What Things?

John 16:1-4 ESV

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.”

These Things (Summary John 14-15)

What things did Jesus say to his disciples? Basically, he had just given them his parting remarks, reminders and encouragements. He was about ready to be put to death by his enemies, and so these were some of his final words prior to his departure. And, in them he encouraged them that, although he was leaving them, he was going to prepare a place for them, and one day he would come back for them and he would take them to himself.

But, then he let them know, too, what they could expect while they were waiting for him to return. And, too, he shared with them what he expected of them, as well (See: Tit. 2:11-14).

For one, he let them know that he was God, and that in seeing him, they had seen the Father also. And, he promised those who love and obey him that, after he left, he would send them a helper, a comforter, the Holy Spirit to be with them forever. The Holy Spirit would teach them all things and he would remind them of all that Jesus had taught them. And, he let them know that those who love him keep his commands. If they walked in obedience to the Lord, this was the mark that they truly were in Christ and he in them.

He spoke, too, about the kind of peace that he was about to give to them, and that it wasn’t the kind the world gives. For, he did not promise them absence of conflict, trouble or hardship. But, what he promised was peace with God, and an inner peace and confidence in the Lord to keep them, and to carry them through all the hard times which were awaiting them.

Then, he went on to talk with them about his relationship with them and theirs with him, and to speak with them with regard to his expectancy that they, as his followers, would bear much spiritual fruit (results) as the outgrowth of them abiding in him and his words abiding in them. And, he let them know, too, that they could not bear this fruit apart from him, i.e. they could not produce it in their own flesh.

He talked, too, about how they needed to love one another with God-like love which is based in righteousness, holiness, purity and honesty. So, this kind of love will not do harm to its neighbors.

And, then he let them know of the kinds of things they must suffer in order to be his followers. Thus, he told them that, as he was hated, so would they be hated. Yet, if they were of the world, the world would love them as its own, but because Jesus had called them out of the world, therefore the world would hate and persecute them.

From Falling Away

Some of the words Jesus spoke to them were comforting to them, while others may have been hard to hear and hard to accept. For, some of what he promised them was conditional to their own conduct in the Spirit, and to their own submission to Christ and to their yielding to him as Lord (owner-master) and Savior of their lives.

He said that to love him is to practice obedience to his commands (his Word). And, if we don’t make it our practice to follow him in obedience, then we don’t love him. But, it is those who love him who are in Christ and Christ in them, not those who merely profess to love him but who still walk according to the flesh and in darkness.

And, he said, if any do not bear fruit (spiritual results) for his kingdom, he removes them from the vine, he throws them away, and they are thrown in the fire and burned. For, we prove ourselves to be his disciples, he said, if we bear much fruit (spiritual results) for his kingdom.

So, his words to them were both comforting and they were cautioning and warning them against what could cause them to fall into a trap and to fall away. And, to fall away has to do with hindrances to right conduct. And, it has to do with breaking away from our walks of faith with Jesus Christ, and to withdraw from our relationships with Jesus, and to drift off course.

And, there is a danger of this happening when we are faced with enormous persecution, too, which is why Jesus let us know that this will be part of our life with him, that we will share in the fellowship of his sufferings. And, this is so that, when persecution comes, we don’t get disheartened and end up falling into traps and thus falling away.

For, not only will the world hate us, but even those who profess the name of Jesus, and with whom we purportedly worship the Lord together, will despise and reject us and will put us out of their gatherings, and for the same reasons Jesus was hated, too. And, why was he hated? It was because he told the people the truth about their sins and their eternal destiny, if they continued in those sins, and if they did not repent.

And, that is happening in our day, but not just in foreign countries, but it is happening in America, and inside the gatherings of the church in America, too. For, the message of the cross, and the teachings on holiness, purity, obedience, submission and repentance are being departed from these days in favor of a friendlier gospel which does not require death to sin at all.

John 16:20 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”

In context, Jesus was describing to his disciples that he would be leaving them, and they would weep and lament over his departure (via death). But, the world who put him on that cross would rejoice, because they would feel as though they won out over Jesus, and that they would hear from him no more.

But, the disciples’ sorrow would turn to joy at Jesus’ resurrection, and even with the sending of his Holy Spirit to indwell them, and even with the fruit of their labors, as they saw people turning their hearts to Jesus Christ.

And, this carries over, too, into our own lives and the persecutions we face for the sake of Jesus Christ, and for the sake of his gospel, for they will be painful, and many of them will be cause for much weeping and lamenting.

And, yet our sorrow is turned to joy when we look to Jesus for our comfort and for our support to help us in our time of need. And, it is turned to joy, again, in seeing the results in other people’s lives, as they turn their hearts to Jesus. And, one day it will turn to joy when our Lord returns for us.

John 16:33 ESV

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In this world we do have tribulation. Many people throughout the world are suffering tremendously for their faith and testimonies for Jesus Christ. Here in America we have not yet known such severe suffering, but it is coming to us, too, and so we need to get ourselves ready and prepared for that eventuality so that we don’t fall into a trap and fall away on account of Jesus Christ and his gospel.

But, even though “all hell” may be breaking loose all around us, inwardly we can be at peace if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and if we don’t let the cares of this world take us out. And, even if we are being persecuted for our faith, it can be a cause for rejoicing, for we are being counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the name of Jesus and for carrying his gospel to others.

