Topic Writings
How is Jesus is our 'Covering'?
Psalm 85:2-3. Jesus covers our INIQUITY (sin) and transgressions (sins) by His death on the cross.
SIN is what we are born with, due to the fall of Adam. It is not our fault! However, every baby conceived by man receives this ‘seed of sin’ and is under a curse of death, placed by God Himself. It is said that Jesus was ‘without sin’. How is He exempt if He was born as a baby? Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Joseph was his stepfather, therefore He was not born with the ‘seed of sin’. ‘
SINS are what we ‘act out’ throughout our life because of the ‘seed of sin’ we are born with. It is behavior that ‘misses the mark’ or ‘falls short’ of God’s design for His creation’s response. Jesus did not commit any of these ‘sins’.
Therefore, because Jesus is ‘without the seed of sin’ and ‘led a sinless life’, He does not need to pay for His own sins by His death. Sooo…. He paid for ours by dying to pay for our ‘sin’ and ‘sins’!
From the beginning, Man has tried to cover their own sin in many ways.
Genesis 3:7 Then Adam’s and Eve’s eyes were opened, and they realized they had no covering/protection. So they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.
God, being a good parent, gives a consequence.
Genesis 3:19 … “for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
God, Himself, made the first sacrifice to cover the sins of Man.
Genesis 3:21 And the Lord God made garments of animal skin for Adam and his wife and covered them.
God made it clear what type of covering was needed by preference of Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s.
Genesis 4:1-5 Abel kept flocks, Cain tended the soil. Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord, Abel of a firstborn animal, Cain of the fruit of the soil. God found favor with Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s.
God foreshadows the covering He will provide in the future.
Genesis 22:8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
God instructs His people to make another sacrifice as a covering to avoid His wrath in the form of a plague.
Exodus 12:5-7 …They are to take a male lamb, without spot or blemish. They are to take some of the blood and put it on the tops and sides of the doorframes where they are... The blood will be a sign for you, and when I see the blood I will pass over and not harm you…
God instructs His people of how to cover their sins.
Leviticus 5:6 As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering ; and the priest shall make atonement for them for their sin.
A comparison is made between the Old Testament Lamb and the New Testament Lamb as the covering for sin.
1 Peter 1:19 The precious Blood of Christ, a Lamb without spot or blemish.
Note: Jewish People do not acknowledge the sacrifice of Jesus, so do not receive His covering for sin. They wear a ‘yarmulke’ and ‘prayer shawls’ to cover their heads when they approach God.
The Blood of Christ replaces the Lamb of atonement (covering).
1 Cor. 5:7 …Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed…
Is it ok to use profanities?
As a teacher, I am frequently asked of my perspective on expletives used in conversation. When I was a teen, I thought using certain words casually made me look ‘cool’, so I began practicing them in front of a mirror so they would roll off my tongue smoothly and effortlessly. I eventually mastered this. But when I grew up, I realized this language creates the opposite effect to those who actually ARE cool. My ‘cool’ standard changed when I began walking as an upright adult.
To begin with, certain phrases as a Christian should be off-limits. Using God’s name for example, unless actually referencing Him or talking to Him reverently, should not be used. His name should never be used with the word damn unless you truly intend on cursing someone or something. In this case, be very careful because curses are very real, and are to be used with wisdom and caution. *
The ‘S’, ‘A’, ‘B’, and other such words would be considered slang, but other than making you sound rough, don’t cause much of an issue when used in context, their actual definition; ‘feces’, ‘buttocks, anus, or donkey’, and ‘female dog’. Don’t use them around children however, they aren’t allowed in school. When I was in second grade, I called a boy a ‘jackass’ after hearing it on Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’. After the whole room fell silent and the teacher was staring at me, I realized this was not socially acceptable in second grade. (In my defense, it was a biblical word haha). However, words like these used to ‘name call’, as mine were to the boy, are not in context and are bullying (even if he deserved it for pulling my ponytail!).
