"Ebb and Flow" - for real

As James began his letter to the twelve tribes spread out abroad, I wonder the thoughts he must have been having about Jesus. If any one of you have witnessed the unwarranted suffering of someone that you love, then you might know how hard it is to think about them without those visions popping up in the forefront of your mind. As I am reminded of this, as far as is the case in my our life, I find the easiest way to mask those images is to think upon those things which I have done to hurt her, making the misery of her suffering count towards the repentance of my heart. This might explain the reason James spent so much time on his knees in prayer; not that anyone really knows, but Jesus. Given who James was writing to, and who it was that cried out for Jesus to be crucified, I can only imagine that James was getting to the meat of what it means to have living faith, and that there must be action involved for faith to mean anything at all. To be perfectly honest, faith that does not have action involved with it is depressing, stagnate, and can actually cause suffering in the heart of those that do not act upon their faith. If you cannot see that this is so, then imagine what might have taken place in the heart of 'the thief on the cross' if he had not spoken out. As he hung there waiting to die, just wishing he had said something to the other malefactor, anything to defend the One between them, who had done nothing to deserve what He was going through. And yet, knowing also in his heart who it was that hung beside him; having said nothing about Him or to Him, as he watched Him die first. Add to that the reaction and the conformation to what he had believed, that upon the death of Jesus, the earth began to quake, the sky turned dark and stormy, and it just became obvious that he missed his opportunity; don't you think that his heart would be suffering? If ever there was a sinking feeling that could come into a man's heart, then that would be it; especially in this case of this man, who would have no chance for a do-over, or to try again; Jesus had died, he was about to die, and his opportunity will be no more. Can anyone relate to what I am getting at? This also works in the case of our inaction within our faith. Maybe it has happened to you, where you see someone that you know God is asking you to share with or reach out to, yet you do not; only to make a promise to God and yourself, that next time you see that person you will not faint. The sad thing is, that many times the prompting of the Holy Spirit is a two-way street; where the Holy Spirit is working upon their heart as He is guiding you to share with them. The next time that you see them, this may not be the case...

"Ebb and Flow"

Strangely enough, I have had this title in mind for the last four days, and last night both me and my niece were living the stomach form of this! I knew I was feeling a little queasy earlier in the day, as we were preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but I pushed it off as hunger pains, not knowing what awaited me. We had planned to be on the road for Bend by 4:00pm, but didn't actually depart until almost 4:30; as I wanted to be checked into our room by 9:00pm. Half way here it started to hit me, and I was beginning to feel like I needed to pull over. We were fortunate to find that was a rest stop at about the half way point, but I could not actually do the deed while we were there; so off we went to finish our journey. Right around the 75 miles left portion of the drive, I was choking back whatever it was that was wanting to come out of me; mile by mile looking for someplace safe to stop and explode. Then finally about 15 minutes from our destination, I could stand it no more, so we pulled into an ARCO station, but the rest room was sealed with a big yellow sign that said, Broken. So off we went again, this time thinking, only 15 or twenty minutes more and I will be able to lock myself in our hotel bathroom for as long as it takes. Not more than two minutes later, while setting in the center lane, waiting for the light to change green, I could wait no longer; off I drove, through the red light, turning left into the front of a restaurant I pulled over to the side of the road, jumped out, and painted about 20 square feet of asphalt. I was then good to go for the time being, until we got to the room; at which time I spent several hours on the floor of the bathroom. Finally done with all that I could do, I was able to get to sleep by midnight, only to be awaken at 1:30am by my niece making the bathroom her resting place for the next three hours. So here we are, 8:00 in the morning, and ready to hit the slops for a beautiful day of snowboarding. And it is beautiful!!! God has prepared a wonderful day; and after that experience of last night, it seems to be made for our pleasure...

"Give Thanks!"

