Category Archives: Teachable

Am I on the path?, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Self Control, Sin, Study the Word, Teachable

Have You Truly Come To Know Jesus?

John addressed in clear manner a way for us to discern about others, and even about ourselves, whether or not we truly know Jesus Christ. It is simple, really, but many miss it. They get too complacent in saying they know Christ, but they do not actually follow Him and walk the way that He walked. They continue to live in sin, perhaps telling themselves that they have been forgiven, but refusing to turn away from their sin. The truth is not in them.

1 John 2:1-14

Christ Is Our Advocate

      1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

      3By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

      7Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. 9The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 10The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

      12I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. 14I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Of course we all must start somewhere. When we are beginners in Christ, we will still be working to shed our sinful behaviors and attitudes. We will have started the journey to leave our sinful nature behind and begun the journey to become more and more like Jesus. We do not get there all at once. The Holy Spirit continues to reveal more and more truth through scripture study the longer we seek Him.

However, with a reasonable understanding of where we are in our journey with Christ, We should apply John’s test to ourselves fairly regularly. Are we keeping His commandments? Are we continuing to pull away from sin and move toward Christ more and more? Do we love our brothers rather than hate them?

Pray for the Father to help you have a clear understanding of your relationship with Him and not be deceived by the teaching of the world which constantly tell us we are good enough no matter what sin we continue and often mocks those who actually follow Christ most closely.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Offering Sacrifices, Seeking God, Self Control, Sin, Study the Word, Teachable

Ignorance of Sin Is Not Protection From Guilt and Judgment

Many people today want to believe that everyone goes to heaven and no one gets punished. People want to believe that somehow if someone is “good” in man’s definition, then it must not matter what they believe in regards to God. This is dangerous teaching, because quite plainly it is not true and it can lead people to complacency in their relationship with the Father. Complacency in relationship to the Father usually results in becoming more like the world rather than becoming more like Him. Complacency is a lure that leads to separation from the Father.

Throughout the scriptures, the truth of guilt and sin are reinforced. From Old Testament to New Testament, we are reminded consistently that there is an absolute right standard … God’s standard, and there are things which are absolutely wrong… sin. It is God’s judgment on what is good and what is bad that matters, not man’s opinion. When we choose to submit to the Father as Lord of our lives, we want to learn how to please Him. We pray for wisdom and discernment and seek Him by studying scriptures. We learn right and wrong more completely according to His word.

For those who do not seek Him, who do not recognize sin effectively out of ignorance… ignorance is not a protection from guilt and the wages of sin is death.

Leviticus 5:17

17“Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

Romans 6:23

23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Leviticus 5

The Law of Guilt Offerings

      1‘Now if a person sins after he hears a public adjuration to testify when he is a witness, whether he has seen or otherwise known, if he does not tell it, then he will bear his guilt. 2‘Or if a person touches any unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean cattle or a carcass of unclean swarming things, though it is hidden from him and he is unclean, then he will be guilty. 3‘Or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort his uncleanness may be with which he becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty. 4‘Or if a person swears thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, in whatever matter a man may speak thoughtlessly with an oath, and it is hidden from him, and then he comes to know it, he will be guilty in one of these. 5‘So it shall be when he becomes guilty in one of these, that he shall confess that in which he has sinned. 6‘He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin.

      7‘But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD his guilt offering for that in which he has sinned, two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8‘He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first that which is for the sin offering and shall nip its head at the front of its neck, but he shall not sever it. 9‘He shall also sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar: it is a sin offering. 10‘The second he shall then prepare as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin which he has committed, and it will be forgiven him.

      11‘But if his means are insufficient for two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then for his offering for that which he has sinned, he shall bring the tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not put oil on it or place incense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12‘He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it as its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar, with the offerings of the LORD by fire: it is a sin offering. 13‘So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin which he has committed from one of these, and it will be forgiven him; then the rest shall become the priest’s, like the grain offering.’”

      14Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 15“If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally against the LORD’S holy things, then he shall bring his guilt offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation in silver by shekels, in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. 16“He shall make restitution for that which he has sinned against the holy thing, and shall add to it a fifth part of it and give it to the priest. The priest shall then make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and it will be forgiven him.

      17“Now if a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he was unaware, still he is guilty and shall bear his punishment. 18“He is then to bring to the priest a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it will be forgiven him. 19“It is a guilt offering; he was certainly guilty before the LORD.”

