“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” [John 14:16 KJV]
The words that stand out in this sentence for me are “Comforter and for ever.” For ever is a long time. Now none of us know just exactly long it is because we have never seen anything that has been around for ever. We see things that have been around longer than we have, but that still does not constitute for ever. No, my friend, for ever belongs to God. Only He understands for ever. He always is; not was or has been, but is. He did not just exist in the past and He does exist in the future; He exists, period. He is for ever, the Alpha and the Omega; He is eternal life; before we ever knew existence; He exists! Jesus said, “I Am the resurrection and the life,” when Martha said her brother would live on the last day, when the resurrection would occur. Jesus did not just exist in the past and He we do not have wait until the future for Him to exist; He is now!
The Comforter; this word is translated as friend, helper, counselor, advocate; depending on which version or translation you read. All are correct as the Holy Spirit is all these things. I call Him the Agent of Application. When I need help, He helps me to find it. When I need a friend, one that does not judge, criticize, or tell me what I want to hear; He reminds me that Jesus is with me and then He guides me into the Word. When I need advice He leads me to the Word and to the right people. I need an advocate for my sin and He comes to my rescue; He convicts (not condemns) me of my sin, testifies to me of Jesus, and helps me with repentance by interceding for me as I pray. Yeah, I would say He is The Comforter.
Now put these two paragraphs together; The Comforter for ever. Sent to me from the Father because Jesus asked Him to! Another Comforter; not a different One, just another One! Now I have two! Jesus is with me not in bodily form but in Spirit; The Holy Spirit. The Father is with me not in bodily form but in Spirit; the Holy Spirit! Not only that, but they will never leave me nor forsake me; for ever. Wow! The One who is Forever Himself now gives for ever to me; that I may be as He is! The Comforter Abides with me and He will abide with you; for ever!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Anything to Hide?
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear. [Psalm 66:18 NKJV]
In this age of information technology and social networking keeping our personal information secret is almost impossible. A good friend of mine that works on computers tells me that if I can see something on my screen, so can someone else. It is hard to hide things in airwaves. Therefore we have become pretty good in hiding our secrets. We have learned to keep our mouths shut and our thoughts to ourselves to be totally secure because no other human can actually read our thoughts.
Secret sin is the biggest issue within the Kingdom. It is nothing new as we can see from what David had to say. I saw a commercial on T.V. encouraging people to report child abuse. The actors were leading children and wearing a sign on their back that identified them as an abuser. We know they are not that easy to spot and that was the point of the whole commercial. The same applies to those who hide sin in their hearts. No one is immune; pastors, teachers, evangelists, deacons, the Pope; all have the ability to hide sin from the public eye; for a while. Sin will always find a way to surface; just like a backed up septic tank. The real danger associated with hidden sin is not the risk of someone finding it out, the real danger is not having God hear our prayers! He will not hear our prayer of repentance if we continue to regard the sin! One translation puts it this way; “If we are cozy with evil, God will not listen.” Yes, God is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; but not until we are ready to let it go. God is not into excusing sin; He is into forgiving it. If we want Him to hear us then we first have to acknowledge our sin, confess it, and then release it.
Allow God to search your heart today just as David asked Him to do. “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Should He reveal a sin that was tucked away in the dark corner of a closed compartment; lust, anger, hate, etc., then confess it, ask Him to forgive you, and then let it go. Allow Christ to dwell in your heart. Sin cannot live in the same heart with Jesus!
In this age of information technology and social networking keeping our personal information secret is almost impossible. A good friend of mine that works on computers tells me that if I can see something on my screen, so can someone else. It is hard to hide things in airwaves. Therefore we have become pretty good in hiding our secrets. We have learned to keep our mouths shut and our thoughts to ourselves to be totally secure because no other human can actually read our thoughts.
Secret sin is the biggest issue within the Kingdom. It is nothing new as we can see from what David had to say. I saw a commercial on T.V. encouraging people to report child abuse. The actors were leading children and wearing a sign on their back that identified them as an abuser. We know they are not that easy to spot and that was the point of the whole commercial. The same applies to those who hide sin in their hearts. No one is immune; pastors, teachers, evangelists, deacons, the Pope; all have the ability to hide sin from the public eye; for a while. Sin will always find a way to surface; just like a backed up septic tank. The real danger associated with hidden sin is not the risk of someone finding it out, the real danger is not having God hear our prayers! He will not hear our prayer of repentance if we continue to regard the sin! One translation puts it this way; “If we are cozy with evil, God will not listen.” Yes, God is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness; but not until we are ready to let it go. God is not into excusing sin; He is into forgiving it. If we want Him to hear us then we first have to acknowledge our sin, confess it, and then release it.
