-4 & 14-19).  Paul declares that he prays in the Spirit more than others yet he also prays for understanding.  We can/should do the same in our ‘personal’ prayer.  We may not get a ‘direct’ translation, but we will get the general idea of what is being said – for our edification. 

David tells us to praise God with everything that we have: for who He is, where He resides, the things He does for us,  with the sound of trumpets, tambourines, stringed instruments, organs, cymbals and with our very breath (our voices) (Psalm 150:1-6). Consider the four beasts who constantly  declare “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is and is to come” (Rev. 4:8).  A constant state of prayer or praise.  This doesn’t mean we are constantly on our knees, but our hearts should be always ready to seek Father’s help.  Our attitude should always be Godward.  The Holy Ghost IS within us.

We show our love for Father by sacrificing (living) our lives for Him, abiding in His will (which is to love) and edifying those around us, which is to love them.  We don’t show our love to receive from God or back from those whom we serve, but because Father shows His love towards us and we are grateful.  Our gratitude is expressed in our love for Him which is expressed by or allowing love to be alive within us, reaching out to those around us.  If Father never does anything for me ever again, I will be eternally grateful that He has brought me into His kingdom.  So, if nothing else, that, alone, is worthy of my love to Him.  But Father does promise to bless us for our obedience (Luke 5:1-11). 

I choose to love God, not because He will bless me, but, through my faith in Him, He has brought me into His eternal kingdom!

Amen

2-1-2020  Who is Willing to “Die” for Jesus?

     

                Friend                                                 True Friend  

Die for Jesus?  Do I have to climb up on the cross and shed my blood?  I don’t think so.  Do I have to be martyred for Jesus?  There are people, even today, who are imprisoned or even killed simply because they believe in Jesus and refuse to denounce their faith in Him.

How much do we really LOVE Jesus?  Where does our faith REALLY stand?  Why and how should we be willing to sacrifice ourselves for Jesus?  And just what does that really MEAN for us today?

In our walk with Jesus, first we have to learn how to LOVE Him.  As we love our Lord, our FAITH builds.  The more we see Him do for us, the more we believe and rest in Him.  Don’t be fooled, there is sacrifice, our sacrifice is living for Him.  Let’s take a look

LOVE

Loving Jesus may be the easiest thing to do, that is to make the decision to be like Him in all our ways yet, it is probably the hardest to implement.

Making the decision to allow Jesus into our lives, our hearts, is the first step in our showing our love for Him.  And consider, His last step (on this earth), which He showed us, was giving up His life and shedding His blood on the cross, cleansing us from our sins and sinful nature – reconnecting us with the Father.  I say the last step on this earth because, after His ascension back into heaven, He has given us the Holy Ghost to abide in us.  This act of love assures us that as long as we walk with Him, we will be with Him in eternity.  So, through the Holy Spirit, He walks with (in) us as we deal with this life.  Jesus operates in us through the Holy Ghost.  He continues to help us, protect us, guide us and even talk with us. 

We discover, as a new Christian, we have a parent-child relationship with God (the Father).  As we grow we come to understand more and more about God’s love.  We realize we are moving from that parent-child relationship to a friend-friend relationship with our heavenly Father. 

Over two thousand years ago, Herod’s temple, the temple of God in the days of Jesus, had five areas of relationship:  1) Outside the temple walls were the ‘unsaved’ people, those who don’t know God. 2) The women’s courtyard, where business was transacted (buying/selling items for sacrifice) and (if you will) a social place where people could interact, those who know God but not necessarily in a close relationship.  Maybe they know ‘about’ God but are yet to actually walk ‘with’ Him.  3) The Priest’s courtyard.  Only the priests and the men responsible for the household could enter bringing sacrifices (animal, grain, etc.) to the priests to offer unto God.  These have a serious yet formal relationship with God.  They may not know Him face to face but they acknowledge His sovereignty and His goodness.  4) The Holy Place.  The vestments (clothing) and instruments for performing the priest’s duties are here.  This also contained the altar where the priests burned incense unto the Lord.  Burning incense before God was moiving a bit closer than ‘just’ sacrificing on the altar in the Priest’s Courtyard.  And the Holy of Holies was within the Holy Place.  5)  The Holy of Holies contained the Ark of the Covenant.  The Ark of the Covenant contained Aaron’s rod, the Ten Commandments and (according to some) a piece of manna (heavenly or ‘angel’ food provided Israel – by God – in the wilderness).  This was also the place where God came to interact with the High Priest, who was the only person allowed into the Holy of Holies.  This was where the priest would get up close and personal with God.  The closest relationship one could have with our Lord and Savior.

