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Sunday, December 26, 2010

and they died

Genesis 5 is the sad record of the
wages of sin...death.
But Enoch is dropped down in it, he didn't die,
didn't pay the wages.
All have sinned, so doesn't he have to be
one of the two witnesses at the end of time?
God's grace shown in Enoch and Noah cuts through
the sin and death of Chapter 5 and says,
NO MATTER WHAT I AM IN CONTROL, AND I WILL DO
AS I PLEASE.
Praise God, He is sooo merciful, He has many Enoch
and Noah moments in my life. Where His judgment is
shown in grace and mercy, no matter how well disguised.

This year has not gone as i would have liked, but God is
sovereign and I trust Him. Like a dumb sheep i have often
strayed into sin and apathy, i have neglected to lead and guide
and pray for those in my care, BUT GOD continues to make
me a "victim of relentless affection."

And his love is steady and strong.

And so symbolic of His unchanging faithfulness, i will
post this 54th blog, the exact same number that i have
posted every year.

Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and
is to come.

Lying prophets tell you everything will be OK. True
prophets tell you the judgment of a righteous God must
come, prepare the way. God have mercy on us.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Him through us not us for Him

The idea is not that we do work for God, but that we are so loyal to Him that He can do His work through us - "I reckon on you for extreme service, with no complaining on your part and no explanation on Mine." God wants to use us as He used His own Son.

oswald Dec 18th

the difference is subtle but oh oh oh so telling, most of my anger and frustration can be easily traced back to a mindset that is "working for Him" instead of letting "Him work through me."

Thursday, December 16, 2010

idk

that is one abbreviation in the modern culture that i can relate to

i don't know ... is the one and only response that i am using lately
not by choice, but by truth and necessity
what should we do about child a, b, c, d, or e
idk
what do you think about bills, the house, remodeling, another person's
behavior,
idk
what would we do if this or that happens
idk

you get the picture
it is humbling and yet a little freeing at the same time
idk
i wonder if this passage in Isaiah means that it is ok to
be in this position.
"Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him" Isaiah 64:4b

a song to emphasize this truth
Gideon by Jason Upton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ZGb9M_mCI

Saturday, December 11, 2010

the thing in you...

The thing in you that will not be reconciled to your brother is your individuality. God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself He cannot. "Let him deny himself" - deny his independent right to himself, then the real life has a chance to grow.

Oswald Chambers Dec 11th

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Oswald wisdom 12/2

If it was God's will to bruise His own Son, why should He not bruise you? The thing that tells for God is not your relevant consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your real vital relation to Jesus Christ, and your abandonment to Him whether you are well or ill. Oswald Chambers

Romans Study #18 5:9-11

This is the long un-edited version of how I go about putting together
our twice monthly Bible Study, Oswald Chambers, Karl Barth, John Piper, and Vine's Expository Dictionary of the Bible, all play a part in this lesson.

When our old computers hard drive was totally lost, i was grateful that i had posted these on the internet.

Romans Bible Study # 18
Romans 5:9-11
word- dialectical

Since this is only three verses, I felt like we could spend some time following the process of a typical “Bible Study” and how it comes together.

Our introduction is from the greatest Christian daily devotional ever, by Oswald Chambers.

THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD
"In whom we have . . . the forgiveness of sins." Ephesians 1:7

Beware of the pleasant view of the Fatherhood of God - God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That sentiment has no place whatever in the New Testament. The only ground on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ; to put forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. The only ground on which God can forgive sin and reinstate us in His favor is through the Cross of Christ, and in no other way. Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony of Calvary. It is possible to take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and our sanctification with the simplicity of faith, and to forget at what enormous cost to God it was all made ours.

Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace; it cost God the Cross of Jesus Christ before He could forgive sin and remain a holy God. Never accept a view of the Fatherhood of God if it blots out the Atonement. The revelation of God is that He cannot forgive; He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God by the Atonement. God's forgiveness is only natural in the supernatural domain.

Compared with the miracle of the forgiveness of sin, the experience of sanctification is slight. Sanctification is simply the marvelous expression of the forgiveness of sins in a human life, but the thing that awakens the deepest well of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven sin. Paul never got away from this. When once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vice, constrained by the love of God. John Piper illustrated it this way. A family moves in next door to a single guy. Their first night there the house catches fire and a young boy is trapped in the upstairs bedroom, through a daring, brave rescue the single guy risks his life and gets many bad burns but saves the boy. He and the boy become friends and one day, the boy says, “When you come home from work, can you come over and teach me how to yo-yo?” The guy promises to. As the day drags on, the little boy says to his father, “I don’t know, maybe he won’t come to help me learn how to yo-yo tonight.” His father replied, “He went through the flames for you, he will be here to do this.” This is the “much more” of verse 10 that we are about to read. Oswald Chambers

This was the “day” Nov. 20th and I was so happy to find it because it is the perfect confirmation of this passage.

November 21st was equally good.
"I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." John 17:4

The Death of Jesus Christ is the performance in history of the very Mind of God. There is no room for looking on Jesus Christ as a martyr; His death was not something that happened to Him which might have been prevented: His death was the very reason why He came.

Never build your preaching of forgiveness on the fact that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. It is untrue to Jesus Christ's revelation of God; it makes the Cross unnecessary, and the Redemption "much ado about nothing." If God does forgive sin, it is because of the Death of Christ. God could forgive men in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted to be Saviour because of His death. "We see Jesus because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor." The greatest note of triumph that ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ - "It is finished." That is the last word in the Redemption of man.

Anything that belittles or obliterates the holiness of God by a false view of the love of God, is untrue to the revelation of God given by Jesus Christ. Never allow the thought that Jesus Christ stands with us against God out of pity and compassion; that He became a curse for us out of sympathy with us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by the Divine decree. Our portion of realizing the terrific meaning of the curse is conviction of sin, the gift of shame and penitence is given us - this is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the wrong in man, and Calvary is the estimate of His hatred. Oswald Chambers

Our Verses for this week:

9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NASB

9-11Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah! The Message

Dialectical - any systematic reasoning, exposition, or argument that juxtaposes opposed or contradictory ideas and usually seeks to resolve their
conflict

discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation; specifically : the Socratic techniques of exposing false beliefs and eliciting truth


Barth used this word in discussing this passage and I was totally unfamiliar with it. Quoting a section where he used the word twice.
“We are - new men” This new constitution is indirect and dialectical; it comes into being only by faith. By His blood we are justified/ as enemies we are - reconciled to God through the death of His Son. We must therefore never allow this dialectical presupposition to be hardened or petrified into a concrete and direct occurrence. It is valid only by faith, and it exists only in the fear of the Lord and the light of the Resurrection. Only so, are we and have we; only so, are we competent and do we come; only so, does redemption draw near; only so, shall we be saved from the wrath under which we still stand here and now. For the life which has been manifested through the death of Christ is salvation to those who are reconciled with God through the death of His Son. How then is it possible for us not to glory in hope through our Lord Jesus Christ?”

Our exalting in God, through Jesus Christ is the proof that we have received the reconciliation.

Then in “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of the Bible” “When the writers of the New Testament speak upon the subject of the wrath of God, “the hostility is represented not as on the part of God, but of man. It is we who need to be reconciled to God, not God to us, and it is propitiation , which His righteousness and mercy have provided, that makes the reconciliation possible to those who receive it.

That seems to contradict some of what Piper says about the wrath of God, and making sure that we do not negate or downplay the wrath of God, that the love of God is forced to surmount and overcome. Quoting Piper’s sermon, “The verse ends with the promise that because of what Christ has done, "we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." There it is. God has wrath, or anger, toward the world of sinners. He is an enemy of sinners. The greatest obstacle to our everlasting happiness is the wrath of God. Because if God is against us, it doesn't matter who is for us, we are ruined.
So I conclude on this first observation that we were all enemies of God, we toward him in rebellion, and he toward us in wrath, and therefore we all needed to be reconciled to God. There would be no hope without the removal of his wrath and our rebellion.”