"I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works." (Psalm 9:1) I thought this topic would fit nicely into the day that we celebrate once a year, called Thanksgiving Day. No matter what the tradition might be, or where it originated, it, being called Thanksgiving Day should cause those that are thankful to give thanks to the One who has made it all possible. I have written in the margin of my Bible below the verse above a single word, the word 'TELL'. Like many things that I have written in my Bible over the years, I have no idea when it was written, or where I was in my walk when I was inspired to pen it there; but it is boldly written between verses one and two, and is meant to remind me what this verse or verses had once spoken to my heart. The title of this Psalm is 'Thanksgiving for God's Justice', which those that know how this works, know that God's Justice is just and right, being first declared unto Abraham in Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness." It is first and foremost our belief in Him that brings us into a relationship with Him; but it is what we do within that relationship that solidifies it and makes it something tangible. Telling others of what He has done in us and for us, is one way that we can make our relationship with Him real, and that gives life to our faith. It was God who counted Abraham's belief and trust as righteousness, because it is God who passes judgement and sets the standards by which man is justified. There are two judgements that will be awarded unto man; one being based upon the Law, and the other based upon the saving blood of Jesus Christ. I want to make my Thanksgiving Day declaration a big THANK YOU GOD for making a way that I can be made righteous in Your sight; because, there is no way that I could pass the judgement of the Law!!!

"Living Faith" -5

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) It is easy to see the real meaning of things looking back and having the right perspective. Some of us are gifted in this area and can put things together so that they actually mean what they were meant to; and then there are others, who, although they might think they see the real meaning, it really only pertains to them. Who is actually in control here? It's not you or I, and it's not even the devil; although many might believe that he is. It is God who keeps the sun rising every day, and it is God who lets us keep rising each morning to see it! As far as our faith goes, it is based upon our trust in God for all the areas of our life; which are meant to cause us to walk in a particular way or fashion. It is not meant to be likened unto a light switch, that can be turned off and on at our discretion; but rather, is meant to be what we have become. I have seen this played out in my own life far more often than I would like to admit, and I have many regrets to show for it. What are you talking about Rich? Well, you might call it, Wearing our faith on our sleeve; which really means that it more for looks than for living. And the most fundamental problem with wearing our faith in any fashion, is that we can take it off and on, as a garment is changed to fit any occasion. A time for this, and a time for that, and a time to be His workmanship; but in reality, we are meant to be what we have been made into, at all times; not just when it is time for church, or time to be about His business. The difference between wearing our faith and living it, is that living our faith is something we cannot turn off, because it is what we have become; and any time that we might try to turn it off, we find ourselves feeling uncomfortable and out of place; kind of like wearing a tattered shirt in a room full of well dressed people; we feel very awkward, to say the least. Paul and James were in complete agreement with regard to good works being a part of our normal life in Christ; and looking at the verse above, we can see that Paul came at it from a little different angle to that of James, but the point was the same: Good works are a part of our new nature in Christ, and if they are missing from our life, then we have a problem... "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24)

"Living Faith" -4

"And you hath He quickened (Brought To Life), who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in times past ye walked (Moved) according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." (Ephesians 2:1-3) The biggest misconception among some Believers, is that righteousness is only generated by Jesus Christ, and that it is not passed on us who believe, but merely a covering that then takes the place of any action required on our part. This is a very touchy subject, and one which can cause large splits in churches; this I know from experience! Some would go as far to say that Paul and James were facing off with apposing view points regarding what works were to mean in a Believer's heart and life. I am under the belief that they were standing back to back to fight off two very apposing views; one that would teach us that without the works of the Law we cannot be saved, and the other that teaches that faith is all you need and works do not matter. Yes, I truly believe that it is our faith in Jesus Christ which brings us to salvation; there must be faith in Jesus to forgive us of our sins, and cleanse us of all unrighteousness; but there also must be faith that He has placed us on a path of righteousness. So then; if we are in Christ, and He is manifested within us, where then is the proof of this fellowship, if it is not by works? We can look to Abraham for a good example of this transaction that takes place. If ever there was a man who could be pointed to as someone who could point to the God in which he trusted, Abraham could be placed among the top of the list. James gives us the account of Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac as such an example (James 2:21-23); but what about him also stepping out from his home; was not that also an act of faith? Not quite as bold as being willing to sacrifice his son, but it was the first step, which constituted an action that was based upon faith in God. I have known people who said that they were trusting God to provide for them in an area of their life, yet were doing little to show their belief in that faith. For example, they would say things like, God will provide a job for me; yet, they would just sit there by the phone waiting for their future employer to call. To some, that might seem so spiritual and the perfect example of placing all of your faith in God; but to others, it might seem foolish and a complete waste of time. I am one that is among the second group; believing that God, although completely able to make that phone ring, is also a God who expects us to step out in faith; the stepping out part means that you need to step out of your house and find the job that God has provided for you! This is very similar to what faith represents, in that there is motion given to our faith that moves us towards God; or towards a job in the example given above! What this translates to, is that the righteousness which we have been given, requires a righteous way of life. In other words; we cannot say that we have been made righteous, and yet still live in sin... "For as the body without the spirit (Life Force) is dead, so faith without works (Movement) is dead also." (James 2:26)

