Category Archives: Character of God

Am I on the path?, Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua

What Does God Really Mean By “Believe”?

Often times we find ourselves using words that can have a range of meanings depending on context. When the words are spoken in conversation face to face in our own culture we often have an easier time immediately connecting with the correct meaning. Sometimes we do not even think about it. Other times, we must consider more carefully the context of the word to understand the proper meaning. In most cases, if we don’t get the context exactly right, but we get the general idea, it is sufficient.

One example that is fairly obvious by context is if you request someone to “kill the lights“. Obviously you do not want to kill what is not alive, but rather to “turn them off”. However, at times the distinction of the meaning of the word is of great importance and the context may be more subtle to understand the meaning. We may miss it if we are not careful.

There is one such example in scripture where properly understanding one word is pivotal in getting the understanding correct. The stakes are no less than eternal salvation or damnation… Heaven or Hell.

John 3:16-21

 16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Far too many people today misunderstand the meaning of “believe” in the scripture we just read. They take verse 16 and run with it. Then they conclude that simply acknowledging Jesus is God is sufficient for salvation. They need never actually submit to Him or change their behaviors and attitudes to reflect His commands. They “believe“, or so they tell themselves.

A more careful study of context brings greater clarity. In particular as we continue to read through verse 21. It is not a head knowledge of knowing that Jesus is God. Even Satan and the demons know Jesus is God! True belief will be reflected in our actions. If we believe Jesus is God, then how we live will be a reflection of this belief. Believing in Jesus as God is not like believing that Antarctica exists. I can believe Antarctica exists and it really does not affect my life much at all. It would not be observable. But believing in Jesus Christ as God… that changes everything. It is not something I do… it is a way of doing everything! I either come to the Light, or I do not.

Let us look for confirmation both in the Bible and also in the observable behaviors in the world around us.

James 2:14-26

      14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

      18But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

This scripture we just read in James is difficult for many to accept because they have been taught, and feel very comfortable, to just accept that if you say you believe in Jesus, you are saved. Not so. This is dangerous and misleading and such a careless examination of scripture lays a trap that leads many to Hell through complacency in just assuming the grace of Christ will cover whatever they do because they say they believe in Jesus Christ.

A simple example we should all be able to get our mind around is as follows. If I truly believe in gravity… then my actions will reflect as much. I do not say I believe in gravity and then step off a roof, do I? No! Because I believe in gravity you will see me be very careful in my actions to avoid falling.  I use the handrail when going up the stairs… because I believe in gravity. I do not plan a picnic when I believe it will rain.  My true beliefs affect my observable behaviors.

Did Jesus warn us about this vulnerability for misunderstanding  salvation? Absolutely. In fact, Jesus specifically tells us we are to judge (or discern) false prophets from true followers of Christ by their actions… by their fruit. We are not to judge based on what they say. Words are often lies, but the observable behaviors reveal the truth.

Jesus went on to warn us that some are even deceiving themselves! They will be surprised when the stand in judgment before Christ and He tells them that He did not know them!

Matthew 7:15-23

 15“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20“So then, you will know them by their fruits.

      21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

It is crucial that we understand “believe” correctly and apply this in our lives as a validation of our relationship with Christ by observing our behaviors, not our intent, to test against what Jesus commands. If we tell ourselves that we put God first… that sounds great. Examine your own actions and priorities for time and money. If you love God first and above all else, why do you spend one hour a week in church (or none at all), but spend every weekend watching 12 hours of football and baseball and basketball! Why is it you know the statistics from all your favorite players and teams but do not know the scriptures? There is nothing wrong with sports in particular. This is just a common example in our society today that demonstrates a point. Observable actions provide true insight into whether or not we really believe Jesus is God and that really matters.

Start by testing yourself the way James suggested, by demonstrating your faith through your works. Track how you spend your time and money for a few weeks or a month. Write it down. At the end, evaluate what things you are doing out of obedience to God because you believe Jesus is Lord. How does that list compare to everything else you are doing. Be careful not to give yourself too much credit based on intent, because Jesus warns us that many of us will fool even ourselves to thinking we believe Jesus is Lord.

Living in true faith that Jesus Christ is Lord is not just revealed in things we accomplish or do. It is also demonstrated in how we do things. Do we control our tongue or lash out and hurt people? Do we give time and money to obey and honor God or to just appear that way to others? Do we respond in anger and lose our temper when things don’t go our way or do we remain cool and calm and work things out? When you make a mistake, do you acknowledge that and seek to repent and ask forgiveness or do you blame someone else and rationalize why you were right all along… even when you were wrong? The most effective way to consider evaluating your “fruit” in this regard is to get a close trusted person who can serve as your accountability partner to point out where you may be struggling.