Now, Let’s define the ‘F’ word, favored by so many, used in multiple situations, functions, and grammatical positions. Some say its origin is “Fornication Under Consent of the King from medieval times when sex was prohibited. It was first recorded in a dictionary in 1598 (John Florio's A Worlde of Wordes, London: Arnold Hatfield for Edw. Blount). It is remotely derived from the Latin futuere and Old German ficken/fucken meaning 'to strike or penetrate', which had the slang meaning to copulate. In current times, it is defined as an act or behavior that perverts a God-created gift to be enjoyed in a marriage union, and making it unclean. Used as a verb, it is an act done TO someone, or AGAINST someone, usually women, but can be used against men. A woman using this word is demeaning to herself. A man using this word is demeaning to women or any victim of the act. However, the ‘F’ word is usually not used in context or even as a verb, but as an added shock punch or exclamation to a statement. A person using it this way insults the English language. An upright person will use educated ways of validly making a point, in context. I immediately lower the integrity meter for someone who exposes their minimal vocabulary by peppering conversation with this expletive.
Anyone who argues on behalf of their use of ‘foul’ or ‘curse’ words should ask if their language may or should change in the company of certain individuals like young children or parents (unless that’s where they learned it), on the job, teachers, etc. That’s an easy sign the language is inappropriate. As for Christians, put Jesus in the room, because He is, in fact, in the room. Do not argue that He loves you and accepts you how you are, but consider He is a good parent, who would not let you stay dirty, but would cleanse you by His love and His Word. He calls you to a higher place, a place that honors Him. He says ‘if we love Him, we will keep His commandments’, (not claim the ‘Grace’ card to grieve Him with our behavior).
More important than my perspective, here are passages from God’s perspective on godly speech:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths…Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking"
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
*(Read “Blessing and Curse” by Derek Prince).
Who created evil?
God decided what was good and what wasn’t. He created Light , good, and separated darkness, or evil, from it. He makes the rules for His creation.
Genesis 1:3-4… God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light
was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
God created man in His image and likeness.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;.
God is one God in 3 parts, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He made man in His image, 3 parts, Soul, Body, Spirit. But what about likeness?
God knows the difference between Light and Dark, Good and Evil, because He decided what is good and what is evil. In order for Adam to be in God's likeness, he needs to know the difference and CHOOSE good. Sooo....
The Tree of the Knowledge of GOOD and EVIL was God’s design to give Adam the choice between the Light and Dark.
Who is God?
He Created All things
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
He does not tempt us.
James 1:13 When tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
He planned for our redemption from the beginning
Rev 13:8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-- all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
Who is Satan?
He is a created being - not an accident, created by God with a purpose, to purify God's people through trial, temptation, and consequence to form them into His likeness.
Isaiah 54:16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc;
He is given power and authority-the god of this age:
2 Cor 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
He has authority over kingdoms of the world:
Luke 4:5-6 The devil led him to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
He is taken seriously by angels:
Jude 1:9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
He works through demons:
Rev 12:7 There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, the dragon and his angels fought back.
He has power to attack Saints:
Rev 13:6-7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
He has power to thwart our efforts:
1 Thes 2:18 We wanted to come to you-- certainly I, Paul, did, again and again-- but Satan stopped us.
He is allowed to tempt and afflict for purposes of purification and testing:
1 Tim 1:20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Lucifer is tested and failed.
Ezek 28:15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
Adam is tested and failed.
Genesis 3:1-6 The serpent was craftier than any wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, 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.
Jesus is tested and passed.
Matt 4:1-11 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Job is tested and passed.
Job 1:7-12…22 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD… In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
He has limited power and has no hold of Jesus:
John 14:30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me,
Jesus ultimately overcame Satan:
John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Satan must release captives if told:
Luke 13:16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
Satan must have permission:
Permission to test Job:
Job 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."
Permission to test Peter:
Luke 22:31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
Satan is a copycat
Plan to replace God-Get focus off God
Calling for his own worship.
Matt 4:9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Thou shalt not judge?
"Judge not lest ye be judged" ...However, "Twist not Scripture, lest ye be like Satan."