And, in our suffering, too, we can be encouraged that the devil and his evil schemes against us have no power over us, for Jesus overcame the world. And, he put sin to death on that cross, too, so that we could be free from our slavery to sin, and so we can walk righteously before him. So, we never have to cave to the desires of our flesh, for Jesus provided a way out for us from underneath the temptation to sin against our Lord.

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

https://vimeo.com/112342407

Monday, December 31, 2018

If You Love Me

John 14:15, 21, 23-24 NASB (Jesus speaking)

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
 “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.”

John continued this theme a little further when he wrote 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd John. There he stated that the way we know that we have come to know Jesus is if, in fact, we make it our practice to keep his commandments. If we claim to know him, but we do not make it our practice to keep his commands, he said, then we are liars (See: 1 Jn. 2:3-6).

And, he also said that those who obey his commands live in Christ, and he in them. He said that if we claim to have fellowship with God, but we walk (live, conduct our lives) in darkness (sin, wickedness), then, again, we are liars. And, too, if we do not practice righteousness, then we are not of God (See: 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 1 Jn. 2:15, 24-25; 1 Jn. 3:10, 24).

And, he went into even more depth on this subject in John 15 when he said that if we keep his commands we will remain in his love. He said, too, that we are his friends if we keep his commands.

And, there he also talked about the importance of remaining in him, and that if we don’t remain (endure, persist, persevere) in him, and if we don’t bear spiritual fruit (results) for the kingdom of heaven, he will cut us off from himself (the true vine), and we will be thrown into the fire and burned (See: John 15:1-17; cf. Rom. 11:17-24).

Paul, as well, continued this same theme when he said that the righteous requirement of the law will be fully met in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For, he said, if we walk (live in lifestyle) according to our sinful flesh, we will die in our sins. But, if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we will live for eternity (Rom. 8:1-17; cf. Lu. 9:23-25).

Now, these are not my words. This is what the Bible teaches. Loving God/Jesus means that we make it our practice to obey his teachings, which are his instructions to us for godly living. And, if we love him, by keeping his teachings, then we will be loved by God, and the Father and the Son will make their abode with us.

In fact, this is the sign to us that we truly know Jesus, that we are those who practice obedience and his righteousness. And, practicing righteousness means, too, that we are not those who make sin our practice, our lifestyle, i.e. the way in which we conduct our daily lives. For, if we practice sin, we don’t have the hope of eternal life with God or heaven as our eternal destiny. Instead, we have the promise of eternal punishment in the fires of hell (See also: Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 5:3-6).

So, we must take this seriously, and we must stop believing what many humans are teaching with regard to our salvation. For, the vast majority, at least here in America, are not teaching what these verses teach. But, they are teaching a diluted gospel absent of the necessity of repentance and obedience to Christ and to his Word.

Also, what many people are teaching is that our salvation is based off a singular experience we had in which we claimed to have faith in Jesus Christ. But, that is also not what the Bible teaches. Yes, there is a point in which we believe and we enter into relationship with Jesus Christ, but that must continue, and it must become our lifestyle, and we must no longer live as we did before we met Jesus.

For, all throughout the New Testament, if we read verse by verse and chapter by chapter and book by book, in context, we learn that our salvation is progressive, i.e. we are saved (past), we are being saved (present) and we will be saved (future) when Jesus’ returns for us, his bride. Then, our salvation will be complete.

And, we learn, too, that being born again, and having a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ is proved true by our lifestyles, by how we walk day in and day out, and not by some singular experience in our lives.

John 14:25-26 NASB

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

When we are truly in Christ Jesus, and he is in us, by God’s grace, through God-given faith in Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. And, he teaches us all things in relation to Christ and our salvation and holiness and godly living. But, we have to remain in Christ, and abide in him and in his Words so that we hear the Holy Spirit speaking God’s words to our hearts. And, then we have to walk in obedience to what he teaches us.

John 14:27 NASB

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Jesus doesn’t give the kind of peace that the world craves or promotes. What the world wants is absence of conflict, and for everyone to get along, and for the people of the whole world, regardless of religious belief or lifestyle preference, to join hands and hearts together in singing “Kumbaya” in perfect harmony, one with the other.

But, Jesus said that he didn’t come to bring peace (the kind the world craves), but a sword, and to turn family members one against another. Now, that doesn’t sound like the Jesus we know, does it? But, he isn’t promoting anarchy, and he isn’t promoting hate, either (See: Matt. 10:34-39).

What he is saying is that if we truly follow Jesus Christ with our lives, the way in which he requires, and if we have left everything of this world behind to walk in obedience to his commands, then we are not going to be in harmony with people who don’t have that kind of relationship with Christ Jesus. And, so we will have to make a choice either to follow Jesus or to live to please other humans, for we can’t do both.

What he is also saying here is that when we truly follow him, and we have separated ourselves from the things of this world – from the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, etc. – and when we are walking in his holiness and righteous, living lives pleasing to him, we will be hated by those who don’t live like that, and so we need to be prepared for that eventuality. And, we need to be ready to stand on the Word of truth so we don’t cave to the pressures of the world to compromise with the world, to be liked by others.

