"Our Portion!" - To

 "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I was thee not, thou hast no part with me." (John 13:8 KJV)

  "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled."" (Hebrews 3:12-15 NLT)

 This is not easy to illustrate; but I pray that it is easy to understand. What Jesus is doing here, demands nothing from Peter, but to allow Him to wash his feet. Simple as that task might be, to just put forth his feet and allow Jesus to was them, it is something that Jesus wants to do, and expects Peter to be a part of! 

 This is not something we can neglect to do, as simple as it might appear, it is highly important to our Lord that we are faithful in the little things; little things being, the things we think are beneath us! A really good example of this, is the reaction we may have to the turnout at church, as we have prepared to share to a large gathering, and only a couple dozen people show up. What is the heart of the matter? Is there something the matter? 

 To be totally truthful, usually when I share a message, there are only about a dozen people, maybe less, that I focus upon; no matter how large the crowd is, the message is usually only really going to be received by a few. Most people that hear the message will miss the point or receive it as something totally different than it was intended to be. 

 I heard a message the other day that was addressed on T.E.M.A. yesterday, which had to do with the blind man Jesus made the mud from His spit, and put it over his eyes, and asked, "What do you see?" The blind man answered, "I see men as trees." The question that was presented, "Did Jesus not heal him the first time, and needed to do it again?" 

 From the message Pastor Robert shared, he spoke about having heard another Pastor teach that Jesus didn't get it right the first time, and He had to do it again. After hearing that said, he wanted to throw something at the television, as it really upset him to hear someone say that Jesus failed to do it right. He then began to study the Scripture, looking for some explanation, without having much to go on; so, he prayed about it, hearing the Lord say, 'Why don't you ask me?'

 Almost immediately, as soon as he surrendered, saying, "Okay Lord, what," the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw that the man had his spiritual eyes opened, seeing men as trees! And then he began to search the Scriptures for all the references to the men of God being like trees! There are more than you might think. 

 The two Pastors that answered the question yesterday, were a little less spiritual and little more down to earth. Their answer was closer to my heart, as I relate to my unanswered prayers: "Jesus may not heal someone immediately, and it could take years, maybe even when they get their new bodies; He never healed people the same way all of the time." Isn't that a little easier to swallow; because it sure is a lot easier to explain... 

""But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshipping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."" (1 Samuel 15:20-23 NLT)

"Our Portion!"

 "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." (John 13:8 KJV)

  "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." (Hebrews 10:19-23 NLT)

 Maybe we don't fully understand what this illustration of washing the disciples' feet gives to us, regarding our own spiritual walk? Because, in the simple and most perfect way, it is Jesus showing how much He cares for us, personally and as one of His own! 

 I think we might be surprised to know how many there are among us, that fail to see the real personal relationship that we have been brought into; because it truly is not about a religious experience, but about a personal experience, one that we can touch and that touches us! It is real and cannot be denied or easily taken away from us.

 That said, it can be something we place upon a shelf, as if it is about a religious experience, something we must do, not something we are now a part of, as we have been born into! This makes practicing the right things to do, take on a whole different level of experience. We don't practice doing what is right to gain anything, we practice what is right, because it is what we do, as God's children. 

 Based upon the fact that God has given us this salvation freely, there is nothing we can do to help pay for that which is already ours. I know that we have a tendency to want to pay our fair share, almost as if we are obligated to contribute or earn something; but it is something that is impossible to earn! Believe me, I have been there and have experienced the religious side of salvation; and is it scary to think that we can earn our way to God! 

 This is not just about our portion, as if it is only about something we have been given; Christ Jesus has made us His! We are His bride, which He has made to be holy and set apart, to be with Him for all eternity. We might think that it is all on us to do this or that; but He has done all that there is to do, now we get to walk in that...

"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us to believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else - not only in this world but also the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:19-23 NLT) 

"Our Greatest Need!"

 "Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." (John 13:7 KJV) 

  "Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you be judged. For look - the judge is standing at the door. For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy." (James 5:7-11 NLT)

 Maybe not what you were expecting; neither did I. I was expecting something like, remembering to make sure you are kept holy, as we ask for forgiveness every day, at least three times a day! Something that I almost never fail to do, as I don't want to die, either in my sleep or on the road, without knowing that my sins are forgiven. 

 First of all, I believe that my sins are forgiven! Yes, we still sin; and yes, we still need to ask for the Lord's forgiveness; but this is because we want to remain pure in heart and prepared for service, in whatever the Lord wants us to do. We must be good servants, as we anticipate His return each and every day, looking for and being ready to go, at any moment. 

 This is what I believe is our greatest need! In this day and age, especially, because there are so many things that we can do to distract our focus upon waiting, so many different ways to get caught up in this world; we could possibly lose the opportunity to be caught up in the Lord's soon return! 

 The other night I was having a discussion with a nephew, as we were talking about the fires that devastated Northern California a few years ago. We both agreed that being burnt alive was the worst way to go, something neither one of us wanted to experience. But then, I remembered something that I had made my mind up about, that if I did have that opportunity, especially if it was being burnt alive on a stake, I would make sure that I died singing praises to the Lord! 

 Anything to take my mind off of the pain of suffering...

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen." (1 Peter 5:6-11 NLT) 

"Awkward Moment"

 "Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" (John 13:6 KJV)

  ""O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"" (Matthew 23:37-39 NLT)

 Sorry for the shortness of my post yesterday, as I feel that my posts are sometimes being restricted and hidden; either that, or I am just talking to myself. As I was praying about this verse, it dawned on me that Peter was the guy that had tried to correct Jesus several times, having felt he knew better about certain things, like he did when Jesus told them He needed to be crucified, and Peter took Jesus aside and said, "God forbid, that should happen!" 

 That is pretty much the same thing we are looking at today. Although, the strange thing, is the sequence which might have taken place, as some see that it most likely happened. The first to have his feet washed was most likely Judas Iscariot, as he would have been the one who would have cherished the fact that Jesus was subjecting Himself to the task.

 Peter, on the other hand, would have been towards the end, as his apprehension would have stirred up the others to feel discomfort. Remember, Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen, so this needed to be just as it was. Peter was going to be used powerfully in ministry, so he needed to be stretched, groomed, and washed, for everything he would do later on. 