Why do we take 'thou shalt not judge' out of context? Probably one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible is “Judge not lest you be judged” (Matthew 7:1-3). The world often takes this verse out of context to accuse Christians of being “judgmental” when they speak of sin. In the context of the verse, Jesus is telling His disciples not to judge one another, something the Bible condemns (Romans 14:10; James 4:11). In Luke 6:41,42 He speaks of seeing a speck in a brother’s eye. But He also says 'you can tell a tree by its fruit'. Matthew 12:33-37 'Not judging' does NOT mean 'accepting' or 'ignoring'. You can glue oranges on an apple tree, but the roots are still apple tree and the glued on fruit will not thrive on its branches. He was never passively 'tolerant'. After He said 'neither do I condemn you', He said '... Go and sin no more'. John 8:11 He did not say 'it's ok, no worries, go and sin some more because I love you'. Just like a good parent teaches His children not to touch a hot stove or walk out in front of a moving car, God, who created all things and knows how they work, teaches us how to avoid consequence in the same way. No good parent says 'it's ok, no worries, touch the stove if you want to or play in the street... I love you!’.
If we aren't supposed to judge then why did God appoint Judges in the Old Testament? Why do we have Judges in our court system? Are they evil? What was Solomon doing then, if not using his wisdom to judge? When my daughter begins to date and a boy comes to the door dirty, with an obscene t-shirt, holding a chainsaw dripping blood, should I let her go out with him? If I ask a few questions first did I sinfully judge him? The Bible is a whole book intended to be used as a whole. We are supposed to be wise as in Matthew 10:16 as we go into the world. We must discern what is good or evil, testing the spirits. 1 John 4:1 ‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’ In other words, JUDGE the spirits. Make a judgement of whether they are good or evil. Otherwise, we are powerless to avoid our own downfall, let alone help others. Proverbs 31:9 ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.’
If someone steals, lies, commits adultery or murder, etc., the Christian should make a (righteous) moral judgment and say that the actions were morally wrong, and that these sins will have eternal consequences. Luke 12:57 Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? Chuck Colson said, “True tolerance is not a total lack of judgment. It’s knowing what should be tolerated—and refusing to tolerate that which shouldn't.”
You do not love someone if you allow them to continue with sinful behavior without speaking the truth to them. The Bible says you hate your children if you don't discipline them.. And how can you discipline without first making a judgment of that child's behavior?...Hebrews 12:5-7 and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son. Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" Proverbs 13:24 "The one who spares his rod hates his child, but the one who loves his child is diligent in disciplining him"…The problem with the world is that it doesn't want discipline, judgement, correction or the truth...just watch the news!
The Bible says to let judgment begin in the house of the Lord. Often what people call "judging" is simply identifying the fruit. If I see apples on a tree, I am not judging to say it's an apple tree....I am seeing and identifying the fruit. When people are sinning (according to GOD'S word...), it is not judging when the fruit is identified. However, we are to judge with righteous judgement. Outward appearance can expose what lies internally, but we should seek to determine whether this is a righteous or unrighteousness judgement by seeking understanding of the heart behind the outward appearance. Matthew 7:2 ‘For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ 1 Samuel 16:7 For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Our sinful nature prohibits us from judging anyone personally but we can, and should, judge behavior. Love and acceptance is not the same. The judgement we are not supposed to pass is eternal judgement. In other words, saying that a person is so sinful that they can never receive salvation. That is not for us to say, only our Savior Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins and is our mediator with God our Father can say that.
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (read whole chapter) What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.
1 Corinthians 6:2-3 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!
If a Christian brother or sister is living a lifestyle of sin, we are to judge that it is a sin, and it does separate them from God. If they serve false gods, we are to judge that those gods will lead them astray, and that is wrong. Jesus' love did not turn a blind eye to sin. And it did not allow it to be swept under the rug. It brought it out to be dealt with, to help and love the person in the true biblical definition of love.
Contrary to the myth that Christians are not supposed to judge others, Christians are supposed to judge-- Not by appearance but with right judgement (John 7:24). Christians are supposed to judge-- not by appearance but based on what comes out from the mouth (Matthew 7:15-20, Mark 7:14-23). And Christians are supposed to judge --not by appearance , but based on not only what people do and say, but what they condone (Romans 1:32). And Christians are to judge those who profess to be followers of Christ (Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 5:12). Even then, Christians are not allowed to judge others hypocritically (Matthew 7:1-3). Nor are they to judge with a condemning form of judgment. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, there is only one who is able to save and destroy, and He is God(James 4:12)
We are instructed to judge Matthew 7:15-20. We are given instruction on how to judge who is a wolf and who is a sheep- "by their fruits ye shall know them". If we are given the characteristics by which to recognize them, then surely we have a mandate to judge and thus know them. "For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (Luke 6:43-45) 1 John 4:1-5, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. The word "test " means to "Examine", "To Discern" and to also "Judge". 2 Tim 4: 2-3 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 1 Cor. 2:15 But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
Am I Legalistic?