"Living Faith" -3

Works, as per James 2:14, is a word that accomplishes something. Man cannot do any work to earn God's favor unto salvation; salvation is given by grace, and there is no way that it can be earned. So let's understand that the work performed by 'the thief on the cross' in rebuking his other malefactor, was not what saved him; it was his faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God to bring that salvation upon him. This really is not rocket science; works that James is talking about are those that definitively involve faith as the initiator. James uses an example of a work in his demonstration of 'faith that must act', and it involves giving something to someone who is destitute. Just so you know, I don't think James was making a point to handing out blankets and food as the work which must be done; although, it is a work needed to be done, especially at this time of the year. More than the actual act of doing something, he was hitting upon the point of doing what was needed to accomplish a need. In other words, if you think that you are going to help a brother and sister in need of warmth and filling, by just saying, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled", and yet you have not given those things required to be warm and filled, then really, you have done nothing. I will take that just one point further, and say, if you are going to do that, then make sure you don't let them know what church you are from, because they will not be attending it for sure. James goes on to say in verses 17: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone"; with the dead he is speaking of meaning a corpse. If you have ever come upon a corpse, then you know, they don't do much but stink up the place, and cause people to walk the other way. Besides the fact that the faith is dead, there is also an inner death that takes place in the person who says that they have faith, yet they do nothing with that faith they say that they have. If a person has any faith at all, and does not use that faith in one way or another, then that faith will be dead, meaning that it is as good to that person as a dead corpse. Our faith must be living; and in order to be considered alive, it must be accomplishing something, anything that shows some form of life and existence...Is anybody in there?

"Living Faith" -2

Just in case you were unaware, James was the half-brother of Jesus Christ; raised with Him as a child, they most likely played together and no doubt shared many of the same interest growing up together. It might be hard to imagine Jesus playing as a child; thinking instead that He spent His childhood in constant prayer to His Father in heaven, as His other siblings played and did the things that children do. Yet, I can only imagine that He too was part in their games as they played. As James was writing his letter to his Jewish brethren, which just so happens to be the most Jewish book of the New Testament, I can only imagine him thinking back to his childhood, growing up with the One who he is now speaking of as Lord. Most likely Jesus was different, seeing that He was without sin; sharing things with His brothers and sisters, and not being selfish towards them, as older brothers usually might tend to be. For James to be so focused on the actions of what faith should look like, he must have been accustom to seeing it in action. The only real account that we have of Jesus as a child, was when He was found by His mother when He was twelve years old, sharing Scriptures with those that taught the word of God. After He had been separated from her for over three days, she was quite upset, saying, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." To which Jesus responded, "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:41-49) Anyway; back to the thief on the cross and what it was that brought his faith to life. It was the thought of something greater than this life; something which mattered more than life itself, and that was what was to happen after his death. Abraham was also a man who was focused on this same principle; looking forward to a home that was not made with human hands, but made by God. It is this longing for that place, which is where we are to be, that keeps us hoping; and the hope that we have within us is what brings life to our faith. We live, and then we die; but looking beyond this life that we see here upon this earth is the spark that keeps us going to the end. Some people might scoff at such wishful thinking, supposing that we are vexed by a fable, or just reaching for a reason to believe that there is more to this life. But those of us that believe in Jesus, having tasted what putting our faith in Him creates in us, know, that faith in Him must be lived out, in one way or another. Much the same as Jesus, being but a child, knew His calling; knowing also that His mother knew, and thus, could question her concern for what He was doing. Works are things which we do that produce action to the things which we believe; the performance of the business of Him who is our Master. They are the natural response to what lives inside of us; much the same as the response generated in 'the thief on the cross' to his fellow malefactor...