Each area represents our relationship with God.  Those outside the walls, obviously, had no relationship at all with God. 

The women’s courtyard, if you will, is a casual relationship, knowing God but with minimal responsibility and/or interaction.  Getting serious with God was yet beyond. 

The priest’s courtyard represents an active prayer life, maybe not as intense as the Lord seeks.  Yet it is more than just saying thanx for the day, food, etc.  It is a greater sense of knowing who God is and knowing who we are in Him. 

The Holy Place?  Our lives are in tune with the Lord, but there is still room for growth.  We have a deep, ‘active’ prayer life and we are continually yielding ourselves over to the Lord.  But there is more. 

We are a royal priesthood (1Peter 2:9-10).  I said that only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies.  When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom.  It exposed the Holy of Holies, no longer hidden behind a veil.  Every one who has received Jesus into their heart is as a High Priest, we now have access to the Holy of Holies (Thank You for shedding Your blood Jesus).  We now have ‘direct’ access to our Lord God (through our salvation experience).  All we have to do is realize just what that relationship is and means.

Father desires all of us to walk through that torn curtain and sup with Him.  Jesus’ desire for us is to be one with Him as He is one with the Father (John 17:1-26).  Can anyone get any closer?

Think about a relationship with a best friend.  We share things in a diary, but our ‘best’ friend is with whom we shared your innermost thoughts and feelings - face to face -, knowing that we would always be accepted.  Like David and Johnathan (2 Sam. 1:26).  They shared what we call ‘agape” love, not sensual or physically oriented, but deeper, perhaps even willing to give our very life for that person.  After all, Jesus did say there is no greater love than a man give his life for his friends (John 15:13).  Which He did!  Which He did, even for those who weren’t His friends.  God desires that all come to salvation (2Peter 3:9).  Again, sacrificing our lives doesn’t necessarily mean we literally give up our lives for them (die), but it does mean we set ourselves aside.  We set aside our wants and desires to consider the needs of others.

Are we starting to get the picture?  How great a love Father has for us and no matter how hard we try, we can never truly repay Him.  No matter how great a love we may have for Him, we fall short, but we keep trying.  (right?)

God is love (1 John 4:1-21).  We should always do our best to love God and our fellow man as Father has loved us.  Amen.

FAITH

Love opens the door so we can learn to walk in Faith.  Where does my faith really stand? 

What is faith?  Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 1:11).  We know we are going to receive something, we just don’t have it in hand, yet.

The early church had immeasurable faith.  They walked with Jesus!  Look at that early church, Peter, John and the rest of the apostles and disciples.  For the first apostles and disciples it was ‘easy’ to live by faith as they had been physically and literally in the presence of our Lord Jesus as He taught them for three and a half years (+ 40 days, after the resurrection).  They had been personal witnesses of Jesus’ miracles, healings and casting out devils and resurrection.  They  had performed many themselves (Jesus gave them the authority – Luke 1:9).  This first- hand knowledge encouraged them to use the power endued upon them by the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:8, “Acts 2:1-19) so they had no fear in taking a stand for Jesus.  Of course, remember, even Peter denied Jesus three times (Matt. 26:34, 58, 69-75).  Yes, we may stumble (mess up, sin) but we confess, repent and press forward in Christ Jesus.  WE have an advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).  We are most miserable people, wrestling with right and wrong (Rom. 7:14-25).  Yet, we run the race expecting to win (Heb. 12:1-3, 1 Corinth. 9:24).

And though Paul may not have walked with Jesus, as the others, because of his encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20) Paul, being a Pharisee among Pharisees, had no problem with being bold for Jesus during his ministry.  

Father spread the church throughout surrounding territories so the early church could witness to needful souls.  But, the farther the church got away from the first-hand teachings of Jesus and His physical presence and as time passed, the works of the church tapered off.  This may be why Jesus commented to Thomas “Because you have seen Me and believe, blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:29).  Look at today’s church.  Too many argue over what Jesus ‘really’ said or ‘meant’ to say.  Too much of the church says that it knows better what God said than God!