Let's begin with what legalism IS NOT. It is NOT legalistic to live to honor God, by seeking His ways and avoiding practices that dishonor Him. Gates and doorways are openings that require decisions to open or close, pass through or avoid. Each of us chooses a passage daily, and each choice carries blessing or curse, depending on whether it honors or dishonors Him. This could include obvious decisions, or ones we think are insignificant. God desires us to seek ALL of His ways, not to limit our fun, but to open His beauty to us.
This obviously includes God's laws, but also obeying the laws of the land, as discussed by Paul in the book of Romans, and by Jesus Himself when He said 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's.' The only exception would be if a law was in opposition to Him, like with Daniel or the 3 Hebrew boys. There may be earthly consequence for refusing to follow such a law, but God promises to be with us, faithful!
I am disturbed by how many Christians use the term 'legalistic' to condemn someone who chooses to honor God by avoiding a practice that the world says is 'ok'. Following laws only becomes legalistic when you live this way to provide your own righteousness, as in 'self-righteousness'. This negates the need for a Savior, lifting yourself to His position. Conversely, keeping His ways for the RIGHT reason, will bring His blessings!
Proverbs 8:32-34 "Now, therefore, listen to me, my children. For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors."
“Romans 13:1-4 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
Romans 13:11… “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy…”
Obedience is FAITH!
God's people were slaves in Egypt. They were mistreated, raped, neglected, and even killed. God delivered them out of Egypt in a miraculous series of events, gave them a leader, and was taking care of their needs. They were free and headed towards a new life! But they became discouraged.“Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.” (Num.21:4)
We've all been discouraged. What did YOU do with your discouragement? Did you act out? Rebel? Did you run away? Did you give up? Let's see what the Israelites did...
And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” (Num.21:5)
They complained. They blamed God. They wanted to go back to slavery because they were familiar with it at least. So...What did God do? Did He bless them? Did He ignore them? Did He allow them to reject Him?
“So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” (Num.21:6)
Wait! Does God do such things? Isn't He a good God? A loving God? How could He do this to His children?! Well…Does a good earthly father allow his child to place his hand in the fire? Does he allow his child to run in the street without guidance and correction when he won't listen? So they repented.
“Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived”. (Num.21:7-9)
Obedience is what God is after. It is proof of our Faith. “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20) If we truly trust God, we will persevere because we know help is coming. (Gal.6:9) “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” There is a reward waiting when we are obedient to demonstrate our faith. (Isa.40:31) “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint ”.
He is faithful to respond and your faith will grow!
What is the Church?
Anyone remember the songs we learned at VBS back in the day? And the hand motions?
I am the church,
You are the church,
We are the church together...
All who follow Jesus all around the world,
We are the church together.
The church is not a building,
The church is not a steeple,
The church is not a resting place,
The church is a people...
The true church, body of Christ, Bride, is not limited to sitting in pews, listening to a message, reading His Word, and worshipping. All of those things can, and should, be practiced every day, not just once a week at a building called the ‘church’. Yes, you should gather for fellowship, instruction, and support; however, it is what the church DOES with those things that makes her His body, His Bride.
One of my lessons to students when I teach clay wedging, is how to handle dry clay, wet clay, and ‘just right’ clay. If water is the issue, then dry clay needs more of it, ‘just right’ clay is the most workable, but what about wet clay? Does wet clay need less of it? Yes. The easiest way for clay to dry out is to sit around until the water evaporates. Or, it could be wedged together with dry clay so that both become workable...
Water is depicted in the Bible as the Word of God, and we, believers, are the clay. Therefore, dry clay (believers) need His Word to strengthen, build faith, and become workable in the hand of The Potter. What then, should wet clay do with all that water (Word)? Sit around and let it evaporate? Of course not! Pour it out for others! Soaking it up and sitting around makes us unworkable, and does nothing for anyone, including God. In order to glorify Him, we must first soak up the Word and draw close to Him so that we may be obedient to His direction, actively using His gifts and tools for His purposes.
