Category Archives: Share the Good News

All Powerful / King of All, Born Again (spiritually), Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Holy, Immutable (unchanging), Justice / Judgment, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Righteous, Share the Good News, Slow to Anger, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Let Scripture Define the Truth of Who God Is, Not the Teachings of Man

Let us allow scripture to inform us about the character of YHWH rather than our own assumptions and what we have learned from the teaching of man. We know that YHWH is love. For those that study the word, we also know that we do not define how to love his way. All of the law and the prophets are based on loving God and loving one another. These are not my words, but rather the words of Yeshua in Matthew 22.

Matthew 22:36-40

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [a]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

This is very different than today’s common view where loving others is taken to mean accepting them as they are in whatever sin they embrace, no matter if they rebel against God or not. That is not the truth revealed in God’s word.

God loves people, but he hates sin and rebellion against him. He is not only love, but also holy and righteous. Sin will carry with it a price. For those of us who accept Christ as savior and repent of our sins to follow him, our price has been paid. For those who reject Christ, there is no other path. Living in a constant state of unforgiven and active rebellion is not pleasing to God. Don’t assume he is ok with it just  because he may be patient in bringing it to an end. He waited hundreds of years before bringing the Israelites into the promised land to punish those living their who rejected and rebelled against him. I would say that is far more patient than any of us. However, ultimately there was a time for judgment.

Joshua 11

Northern Palestine Taken

     1Then it came about, when Jabin king of Hazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph, 2and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the Arabah—south of Chinneroth and in the lowland and on the heights of Dor on the west— 3to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and the Hivite at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 4They came out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. 5So all of these kings having agreed to meet, came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

      6Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. 8The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim and the valley of Mizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them. 9Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

      10Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. 11They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. 12Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. 13However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned. 14All the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed. 15Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

      16Thus Joshua took all that land: the hill country and all the Negev, all that land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland 17from Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them down and put them to death. 18Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. 19There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. 20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

      21Then Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod some remained. 23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.

Perhaps the toughest verses for us to absorb are the following:

19There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. 20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The time for mercy had past. The Lord himself saw to it that he would make sure no other groups came in peace to Joshua, so they could be fully destroyed.

If this makes you uncomfortable, that is ok. But take care to start with an understanding that God is right and just and without error. Take care that he is also unchanging though time in his character.

Now ask him to show you how to process this truth about him in a way that increases your knowledge of his character rather than allowing yourself to just dismiss it and continue to think of him as nothing but a cuddly grandpa in the sky. Sin has serious consequences. If we don’t recognize that it is very offensive to him, we may make poor choices in how we live or encourage others to live. In the right context we must acknowledge that accepting people as they are in sin so as to avoid offending them is actually not loving them. For any of us whose lives have been transformed by Christ, we realize that it changes us in this life and brings more joy and fulfillment in addition to leading us to heaven.   Thus to encourage people to accept sin in their lives rather than repent is like encouraging people to stay in a burning building. True love and concern for them demands that we tell them the truth of God’s word, even if it offends them. Let us each seek to find an effective way to do so and pray for boldness and wisdom in how we approach it.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Anger (unrighteous anger), Bitterness / Resentment, Complaining, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Family, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Study the Word, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil, Wise, Worldliness

To Stand Boldly With and For Christ Means Others Will Come Against You

Today we are digging in a bit deeper into John 7. In a previous article, we highlighted that Yeshua was documented as participating in the appointed times of YHWH as laid out in Leviticus 23, in this case Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. Though this has largely been dropped from mainstream Christianity, those who seek truth by following Christ’s example should study more and consider participating in the appointed times as Yeshua did. My family has been doing so for years now and it is very rewarding, though a bit awkward as you get started.

There are a few main points I want to highlight as we dive a bit deeper into the beginning of John 7.

