Do we need to be afraid that God knows us inside and out and that our thoughts are laid open to Him plain as day? No! He loves us!

King David was a man after God’s own heart. We see his passion in Psalm 42:1, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” Where did the phrase, “a man after God’s own heart,” originate? As we begin a look into what it takes to be people “after God’s own heart,” we turn to 1 Samuel 13:14,

¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Let’s review the story. King Saul had been recently crowned king of Israel. His son, Jonathan, had attacked a Philistine outpost and stirred up the Philistines. they assembled to fight Israel with a much larger army and lots of chariots. The new Israel army was falling apart in fright; many were abandoning the army and were “hiding in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns” (1 Samuel 13:6). Saul waited for the prophet Samuel to come, but got antsy and offered up the burnt offering himself, which was a big no-no. When Samuel arrived, he rebuked Saul telling him that he had acted foolishly and that his kingdom would not endure.

David was a shepherd. It was out on the hillsides that he learned to commune with God. Because of his strong relationship with the Lord, David was brave and took on a lion, a bear, and eventually, Goliath. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel was following the Lord’s guidance and came upon the house of Jesse; God turned down all six sons that were present in the house. We pick up the story there,

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him [as king]. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

In case there was any doubt about the accuracy of the story, Paul recounts it in his sermon at Antioch of Pisidia in Acts 13:22,“But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'”

How about us? Are we willing to do everything that God wants us to do? Are we that devoted to Him? When we think of all the things He has done for us, we know that we can trust Him with our lives. David’s life didn’t always reflect his heart; he made some costly decisions along the way. We probably will, too. But, that doesn’t stop God’s love for us. He will walk through the consequences with us and, somehow, bring good out of them.*

Abba, help us to desire to be a people after Your own heart. May it be said of us, “They will do everything God wants them to.” You know our hearts–and, yet, You love us still! Thank You for loving us!!! Amen.

*David and Bathsheba had two sons. They named the first one Solomon and then Nathan. In their lineages was Jesus! 1 Chronicles 3:5, Matthew 1:6, and Luke 3:31.

The Bread of Passover is representative of the sacrificial body of Christ. The Church still celebrates it today in the Lord’s Supper.

We can read many differing possible theories on the timing of all the events of Passion week and each may have merit and can be fun to discuss, however we must keep our focus on what Jesus did for us more than the timing of how His great demonstration of love unfolded that week. My thinking and pondering on the timing has changed over the years (and may change again!), but currently, I lean toward the arguments presented for Jesus and His disciples most likely celebrating the Passover meal on Thursday night (the beginning of Preparation Day), the day before Passover and Sabbath, and for Jesus dying on Friday, but that “friendly discussion” will have to wait for another day.

Jesus and His disciples did not observe the Passover meal on Passover, which was also the Sabbath. They observed it the night before, which was actually the beginning of Preparation Day (see yesterday’s post). The Passover lambs were slaughtered on Preparation Day beginning at 3:00p.m. They would not have had a lamb prepared according to the requirements in Exodus 12:1-28. If they did not eat meat that evening, then Jesus’ statement about the bread takes on special significance since John the Baptist proclaimed Him to be “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Matthew tells us,

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take and eat. This is my body.” Matthew 26:26

Receiving the bread as Jesus’ body harks back to another exchange between Jesus and many would-be disciples. They wanted Him to feed them again (the feeding of the 5,000 was the day before), to show them a sign, and many would want to crown Him king of Israel. Let’s read what Jesus told them,

 ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that whoever eats from it will never die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven (the true manna). Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” John 6:48-51

Hindsight is 20/20, and looking at this passage from this side of the cross, we can easily see that Jesus is telling them that He will give His life for the world, that He is the “living bread,” and that trusting in Him is how we will live forever. It’s all metaphor, but with eternal ramifications. What else did He say?

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood [metaphor], you have no [eternal] life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood [metaphor] has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁵⁵ My flesh [Jesus’ life and ministry] is true food and my blood [His willing self-sacrifice] is true drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood [metaphor] remains in me and I in them. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me [metaphor] lives because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. It isn’t like the bread your ancestors ate, and then they died. Whoever eats this bread [metaphor] will live forever.”

You might ask, “How do we know that Jesus was speaking metaphorically?” I’m glad you asked. Let’s look in verse 63, “The Spirit is the one who gives life and the flesh doesn’t help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Jesus was speaking about spiritual truths in earthly terms. He was also speaking in a kind of code. For those who were seeking Him and His true message, they heard Him correctly; those who were seeking a free lunch or a Messiah who would overthrow Rome, they could not understand what Jesus meant. Jesus often used this phrase, “He who has ears, let him hear,*” meaning, “He who hears my words and perceives the truth, and then puts them into practice, let him keep on listening and obeying” (my own paraphrase). Let’s have “ears to hear” today as we read His Word and ask Him for direction.

Abba, we truly want to “hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches” and to follow You with all our hearts and lives. Only then will we know true freedom from the bondage of sin and avoid the consequences of poor choices. We are trusting You, Lord. Amen.

*Matthew 11:15, Matthew 13:43, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8, Luke 14:35, . For Jesus’ full explanation, see Matthew 13:9-16. Jesus also used a similar phrase in His letters to all seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“

How does one kill God? We can’t–but He CAN lay down His life through Jesus Christ.

We are about to enter the Easter season. As we do so, let us turn our attention to Jesus Christ and His cross. Why is the cross so important? We, as humans, cannot answer this question fully, but we can address it in part. As we do so, let us remember this, “Salvation through the cross lies so far beyond human comprehension and capability that the accomplishment belongs to God alone.”*

Consider this: Did Christ choose the cross? Yes and no. No, in that He did not ask to die that way (Matthew 26:42). Yes, in that, when it was chosen for Him, He received it. Mankind put Christ on the cross of our own free will, yet it was Christ’s free will that kept Him on the cross in the ultimate demonstration of His love for mankind. Jesus said,

¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” John 10:17-18

Note how Jesus died, ⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:46

In Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost, he was very specific when stating what happened, ³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:36

The question remains, Why did Christ have to die? The answer is: He didn’t. He CHOSE to die for us. Why? Well, that answer is for tomorrow.

Abba, thank You for coming to die for us. As we study different passages and ponder their meaning, may we have the power to grasp how wide and tall and high and deep is Your love for us through Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19). Thank You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

*The Crucifixion of the King of Glory, pg. 330

Being one with God means that we are in constant fellowship with Him and in a state of continuous obedience as the Spirit leads us.

We have established that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Yesterday, we looked at that love put into action by applying 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to God and to us. Many times, we base what we do on how we feel, but God does not give us that luxury. If we wait for a feeling, we may never get around to showing love, giving respect, or the act of forgiving.

• Showing love– Jesus showed us how to love by doing for us what we could not do for ourselves, which is to conquer death by coming back to life. He did it literally so that we can do it spiritually. Did He enjoy it? Not at all! He did it because He loves us. He calls us to show love to each other as He has loved us, ³⁴ “A new command I give you: [Show love to] one another. As I have [shown love to] you, so you must [show love to] one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you [show love to] one another” (John 13:34-35).
• Giving respect– We give respect when we acknowledge a person’s position and place: Position in the kingdom of God as image-bearers, and place in the government of Jesus Christ, i.e. Christ as the head of the church, husbands as the head of the wife, and wives as the head of the house. There is never a good reason to be rude, to demand our own way, or to berate another individual, especially in public!
• Forgiving– Forgiveness accomplishes two things. The first is that it releases the injured party from reliving the event over and over. Secondly, it releases the offender of any debt owed because of the injury; sometimes this release includes actual debt, but it certainly includes relational debt. Boundaries may need to be put in place, but forgiveness is still necessary for both parties to go forward.