"Living Faith"

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" (James 2:14) Some who might read the Book of James without knowing any better, might interpret him as a zealot for works. We have been down this road before, however, this time I wanted to focus on what brings life to the faith that is within us. Looking at the two questions that James is asking, they truly are just one question which is regarding the profitability of faith without works: Can faith alone save a man? I will use an illustration that is used very often for the argument that water baptism is necessary for salvation, which is the example of 'the thief on the cross'. If we look at the account of this that is found in Luke 23:39-43, we can see two products of 'living faith' in the life of 'the thief on the cross'; or whatever life that he had left. The first evidence of this 'living faith' was demonstrated by his rebuke of the other thief that hung with him: "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward for our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss". This is surely a result of faith that this man had placed in the One hanging with them being blameless of the charges brought against Him; which were charges of blasphemy, in that He called Himself God. The second evidence of this 'living faith' was demonstrated by the request that this believing thief made to Jesus after rebuking his friend: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, please remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom." In this example of the faith within this man's heart, we see a definite acknowledgement of Jesus not only being Lord, but also having the power to save beyond the point of death. This man had given up on the idea of getting out of his situation; yet he had realized who Jesus was, and that there was more to this life than what we see here on this earth. There was a definite awakening to the power of Jesus Christ in this man's heart; which was soon replaced with "The Joy of the Lord", as Jesus said, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise". Okay; now let me ask you something about this illustration: Would this 'thief on the cross' had profited anything by not speaking out? would his faith alone have saved him?

"Zealots"

During the time of Christ, the name "Zealots" was not a good name to be associated with, for they were a party among the Jews which were half religious and half political; which undertook to punish without trial those guilty of violating Jewish practices. Even today, some would refer to those that might seem overly religious as "Zealots". However, the word 'zealous' that Paul was using in his letter to Titus was just a slightly different version of the word 'zeloo' which means to be zealous, filled with zeal, or zealously affected; because it was the word 'zelotes' which means a zealot, one zealous for or eagerly desirous of something. This word Paul uses again in reference of the desire of someone to speak in tongues, which we can find in 1 Corinthians 14:12, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel in the edifying of the church." Just as those which are eagerly desirous for the gift of speaking in tongues, which may or may not verify the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon a person's life, are zealous for this gift because there is conformation of His presence; so too, those that are zealous of good works, are eagerly desirous of them so that there is conformation that we are of Christ's peculiar people. It is not just that we are doing good works, but that those good works that we do, are done because the grace that has been given unto us teaches us to desire to do them. This again goes back to the parable of the 'talents' and how it is the value of what we have been given which makes us not only a steward of what we have been given, but wanting to please the Giver of such an amazing gift. In this manner of our life in Christ, it is not that works provide the proof of our relationship, but rather the desire to perform them unto the Lord that is the proof of our love for Him... "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:14)

"The Redeemed" -3

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14) Okay, I know that some may not quite get the idea of Jesus having redeemed all men unto Himself, because not everyone will be counted with the redeemed. Yet, the point to what He has done, was to come and to die once and for all for the whole world; all of mankind was to be included. The word 'redeem' that is used by Paul in the above letter to Titus, is the word 'lutroo', which is taken from the word 'lutron' which means ransom; however, the difference with the word 'lutroo' is that it is an action verb used of him who receives, not of him who gives the ransom. Christ died for the whole world to be saved; thus, what this word denotes is the aspect of the Saviour's work wherein He appears as the Redeemer of mankind from bondage. "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:17 & 18) There will be no excuse for those who do not accept His act of redemption, seeing that He has provided it for all to receive! But wait; what about that guy? surely He did not die for that guy's sins; they are so bad! No, you don't understand God's gift of grace and mercy; which is not based upon what man has done, whether good or bad; but is only based upon what Jesus has done in having removed all iniquity and the bondage of the Law. You can think of the most unrighteous person that you know, and whether you like it or not, even that person can receive Salvation!!! All that they need to do is to receive it!!! It is meant for them, as much as it is meant for you and me...