We are a lot like doubting Thomas, or should I say like the comment Jesus made to Thomas.  Thomas saw and believed (John 20:29).  Today, we meet Jesus through our ‘salvation’ experience, but how many have seen Jesus “in the flesh”?  I don’t mean in a vision or a dream.  I mean in the flesh and bone, in our presence.  After His resurrection, Jesus did so with His disciples (Luke 24:36-39). 

We believe and trust Jesus to do what He says He will, even when we don’t see immediate results (Isa. 55:11, Dan. 10:8-14).  God’s Word will not come back void, even when it has to battle spiritual entities.  That is, as long as we are asking for the right reasons (James 4:1-3).

How often do we look to see how Father has answered our prayers?  The answers to our prayers don’t have to be miraculous, earth shattering events.  Tomorrow is not ours (James 4:13-17).  How many of us thank God for our waking up in the morning (a miracle in itself – which we take for granted)?  Learn to live in the little things and Father will give us greater (Luke 16:10-12).  If we don’t acknowledge the ‘little’ things God does for us, how can we expect greater?  We overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11).  Sharing our testimonies is important.  Appreciate the little things Father does for us then hold on and share them, for we don’t know what He has in store for us (1 Corinth. 2:9-11) or whose life we may impact.

If we don’t believe God for things, how can we receive them?  We need to believe God is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6).  Where is our faith?

SACRIFICE

So just what is our sacrifice.  Though some have already given the ultimate sacrifice, we implied that physical death is not necessarily expected to show God our love and our faith.  But, once we have Jesus in our hearts and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we discover that our sacrifice moves more and more into living for our Lord Jesus.  We line our spirit up with His.  We allow the Holy Ghost to line our lives up with His.

Implementing our love through our faith IS our sacrifice.  And that ain’t easy. 

It means giving up the ‘old’ things and applying more and more of God’s Word and Will into our lives.  It means yielding things we are comfortable with to the Lord.  It means discovering what it really means to ‘walk’ with our Lord. 

The Holy Ghost will convict us of the things we need to shed – eliminate from our lives - and it all won’t happen at once.  Some things can and will be lifted from us as soon as we made our profession of faith in Jesus, but other things will become a process.  We didn’t become evil or rebellious overnight and Father desires us to remember our lessons as He delivers from many of those things.  Why?  Not so we can brag about how good we are, but so we can help others overcome their shortcomings.

Making the decision to draw closer to the Lord and then putting those decisions into action is our sacrifice! 

We learn to love as God loves (agape love).   As Father enables us, we give to the poor, visit the sick and those incarcerated (in prison).  We visit the shut-ins, we offer our gifts and skills to those in need.  We help others wherever and whenever we can – yep, even help little old ladies across the street.

More and more, as we grow, we interact with others in the love of God (agape).  What did the apostle Paul tell us?  The things of this world are temporary and even though faith and hope are good, love never goes away (1 Corinth. 13:1-13).  There will come a time when we no longer need faith and hope.  We will be living with the Lord!

Living in God’s love means turning our back on the world.  I’m not saying ignore it or don’t interact with it, but what I am saying don’t become like the world.  Before salvation, we already are like the world, but in Jesus, we endeavor to no longer act or speak like the world.  Rather, we ‘put on Christ’, learning to walk, speak and live in the love of God.  By the grace of God, we even learn to ‘think’ like Jesus! 

Satan is the prince and power of the air (Eph. 2:2, Rev. 12:7-9), so we know that the earth is his domain – for now.  But Jesus is over all (Col. 1:12-16).  In the wilderness, among the three things Satan tempted Jesus, were the kingdoms of the world.  God (Father) spoke the word (Jesus) and His Spirit (the Holy Ghost moved and all things were created!  How could Satan even think of offering Jesus that which was already His?   

Our sacrifice is living for Jesus.  To do this, we  need to come to know the bible so we can learn how to live in God’s love, which we do by faith and then put it into practice (our sacrifice) in our own lives so we may be found acceptable before God, the Father(1 Tim. 2:1-4).  The Apostle Paul reminds us to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2).  The more we communicate with Father, the easier it will be to become a living sacrifice for Him.  Paul reminds us that after we put on the Armor of God (for protection), we need to pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18).  Remember, since Jesus, we have a direct connect with the Father.