These three displays of love are not dependent upon feelings. They demonstrate love as an action. Jesus put it like this:

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, [show love to] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you [show love to] those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

The perfection of which He speaks is becoming like our heavenly Father in how we deal with others. We are His children and He wants us to be like Him. Let’s do it!

Abba, You would never ask us to do these things if they weren’t possible and if You did not do them Yourself. Based upon this fact, we pray for the urging and power of Your Holy Spirit to prompt us, guide us, empower us, and equip us to show love, give respect, and grant forgiveness even when the person doesn’t deserve it and we don’t feel those things in our heart. Make us perfect even as You are perfect, Abba. Amen.

Salvation is not just about having our sins forgiven. It’s about a journey through THIS life with the Savior.

From yesterday: Christ requires us to follow Him in order to know Him and trust Him. Those who do will walk with Him into eternal life. How? The first step is to turn away from the world. The second is to embrace the Cruciform life. The third is to grow in knowledge, and the fourth is to do it daily.

One might think that Jesus was being too hard on people when He said, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8:22), and “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Luke 18:22). But, Jesus knew something about both of these people that we can’t see, and that is their heart. He knows what our real idols are and our real temptations, obsessions, and hindrances are that keep us from experiencing real life, His life. He bids us to follow Him because to go anywhere else with anyone else leads to our death and destruction.

So, the first thing we do is to turn away from the world and anything that seeks to draw our attention away from Jesus. He is worthy of our praise, our attention and our lives. Anything else is worth-less. I believe that this attitude is what Jesus had in mind when He said, “he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38). When we don’t follow Jesus, we show that we believe that He is not worth following. We show what we value through our time and attention. Jesus says to value Him. He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). He alone is worthy of our praise and our worship. As Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69).

Abba, turning away from the world is our first step in following You. It’s important for us to realize that the things that catch our eye in this world are not worth the time or effort they promise. They simply cannot deliver the things that we truly crave: Love, mercy, promise, security, fulfillment, and all the things that Your Spirit brings to us when we trust You. It’s like standing under a waterfall of grace! Please continue to pour out Your blessings on us as we turn from this world and follow You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Oklahoma Student Worship Choir rocks!

Robin and I just got in from a retreat with the OSWC. What a wonderful group of dedicated students! The group is comprised of students who are recommended by their music minister, and pass audition. Their desire to worship through music is a passion for them, and being part of the OSWC gives them the opportunity to come together with other like-passioned youth. If the director, Randy Holt, called tomorrow and asked us to do it again this next week, we would jump at the chance!

After spending Friday evening with games, Bible study and singing around a campfire, Saturday in rehearsal and ministry at a city mission, and leading in two worship services in different towns on Sunday, Robin and I are full with love and compassion for these youth and are excited about this ministry.

Also, I can’t say enough good things about Randy and his wife, Mary. What godly examples they are for these students! His theme for the weekend was Ephesians 5:1,

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

We watched these kids walk in the way of love with each other, at the mission, and then at the churches. The van rides were times of fun and camaraderie, of making new friends and lots of laughter. Like I said, Robin and I would jump at the chance to do it all again.

If you ever get a chance to hear them, please do. You will be blessed.

Abba, thank You for such a great weekend. What a privilege it was to be part of so special a group. Thank You that my two grandchildren are part of something that will impact their lives in such a positive manner. We are truly blessed and eternally grateful. Amen.

Euangelion: GOOD NEWS!

One of our fellow “Proverbians” (members of the Proverbs Club) sent me a message this morning concerning the tumult going on in Israel and the Middle East,

With all the bad news out there, isn’t it encouraging to know there’s Good News today. Jesus set all of humanity free through His victory over sin and death.
Euangelion, glad tidings of great joy. You can truly live and enjoy abundant life with your soul set free because of Him.
That’s good news.

Thanks, Daniel, for encouraging us this morning.

What is God’s will for our lives? It’s not as complicated as it may seem.

We’ve been talking about how knowledge allows us to experience God as He wants us know Him. The more we know about Him, the more intimately we can experience Him. Let’s look at some more verses that tell us how to gain this knowledge:

¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17

How do we determine God’s will for our lives? His determined will is for us to know Him better–and better and better and better. And, it would seem that all we have to do is ask for it! Of course, there is a caveat: We have to mean it. In other words, we have to receive His knowledge with the full intention of acting on it, relinquishing our control and our plans and being completely sold out to Him. To be anything less than 100% in is to be a double-minded person, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do” (James 1:6-8). We may sometimes feel afraid; we may question all that is going on, but we cannot withhold final judgment for ourselves. Doing so is playing “god.” It is also how mankind got into our mess in the first place when Adam and Eve quit trusting God and went out on their own. Haven’t we all? Our rebellious acts have continued throughout history. Trusting God by trusting in Christ is what Christianity is all about.

Tomorrow, we will learn how to wage war on the enemy’s lies. For today, let’s work on believing God in every circumstance regardless of how hopeless or irrelevant things may seem. He KNOWS what He’s doing. Trust Him.

Abba, we know that we have Your eternal life in us, but there is a dimension of that life that is progressive in nature, and that is our understanding of You. The more we know about You and the ways of the Spirit, the greater our understanding of how sin destroys us and righteousness moves us from glory to increasing glory. The more we study how doing things our way impedes life and how doing things Your way expands our experience of You, the more convinced we are that You are right in all You do. Increase our faith, O God. We don’t want to miss a single lesson! Amen.

What is the Sabbath, anyway?

Before we talk about holiness and consecration, let’s talk about faithfulness, which leads to holiness and consecration.

Of all things, Exodus 20:8-11 gives us our best picture of faithfulness,

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Most people equate the Sabbath day with Sunday and church attendance, but if we look at the historical setting, we get a different feel for it.

1. The Israelites were being taught how to be faithful to Yahweh; they had just come out of Egypt and its polytheistic mentality. God was doing a hard reset on their hard drive!
2. The Sabbath is at the end of the work week, which is Saturday. Typically we now worship on Sunday because the Lord Jesus rose from the dead on that day, however many churches offer services on different days to accommodate our current culture’s never-ending work cycles.
3. Synagogues were local places of worship, but many Israelites were farmers and ranchers, so they worshipped most of the time at home. Three times a year, the men were required to attend the feasts in Jerusalem and they could take their families with them. Today we have cars to drive and churches on every corner.
4. The concept of the Sabbath was to remember Yahweh, who He is, and to express gratefulness for all that He has done for them. It is a holy day that is set aside for special communion with the Lord.
5. They rested by not going to the fields that day. The flocks still needed shepherds, though. I’m sure they worked out some kind of schedule. Our culture, however, never rests.

Today is Sunday, the customary day for most Christians to go to church. But, “going to church” does not equate with worship and honoring the Sabbath. Making the day about the Lord, remembering who He is and expressing gratefulness for all that He has done for us is what makes the Sabbath a day of honor for Him. It’s a day that we say, “We love You, too!”