For, he says, that if we love our family members, or anyone, really, more than him, then we are not worthy of him; we are not worthy to be called his disciples. And, he continued by saying that if we don’t take up our cross (daily – Lu. 9:23-25) and follow (obey) him, we are not worthy of him, to be considered one of his.

And, here is the clincher: He concluded these thoughts by saying that if we cling to our own lives, we will lose them for eternity. But, if we lose (give up) our lives (die to sin and self) for his sake, then we will find our lives, our purpose, our fulfillment and eternal life with God.

Many people throughout the world, who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior of their lives, are being put to the test in this area right now. They are having to choose total abandonment to Jesus Christ, with no compromise with the world of sin, with the full knowledge that it will lead to their physical death or torture or some kind of serious persecution because they were not willing to unite with the world and the devil.

Or, they have to choose denying their Lord and rejecting their salvation in favor of compromise with the world so that it will not cost them their lives, or so they think. But, it will cost them their lives for eternity.

In America, though Christian persecution definitely exists here, even within the institutional church, it has not yet reached the level of severity that it has across the rest of the world. But, we are not going to be spared this just because we are Americans. So, we need to make that choice now, because when this does come to our nation, if we are not already standing on the Word of truth, we will most certainly be more susceptible to cave to pressure to conform and to unite with the world to save our own necks.

So, just know that, although people will try to convince you that Jesus was a man of peace (the kind the world gives), and so they will try to talk you into uniting with them in order to maintain peace, that kind of peace is not what Jesus is offering. The kind he offers is peace with God in our hearts, and freedom from our slavery to sin, and unity with him and his righteousness.

So, don’t follow the gods of this world, and don’t compromise your faith, but follow Jesus Christ in obedience, even if it does cost you your life in this world, for your life will be saved for eternity. And, that is what matters.

Living Water

An Original Work / November 21, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

My people have forsaken Me,

Their Savior, who died on a tree;

Made idols, and they worshipped them;

So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.

Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.

Those who turn away from You will be shamed;

The Spring of Living Water left behind.

Living Water satisfies.

The thirsty, let them come and drink;

Believe in Jesus as their King;

The gift of Jesus given them,

So they will never thirst again.

Indeed, the Living Water flows within.

It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.

Eternal life in heaven promised them.

Living Water glorifies.

Oh people, won’t you come to Him?

Obey Him and repent of sin.

Let Jesus come and live within.

Surrender all your life to Him.

My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?

Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.

Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?

Living Water sanctifies.

https://vimeo.com/113088324

Sunday, December 30, 2018

In Jesus' Name

John 14:8-14 NASB

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Do We Know Him?

I believe Jesus is asking many of us the same question as he asked Philip, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me?”

Do we really know Jesus? I don’t mean, “Are we really saved from our sins?” or, “Are we in a relationship with Almighty God?” but do we really truly know him? – who he is, how he thinks, how he feels, what he values, and what he likes and dislikes? Do we know what saddens him? What gladdens him? Do we truly understand why he created us and what purpose he has for our lives? Do we know what he is passionate about? And, what angers him? And, do we truly comprehend why he gave his life up on a cross for us?

And, he is not looking for “Sunday School” answers to his question, either. Do you know what I mean? Those are all those canned – “pat” – answers to questions that we learned to memorize by rote, but to which we have given not much thought or consideration ourselves as to whether or not those answers are true, or if they have any real substance or depth to them. Oftentimes these answers come up very short in dealing with real issues, and they can leave people just as confused as they were before, or more so.

I believe the Lord Jesus wants us to do a deep search of our own hearts and lives and for us to truly examine this question more in depth, rather than on just a surface level. Do we truly know this person Jesus who we claim as our Lord and Savior? Can we say that we know him as well as we do our spouses, or our best friends, or our closest family members, or someone we admire or even idolize? And, have we invested the time, the heart, the focus, the interest and the pursuit of him to really get to know him on an intimate level? – like we would do for someone we truly were interested in?

For, that is how we get to know him, right? We have to work at it. We have to hang out with him a lot, and listen to him, and ask him questions, and pay attention to his answers. And, we have to be interested in what interests him, but not in pretense, but truly. And, we have to communicate with him, too, and share our thoughts and burdens, and bring to him our needs and our requests. And, we have to read about him, too, and follow him, but not like someone who may “follow” you on a blog or on Facebook or Instagram.

We have to walk with him, too, and go where he goes, and do the things he likes to do. We need to experience life right along with him. And, that way we will begin to feel what he feels and know what he thinks about stuff, and we will get to know his personality and his character and what makes him tick, and what is super important to him and what is of minor significance.

You know the true test of whether or not we truly know him? It is when we go through the difficulties of life. It will be revealed by our responses to those difficulties. I know! For, my responses to my life situations say a lot about how well I know my Lord, and sometimes my responses say I still have a lot to learn. Because, the better we know him, the more likely our responses to life’s troubles and hardships will be united with him and his thinking, than they will be closer to how the world and the flesh thinks.