 You would think by now I would understand how that looks! Whenever we think about ourselves being somewhat special or gifted in some way, then we get put into our place! We are nothing more than a vessel for God to work through, which, if you know anything about Scripture, God can pretty much work through anything! He can speak through a bush or even donkey; so, if He speaks through you, don't get all puffed up over it! 

 By the way, Peter most likely was making this more about praise, as in, 'Lord, those hands have healed people, and you are going to wash my feet with them! No way!' Just another example of the power in this illustration; because Jesus was more than just a man, which they would all soon find out...

"Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the LORD'S presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him." (Isaiah 53:1-2 NLT)  

"Solemn Moment" - 2

 "After that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." (John 13:5 KJV)

 "For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault." (Ephesians 5:25-27 NLT)

 I know sometimes I might get a little carried away and have a hard time explaining what it is that I feel the Lord is showing me; but this act of humility that Jesus is showing, it is not just for show! If you try hard to see what John is showing us, this is Jesus demonstrating the power of His own humility! If you aren't a god, then you probably can't truly understand, (as if I could either,) what it is like to have the power to do anything, and the ability to be humble, humbler than we could ever understand. 

 Matthew Henry, whom I feel gets stuff a little better than most, says: "Many interpreters consider Christ's washing his disciples' feet as a representation of his whole undertaking. He knew that he was equal the God, and all things were his; and yet he rose from his table in glory, laid aside his robes of light, girded himself with our nature, took upon him the form of a servant, came not to be ministered to, but to minister, poured out his blood, poured out his soul unto death, and thereby prepared a laver to wash us from our sins, (Rev. 1:5)." 

 There are just some things we find hard to understand, but this shouldn't be one...

"Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the alter day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:11-14 NLT) 

 

"Solemn Moment"

 "After that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." (John 13:5 KJV)

  "Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than the snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me - now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me." (Psalm 51:7-10 NLT)

 If you don't know, this Psalm is from David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, in order to try and cover his sins. There was so much more to this, more than just the death of the child; there was circumstances that were devasting, to both David, his other children, and even his Generals. But the thing that matter most, above anything else, David was forgiven by God! 

 If the Lord washes you and makes you clean, you are clean indeed! Nothing else really matters, because you are set for eternity and a right standing with God is guaranteed! Whatever you do, hold onto that and never let go! 

 I was trying to think of all the times where Jesus actually did something, as in, used His hands to make something or build something, or even laid hands on someone to bring about some sort of miracle. We know that He was a carpenter by trade, before He started His ministry; so, making things from wood is what carpenters do. 

 The first two things that come to mind, are the whip He made to chase the moneychangers out of the Temple, and the mud He made from His spit to heal the blind man's eyes. Another thing, somewhat of a mystery, was when He wrote on the Temple floor with His finger, which I believe was the same finger that wrote on the wall, mentioned in Daniel 5:5. 

 Beyond that, He might have cooked some fish, and He carried His cross; maybe, breathing out the Holy Spirit counts, as it too was an action. Besides breathing out, He still spoke that action, saying to the disciples, "Receive the Holy Spirit." And then there was communion; He broke the bread and raised the cup! 

 All that said, the thing that blows my mind, again and again, is that He formed man from the dirt and then breathed into his nostrils! Everything else was spoken into existence, but man was made in the image of God! Wow...

"Then Job replied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.' I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and still sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."" (Job 42:1-6 NLT) 

"No Joke!"

 "He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself." (John 13:4 KJV)

  "Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding." (Job 38:1-4 KJV)

 This is really a simple illustration of Jesus awakening to the task that is at hand; not the washing of feet, although He is preparing for that by His actions: but the washing away of the sins, for all of mankind! It is the answer and the response that He expected from Job, as He demanded an answer for Job's lack of understanding. Basically, the action being presented, according to John, is Jesus awakening, if you will, to the task at hand; as if to say, "Okay, here it goes!" 

 When Adam and Eve were afraid because of their nakedness, who do you think clothed them with the skins of animals? It was Jesus! Unlike some, there was something which needed to be done to correct their embarrassment, so He did it, while also establishing a temporary covering for their sins: the spilling of innocent blood! 

 This was something that Jesus was absolutely serious about doing; it wasn't just Him showing the disciples how to be humble, but Him showing them the solutions for the forgiveness of, or temporary covering, for sins. That is not about how God sees us, but more about how we see ourselves and our fellow believers. Just as He clothed Adam and Eve, to satisfy their nakedness, this too was the illustration of what it means to clothe one another, by the washing of one another's feet. 

 To be clear, it doesn't involve us actually washing feet, although that does help produce humility; it is more about helping our brothers and sisters deal with sin, that sin which might cause them to feel unworthy to serve or even be part of the family of God. Instead, we judge! Maybe not out load and in public; but we judge one another in our hearts, comparing what others might do, to ourselves; and using their sinfulness as a temporary covering for our own sin.

 The bottom line is that sin needs to be dealt with! One thing is for sure: it will feel more awkward and embarrassing for the one who needs to have their feet washed, then it does for the one who does the actual washing! That is no joke...

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NLT) 

 

"What We Know"

 "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;" (John 13:3 KJV)

  "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 NLT)

 I must be totally honest, as strange as this might sound; but every day that I write about something that I should practice doing, no sooner as I get around the people that I care about, I totally blow it and do the thing that I said I shouldn't do. You could relate it to the pink elephant theory, the one that says, 'Don't think about pink elephants.' 

 Nevertheless, no matter how hard I mess things up, I must keep focused upon Jesus and His finished work, because my efforts are not really what counts, Jesus paid the price for every single failure in my life! You might have heard about the great reset; well, the real great reset, is not going to take place here on earth, but is going to happen in Heaven; where every tear shall be gone, and all of the failures will not count, and we shall be totally at peace with God! 

 No more sorrow, no more pain, will be real; this much I know and believe, with all my heart! Can you see the attitude that Paul is talking about? Because it is not about the journey that we are on, but the place and position that He has made for us; safe and secure, totally and completely out of reach from the chance of contamination. 