Whether you are home today or will be attending a church (you may have attended yesterday), make sure that you choose a time to rest and to remember. The day and place are not as important as our faithfulness to spend time with the Father through the Son by way of the Holy Spirit. Enjoy!

Abba, as You prompt us to worship You today, may we begin by remembering that You are God, that Jesus is our Savior, and that the Spirit is Jesus in us. Every day is a sabbath day in that respect. At the same time, we want to be faithful to take time out and spend it resting and remembering You. May we honor You with our lives, O Lord, as we commune with You as Friend to friend. Amen.

I like praise songs written in Jewish style. It must be my “Jewish roots” coming out…

Not many of us can claim a Jewish heritage, myself included, but we all have “Jewish roots” in a manner of speaking. In one way, we are all cousins in that everyone could trace their heritage back to the ark with Noah and his three sons. Both male and female DNA bottleneck at about that time in history.* Another way is through Jesus Christ. Here is how the apostle Paul explained it in Galatians 3:23-29:

²³ Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. ²⁴ So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The truth is that we are all God’s children, created in His likeness (Genesis 1:26). Granted, God chose one man (after the Great Flood), Abraham, with which to build a nation, and that nation was going to bless the world by producing the Savior of the world. The promise given to Abraham was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

¹⁶ The promises (Genesis 12:2-3, particularly, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”) were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16

The song I am referring to is, “Jesus Is My Lord.” I have included this link to a group singing it, although I learned a slightly different–slower–version under the title, “God of Abraham.” I also provided the lyrics below.

Jesus is my Lord, my Master and Savior
Jesus is my Lord, my Master and Savior
Jesus is my Lord, my Master and Savior
Now and forevermore, Hallelujah
Now and forevermore

Chorus:
Praise you Jesus, Son of God
And the Blood of the Lamb
King of Kings and Lord of Lords
God of Abraham, Hallelujah, God of Abraham

Jesus is the one who delivers me daily
Jesus is the one who delivers me daily
Jesus is the one who delivers me daily
From my sin and shame – Hallelujah!
From my sin and shame

Come and fill us now, Blessed Holy Spirit
Come and fill us now, Blessed Holy Spirit
Come and fill us now, Blessed Holy Spirit
With Your love and power, Hallelujah
With Your love and power

This song has a one-octave range, is repetitive, and includes the Gospel along with a prayer. It’s a perfect song to memorize and use as a mantra of sorts. We even used it as an opener in Singing Churchmen one year. Talk about a strong song!

I have another one to show you tomorrow.

Abba, You have used this song in my life to drive home the importance of knowing what is essential: That You are my Lord and my Savior, that You deliver me daily, and that You fill me with Your Spirit. For all of this, I praise You, Jesus, Son of God, King of kings and Lord of lords. You are my God of Abraham. Amen.

*TRACED: Human DNA’s Big Surprise

In Star Trek, “Resistance [to the Borg] is futile.” In Christianity, “Resistance [to the Spirit] is folly.”

I have a list of Scriptures that I read every day (at least, part of them). I found one today that I will add to the list. The list looks like this:

Mastering the Mind

¹⁹ My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, Galatians 4:19

²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined [predetermined] to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29

¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate/reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

I recently used these three verses in my “What I would like all graduating seniors to know.” Here’s the rest of the list:

²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:26-27

⁵ he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, Titus 3:5-6

¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:14

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 3:16

Did you catch a theme running here? Formed, conformed, transformed, made new, cleansed, made holy, renewed, redeemed, purified…these are what Christ through His Spirit is doing in us each day. Since God and Jesus are One, then to be like Jesus is to be god-like, or, godly. Why would a follower of Christ resist being formed, conformed, and transformed in the image of our Savior?! May we be wise in our choices today by consulting the Holy Spirit and then doing what He says.

What’s the verse that I am going to add? I’ll tell you tomorrow. 😉

Abba, if we “become like the god(s) we serve,” then I want to be just like You. May we all strive to be loving, peaceful, joyful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and have self-control*. May we give forgiveness, extend grace, and love with abandon–just like You. Why? Because we know that “love never fails**.” Make us like You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

*Galatians 5:22-23

**1 Corinthians 13:8

If you are looking for Bible verses that give a comprehensive picture of the Gospel, here’s one:

¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Notice that it is the love of Christ that is Paul and his companions’ motivation for living for Jesus. They were convinced that Jesus is Christ the King.

Notice, too, that they believed that the one (Jesus) died for all (everyone), and in Him, all died. His was a substitutionary death, a death by representation. When He went to the grave, so did we. Everyone. The key is that when He rose from the dead, those who believe rise with Him. And, when they do, it is for the purpose of living for Him and not for themselves anymore.

Is salvation when we turn from sin and turn to Him for redemption? Or, is it when we give ourselves over to Him as Lord of our lives from this point forward? I believe it’s both. Jesus is both Savior and Lord. We must receive Him on both levels.

• There is a one-time point when we receive the Holy Spirit and are quickened in our spirit.
• When we look to Him, we are then open to receive His love, joy, peace, and a sense of His presence in our lives.
• Our desires begin to change. Where it used to be all about us, it becomes all about Him.
• The way we show Jesus we love Him is by doing what He tells us (John 14:15).
• From now on, we work to learn all we can about His character, His motivation, and His Plan.

It’s a process that will take our whole lives–and maybe even into eternity!

Abba, we ask that You increase our knowledge of You. I know we begin by asking You to “teach us to pray.” Our knowledge must be based on experiencing You in our lives. Help us to recognize You at all times of the day and night, Jesus. We are desperate to know You more. Amen.

Saved or victorious–which would you rather be? One is past tense while the other is present tense. I pick victorious.

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57.

We were saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. That’s the power of the cross. The first is justification, the second is sanctification, and the third is glorification. Other than consenting to the Spirit for these things, we really don’t have much to do with them. He does them for us. Otherwise, salvation would be by our works.

How does salvation work in our daily lives? How do we gain victory over the circumstances we find ourselves in, the situations we create for ourselves, and the addictions that keep us bound? Here’s the way I see it:

1. Christ saved us for fellowship with Him. He’s our friend and confidante.
2. The Father wants us to be just like Jesus. Really? No pressure here…actually, it’s not as difficult as we think it might be. You see, Jesus is helping us through His Spirit to learn how to be like Him so that we don’t self-destruct. We are our best person when we are pursuing righteousness and holiness.
3. We are now in tune with the Spirit who walks with us, eats with us–He never leaves us. He guides us, speaks to us, reminds us, and warns us. We just need to learn to listen.
4. We are in training to be godly, or, God-like.

There’s a cool passage that describes this arrangement:

²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

We put off the old self and put on the new self. When we forget and act out of our old selves, then we repent quickly and deal with the consequences by acting out of our new selves. God doesn’t waste anything. His goal is our godliness. So, go ahead and kick yourself when you fail, but know that God is already resetting the next set of circumstances for us to be victorious. All we have to do is listen to Him and act out of our new selves–you know, the ones created in true righteousness and holiness.

He loves you. He really does. He enjoys your company and is rooting for you. We can live victorious lives if we walk with Him daily, speak to Him routinely, and obey Him consistently. Being saved is good; living a victorious Christian life is better.

Abba, may those who “prayed the prayer,” but never launched on their trek with You get started today. It’s never too late to follow Jesus. Make us godly, Abba. Make us just like Jesus. Amen.