One more time:  We show our love for God by allowing Jesus into our heart.  The Holy Ghost takes up residence within our hearts and shows us how our faith grows as Father works in us and through us.  Because our love grows and our faith is strengthened, we find it easier to become a living sacrifice for Jesus!

Amen?

1-18-2020       I Do The Works of My Father

                             

John 10:19-42

Jesus had just concluded identifying God as His Father and that He (Jesus)  is our Shepherd.  The Jews were divided and some thought He had a devil and was mad.  Others said ‘can a devil make the blind see?’ 

Jesus was on Solomon’s porch, in the temple, and a crowd gathered around Him challenging to declare plainly that He was the Messiah.

(V25-26)  Jesus replied to them “I’ve told you and you didn’t believe.  The works I do in my Father’s name bear witness of me.  Yet, you didn’t believe because you are not of My sheep.” 

 Jesus went on to tell them: I’ve already told you My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life that they don’t perish neither can anyone pluck them out of My hand.  My Father gave them to Me and He is greater than all, so no one can pluck them out of His hand.  Father and I are one.

The Jews gathered stones to stone Him and Jesus asked ”I’ve shown you many good works from My Father.  For which of these works do you want to stone me?”

And the Jews replied: We don’t stone you for any of the works, but rather that You have blasphemed and declared yourself God.  Jesus answered “Is it not written that you are gods (Psalm 82:6)? 

If God called those to whom the Word of God came gods, the scripture cannot be broken.  You declare that he, whom God has sanctified and sent into this world blasphemes because I said “I am the Son of God?”

If I don’t do My Father’s works, don’t believe Me.  But if I do them and you don’t believe, at least believe the works.  This way you might realize and believe that the Father is in Me and I in Him.

Again the Jews tried to seize Him, but Jesus escaped out of their hand. 

He went to Jordan, where John baptized, and stayed there.  Many came to Him and said “John didn’t do any miracles, but everything John said of this man is true.  And there, many believed on Him.

“I do the works of My Father.”  The Jews were looking for a conquering hero, so when they asked Jesus to declare Himself, they were asking Him to overthrow Rome and free the Jews.  Jesus is showing two realities here. 

1) He is establishing our faith in Him by not immediately showing why He has come to earth.  Jesus is our conquering hero, but first He had to cleanse us from our sin and unrighteousness so we could be faithful followers. 

Many witnessed the miracles Jesus did but not all received.  Not all understood that first our heart had to be cleansed, then the miracles would follow.  Faith is what we hope for but don’t yet see.  That is, knowing that something is coming our way though we don’t yet see it as reality.  Had Jesus showed Himself the conquering hero then, where would the faith be?  People would have accepted Him as King (because He delivered them from the Romans), but their hearts would not have been changed.  They would have continued to live as before save that they would have been delivered from physical bondage (of the Romans).  Father delivered the Jews from Egypt and when the going got tough, they wanted to go back into Egypt (bondage).  Jesus knew He had to shed His blood in order to cleanse our hearts from sin.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). 

About thirty-five or forty years ago, Keith Green released a song titled “So You Wanna Go back to Egypt”.  When the going seems unbearable, even bondage seems better.  Consider what we are talking about here:  bondage to sin or freedom in Jesus Christ.  Bondage is falling back into sinful ways and death and eternal separation from God.  But freedom from bondage gives us the promise of eternal life and fellowship in Jesus.  There is a price to obtain freedom, giving up the ways of this world, but is it worth it?  I think so.

2)  Jesus had to redeem us, His mission on earth.  And what does He redeem us from?  As well as sin, our own hearts.  Because Adam and Eve sinned against God, all are born into sin.  Without Jesus, we are, if you will, Satan’s playthings.  He manipulates us and controls our lives (whether we admit it or not) by keeping us in world values.  I want!  I want!  I want!  Whoopeee!  An unbridled lifestyle.  Anarchy!  If I feel like doing it – so I do it!  Doubt my words?  Look around you at the world today.  People are focused on sex, getting what they want and doing what they desire – no matter what it takes, or should I say no matter who it harms.

Father says that cleansing comes through the blood.  For the Jews, it was the sacrificial lamb upon the altar.  Today, Jesus IS that sacrificial lamb and His altar is the cross – where He shed His blood (for us).