 I just had a thought about Jacob, as his name had the meaning of, 'Heel-Catcher,' which made me think of how we just need to keep holding onto Jesus, with all of our might, and everything will work out fine! We will most likely mess things up and fail at getting everything right; but He has everything under control; we just need to hold on and enjoy the ride...

 "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - and inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT)

"The Betrayal"

 "And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;" (John 13:2 KJV)

  "Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else." (Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT)

 How do you know? Can anyone that belongs to Christ become someone that might betray Him? Is it even possible to be a Christian and offend Jesus by selling Him out? I know that these questions seem a little hard to answer, but if you really stop and think about it, they are not really hard to find ways to have been the affirmative in our hearts, at one time or another.

 The other day I heard a message regarding this very subject, how we can slip into sin and dwell in that sinfulness, sometimes for very long periods of time. Fortunately, our loving Father will not let that go on forever; unfortunately, the way that He puts an end to it, is by turning us over to the 'tormentors.' What the heck are those, tormentors? 

 The message I listened to was about unforgiveness. Based upon the parable Jesus spoke about, concerning a servant that owed his King more money than he could ever pay. He pled for mercy, and the King had mercy, forgiving all of his debt. Then that same servant met his fellow servant on the street, who owed just a little bit of money, and he demanded to be paid. 

 This might not appear to be betrayal, in the same way of Judas; but it isn't really that far off! As a matter of fact, if you really want to know, it might be worse. Judas was doing what he was supposed to do, even though it was wrong, this was something that was meant to happen, because he allowed it to happen; as did Jesus, who knew all along that it was going to be him that would betray him. 

 When we have been forgiven of so much, more than we could ever possibly pay, and then turn right around and not forgive our brother or sister of one little thing, then we have betrayed the Lord's precious blood that was shed on the cross. It was by His blood that our sins were forgiven, and by our actions of unforgiveness to one another, we have trampled upon the blood! 

 Well, Jesus will forgive you, just so you know; but, according to Jesus' own words, the Father will not be very pleased...

""Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. "That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers or sisters from your hearts."" (Matthew 18:32-35 NLT) 

"The Lord's Supper"

"Now before the feast of Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." (John 13:1 KJV)

  "He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT)

John does more to express who Jesus was, more than the things Jesus did; but those things he does give us about what Jesus did, are those things which prove who He was, is, and forever will be! That first miracle, turning the water into wine, was one that showed that Jesus was the Creator, as He created wine, very good wine, without even lifting a finger, but just by a command. 

 I have been fascinated by this fact, since the very first moment that I believed, that Jesus Christ was the Creator of heaven and earth, yet He hung on a cross to pay the price for our sins! It causes me to think, "Why would He make something that He would have to suffer for?" Well, if anyone has had a child that you were blessed with, and you suffered for them, would you regret it? 

 We are mere mortals that cannot see into the future of what life will be like, to see what fate awaits us, or how our children will turn out. But does that mean we don't want to have children, if we don't know how they will turn out, or if they should even survive? No, we take our chances and enjoy every moment of life we have with them; hoping and praying that they survive long after us. 

 Besides that, Jesus had been sent to do what He had planned to do from the very beginning of time. By the way: Do you know when time began? You should know, because it began when He created the earth. Before the earth was created, there was no night and day, which is what we base time on; that the measure of time was created for us. 

 Isn't that amazing, how Jesus came here, from the eternal to the moment-by-moment life that we live. Not only did He come in the flesh but became susceptible to the time that He created. That is, until He rose from the dead! There is the powerful and glorious reason! He did it all for us, that we too can live forever, with Him!  

 We know what we have been told, but He knows the beginning to the very end! He made us to love Him, but not because we are forced to love Him, but because we would learn to love Him, based on His love for us! His plan was well thought out and unstoppable...

"For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all the future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness towards us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:6-10 NLT) 

"Jesus Washes His Disciples Feet"

  "Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" 

 Jesus replied, "You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will."

 "No," Peter protested, "you will never wash my feet!" 

 Jesus replied, "Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me."

 Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!"

 Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you." For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, "Not all of you are clean." 

 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, because that's what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them."" (John 13:1-17 NLT)

 There are days when we all must take some time to evaluate where we are on the humility meter; as in, reflecting on how you treat and react to the people around you. Do you treat those that are under you differently than those above you? Do you respect those that might have stature, but negate those that are of little importance? 

 There are so many different ways to separate people and place some above others; but we are all the same, in the eyes of God. Which brings us back to what we left off with yesterday. God does not change, nor does He one person above another! If you might think that He does, His ways are so much higher than our ways; and His thoughts are way above anything we can imagine. (Paraphrased, in case you thought otherwise.) 

 If you are interested in what I might think, or not, I am going to say it anyway, regardless. God knows every one of us, better than we know ourselves, which means, He knows your rising up, as well as your lying down! In case you don't know what that means, it has several different meanings: to rise up in the morning and lay down at night; to rise up in stature and lay down in humility. But the one I believe matters most, is that He knows the very beginning of your existence, from before you were even formed in your mother's womb, to the time when you will be laid in the ground. 

 Therefore, He knows everything you will or will not do, through your entire existence! So, there is a difference between respecting one person over another, and knowing who it is that will obey Him and who it is that will not even listen. 

 Yesterday, not surprisingly, I got to hear a message from Pastor McGee, as he was sharing about God's wonderful mercy towards the wicked. He shared how Hezekiah was a King that was closest to King David, in that he was godly and restored the kingdom to following God, destroying all of their places of idol worship. And then came Manasseh, who was the most wicked King, yet he ruled fifty-five years, even though he was so wicked.

 But God, rich in mercy, had Manasseh taken from Judah, and held captive in Babylon. Which caused him to humble himself before the LORD his God. Then God returned back to Jerusalem, where he went to work, undoing almost everything wicked he had done. "So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house"...

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:10 KJV) 

"Line Upon Line"

 "And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John 12:50 KJV) 

  "This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NLT)

 I hope you have been listening to the news, and hopefully it is the right news that you are listening to; because things are beginning to fall into place, making way for something to change everyday living; at least the type of living we grew up with and took for granted. It's all good, no matter how bad things might appear, because God's purposes will endure and be complete, no matter what! 