Faith is believing God and trusting in what He has told us. Sometimes, we just have to choose to believe Him rather than what we see.

We have been looking at scientific evidence for a young earth. What we haven’t looked at is the biblical evidence given for a young earth. What evidence might that be? It is what God Himself said about it. Let’s look:

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11

This passage is the fourth command in the Ten Commandments given by the Lord to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Ten Commandments are the foundation of the Israeli faith as well as the first half of the Christian faith. It is the hub of all Judeo-Christian values.

³⁶ the son of Cainan,
the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
³⁷ the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,
the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel,
the son of Kenan, ³⁸ the son of Enosh,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam,
the son of God. Luke 3:36-38

This genealogy of Jesus is datable and fixed. From the first man through Jesus Christ, the years are 5,000-5,500 years.

Believing in an old earth is not a salvation issue, but it does undermine the basis of the Lord’s Word. We tend to believe what we know; if all a person knows is evolution, then it makes sense to try to fit everything into that worldview. The basis of faith, though, is to take God as His Word. If doing so requires us to defy the present-day logic of science, then so be it. Paul said in Roman 3:4,

⁴ Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
“So that you may be proved right when you speak
  and prevail when you judge” (Psalm 51:4).

As we march through history, each invention has proven God to be true:

• Archeology
• The Hubbell Telescope
• The electron microscope
• The seismograph
• Molecular biology
• Mitochondrial DNA mapping
• Satellites

And these are just a few! The idea is that just because current science doesn’t agree with the Bible doesn’t mean that it won’t in the future. Each science book is an updated edition of the previous one meaning that there is information in each edition that has been changed. Not so with the Bible. It’s information has stayed the same for 4,000 years! We can trust God’s Word.

Abba, may You give us faith concerning Your Word. As we study it and ponder it, please open our hearts to Your truth and our minds to all the wonders of Your universe. Amen.

Did you advance from grade to grade? use sign language or braille? go to school in a foreign country? If so, thank Jesus.

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40

We left off yesterday with examples of the impact that Christians have had on the education system over the centuries. From, “Person of Interest,” pages 168-170,

If you found satisfaction in advancing from one grade to the next, you can thank Johan Sturm (1507-1589), the Lutheran layman who introduced the notion of grade levels to motivate students to study so they could earn the reward of advancing to the next grade.

If you had access to an education as a person with disabilities, you can thank:

• Charles-Michel de l’Épée (1712-1789), the ordained priest (called the “father of education for the deaf”) who developed sign language for use in schools;
• Laurent Marie Clerc (1785-1869), the committed Christ follower who brought sign language to the United States;
• Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1797-1851), the Congregational clergyman who opened the first school for the deaf in the United States;
• or Louis Braille (1809-1852), the Catholic priest (known as the “father of education for the blind”) who developed a system of reading and writing for the blind and visually impaired.

If you received an education in a foreign land, you can thank the inspiration of Frank Laubach (1884-1970), a Methodist missionary (known as “the apostle to the illiterates”) who traveled to more than 100 countries, developed primers in 313 languages, and created a literacy program that has been used to teach nearly 60 million people to read in their own language.

Jesus matters to the history of education. Jesus followers laid the foundation for schools as we know them today, from kindergartens to universities. Christians contributed to the progress of education and founded more universities and colleges than all their religious predecessors. Even though Hindus had a 2,300-to 1,500-year advantage, Jews had a 2,000-to 1,800-year lead, and Buddhists and Zoroastrians had a 600-year head start, Christians established more universities than all the other groups combined, by a magnitude of ten to one.

Tomorrow, we dive into SCIENCE. I think you will be amazed!

Abba, the Fallout of the life, death, and life of Christ is still going strong. The number of ministries that have reached out to Turkey and Syria are a great indication that the life and teachings of Jesus are alive and well. May we never lose our desire to help and serve in any way we can. Amen.

Yesterday: Can Christians sin unknowingly? No. Today: Is it normal for Christians to sin everyday? Let’s look.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
Psalm 73:23-24

There are some foundational statements that we can make concerning sin and our relationship to it.

1. Sin is willful rebellion against God. It’s a conscious act.
2. Christians live with the presence of the Holy Spirit in them. This relationship is what makes us Christians.
3. Sin used to define us; now, it shapes us.

Let me explain. Everyone is born with a sin nature, i.e. we all have the poison of rebelliousness in us. We all need to come to the cross for healing and life. Once we do, Christ’s blood cleanses us from all of the poison in us. We are given Christ’s righteousness and will never have to worry about being poisoned in that way again. Our relationship with sin has changed. It used to kill us and keep us from running to God, but now God uses it to train us to be holy. Because our desires have changed and have become His desires, our sin drives us to His throne for mercy and grace,

¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

We all have weak areas in our lives that we fight daily. We have expectations of ourselves that are difficult–if not impossible–to meet. When do our “failures” become sin? When we deliberately turn away from the Spirit’s direction. We ignore His warning and continue anyway. But, what if we don’t actually receive a warning from the Spirit? It could be that our expectations are not His expectations. When we fail at our own expectations, it’s not necessarily sin. We would do well to go to Him with these expectations and see if He even wants us to have them! When we do deliberately turn and sin, the conviction of the Spirit is immediate and specific with instructions for what to do next. We then go to our heavenly Father for an attitude adjustment. The Spirit corrects our thinking and we grow. It’s known as the victorious Christian life.

If we go through the day and do not deliberately turn away from the Lord in rebellion, we can honestly say that we have not sinned that day. Jesus told us that we need only be concerned with one day at a time. When we do sin, we have this promise:

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1

Notice the word, “if.” Not, “when,” but, “if.” The expectation is that we live for Jesus Christ by dying to self and following Him closely. A great memory verse is,

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Tomorrow: Sinners saved by grace; an apt description of Christians?

Abba, You are so wise! You took what once killed us and have made it the very tool that You use to make us holy. May I live in the knowledge that I am righteous to You because You have made me so, and that I can be holy even as You are–with a lot of help from You! It is my goal, Abba. Amen.

How do we love as God loves? We look at Jesus, the exact representation of God. He demonstrated God’s love to us at the cross.

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). How do we lay down our lives? Sometimes, it means literally dying, but most times it means putting others’ needs first,

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

I believe that this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

In Jesus’ daily teachings, He said this,

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to [for] others what you would have them do to [for] you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets [known as the Golden Rule]. Matthew 7:9-12

He said it another way to the Temple leaders,

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

Paul narrowed it down even more,

¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

Why would Paul put it this way? Because to love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves means that we treat them with the Golden Rule, which is how we deny ourselves and become Jesus’ disciples. We love God by loving others. Jesus said,

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15

In this way, we become ambassadors of God’s love to the world (2 Corinthians 5:20). It is our truest way to love like our heavenly Father. Let’s love Him today by loving others, doing for them what we would like for others to do for us.

Abba, this command is easy to say, but hard to do. In fact, without Your help, we don’t even want to! Please, Lord, give us the want-to to want to, and then the power to do it. Your desire over ours; “You must become greater, we must become less” (John 3:30). Amen.

On this Veterans Day, I’d like to give a shout-out to:

• My brother, Randy,
• My son-in-law, TJ,
• Daryl Myers,
• Scott Kenney,
• Carrie Enix,
• Daniel Uriarte,

and all the other people who have faithfully served our country. Thank you for your service!