The Great Commission is not a suggestion or recommendation. It is a COMMAND. “...go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you....” No one should waste their salvation by doing nothing with it. Get out of the Miry Pit. Don’t get stuck in the mud...
Which Church are you a part of?
Clean up your life, then you are welcome here.
Come as you are, and stay as you are.
Come as you are, Jesus will make you holy. John 8:11
Time is short.
Get up and serve.
Reach the lost.
Meet their needs.
Share Christ.
The Church has left the building!
Are certain races, cultures, or genders 'privileged'?
Privilege and consequence; Blessing and curse, per the book of Deuteronomy, especially Chapters 11 and 30:
Privilege comes from God alone. It is offered to all people. All people. No one is above another, for all have sinned, none are perfect. It is a choice whether to receive His privilege, or not. Privilege results when God is honored. Consequence results when He is not. Privilege and consequence apply to individual circumstance, but may extend to global history. It is the responsibility of each individual to make their choice, and receive the resulting privilege or consequence, blessing or curse. Each individual will then incorporate this choice into their culture and society, choosing privilege or consequence, blessing or curse. Bottom line...Privilege and consequence begins with our choices, extending to and affecting all people. No one is exempt from this. Wake up to our circumstances, all people of this world!
Thankfully, God sent His Son Jesus, because He knows we cannot live a perfect life, as an individual or society. Jesus paid to free us from this bondage, with His life. Now the choice shifts from our inability to obtain perfection, to our ability to receive Jesus’ perfection. Upon choosing to accept the sacrifice Jesus made to pay for choices that do not honor God, we become attached to His status, pardoning us from the consequences and aligning us with His privilege. Sadly, we do not immediately obtain His perfection in this fallen world, so while there is privilege, we are accountable for consequence which may extend far beyond the individual. The refining process begins and continues as long as we seek Him. Brothers and sisters...Seek Him now and rise above the social chatter! Seek His answers and ways!
Deuteronomy 11 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country; what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them. It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab the Reubenite, when the earth opened its mouth right in the middle of all Israel and swallowed them up with their households, their tents and every living thing that belonged to them. But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done. Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him and to hold fast to him— then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand against you. The Lord your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on the whole land, wherever you go. See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known. When the Lord your God has brought you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim on Mount Gerizim the blessings, and on Mount Ebal the curses. As you know, these mountains are across the Jordan, westward, toward the setting sun, near the great trees of Moreh, in the territory of those Canaanites living in the Arabah in the vicinity of Gilgal. You are about to cross the Jordan to enter and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you have taken it over and are living there, be sure that you obey all the decrees and laws I am setting before you today.
Deuteronomy 30 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes[a] and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I am just a ‘sinner, saved by grace’?
3 Things Jesus accomplished on the Cross
Should believers identify themselves as ‘sinners saved by grace’?
If we have received the provision God offered as a sacrifice for:
1) the seed of sin we are born with (iniquity)
2) acts of sin we commit (transgressions)
we now identify with HIS righteousness. Though we may still sin (fall short of His glory and perfection), should we identify with this? In fact, doesn’t identifying with our previous nature give some believers the excuse to continue in their sins, rather than allow the Holy Spirit to convict towards purification? If we are walking in Christian faith, shouldn’t we practice a daily routine of confession when falling short, restoration through His forgiveness, and becoming empowered to TRANSFORM, becoming more and more like Him?
In both old and new Testaments, Jews in good standing through the law, and later believers in Christ, are referred to as ‘saints’ (Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:19-22). Non-believers are referred to as sinners, unrighteous, and gentiles.
So then, to use this phrase in the present tense, “I AM a sinner...”, identifies us with our sinful nature. Should this be how we represent ourselves when Christ gave His life to give us HIS identity? However, It would be accurate to say “I WAS a sinner, but now a SAINT, saved by His grace and by HIS righteousness”.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Such a struggle. It is never God's will that any of us suffer, but because of the fallen state of creation and our sinful nature, we suffer. Suffering takes on many forms, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. Some suffering is a result of our own behaviors, sometimes another's. Many Bible scholars, whose teachings are directly from the Word, describe this struggle, and that it is not 'happenstance', but instead a 'planned event' of the enemy and his influence.