"The Redeemed" -2

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:9 & 10) The word 'redeemed' that is used in the song sung in heaven is the word 'agorazo' which means To Buy; declaring that believers are bought with a price or for a price. The consequence of something or someone having been bought is that the buyer has the right of possession. As I said before, the timing of this song being sung is the time of the rapture; being the beginning of the 'Day of the Lord'. What many people do not quite get, is that Jesus Christ has not only purchased those that are to be saved, but has also purchased those that are lost, condemned, and damned; all have been purchased with His blood, and all will be judged accordingly. Philippians 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Again; last I checked, every pretty much includes everyone, even those that do not believe in Him, and even those that might currently curse Him will one day declare Him as Lord. The word used for 'Lord' in this Scripture above is the word 'Kurios' which means Master or Owner; Lord, might and power. As the One who has purchased every living thing, both in heaven and earth, Jesus as the Owner has every right to judge what He has bought. If we look again at Revelation 5:1-10, we can see a very good illustration of the ownership that Jesus has over all things, both living, dead or otherwise. The scene starts out with a book in the hand of Him that sat on the throne, and this book is written all over and sealed with seven seals that can not be opened. An angel declares with a strong voice, that no man in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth was found worthy to open this book or even look upon it. These seals are meant to conceal secrets of things which have been completely unknown until this time, and seven is a number which is a symbol of perfection. When Jesus is finally declared to be the one worthy to open this book, He is shown as a Lamb which had been slain, giving Him the right of ownership to not only the book, but to all the contents of that book; the book being a book of judgement upon the earth and all of it's inhabitants. Even during the judgement that takes place, after the Lamb opens the sixth seal, we can see in Revelation 6:12-17 that things got really catastrophic, and everyone hid themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountains, to hide from Him that sat on the throne and from the Lamb. "And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Revelation 6:16 & 17)

"The Redeemed"

Regardless of how you might believe it will happen; whether it will be those that have ever heard, or those that have not; the most important thing for us that are His children, is to be ready for His return. Those that will be damned, as per 2 Thessalonians 2:12, will be judged in their actions and separated unto condemnation; you do not want to be found in this group of people! As far as the others, those that might have heard the gospel preached, taken notice, but not yet made a commitment to follow Jesus, they shall either die in their sins, or be left here at the time of the rapture. Whether or not they will get a second chance to be saved is up to God. But, like I said before, whomever it is that gets saved out of the tribulation will seal their testimony with their own blood; which will require sacrifice of their own life for their faith in Jesus Christ. If that is your thing, then take your chance if you are so inclined; however, you must know that things will not be so easy then when it comes to making that stand for Christ, and whatever belief that you are clinging to now, may flee from you with the removal of the restraining force of the Holy Spirit. Not really a chance that I am willing to take!!! I prefer to be ready; redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ at the time of His coming!!! And the way that I read it, the only way to be redeemed by His blood is to be washed in His blood; thoroughly and completely washed at the time of His coming, that my lamp may be full of oil. If that oil means the Holy Spirit, then I must do all that is necessary to be filled with the Spirit; not putting off getting those things out of my life which I know quench the Spirit in my life; but watching and praying always to be found ready. And if that oil represents what is required to be a light for Jesus, then too I must not be associated with darkness at the time of His return. Either way, we must be found ready and prepared to stand before Him at the time of His coming...

"The Damned"

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12) It is the opinion of some that those who reject the "love of the truth" during the age of grace, or the church age, will not be able to receive it during the great tribulation. This belief is taken from the verses above that Paul uses to describe the spiritual battle that shall take place in the end times. I am not so sure that I totally agree with this belief; however, what I do know, is that having rejected the truth once it has been revealed, makes a person's heart hard to the truth again. I do believe that with all the modern communications, the possibility of those who have not heard the gospel message at one time or another in their life, is very remote. However, there is some very strong meaning to the term "the love of the truth" which I believe means more than just hearing the gospel. This makes the person more accountable to the truth that was revealed, because they have seen the love that was involved within the truth, and then rejected it. If there was a definition for what would be considered to be blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, then I believe that this would be it. The Holy Spirit is the only source of producing the love of the truth in a persons heart, which then requires that person to forcibly reject something that is so powerful, it takes a cursing heart to push it away. For this cause, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. If you ever have had the opportunity to speak with someone who does not believe that there is a God, and has been someone who has been raised in the church, then you will understand what I am talking about. This strong delusion that is spoken about is so apparent in their heart, that no matter how convincing your argument might be, they will reject your message, even to the point of cursing you to your face. It is almost as though they have taken a stand against the love of God at all cost; maybe due in part to the rejection of the truth that was once made clear to them, and the force by which it took them to reject something of such great power. I believe that our God is a loving God, who by the love that He has for us, will give man every opportunity to receive that love in his heart. However, there is a point by which He shall consider His love has been rejected, by which He then will turn that heart against Him. On the other hand, there are those that will delay their acceptance of His truth; these are they which shall believe what they have been shown, yet do not make the choice to receive it; putting it off over and over again...