We must also be vigilant to remember that works will not garner salvation, but is simply an external observable result of true faith. Doing works in order to be good enough to look like you believe in Jesus as Lord leads nowhere. You believe Jesus is Lord and as a result, you obey His commands and your faith is evident in your works and in how you live.

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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.

Character of God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Parables, Sin

Why Does God Allow Sin? Why Does It Separate Us From God?

“Why does God allow sin?”  “Why does sin separate us from God?”

These are two common questions that people struggle with as they try to reconcile a loving God with a fallen world, filled with sin and selfishness and evil. We could explore this topic in several ways. One approach would be to conduct a detailed Bible study and try to explain verse by verse. That is actually an excellent exercise for these topics and I have done that before. I encourage each of you to do the same. As a starting foundation, we should explain that sin refers to “missing the mark”, or falling short of doing things God’s way. We sin when we do things our way instead of God’s way.

For today, let us approach it in parable format as Jesus did many times throughout His ministry to help people more plainly understand key principles on terms they are familiar with.

There was a man who wanted a dog. To begin with, he thought about how easy it would be if only he could find one that would obey perfectly and not create any trouble for him. He found a robotic dog. At first the robotic dog seemed interesting but his interest soon fell. It was not satisfying. It did everything just as it was directed. It had perfect obedience but no free will. It did not obey because it loved the master, it simply obeyed because it could do nothing else. The master soon tired of the toy, it could not love him. There was no satisfaction in it, no real relationship.

Next the man purchased two puppies. Both puppies inherently did not understand the rules of the house at first. In fact, left to their own devices they were quite destructive… constantly chewing things that should not be chewed and “pottying” where they should not. Neither obeyed their master. He quickly found that their disobedient behavior necessarily created a need for separation from Him, even though He loved them so he placed them outside in his yard. He knew that left on their own, they would never learn correct behavior…they were unable to teach themselves. He loved them so he worked tirelessly to train them daily. He yearned to find a way to remove the separation between the dogs outside and himself in the house. Over time, one puppy learned to obey. It followed the rules and did what the master asked. The master rejoiced and brought that puppy inside the house where it was constantly with him and their relationship thrived. The puppy had learned to obey and to show love for the master and thus was brought into closer relationship with the master. The second puppy refused to obey. It rebelled against the master, even growling at him or trying to bite him. He still loved the second dog, but the dog’s behavior continued to create a need for separation from the master. The master tried tirelessly and yearned for the second dog to submit and obey so they could be closer, but it refused.

Whose fault is it that the second dog remained separated from the master? Was it the master because he set rules forth to determine what is good and bad? or the dog’s because it continued to refuse the master and instead chose to do what is bad?

The master is God. The robot dog represents why He gave us a free will… so their could be love… so we could choose Him. Which of us would choose to love a computer that does all we ask because it must? Which of us love others even when they choose to disobey or do harm to us at times? The first real dog is the wise person that hears the master’s voice, listens and obeys… doing things the master’s way. The second real dog represents those who remain in rebellion to God…creating by their actions a need for separation from Him. The master yearned for the second dog to “repent” and had made a way for it to be in relationship with him, but the dog refused. How foolish to blame the master for the separation caused by sin.

To think of it another way… let us consider our wonderful dessert, pick your favorite, but for this story we will call it a piece of chocolate cake. We know exactly what we want in this cake, and may even have a strong desire to enjoy it. What now, if I told you that the cake has small amount of poop in it? Do you still want the cake? It is only a small amount of contaminant. Of course we don’t want it! So it is with God when we sin. He wants to be near to us, but even a little sin is ugly and can contaminate the whole such that we can not choose to enjoy it and be close. It makes no more sense for us to insist that God should be close to those who reject Him and His commands than to insist that we would want to eat the contaminated dessert.

I know that these are perhaps simple examples, but we should not put the emphasis on blaming God that we can not be close to Him when we live in sin, rejecting His commands. Instead, we should put the emphasis on ourselves and our behavior and attitudes as the cause of separation from God. Come humbly before Jesus Christ, ask forgiveness, change our behaviors to be more like His commands as best we can. He will help! Submit our lives to be more like Jesus and He will cleanse us of our sins by way of His death on the cross.  We are a new creation in Christ and can be reconciled to the Master and dwell closely with Him in this life and again in Heaven after we die. Praise God that He made a way to make us clean!