Piper makes a second point and it seems in recognizing the wrath of God it further exalts the amazing blessing of Jesus taking that wrath upon Himself on the cross.

“God the Father himself has worked in the past decisively and will work in the future infallibly to rescue us from his wrath.

Now, don't miss this remarkable part of the good news. The Bible makes it plain that God will one day pour out the full measure of his wrath on the sinful unbelieving world, and the unrepentant will be cast into what John calls the "lake of fire." Revelation 20:15, "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." And Revelation 14:10 describes it like this: They will "be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever." It is like fire. It is torment. It is forever and ever with no end.

This is terrifying. If enmity ever had meaning, this is it. If this is not having an enemy, then there is no such thing as having an enemy. God will one day pour out his enmity - his wrath - on the whole world of humankind who have ever lived and not trusted him.

The question is: Who can rescue us from this wrath of God? The clear answer of this text - and the whole New Testament - is this: Only God can rescue us from the wrath of God.

Where can we see this? Notice these five passive verbs. Verse 9: "having now been justified, [number 1] shall we be saved [number 2]." Verse 10: "If while we were enemies we were reconciled [number 3] to God through the death of his Son, much more having been reconciled [number 4], we shall be saved [number 5] by his life." In all those actions we are being acted upon. Who is acting? Who is doing this justifying, reconciling, saving? The answer is God the Father. How do we know that? Because in verse 10 it says, "we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son." But if the Son was doing the reconciling, it wouldn't say he did it "through the Son." You wouldn't say. "The Son of God reconciled us to God through his Son."

No. The Father, himself, loves us. That was the clear point of verse 8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Here's the good news: the love of God rescues us from the wrath of God. Don't try to defend the love of God for us by denying the wrath of God against sinners. If you do, you will undermine the love of God. Because the greatest demonstration of the love of God is the way it rescues us from the wrath of God. If you deny wrath to defend love, you lose love.

So this second point, so far, is that God the Father himself works to rescue us from his wrath. And the other part of this second point is that he has done this in the past, and he will do it in the future. This is the way both verse 9 and 10 are built. Verse 9: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood [that's the past work of God - "blood" referring to the death of his Son whom he sent], we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him [that's the future work of God]." Then verse 10: "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son [the past work of God in history], much more, having been reconciled [in the past], we shall be saved by His life [the work of God in the future]."

So the second point is that God the Father himself has worked in the past decisively and will work in the future infallibly to rescue us from his wrath.”
Piper has a third point.
“So the third observation is this: Both God's past work and God's future work to rescue us are through the work of Christ his Son. Justification and reconciliation in the past and salvation in the future are through Jesus Christ. He is indispensable in the work of salvation. And the Father means for him to have his glory.

The implications of this for our worship and teaching and evangelism are enormous, because Jesus said, "He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him" (John 5:23). If you don't worship Jesus, you don't worship God. And John wrote, "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life" (1 John 5:12; see also 2:23).”
Piper’s final point is made in an illustration that brings out the truth conveyed by the words “much more.”
“4. The final observation is the main one in this text, namely this: The past work of God in Christ increases for us the certainty of the future work of God to save us from his wrath.

I say this is the main point of the passage because everything else serves this point and because you see it repeated in the words "much more." Let's read verses 9 and 10 one more time, this time focusing on the heart-assuring logic of each verse. If logic was ever set on fire, surely it is in these two verses. Verse 9: "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Now do you see how this phrase "much more" is functioning? Children, consider this illustration. You move with your parents into a new neighborhood. And during the first night a fire breaks out in your house. Your neighbor - let's call him Mr. Peterson - sees the smoke, calls the fire department, breaks a window, wakes everybody up, crawls inside, gets your mom and dad to safety, but they have passed out. He hears you calling from an upstairs bedroom before the fire fighters arrive. He dashes up the stairs, wets a blanket in the bathtub, plunges through flames in the hall, wraps you in the blanket and brings you safely outside with terrible burns on his arms and face.

Over the next months you become very close friends with your Mr. Peterson and visit him in the hospital. One morning after he gets home, you ask him, "Mr. Peterson, will you come over this afternoon and show me a new trick with my yo-yo?" Mr. Peterson says, "Sure, I'd love to." But during the day you start to wonder if he will really come. And you say to your father, "I'm not sure Mr. Peterson will come this afternoon. He might forget, or maybe he really doesn't care about a little kid like me."

And then your father says, "You know what? If Mr. Peterson was willing to run through fire to save you at the risk of his own life and getting terrible burns, then how much more will he be willing to come over and show you a new yo-yo trick this afternoon! If he did the hard thing for you, then all the more surely, he will do the easy thing."

Do you see how the "much more" in verse 9 works? "Much more then, having been justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him." The point is to make you all the more confident and assured that God will save you.

It's the same in verse 10: "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." If Mr. Peterson risked his life to save you when he didn't even know you yet, how much more, now that you are friends, will he keep his word and come to play with you!

God has done the hardest thing in sacrificing his Son to reconcile his enemies. How shall he not save his friends!? He will! Much more, he will!”

Looking back, are Piper and Vine’s Expository Dictionary of the Bible at odds or is the tension their differing interpretations create, a good tension? One that forces us to think deeper, and appreciate God more. That is how I see it, in fact that is how I see most disagreements within the church. Two angles, two ways of looking at the same truth.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Adam, Eve and Us

another chance to teach on Wed. night.

Adam, Eve and Us
Genesis 2:15-3:14

Overview

2:15-17 Adam was put in the garden and given the limitation.
2:18-20 God sees that it is not good ro the man to be alone, but first He has the man name every creature and see for himself , that none of them are a “helper” suitable for him
2:21 Eve is created- Adam and Eve are to cleave, to be joined to become one flesh
2:25 “And they were both naked and were not ashamed.” The beauty of this is restored when church is really church - we are able to share and confess our sins and know that we will be prayed for, loved, supported and helped by other sinners.
3:1 The arrival of satan happens and the first thing he does is question the wisdom, love and power of God and His setting of a limit.
3:3 Eve adds to what God said - she got her information second hand so maybe Adam had added to it. Eve’s big mistake, entering into a conversation with satan.
3:4,5 Direct lies about God’s character
3:6 Eve stays around the tree (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life) 1John2:16
Adam was near-by, but not cleaving.
3:7 Shame, guilt
3:8 Hiding from God
3:9-13 God uncovers the sin
3:14 God’s first words are directed to the “serpent” and in them is hidden the gospel of hope.

Big Themes

The Tree of Life Vs The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Moment by moment dependence Follow a plan, program or set of rules
See from God’s perspective Judge - but always from a place of not knowing everything
What has God said? There is nothing wrong with that, it is ‘good.’
Humility waiting for guidance Pride seeking for the knowledge that puffs up

Cleaving

Deut. 30:20

The differences between the sexes are complimentary they are to be celebrated with humility. This is not an adversarial relationship.
A ‘becoming one’ - I don’t want to hurt you because when you are hurt, I am hurt.
Culture (satan) tearing away at this by making females more masculine and showing that they can do all things well. The point of God’s limit is to receive them as good, loving and helpful. There is true freedom only in His limits. There is bondage in complete freedom.

Why was the tree of life not attractive ?
Was it the cross?
Sin brought us into a place of being self - conscious

prior to this Adam and Eve were not aware that they were separate entities from God.


BONUS Material

John 12:20-26
Greeks ask to see Jesus.
Jesus puts them off for now, but with a message that indicates how to know Him forever.
Not just to meet Him here and now
Quote from Reggie “To find Jesus, follow the path of suffering and pain.”