Allow God to search your heart today just as David asked Him to do. “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Should He reveal a sin that was tucked away in the dark corner of a closed compartment; lust, anger, hate, etc., then confess it, ask Him to forgive you, and then let it go. Allow Christ to dwell in your heart. Sin cannot live in the same heart with Jesus!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Grace: The Gift of Survival
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]
Survival of the fittest; that is the rule in the wilderness and in nature. The quick can outrun the slow to escape being eaten. The quick can outrun the slow to catch a meal. Seems ironic doesn’t? It all depends on whether you are the slow one or the quick one. The slow may be quick enough at times to catch a meal, but then be to slow to escape being one! About now you should be thanking God that he did not create you to be food!
We have all been there and many are there now; striving to survive a crisis. We may be up against a physical ailment, an emotional trauma, or perhaps in a financial bind. More than once I have been faced with situations and issues that I could not change or do anything about. I was left to face the consequences. Many of which are now in the past and I can look back now and see how that God worked things out for me. It has taken me years to learn patience. The patience that it takes to trust God in every situation and circumstance. I have learned that, just as Paul did, that God has enough grace to sustain me even in the worst of times. Grace is the gift of survival for us. God could leave us to our own problems and situations, fold His arms across His chest, glare down His nose at us and say; “Good luck getting through this.” I am so thankful today He does not do that! Because He is gracious toward us! It is not until we come to realize that we need Him, that we will ever experience His deliverance. In the Kingdom of God the rule of survival is not the same as it is in nature. The weak can survive just the same as the strong.
How about you today? Feel like you are being outrun by the enemy? Maybe feel like you are in a no win situation, or perhaps between a rock and hard place? Call upon the Lord Jesus; He will come to your rescue. His strength is yours for the asking.
Survival of the fittest; that is the rule in the wilderness and in nature. The quick can outrun the slow to escape being eaten. The quick can outrun the slow to catch a meal. Seems ironic doesn’t? It all depends on whether you are the slow one or the quick one. The slow may be quick enough at times to catch a meal, but then be to slow to escape being one! About now you should be thanking God that he did not create you to be food!
We have all been there and many are there now; striving to survive a crisis. We may be up against a physical ailment, an emotional trauma, or perhaps in a financial bind. More than once I have been faced with situations and issues that I could not change or do anything about. I was left to face the consequences. Many of which are now in the past and I can look back now and see how that God worked things out for me. It has taken me years to learn patience. The patience that it takes to trust God in every situation and circumstance. I have learned that, just as Paul did, that God has enough grace to sustain me even in the worst of times. Grace is the gift of survival for us. God could leave us to our own problems and situations, fold His arms across His chest, glare down His nose at us and say; “Good luck getting through this.” I am so thankful today He does not do that! Because He is gracious toward us! It is not until we come to realize that we need Him, that we will ever experience His deliverance. In the Kingdom of God the rule of survival is not the same as it is in nature. The weak can survive just the same as the strong.
How about you today? Feel like you are being outrun by the enemy? Maybe feel like you are in a no win situation, or perhaps between a rock and hard place? Call upon the Lord Jesus; He will come to your rescue. His strength is yours for the asking.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Life Motto
Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? [Job 40:2 NKJV]
Why me, Job asked. Job was perplexed when it seemed that God had turned on him. You and I know what happened in the account of Job because we have the Scripture after the fact but Job never had a clue. One day everything in his life was hunky dory and then just hours later it seemed that the Almighty God had taken vengeance on him. What have I done, Job asked God. Only to be left without answer or explanation. It was a dark day for Job, so dark that he remarked he wished he had been still born and not seen the light of day! How about you? Ever wished you had never been born? Hard times and harsh circumstances can grind the edge off our faith. Doubt, fear, and anger begin to arise in our spirit when it seems that God is not listening. We harbor the thought in the back of our mind; I am not sure there is a God. All because things do not happen as we want them to. “I pray and things get worse” some have told me. It becomes difficult to even pray sometimes in such dire straits.