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

In what areas is God speaking to you that you need to make changes in your life to obey His commands rather than rebelling against them? What steps can you take even this week to start moving closer to God in obedience to His word?

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.

Heaven and Hell, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Salvation, Suffering / Adversity, Trinity

Where I Go, You Cannot Follow Me Now; But You Will Follow Later

When someone we love tells us they are leaving, perhaps dying, we generally find ourselves dealing with a strong emotional response. We don’t want them to go. We want to be with them. We want to see them again. So it was with Jesus’ disciples when Jesus told them, again, that He was going to be betrayed by one of their close circle of disciples and then die.

John 13:36

 36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”

While it must have been encouraging to hear that they could follow later, there is not doubt it was an emotional moment for Jesus and His disciples. But Jesus loves all of us who follow Him so much, He saw fit to encourage us as we continue to deal with the struggles and difficulties of this world and what seems at times like a world bound and determined to reject the one, true God at every turn. The direction Jesus gave His disciples applies to His followers today as well. He reassured us how to follow where He went.

John 14:1-6

1“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4“And you know the way where I am going.” 5Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

It is amazing to me how so many want to rationalize that “all religions” can be equal paths to heaven and to living for God. This concept is born out of ignorance or outright denial of what most religions teach. Certainly when it comes to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam they all clearly identify that they are mutually exclusive. (In other words, they all identify the others as false religion.) Yet people insist on believing Satan’s lie that somehow all paths can lead to God.

For any who genuinely submit to Jesus, He was clear. You can not accept Jesus as God and rationally also deny what He taught…. that He is the only way to the Father, to heaven. “No one comes to the Father but through Me.” He taught similar principles elsewhere throughout scripture as well.

Matthew 7:13

13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14“For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Jesus clearly taught that most people, sadly, reject God and follow the wrong path. Most people do not find their way to God or to heaven. Only those few who genuinely follow and submit to Jesus will make it to rejoice with Jesus in heaven. All others will find themselves in a tortuous and miserable existence of their own choosing… hell.

Many who claim to follow Jesus do not really follow Him. They go to church and say His name, but they have not transformed their lives to submit to and follow Him. They live for the world and drop His name every once in awhile… this will not be enough.

Matthew 7:21-23

 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

We do not rejoice in knowing that most will end in hell. Quite the opposite. This knowledge should motivate true followers of Christ to demonstrate the love of Jesus and the truth of God’s word to others with a sense of urgency and importance that transcends the daily activities we engage in during our daily lives. We do not show love by staying silent and accepting political correctness or condoning the sinful behaviors of others. We show love by proclaiming the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ! How can people follow Jesus, truly, if the truth is not taught clearly?

Romans 10:14-15

14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!”

Pray God would strengthen your courage to proclaim Him boldly. Prepare by studying the word humbling yourself in prayer daily.  Make sure that you are a disciple, a learner, following behind Christ so that you can lead others as well.

Please consider reading the following teachings to help yourself get started on the path as a disciple:

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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.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua

Set Free From Slavery To Sin

Have you ever found yourself continually repeating the same wrong behavior or thoughts even though you know it is a mistake… a sin? Do you feel powerless to break free of temptation and stop the behavior or sinful thoughts? Often the guilt makes it feel even worse because we can not imagine that we can be forgiven. There is no way out.

The good news is that Jesus died for us for just that reason… so we could be brought into right relationship with God even though we have sinned and made mistakes! Praise God for coming down as Jesus to walk among us and suffer punishment on our behalf.  Thank you God! Our Lord and Creator does not forget us… He made us. Rejoice that He has redeemed us from our sin through the death of Jesus Christ! By submitting to Him and asking forgiveness He can set us free from bondage to sin.

John 8:34-36

  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.

Isaiah 44:21-23

21“Remember these things, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant,
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me.

22“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud
And your sins like a heavy mist.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

23Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it!
Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;
Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it;
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob
And in Israel He shows forth His glory.

Thank you God for creating a way for us to be set free from bondage to sin, forgiven and reconciled to you!

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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.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Share the Good News, Study the Word, Suffering / Adversity, Wickedness / Evil

Whom Shall We Believe? Whom Shall We Follow?

Many times even today people defer to the perceived “religious leaders” or authority figures for guidance on what is right and what is not of God. Often it is for lack of studying God’s word themselves and a habit to just trust whomever identifies themselves in a established religious bureaucracy or whomever has the biggest crowds or most Facebook likes. These are not reliable measures of who teaches the truth about God. Often this can lead on a path to Hell, lost and far away from God.