A price must be paid for our sin. We are guilty whether or not we know if and how we sinned. Ignorance of sin is not protection from guilt. We are blessed that we have such a loving Father that He sent Jesus Christ to bear our punishment. The Old Testament sacrifices and offerings foreshadow the perfect lamb, Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for our sin. We now can turn directly to Jesus and ask forgiveness, changing our behaviors to be more like Him, and making Him Lord of our life. For those who truly make Him Lord, it will be obvious by their desire to change their sinful ways and turn toward Him. That requires study and prayer to learn God’s ways and identify sin from righteousness… and then turn away from sin.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Faith / Trusting God, Heaven and Hell, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus (hearing from God), Marriage, Teachable

They Neither Marry Or Are Given In Marriage

Make no mistake about it… this was an attempt at a trap question for Jesus. The Sadducees do not believe in resurrection, yet they ask in Mark 12 a question with the premise of resurrection. They were trying to make up a scenario which Jesus would not be able to answer and then use it to discredit the concept of resurrection and Jesus, Himself.

We must study and prepare to give answers to others as well. Jesus was always prepared during His earthly ministry. Whether the question was a trap or a genuine inquiry, Jesus seized the opportunity to teach.

There is additional meaning in this scripture as well, Jesus gives us another brief glimpse of what heaven is like and how it is different than what we are used to on Earth.

Mark 12:18-27

      18Some Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection) came to Jesus, and began questioning Him, saying, 19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN’S BROTHER DIES and leaves behind a wife AND LEAVES NO CHILD, HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER. 20“There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no children. 21“The second one married her, and died leaving behind no children; and the third likewise; 22and so all seven left no children. Last of all the woman died also. 23“In the resurrection, when they rise again, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 24Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God? 25“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26“But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob’? 27“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

I admit, this scripture is challenging for me. I love my wife. She is a core part of who I am in this life. I find it hard to get my mind around that in heaven, there is no marriage. When we rise from the dead and join the angels in heaven, there is no marriage. Whether or not I “like” that or feel “comfortable” with that… it appears to be so by reading what Jesus told us about heaven in this passage.

With all things, we must remember to accept God’s word as truth even for those parts we don’t fully understand and feel comfortable with. Gravity works and is true whether I like it or not. So, too, the truth about the universe and about life and life after death do not change because I may not be comfortable with them. The truth is what it is and it is not relative… it is absolute. There is one truth.

Instead of dwelling in confusion, I seek two paths… further Bible study and prayer to continue to increase my understanding of God’s word and also relying on God in faith. If I don’t understand or “agree” with His design… that makes me wrong rather than Him. I choose to trust Him. I ask Him to help me in my faith and He will.

I believe heaven will be wonderful, even if there are aspects I struggle to get my mind around while I am yet in this life.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Creative, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Guide, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Jehovah’s Works Are Materpieces

Exodus explains in incredible detail the obedience of the craftsmen in building the Tabernacle according to God’s specifications. God was very particular and intentional in His design. He is a master. The craftsmen whom He gifted and charged with building His design took painstaking effort to deliver exactly what was commanded. It must have been extraordinary to see. I am sure the people took time to appreciate the fine detail and symbolic nature of the Tabernacle as they finished it and ultimately used it according to God’s purpose.

Exodus 38:1-20

The Tabernacle Completed

      1Then he made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits wide, square, and three cubits high. 2He made its horns on its four corners, its horns being of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. 3He made all the utensils of the altar, the pails and the shovels and the basins, the flesh hooks and the firepans; he made all its utensils of bronze. 4He made for the altar a grating of bronze network beneath, under its ledge, reaching halfway up. 5He cast four rings on the four ends of the bronze grating as holders for the poles. 6He made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze. 7He inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.

      8Moreover, he made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

      9Then he made the court: for the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits; 10their twenty pillars, and their twenty sockets, made of bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 11For the north side there were one hundred cubits; their twenty pillars and their twenty sockets were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 12For the west side there were hangings of fifty cubits with their ten pillars and their ten sockets; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. 13For the east side fifty cubits. 14The hangings for the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets, 15and so for the other side. On both sides of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and their three sockets. 16All the hangings of the court all around were of fine twisted linen. 17The sockets for the pillars were of bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands, of silver; and the overlaying of their tops, of silver, and all the pillars of the court were furnished with silver bands. 18The screen of the gate of the court was the work of the weaver, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. And the length was twenty cubits and the height was five cubits, corresponding to the hangings of the court. 19Their four pillars and their four sockets were of bronze; their hooks were of silver, and the overlaying of their tops and their bands were of silver. 20All the pegs of the tabernacle and of the court all around were of bronze.