He cleanses us to we can live for Him, in Him and through Him.  And why do we live for Him?  He give us peace, safety, He meets all our needs and as we walk closer with Him.  As we walk closer with God, He gives us even our hearts desire.  Oh, and not just the hope, but the promise of eternal life with Father through Him.  Because we believe Jesus IS who He said He is.  Our belief (faith) is established in Jesus and through that faith in Jesus, we know we will be with Him forever.  We aren’t physically with Him yet but spiritually, through faith, we walk with Him.

The Jews thought Jesus, being a mere man, was declaring Himself to be God.  Jesus goes on to declare that He and the Father are one.  Nothing can take us out of Jesus’ hand therefore nothing can take us out of the Father’s.  The apostle John tells that in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God (John 1:1).  How’s that for unity?  John goes on to explain that the Word is the light of men and that light came to live amongst us.  in HIs walk amongst us Jesus knew what He was saying and doing!       

Jesus spoke in parables so that those who weren’t seeking a relationship with Him would be confused.  BUT those who were truly seeking a relationship with Him could come to understand and come to know His voice.

A baby knows mama from birth.  Actually from before birth, the nine months spent in the womb.  Mother and child develop a relationship of knowing each other.  As dad interacts with mom, even in the womb, baby can start a relationship with papa.  And surely, after birth, as papa interacts with the child, father and child develop a relationship.

We have to be around Jesus to develop a relationship.  That is, read the bible, pray and associate with other Christians.  Then we become as Jesus’ sheep and come to know His voice. 

Gods?  I’m sorry ‘gods’ (little g).  Satan tells Adam and Eve that God knows that knowing good and evil makes them as a god (Gen. 3:5).  Adam and Eve were created in innocence and put in the garden in Eden.  They lost that innocence when they disobeyed the only commandment God gave them (Gen. 2:16-17).  So Jesus threw it back on the Jews “Why are you condemning Me for saying I am the Son of God when God has declared us gods?”  Read Luke chapter three, especially v38.  What does it say?  The son of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam …  and how does sit describe Adam? (who is the son of God (Luke 3:38).  When we let Jesus into our hearts, we all become the children of God (Gal. 3:25-29).  Jesus is the firstborn of many brothers (Rom. 8:29), those who follow God. 

Because the Jews were entrenched in legalism and they knew nothing about having a true relationship with the Father, to put it bluntly, Jesus split (left)!  He got out of their company.

Jesus healed the sick, cured diseases, caused the blind to see and he deaf to hear and, in Lazarus, He raised the dead (John 11:1-44).  John declared that Jesus, the living Word of God, was God.  Jesus says here He and the Father are one.  The apostle Matthew explains Jesus in that Isaiah (the prophet) said the child would be called “Emmanuel” – God with us (Matt. 1:18-25).

The Jews said that they didn’t condemn for the works, but because He declared Himself the Son of God.  And guess what.  Jesus is the firstborn of many brothers (collectively – Rom. 8:15-31).  The Son of God because He had come into this world in the flesh, but if you have read the hi-lited passages, He is God, Himself, come amongst us.  Jesus, as the Word, was God.

Jesus did (and still does) the works of His Father and so should we.  Jesus says we will do the works He did and greater (John 14:12).  I don’t know that we can do anything different from what Jesus did, but we can surely do more of the same works which He did.  So Jesus is still doing works today, through believers.  Jesus is the Holy Spirit, that is the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.  The Holy Spirit was with the disciples in Jesus.  Jesus has now given us His Holy Spirit so we can have the power to do as He did (Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-16).

I didn’t go into an explanation of  Romans chapter eight, but go back and read it again – and again.  We are in Christ Jesus, also children of the living God and we should do the works of our Father.  

Yes?

Amen

1-4-2020    ‘Easy’ Zeke from New Orleans

I have a guest writer for this entry.  His name is Zeke and he’s from New Orleans.  Now, being from the ‘Big Easy’ he calls himself “Easy Zeke”, y’all.  He would like to share an encounter he had.

The world was in such a mess God’s done called me to be a watchman.  What’s a watchman, you ask?  Well, God gives me a word to go and tell the people to come back to Him ‘cuz they’ve gone so far astray.  God gives me what to tell ‘em so I do.  He’s tole me that their hearts are “far from Me” an’ He wants ‘em to come back!  He tells me He’s gonna git those others for mess’n’ with them and then He tells me He’s gonna git us fer not listenin’ to Him.  Listen up to this encounter He and I had one day.