Consider the high priest, Pharisees, and Sadducees during Jesus’ earthly ministry. They not only killed Jesus but also persecuted His disciples  violently. For those who trusted only in the established religious bureaucratic organization, they were lost and missed out on the revelation of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Instead, the truth of Jesus Christ was being proclaimed by Jesus’ humble disciples, who were being arrested and whipped and threatened for speaking the truth of Jesus Christ.

Each of us should take care… God wants us to study His word ourselves and pray daily, wholeheartedly seeking after Him and changing our lives to reflect how He wants us to live… even if it means pain and suffering for us in our lives. Of course this is difficult, and that is why God sent a helper in the Holy Spirit to help us as believers and followers of Jesus.

Acts 5:27-42

     27When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Gamaliel’s Counsel

      33But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. 34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. 35And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. 36“For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37“After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. 38“So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

      40They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Notice the wicked and hard hearts of the chief priest and the other religious leaders of the time. Not once is there a mention that they prayed to God for guidance regarding Jesus. Always they reacted in the flesh, seeking after their own traditions and power. They never considered that the Messiah they all said they were waiting for would actually come. What else could they possibly expect as evidence beyond what Jesus provided!

Now they are so mad that they want to kill the disciples rather than pause and consider if Jesus really was God. Now it is twice as hard for them because they would have to admit they were wrong and killed the Messiah.

Gamaliel came closest to recognizing the power of God… his advice was wise in that there is no point going against God.  However, he too missed the fact that Jesus was Messiah. The others still insisted on flogging and threatening the disciples before letting them go.

By contrast to the attitude and behavior of the religious leaders, we see the Spirit filled disciples rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name. Despite continued threats, they returned to publically teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Christ! Surely true followers of Jesus should seek to be like these men.

When we seek to discern those who teach truth from folly we must first study God’s word in the Bible consistently and seek God humbly in prayer daily. They we will be better prepared to test the teachers we hear to ensure we follow the right ones… and none have the authority to re-write scripture and change God’s word… not even a jot or tittle.

Matthew 5:18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

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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.

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Consequences of Sin, False Prophets / Teachers, Grace / Patience, Justice / Judgment, Prophecy, Righteousness / Serving God

The Day of the Lord Is Coming… Prepare Now!

Many today mock the return of the Lord Jesus, claiming that if He has not yet come, two thousand years after He died on the cross then He is not coming. They further rationalize, incorrectly, that He will not come at all and certainly not come in judgment of the ungodly. They confidently pursue after their own lusts and sinful desires without regard for the word of God or for God Himself.

Even some genuine believers begin to doubt the flawless nature of the Bible when confronted by mockers about the amount of time that has passed without Jesus’ return.

Would it surprise you that Jesus and His disciples knew this would happen?  In fact, Peter wrote about it in 2 Peter 3.

Purpose of This Letter

      1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

      3Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

      8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

      10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

      11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

      14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Time from our perspective is different from that of God. We can not count time from our perspective and expect to fully anticipate God’s timing in fulfilling the prophecy. Further, God’s motives are higher than our motives. His delay is not because He forgot… it is not because He is just slow… it is because He is patient and loves us. I know personally that if God would have brought about the end of the age 15 years ago, I would be in Hell for all eternity. But now, through His grace, I have hope in the promise of Heaven with Him.

Many try to predict when the end of the age will come… to what purpose? God tells us we will not know when it comes… it will come like a thief in the night. We can not wait to predict it in order to prepare for it. As God’s righteous people, we must prepare now!

Through Jesus Christ we may be found in peace, spotless and blameless… prepared for His return. (Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.) Take heed of the warning from Peter that there will be many errors and wrong teaching about the word of God by unprincipled men. We are forewarned and should take action to prepare ourselves through prayer and consistent study of the scriptures. We must learn to discern truth from fiction in regards to God’s word. Laziness on our part to study the word is no excuse for living an unrighteous life.  Through prayer and study, we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we grow in knowledge, we must also apply it continually to our lives, to transform ourselves away from our selfish nature and to become more like Jesus Christ.

Even if you do not believe the end of the age is coming during your lifetime, you will be judged based on your relationship with Jesus (or lack of a relationship) when you reach the end of your life… and none of our tomorrow’s are promised. Studies show that 5 out of 5 people die… and they do not all know ahead of time when that will take place. Prepare now!