Every day we hear something new that causes sickness and disease. Physical and environmental causes of disease are only part of the equation. Our bodies were created to heal themselves. Otherwise, why did he give us an immune system if we didn’t need it in a world with disease? The fall of man affected this, of course, but was not a 'surprise' to our Creator, who planned for it at the foundation of the world. God was not caught off guard by the decision in the garden of Eden that opened the door to evil influence and power. In fact, He provided for this obstacle before it ever happened. Though the resurrection of Jesus was approximately 2000 years ago, God provided the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world. Rev. 13:8.
This provision manifested physically in the person of Jesus Christ. With Jesus’ victory over death and sin, He gave us power and purity to receive His creation the way He intended it. At the cross, God accomplished 3 things according to Isaiah 53:5. "But He was wounded for our transgressions (OUR sins), He was bruised for our iniquities (the seed of sin from Adam, our parents' and grandparents' sins); The chastisement for our peace (reconnection to God) was upon Him, And by His stripes we ARE healed (present tense!).
1. Payment for SINS. Transgressions in the passage refers to our behaviors that 'miss the mark' outlined in His Word, including but not limited to the 10 Commandments. He gives us direction for how to use His creation, but we pervert and misuse His gifts through free will and ignorance.
2. Payment for SIN. Iniquities in this passage is the sin brought about by the disobedience of Adam and Eve that affects every human being born of a man, because this seed comes through the man. (For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Cor. 15:22) This is why Jesus was not born of this seed; He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and not a man. As foreshadowed in the Old Testament sacrificial system, this payment had to be made with blood as atonement, hence references to the 'Blood of Jesus'. Iniquities also include generational sin from our family tree.
3. HEALING. Most miss this important provision in the crucifixion process. If Jesus only needed to shed His blood to provide the payment, then why did God allow Him to be beat up and suffer beyond the pain already associated with actual crucifixion? Because He received the consequence 'sin and sins' had on our physical bodies so that we ARE healed. Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 both refer to His stripes as healing for us, and in the present tense. This provision covers every form of sickness, disease, and demonic influence, emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual, including influences lying dormant in our spiritual DNA which affect our physical DNA. The only lack of coverage is against the curse God Himself placed on mankind for our physical body's return to the earth, anything due to aging or old age is 'disease unto death'.
In other words, God already provided for our healing, but the manifestation of healing is dependent on other factors or obstacles. This is why we see some healed, and some not. It IS God's will that we be healed, but spiritual healing must come before physical healing. Praying for healing is POINTLESS. He already did this. But our prayers are to be for manifestation/RECEIVING of healing, which is more complicated and depends on our faith. When the woman with bleeding was healed in Mark 5:34, Jesus said “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” He used the passive tense, explaining that her faith in Him and His ability to heal, was what healed her, not an intention act from Him. And this was BEFORE His death and suffering! Her faith was alive and properly placed. James says it this way in 2:20: “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” So if our faith or spiritual body is dead, our physical body suffers. We need to seek God and His presence, to seek SPIRITUAL healing, not just physical healing. Our physical healing is a manifestation of spiritual healing, so though it IS God's will that we be healed, obstacles may prevent or delay healing so the body may give out before the manifestation is able to fully occur. The physical body is temporary, so from God's perspective, the spiritual healing is MUCH more important, it is eternal!
What does it mean to 'love your enemy'?
What does it mean as a believer to ‘love your enemy’? Not to be cliche’, but…like…WWJD? What does the Word really tell us? How did Jesus respond to conflict and tragedy when He walked among us?
............With COMPASSION! Of course! Jesus grieved for the lost and hurt, and still today from His throne in heaven. He shed tears. He felt pain, His own and the pain of others. He came to save the lost with His blood, to bind the hurting and broken, heal the sick by His stripes, and to build His church, His Bride.
So how do we then, respond to conflict and tragedy? Our own? Of others? Especially those with beliefs that conflict with ours? Jesus dealt with basically three different groups of people while He walked the earth. He handled them all very differently.