Not On His Own

One of the first things we need to understand about Jesus Christ is that he is God, for not everyone who says he believes in Jesus believes that he is God. They have been taught that he is the Son of God, but not that he is God. But, Jesus existed with God from the beginning, and he is God, and all things which were created by God were created by him. So, he made us. He formed us in the wombs in our mothers. And, his works are wonderful, for they are the works of God (See: Jn. 1; Jn. 10:30-33; Heb. 1:8-9; Col. 2:9).

So, if anyone tries to convince you that all religions worship the same God or even that the Jews who don’t believe in Jesus worship the same God as we do, don’t believe them. For, the God we believe in is Father, Son and Holy Spirit – three distinct persons, but one God. So, no one who denies that Jesus Christ is the Lord, the Christ, the Messiah, also worships the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for he was the same God then that he is now.

And, going along with this is that there is a line of command and of relationship among the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. For, Jesus submits to the Father, and the Spirit is in submission to both the Father and the Son, from what I understand. Jesus does not act or speak on his own, but he acts and he speaks in the power of the Father who dwells within him. And, the Spirit was sent to us by Jesus, and he serves as Jesus’ representative to us, and he gives all the glory to the Father and to the Son.

And, this serves as a model of our relationship with Jesus Christ (with God), too. For, when we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, he, in the person of the Holy Spirit, comes to live within us, and yet scripture speaks of how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all dwell within us, for they are inseparable. And, then we are Christ’s representatives to the world, and we should not speak or act on our own accord, too, but only in the power and direction of our Lord who is living within us.

Whatever You Ask

Jesus said that if we ask anything in his name that he will do it. So, what does that mean? Well, I can tell you right off the bat that “in his name” is not a mere formality or just a phrase that we say at the end of our prayers. For, when we do something in someone else’s name, it means he or she is in agreement with what we are doing, and it is as though that person was doing it himself or herself, i.e. as though we are being his or her representative. And, so we need to not just throw out that phrase lightly.

For, a person’s name is not just a title or a label they have been given, but their name is their character, their reputation, their identity, and their seal of approval that they are in agreement with something. In someone’s name means in his authority, as well. So, if we do something in Jesus’ name, although we may be the ones to physically carry it out, the power and the authority to accomplish it is not our own, but it comes from Jesus Christ, like Jesus’ came from the Father.

So, when we pray “In Jesus’ name,” it means we are praying and we are asking for what is in accord with God’s will and purpose, what he himself would pray for, and we are asking on the power and authority of Christ, as his representatives, for God to do what is according to his own will and good pleasure, and for his glory. And, that is why Jesus will do it, because we are asking under his authority and according to what he would ask for, and so we ask as though representing him.

But, a lot of people today are misrepresenting Jesus and his interests, and they are actually hiding the truth about who he is, and what he is about, and what is critical to him, and what grieves him and what brings him pleasure. And, these are people who truly do not know him other than in name only.

And, if we follow them and what they teach, we will most likely get the wrong idea about who Jesus is and the power and significance of his name and his authority, and then we may end up misrepresenting him and what he is all about, or else our prayers may be way off base because we don’t realize the significance of praying in his name.

And, worse than that, we may end up “down in a rabbit hole” because we were taking the word of those who don’t truly know him, in order to get to know him, rather than us investing the time and interest it takes with him to truly get to know who he is, so that we will serve him in the way he has planned for our lives, and so we will pray according to his will.

Living Water

An Original Work / November 21, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

My people have forsaken Me,

Their Savior, who died on a tree;

Made idols, and they worshipped them;

So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.

Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.

Those who turn away from You will be shamed;

The Spring of Living Water left behind.

Living Water satisfies.

The thirsty, let them come and drink;

Believe in Jesus as their King;

The gift of Jesus given them,

So they will never thirst again.

Indeed, the Living Water flows within.

It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.

Eternal life in heaven promised them.

Living Water glorifies.

Oh people, won’t you come to Him?

Obey Him and repent of sin.

Let Jesus come and live within.

Surrender all your life to Him.

My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?

Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.

Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?

Living Water sanctifies.

https://vimeo.com/113088324

Saturday, December 29, 2018

No Longer Strive

An Original Work / December 28, 2018

Based off Matthew 11

A messenger was sent from God
To prepare the way for Jesus.
He was not flashy - finely dressed.
The people he did not impress.

He spoke the truth of righteousness,
And called for sinners to repent.
He showed the way to peace with God,
And to the world, he gave no nod.

So the people, they made fun of him.
For, speaking truth, he'd not relent.
They prodded him to compromise,
But he'd not budge, to their surprise.

For, he was faithful to his call.
He knew he could not drop the ball.
Thus, the people did retaliate, and
Falsely accused him to his face.

So, Jesus spoke in his defense
And told the people to repent.
For, if they didn't, woe to them.
For, of their sins, they weren't forgiven.

But, things are not much different today.
Those who speak the truth are still betrayed.
The gospel, it is still ignored.
So, people's lives are still destroyed.

So, Jesus calls us to come to him,
Trust in his Word; of sins repent;
Make him truly Lord of our lives,
And in the flesh, no longer strive.

Lest We Forget

An Allegory

The Characters:

Eros – the Institutional church – man-made, market-driven, flesh-driven

Jess – the true church – true believers in Jesus Christ, body of Christ

Flash – the false gospel – self-serving, denying Christ, destroys true gospel

Salt – the true gospel – death with Christ to sin, living to his righteousness

The Story

Salt, Eros, Jess and Flash were all in the kitchen. Salt was standing in the kitchen in front of (facing) the kitchen sink. Eros and Jess were standing to the left of him, and Flash was south of him, sitting down in a chair.