What has God done in your life or the life of those around you? Have you taken time to pause and appreciate the fine details He has worked out to accomplish His specific purpose? I can reflect across my life at the journey He has brought me through. Many situations I would never have chosen, were knit together by the Master to help me develop and grow closer to Him. The more closely I seek to understand His instruction for how to live my life and the more closely I apply it in my life the better it gets. I can see how He has transformed me and continues to do so. I can now see it reflected in my family where we have established His word as the guide… the lamp unto our feet. I still find myself growing more and more and learning where I could and should do even better to honor Him, often by choosing His way consciously over my own, even in small things. The details matter. Follow God in the details and pause every once in awhile to admire His work. Then continue to seek Him even more.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Prophecy, Share the Good News, Teachable, Through Prophets

Why Does Jesus Speak In Parables?

Parables are actually quite interesting to consider. To those whom the Holy Spirit enlightens the mind and heart to accept what is being taught, they create a very memorable picture we can understand that teach us about the kingdom of God… a very complicated subject of which we can not fully comprehend all of it. To those who willingly reject God and do not seek Him, but rather seek the world, they provide confusion and blindness and are easily dismissed as not meaningful.

The theme in which God shows His servants that many will reject the message of God despite hearing it is repeated throughout the whole of the Bible quite a bit.

Mark 4:11-12

11And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

Matthew 13:14

14“In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

Isaiah 6:9

9He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

Jeremiah 5:21

 21‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people,
Who have eyes but do not see;
Who have ears but do not hear.

These verses do no imply a command for people not to hear, but rather a prediction or observation that they will refuse to hear. For these who reject God and do not seek Him earnestly, God gives them over to it and to the blindness associated with it so that they can not see.

For those that earnestly desire to seek and understand Jehovah… pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell inside you and enlighten your heart and mind to the truth of scripture and God will draw you to Him.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Discerning / Judging, Help / Serve Others, Humility, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Teachable, Wise

Listen To Wise Advice And Work With Others

Moses was chosen by Jehovah to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt. After many miracles and a deepening relationship with Jehovah, it would seem easy for Moses to be vulnerable to pride and not be open to the wise council and advice from someone else. However, Moses deserves credit for listening to and following the advice he received from Jethro.

Exodus 18:1

Jethro, Moses’ Father-in-law

      1Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Moses’ wife Zipporah, after he had sent her away, 3and her two sons, of whom one was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.” 4The other was named Eliezer, for he said, “The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

      5Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was camped, at the mount of God. 6He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.” 7Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. 8Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had befallen them on the journey, and how the LORD had delivered them. 9Jethro rejoiced over all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10So Jethro said, “Blessed be the LORD who delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh, and who delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11“Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; indeed, it was proven when they dealt proudly against the people.” 12Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law before God.

      13It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16“When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

Jethro Counsels Moses

      17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18“You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. 19“Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, 20then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. 21“Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 22“Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23“If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.”

      24So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. 25Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 26They judged the people at all times; the difficult dispute they would bring to Moses, but every minor dispute they themselves would judge. 27Then Moses bade his father-in-law farewell, and he went his way into his own land.

When Jehovah gives us a responsibility to serve Him, we absolutely want to take it seriously and work hard at doing it right. However, we must be careful that we do not wear ourselves out by taking on too much of the burden on our own. We must learn to listen to wise advice and take it, whether from Jehovah or from man. We have greater and longer lasting impact when we can lean on others who can be trusted and let them help us do our Father’s work.

Are there any situations in your life that are putting a heavy burden on you? It can be work or family or even ministry… as in Moses’ case. Pray for Jehovah to send you help and wisdom on how to do His work most effectively and sustainably.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Addiction, Guide, Sin, Study the Word, Teachable

The Truth Will Make You Free

Many of us are captive to addiction and other sin and do not even realize it.  Some of us realize it and want to be set free, but struggle to break free. There are many programs that claim to help, and some of them are helpful. However to truly be set free from our addiction  we must learn and apply God’s truth to our lives. The truth will make you free from addiction (and other sin).

John 8:31-36

The Truth Will Make You Free

      31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

      34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35“The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

For any who are struggling to overcome addiction or sin, it is good to come before God and pray for His help. Study and learn His word and apply it to your life. Come together with others who share your faith in Christ and seek their help. Find others who follow Christ that have gone through what you are struggling with. Ask them about their journey to overcome addiction with God’s help.

There are many programs that claim to help, and some of them actually do, but to fully be set free from addiction and sin of any kind, we must lean on the truth of God’s word and seek His help to apply it in our lives.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.