First, there were His friends, believers, the disciples and followers. This group He spent the most time with, teaching them, comforting them, encouraging them, and yes, admonishing them. Jesus spoke quite firmly to this group on many occasions, especially Peter whom He called The Rock. He admonished them in love, as friends, but He definitely admonished them. He did not overlook their attitudes of error. This group is the believers referred to in the letters of Paul and other books of the New Testament...the Church, the believers of today, 'Christians'.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint hearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
Romans 15:14 now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you are also full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
Second, there were the religious leaders. Jesus did not have a lot of patience with this group. They missed the point. They were so busy trying to uphold the law of the Word and condemn those who didn't, that they missed it when He, the Word, walked among them. Jesus did not devalue what they were saying, only the context by which they were saying it. He upheld the law, in fact completed it. However, the religious leaders were pointing the finger at sinners and missed their own sin and need of a Savior. Their hope was built on their own wisdom and interpretation of the Word, and they were prideful of it. Jesus got angry with them. He called them hypocrites. He exposed them for their lack of compassion for the human soul... He exposed them for not being able to see the forest because of the trees. He showed them the heart of God which covered them in shame and made them very angry. This group was so set in their spiritual pride that they finally killed Him. This same spirit of condemnation still kills the spirit of Christ today.
Matthew 23: 25-28 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewash tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Mark 7:6-7 He answered and said to them “Well did Isaiah prophecy of you hypocrites, as it is written: this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain, they worship me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.
The last group was the unbelievers. He had great compassion on this group. He had patience with them and called them out of their hiding into His light. He healed them, delivered them, comforted them, forgave them. He did not condemn them, and even admonished the religious leaders on their behalf. Since unbelievers had not received Christ as their Savior from sin, they were often called ‘sinners’. (Not that believers are ‘without sin’, but believers identify with the righteousness of God, and therefore are subject to His active correction, sometimes through admonishment from other believers). Jesus did NOT join unbelievers in their sin, nor did He lie, support, or represent their cause to make them feel better. He did not tell them their sin was ok, but instead told them to 'go and sin no more'. He did not admonish them harshly, but instead showed them a better way, His Way....the Way He created life to be. And He did it through His great love for the World, finally giving His life to reconcile it back to Him.
John 8:…11…And Jesus said to her, “neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Look around us! Which groups do we see? It is the same! And who should be seeking the Truth and handling it as Christ would? The Believers! We should:
1. Read His Word, don’t guess at what it says.
2. Ask His Spirit. He lives in you and wants to act through you.
3. Gently admonish believers who reflect a false image of Christ, whether by their condemnation or conforming, also confronting false doctrine in leadership.
4. Receive admonishment for our own sin and weakness.
5. Not condemn unbelievers, but instead have compassion; not conforming to their ways or supporting their actions, but instead showing a better way by our own actions and words.
6. Not let the enemy use us to reflect a false image that turns others away. Reflect the perfect and whole person of Christ in a way that points to Him! We have work to do!
What is 'Mankind'
A 3-Part God existed from the beginning: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. God made 'Mankind' to reflect this Trinity, and to be higher than the animals.
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in His own image; male and female He created them.
All living things were formed from the ground, but only Man received the breath of God to form the 3rd part, His spirit, which would make man in His true 3-Part image. This would make man in His true 3-Part image, soul (Father) body (Son), spirit (Holy Spirit). Man is identified as higher than the animals, and responsible for them. The study of creation is called 'Science'. God created Science.
Genesis 2:7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Genesis 2:19 ”Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
The part of the ‘Trinity’ that was the Son was noted in scripture in many physical forms before appearing as ‘Jesus the Messiah’.
Genesis 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 11: 4-9 And they said, “Come on, let’s build a city and a tower whose top reaches heaven; let’s make a name for ourselves so we won’t be separated over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the people built.
Exodus 3:2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
Exodus 11:4-5 So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
The ‘Lord’ is differentiated from ‘God’ in scripture.
And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are united and have one language, and this is what they do! Now they will think they do not need God. Come let US go down and confuse their language, that they may not understand each other’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them over the face of the earth and they stopped building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth.
Matthew 28: 19-20 God gave us a purpose; not as a suggestion, but as a command.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
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