  • For those facing persecution for their faith in Christ, note that Christ in this chapter also chose the time and place for His teaching. He knew there were those who wanted to harm him. He was clearly actively proclaiming the truth of the gospel, but did so strategically and at times remained private or hidden. We should take care not to use this as an excuse to avoid standing for YHWH. Clearly Yeshua proclaimed His ways publicly.
  • For many of us who come to know Christ and then proclaim the truth of His message, the fullness of His instruction, our own families and friends may reject us. It is uncomfortable for many who claim to follow Christ, and perhaps genuinely do, to accept that much of what the church has taught them is wrong and they should change based on study of the whole word of YHWH, the whole Bible. The appointed times are a great example. You will face resistance and discouragement from some for pursuing the same celebrations of YHWH that Yeshua participated in just because they are not wanting to face the change themselves. Do not be discouraged. For Yeshua, even His own brothers were not believing in Him.
  • Do not fear rejection. Ask YHWH for the grace to accept and deal with it, as Christ did. The world will hate us, as it did Yeshua, if we testify that their deeds are evil. You can see it plainly today. If you share with someone the love of Christ for unborn children and the fact that abortion is offensive to YHWH and should be to us… you will be likely scorned by half the population not just as “disagreeing” but labeled all sorts of mean and nasty things. They will say you hate women and such. None the less, we must stand up for the ways of YHWH as Christ did.
  • If we teach the full word of YHWH it will be different from what most Christians are now accustomed to. Many ignore Sabbath. Those that don’t, celebrate on Sunday instead of Saturday (as Christ and His disciples did), gluttony is a significant problem in our culture but it is taboo to say anything, sexual relations outside of a husband and wife relationship are out of control in society, and coveting is practically a national pastime more than baseball. Our society does not accept rebuke or correction, each claiming offense if someone tries to point out where they may be in need of repentance.  People don’t like change and they like admitting they are wrong even less. Though some people will agree with you and say good things, so too will many disagree with you, grumble and say bad things about you… as they did Yeshua. Be prepared for this and ask YHWH to help you with it.

You can not preach the truth of the gospel without offending those who reject it or accept only parts of it. To stand boldly for Christ means others will come against you. If no one is coming against you, you may want to reflect if you are really living and speaking boldly for Christ in your daily life and if you are doing so to those that do not necessarily already agree with you.

John 7:1-13

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

     1After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4“For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 6So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8“Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” 9Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

      10But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Government, Interceding for Others, Share the Good News

A Call To Prayer For Our Nation

There is a battle going on for our nation and for nations around the world. It is not always fought with military. Often it is fought through politics. There are many who want to keep leading our country farther and farther away from a Christian worldview. They want to demonize people who live out their faith by suing them (e.g. bakers, florists, artists). They want to create rights for people who are struggling with their sexual identity while stripping rights away from Christians who want to live according to YHWH’s word. They want to fight for the right to provide free abortion to kill children while decrying that any who oppose abortion are against women. This is nonsense. It is lies. Half the children killed would grow into women.

We see this battle playing out in politics. There is a push to make government the sole provider and master of all things instead of YHWH. The government should determine what healthcare and education you get. The government should take your money and decide whom to give it to. Instead of equality of opportunity, they want to claim equality of outcomes. There will never be an end to it. We need only look to countries like China or Russia to see how the government, once established with enough power, will continue to persecute and scatter those who follow Christ or try to control them.

At this point, the odds are stacked against the righteous in terms of the power of the government, the way in which education has been stripped of God and Biblical focus and replaced with a secular worldview, the way in which traditional mainstream news media have a clear bias in reporting (as well as new media like major social media platforms), the way in which pastors are silenced on politics under threat by the IRS to revoke non profit status, and these are just some examples. For those who deny Christ, there is no concept of “fair play” or true right and wrong. They constantly redefine what is right and wrong to suit their purpose.

But take heart, that if we are on the Lord’s side, than we have all we need. If we are to follow Christ, we must actively stand up and stand against evil. We must influence others. We must vote. We must not believe the lie that we are to separate our faith from our government. Our government was founded based on faith in YHWH through Christ. We must recognize that this is a spiritual battle for our country as well. We must not remain neutral, but rather based on God’s word get involved despite any persecution we may face.