Some people don’t believe that the Bible is God’s revealed word to mankind. I know by experience that it is!

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When Paul was writing the letter to the Colossians (sometime between AD 61-63), the Gospel of Mark was probably the only Gospel written. When Paul talked about receiving Christ, being rooted and built up in Him, he was talking about the Person of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures validate and confirm what we know to be true in our hearts. Paul states in Colossians 2:6-7,

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Another point of interest is that Paul didn’t tell them to live FOR Christ, but to live IN Christ. Yet, Christ is in us, so which is it? Well, it’s both. The partnership we began with the Father through the Son by way of the Holy Spirit is just that, a partnership. We do things WITH Christ as He guides us, counsels us, and encourages us to keep walking in step with Him, and to keep fighting the good fight of faith. How do we fight? By taking every thought captive to Christ,

⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

That verse comes from yet another one of Paul’s letters, as does walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

I read the Bible to learn, but I also read it to hear. I trust the Bible because I trust its writers. They knew Jesus Christ personally. I also trust the Holy Spirit who speaks to me through the Scriptures. That in itself is enough to convince me. The rest of my faith comes through experience. The truths that Paul taught in his letters bear fruit in my life. I am more like Jesus because I practice Paul’s truths, as well as Matthew’s, Mark’s, Luke’s, John’s, Peter’s, and the writer of Hebrews’ truths.

I trust the Old Testament because I have no reason to doubt it. Jesus trusted it as well as Paul, and they knew it inside and out. If it’s good enough for them, then it’s good enough for me.

I trust the leaders of the church in AD 325 at the Counsel of Nicaea who canonized the Scriptures. Although the Orthodox and Catholic churches have a few other books that they consider to be canon-worthy, we all at least have the same 66 books in our Bibles. It’s not that the counsel decided which books to put in the Bible; they took the ones that Christians had been reading for years and were universally accepted as Scripture. We’ve had no real reason to doubt their decision. We may not understand all that is in the Bible, but that’s to be expected with our limited point of view:

• Our lives are less than 100 years long, so we didn’t live back when they were written;
• We live in a different culture,
• speak a different language,
• and live in a different country.

As Colossians 2:6-7 says, the key to following Jesus is living a life of thankfulness. Our relationship with Him is worth anything and everything. Let us strive to learn more, grow more, and converse more with Jesus.

Abba, I am thankful. The more I know of You, Your plan, and how much You love me, my thankfulness overflows. Please ground me in the truth of Your Word. I know that I will be strengthened in the faith. Teach me, O Lord, I pray. Amen.

Ever wondered why you were created? The answer is simple: “To glorify (love) God and enjoy Him forever.”

Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

We continue our look at the Baptist Faith & Message today with:

V. God’s Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.

Talk about a lot in one paragraph! God created us to love Him, but of our own accord. Once we turn to Him in love by responding to His love, we enter a new dimension of being: We are invited to join the Trinity at the table of Communion. Right now, it’s by faith, but one day, “we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Abba, I long for the day when I sit at Your table and enjoy the presence of the Trinity along with all my brothers and sisters in Christ. It will be a glorious day, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb! I can hardly wait. Amen.

More than just a frame for our bodies, our bones give us life. “Life is in the blood.” Lev. 17:11

28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

Yesterday, we looked at the two types of bones we have in our bodies, compact bone (compact for hardness and strength) and spongy bone; it’s called “spongy” because of the way it looks. The spongy bone is still hard, but it provides loads of surface area for the storage of nutrients and minerals. Let’s look at the three functions of our bones. From, “A Pocket Guide to the Human Body, page 51-52

First, bones have several mechanical functions. For example, they protect the body’s vital organs; they serve as a framework to which the muscles and organs are attached; and they allow the body to move by means of muscles contracting across joints.

A second important function for bone is to help maintain precise levels of calcium and phosphorus in our blood and tissue fluids (a process called mineral homeostasis). Bone serves as a depot for storing and removing these minerals as needed. Among other things, calcium is vital for cells to stick together and for muscles to contract, while phosphorus is an essential ingredient in many complex chemicals, such as DNA and RNA.

Finally, an exceedingly important function of bone is to produce blood in bone marrow. The marrow produces both red and white blood cells. Red blood cells are essential for carrying oxygen to all the cells in our body, while white blood cells fight disease and infections.
Special cells in the marrow, called megakaryocytes, produce something else for blood, called platelets. These cells fragments circulate in the blood and are important for blood clotting that patches holes in blood vessels.

Our bones get their strength from their design as tubes. Solid rods actually bend easily; tubes don’t. “Bone itself is a remarkably strong material. It is as strong as cast iron and resists bending as well as steel, though bone is only one-third of steel’s weight.
Bone has the right mix of two very different components: a very hard inorganic material called hydroxyapatite and a tough, fibrous organic material called collagen (the protein of leather). The crystal material makes up about 70% of the dry weight of bone, while collagen makes up most of the remaining 30%.”

Bones seemed so simple before studying up on them! It still amazes me that people cannot see a Master Designer. There’s not a wasted bone in our bodies. We would do well to check our lives for anything that is wasting our energy or drawing us off-point. Hebrews 12:1-2 says,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Abba, our bodies are a work of genius, Your Genius. I feel like David when he looked up at the stars and proclaimed, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, ⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” I consider the human body, the work of Your fingers, and I am humbled that You care so much for us that You would rather die–on a cross–than see us destroy ourselves. Even so, these bodies return to dust eventually, but You have new, glorified bodies waiting for us. If these bodies reflect Your glory, how much more glorious will our heavenly bodies be (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). I can hardly wait, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Prophecy doesn’t make things come true; they look ahead and tell us what will happen naturally.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.

Yesterday, we were reading in Daniel 9. Let’s review:

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city [Jerusalem] to finish sin, to set an end to sin, to wipe out lawlessness, to atone for wrongdoings, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.” LXX

Much of this verse seems like code; if it is, then the answer to the code is in the next two verses,

²⁵ “You shall know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to be answered and to build Jerusalem, until Christ the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. Then the time shall return, and the streets and the wall shall be built; the times shall be left desolate.
²⁶ “After the sixty-two weeks, the Anointed One shall be put to death, yet there shall be no upright judgment for Him; and he shall destroy the city and the sanctuary with the prince who is coming, and they shall be cut off with a flood, and to the end of the war, which will be cut short, he shall appoint the city to desolations.

Hindsight is 20/20, so we get to apply history to these verses.

1. The decree by Artaxerxes to allow the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem and their temple was given in 444 B.C.
2. All the weeks are actually years and add up to 490 years.
3. There were seven weeks (49 years) to build Jerusalem and the temple, and then sixty-two weeks (441 years) until Christ entered Jerusalem on…a donkey’s colt! After which He was put to death–only to rise again!

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem fulfilled several prophecies to the day and began a week on which all history pivots. On the cross, Jesus reached back with one hand to include all who had already died, and He reached ahead with His other hand to include everyone from that point on. There are three passages that explain this point:

²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he passed over the sins previously committed, ²⁶ for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26

³² For God has bound everyone [those before and those after] over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all [at one time]. Roman 11:32

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:14-16

Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem that day was, indeed, momentous. What would have happened if He had ridden in on a white stallion? Let’s talk about that tomorrow.