"Oh, How He Loves Us!"

"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) It happens every time; as soon as I am starting to get caught up in some kind of 'works' routine, He reminds me of His abundant grace. Yes, works do matter, but they are not the things by which we shall be judged; we will be judged on our relationship with Jesus Christ! Do you know Him? and better yet, Does He know you??? We could make something about works stick to the parable of the slothful servant; and if not, we could defiantly do it with the Sheep and the Goats; but that's not what it's all about! It's about how much He loves us, and that because we understand that love He has for us, we love Him back! And because we love Him back, we can not help but to also love each other in the process. Out of that process of love are the works produced; never the other way around. In other words, we cannot produce love out of works; although, many people try to make it work that way. It is like trying to sit as though you are in a car to get the car; as if, if you sat there long enough, a car would miraculously form around you, and then off you go. You are not going anywhere with out first having the car; as a matter of fact, you will not even be able to sit as though you are in the car without the car holding you up. Jesus is that car. And we must first be seated in Christ before we can go anywhere that is counted for righteousness! There will be no excuse for not be counted worthy, although many will try and make an excuse for their case, He will be found just in His judgements. Have not all heard of His love for them? Is there any place left in this world where the gospel has not been presented? When Peter spoke about the Lord not being slack in His promise, it was a picture of God's mercy towards us, and how He would give us every chance to get it right. His will for us is that we would be saved! His will is not to be able to judge us for our unrighteousness, but to judge us in righteousness. We are living in a very special time; a time that has never before presented itself in the history of man. And the only thing that comes close to our time would be the time of Noah, who built an ark, who all the inhabitant's of that time saw and mocked him over his building of it. Do you see the similarity? And yet, many there are today who mock His soon return, saying, Where is the promise of His coming?

"The Day of the Lord"

We that are to be snatched from this world will be those that are waiting to be taken; either here, there or in the air, we will be ready to be with Jesus! So you might not be convinced that 'works' will mater? You may be correct; and then again, why take that chance? I was reminded of the illustration Jesus gave in Matthew 25:14-30, which He then turned into the judgement of those that are good and those that are bad; or the Sheep and the Goats. Both of these are based upon the responsibility that we have as someone who has been given something, to be a person who uses that which have been given, and not to let it go to waste. The first illustration is in the form of a parable, where Jesus speaks about a man who before traveling to a far country calls his servants to him and divided all his worldly goods among them. Then upon returning after a long journey, the lord of those servants came back and reckoned with them; which means he intended to gather back his wealth, and then some. You know the story, and how the one that was given little was slothful with that which he had been given. If you were to look at this from a point of grace, then you could see how that the slothful servant was judged for not investing that which he had been given; even though it was little, it was still enough to be invested, or given to the exchangers, as the Lord states in verse 27. The second illustration is not a parable, but is Jesus telling us what shall take place during "The Day of the Lord", which is His day of judgement upon the unbelieving world, those that are His, and upon the children of Israel. We must not confuse the Day of the Lord to mean a 24 hour period of time; because it will start as a thief in the night, and then it will be completed at the time of "The New Heaven and The New Earth" spoken of Revelation 21. That is a span of time which includes the rapture, the tribulation, the millennial period, the final great battle, and Judgement Day; all of which are the period of time referred to as the Day of the Lord, which means a time of judgements; this is the period of time during which the judgements of the Lord Jesus Christ will take place...