 The other day, I heard something said about certain churches, (some of which I know people that attend,) that they are a cult. It almost shocked me to hear it, because I know they feel differently about a certain subject, but they still hold to the truth of who Jesus is, why He died on the cross, and that He rose to life again, that we should have eternal life. 

 The certain subject is commonly referred to as, Calvinism, which is based upon the teaching, or parts thereof, of John Calvin, a 16th century Protestant reformer. The part that might convince some people that it is a cult, in referred to as, "Double Predestination," which is the theory that some people are predestined to heaven, while others are predestined to go to hell. 

 If we try hard enough, we could possibly find Scriptures in the Bible that can back that up; but none of those Scriptures will actually say that God has no mercy on anyone that turns towards Him! One such Scriptures might be those where God says, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau I have hated." 

 Just because you might have a trouble with sin, does not mean that you are destined for hell and that there is no hope for you! That is the bottom line! "For God so loved the world," includes everyone! Everyone has the same opportunity and chance to receive God's forgiveness and the gift of eternal life; God holds nothing back from anyone; but at the same time, He knows who His children are and who is not! 

 We, on the other hand, have no knowledge of anything but our own standing with God, which is based upon the relationship we have with Him! Jacob drew close to God and believed in Him, Esau did not! Big difference in how each brother responded to God's call upon their lives; big difference on the life they looked forward to living, as one was fixed upon life eternal, while the other was fixed upon life here on earth. 

 God knows our hearts, but His heart is still fixed upon the whosoever's, which means: Who So Ever Will, He Will Embrace...

"For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:5-10 NLT) 

"Precept Upon Precept"

 "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak." (John 12:49 KJV)

  "Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT)

 To be perfectly honest, I fail at loving as I should, more than I care to admit. It's almost like a planned failure, time and time again; even though I set out each day for success and victory, my desire to be that man with patience and a loving heart, somehow gets turned into something else, something that I seem to not be able to control. 

 Then again, maybe that's just me; so, I settle upon the fact that I am flawed and lacking what it takes to be that man I had hoped to be; making my focus on the One who set me free! Flawed or not, Jesus loves me! Do you know why I know that, and how I can be so confident? Because He knows me better than I can even know myself! He sees me for that which I will be, once all of this life is over! Something I really can't even imagine of myself, He sees me complete and perfect, through His great love for me. 

 As I was reading this verse this morning, I was reminded of that night when I came home from the hospital, and how I felt so crushed, I just fell upon the floor in my office, and I cried out, "Why God! Why!" After about a half-hour of weeping, I felt an enormous peace. Not because everything was fixed and back to normal, because I realized right then and there, things were not going to be back to normal.

 But, because I remembered how Jesus suffered and died, I was overcome with peace knowing that it was all going to work out somehow, someway, because God loves us so much, more than we could ever know! I actually was able to crawl into bed and get a few hours of sleep. 

 When I woke up that morning, I grabbed my small Bible, and actually felt as though I had a mission, as I headed towards that hospital. That is about as good as I can relate to what Jesus is saying in this verse, because He is trying to express how His authority to speak is really not His own, but the Father that sent Him, He is the one that put Him on this earth, commanding what to say and to speak! 

 You know, it's pretty easy to say something that people can hear, but they will hear it in their own understanding; but to speak out something is altogether different, because you articulate what is being said, by actually living it out. 'Lord, please help me to articulate what you say! Please'...

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been gowning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." (Romans 8:18-22 NLT) 

"Sharper Than!" - Two

 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48 KJV)

  "Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "If any man wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."" (Mark 8:34-38 NLT)

 Unlike the rest, whoever or whomever, the rest might be, each of us are accountable for our own way of understanding and following God's word. If someone misleads you, they will be punished, most likely more than you, but you will also be held accountable for your own beliefs. We must read and study God's word ourselves, proving those things we are told, whether they are true or not. 

 That said, there are things that are debatable, and people might disagree on; but when to comes to the path of salvation, there is only One way that we are saved, and that is by the blood of Jesus Christ! No matter who might be speaking, works do not save people, no matter how hard they might work, it does not count, unless you have already been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ! 

 This is not something that can be debated, because without having been washed by the blood of Christ, all the works we think might be good, are really just filthy rags in God's eye! (Isaiah 64:6) What we do after we have been saved, that is a totally different story. Then we are governed by the love of God! 

 Much like that two-edged sword illustration, that cuts both ways, we are responsible for the love we live out, both towards God and through God! In other words, it is the love we have towards God that gives us the strength to love Him as we should, or at least try our very best; and it is God's love that lives in us that helps us to love others as we should. 

 These are the works that matter, as they are powered by God's love, both ways, up and down; we love Him, and He loves through us! We are just a vessel for God to work through, a humble servant that is meant to be used and subject to God's commands. I know that some people might not like how that sounds, but it is pretty much cut and dry, the way that it has to be!

 Yesterday I heard a very small portion of a message, but it was enough to remind me what real love looks like. Not sure what the topic was, but I am pretty sure it was a Valintine message for women that might think they are in love. The portion that I heard, had to do with the woman that has a boyfriend who wants to have sex with her before they are married. The pastor said, as clear as day, that she must realize that the man she wants to marry, really does not love her, because love is patient, and if he really loved her, he would wait! 

 How many people do you think might follow that rule today? It cuts both ways, in this day and age...

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. If does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT) 

"Sharper Than!"

 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48 KJV)

  "So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:11-13 NLT)

 Here is the thing that we must know about a two-edged sword, that it cuts both ways! There is quite a lot of stuff to absorb out of this, most importantly, in the Word! As you should know, John opens his sharing of this Gospel, by showing how important God's Word is, and why it must be carefully received, as if we are actually in the presence of God. 

 Whenever I share a message, the first thing I do, is read the Text that I will be sharing on. I feel that is the utter-most important thing to do, because God's word has precedence over anything else that I might have to say. After reading the Scriptures that I will be sharing on, I pray; making sure that I prepare myself, as well as those listening, to the things that I believe God is going to say. 

 I have tried once or twice to teach or share a message without having notes; big mistake on my part, because then I go into a message thinking that I have it all covered and know exactly what God is going to say. It is always best to prepare a message but be prepared to share whatever God wants to say!  