Abba, thank You for telling us ahead of time what was going to happen. It didn’t make sense to the apostles as it happened, but it sure did after You rose from the dead! Thank You for opening their minds to the Scriptures. Please open our minds, too, so that we can appreciate all that You have done for us. Amen.

Our image of Jesus is usually taught to us. When we meet Him personally, our image of Him begins to sharpen.

^4:18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

When we start out on our journey with Jesus, we usually have just a vague idea of who He is. As we walk with Him, study our Bibles, and trust Him in life’s journey, we learn much about His character, His humor, and His holiness. We learn that He wants us to be just like Him, so we can consider ourselves in training.

Did you know that “justice” and “righteousness” are the same word in Greek? It means that since Christ’s righteousness has been imputed (given, ascribed) to us (2 Corinthians 5:21), then His justice has been met. All a person need do is come to Christ for His righteousness. That righteousness is the basis for our relationship with the Father. That’s what I like so much about Proverbs 4:18; it describes our walk with (the Spirit of) Jesus to the Father. Will we ever see Him fully? Probably not on this earth, but we have this promise:

¹² For now we see obscurely in a mirror, but then it will be face to face.
Now I know partly; then I will know fully, just as God has fully known me. 1 Corinthians 13:12

So, don’t fret if you’re not perfect. We are getting there one step at a time with Him.

Abba, thank You that You do not hold our sins against us, but instead impart Your mercy and grace to us (Hebrews 4:16). May we keep our eyes fixed securely on You and strive to walk in step with You each day. Pretty soon, we will find ourselves at Your throne! O, what a glorious day!!! Amen.

A slave who is set free, but comes back to serve his master is not a slave–especially when his master adopts him!

² A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
    and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

Knowing that we are to trust Jesus with our lives and to interact with Him on everything, we are now in the right frame of mind to consider portions of Galatians 5. The first passage concerns old religion and old habits,

5 The Messiah set us free so that we could enjoy freedom! So stand firm, and don’t get yourselves tied down by the chains of slavery.
² Look here: I, Paul, am telling you that if you get circumcised, the Messiah will be of no use to you. ³ I testify once more, against every person who gets circumcised, that he is thereby under obligation to perform the entire law. ⁴ You are split off from the Messiah, you people who want to be justified by the law! You have dropped out of grace. ⁵ For we are waiting eagerly, by the spirit and by faith, for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in the Messiah, Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power. What matters is faith, working through love.

It was never about what we do so much as it was why we do what we do. Our response/reaction to any given situation is based upon what we believe about God and about ourselves. For instance, I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that said, “No Lives Matter.” Based upon this declaration, I cannot trust that person to come to my aid in case of an accident, to not rob me if given the chance, or to not harm me out of mutual human respect. People who believe that Jesus has set them free from having to do things in order to be right with God, but then try to stay “bless-able” by following a list of rules (usually set by others) have missed the point of freedom in Christ. Our old habits die hard; just ask the Israelites. They got away from the land of Egypt, but Egypt was in their hearts. Only Christ can set us free from that Egypt. Before resorting or reverting to following a set of rules, ask Jesus what He thinks. His opinion is the only one that matters.

Tomorrow, we will look at verses 11-18 and this fight that we have inside us.

Abba, You have set us free from having to do anything to earn Your love. You proved Your love to us by consenting to die at the hands of our religious leaders and then not demanding justice–in fact, You forgave them! Then, to look at Saul (who later was called Paul) and the way You called him without even mentioning his sin other than to ask him why he was fighting You so hard makes me rethink just how far Your forgiveness goes. When I read their testimonies, it gives me hope, “and hope does not disappoint, for You have poured out Your love into our hearts through Your Holy Spirit, whom You have given to us” (Romans 5:5). Thank You, Abba. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.

We must beware of carrying the “behaving” part of the Old Covenant into the “transformed” part of the New Covenant.

5:1 My child, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, 2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.

I’m confused. I just read on GotQuestions.org that mankind has a sin nature and it’s pervasive, that we all are totally depraved. Here is a quote:

Proof of the sin nature abounds. No one has to teach a child to lie or be selfish; rather, we go to great lengths to teach children to tell the truth and put others first. Sinful behavior comes naturally. The news is filled with tragic examples of mankind acting badly. Wherever people are, there is trouble. 

I was inclined to agree until I thought through the matter. Yes, the news is filled with people acting badly; it makes attention-grabbing news. But, the news also carries stories of heroic acts, good deeds, and even penance by do-gooders who may or may not be Christians. So, to say that everyone is bad because we make bad choices ignores the opposite logic that we are good because we make good choices. I believe there are two basic truths that govern our actions:

1. We are created with the ability to choose. In this ability is the choice to do right or wrong.
2. We were never intended to make these choices on our own. God made us to be interactive with Him.

For instance, take Peter walking on the water,

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

When Jesus is with us, we need not be afraid of anything: wrong choices, other people’s wrong choices, death, etc. He exhorts us to take courage, for He is with us.

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

Peter wasn’t testing Jesus, he was trying to get to Jesus. Sometimes it seems like impossible circumstances. No Fear! Jesus is with us!

²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 

I believe that if every disciple had jumped out of the boat, they would have all walked to Jesus. He wants us with Him. No Fear.

³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Here is where we get our wires crossed. Peter sinned. Now, before we condemn Peter, let’s look at what it means to sin. Sin means “to miss the mark.” It’s an archery term. The case here is not that Peter did something bad, but that the waves made him fear, which made him take his eyes off Jesus, which made him doubt Jesus and his own ability to get to Jesus. When Peter feared, he “missed the mark” of the truth about Jesus, himself, and his circumstances.

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Evidently, Peter was close enough to Jesus that all He had to do was reach out His hand to catch him. The point is that Jesus did, indeed, catch him. The phrase, “you of little faith,” is literally, “you little faithless one,” which was a term of endearment that Jesus used with them several times. Maybe we should all consider ourselves small children in this department.

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

This is the best part of the story. Peter was with Jesus, in the boat, and on calm seas. One Gospel says that they were immediately on the other shore (John 6:21). They all had a big worship service professing that Jesus is really who He said He is: God.

In the quote from GotQuestions.org, children fight with their God-given right to choose, but over time as they grow, they learn to control those out-of-control thoughts and feelings. Christian or not, most people learn to master their ability to choose. Those who do not pay a very high cost in life. Jesus offers us the wonderful gift of Himself to guide us and to help us make right choices. Tomorrow, we will look at how He guides us and helps us to make right choices. (hint: it has to do with what we think of Him)

Abba, our ability to choose is how we partake in the divine; to choose on our own is what makes us human. Help us to interact with You concerning all decisions. You want to be involved with every area of our lives including our thought life, love life, free time life, opinion life, what we say life, and our belief life. May we turn to You at every opportunity, because I know that at every opportunity You are waiting to pour out Your love, joy and peace, hope and grace on us. You love us; we are Your little children! I love you, too, Abba. Amen.

Why do bad things happen in this world? Because mankind continues to make bad choices.

25 The righteous eat [spiritual food] to their hearts’ content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

There is a great paradox, which is:

God is Supreme Ruler of the Universe; everything happens according to His will.
God gave mankind complete free will and receives blessings or consequences according to his actions.