Romans Bible Study 17 chapter 5:3-8

Romans Bible Study #17
Romans 5:3-8
word: ‘tribulation’

3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. NASB

3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit

6-8Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. The Message


Verse 3. The tribulations push us beyond our self. They cause us to rely on, lean on, trust in, One who is greater than us. We glory in the tribulation that reveals we are poor and needy. As “poor and needy” we can receive the great grace that is available to the broken and contrite. The prideful, skating thru life unhindered by any ‘hard times’ are in an illusion. The grace and mercy of God, must one day reveal this lie. The revelation will come in the form of tribulation that ‘breaks the hip’ of the self-sufficient and causes them to walk with a limp the rest of their lives. A step-by-step reminder of their dependence on God.
Perseverance is cherished by God because it says to all the world, “I’m going to keep going in this direction because I know God’s word is true.” It sees beyond the temporary circumstances and proclaims the faithfulness of God.
Verse 4 Christians and non-Christians go thru tribulations. The difference for Christians is knowing and trusting that behind such times stands a sovereign, loving God with a good purpose. From the “ground” of this knowing, sprouts the “plants” of perseverance, hope and virtue.
An example from one of the churches that Paul visited and that supported him.
2 Cor 8:1,2 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
There is no “physical explanation” for those two sentences, only a deep trust and belief in a God who cannot be seen could cause “deep poverty to overflow in liberality.” I have heard of this in poor nations where the people are so ‘hospitable’ that they give you there very best, even though it might cost them a months wages.

Verse 5 This verse isn’t an “I know that” verse in an educational sense, but in a revelation sense. God has sovereignly moved on my heart in such a way that I know I am forgiven and the recipient of His great love Ephesians 3:19
This is the “love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.” The depth of your heart cries out “Father ” and you know that He hears you. What Jesus did on the cross becomes personal and powerful. Things that didn’t use to make sense, are clear, because of the gift of the Holy Spirit and you can “see” better than you ever have. You have a deeper appreciation for the lives of others and want the best for them=love.

Verse 6 Paul has made this point before, but now he is making it again to emphasize the “personal” aspect of it. We, you and me, were helpless, you and me were ‘ungodly.’ There was nothing in us that was attractive to God, His love chose us anyway. It was all Him. It was all Mercy. If you truly, deeply know that and keep that truth at the core of your being you will be saved from many sorrows.

Verse 7 Paul will ‘give you’ that for a “good man” someone might lay down there life, but that analogy has nothing to do with what Jesus did for us.

Verse 8 God’s love is so much higher and more amazing than any comparison that could be made. We the ungodly, horribly stained sinners, offenders of God, breakers of every commandment. Here we stand with absolutely nothing to offer God... And YET, And YET, He chooses to give His life for us. Amazing Grace


Word– Tribulation- anything that tests your faith. Loss of health, broken relationships, accidents, natural disasters, verbal or physical assaults, or even
everyday inconveniences plumbing problems, cars break down, traffic jams.
Anything that makes life harder and threatens your faith in the goodness and power and wisdom of God is –tribulation. They are normal Acts 14:22. They are necessary, they are for our good.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

a good five-fold lesson

talking to my friend steve about a situation
and got some real-life insight into the beauty
of the five-fold ministry gifts working together

a teacher seeing only the need to deliver truth
pushes through and cares not about the
"collateral damage"

a pastor is concerned for each of the sheep
especially the youngest and most impressionable

so they need to come to a compromise and work
out a way to teach as much truth to as many people
as can handle it.

Praise God for such a superb design. Humility+corporate unity.
thank you YWAM some of your truths from 1986, 1987 have stuck
with me.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The end times

Tonight i will teach my church what Reggie and others taught me in Ohio.


Tribulation, Anti-Christ, End Times
Sometimes, what we think we know, is not the truth. Maybe we think that Mercury is the hottest planet because it is closest to the sun. That makes sense, but it is wrong, Venus is the hottest planet because it has an atmosphere that holds in the heat, Mercury has no clouds or atmosphere and so it cools down every “night.” This subject, has a lot of those kinds of things in it, and so we need to approach it with an attitude that says, “Let the Bible teach us,“ not us tell the Bible what we already know. As we look at this there will be questions and whatever can’t be answered this week we will look at next week.
In Matthew 24, the disciples ask a direct question, Jesus gives a direct answer and then refers them to a specific prophecy in the book of Daniel. We will use this chapter in Matthew and some sections of Daniel as our guide to “understanding the times of the end.”
WHEN?
In Matt. 24:3 the question the disciples ask is “when?” Jesus goes thru events that lead up to the end times in 24:4-14, but then in 24:15 He answers the ‘when.’ He refers them back to the book of Daniel where the abomination of desolation is mentioned three times. Daniel 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11. Daniel 9:27 tells about a ‘mid-week’ betrayal of a covenant. Daniel 11:31 mentions a “him” who is at the center of this betrayal. It is part of a larger section from 11:21-11:45 that gives an amazing amount of detail about “him.” Daniel 12:11 speaks of a specific number of days that the ‘tribulation’ period will last. A number of things are ‘going on’ in the tribulation, but 12:7 gives this insight for us to consider,
“I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.” (Leviticus 26:40-42 - When they accept their punishment.. I will remember. And when God says ’remember’ it marks a point in time when He is going to take action!)
WHAT HAPPENS
Back to Matthew 24. After verse 15 - (which gives the ‘when’ of when the tribulation / end times, starts) Jesus paints a picture of the depth of difficulty that will mark those days. He uses “those days” 3 times, verse 19, 22, 29. In verse 29 He has started a 3 verse explanation of God’s triumphal close of the tribulation. So the final 3 and 1/2 years of this “stage” of God’s plan starts with the abomination, has tribulation and then ends in a triumphant return and gathering. The rapture. The church goes thru the tribulation. It’s call is to be a light in the darkness. It’s greatest apostle was willing to be cut off, in order to see the Jews come in. Suffering leads to glory. Death brings resurrection. God’s sent ones are given grace to go into horribly awful situations and bring life. God’s promises are to carry us through the worst of times, not to pull the church out, and allow the unsaved Jews and the lost wander through the tribulation period with no ‘light.’
A good cross reference Bible will list, 1 Cor. 15:52and 1 Thes. 4:16, as parallel verses for Matthew 24:31. That is correct. The rapture is after the tribulation.
THE MAN
666 There is positively no mystery in this number. 6 is the number of man in scripture. 6 three times indicates the anti-christ will be ultimate man. Jesus was the incarnate Son of God, 1Tim. 3:16, the mystery of Godliness., satan is a copy cat, the anti-christ is satan incarnate, 2nd Thes. 2:8 the mystery of iniquity or lawlessness.
Michael arises and casts satan out of heaven Rev.12:9 (this is great news for the church, more on that later) simultaneously on earth the anti-christ, a normal human up till this point sustains a fatal wound of some kind(Rev.13:3, 13:12, ) and before all the world he ‘resurrects’ as satan possesses him and he begins to exercise the power and authority that satan gives him (Rev. 13:4) in conjunction with a religous 2nd in command, the false prophet, who is also working signs and wonders meant to deceive (Rev. 13:11-15). As said earlier, Daniel 11:21-11:45 gives a play by play of the actions of the anti-christ. Though there have been rulers who fulfilled parts of these events, none of them ended with a massive resurrection of the dead, Daniel 12:2.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Victorious over temptation (wed teaching)

Victorious in the hour of temptation Basilea Schlink

In a person’s life satan has a goal to keep us from salvation. When we come to salvation, the strategy of the devil changes, now his goal is to make us ineffective for God in this world. Temptation is his weapon, but we can turn that around and be victorious. The path to that victory will not look like we would expect it, but there is a way to victory.
James 1:13-15 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God ; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
(Psalms 138:6-8) For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
(James 4:6-7) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

God calls you to humble yourself before Him, that is, to submit yourself in body, soul, and mind, to His authority. That means that your actions, your words, your thoughts, and most importantly your heart attitude are to all be in subjection to God's will. Knowing God's will means knowing His Word since He has revealed His will to His people through His written Word. The first and greatest step, therefore, in submitting yourself to God is knowing His Word. Although He does not give you specific instruction for every circumstance or situation in your life, God reveals His will for how He wants you to live your life in a general sense. By knowing the element of God's will for your actions, words, and thoughts as He has revealed it in His Word, the momentum created in your life carries you into and through the specific circumstances that are not revealed.