Now, God fetched me up in the spirit.  Now I didn’t go there in my body.  It was like a vision or sumpthin’, but nonetheless, I went there.  God took me to this big ole valley.  It was full of bones, as far as the eye could see.  Dried old bones.  Bleached by the sun old bones.  Obviously they’d been layin’ their fer a spell.  A long spell, an’ they wuz scattered all over the place.  Nuthin’ connected to anythin’ else.

He had me walk in, around and all through that valley.  Now I didn’t step on any of dem ole bones so’s I wouldn’t break none (twarn’t easy). 

Then God asked me a question.   “Son of man, can these bones live?” 

Say what!  I done tole you already that these ole bones were so far dead that even the birds’ve quit pickin’ on ‘em.  But, I ain’t no dummy.  After all, God created everythih’ just by speakin’ it, didn’t He?  So I gave the smartest answer I could think of “O Lord God, You know.”  (didn’t want Him to zap me fer bein’ stupid).  So God tells me what to say.  He wanted ME to speak FOR HIM.  An’ this is what He sez

“Dry bones, listen to the Word of the Lord.  The Lord God tells you bones that I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live.  I will bring sinews upon you and cover you with flesh and breath into you and you shall live and you will know that I AM the Lord.

So I sez what He tole me and I heard a noise an’ there wuz a shakin’.  And guess what!   All dem bones started comin’ together, bone bone, right where they wuz supposed to be!  An’ sinews connected them ole bones an’ they were covered with muscle an’ all that was covered with skin, but they had no breath.  Them ole bodies wuz equipped to anythin’ they wuz supposed to, but they just lay there, doin’ nuthin’.  So I wonder to myself ‘why don’ they stand up,  where’s the breath?’

Then God says to me “Son of man, tell the breath that the Lord God says to come from the four winds and breathe upon these who are slain that they might live.” 

Now, I wuz already amazed that those ole bones had now become bodies and I sez to myself “wow!).  So I did what God commanded me to do.  An’ you now what?  breath came into those bodies and they lived and they all stood up on their feet.  Wow!  They wuz a huge army of people.

Wow!  First God done made those ole bones into bodies so they could do sumpin’ and now He’s given dem breath.  They’s a livin’!  well, at least they’s standin’ up and movin’ about.  Ain’t nuthin’ like this never befo’!  Lawd Almighty!

But whoa!  Listen to dem!  They ain’t doin nuthihn’ but complainin’!  God done give ‘em a body then He give e’m life and listen to ‘em “Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, we are cut off for our parts.”  Say what!  Instead of thankin’ God fer puttin’ their bodies back together and givin’ ‘em life, they just standin’ around bitc… (cain’t put that word  here).   Those dummies STILL got one foot in the grave!  They have life but they ain’t let go of dat grave! 

So God sez dto me “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel and they cry out that their bones are dried, they are lost and cut off for their parts.  Tell them, the Lord God says ‘ behold, My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of those graves and bring you into the land of Israel.  And you will know that I am the Lord who opened your graves and brought you up out of your graves. 

I shall put My Spirit in you and you shall live and I will put you in your own land.  Then you shall realize that I, the Lord, have said it and did it.  Thus says the Lord.”

So, we been long-time dead so God gives us bodies so we kin do what He has called us to do.  He then gives us life so we kin put those bodies into motion and do what He’s asked.  Then He puts His Spirit in us so we can fully trust Him for whatever He asks of us. 

We can do it and we can do it for Him.  An’ He gives US the ability to do it while we’s still here in this world!  Say what!  I don’t have ta git to heaven to do things?  I kin do ‘em here and now!  Haleluhjah!

Lissen up folks!  When we walk in God’s love, we become one with Jesus.  When we walk in the love of Christ, He pertects us and guides us (when we listen to Him).  When we love Jesus, we walk in Jesus and when we walk in Jesus, the Father is indeed with us.  That, my friends, is what brings heaven to earth an’ we walk in God’s pertection and guidance.  Do ya hear what I’m a sayin?

An’ through the Holy Ghost, Father gives us the power to do all things (in Christ Jesus).  Unnerstand?

Git yore act t’gether.  God’s a ready to move.  Are you with us?

This is Easy Zeke, from the Big Easy, signin’ off.  Later ‘gator.