Eros didn’t like something that Salt said. She didn’t like the way that Salt said it. So, she corrected him. And, she told him that he needed to say it a different way, or this other way, which was to “beat around the bush.”

But, Salt replied to Eros, “I just have to say it straight.”

Jess, who was standing left of Salt, then defended what Salt had said, and the way in which he had said it.

While this was happening, Flash was sitting in a chair, south of Salt, feeding his face, so he didn’t care what was going on.

The End

Psalm 103:1-5, 10-14, 17-18 NASB

A Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle…

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust…

But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children’s children,

To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts to do them.

The Allegory Explained

The institutional church (Eros), the true church (Jess), the false gospel (Flash), and the true gospel (Salt) were all in the kitchen. They were all in a place where food is prepared and served, i.e. where the word of God is prepared (studied) and then served (preached, shared, taught) to others.

Salt was standing and facing the kitchen sink. The kitchen sink is a decline, a going under and a worsening of the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. The true gospel was, thus, in an upright, fixed and immovable stance, and he was opposing, confronting, and challenging this decline in the preaching and in the teaching of God’s Holy Word, the Bible (Gen-Rev).

Both the institutional church and the true church were standing to the left of the true gospel. Their position, stance and viewpoint was in the opposite direction as that of the true gospel to the right of them. For, right has to do with what is true, moral, and righteous. And, the opposite of that is what is false (lies), immoral, and unrighteous. And, Flash (the false gospel) was positioned south of the true gospel, i.e. lower than, and deteriorated.

But, left can also be west, and I believe this is a picture of the church in America, though not indicative of the whole church, but it appears to be the vast majority. The vast majority of the church here in America, whether the true church – true believers in Jesus – or the institutional church – an institution of men – seems to be on a severe spiritual decline, and is living in immorality, idolatry, and worldliness. And, for the true church, that means she is also living in adultery against her Lord and husband Jesus Christ.

Amazing Grace

The institutional church (of men, not of God) did not like something that the true gospel said, or the way it was said. She (Eros) did not like “the way” of the true gospel, which is the way of the cross, and it is the way of salvation from sin, which is death to sin and living to righteousness (Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Lu. 9:23-25; Eph. 4:17-24).

She (Eros) didn’t care much for the approach that the true gospel (Salt) took in what he shared. For, what he shared was the amazing grace of Jesus Christ which sets the sinner free from his addiction to sin, and does not give him a free pass to continue in his sin without guilt and without remorse.

For, God’s amazing grace redeems our lives from the pit. It does not just put a covering over the top of the pit so that no one can see what we are doing down there.

God’s amazing grace satisfies our years with good things – things which are pure, righteous, holy, just, moral, and upright – not with the filth this world has to offer.

For, God’s amazing grace removes our sins from our lives, not just forgives them so we can go on in our sinful addictions. This means he puts sin to death, and by his Spirit, we are to continue putting it to death daily (Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 8:1-17).

But, not everyone is a recipient of God’s amazing grace. And, we don’t receive that amazing grace applied to our lives just by saying some words after someone else, after which we are congratulated that we are now children of God and that we have the irrevocable promise of heaven (1).

For God’s amazing grace and his great lovingkindness is toward those who fear him, i.e. it is applied to those who honor him, respect and value him, and who love and obey him. And, to honor him and to love him means to do what he says. And, he says we must turn away from our sins, and we must leave the old life behind us to follow (obey) Jesus Christ, and to live godly, holy, and pure lives while we wait for Jesus’ return (Tit. 2:11-14).

Modify or Solidify?

But, the institutional church (Eros) doesn’t like this message that the true gospel (Salt) is teaching, and so she corrected him, i.e. she modified, altered and revised the true gospel to make it more appealing to human flesh. And, then she told the true gospel that he needs to “beat around the bush,” i.e. to intentionally omit his main (chief, foremost, central) points (facts), so as not to offend people; so as not to make them uncomfortable.

Nonetheless, Salt (the true gospel) replied, “I just have to say it straight.” He could not omit (delete) the chief, foremost and central facts of the gospel just because people squirm in their seats when they hear them. He could not avoid talking about matters which people find difficult and unpleasant to hear. He has to speak the truth, i.e. what is upright, honest, undiluted, unmixed with the world of sin, and unadulterated – pure and holy. For, if he doesn’t, it could cost people their lives for eternity.

But, then Jess, the true church, but positioned left (opposite or west) of the true gospel, defended or shielded what the true gospel said.

For, there are true believers in Jesus Christ who are not on the opposite side of the true gospel who do truly defend the truth. But, it seems the vast majority do not. So, in this case, what they are doing is they are shielding the “say it straight” gospel. They are preventing it from being seen, in other words. They are hiding it from sight, because, again, they (Jess), the adulterous church, are more concerned about being “liked” than they are concerned about people’s salvation from sin.