Submission is defined by the world today as an act or attitude that is stifling, repressive, and oppressive. According to his character, the enemy has taken the truth and convinced the world and, unfortunately, many believers that it means the opposite. To submit yourself to God frees you from the influence of sin and its author. It opens to you the full extent and purpose of the power God has placed within you through His Holy Spirit.

4 Keys to being victorious over temptation.

1: I am willing to suffer. Suffering brings glory.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Ephesians 3:13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-8In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

2: I can wait for God’s timing, His help will never come too late
The tempter always offers IMMEDIATE assistance in the transformation of our depressing situation. but when we say, “I can wait for God’s timing, His help never comes too late.” we defeat the enemy with trust.
Help me to be willing to remain “in need” and to trust You.
Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Psalm 33:20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Isaiah 8:17And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him.
18Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.

3: My Father will take care of me. No one takes care of me like my Father.
When we are filled with longing/desire for something the enemy finds it easy to entrap us, but the enemy will flee when we are prepared to commit the desire to the Lord, our lives will be saying “My Father takes care of me, no one provides for me as well and at such a perfect moment as My Father ”
1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

4: Be willing to fight. Be prepared to let loving God, cost you wounds and tears.
Only he who fights will overcome. Temptations will come, but a crown of victory awaits those who fight by faith and trust in God.
Revelation insight into Matthew Chapter 11:11,12
11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”
Keep reading from Matt. 11
Discuss what it doesn’t mean.
The violent with their ‘self-life.’ Merciless with my ‘self’ and merciful to others.
“Love is not blind, it sees more not less, but because it sees more it is willing to see less.” A Jewish teacher named Julius Gordon.

Col. 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
Philippians 2:29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.

Hebrews 12: 3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
6FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, So that we may share His holiness. 11All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. 12Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. 14Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

Hosea 14:1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
One of satan’s tricks is to commit forgery. When we fail, stumble, or fall satan sends a letter pretending to be God, telling us that he has had enough and cannot forgive and heal anymore–wrong. Confess the fault to God and a trusted friend, get up and move on.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Romans Bible study 16 Romans 5:1,2

Romans Study #16
Romans 5:1,2
Hope (Part 2)



1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. NASB

1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. Message

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked (Deuteronomy 25:1). Here it is obvious that the question is not one of moral improvement. The judges are not to make the righteous man better. They are to vindicate his position as satisfactory to the law.
We need the voice which says, not merely, you may go; you are let off your penalty; but, you may come; you are welcomed into My presence and fellowship. We shall see later how important this difference is in the practical problems of our full salvation. But one thing is evident at first sight, namely, that this is implied in the very word Justification. For Justification, in common speech, never means pardon. It means winning, or granting, a position of acceptance. You are justified in taking this course of action, does not mean, you were wrong, yet you are forgiven. It means, you were right, and in the court of my opinion you have proved it. In religion accordingly our Justification means not merely a grant of pardon, but a verdict in favor of Our standing as satisfactory before the Judge.

Faith, in actual common use, tends to mean a practical confidence.

reliance, reposed on a trustworthy object, and exercised more or less in the dark

But the action to this end was on their part sublimely simple. It was reliance on the
the Promiser. Taking Him at His word.

We have seen a moment ago that one meaning most certainly cannot be borne by the word by. It cannot mean on account of, as if Faith were a valuable consideration which entitled us to Justification. The surrendering rebel is not amnestied because of the valuable consideration of his surrender, but because of the grace of the sovereign or state which amnesties. On the other hand, his surrender is the necessary means to the amnesty becoming actually his: It is his only proper attitude (in a supposed case of unlawful rebellion) towards the offended power. That power cannot, in the nature of things, make peace with a subject who is in a wrong attitude towards it. It wishes him well, or it would not provide amnesty. But it cannot make peace with him while he declines the provision. Surrender is accordingly not the price paid for peace, but it is nevertheless the open hand necessary to appropriate the gift of it.

In a fair measure this illustrates our word by in the matter of Justification by Faith. Faith, reliance, is, from one side, just the sinful man's coming in to accept the sacred amnesty of God in Christ, taking at His Word his benignant King. It is the rebel's putting himself into right relations with his offended Lord in this great matter of forgiveness and acceptance .... It is not a virtue, not a merit, but a proper means.

A word about peace. The runner up entry in a contest to draw a picture illustrating the word, “peace,” was a picture of a quiet meadow on a sunny day.
The winning entry was a tree in a field in the midst of a powerful dark cloud, hard rain, storm, but in the midst of the picture, perched on a branch (a branch too small and too far out) was a tiny bird, head tucked down, sleeping!
That is a picture of God’s peace, not a peace based on outer surroundings, a peace based on knowing that God is control and as Larry said on Sunday, a knowledge that “your problems” are His problems.”

Had to do a “hope” part 2 because I heard or read a neat story that makes “hope” more clear.The wives of the POW’s from the Vietnam war were waiting and hoping for 6 years, the hope began to fade, when one day a letter from the government arrived.
“Your husband has been located and will be on this ship
in the San Diego harbor on this date.”
Suddenly their “hope” sky-rocketed because
they had a letter from the government with an assurance that their “hope” would one day be sight. Our hope should sky rocket, we have a “letter” from God, guaranteeing the outcome, promising His love. Proclaiming freedom, and power and joy available to us.

lord lord did we not...

my reply to another bloggers question how to NOT hear the dreaded saying of Jesus..
I never knew you

Oh God deliver us from the subtle deception that Your gift is "my" gift. Deliver us from choosing an expedient program, over humbly waiting on You. Forgive us for leaving our first love, our bridal love, for You and becoming adulterers with the gifts You give. Purify the sons of Levi, with the flame of Your love and Your two-edged sword judge, reveal and heal the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. Give us hearts that choose the discipline and judgment today, while it is still light, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

oldest lesson on earth

Isn't it great when God has to RE-teach you the oldest lesson on earth!!!

Coming back from my run yelling at Him and having Him trip me up (it happened
I'm just reporting it to you) He made something very clear to me and brought
the lovely gift of conviction

He showed me that in my interactions with my wife and kids and others i was eating
from and making them eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and I NEEDED TO STOP IT and begin eating from the tree of life and give them the tree of life

EVERYTIME

then and only then would i truly be leaving room for Him to work and Him to get glory
Done and Done.
A quote from Chuck Smith If I am disappointed with myself, that only shows that I was trusting in my flesh.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

You are the problem

Revelation chapter 2 the letter to the church in Ephesus
was brought to life this morning by Basilea Schlink a now
decesaed nun from West Germany
If you can't receive from a nun, who knows Jesus better than
you, you are the problem.
That was my lesson this morning, what my wife or kids do
DOES NOT MATTER, if i respond with anything less than the love
of Christ, I am the problem
and the root of the problem is somewhere along the line
"you have left your first love' bridal love intimate love

if you are receiving and giving this kind of love from God
you are and will be truly unshakable in your love and life

So my criticism of others was they were refusing to see the
they were the problem and instead were blaming their problems
on others
and then God used this teaching to convict me of that exact same
thing and with His conviction comes love and grace to change

http://media.sermonindex.net/3/SID3789.mp3

here is the link if you dare!!

Friday, October 8, 2010

reverse culture thinking

We do not fall away because of our weakness but because of our strength.

Reggie Kelly
His website
www.mysteryofisrael.org

Saturday, October 2, 2010

wed night and Romans study 14

oh Lord help me to be hard on myself and gentle with others.

this is a wed night study that i did, that ended up with a theme of "travailing"



Col. 2:23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

John 15:5
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Galatians 4:19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you–

Ephesians 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

What are you saved from?

Hard questions:

Michael Savage was on my radio the other night and he said, he can believe in a God who is omni-present, but not one who is omnipotent, and he gave the example of the girls raped and burned to death in Conn...”So that was God’s will for those girls??” , he yelled at the caller.


From a friends email, speaking of her brother, “He believes in God and Jesus but believes that God loves us so would never send anyone to hell and how could God ever send a murder that repented to heaven but a good guy to hell. Those kind of questions. Or like What about the Jews and what about the Muslims. Plus not 100% sold out that the Bible is to be taken literally or that it is Gods word. As long as we are all "good" people and try to love each other we make it in.