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.

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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.

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Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Repenting from Sin, Righteousness / Serving God, Share the Good News

Living Submitted To Jesus… Baptism Is Only The Beginning

God sends His Holy Spirit in dramatic fashion to His believers in Acts 2 to fulfill what Jesus promised them. Crowds gather to see what is happening and Peter takes the opportunity to preach to them about who Jesus really was… the Christ… the Messiah… God Himself in the flesh. As we continue in Acts 2:36-47 we see how most of the crowd reacts to Peter’s sermon, which he preached while filled with the Holy Spirit. Thousands come to Jesus and create a community of believers that are filled with joy and praise for God while helping one another.

     36“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

      37Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

      43Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Many were moved deeply, “pierced to the heart”, by the good news Peter shared about Christ. They asked him what they should do next. Peter’s response is important to take note of… it is fundamentally the same message as that of Jesus and John the Baptist and many the prophets of God. Turn away from your wrongful ways and turn toward God, living according to God’s instruction.

38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Note that Peter clearly identifies that we must be different from “…this perverse generation!” We must change our behaviors to do things God’s way instead of the way of the world. This is not just true at the Pentecost, but is still true today. Those who do not follow God are lost… perverse… motivated by selfishness and sin nature rather than the things of God.

Three thousand people made the choice to respond to Peter’s sermon.  We are always called to make public choice for God. Peter did not call the three thousand to just remain in the crowd amongst the others who did not accept Jesus that day. He called them forth. They took action… a conscious and public action to demonstrate their submission to Jesus. Baptism is a symbolic, public proclamation that we are submitting to Jesus.

But Baptism is just the beginning of our journey with Jesus, not the end. That is not all there is! After baptism, the followers of Jesus devoted themselves continually to receiving teaching, fellowship, breaking bread together, and to prayer. There is much to do to develop ourselves as disciples for Christ after we accept Him as Lord. Our personal relationship with Jesus takes us on a  journey to become more like Him that lasts our lifetime.

 42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

God allowed many wonders and signs through the apostles. Notice the joy and praise-filled attitude that the early church had. They rejoiced in sharing God together and living according to His instruction. They voluntarily gave and shared to help one another. But take note, at no point is there a reference that the government took their wealth to give to others who did not share their beliefs or work to contribute to the community. There was no central “church” organization that collected everything from them. The sharing was done voluntarily, joyfully, by individuals to individuals in the name of Jesus. Neither a government nor large church bureaucracy was required. No one gave out of guilt or obligation. It was a genuine communion of fellow believers celebrating life in submission to Jesus and His teachings. It is no wonder in this environment and with this attitude that their numbers grew.

One last observation, however, scripture clearly shows it was the Lord who grew their numbers… not the disciples, not the people… but the Lord. This is how the Holy Spirit works. Coming together in prayer and fellowship, learning to live according to God’s word and the Lord will move amongst the people and the numbers of true believers will grow.  Prayer and the Holy Spirit are essential. We can not do it successfully without God.

Each of us should consider… what changes can I make to live my life more like that of the early followers of Jesus Christ? How can I help others with joy and praise for God? Am I coming together with other believers in prayer and fellowship?

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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.

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Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Prophecy, Share the Good News

What A Difference the Holy Spirit Makes!

In the beginning of Acts 2, we see God fulfilling His promise to send the Holy Spirit to help Jesus’ disciples. God makes it a very dramatic event such that it draws a crowd. Many were amazed and others just made excuses to try to ignore God’s miracle in action around them. Peter seizes the opportunity  to address the audience in Acts 2:14-36.

Peter’s Sermon

14But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. 15“For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

17‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;

18EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT
And they shall prophesy.

19‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE
AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW,
BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

20‘THE SUN WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS
AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD,
BEFORE THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD SHALL COME.

21‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’

22“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— 23this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24“But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

25“For David says of Him,
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.

26‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;

27BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.

28‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’

29“Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30“And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, 31he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. 32“This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

34“For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,

35UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”’

36“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Note the power with which Peter is addressing the crowd and the depth of application of scripture and prophecy. He preaches now filled with the Holy Spirit. What a dramatic difference from the man who denied Jesus three times leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Peter reprimands the mockers and shares with them who Jesus is… the Christ, the Messiah, God Himself in the flesh… in fulfillment of the prophecies documented in the scriptures from Joel and from David. He shares the gospel boldly, confidently, accurately. He is not apologetic. He does not compromise the message or shrink away from those who mock them. Nor does he act in violence toward them or mock them back. He powerfully preaches the truth of the gospel! We will see in our next study that it was effective. More than three thousand people respond.