It is impossible to comprehend that these two opposing statements can be true at the same time, but they are. Somehow, God controls mankind’s destiny even as we make our own decisions. He is big enough to weave people’s bad choices into the fabric of the timeline, so Romans 8:28 is true,

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

What is needed in Christians today is a shift from blessings in this life to blessings in the afterlife. The encouragement in Revelation 2:10 is for all of us,

¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Rather than focusing on being blessed in this world, we are to concentrate on being obedient to the Spirit even as Jesus was while He was here on earth. Who knows what He will tell us to do–except Him? Yet, that’s what we signed up for, right? Paul said,

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

We, too, have been hidden in Christ and have been called to do the works of the Father. We don’t do them for an earthly crown, but for a heavenly one, one that we can then cast at the feet of Jesus!

When bad things happen, let’s not blame God. He didn’t cause them. Our sin did. If we get mad at anyone, let’s get mad at Satan, his deception, our gullibility, and the bad choices of mankind. Let’s latch onto the crown of life that Jesus promises, shall we?

Abba, as we worship You today, may we be aware that this life is fleeting and Your kingdom awaits us. Help us to focus on the true reality of what awaits us when we are with You in that kingdom. Amen.

There’s a hidden indictment in this story. Let’s look…

5 The righteous person hates falsehood, but the wicked person brings shame and disgrace.

We have been looking at the passages in John where Jesus identified Himself as God’s Son and, indeed, God in the flesh. As we saw yesterday, chapter 10 is rich with revelation. In this passage, Jesus calls out the religious leadership and even gives them a chance to believe in Him,

²⁷ ‘My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them the life of the coming age. They will never, ever perish, and nobody can snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and nobody can snatch them out of my father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the father are one.’
³¹ So the Judaeans once more picked up stones to stone him.
³² ‘I’ve shown you many fine deeds from the father,’ Jesus replied to them. ‘Which of these deeds [miracles/signs] are you stoning me for?’
³³ ‘We’re not stoning you for good deeds,’ replied the Judaeans, ‘but because of blasphemy! Here you are, a mere man, and you’re making yourself into God!’
³⁴ ‘It’s written in your law, isn’t it,’ replied Jesus to them, ‘ “I said, you are gods?” ³⁵ Well, if the law calls people “gods”, people to whom God’s word came (and you can’t set Scripture aside), ³⁶ how can you accuse someone of blasphemy when the father has placed him apart and sent him into the world, and he says, “I am the son of God”?
³⁷ ‘If I’m not doing the works of my father, don’t believe me. ³⁸ But if I am doing them, well – even if you don’t believe me, believe the works! That way you will know and grasp that the father is in me, and I am in the father.’

Jesus was trying to open their eyes to the fact that God can do whatever He likes. If He chose to inhabit a human body–more than that, become a human body–He could, and did! Their own term, “Elohim,” should have given them a big clue (see Proverbs 1-19). But there is more to the verse that Jesus quoted than is given. Let’s look at verse 6 and the verse following it,

⁶ I said, “You are gods,
And all of you are sons of the Most High.
⁷ Nevertheless you will die like men,
And fall like one of the princes.”

Jesus’ quote does, indeed, call all people His children, but verse 7 opens the door to a whole new level of meaning. Being the Scripture scholars that they were, many of them memorizing the entire Torah, they would have identified the Psalm in their minds and then ran through the entire Psalm (it’s only eight verses). They very well could have concluded that Jesus intended for them to see themselves in verse 7. It was at this point in the conversation that Jesus offered a proverbial olive branch, “If I’m not doing the works of my father, don’t believe me. But if I am doing them, well – even if you don’t believe me, believe the works! That way you will know and grasp that the father is in me, and I am in the father.” Instead, they tried once again to arrest Him, but to no avail (verse 39).

If we look at Psalm 82:8, we get an even greater indictment, “Arise, God, judge the earth! For You possess all the nations.” A case could be made that God was about to render judgment upon the human race. If we look back at the Messianic passage in Isaiah 35:4, we see God coming in judgment upon, in this case, those who do harm to His Son,

⁴ Say to those with anxious heart,
“Take courage, fear not.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance [LXX-judgment];
The retribution of God [LXX-rendering of judgment] will come,
But He will save you.”

Jesus was relentless in coming after them. In a culture of Honor/Shame, it’s no wonder they wanted to kill Him (more on that tomorrow). Would that they swallowed their pride and believed Him.

Abba, the more I look into Your life and plan, the more I see. Thank You for great teachers of the past and for the Great Teacher, O Holy Spirit. It’s all very exciting! I can hardly wait to see what revelations You will unveil tomorrow. Amen.

Satan had deceived mankind; then he thought he could sever the relationship between them forever…

2 From the fruit of his mouth a person eats what is good, but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.

Satan’s first deception in Genesis 3 was that God was hiding something,

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

What Satan said was true, but Adam and Eve weren’t old enough and mature enough to handle the temptations that come with that knowledge. We still aren’t mature enough.

Satan’s second deception was that desire trumps God,

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye [desire], and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

The desire became everything. It doesn’t matter what it is: sugar, caffeine, cocaine, sex, power, being right, etc. They become everything on which we focus; they fill our vision until they are all that we see.

The third deception was the most insidious, and it is that now God couldn’t love them anymore.

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

There was, indeed, a consequence for their sin, but it wasn’t what they thought. They thought that they were not worthy to be in God’s presence anymore, that they were dirty, stained, and broken. Indeed, something was broken that day, but it was the world, nature, and our bodies, not the relationship. If we read carefully, God came looking for them, cared for them, and saved them from an eternal state of broken physical bodies (nature and the world followed suit). God never left them, never stopped caring for them, and never quit pursuing a relationship with them.

When Jesus came, He showed us the Father as we had never seen Him before. Jesus said that He is just like Him because God and He were (are) one (John 10:30). Satan believed that if he could get people to kill Jesus, then the relationship between mankind and God would be irreparably broken. Not So! In fact, mankind gave Jesus their best shot by nailing Him to a cross, but all it did was prove that God’s love could NEVER be broken. Also, Jesus’ death and resurrection showed that nothing was beyond Him. Neither are we. His sacrifice of love ripped off the deception of Satan that was over our eyes so that now we can see that He has loved us all along and invites us to join Him in the Fellowship of the Trinity.

Satan’s deception has now been revealed. The Father loves us and holds nothing against us–never has, never will. Satan is losing the war as this Good News goes forth into the world. Like I said, “None of the rulers of this age [Satan included] understood this [God’s plan to blow Satan’s cover], for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” 1 Corinthians 2:8.

Here is the Gospel in Jesus’ words, “Now is the judgment of this world [the whole world hangs in the balance]; now will the ruler of this world be cast out [and his deception exposed]. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” John 12:31-32

When Jesus entered into this world as a baby, it was to grow up and give His life to show that God’s love is extreme. In fact, His mercy is everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 103:17), we are forever in His embrace (Psalm 112:6), He is our everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6), and fountains of living water spring from us to eternal life (John 4:14). THIS is what Jesus came to show us. THIS is what Christmas is all about!

Abba, I praise You for Your wondrous love and mercy! Thank You for showing us through Jesus. May we never doubt Your love and grace that You pour out on Your children. Amen.

3-D reading is done with a broad brush. We look for a general view of Jesus and His message in all we read in the Scriptures.