"Left Behind - Too"

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:9) To associate this verse with the verses from Matthew 24:50 & 51 we must understand something about God's will for our lives, and that it is His will for us to be saved. The servant spoken about in Matthew 24 is someone that is in the Master's household, or under His lordship. This is probably the biggest snare of all for those that are Believers today, that they would consider the salvation that they have received to be so secure that they need nothing else but to receive it and move on with their life as if what they do now does not matter. The servant spoken of in Matthew 24:50 was not looking for his master to return, and thus was not doing those things which the Master required of him. Two things are the result of his actions: one of which is that the Lord "shall cut him asunder", which literally means to be cut in two; which just so happens to be the death that the prophet Isaiah suffered. This 'cut asunder' can also refer to a scourging, which in the Jewish tradition of that time would be a punishment for a disobedient servant. The other action which will take place is to "appoint him his portion with the hypocrites", which in the simplest terms means that this servant shall be left behind with those that pretended to be Believers and were not. Although God has not appointed us to wrath, it is the actions, or lack of action in service to our Lord, that will be that which shall be the result of this appointment. Much the same as the lack of the foolish virgins neglect to keep the oil in their lamps, which can literally mean to have the ability to shine; or for lack of a better description, to be a light. However, on a good note, if you want to call it good, that servant will still belong to his Master, he will just have to face the wrath that he could have avoided...Double ouch!

"Left Behind"

"The Lord of the servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 24:50 & 51) Hell on earth; that will be the description for those days; especially for those that believe and know what is happening. Let me paint you a picture of what I am talking about. First off, let's address the "hypocrites" that are spoken of above, that are those that are counterfeit, pretenders; even those that lay shares, and in Job 36:13 it indicates an impurity of the heart which cherishes an inward bitterness against God. Now, just so you know, I am somewhat convinced that many of these that are so called hypocrites, will be converted to full Believers during the Tribulation; much the same as the "servant" that is mentioned above. In other words; those that have known the truth, or have been exposed to the truth, will be more likely to become those that will see the truth of what has taken place. Okay; let's try an illustrated picture; and let's start with the basic nonbeliever who attends church, but has not yet given their heart to the Lord. Here we have a person who has no doubt heard about 'The Rapture', and has at least heard about the Tribulation; not truly convinced that these things are real; and not yet truly convinced that Jesus is what they need to be saved; although they have been spoken to on this matter several times before. And then we have that day and hour appear; those that were in this person's life, trying to convince them of their need to be saved, are gone; just like that, they are taken from this earth in a twinkling of an eye. What would you expect to be this nonbeliever's reaction? IT WAS TRUE!!! Oh may goodness, I should have listened!!! Here I believe is the difference in these two worlds: one that is prior to the rapture of the church, is a world where Jesus is washing and makes white as snow, placing upon us white robes; the other, is one in which those that shall be saved, will be required to participate in the washing of their own robes, and they shall be faced with great trials, persecution, and death... "These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14)

"Being Prepared" -3

Have you ever gone to live with someone that you had great respect for? Someone that you were being forced to live with, but that you really were looking forward to be with? I know that might sound strange, but it happened to be the thing that came to my mind as I was finishing yesterday's post. When I was seventeen years old, I had gotten into trouble after just having served 18 months in a several different facilities. This time the judge was really mad and wanted to send me away to Y.A. for a long time; they were threatening to send me there until I was twenty five. Fortunately I had several things going for me; a mother who loved me, a probation officer that cared about me, an uncle who was also a probation officer, and a grandfather who lived in Texas and was willing to have me. So here I was, packed and ready to go, and excited that I was given a break; but as I was traveling there, I began to feel wrong; as though I was putting something on my grandfather that he did not deserve. I knew that he loved me and wanted to try and help, but I really did not want to go to him on these conditions. I know that it may not make sense to some, if not all of you, but that was a feeling that I will never forget. Fortunately I only had about two hours of flight time; because once I saw him, with his arms stretched out waiting for me to approach him, I knew that everything was going to be fine. Anyways; that cannot compare to what it will be like "to stand before the Son of man", but there is something familiar about being prepared for doing just that; and that familiarity has to do with justification; and there is only one way that we are justified in Christ, and that is by a heart that has repented and been cleansed of sin! Did I relate to this with my grandfather? Yes, I believe that I had. Because I wanted a fresh start and had committed to a new life free from crime; from robbing and badgering people just because I felt like doing something mean. I wanted to also make my grandfather proud of me, because the way that I felt in my arrival, I felt ashamed and that I was taking advantage of his love for me. Do I think that I could not be ready? Yes, I know that it could happen. I have days when I fail to ask forgiveness, mostly due to wanting to wallow around in the mud for a little while; but in those times I know that I am taking a chance; or maybe it really doesn't work like that; all that I know, is that when I ask Him to forgive me, I feel as though I am ready to be in His presence and stand before Him. Now then, regarding this statement that I made a few days ago about Jesus never letting us go; I truly believe that He will not; and yet, He will be willing to allow us to suffer those things which shall come to pass, if we are not found worthy to escape them at the time of His coming. Do you understand what I just said? Okay; maybe I should speak more simply. If we do not want to go through that dreadful Great Tribulation, then we should be "Watching and Praying" that we will not; which requires a heart that is in fellowship with Him, and that fellowship is powerful and producing the result desired by Him. Because, at His coming, it will be too late to knock... "And while they went to buy (oil for their lamps), the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:10-13)