And, all the while that this is going on, Flash (the false gospel) is sitting (lying) and he is feeding (providing for self) his face (mind, appetite, eyes) with what destroys life, not what gives life. And, he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care if what he says leads people straight to hell. He doesn’t care that he is telling people lies and that he is giving them a false hope of eternity with God based on a lie. And, he doesn’t care that his message saves no one but it leaves them still dead and bound in their sins, with no hope of eternal life.

But, God cares! He cares big time! And, that is why he is confronting and challenging this false grace gospel, because Jesus came to give us life, and to free us from our slavery to sin, not to cover it over in the sense of leaving us there wallowing in our sin thinking it doesn’t matter to God. It does matter! Because our salvation is not based on words we say, but on our submission to God, our yielding to the Lordship of Christ, and us following our Lord in obedience to his instructions to us for godly living.

Full Release

An Original Work / April 15, 2012

Walking daily with my Savior

brings me joy.

Loving Father; precious Jesus;

He’s my Savior and my Lord.

Gently leads me; follow Him.

I’ve invited Him within.

Now abiding in His presence,

oh, what peace.

From my self-life

He has brought me,

By His mercy, full release.

Hope and comfort,

peace and safety Jesus brings

When I daily bow before Him;

Obey freely; do His will.

Follow Him where’er He leads.

Listen to Him; His words heed.

Now obeying his words fully,

oh, what love

That He gives me

through salvation,

By His Spirit, from above.

Loving Father; precious Jesus,

He’s my friend.

With my Savior, by His Spirit,

I will endure to the end.

Share the gospel, tell what’s true.

Witness daily; His will do.

Tell the world of how their Savior

bled and died.

On a cruel cross He suffered

So that we might be alive.

https://vimeo.com/115169203

Thursday, December 27, 2018

(1)       https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B150902/on-salvation - this is for educational purposes only. This is not an endorsement of this site, as a whole, or of all content in this article.

Looking for a Savior?

Luke 2:25 NASB

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Many people today are looking for a savior. They are looking for kings and rulers who will rule justly and who will bring peace into this chaotic world of ours. They are looking for someone to rescue them from the evil of this world or from the evil of another political party, perhaps. They want someone they think is going to turn their nation around for the good.

For many Christians, they may also want someone who they think will support and defend the Christian faith and its guiding principles. So, they may look to human rulers to save them from the ills of this fallen world. But, the problem with that is that humans are just flesh and blood. They can’t save us. They can’t even save themselves.

And, chances are pretty good that they will fall off that pedestal that others have put them on, and that they may even desert and betray those who looked to them for support. In fact, they may be in disguise and only be pretending to be on the side of the people all the while they are plotting their destruction. For, the Bible teaches that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light and his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Co. 11:14-15), so we can’t put our faith in humans.

But, Simeon was not looking for some mere human to save him and his people. He knew the prophecies of scripture regarding the Messiah, the Christ, who God was sending to save his people. He read the book of Isaiah, I am most certain, where the Messiah was referred to as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” And, he would have read, too, that the Messiah’s kingdom would have no end, but that it was to be eternal (Isaiah 9:6). So, he was waiting for God to save his people, not some human king. And, he knew the Lord was the one to accomplish this.

Luke 2:26-32 NASB

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,According to Your word;For my eyes have seen Your salvation,Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,A Light of revelation to the Gentiles,And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Simeon was convinced of the Spirit of God that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ, or Christ the Lord, either way, because Jesus, our Messiah, the Christ is both the Lord’s Christ and Christ the Lord. For, he is both the Son of God, and he is God (the Son). So, God the Father is Lord, and Jesus Christ is Lord (owner-master) of the lives of those who have truly believed in Jesus to be their Savior (See: John 1).

And, the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that Jesus was indeed the promised child that was to be born (Is. 9:6), the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of God’s people. He knew when he looked on Jesus that he was seeing God’s salvation, who and which had been prophesied in the books of the Old Testament. And, so he exclaimed those prophecies concerning the child Jesus, that he was indeed the Light that was to come to those who were walking in darkness (Is. 9:2).

So, Jesus Christ, who is both God’s Son and God the Son, is the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament with regard to the promised seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:10-29), and with regard to the promise of the Messiah.

So, he alone is our Savior, and he alone should be the one to whom we look to save us from this evil world and from our problems as nations of people, and as citizens in those nations, and as believers in Jesus living in those nations. He alone is the one to whom we should look to rescue us and to protect us, not to human rulers and their military forces who, again, are subject to fail us, to desert us, to betray us, and to plot evil against us.

For, it was Jesus Christ, God the Son, who left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was made in the likeness of men, and who humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:5-11). It was Jesus Christ who took on a human body, and who suffered like we suffer, and was tempted in like manner as we are also tempted, yet without sin. He, being God, became flesh and dwelt among us, but the world did not know (recognize) him, and even his own people, of his own family, community, and faith, did not receive him as their Messiah, Christ the Lord.

He is the one who was hated by the religious leaders in God’s temple, and whom they put to death on a cross because they hated him, were jealous of him, were threatened by him, and because he claimed to be God, which is who he is. And, he is the Only One who could have been our perfect sacrificial Lamb on that cross for the salvation of many. For, he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21).