More than anything we must humble ourselves and pray. Let us repent from sin, rededicate ourselves to the Lord, and pray for Him to bring our nation back to righteousness. Pray that He would defeat the plans of the evil and raise up righteous leaders across our nation in government and in churches and in education and in the news.  Let us pray for our nation in this battle between evil and righteousness as David prayed for Himself in similar situations he faced.

Psalm 7 

The LORD Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

     1O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

      2Or he will tear my soul like a lion,
Dragging me away, while there is none to deliver.

      3O LORD my God, if I have done this,
If there is injustice in my hands,

      4If I have rewarded evil to my friend,
Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary,

      5Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;
And let him trample my life down to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust.

Selah.

      6Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries,
And arouse Yourself for me; You have appointed judgment.

      7Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You,
And over them return on high.

      8The LORD judges the peoples;
Vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

      9O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

      10My shield is with God,
Who saves the upright in heart.

      11God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.

      12If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.

      13He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

      14Behold, he travails with wickedness,
And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.

      15He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has fallen into the hole which he made.

      16His mischief will return upon his own head,
And his violence will descend upon his own pate.

      17I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness
And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Pray for our president and congress. Pray for those in the judiciary to be guided by godly principles consistent with our Constitution as written, not as changed to imply what others today want it to say. Pray for local and state officials. Influence others. Do not remain silent. Vote. Continue praying. Let us take action to help bring about a return of our nation to righteousness and away from darkness.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Patience, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Wise

Conduct Yourself With Wisdom Toward Outsiders

I remember back when I thought I was a Christian, but was really only a churchgoer. I did not know Christ personally, but only knew of Him. (Even Satan knows Christ.) I recall vividly when a person whom I did not know well decided to engage me with the words “I have the words to save you.” This was entirely ineffective and, in fact, ended any chance of my listening to what he had to say. It was not helpful.

I pray for YHWH to help me conduct myself with wisdom toward non believers (and believers). I pray He would help direct my speech to be productive and impactful… engaging effectively while still staying true to YHWH’s word. Let us not miss also that Paul highlights the fact that each person may respond better to a different approach. It is not “one size fits” all.

Colossians 4:5-6

   5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Paul was very good at engaging people effectively. He could address Jews or Gentiles. When he went to Greece, he did not start by calling them all pagans who are going to hell, but rather started by calling them “very religious”. He looked for a connection to meet them where they were without compromising the message of the gospel. His sermon on Mars Hill was a great example of successful engagement with those who do not know Christ.

Acts 17:22-34

Sermon on Mars Hill

      22So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23“For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;28for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29“Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

      32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” 33So Paul went out of their midst. 34But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Mockers, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Worldliness

Whom Will You Choose?

We all must decide in our lives… whom will we choose? Will we choose to follow the crowd or will we choose Christ? The crowd will demand we reject Christ.  Even in many churches today, the members do not live according to the word of God. They live more by the laws of man than those of God.  There are an absurd number of churches that can’t figure out if God changed His mind on homosexuality because some mortal judges passed a court ruling by one vote. They pursue the ways of men rather than those of God.

Often the seeming easy route, the route to be praised and accepted by men, will lead away from God. Perhaps it is subtle sometimes and often not subtle at all. The crowd will not draw you toward God. We must seek personal holiness and a relationship with our Father in heaven. We must pray, worship, and study. We must ask for the Spirit to lead us and be willing to obey and follow, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable. Then perhaps we may be ready and willing to stand for Christ when all others around us call out to crucify Him.

Luke 23:13-25

Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release

     13Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. 15“No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16“Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 17[Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

      18But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19(He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) 20Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, 21but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” 23But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. 24And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Jesus chose obedience to the Father. Jesus chose to die for our sins so we may be forgiven. Whom will you choose? Decide ahead of time or you will likely fail when the situation is difficult around you.  Start by asserting yourself for Christ in small ways at first to gain confidence if you find that helpful. Take small steps until you are ready to take bigger ones. Pray for God to help you be bold for Him.