Take courage though, Job was allowed to be prey for the devil that you and I might come to understand the power of the Almighty. God is our creator and thereby can do with us as He pleases. We can become misguided into believing that we deserve a life free from conflict. Jesus said in this life we would have trouble; and we do. There is no use in arguing with God about it either because He knows what He is going to do and why He is going to do it. God is never wrong in what He does. We cannot correct Him because He is always right! We learn from Job what attitude to take toward trouble; God is in control of everything. Nothing comes into our lives without His knowledge or permission. We may not understand at the time how our troubles and problems are of any benefit. What we must believe is; they are. Job had no idea that his life of hell on earth for a season was of any benefit, but it was. It benefited those of us who can look to his experiences, his thoughts, his complaints, his questions, and ultimately his faith and determination to trust God. Endure the trail, put up with the pain, agonize over your losses; but never lose trust in the Almighty. Let the words of Job become your motto; “Though He slay me, I will still trust Him!”
Why me, Job asked. Job was perplexed when it seemed that God had turned on him. You and I know what happened in the account of Job because we have the Scripture after the fact but Job never had a clue. One day everything in his life was hunky dory and then just hours later it seemed that the Almighty God had taken vengeance on him. What have I done, Job asked God. Only to be left without answer or explanation. It was a dark day for Job, so dark that he remarked he wished he had been still born and not seen the light of day! How about you? Ever wished you had never been born? Hard times and harsh circumstances can grind the edge off our faith. Doubt, fear, and anger begin to arise in our spirit when it seems that God is not listening. We harbor the thought in the back of our mind; I am not sure there is a God. All because things do not happen as we want them to. “I pray and things get worse” some have told me. It becomes difficult to even pray sometimes in such dire straits.
Take courage though, Job was allowed to be prey for the devil that you and I might come to understand the power of the Almighty. God is our creator and thereby can do with us as He pleases. We can become misguided into believing that we deserve a life free from conflict. Jesus said in this life we would have trouble; and we do. There is no use in arguing with God about it either because He knows what He is going to do and why He is going to do it. God is never wrong in what He does. We cannot correct Him because He is always right! We learn from Job what attitude to take toward trouble; God is in control of everything. Nothing comes into our lives without His knowledge or permission. We may not understand at the time how our troubles and problems are of any benefit. What we must believe is; they are. Job had no idea that his life of hell on earth for a season was of any benefit, but it was. It benefited those of us who can look to his experiences, his thoughts, his complaints, his questions, and ultimately his faith and determination to trust God. Endure the trail, put up with the pain, agonize over your losses; but never lose trust in the Almighty. Let the words of Job become your motto; “Though He slay me, I will still trust Him!”
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Just Do It.
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:25]
This command from the Master to take the news of Him to all creatures, (individual beings as defined in the Greek context), carried with it the implication that they would be doing some travelling! The Good News was carried by letters or word of mouth in those days. A command such as this sounded almost impossible to them I am sure. The disciples never imagined the internet. An airborne community made up of millions of citizens. I have more friends on Facebook than there were people in the home town I grew up in! Virtual cities and farms exist in this vast array of digital media, information carried around the world by transmitted signals from place to place at the speed of light. What opportunity we have today of telling people the Good News! The news that the God of all creation is willing to reconcile even with the vilest offender! The news about how God took it upon Himself *to create for Himself a body in which He could dwell in upon His visit to Earth. Coming here to offer that body as the final sacrifice for mans sin forever! An action that was totally unheard of. Never would man imagine that the very Creator which created us, would come as one of us; for the purpose of dying as a Sacrificial Lamb for our sins. But He did just that and before He returned back to His Heavenly Throne He command those who believed in Him as the only begotten Son of God to go everywhere and tell everybody about Him and His mission, and His sacrifice, and His forgiveness, and His mercy, and His willingness to pardon and save all, in every generation, every one that will come to Him! One thing we know for sure; they managed to do their part!
Can we do our part? Can we reach way out into the vast areas of the globe with the message of the Gospel? You bet we can. Here’s a suggestion for some guy or gal with some time to donate to the building of the Kingdom: text, e-mail, tweet, broadcast, and post the Gospel on the billboards of the internet! After all, Jesus has given us the same command; Let’s do it!