4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Are we seeking more of Christ in the Scriptures than just what’s on the surface? He promises to reveal Himself to us.

Today, we look at the Gospel of John, specifically, 20:30-31 concerning signs*. These signs are linked to miracles, but go beyond the physical deeds to a greater message.

³⁰ Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Let’s review what 3-D reading is:

1. Literal- Who? What? Where? When? How? Why? What is the C.I.T.? (Central Idea of the Text)
2. Moral- What can I learn from the text?
3. Spiritual- Where is Jesus in the passage?

The first sign that Jesus gives us is in 2:1-11. Let’s read it:

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; ² and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” ⁶ Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. ⁹ When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, ¹⁰ and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

Literal– Jesus is at a wedding in a nearby town of Nazareth in Galilee. It is probably a relative, so He had a vested interest in having it go well. Mary was an integral part of the ceremony, which gives weight to it being a close relative. It is the third day since Jesus called Nathanael to follow Him. He had told Nathanael that he would see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” This reference is from Genesis 28:12 when Jacob had his dream about the heavenly ladder. The fact that it was three days later is an inference to the resurrection and the cleansing of all sin for all time.

Spiritual– The sign is Jesus’ signature as God the Son. It’s like a signature. Who else could do such a miracle than God? And, being born on earth, He is the Son of God. There are several specific things to note. This miracle that Jesus’ mother, Mary, asks Him to do links Jesus to several events in history:

1. Ceremonial washing (Exodus 30:17-21) had been performed for 1500+ years at this point. Jesus used those particular pots to change the water into wine. The water cleansed the outside of the hands. The wine represents a New Covenant. Speaking of which,
2. Later on, Jesus uses the fourth cup at the Lord’s Supper to announce His New Covenant and to ask the disciples to “marry Him.” That particular cup is never drunk in the ceremony; it stands for the coming of Messiah and in particular His marriage to Israel. It is interesting that Jesus is at a wedding when He performs this miracle!
3. Jesus’ statement that His hour had not yet come was in reference to the announcement of that New Covenant. I think Mary was rushing things a bit, but Jesus acquiesced to her and to the wedding couple. Who knows? It may have been something that He planned to do closer to the Cross.
4. The wine is the best of the event and was provided in abundance, and it represents the better and greater wedding feast of the ages when Jesus comes for His Bride, the Church.
5. God’s glory is revealed in Jesus through this miraculous event. The revelation of Jesus being God is a very important theme to John. Look for it throughout his Gospel.

Moral– Jesus is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or He is Lord. The fact that Jesus had a plan from the beginning of His ministry to reveal the glory of the Father through signs of the coming New Covenant through miracles is huge in proving that He is Lord. This sign reminds me of the shepherds in the field when Jesus was born. Look at what the angel–as if that in itself weren’t enough!–said, “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior [Messiah], who is Christ the Lord“ (Luke 2:11). Yet, the angel told them to go find their Messiah in a manger. WOW! Jesus was always revealing Himself to the regular folks, like at a wedding. I can trust Christ because He cares for me, a regular guy.

It’s all there, folks. All we have to do is apply a little intellectual elbow grease and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Sometimes, He begins the process and we run to catch up! Either way, it’s a whole lot of fun to discover Jesus in the Scriptures. He delights in us getting to know Him better.

Abba, thank You for revealing Yourself in the Scriptures. Thank You for the tools that are available for the first time in history: The internet, computers and phones, software programs, so many translations and commentaries at our fingertips, blogs and studies, an incredible amounts of information about the church throughout the age–may we take advantage of everything to learn as much as we can of You, Your Mission, and Your Plans. Amen.

* The Seven Signs of John’s Gospel

Abiding in Christ may not be as difficult as it may seem…

1 A wise child heeds his father’s instruction…19 a longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul…25 the righteous eat to their heart’s content…

What we read in the Bible is designed to make us pray–to go to God for clarity. Mere words cannot convey the truths that God wants us to learn and know. His Spirit wants to use what we have read to start a dialogue with us. He will guide us into all truth:

1. He is our guide, Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel,  and afterward you will take me into glory. Psalm 73:23-24
2. He will guide us, But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13
3. Jesus is the Truth, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Otherwise, we become entrenched in our own interpretations, which, if not Spirit-led, leads to pride, arrogance, intolerance, and spiritual abuse.

1 Corinthians 8:1 gives us some clarity into what happens when we read without the Spirit’s guidance:

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

1. The Example– Eating food sacrificed to idols; Paul understood that this food was fine, considering that the gods don’t really exist, but many were afraid because of their upbringing, and some used it as a manipulation tool.
2. The Assertion– “We all possess knowledge.” This saying was what some were claiming; they either got their knowledge from their own minds (pride and delusion) or from a spirit (demon worship). Some even claimed to have secret knowledge from God–as if Paul wouldn’t know.
3. The Truth– Knowledge puffs up while love builds up. This lesson teaches that knowledge without the guidance of the Holy Spirit brings a puffed-up attitude, which is pride. Pride leads to all the things mentioned earlier, including consequences on down the road.

As an example, let’s take John 15:9-12:

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

There are two commands:

1. Remain in My love;
2. Love each other as I love you.

There are two results:

1. Closeness with Christ;
2. Complete joy!

Folks, I can’t think of anything better, can you?

Abba, as I think about Your love, I relax. You have no expectations of me. You simply enjoy our togetherness. Where we move from here will be the outcome of our being together. Thank You for that. So THIS is what it means to abide in Your love… Amen.

What is the world looking for in Christians? What they need to see is the love of Jesus shining through us!

7 One person pretends to be rich, but has nothing [ those whose treasure is here on this earth]; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth [those whose treasure is in heaven].

To answer the question, the world is not looking for anything in Christians; they are either afraid they might find truth or they simply aren’t interested in what we have to offer. There ARE those in the world who are looking for truth. They will find it in Christians who are genuine in their faith. Who are those who are genuine in their faith? Those who are seeking and sensing:

We seek the face of the Father
We enjoy fellowship with the Son
We sense the presence of the Holy Spirit

When we spend time with the Father, we reflect the Lord’s glory. This glory is what people see and smell of Christ.

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

We have an excellent example of the reflection of the Lord’s glory in Moses. Let’s read it:

²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. ³² Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. ³³ When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. ³⁴ But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.

Paul interprets this account in 2 Corinthians 3:7-13.

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! ¹⁰ For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! ¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 2 Corinthians 3:7-13

Paul goes on to say that when a person receives Christ, the veil over our hearts is taken away (v.14). So, we Christians have no veil over our hearts. Instead, “we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (v.18).” Our radiance is continuous because of His love in our hearts (Romans 5:5). What shall we do with this love? We find the answer in 1 Thessalonians 3:12,

¹² May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Here’s how it works:

1. Christ comes into our lives and takes up residence.
2. He removes the veil so that others can see Him in us.
3. As we become more like Him, we radiate and then overflow to others. They see our love, joy and peace through our patience, kindness and goodness, and want our faithfulness, gentleness and self-control in their lives.
4. They receive Christ and have their veils removed.
5. They, then, reflect the Lord’s glory, and the process continues.

This process is what Christianity is all about. Let’s do it!

Abba, I pray that You will fill my heart with Your love so that it overflows to others, to both Christian brothers and sisters and to lost folks who need Jesus, particularly to those who are searching for His love. I really do want my life to be all about You, Lord Jesus. Amen.