 The last message I shared was on the Book of Ruth for Mother's Day. I had prepared a message that I thought was going to be about mothers and daughter relationships, as well as introducing David's grandparents. Wow was I ever surprised! I ended up sharing how God takes our mistakes and makes them into opportunities for His glory!  

 No sooner than one month later, I went to Pastor Jon's church, for a Father's Day message; and I heard a very similar message about Abraham's mistake, listening to Sarah's suggestion to have his son through Haga, her handmaiden. It was the descendants of Ishmael that came along and bought Josheph, taking him to Egypt to be sold as a slave. God used Abraham's mistake, as a means to provide for the children of Israel, in so many ways. 

 This might be both hard and easy to understand, depending upon your interpretation; but God allows us to mess-up, that He can do the extraordinary. I hope you can see that God already knows your fall, before you ever think about doing whatever it is that makes you fall. He has not just chosen you for ordinary living, but that your life can be a testimony of His grace and mercy... 

"And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God's grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God's purpose in all of this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus out Lord." (Ephesians 3:6-11 NLT)   

"Catch-22"

"And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the word, but to save the world." (John 12:47 KJV)

  "Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." They deliberately forgot that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out of the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed." (2 Peter 3:3-7 NLT)

 There is something you must understand about yesterday's post, because we have already been judged for our sins, so sins are no longer what we will be judged for; now we are judged for what we do with the grace we have been so freely given! Mercy is God's free gift of salvation; grace is God making us His children and one with His Son! 

 Now, here is something very interesting, because Jesus is reminding us how important it is that we believe in Him, if that is, we want to be saved. The catch in this situation, is that we have already been judged sinners; we were born in sin, so that is something we cannot decide on or change, it is what it is, and there is nothing we can do about it! 

 The law was given, not to show us how to live, as if we were expected to keep it; but to show us how we live, and that we cannot keep it, no matter how hard we try! It is in our nature to break God's law, and has been from the beginning, and we be until we are in God's presence. 

 There really needs to be some give and take, or so we believe. Yes, there is! Both situations demand we die; one is the death that we are being saved from, the other is the death that sets us free from sin...

"But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. From when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law - I stopped trying to meet all its requirements - so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." (Galatians 2:17-21 NLT)  

"Perfect Comfort"

 "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46 KJV)

  "Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."" (Ephesians 5:10-14 NLT)

 Have you ever heard, "Practice makes perfect"? Well, it is really a thing, and it takes practice to make our walk perfect! Yes, we are transformed into a new creature from the moment that we accepted Christ; but this transformation must put on new clothes and walk uprightly! We train ourselves to sin, because sin is not part of this new character, the Holy Spirit living inside of us will help us to avoid sinful desires. But He will not force us to do or not do anything. 

 We must, without hesitation, follow the leading and guiding of the Spirit; that is what we practice, again and again, prayerfully looking for every opportunity to get everything right. Chances are, we won't get everything right, because we are still dealing with the desires and passions of our flesh. But, man-O-man, what a comfort there is for us, when we strive to get everything right! 

 This is how it works: The more we practice obeying God's word, the more we see the wrong things we do, because they become more obvious and easier to detect. But the more we do not practice obeying God's word, the less we see the wrong things we do, because we are not practicing doing right! 

 Comfort is no longer what we feel, because we are not at peace with ourselves, nor are we feeling the joy that comes from abiding in Christ's love and Spirit! Wow, this is really something I need to work on, because I feel as though I'm speaking to myself! 

 Perfect Comfort, without question, is found in knowing that we are abiding in Christ! If we have any doubts about our walk, when the pain of this life comes upon us, we feel the pain, not the comfort that is available in Christ, because we feel naked and afraid. This is pretty much how Adam and Eve felt as they hid in the garden. 

 This is not how we should feel! Jesus clearly says, "whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness," because this is something that we should not be dealing with, because we have the Light living in us... 

"Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates. you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later." (Romans 8:12-18 NLT)

"Perfect Sight"

 "And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me." (John 12:45 KJV)

  "You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:5-6 NLT)

 This sight, that I am going to share about, is not the sight through the eyes, as if we have the eyes to see perfectly; this is about the eyes of the heart, that allow us to believe and trust in God, no matter what our seeing eyes might see! Basically, we are fooled so many times by what we see, because real faith is not based upon that which is seen, but upon that which is going to take place, because God has said it is so. 

 I know that God is going to heal my wife! This much I know that she will be made whole, perfectly whole, that it is going to happen, because God has said that it will happen. We will all be transformed, from these corruptible bodies to new glorious bodies, that will be able to live forever and ever! So, these few years that we have here, no matter how difficult or painful they might be, are just a blink compared to the eternity we will experience, with the Lord!

 If that is what you believe, then you have perfect sight! Plain and simple, your able to see past all of this, and can believe that what the Lord has promised is what is to come... 

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and that he has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 John 5:20 KJV) 

 

 

"Perfect Sense"

 "Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me." (John 12:44 KJV)

  "Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate: "How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge?"" (Proverbs 1:20-23 NLT)

 Just so you know, that spun into something that shows us how easy it is to be looking at what man might think, instead of what God is watching. Basically, it only takes a little while for us to be distracted by the world's enticement's, to start feeling as though we can gain something from this life. Just a little bit of desire, and you can begin having that crosswalk arrow pointed downward! 

 We were born to worship! Don't you forget that, because it is in our DNA and our nature. If you might doubt that is the case, look at that baby in the womb; see for yourself, how that living thing is praying to its Creator! 

 If you really want to get amazed, the insect world will blow your mind, because they know what to do from birth; without even being told, they do what they were created to do, masterfully! I haven't seen it yet, but I was told about a fungus that will take over an ant, causing it to be its slave, doing whatever it needs it to do. 

 The video that has amazed me, is the Emerald Cockroach Wasp. If you watch that video, you will gain a little more respect for the insect world, because that is some really technical understanding that is naturally born in that little creature. God made that, that is for sure! 

 Here is the thing we must take away from this, "Pay Close Attention," plea from Jesus: We are all subject to God! Whether you want to be or not, you have no choice, because you are going to answer to God! You might say that you don't believe in God, but that doesn't mean you can break away from His mighty hand! You will stand before God, and you will be judged for how you treated the love He offered to you! 