Keep in mind that in some cases you will not face an angry mob. You may face coworkers or friends at the coffee bar or in the office kitchen or at lunch. They may just be speaking against Christ and how He calls us to live in seemingly small ways. Will you stand up for Christ?

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Self Control, Share the Good News

Will You Stand With Christ In Conflict With Man?

We all have days where we fail in our pursuit of living for Christ. Peter boasted that he would face death and not deny Christ, but quickly found out that is easier said than done. Christ knew Peter would fail, and told him so, but still loved Peter.

Luke 22:54-65

Jesus’ Arrest

     54Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. 55After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” 57But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” 60But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62And he went out and wept bitterly.

      63Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him, 64and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, “Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?” 65And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming.

Let us indeed seek to be bold like Peter in our pursuit of living for Christ, but let us also seek humility and ask the Spirit for His grace to support and guide us. Keep in mind, the others had not even followed as far as Peter. Peter was in this position only because of his passion to support Christ and his boldness. We may not be in the same position as Peter, but we will face times where we either stand up for Christ amongst others who reject or deny Him or we don’t. We either make choices to live our lives in a way that is consistent with His instruction or we don’t. There is no middle ground. There is no “private” Christianity that we keep completely to ourselves.  When we stand for Christ, people may and often will make us feel uncomfortable or outright confront us.

We are also reminded we should not expect good treatment from those who reject Christ. If they treated Christ in this way, and He is infinitely better than us, then how shall they treat us?

Be prepared to face challenges in this world if you choose to live for Christ. When you fail, get back up again and ask forgiveness, pray again for help from the Spirit, and continue in your pursuit of living for Christ.

Decide ahead of time, will you stand with Christ in conflict with man?

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Fear / Reverence for God, Generous, Giving, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Help / Serve Others, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, How do I get started?, Jesus (hearing from God), Money / Finances / Wealth, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News, Worldliness

Yeshua Is The Way, The Truth, And The Life

Luke 9:24

    24“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

Some will dismiss it as nonsense because they do not have eyes to see. However, for those of us whom the Holy Spirit guides we can see much more in this statement. We must lay down our own selfish desires and plans and submit to Christ. By submitting to Him we will find true life through Christ.

John 14:6

6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

If we strive and struggle to save our live… our desires and plans… our vision for life… then we will lose it, chasing all the wrong things.

Psalm 46:10

10“Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Let us put Christ first. Putting Him first means we will choose sometimes the path that is difficult in this wicked world. We must “pick up our cross daily and follow [Jesus]”. The cross was hard, brutal in fact, but above all, selfless and devoted to the Father’s will.

Luke 9:23-27

    23And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? 26“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27“But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Let us proclaim our love for Him and His love for us. Let us not be ashamed of Him before men. There are serious consequences to this. Jesus, Himself, says He will deny before the Father those who deny Him before men. Don’t rush over that statement. Pause on it and reflect. Are you acknowledging Jesus publically and broadly? or are you silent, trying not to offend those who reject Him?

Let us put Christ first rather than all the things that the world tells us to chase, even when it seems hard.

Matthew 6:33

33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Truly what good is it to have all the selfish desire we may want in this world… to succeed beyond the wildest imagination of the worldly… if we lose our relationship with Christ and end up without Him in this world and eternity beyond?

Luke 9:25

25“For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

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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.

Comforter, Compassionate, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Miracles, Share the Good News

The Character of Christ

Scripture is so deep and rich with meaning. I find myself pouring over the same section of scripture three days in a row now… for 11 verses. There are different themes worth highlighting and prayerfully reflecting on. This morning I am focused on verses 10-11. We see on full display the character of Christ. He is selfless and concerned for others. He is loving and kind. He puts the needs of others above His own.

Luke 9:1-11

Ministry of the Twelve

     1And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4“Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5“And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

      7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. 9Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him.

      10When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida. 11But the crowds were aware of this and followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Jesus sent the apostles out on a mission and they accomplished it. They had such an impact that they gained the attention of Herod. When they returned and debriefed Him on all that happened, He withdrew with them to Bethsaida. The apostles were likely tired from their evangelical efforts and Jesus I am sure was impacted by the death of John the Baptist. It was a good idea to withdraw for some rest and regroup time.