"Being Prepared" -2

"For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (Luke 21:35) If you ever have set a trap for something, then you know how traps work, and that they are designed to catch something by surprise: Gotcha! This is the meaning of the word "snare" in the verse above from Luke; and it includes "all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth"! Last I checked, all means pretty much everyone; which would include you and me! If we look at a corresponding passage in Matthew 24:36-51, we see several different examples that Jesus gives about not being aware of His return. The first that He gives is of Noah, and how those that were on the face of the earth, knew not their fate until the floods came; for up until that time, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; just having a grand-o-time. "So shall the coming of the Son of man be"! Next Jesus gives the example that we are all so familiar with, that two shall be in the field, and one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, and one shall be taken and one will be left. This one must make us take notice, since He is talking about two people being together, one could assume that they are acquainted with each other, and from there, we could also assume that they are friends. However you want to look at their pairing, one was ready, and one was not ready when He returned; which must make us wonder what made them different; could it have been the condition of the heart at the time of His coming? Because it was surely not what they were doing, because they were both doing the same things. But then Jesus said, "Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come". (Matthew 24:42) This word "watch" that Jesus uses here means to be properly prepared, not just to be watchful, but to make sure that one's fellowship with God is undistracted and efficacious; which means that our fellowship with God is producing the desired result. Jesus goes on to speak, that if the "goodman of the house" knew the hour the thief would have come, then he would have watched and not suffered his house be broken up. And then He speaks about the wise and the unwise servants; one servant to wise in making use of what the Lord has placed in his hand; while the other servant is wasteful, saying, "My Lord delayeth his coming", smiting his fellow servants and partying on the Lord's provisions. These are all examples of the snares which shall come upon all of us; snares which are meant to make us unaware and unprepared at the time of His coming. Some of us are totally unaware and unconcerned with His coming, just as those that were in the day of Noah. Some are with those that are ready, but yet have not prepared our own hearts for His arrival. Some are feeling safe and secure within their life, as if they are well protected, yet will be caught off guard by not watching for 'the thief in the night'. And yet there are some, who might even be His servants, that shall doubt His coming, being wasteful with both their time and money; even disregarding the love that must be shared with fellow servants, because they have reserved in their hearts that He has delayed His coming. There are many things that have been placed in our lives to distract us from 'watching', but these distractions are only as flashy and meaningful as we make them. However, just as we are but a vapour, that is here today and gone tomorrow, so too are all the things of this world. We must be ready and prepared for His return... "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36)

"Being Prepared"

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." (Luke 21:34) So, here is my question, What is the difference between ready and prepared? In the case of the 'five foolish virgins' who did not have oil in their lamps, I believe that they were ready, but that they were unprepared. Regardless of what that oil might represent, the point that our Lord was trying to make, was one about being prepared for His return. Those five foolish virgins were indeed ready for the bridegroom, for they had taken their lamps to be ready for the bridegroom who was to come; yet they had not prepared enough to have sufficient oil in their lamps to come out to him when he arrived. This is what you might call, the "He has delayed His coming" trap that enemy can trick us into. "Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." (Matthew 25:13) The oil represents what was needed to keep that lamp going; which could be a representation for the Holy Spirit, or it could mean oil needed to light the lamp; which would represent a life that has been distracted from that which is most important, like being completely prepared for His coming. Caught off guard is a good way to look at this illustration; for the five foolish virgins were looking for the coming of the bridegroom, as were the other five, yet they had not done what was necessary for the moment that he arrived. To relate this to something that we might all understand, I would say the virgins all were a representation of Believers; five of which were watching and praying, five of which were not; and the five that were not, were busy doing other things, which left them unaware, or unprepared...