 Jesus was being humble, as was His character; being in the form of man, He became subject to the same passions and desires that rule us, but He ruled over them and obeyed His Father! Just like that Emerald Cockroach Wasp, Jesus knew what He came for, how to live, and how He was going to make us have life: eternal life... 

""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT) 

"Combustible Praise" - 2

 "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John 12:43 KJV)

  "When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them." (2 Corinthians 10:18 NLT)

 If there is one thing I have hopefully learned, it is to not think too much about myself. I say that with hope, because as soon as I pretend to have anything under control, I discover that it is untrue and there is still plenty of work that needs to be done with my attitude. As long as I live and breathe, I am still going to fall short from being good; but I can hope to be humble! 

 Whether you believe it or not, all of this stuff we are living through now, unless it involves the things that are done for the Lord, they we all be destroyed and gone forever. I know that we look forward to having something to show for our lives, but if the Lord's not in it, it will not last long enough to be of any use or good for His kingdom. 

 If you doubt what I said, then look at the things happening now, where those things which were done by noble men, have been put to shame, and only the things that were done for the Lord, they are only still meaningful to the church and to the Lord. As far as this world is concerned, they really did not count.

 That should be a lesson to show how useless the praise of men actually can be, if that is what you might be hoping to achieve. Nothing you might do in this life to obtain praise from men will last; you will either be forgotten or hated, because the generations to come will not respect or care about those things that you did. 

 Yesterday I was shown the worldly side of the learning, as I toured the campus of UC Berkeley, and took a close look at the world of the Life Science Building. There were many different things that were attributed to Darwin and his discoveries, but nothing that I saw had any proof of what people think he discovered. If anything, it just had shown a part of something that a lie was built upon, but nothing that proved anything at all.

 Because my trade involves bugs, the main focus of the tour was based upon looking at and learning about insects and which ones were related to or had evolved from other insects. The scientist are so stuck on their discovery of DNA, that they have crawled down a rabbit-hole looking at small variations and connections within the DNA structure. Based upon that, they have determined that they have found a new species, or that one species is somehow related to another. 

 Fools! Everything points to the Creator! If they could just understand that God created everything to adapt, then they might have a clear vision of what they are looking at. It is really not that hard to understand! God created everything whole and complete, with the ability to reproduce and with the reproduction of life, things will and must adapt! 

 Science just needs to adapt to the belief in a Creator, and then everything will fall into place. Without God, there will never be any explanation to life... 

"But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think of foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshipped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles." (Romans 1:18-23 NLT)

"Combustible Praise"

 "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John 12:43 KJV)

  "You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9 NLT)

 This might not seem like such a hard thing to figure out, but it really depends on where your heart is; because if your heart is in the wrong place, you will probably not be able to see it. Had Peter known what he was going to do, would he have done it differently? Well, truth be told, he was told by Jesus, just hours before, "You will deny me three times." So, technically, he knew, he just didn't believe it could happen! 

 There are a lot of things that I have done, looking back upon, I can't believe I actually did them. "What was I thinking," was my reaction, as I reminded myself of this or that, remembering the thing, but at the same time, wondering what allowed me to do it. God is always watching! He sees the thoughts in your mind and the intentions of your heart; you do not get away with anything! 

 So, that is the practical points that we must understand; now, we must consider the applicable points, as in what manner of person you should be, knowing that you have no way to hide! We are talking about godly men, those that actually pray to God, speak of God, and teach others who God is, sharing the things that He has done, can do, and will do, soon enough! 

 We must fix our eyes upon heaven; it must be more important to us than this life, as hard as that might be to imagine, it must be so! All of this will soon be gone; fix your heart on Him...

"For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25 NLT) 

"Don't Hold Back!"

 "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:" (John 12:42 KJV) 

  "And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them." (1 John 4:13-16 NLT)

 Excuse my attitude, but it is just that I need to leave town for a few days, and I usually get somewhat emotional whenever I will be away from my wife for any length of time. When she was in the hospital, I was turn about going to our annual Men's Retreat at Woodleaf, as it was a three-day event, and I could stand the thought of being unable to be by her side for that long. However, I went, and God gave me peace in doing so! 

 What we are talking about today, is something that I believe each and every one of us, at some time or another, will do, whether we think we won't or just forget who it is that we must represent. Some more than others, as it mostly depends on the type of person you are and who it is that you like to hang out with. 

 I recall the time, back around 1985 or so, I went to a Sunrise Service with my brother-in-law and his new wife. We usually went to Calvary Chapel of Downey's service; but this Easter morning we went to Calvary Chapel West Covina, which is now, Calvary Chapel Golden Springs. Pastor Raul was very shaken up, as he shared about the recent passing of his best friend, whom he had never really tried hard to persuade to accept Jesus Christ into his heart. 

 He shared how important it seemed that he did not offend him or cause him to avoid their long-time relationship; but that he never even considered how important it was to try and save him from going to hell. He literally wept openly, in front of a stadium full of people, because he felt guilty for not doing what he should have done: caring and sharing how much Jesus mattered, more than anything else! 

 As much as I would like to say that I haven't been there, I know that I have, because like most, there are times when I feel outnumbered or maybe even a little unworthy, as I know that those I would be sharing with, know me well enough to question my faith or my commitment to the Lord. I hope you don't get the wrong idea about that, because I really try to display Christ in almost everything I do. 

 But, sorry to say, I am not perfect, by any-means! I can lose my temper, neglect to be patient, and even sometimes be out-of-sorts! If you don't know what that means, it means to be unhappy or grumpy, when you should be filled with joy and pleasant. Sometimes something I forget to do, even though I know it is something I must keep on doing, even when I might not feel like it! 

 I really hope no one was watching me yesterday afternoon, as I was trying to lift up a deck below a 450-pound A/C unit. I was not really having a very joyful time, for about 20 minutes or so. At one point in time, I think I might have had a little bit of a putty-mouth, as it seemed as though I was losing the battle and the deck, I was trying to lift up, was winning. 