One aspect of praying for the lost.
Ezekiel 28:14
"You were the anointed cherub who covers,And I placed you there You were on the holy mountain of God;You walked in the midst of the stones of fire.

2nd Corin. 4:3,4 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

The parable of the ten virgins: Matthew 25
Why is He telling it? Foolish and prudent or wise.

God didn’t save
Abel
Naboth Zechariah killed between porch and altar
Luke 11:51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation.'
2nd Chronicles24:18 They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt.
19Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the LORD; though they testified against them, they would not listen.
Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada
20Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus God has said, 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.'"
21So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD.
NT
James
11 of the apostles and Paul

and this is Romans study # 14 getting very close to the "good stuff" of Romans 5-8
and then the amazing truth of grace and election in Romans 9-11.


Romans Bible Study # 15
Romans 4:18-25
Hope


18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.
19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;
20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
22Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. NASB

God himself said to him, You're going to have a big family, Abraham
19-25Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child. Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right. But it's not just Abraham; it's also us The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God. MSG

18 Staring the impossible in the face, Abraham chose to look beyond the impossible to the God who “brings life from the dead.” This is ‘hope against hope.” Beyond possibility, beyond visibility to the unseen God.
19 Abraham was not a delusional optimist, he knew exactly what the situation was before him. Genesis 17:17 says, Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby? Often the New Testament is kind to Old Testament saints, this verse overlooks the very understandable, honest appraisal of the situation and focuses on the next step in Abraham’s walk, his belief. Faith takes us beyond the visible world.

20 “grew strong in faith giving glory to God” Abraham’s belief going beyond all that he could see or hope for in this life. “Faith grips reason by the throat and strangles the beast.” Barth
“Faith takes us beyond this world and puts us in touch with the divine. When we choose to believe the words that God speaks, we “grow” the divine life in us. Where there is no faith, God is deprived of His honour; He ceases to be accounted among us wise and just and faithful and rue and merciful. Where there is no faith, god retains neither His divinity nor His majesty. Therefore, everything hangs upon our faith.” Barth God’s word to us will often be laughable, but He will then bring the thing to birth and name it “laughter,” like He did with Abraham.

21 “being fully assured”, this is a description of “real faith.” Faith like a rock that you can stand on, a chair that you can sit in. There was no hope (in this life) that what God had said would come to pass. This is the “poverty in spirit” that leads to real faith. There is no way “we” can bring this to pass, it is all on You God, to fulfill Your word and I believe you will. That is faith.

22 “Wherefore” speaks of the fact that Abraham was building his life on and around this “unseen truth.” Faith is not just one element in his character, it is the cornerstone upon which his life is built.

23 The righteousness that gets credited by faith is a truth that transcends time. The event happened in history, but the truth behind the event, goes on and on. Only when an event is ‘divine’ in origin can it be said to be done for our sake, thousands of years later. God is outside of time and this transaction with man that He is enabling applies to all of humanity that do as Abraham did.

24 Truth is powerful. Jesus was raised from the dead, because of the truth of God’s word. Jesus knew He was to die and He knew that on the 3rd day, He would be resurrected. Do you see it? That event was life out of death, and this pre-cursor event is Abraham believing that life can come from his dead body and Sarah’s dead womb. Believing that God can do what He says, is faith.

25 Faith is the only way we can connect to God. Only faith can see that Jesus on the cross is paying for my sins, and only faith can “see” that His resurrection results in my being placed in a secure position of right standing with God, able to receive the incredible gift of His Spirit and power to enable me to walk the Christian way.

HOPE - Psalm 39:7, Psalm 130:7, Joel 3:16, Romans 15:13, Col. 1:5, 1 Thes.5:8 The helmet of the hope of salvation protects our minds, because it fights against the doubt that Satan is trying to constantly have us to entertain. “Did God really say?” is his deceptively evil sentence.
1 Tim. 1:1, Titus 1:2, 1Peter 1:3,

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

10 virgins

What a parable!!
The point i needed to see today was that all 10 were waiting for the bridegroom
I get angry at the shallow-ness of the pre-trip rapture position, but that
does no good. I need to love and speak the truth in Love.

But there will come a time, when you CANNOT go to someone else for "oil"
You must have your own supply, and not have let it "dissipate out"
Thank you Cossette for confirming this.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Rapture lies

the pre-trib rapture is a lie.
God's purpose for the true church is to rise up and be a loving, unshakable, support for the Jews as they endure the wrath of the anti-christ. Of course, by being a friend to them, the church too will be persecuted. Persecution brings purity, and coincidentally, Jesus is coming back for a pure spotless bride.

While I was running the other day, God gave me two illustrations. The first was that no one running a long race would want someone to give them a "ride" for the last 100 yards to the finish line. He would look at the person and go, "No, I don't want a ride, these feet were made to run the whole race all the way to the finish."

the second was, if your wife is pregnant and in the 9th month, about to bring to birth and go thru that travail, that would not be the time to say, "see ya hon, good luck with that whole birth thing, i'm going away for a month." The church is to be with the Jew during this horribly, beautiful time. Horrible because of all the death and destruction, beautiful, because satan is cast out of heaven and the church will be able to do marvelous things with free access to heaven.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Romans Bible study 14 Chap 4:13-17

Romans Bible Study # 14
Romans 4:13-17
Sola Scriptura= Scripture Alone (Perspicuous)

13For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
15for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Looking at verse 13 Everything that Adam lost by disobedience was restored to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. So the command to Adam to “subdue the earth” will one day be brought to fruition. I thought of the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son. “Son everything I have is yours” the father tells the bitter, angry, older brother.
What will eternity be like? Does the title “heir of the world” hit home? Is it real to us, this incredible blessing that is so freely given? It should be becoming more and more clear that there is no way that we could “do” anything to be worthy of these incredible blessings. Being right with the perfect, holy God. Having peace with Him. Being made righteous. Being given the “world.” The thing that Satan, offers but cannot give, God gives to us, who truly believe. No, no one would conceive that the law could lead to this. We can’t follow the law for as long as it takes a thought to form in our mind, there is no way we can “perform” our way into this kingdom. We have access only through faith.
Verse 14 The law, an earthly system, can never gain access to such an amazing promise. Barth says, “Faith is faith, only when it is an ‘advance’, possible and comprehensible because it comes from God alone, and from God Himself. Faith is creative, only in so far as it is light from light uncreated; living, only when it is life from death; positive, only if by it men are grounded upon the groundlessness of God.” Basically the promise is supernatural and the means to gain the promise has to be supernatural too.
Verse 15 The law brings wrath, because we can not do it. So we fall short and the only thing awaiting us is wrath, separation from the holy God and eternal torment. The law, apart from faith, forms an obstacle to the inheritance of the kingdom. The law testifies to the reality of God, but it does not possess God. Faith is rid of all arrogance and aware of its own emptiness before the pure “No” of God. As Larry said on Sunday the choice is rather easy. Wrath or ‘heir of the world.’ So satan must be very ‘worldly wise’ because his strategy to blind so many and lead them to choose quick, temporary pleasures is working. The gospel of truth and life and eternal joy is losing on many fronts and it doesn’t make sense.
Verse 16 Since the promise is by faith it is open to all who are children of Abraham. The law would have been exclusive and limited, faith brings us all in.
Verse 17 Abraham was the father of one nation Israel, and another nation Arabs, but in the physical, he was not the father of ‘many nations.’ No, this sentence, spoken in Gen. 17:5 is a foretelling of the many nations of the ‘gentiles’ who would come into the kingdom, by faith. This faith is what “brings the known condition and status of human life into relation with the unknown God. Abraham is the father of us all “before God,” in His view, not according to the flesh.” Barth
Faith is our door into the kingdom of God. Faith looks at “dead” and says God can bring life to this. Faith looks at “does not exist” and says God can, with a word, call this into being. “Faith beholds life and existence where the man of the world see nothing but death and non-existence; and contrariwise, it sees death and non-existence where he behold full-blooded life.”