We should follow Peter’s example. Give our lives to Jesus, accept the gift of the Holy Spirit, allow the Spirit to work through us… all for the glory of God. Take advantage of the opportunities that God provides where we have an audience, whether it is one person or thousands. Pray God would empower you to share the gospel boldly.

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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.

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Anger (unrighteous anger), Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Family, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Suffering / Adversity

Joseph’s Brothers Sell Him Into Slavery

We continue to see the build up of envy and resulting anger toward Joseph from his brothers as his father, Israel (formerly known as Jacob), sends Joseph to check on his older brothers. We already saw earlier in Genesis 37 that Joseph’s brothers resent him for the obvious favoritism Israel bestowed upon him and for the dreams Joseph had received from God that showed his family bowing down to him. There is no evidence in scripture that Israel ever tried to deal with this growing divide in his family. Instead, Joseph is sent out, wearing his fine tunic, and will face much difficulty and suffering at the hands of his brothers.

Genesis37:12-36

      12Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. 13Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “I will go.” 14Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

      15A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.” 17Then the man said, “They have moved from here; for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

The Plot against Joseph

      18When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. 19They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer! 20“Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” 21But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.” 22Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father. 23So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

      25Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27“Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

      29Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. 30He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?” 31So they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; 32and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” 33Then he examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 34So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. 36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.

Joseph’s brothers allow themselves to be driven to such anger by their jealousy that the even contemplate murdering him. This from the same group of brothers that ruthlessly sought revenge for their sister when she was mistreated. They had family loyalty in them… but allowed themselves to be blinded by jealousy against Joseph.

Reuben intervenes to prevent Joseph’s murder, but really does not take on the other brothers directly to speak against doing evil to Joseph. He tries to influence the situation but does not take it on and protect Joseph boldly. When he is not around, the others sell Joseph into slavery.

There is much deception within the family and much self-induced suffering.

Many of us today think that broken families are a new thing… that prior generations were more godly. Sometimes that is true and sometimes it is not. There is one thing for sure… division within families is not a new issue.

I urge you to pursue first the kingdom of God, including forgiveness, grace, mercy within your own family. Stand together for God rather than dividing within the family for earthly matters. Seek God together in prayer. Openly address conflict within your family rather than avoid it. Avoid favoritism at all costs.

Know that when we live by God’s rules, even broken families can be reconciled. We will see Joseph demonstrate this powerfully as we continue to follow the record of his life in Genesis. God restores the family, but only after Joseph’s brothers genuinely repent and Joseph demonstrates forgiveness on a level characteristic of a mature relationship with God.  He let’s go of bitterness and refuses to seek revenge when he has the power to get it. He returns good for evil. We should do the same.

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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.

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Am I on the path?, Anger (unrighteous anger), Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Correction, Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, How do I get started?, Humility, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Peace / Rest, Righteousness / Serving God, Wickedness / Evil

Delight In The Will of God, For His Works Are Wonderful

God calls each of us to not only accept, but delight in His will rather than clinging stubbornly to our own. He is like a master craftsman working on a tapestry. He knows the entire picture, including not only the parts that have already been completed but also the parts that have yet to be completed. He sees the whole picture and how it works together. Each of us is but a single thread, without a view of the rest of the tapestry. He invites us to become part of His masterpiece. How often we stubbornly insist to God that we know what is best, but in truth… we see only a small part whereas He has great vision.

Psalm 37

  1Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

      2For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.

      3Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

      4Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.

      5Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

      6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

      7Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

      8Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

      9For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

      10Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

      11But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

      12The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.

      13The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees his day is coming.

      14The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slay those who are upright in conduct.

      15Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their bows will be broken.

      16Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.

      17For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the LORD sustains the righteous.

      18The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
And their inheritance will be forever.

      19They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

      20But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

      21The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.

      22For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

      23The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.

      24When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

      25I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or his descendants begging bread.

      26All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.

      27Depart from evil and do good,
So you will abide forever.

      28For the LORD loves justice
And does not forsake His godly ones;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

      29The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.

      30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.

      31The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.

      32The wicked spies upon the righteous
And seeks to kill him.

      33The LORD will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

      34Wait for the LORD and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

      35I have seen a wicked, violent man
Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

      36Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.

      37Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright;
For the man of peace will have a posterity.

      38But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;
The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

      39But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in time of trouble.

      40The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

Submit your will to the Master and embrace His will with delight!

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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.

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