 Don't get me wrong, I love to be challenged by my work. Not too many people can do what I do and love doing it; because I can work underneath a house, almost all day, without even feeling like I need to get out. Most people that do that, need to get out after an hour or so, feeling like they are trapped or being claustrophobic. 

 Anywho; this is not about feeling trapped or claustrophobic; it is about feeling free and alive! When we express how much Christ has done, nothing that we do matters! You might think that you don't have the right to speak, but you aren't going to feel right if you don't! Sooner or later, you won't even notice that it bothers you, because it won't...

""I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who denies me on earth will be denied before God's angels."" (Luke 12:8-9 NLT)   

 

"Eyes of the Heart"

 "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him." (John 12:41 KJV)

  "It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven's Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!"" (Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT)

 If you have been following this blog for quite some time, then you might recall that weird vision I had, the one where I pictured the train of robe that is mentioned above; but it was not a royal robe that I saw, but the train of a wedding gown that field the Temple. Then, as I studied the gown's pattern of woven silk or fine linen, I began to see a pattern within the weavings. Looking closer and closer, I saw a face; and then, as I focused on the face, I discovered that I was looking at myself, looking back at me! 

 Yes, I know, that is pretty weird! That said, after several days of evaluating what that face might have meant, I determined that I was looking forward to being in the Lord's presence, no matter what form or fashion I might be in! "Better is one day in His house, than thousands elsewhere!" 

 Not so far from seeing that vision, I listened to a message from Pastor Jon; one that spoke about the different areas in Heaven, much like the Temple, where there was the Outer Court, the Inner Court, and then the Holy of Holies. He then began to talk about what it might be that would separate the saints, to be limited to certain areas, by how the served the Lord while living on this earth.

 The way he envisioned it, those that served the Lord faithfully, were the ones who were in the Inner Court, worshipping with the Lord. Then there were those who mostly served themselves, who were out in the Outer Court, serving their fellow saints. Not sure if he said it or not, but I envision the Holy of Holies being the place where the martyrs hung out.

 Basically, there is really nothing that matters more than just being a part of God's family! Whether I end up being the knucklehead that picks up the trash, or that washes feet; just being there with Jesus is more than I need...   

"This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about his gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ's suffering and great glory afterward. They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen." (1 Peter 1:10-12 NLT) 

 

"Heart of Stone" - Too

 "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (John 12:40 KJV)

  "My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins." (James 5:19-20 NLT)

 Let's just say, those that are lost and have no desire to know God, although their heart might be hardened and they are unable to see the truth, they are not totally forsaken and rejected by God. God will not just quit giving them an opportunity to say yes to His free offer; as long as they have breath in their lungs, they are still able to receive salvation! 

 Believe it or not, this has much more to do with God's children! Yes, those of us that have already been saved, we have more responsibility to the Way, then those that do not know which way that they are going! In other words, His children cannot just do what they want, and get away with it; He will make our lives very unpleasant and uncomfortable.

 As I shared before, the choices we make in our lives have consequences; although God can do many good things with the bad choices we might make, that does not mean bad things cannot come upon us, as there are circumstances that arise from our mistakes. 

 In James' closing words, that are shown above, he is encouraging us to be good brothers and sisters, as in, to actually care about each other, as if we really do love each other as brothers and sisters should! In other words, if you have a brother or sister that has wandered from the faith, then it is beneficial for you, as well as to them, that you try and restore them back into fellowship. 

 Those that have lost their way, are not lost, they are unable to see the path that they have chosen, because their hearts are hardened to their own peril, feeling torn away from fellowship with God. That is the not the way it happens, that is the way it ends up. There is no quick and easy way that we fall from grace; it is something we work and fight to do, until God finally lets us see what we shouldn't have done. 

 Having seen the experience for myself, I can assure you, it takes more than just confession to feel any relief. But, for the sake of time, let me leap into the reason that I believe James is sharing this, and why we should pay attention to what he said. When you can lead someone back to the Lord, you are going to experience being liberated from many of your own failures and sins. 

 That might not be easy to understand, until you actually have it happen. We all have sins that are stamped upon our hearts, most of which we don't even think about, or even know are there. But sin isn't always something that we do, it is also something that we fail to do; those are sins that cut the deepest into our hearts...

"Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our own actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:18-20 NLT) 

 

"Heart of Stone"

 "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." (John 12:40 KJV)

  "In the words of the Scriptures, "I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau." Are we saying then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose." So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it." (Romans 9:13-16 NLT)

 So, here we are, supposably, pinned into a corner, as if there is no way out, only God gets to decide if there is a way out: Really? Is that what you believe? There are two sets of circumstance that is being shown: one is the point of God's All-seeing Knowledge, the other, less powerful, is our finite minds, which can barely see our own hand out in front of our face! 

 That said, I believe that God knows more about us, then we know of ourselves. We don't get to choose what we are, because we don't even know ourselves what we will become; as crazy as that might sound, it is just the way we are, unpredictable and capable of doing anything.

 We see someone do something, and then say, "I would never do that!" But guess what, you really don't have that type of control! We need to have the kind of heart that is thankful that God choose us! Not the kind of heart that might think you choose God, as if you were the one who initiated that connection! I spent half of my life looking for God, before He reached down and pull me out of the crowd, letting me know who He was! 

 That is the sign of compassion and mercy! God is the Merciful One, not you or me! We would be just fine, if God would just leave us alone; but He chooses to reach down and plunk us up out of grip of hell! Count your blessings, and make that one the first...

"Therefore, I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all." (Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT) 

"And Then!"

 "Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again," (John 12:39 KJV)

  "This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD of Heaven's Armies: "I am the First and the Last, there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses - is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock - not one!"" (Isaiah 44:6-8 NLT)

 Because there are some who do not agree, that does not mean that we must be silent or keep the truth we know to ourselves; on the contrary, we are meant to proclaim the truth, whether it is proper to do so or not, it is our responsibility to obey God's instruction, first and foremost! If that might offend anyone, then be offended and say you don't want to hear what is being said; at least then we can know what side you are actually on! 

 I think it might be about time that the church stands up, because the wickedness of a few is being shoved down the throats of the multitude, as if everyone needs to partake in their wickedness. Again, if that is offensive, then be offended, because I feel offended too!  