However, the crowds followed. What a true reflection of Christ’s character… rather than turning them away, He welcomes them, speaks to them about the kingdom of God and cures those in need of healing. He is totally unselfish and focused on our needs. We should pray for His help to follow in His example by the grace of God.

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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.

Guide, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Obeying God, Share the Good News

Follow God’s Plan Rather Than Your Own

When God is on the move, He commands attention even from those who reject Him and His messengers. They have stubbornly decided to reject Him, but they can’t ignore what He is doing either. It perplexes them, confuses them.  Such was the case with Herod observing the ministry of the twelve.

Luke 9:1-11

Ministry of the Twelve

     1And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4“Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5“And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

      7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening; and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. 9Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded; but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see Him.

Perhaps one could wonder… with such power for miracles to get the attention and interest of one like Herod,  why didn’t the disciples go to Herod to convince Him of Christ as Messiah. Influencing someone important such as Herod would do much for the cause of Christ.

The simple answer is that we are to listen to and obey the Lord’s instructions. Jesus sent the disciples into the various towns, not to Herod. We are to humbly and respectfully obey and trust the Lord to manage the strategy of how He wants to use our service to influence others. Let us not try to make our own plans for how we will serve God and then ask Him to bless them. Rather, let us listen closely to what He tells us to do and then obey. If we are going about doing His will, He will give us the power to accomplish what He asks.

There are times, such as with John the Baptist and Paul and Old Testament prophets, where they were sent to the kings and leaders for teaching, preaching, council and rebuke. There are other times when our Lord sends us directly to the people. Listen for and accept the assignment He gives you. Don’t try to pick the assignment and then ask Him to bless it.

Trust in the Lord. His ways are above our ways. He has a masterful and flawless plan. Only He can see how it flows in its entirety from beginning to end in all the glorious detail that He leads us through.

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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 Powerful / King of All, Demons, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Miracles, Obeying God, Share the Good News, Unteachable / Foolish

Even Demons Know Yeshua Is Son Of The Most High God

There is much to be explored and considered in the historical account of Yeshua curing a man who was demon possessed.

Luke 8:26-39

The Demoniac Cured

    26Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” 29For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

      32Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

      34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. 35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. 38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39“Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Demons are real. They are not imagined or subjects of stories. Demons are not your friends and they do not have your best interest at heart. For those who open themselves up to demons and become possessed, their own body becomes a cruel and inhumane prison.

The demons recognize and acknowledge that Yeshua is the “Son of the Most High God”. However, they do not follow Him or submit to Him as Lord. They are doomed to eternity in hell. Knowing and admitting that Yeshua is God is not enough to be saved. We must surrender and submit to Him and make Him Lord of our life.

The demons have no power over Yeshua. In fact He has absolute power over them. We can be rescued by and through Yeshua from them. You do not have to wait to be demon possessed to seek Yeshua as Lord… seek Him now. Make Him Lord of your life now.

Watch how the people responded to this miraculous and obvious curing of the man. They knew the man was possessed. However, they were frightened not by him but by the fact that Yeshua set him free! They asked Yeshua to leave because of it. Those who do not have eyes to see will act with hostility toward Christ and those who follow Him. They will reject and push Him away though He perform miracles in front of their eyes.

The man desperately wanted to go with Yeshua. Who could blame him! However, Yeshua wanted him to remain as continuing testimony to the people to think about every time they saw him. He was obedient and submitted to the Lord and followed the Lord’s instruction even though it was opposite what he himself desired. He became a bold witness for Christ where Christ wanted him… not where he wanted to be by his plans or logic.

Prayerfully reflect on how to apply this teaching in your life. Let the Spirit guide you. Submit to where He prompts you to go and what He prompts you to do. Pray He would open your eyes to the miracles of God around us and help us to submit and obey to the Lord’s will, even when it directly contradicts what you desire.

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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.