So, don’t look to humans to save you. Look to God! Look to Jesus Christ to deliver you from your sinful condition, to rescue you from the turmoil in your hearts and lives. Look to Jesus to be your comfort, your help, your healer, and your deliverer from your bondage (addiction) to sin. Know that God, that Jesus Christ is absolutely sovereign and in control over all that he has created, and over all powers and authorities, and He can handle whatever it is we are going through. And, he has a plan and a purpose for it all.

Luke 2:33-35 NASB

And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, was destined for rejection. Although some would love him as their own, the majority would not. Many who heard his words would and still do turn away from him in unbelief, while few truly receive him as Lord (owner-master) and Savior of their lives (Matt. 22:14; Matt. 7:13-14).

And, the reason for this is that the way of salvation is not easy street. It is hard (narrow, restricted). For, we must die with Christ to sin, and we must live to him and to his righteousness. We must deny self and take up our cross DAILY and follow (obey) Jesus. We must no longer walk (conduct our lives) according to the ways of this sinful world, or according to our flesh, but we must now live according to the Spirit of God, and according to the Word of God, in holiness, purity, truthfulness and faithfulness to God.

But, we don’t and we can’t do this in our own flesh. We can only do this because Jesus died to deliver us from our bondage to sin and to empower us to live godly and holy lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. We can only live like this through faith in Jesus Christ and through him living his life out through us, and in his strength and the empowerment of the Spirit. We can only live like this because we have yielded our lives to the Spirit’s control and to the Lordship of Christ over our lives, and through surrender to our Lord and to his will and to his ways.

And, as his followers, we, too, will be strongly opposed, especially if we are teaching the same gospel that Jesus and his NT apostles taught (the way that is narrow that leads to life). For the majority do not want to hear it. The majority either want nothing to do with Jesus Christ, or they want the way that is easy (the way that is broad that leads to destruction), only they convince themselves that this is the correct path to eternal life with God.

So, if you walk the narrow way, and if you teach the narrow way, be prepared to be rejected, opposed strongly, and persecuted for your faith and testimonies for Jesus Christ. And, be prepared, too, that your strongest opposition may not come from the world at all, but from the church, and from people who claim to also believe in Jesus, and from the leadership of the church, too. For, who killed Jesus? His own people, the leaders of God’s temple, and the people of his own faith.

But, no matter what happens, and what we go through, we must hold fast to our faith. We must believe God; believe Jesus and all his many promises to us. We must believe that God is absolutely sovereign over all the earth and the kings of the earth, and that he is working all things out for the good of those who love him (who obey him), who have been called according to his purposes. So, faint not! Hold on tight to your faith! And, Believe Him!

Believe Him  

An Original Work / July 15, 2013

My heart cries: Lord, won’t You hear me

Seeking You for the answers

To my heartache and questions

I have concerning my life?

Speak, Lord, to me right now.

“Oh, dear one, why don’t you trust Me

With your life’s circumstances?

Give your all on the altar

In submission of your will

To My purpose for you.

“Surrender your life completely

To your Lord and your Savior.

He has all things planned for you

For His glory and honor.

He’ll work all things for good.

“Believe Him. He will fulfill all

Of His promises to you

For your life and your future.

Trust Him. Rest in His love.

He’ll give you peace from above.”

https://vimeo.com/115945593

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Supportive Scriptures: Lu. 9:23-25; John 10:27-30; Ac. 26:16-18; Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 4:17-24; Eph. 5:3-6; Col. 1:21-23; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; Tit. 2:11-14; 2 Tim. 2:10-13; 1 Pet. 2:24.

Celebrating Jesus Christ

May you all have a blessed celebration of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and of his gift of grace to us in providing the way in which we can be delivered from our bondage to sin and be free to walk daily with him in his righteousness and in his holiness. And, may we all celebrate him every day of our lives, 24 hours a day, by our conduct, by our thought lives, and by our words.

May none of us ever be ashamed of him and of his Words, but may we always share his love, his grace and his message of salvation from sin wherever we go, by our conduct, by our attitudes, and by our words, so that many more people can come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and as their Lord (owner-master), too. Love you all!! Sue Love

In Holiness  

An Original Work / February 1, 2016

Praise the Lord all you saints!

Worship God in holiness.

Trust in Him! Do not faint!

Believe in His righteousness.

God is faithful in all things.

He delivered you from sin.

Follow Him where’er He leads.

Witness daily. His words heed.

Trust in Him! He is truth!

He has not forsaken you.

Rest in Him! Let Him lead!

He will meet all of your needs.

When you go through trials deep,

He’ll be with you. He’ll not sleep.

Walk with Him throughout your day.

Read your Bible. Kneel and pray.

Give to God all your heart!

From His mercy ne’er depart.

Jesus died for your sin!

Walk in vict’ry. Live in Him.

Jesus paid the debt we owe.

From our lives His love should flow,

Living for Him ev’ry day,

Loving others, His words say.

https://vimeo.com/153857809

Our Yoke Breaker

Isaiah 9:2 NASB

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.

What is darkness? It is absence of light. It is evil, wickedness, sin, lies. And, who are those who walk in darkness today? According to scripture, they are those who make sin their practice, their lifestyle, and their usual course of how they live their lives with regard to their hearts, conduct, thinking and attitudes. (Matt. 7:23; Gal. 5:19-21; Col. 3:8-10; Eph. 4:17-24).