*Hebrews 10:5
This command from the Master to take the news of Him to all creatures, (individual beings as defined in the Greek context), carried with it the implication that they would be doing some travelling! The Good News was carried by letters or word of mouth in those days. A command such as this sounded almost impossible to them I am sure. The disciples never imagined the internet. An airborne community made up of millions of citizens. I have more friends on Facebook than there were people in the home town I grew up in! Virtual cities and farms exist in this vast array of digital media, information carried around the world by transmitted signals from place to place at the speed of light. What opportunity we have today of telling people the Good News! The news that the God of all creation is willing to reconcile even with the vilest offender! The news about how God took it upon Himself *to create for Himself a body in which He could dwell in upon His visit to Earth. Coming here to offer that body as the final sacrifice for mans sin forever! An action that was totally unheard of. Never would man imagine that the very Creator which created us, would come as one of us; for the purpose of dying as a Sacrificial Lamb for our sins. But He did just that and before He returned back to His Heavenly Throne He command those who believed in Him as the only begotten Son of God to go everywhere and tell everybody about Him and His mission, and His sacrifice, and His forgiveness, and His mercy, and His willingness to pardon and save all, in every generation, every one that will come to Him! One thing we know for sure; they managed to do their part!
Can we do our part? Can we reach way out into the vast areas of the globe with the message of the Gospel? You bet we can. Here’s a suggestion for some guy or gal with some time to donate to the building of the Kingdom: text, e-mail, tweet, broadcast, and post the Gospel on the billboards of the internet! After all, Jesus has given us the same command; Let’s do it!
*Hebrews 10:5
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Master Of The Sea
“Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” [Mark 4:38 NKJV]
Those who spend much of their life on the sea can tell you this; you are either heading into a storm, you are in a storm, or you just came out of one. A calm sea is found only between the exit of the last storm and the entrance of the next one. Some of these men Jesus was with in the boat were seasoned fisherman. They had been in storms before. The difference between this storm and the others were these land lubbers with them in the boat. They knew the Teacher was not a storm rider. He had told them earlier *to keep a small boat ready near the shore so He could escape being crushed by the crowds that came down to the seaside to hear Him; and they did. After getting into the boat He taught things about seeds and sowers’, putting lamps under baskets, and how seeds grow. Then a few hours prior to their departure He taught them that just a little faith, like a little seed, is sufficient to do big things. As the sun began to set He said; “Let’s head across to the other side.” No problem for them as they had sailed back and forth across that little sea many times chasing fish. Jesus had an agenda they were not aware of though; He was going to teach them about forming opinions of who He really was. To accentuate His lesson He laid down in the back of the boat and went to sleep! Then it happened; they ran into the storm God had allowed in their path. Wind blowing the waves and with each dip of the bow the little boat gulped up gallons of water. Look at the Master; sleeping like a fat house cat on a rainy Monday. “Hey! Teacher! Wake up! The boat is going under! Then these famous words: “Don’t You care that WE are perishing?!” When a loved one dies tragically or suddenly we ask it. When the doc says; “stage four,” we ask it. Lord, don’t You care that we are dying? We are in a life threatening crisis and You sleep. Now watch closely what happens: He gets up, speaks to the elements and the storm is over. Then asks, “Have you already forgotten what I told you about faith and mustard seeds?” Then they got really skeered! An awesome display of power! “Who is this Guy?” They asked. He is the Maser of the Sea; that’s who He is. How about you today? In a storm? In the calm sea of tranquility awaiting the next one? Take some advice from me; a land lubber that gets sea sick on the New River; make sure you are in the boat with Jesus.
*Mark 3:9
Those who spend much of their life on the sea can tell you this; you are either heading into a storm, you are in a storm, or you just came out of one. A calm sea is found only between the exit of the last storm and the entrance of the next one. Some of these men Jesus was with in the boat were seasoned fisherman. They had been in storms before. The difference between this storm and the others were these land lubbers with them in the boat. They knew the Teacher was not a storm rider. He had told them earlier *to keep a small boat ready near the shore so He could escape being crushed by the crowds that came down to the seaside to hear Him; and they did. After getting into the boat He taught things about seeds and sowers’, putting lamps under baskets, and how seeds grow. Then a few hours prior to their departure He taught them that just a little faith, like a little seed, is sufficient to do big things. As the sun began to set He said; “Let’s head across to the other side.” No problem for them as they had sailed back and forth across that little sea many times chasing fish. Jesus had an agenda they were not aware of though; He was going to teach them about forming opinions of who He really was. To accentuate His lesson He laid down in the back of the boat and went to sleep! Then it happened; they ran into the storm God had allowed in their path. Wind blowing the waves and with each dip of the bow the little boat gulped up gallons of water. Look at the Master; sleeping like a fat house cat on a rainy Monday. “Hey! Teacher! Wake up! The boat is going under! Then these famous words: “Don’t You care that WE are perishing?!” When a loved one dies tragically or suddenly we ask it. When the doc says; “stage four,” we ask it. Lord, don’t You care that we are dying? We are in a life threatening crisis and You sleep. Now watch closely what happens: He gets up, speaks to the elements and the storm is over. Then asks, “Have you already forgotten what I told you about faith and mustard seeds?” Then they got really skeered! An awesome display of power! “Who is this Guy?” They asked. He is the Maser of the Sea; that’s who He is. How about you today? In a storm? In the calm sea of tranquility awaiting the next one? Take some advice from me; a land lubber that gets sea sick on the New River; make sure you are in the boat with Jesus.