Sola Scriptura - “The Romish understanding of using both scripture and tradition had led to some false things coming in. So the reformers felt that tradition needed to be dropped and there needed to be a return to Scripture Alone as the ONLY thing necessary to give us an understanding of God’s will and what He requires of us. Probably the best argument for this is the teaching of Christ Himself. Christ rebukes the Pharisees for adding to and perverting the Scriptures.--Matt. 15:7-9; Mark 7:5-8; see also Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Josh. 1:7.
All Christians are commanded to search the scriptures, and by them to judge all doctrines and all professed teachers.--John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Gal. 1:8; 2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:21; 1 John 4:1,2.”
The reformers argument for, scripture alone, uses the word perspicuous a lot. Perspicuous - plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation. Their argument is because Scripture is perspicuous, due to the anointing of God, adding “tradition” just ‘muddies the water.
The truth as I see it is, there have been times when men have misinterpreted scripture and gone off the deep end, but, the idea of having men add traditions that are held up as equal to scripture leads to big-time errors too and those errors when held up as necessary for all the church to follow, become bigger than the errors of one man’s misinterpretation. If that man would humbly submit his interpretation to the ‘church’ he could then be corrected (or upheld) by others in the church who were holding fast to scripture, led by the Holy Spirit. Most, if not all, of the errors of personal interpretation would be handled if a humble spirit was displayed. So the refusal of a man to submit his interpretation to a church body, is a huge “red flag” that this is not the work of God.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

travail before birth

death before resurrection
a short excerpt from a teaching by reggie kelly

The doctrine of Zion’s inviolability implies an unjustified optimism that reflects ignorance of what is necessary for the covenant to be fulfilled. It is the necessity of death before resurrection. We are offended at the lengths God will go, and must go, in order to bring again Jacob. We are ignorant of this for them, because we’ve not sufficiently known it for ourselves. There is a travail of the Spirit that forms Christ in the heart (Gal 4:19). As Paul said, “so then death works in us, but life in you” (2Cor 4:12). That is why Israel’s deliverance is often depicted as a birth that is preceded by travail (Isa 13:8; 66:8; Mic 5:3; Jer 30:6 etc.)



The reason for such tribulation is manifest (Acts 14:22). Fallen human nature cannot be conquered except by the inward work of the cross, applied by the Spirit, through the quickening of divine revelation. This is why Jacob must be brought to the end of his power (Deut 32:36; Dn 12::7) before the veil can be taken away (2Cor 3:16; Zech 12:10). How can it be different for the church? The veil is lifted and Christ revealed at the end of strength (“confidence in the flesh”). That is the pattern for all the true “Israel of God”. It is death before resurrection and travail before birth.

I was going to highlight a sentence but the whole thing is necessary.
Purify the sons of Levi, is our hearts cry.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

wed class "sent ones"

Sent and sent ones

Apostle = “sent forth ones” english translation of greek
Missionary = “sent ones” latin translation

When the disciples come back from their first time being sent out by Jesus, they are anxious to tell Him all that they saw accomplished, all the miracles, and Jesus is a “wet blanket.” He says, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." The foundation has to be that you have been sent out, by God, so that, when the results are far less encouraging, like being stoned or driven out to the edge of town, you are not ‘shaken.’

Mat 10:40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

Mat 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
Luk 4:26 and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

Luk 9:2 And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing.

Jhn 1:6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.

Jhn 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work..

Jhn 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Jhn 5:30 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Jhn 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

Jhn 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."

Jhn 11:42 "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me."

Jhn 12:45 "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.

Jhn 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

Jhn 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Jhn 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

Act 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Act 13:3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Act 13:4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Romans Bible Study Lesson 13 4:9-12

Romans Bible Study #13
Romans 4:9-12
Solo Christo= Christ Alone

9Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." Gen.15:6

10How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

11and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,

12and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.

Verse 9 and 10 The blessing pronounced on Abraham was many years before offering Isaac on the altar, in fact, Isaac wasn’t even born yet! The blessing of Chapter 15 of Genesis was also many years before the institution of circumcision in chapter 17. In fact, Ishmael was given the sign of circumcision also. He is not however included in the people of God, so he was a child of Abraham, but not in the line of the promise. He was a child of the bondwoman, not the free. Later on even though he has circumcision, he is sent out and not an heir like, Isaac. (Galatians 4:21-31)
So the inadequacy, of circumcision was being shown even then. It is not enough. It points to a truth, but it is not the truth.
The righteousness that is by faith is the true beginning of the positive relationship between God and man. Abraham at this point is pagan, uncircumcised and has done no ‘works’ to earn anything. God is the one who brings everything positive to this relationship, all we bring is death, and the acknowledgment of what we cannot do. All religions that have “a way” to God involving works are a lie, and would show themselves to be a lie by anyone who would honestly and truly attempt to “live” by them. Our inability to make ourselves “right with God” is not only understood and accepted in Christianity, it is almost “celebrated” as a truth that leaves us swimming in the ocean of God’s grace. Paul continues to “drain the pool” of any thought that we have some ‘part’ in salvation.
The ‘reckoning’ or ‘credited’ of righteousness is effected, in Abraham, by God, before circumcision. Paul trashes boasting by humans, he speaks of righteousness as a blessing, a gift.

Verse 11 “Sign” and “seal” are the two important words in this verse. Circumcision is not the foundation, it is a ‘sign’ pointing to what God had already done. It is a confirmation of what has taken place in the spiritual world out here in the concrete world. It is ‘religion’ and it is NOT essential. Our ‘works,’ our struggles to obey and live this life, are not the foundation, they are a sign that God has already done an amazing work of new birth in us.
Our obedience is not the foundation of our Christian life, otherwise we are completely rocked and lost every time we disobey. That is not the Christian life, our foundation is the faith that God has imparted and the fact that in our hearts a work has been done by God, that hates the sin, that wants to turn from it. His life has been imparted to us by faith. True religion is a set of steps that leads out of a dark hole and ends in fresh air and light. The mistake that is made is to “add to it” and ‘make it exclusive’ by erecting a building around the steps and saying that the building was the goal. The mistake that is made is “they loved their religion more than the God of their religion,” which is how the “hope” movie, described what happened to the Jewish religion, by the time that Jesus arrived on the scene. Faith is not exclusive, all can believe in God by faith. Circumcision which was meant to be a ‘sign’, gets twisted to become a ‘basis’ of being right with God.
There is a verse in a hymn that brings out this truth.
“He breaks the power of cancelled sin.”
The truth of the Christian life is that we are ‘walking out’ what God has done for us. He cancelled the sin, by faith. His life in us works to ‘break the power of sin’ over us, over time, thru many failures and stumbles and falls, each of which humbles us and reminds us of the source of our power.
Legalism is a bondage that says “I will break the power of this sin over me.”
Religions right place in all this is ‘between’ the amazing beginning of faith, God’s work done in us, it is a sign that that work has taken place, and it looks toward the end of faith, God’s final work of transformation, this mortal putting on immortality.

Verse 12 So Abraham is right with God, by faith, and those Jews who are circumcised have nothing unless they also have become right with God, by faith, like Abraham. And those who are uncircumcised can still rejoice and be right with God, totally outside of that because the foundation is “sola fide”, by faith alone!



Continuing our review of the 5 “Sola”s of the Reformation

Solo Christo! By Christ's Work Alone are We Saved

The Reformation called the church back to faith in Christ as the sole mediator between God and man. While the Roman church held that "there is a purgatory and that the souls there detained are helped by the intercessions of the faithful" and that "Saints are to be venerated and invoked;" "that their relics are to be venerated" -- the reformers taught that salvation was by Christ's work alone. As John Calvin said in the Institutes of the Christian Religion, "Christ stepped in, took the punishment upon himself and bore the judgment due to sinners. With his own blood he expiated the sins which made them enemies of God and thereby satisfied him...we look to Christ alone for divine favour and fatherly love!" Likewise the Heidelberg Catechism, Question 30 asks, "Do such then believe in Jesus the only Saviour who seek their salvation and happiness in saints, in themselves, or anywhere else? They do not; for though they boast of him in words yet in deeds they deny Jesus the only deliverer and Saviour: for one of these two things must be true that either Jesus is not a complete Saviour or that they who by a true faith receive this Saviour must find all things in him necessary to their salvation."