Also, according to scripture, those who walk (practice, live) in darkness do not have the light of life within them. They don’t have eternal life with God nor do they have the hope of salvation from sin and heaven as their eternal destiny (Lu. 9:23-25; Rom. 8:1-17; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Gal. 6:7-8).

So, then, what is light? First of all, it is Jesus Christ (John 1). It is also righteousness, truth, revelation from God, purity and holiness, and it is our salvation from sin, i.e. it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, etc.

So, how do the people who walk in darkness see this great light? Well, for one they see God and his invisible attributes and his divine nature through his created works (Rom. 1). So, it isn’t that those walking in darkness don’t see the truth, but it is that they suppress the truth which has been revealed to them. Instead of accepting the truth, they exchange the truth of God for a lie, and they worship and serve the creature rather than the creator.

How else might they see this light? They can see the light through the written word of God, the Bible (Genesis-Revelation). And, they can have the light taught to them by Bible teachers, preachers, lay people, believers in Jesus Christ, Christian bloggers, Christian-based music, Christian-based films, and Christian-based books, etc. But, there is a caution here to make certain it is the light according to the written Word of God.

Isaiah 9:4 NASB

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,

The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

Jesus, the Light, the Messiah, the Christ is the ‘You’ here. And, the yoke of the burden of those who are walking in darkness is the yoke and the burden of their sin. They are bearing the responsibility (the weight) of their sin in their hearts and lives, the bondage (slavery, addiction) to sin, and they are under the control of Satan and sin (their oppressor). And, this separates them from Almighty God (Rom. 3:23).

So, Jesus Christ came to the earth, was born as a baby, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and he grew to become a man (fully God and fully human). He healed the sick and afflicted, raised the dead, delivered people from demons, performed many miracles, and he comforted the sorrowful. As well, he preached repentance for forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God.

He was loved by some, but he was hated and rejected by the majority. And, the religious leaders in the temple hated him so much for what he stood for, for claiming to be God, for what he preached and for what he did, that they had him put to death on a cross.

But, this was God’s will that he should suffer in this way, and that he should be put to death on a cross. For, he who knew no sin became sin for us on that cross that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Co. 5:21). So, when he died our sins died with him, and when he was resurrected from the dead, he rose from the grave victorious over sin, death, hell and Satan.

The whole reason that Jesus died on that cross, though, was that we might die to sin and live to righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24). He died, not just to forgive us our sins, but that he might deliver us out of our bondage (slavery) to sin. So, through God-given faith in Jesus Christ, we die with Christ to sin and we are resurrected with him to new lives in Christ, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24). In other words, He is our chain breaker. Amen!

And, then we must no longer walk according to the flesh, in the darkness, for Jesus delivered us from that darkness, and from our oppressor, and from the sin which was the burden we carried. But, we must now walk (conduct our lives) according to the Spirit if we want to see the light of life. But, we don’t do this in our own flesh. We do so in the power of God’s Spirit at work in our hearts as we yield control of our lives over to Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 9:6-7 NASB

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

For, you see, Jesus took our sin on himself, and he put it to death on that cross, so that he could put sin to death in our lives, and so we could walk with him in his strength and power in his holiness and righteousness. And, the peace we now have is not the kind the world gives, but it is peace with God. Through faith in Jesus we can now live in victory over sin, and we can live lives which are holy and pleasing to God, as we yield to his Lordship.

Jesus didn’t die on that cross just to forgive us our sins and to give us the hope of heaven when we die. He died on that cross to put sin to death in our lives so that we would walk with him in his holiness, growing in him daily, yielding to him, doing his will, and obeying his commands. And, he gives us everything we need to do this, too, for he strengthens, empowers, counsels, guides, and instructs us in the way we should go.

For, God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “NO!” to ungodliness and worldly passions (fleshly lusts) and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we await Jesus’ soon return (Tit. 2:11-14).

So, just know that if we are truly in Jesus Christ, by faith in him, and we are walking in the light, then we will not walk in the darkness. We can’t do both at the same time. One will overcome the other.

I saw a good illustration of this a week ago. My husband and I were watching a preacher on TV from California who we like to listen to. His name is Shane Idleman. And, he was illustrating for us what this is like when we are following Jesus and we are walking in the light, and how we will then not walk in the darkness.

He had a large pitcher of ping-pong balls. And, then he began to pour water into this pitcher, the water thus illustrating the Holy Spirit. And, as the water began to rise and fill up the pitcher, representing our lives, the ping-pong balls, illustrating our sins, began to fall out, for the water pushed them out.

Thus, when we are following Jesus, and we are walking in the light, we are filling our hearts and lives with the Holy Spirit as we yield to Jesus Christ, and then the sins we once practiced have no more room to grow and to take over. So, walk in the light, and you won’t fulfill the passions of your flesh.

Near the Cross 

Hymn lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869

Music by William H. Doane, 1869

Jesus, keep me near the cross;

There a precious fountain,

Free to all, a healing stream,

Flows from Calvary's mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the bright and morning star

Sheds its beams around me.

          

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day

With its shadow o'er me.

Near the cross I'll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand

Just beyond the river.

        

In the cross, in the cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

*copyright status is public domain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BasJqHsCIo4

Tuesday, December 25, 2018