*Mark 3:9
Monday, August 1, 2011
Surviving Betrayal
“Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” [Matthew 26:25 NKJV]
What a dumb question! Judas had already arranged to have Jesus arrested and then had nerve enough to ask Him this question. That is how it is though with the Judas’ of the world. They plan and scheme in the dark and work in the shadows behind our backs. If we happen to suspect we may be the target of their dastardly plan and confront them, we usually get the same response. “Me? Are you saying you don’t trust me?” Of all the hurts and pains and difficult situations in the lives of others that I have tried to console, support and counsel; the most devastating are those who have been betrayed. Betrayal is the sword which pierces the heart from the back. Betrayed spouses say, “It hurts worse than if they had died.” Most never see it coming and yet others see it and think they are just being paranoid. A heart that has been betrayed is left with such a deep puncture wound that the scar tissue which forms in it tends to surround the entire heart. A heart betrayed can take years to heal and even then, has trouble learning to trust again. The initial hurt brings denial, then anger, then hate. Hate is a cancer within the spirit. It does not just go away over time but rather grows: A spiritual cancer which goes deeper than the bones and marrow. There is only one cure for hate: forgiveness. Forgiveness that does not come from our heart, but from the heart of Christ. Our human hearts are not capable of healing themselves from such wounds. Only the One who invented forgiveness in the first place can offer it to others. Look close at the answer Jesus gave Judas; “You have said it.” Jesus said, “Yes, you are the one who has already planned to betray Me.” Jesus knew it was going to happen but still felt the pain it brings. Jesus knows the pain of betrayal; love gone sour. Yet, He never stopped loving. He continued His journey to the Cross; for Judas and for us, and for those who have betrayed us.
You may be a victim of a brutal betrayal yourself. Your heart may have been punctured with that horrible sword from the back. Don’t try to heal on your own. Come to the only One who can heal such a wound. The One who was wounded first. Allow Christ to heal your heart!
Refs: Luke 2:35; Hebrews 4:12; 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
What a dumb question! Judas had already arranged to have Jesus arrested and then had nerve enough to ask Him this question. That is how it is though with the Judas’ of the world. They plan and scheme in the dark and work in the shadows behind our backs. If we happen to suspect we may be the target of their dastardly plan and confront them, we usually get the same response. “Me? Are you saying you don’t trust me?” Of all the hurts and pains and difficult situations in the lives of others that I have tried to console, support and counsel; the most devastating are those who have been betrayed. Betrayal is the sword which pierces the heart from the back. Betrayed spouses say, “It hurts worse than if they had died.” Most never see it coming and yet others see it and think they are just being paranoid. A heart that has been betrayed is left with such a deep puncture wound that the scar tissue which forms in it tends to surround the entire heart. A heart betrayed can take years to heal and even then, has trouble learning to trust again. The initial hurt brings denial, then anger, then hate. Hate is a cancer within the spirit. It does not just go away over time but rather grows: A spiritual cancer which goes deeper than the bones and marrow. There is only one cure for hate: forgiveness. Forgiveness that does not come from our heart, but from the heart of Christ. Our human hearts are not capable of healing themselves from such wounds. Only the One who invented forgiveness in the first place can offer it to others. Look close at the answer Jesus gave Judas; “You have said it.” Jesus said, “Yes, you are the one who has already planned to betray Me.” Jesus knew it was going to happen but still felt the pain it brings. Jesus knows the pain of betrayal; love gone sour. Yet, He never stopped loving. He continued His journey to the Cross; for Judas and for us, and for those who have betrayed us.
You may be a victim of a brutal betrayal yourself. Your heart may have been punctured with that horrible sword from the back. Don’t try to heal on your own. Come to the only One who can heal such a wound. The One who was wounded first. Allow Christ to heal your heart!
Refs: Luke 2:35; Hebrews 4:12; 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)