An added word about the baptism of infants.
This is an add on because the Presbyterian church and ‘Reformed’ churches take Romans 4:11 and other verses to support the baptism of infants. They say since circumcision is a sign and baptism is a sign and circumcision was given to male
babies at 8 days old, baptism could be administered to the ‘seed’ of the children of the new covenant. The argument falls apart when we acknowledge that the new covenant is not a relationship between God and a specific physical group of people. We are brought into the family, by faith, and an infant cannot, understand and express faith.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Does James Contradict Paul?

Does James Contradict Paul?
Galatians 5:6b “but faith working through love.”
Paul understands that this faith, when it is true will result in a sacrificial, risk-taking, lay-down-your-life kind of love. But James is concerned that some were hiding behind, “I’m not perfect just forgiven” bumper-stickers; and were displaying a dead, or demon, or useless faith. Dead faith James 2:14-17: Demon faith James 2:19: Useless faith James 2:20.
James 2:23 and Romans 4:3 are quoting the same verse from Genesis 15:6. So both believe that justification is by faith, but James looks at the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac 12 years later as ‘proof’ of his faith.
James 2:24 “You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.”
James 4:13-16 read
James recognizes that all is from God. It would be arrogant to say that “a person” is adding his works to faith and thereby has something to boast in.
So what we have here is two authors looking at the same transaction in different ways.
God and Paul and James are at McDonald’s at the counter, they have placed their order and now God is picking up the tab, paying for the whole thing. Paul begins to rejoice right then and there, My Meal is Paid For, Paid in Full, by God. Hallelujah!! James is standing back quietly not rejoicing until he is handed the actual meal, once the meal is in his hand, then he turns to God and expresses his thanks to God. Thank You for buying me this meal that I now hold in my hand.

For Paul “justification by works” means gaining a right standing with God thru the merit of works. For James “justification by works” means maintaining a right-standing with God by faith along with the necessary evidences of that faith. The works of love are necessary as evidence of the “faith” by which alone, God has reckoned you righteous.
Paul would say that the only thing that unites you to Christ is dependence on Christ. James would say the faith which truly justifies, never remains alone, but always works by love.
Paul is battling the lie that we have any part in being made right with God.
James is battling the lie that faith can be something that exists separate from the rest of your life and a person can go on being bad and doing great harm to the name of Christ.
Colossians 2:6 brings this all together. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,” Paul expects his readers to walk out there daily lives with the same deep dependence that they showed when they received Him by faith.

Romans Bible Study Lesson 12 3:31-4:8

Romans Bible Study Number 12
Romans 3:31-4:8
Phrase Sola Gracia – by Grace Alone

Romans 3:31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according tot he flesh, has found? 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works , he has something to boast about, but not before God. 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4:4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. 4:8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.

Verse 3:31 “The Law” is not nullified by faith it is established. That is, through the eyes of faith we now see the Law, and its true purpose. The Law is the eternal “no” of God that then leads us to cry out for the “yes” of faith. The law puts us squarely under the unbearable weight of divine judgment, awaiting the amazing miracle of divine justification, which we receive by faith.
Verse 4:1 Abraham is held up, because if “this gospel” is to be ultimate truth, it must be shown to apply to the ultimate Hebrew. Jesus said, “Before Abraham was I am.” (John 8:58) This led to a discussion with the religious leaders of His day that led to them picking up stones to stone Him. So, when you bring up Abraham to a Jewish audience, the ears of all “perk up” and a new ‘weight’ comes to the conversation.
Verse 4:2,3 If Abraham was justified by works, this ‘gospel’ collapses. Either it applies to everyone for all time or it becomes optional, something that some people need, but not all. The “relative” boasting of men comparing themselves with men, example, Terry Bradshaw was a better quarterback than Bubby Brister, has no ground with God. Both are sinners, doomed to an eternal hell, if they do not repent. All that Abraham was, was proceeded by, “Abraham believed God.” We have no ‘sensible organ’ to see what is unseen, to see beyond death, to recognize ‘invisible authority’, the know Him who is unknowable. This belief in God is credited (an accounting term) as righteousness. The miracle of faith comes from God, and the free gift of righteousness comes from God. “Through what they are not, men participate in what God is.” “Faith is a vacuum and a limitation encompassed by miracle and by paradoxical impossibility.” Two quotes from Barth, he loves the word “paradox”, which he takes to mean para-beyond and doxa-opinion, also Doxa-Glory. So with Abraham, as with everyone who “Believes in God,” all of our “works” proceed out of what we are not...Faith is a miracle, a miracle that comes when we are at the end of ourself. It is the source of Abraham’s works and our works. Faith is “void of any human content” and because it is, “it is guaranteed by God as His righteousness.
Verse 4 God is not a builder paying a contractor to come and do work that benefits Him. So much depends on our view, our understanding of God. He is “other.” He has no ‘needs.’ It is completely impossible for us to do something for Him. Remember ‘sixpence none the richer’- CS Lewis picture of a boy going out and buying his father a present with his father’s money, so his father got a present worth sixpence, but he paid sixpence for it. The heresy of salvation by works is completely unmasked when you realize it is acting like a person could put God in his debt. “God, you owe me,” is a patently ridiculous statement.
Verse 5 Faith is the standard of God, and that faith puts us in the book of life. The knowledge of ‘good and evil’ the tree that we eat of and choose to judge from has been proven to be poison. God is the judge, and His true and right judgment is based on faith, which brings His life. We assign far to much ‘praise’ to “great men” and we assign far too much blame to “evil men.” Faith is reckoned as righteousness, God’s righteousness, the divine ‘nevertheless’ not the divine ‘therefore.’ Forgiveness of who we are, not approval of who we are is the key.
“who justifies the ungodly” is the key, there is absolutely no boasting.
Verse 6 One heavy-hitter from the Hebrew hall of fame has been brought out by Paul to prove that his Gospel is not knew, and now he brings out the other King David. What does David have to say about the possibility of a person working to be make himself right with God? Nothing!, because he knows there is no such possibility.
Verse 7 Those who are blessed are not “the godly receiving their wages” but the ungodly receiving their GIFT. The forgiveness of God covering the sins of man. Our righteousness is actually the death of any hope of our righteousness and then the conscious leaning on God and His righteousness.
Verse 8 The very next verse in the same Psalm (32) My sin, I don’t deny it, I own it, it is mine, but oh, oh, oh, what amazing grace is given to me, God does not take it into account!
Read Psalm 32:1-5
All false religions go off course right here at this point. They say there is a “stairway to heaven” works that can be done to earn a spot, service that can be rendered that puts God in your debt. Christianity shouts “NO” to all human righteousness and all human obtaining of right-standing with God. And in that, hard, unyielding, unscalable, wall of NO, God utters His YES. He offers a new relationship, one that has hope, as long as God is the only object of that hope. His forgiveness, His grace freely given, and absolutely, positively nothing else.

Sola Gracia by Grace alone. The second major theme of the reformation.
Because God loves us, through the blood of Jesus, He forgives us freely, because of His love. We do not deserve it, but the love of God gives it to us. By Grace alone, what is amazing is how “simple” these truths are, but in their simplicity they cut against the heart of man, that desires to prove itself as, good, right, deserving of love. The NO of God is; you deserve death (desperation), leads to the YES of God (hope) that flowing simply and powerfully out of His love, forgiveness comes to us at great cost. At a horrible cost we are freely made right with God, by faith.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

the goal

My goal is God Himself not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God.

Oswald Chambers July 12

Friday, June 18, 2010

Israel's time of trouble

Reggie Kelly has been given tremendous insight into the "times of the end."
Here is a little portion of a recent e-mail from him to give insight into
the "over-reaction" of the nations to Israel's defense of it's borders.







"In any event, God has chosen to permit the eternally beloved nation (beloved with all the pathos and affection that a good father has towards his errant child) to be morally and politically "framed" far out of proportion to their actual crimes (from the relative human point of view).

Things are coming that will be tragic and pathetic beyond our ability to bear. Our hearts will break, as our faith will be tested to the core. "It will be a terror only to understand the report" (Isa 28:19). This was the prophet, Habakkuk's, dilemma. He was perplexed at God's choice to use a nation of far greater ferocity and wickedness (by human standards) to come down for the scourging of His covenant elect.

The prophet knew keenly the nation's covenant dereliction, but it was difficult for Habakkuk to find the equal weight of justice, not so much in the severity of judgment, but in God's choice to use as the instrument of that judgement a nation that far exceeded Israel for cruelty and pagan defiance of covenant righteousness (see Isa 10:5). It was particularly God's use of a nation far more wicked and fierce than the victim nation that constituted the offense to Habakkuk's own human perceptions and relative measurements. We see not as He sees (Isa 55:8-9).


This is the mystery of God's use of evil in behalf of His elect. We need to see that behind the fierce countenance of Satan's hatred (in this case, the "ancient hatred" of Esau, which has found modern expression through the spirit of Islam; Ezk 35:5), is the even more ultimate opposition of God Himself. It is God who puts hooks into the jaws of the northern invader! (Ezk 38:4). It is God that puts it in the hearts of the ten kings to judge the harlot! (Rev 17:17). We may suppose that this is precisely because the harlot is more covenantally aware and responsible than the ten kings that serve not only the purposes of Antichrist but more ultimately of God.

We need to see this mystery, not only for Israel but for ourselves. When God's elect are exposed through disobedience to "the yoke of a cruel one," it is then they learn how easy His yoke is by comparison, and so flee back under the refuge of the covenant, which only the believer has in Christ.

To understand this hidden principle is to escape much that might otherwise offend and threaten the collapse of faith. We must know for Israel and for ourselves what Jesus understood when He said to Pilate: "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above." Where God's true elect are concerned, this could as well be said of Satan as of Pilate (Ro 8:28).

If a prophet of Habakkuk's spiritual stature could be mystified and offended by God's use of evil, what can be expected for the latent humanism that so deeply pervades most of Christendom when Israel will be betrayed not only by the nations, but once more by institutional Christendom as well?

Therefore, we must not faint when our human sensibilities will be overwhelmed. The reason is clear: Just as God 'got His man' on the Damascus road, He will get His nation, regardless! He does not spare in His pursuit (Jacob's trouble; Jer 30:7; Dn 12:1; Mt 24:21-22; compare also Deut 32:36 with Dn 12:7; also Gal 1:15-16 with Ps 102:13; 110:3).

The church must come to understand what Israel will learn in the crucible of Jacob's trouble, namely, He will not spare to bring all the way down just so that He might raise His afflicted all the way up to sit in heavenly places in Christ, to behold His beauty forever! It will be worth it all.

It is so important that we do not get caught up in endless comparisons of things that are at best relative. It is our prophetic calling to see beyond the veil to that glorious heart and wisdom that does not spare to sacrifice the thing that is momentary for a far greater weight of glory. We must see this for Israel and for ourselves. The judgement may seem by every human measurement and reckoning to be excessive, but the eye of faith knows it is not, and chooses to justify God rather than man. "Blessed be the name of the Lord! "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me" (Mt 11:6). "

Thursday, June 17, 2010

pride killer

I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
Oswald Chambers

Monday, June 14, 2010

romans 3:25-26 Propitiation

Romans Bible Study #10
Romans 3:25,26
Word: Propitiation

We are doing an amazing thing here. We are studying the word of God, that can only be apprehended and understood, by faith. We must not ever try to change the Word. We must be vigilant to allow the Word to change us. Prayer.

25whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Redemption, from last week, spoke of a ransom paid, and part of that truth is, sin had put us into captivity to our fleshly desires and satan, and now, we are set free. This weeks word “propitiation” speaks of something that our natural minds can not wrap themselves around. Propitiation, has to do with averting the “wrath of God” from off of us. ‘Falling short of the glory of God‘ is not seen today as the horrible sin that it is. If the creator and sustainer of all life is despised by His creatures, and they choose to not give Him honor, the universe has been turned upside-down. There has to be a penalty for that. It is ingrained in us by the grace of God, that when one person treats another person cruelly, there needs to be a penalty. How much more so, when a creature betrays God.

Quotes and attempts to define propitiation.
1. Propitiation: This means the turning away of wrath by an offering. It is similar to expiation but expiation does not carry the nuances involving wrath. For the Christian the propitiation was the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. It turned away the wrath of God so that He could pass "over the sins previously committed" (Romans. 3:25). It was the Father who sent the Son to be the propitiation (1 John 4:10) for all (1 John 2:2).
2. Propitiation is a theological term describing an atoning sacrifice. Generally, Christian belief is that the death of Jesus on the cross appeased the justice of God and effected a reconciliation between God and mankind. Christian theology relates this to the "mercy seat" or propitiatory in the Holy of Holies, in the Jewish temple.
3. Romans 3:25 - "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;...."
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation...." -- that is a big word that throws a curve at a lot of people, and the best way I can define "propitiation" is, that everything that is pictured in that Tabernacle experience (all the material that went in to the building of it, all the furniture, the Ark of the Covenant, the Candlestick, the Altar of Incense, the Table of Shewbread, the Laver of Cleansing, the Brazen Altar, and all of those furnishings) is a picture of Christ in His work of redemption. So, that's really what propitiation is...that complete overall work that Christ accomplished by His death, burial and resurrection


Many Christians (including myself) really don't like to use 'propitiation', because the God of the Bible is unlike idols and emperors who could be bribed or kissed up to with gifts, offerings and such. The wrath of this God is the anger of heartbreak and injustice. God doesn't want appeasement, and won't be placated. God wants real justice and self-sacrificial service. God wants to be known and loved. The problem is, such things are so difficult that they never come about without cost. (See below.) The bigger the wrongs, the harder the changes, the greater the separation between God and people, and the bigger the cost. Picture then the cost of all human wrongs bundled up and tied together. Any propitiation as an attempt at appeasement is dwarfed by all those wrongdoings. How much can even a loving God take? But God's love is so strong, and God's awareness of our limitations is so clear, that God came to be among us as Jesus, knowing that we would sentence Him to what for us is the ultimate cost - death. Thus, for Christians, 'propitiation' is what Christ did by suffering and dying on the cross.

So, basically when the accusation comes against God, “You are too soft on sin, look at how You let people continually get away with stuff,” God’s reply is “Look at the cross, that is what I think of sin.“
Isaiah 53:1-12. If we spend time with this entire chapter and God “quickens” it to our hearts, then we will have a beginners understanding of propitiation.

Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.

Include Uriah’s dad’s perspective.

Psalm 103:10,11 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. for as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

Include the illustration of opening the book and reading and whose name is on it.

Psalm 50:21,22 "These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.
Now consider this, you who forget God, Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

Proverbs 6:32-35 The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it. Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.
For jealousy enrages a man, And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
He will not accept any ransom, Nor will he be satisfied though you give many gifts.

I’ll repeat my thought from the beginning and add one thought.

We are doing an amazing thing here. We are studying the word of God, that can only be apprehended and understood, by faith, by a gracious revelation from God to us. We must not ever try to change the Word. We must be vigilant to allow the Word to change us.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

tenderly, like a father

this one phrase in a sentence was part of our Wed night lesson
and a weight of conviction fell on me, when it was spoken.
Here is where you can pray for me.
Here is where I am weak.
tenderly - doing the father vocation in a way that understands
the fact that those God has given me are at times crushed, bruised, and
fragile. They need a father who is tender, not one who is just
trying to get everyone and everything from point A to point B.
Help me Father to reflect your tenderness.
Isaiah 42:1-4