 Anywho, just had to get that off my chest, because I do not want to watch the cooking channels anymore! It's not that I don't like the cooking shows, but the commercials really are getting offensive and causing me to turn the channel. Maybe my television needs to be off, as it is mostly on for Marianne, although I watch it too. Maybe it might be an idol? 

 What is an idol to you? It basically is anything that you place between yourself and God; so what is the thing that you have placed between yourself and God? Sometimes I think that my job is an idol, even though I need this job to pay my bills, it really does come between me and God, as it takes up most of my time trying to maintain it, while spending time with my wife, my life, and my fellowship with other believers, while God only gets ten percent of my time.

 There was a time when I wanted to dedicate all my time to the Lord, and I really thought it was going to be possible; but then life became the priority, raising a child, caring for a family, building a business; all of which was useful, but destructive, at the same time! The time I had to spend with God became less and less; almost as much time as I spent eating a meal, was all I had to spend in fellowship with the Lord! 

 Does that sound familiar to anyone else? Idols are all around us; some of us have so many idols in our lives, we can't even detect that they have us, more than we have them! And yet, they have no power at all! Maybe this blog is an idol? Wow, there is something to think about...

"The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and faint. Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine. He cuts down cedars; he selects cypress and oak; he plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread. Then - yes, it's true - he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says, "Ah, that fire feels good." Then he takes what's left and makes his god; a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. "Rescue me!" he says. "You are my god!" Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, "Why, it's just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?" The poor deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?"" (Isaiah 44:12-20 NLT)

"The Arm of God"

 "That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (John 12:38 KJV)

  "God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."" (1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NLT) 

 I know that some of this is old news, as we who have been walking with the Lord for a while, may tend to want new and refreshing news and things that are more current and present-day revelations. However, no present day anything can begin to compare to what Jesus Christ has done, over two thousand years ago! 

 Last night we were blessed by Pastor Rick's insight into the those who witnessed the crucifixion; some were those that made fun of Jesus, some were those that judged Him, some were those that took part in the preparation of His death, some were made participators for just being there; and then, there were some that became believers, by just witnessing His death, close up and personally! 

 That might have been the most amazing thing to all that was shared, because this was more than just a glimpse of the past, it becomes a reality in each of us, as to the abilities God gives us to shine the Light, in every dark and horrible experiences that God allows us to go through. That is when we can actually show off the real faith that we have been given; when we are being crushed, the love of God is mightily revealed!    

 Those that mock and make fun of God's love won't understand it, they see it as foolishness and weird; but those who have been touched by the Arm of God, they will see something that will draw them to know the love of God! They will be able to taste it, because it will be real and manifested right before their eyes. It won't just be a story of something that has been written about, but it is now and present news, they witness right then and there! 

 The character that sparked my interest was the centurion that was appointed to take Jesus from His sentencing, to the end of His life. This would have been a man that was skilled in the art of this death, having most likely performed many crucifixions, he was accustomed to the agony and brutality of this kind of death. Most of those that were killed this way, were hung to die for a few days; but in this case, because Pentecost was about to start, they finished up early. 

 We might not understand what it takes to trigger someone's heart, as this man's heart was triggered, but the mighty Arm of God, He actually reaches inside of the man and touches his stoney heart! I can tell you from experience, as it happened to me! I was lost and had no clue about the real Jesus, who He was and what He did for me, as He hung on that cross. 

 All my life I believed that God created the heavens and the earth; I never doubted that there was a God that made everything we see, all that there is in the sky, and all there every was or ever will be. It was only common sense, as far as I could see! When I was in elementary school, the first day of school as I walked into the classroom, I saw that poster from Life Magazine on the wall, the one that shown the evolution of man, and I mocked it, saying how foolish that was, and that God created man, just as he was and is. 

 That day when I was called down to that cafeteria, in September of 1981, the Pastor that spoke, took off his watch, waving it around, saying, "See this watch? This watch tells me that somewhere out there, there is a watchmaker. And all of this, you and me, and all that we see, that tells me that there is a Creator! And I am here today to tell you, That Creator is Jesus Christ!" 

 Well, that did it for me! What a different perspective that gave; especially when I envisioned Him hanging on the cross...   

"When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn't use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God's secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness - timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NLT)  

"Cause of Stagger"

 "But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:" (John 12:37 KJV)

  "Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous." (Romans 4:20-22 NLT)

 I have a little bit of an issue with those that might think that believing in God's promises doesn't count; as if the faith that we might place in God, does not count if we are not perfect and able to be exactly like Jesus, in every situation. Last I checked, there is none perfect, except Jesus; and it is because of His being perfect, that we get to hitch a ride on His righteousness, by believing in Him! 

 Again, the only One that will be judging you and me will be Christ! He is the One that we will stand before, and His judgment is the final word in whether or not we were faithful in what He gave us to do! Did you believe that He loved you? There is the mission that is placed in our hearts: To show the world how much He loves us, giving up His life for us, that we could be made righteous by His blood. 

 Knowing that, it becomes hard to live in sin; practicing sin is something that you must teach yourself to do, in order to even begin to be okay with it. And even then, after you have been dragged around by the devil long enough, you will finally come to your senses, begging for forgiveness! (This much I know!) 

 As I have probably mentioned before, I have a few friends that have walked away from following Jesus; each of them has done so for the same reason: Not believing that God is willing to forgive them! Having previously been on fire for God, proclaiming His wonderful works, and being witnesses to the great salvation they have received; they fell from grace and now believe that they don't deserve mercy! 

 It is hard to talk them out of what they feel, because they have made up their minds and hardened their hearts. Each of them seems to have someone in their life that was their spiritual giant, who must have scolded them for having failed; maybe even accused them of the unpardonable sin, as if falling from grace is unpardonable! 

 Well, is it? I think that Judas Iscariot is a picture of someone who did not believe that he deserved to be forgiven. He felt that his sin was so bad, that there was no way Jesus would ever forgive him! He was part of the plan and didn't even realize what Jesus was being crucified for: For him, and you, and me, and every other sinner that has ever lived! 

 I want you to stop staggering back and forth, being uncertain of where you might stand with God! If you are standing for Jesus, then He will be standing for you...

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT)