The Wedding Garment

Matthew 22:1-7 ESV

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Those who are the invited today, I believe, would be those who have already heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, many of whom have professed faith in Jesus Christ. Some of them have professed faith in Jesus for many, many years, in fact.

And, some of them are well-grounded in the scriptures, too, for they have been taught them since they were young children. And, many of them have been faithful in attending weekly gatherings in what is called “church” for most of their lives, as well, and have even served in areas of ministry.

But, for a lot of them, their professions of faith in Jesus Christ are surface only. They were looking to escape hell and to go to heaven when they die, but they didn’t really ever follow the Lord in death to sin and in living to his righteousness. And, church gatherings for them are really more of a social event than they have anything to do with following our Lord in obedience and in surrender to his will for our lives.

For, they have a religion which they believe guarantees them entry into God’s heaven upon death. But, for the most part, they feel their lives are their own to live however they want.

Over the years, I believe, God has sent them messengers, like A. W. Tozer, for example, who have dispelled Satan’s lies, and who have taught them the truth regarding the gospel of our salvation. And, these servants of the Lord have called these church goers to submission to Christ, to obedience to his commands, and to holy living.

But, as the years have gone on, and as the church has become more worldly, such messages as these are more and more being rejected within the gatherings of what is called “church.”

Matthew 22:8-10 ESV

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.”

Originally this parable was intended, I believe, as a picture of the Jews from whom the Messiah had come, and through whom the gospel of our salvation had come. But, most of them rejected Jesus. They did kill some of the prophets, as well as they put Jesus to death on a cross, although he had done no wrong, but only good. And, so the Lord sent the gospel to the Gentiles.

I can only speak from experience here, but from what I have read, I don’t believe I am alone. My experience has been that numerous of “the invited,” i.e. of those already having heard the gospel, and having professed faith in Jesus Christ, and who have established themselves in gatherings in what is called “church,” have rejected the true gospel of our salvation and those who are sharing the true gospel. And, since I am one who is sharing the true gospel, I was rejected in many such gatherings.

So, the Lord sent me to the internet to share the messages he wanted me to share. But, I believe that was his plan for me all along. And, so he allowed me to be rejected, and to have doors closed in my face, so that I would be ready, and so I would be willing to be sent to the internet to share his gospel and to share the deep truths regarding the Christian life with those who would welcome it.

I am not saying that I have not encountered rejection or opposition on the internet, though. I have. But there are people here who want to hear what God gives me to share, whereas I have not had that much with people in person. But, God allowed that so he would send me to the “highways and byways of life.” And, so I thank him and I praise him. And, I know I am not alone in this, either.

Matthew 22:11-15 ESV

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words.”

But, even if we are teaching what is truth, and even if we are exposing the lies, it doesn’t mean everyone is going to reject the lies in favor of the truth, though some will make a pretense that they have, when they haven’t. For, although many people are accepting the cheap grace gospel today over the true gospel of our salvation, at least some of these are what I call “closet cheap grace people.”

For, there are those who buy into the cheap grace gospel who make no bones about the fact that they believe that God’s grace requires of them no repentance, no obedience to Christ, and no surrender to the Lordship of Christ. They believe, therefore, that they can go on sinning willfully against God but that it will no longer be charged to their account.

But, then there are those who make a pretense of righteousness, who put on a show that they are walking in obedience to the Lord, and that they have left their sinful lifestyles behind them, while they are secretly engaged in all manner of evil that they don’t want anyone to know about. So, although outwardly they profess to believe in the true gospel, their lifestyles give evidence that they truly believe the cheap grace gospel.

And, these are the ones, I believe, who have disguised themselves as sheep, but they aren’t wearing the right “wedding garment.” And, that is because they have not truly crucified the flesh with its sinful passions, but that they are truly still engaged in fulfilling the lusts of their flesh while professing purity of devotion to Jesus Christ. And, they will be told, “Depart from me. I never knew you,” because they faked knowing the Lord.

But, if you are one who believes the true gospel and who is teaching such a message as this, you are most likely going to be rejected like Jesus was, and you will have people against you, trying to trip you up with your words, laying traps for you, hoping you will fall, because that is what Satan wants. He wants to trip us up so we will stop sharing the true gospel, because he wants to stop the spreading of the true gospel.

But, be encouraged! God has the final word here, and his word is true, and he is completely faithful in all that he does. So, don’t let Satan’s attacks against you or his plots of evil against you, which are meant to discourage and to dishearten you, get to you. Just keep trusting the Lord in all things. He will see you through to the end, and then you will be with him forever.

Footprints of Jesus

Lyrics by Mary B. Slade, pub. 1871

Music by Asa B. Everett

Sweetly, Lord, have we heard Thee calling,

Come, follow Me!

And we see where Thy footprints falling

Lead us to Thee.

Though they lead o’er the cold, dark mountains,

Seeking His sheep;

Or along by Siloam’s fountains,

Helping the weak.

If they lead through the temple holy,

Preaching the Word;

Or in homes of the poor and lowly,

Serving the Lord.

Though, dear Lord, in Thy pathway keeping,

We follow Thee;

Through the gloom of that place of weeping,

Gethsemane!

If Thy way and its sorrows bearing,

We go again,

Up the slope of the hillside, bearing

Our cross of pain.

By and by, through the shining portals,

Turning our feet,

We shall walk, with the glad immortals,

Heav’n’s golden street.

Then, at last, when on high He sees us,

Our journey done,

We will rest where the steps of Jesus

End at His throne.

Footprints of Jesus,

That make the pathway glow;

We will follow the steps of Jesus

Where’er they go.

Copyright status is public domain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug0g048Nqes

Seek the Welfare

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

Where does the Lord have you in this life? Where has he placed you? He has a reason for you to be there. He has something he wants to do in your life and through your life for his praise and for his glory, if you are one of his, by faith in Jesus Christ.

And, you know what? He wants us to seek the welfare of the people around us, too. But, do you know what “welfare” means? It means “completeness,” “soundness,” and “peace.”

And, where are those to be found? Only through faith in Jesus Christ – only through surrender of our lives to Jesus Christ in submission to his will for our lives. Only in walks of obedience to his commands will we find true peace and soundness of mind and will we be complete (whole, unbroken, healed).

And, this is what we are to seek for our friends, our families, our neighbors, our co-workers, the people of our communities, and even for those who profess faith in Jesus Christ but who may not be in genuine relationship with God. We need to pray for them to give their hearts to Jesus Christ so that they will be whole, unbroken and healed.

And, you know what? We will also be complete in Christ, and spiritually whole, and we will be healed and unbroken when we seek the welfare of others – when we seek what is truly best for them, which is to be at peace with God, in relationship with him, walking in obedience to his ways.

Jeremiah 29:8-9 ESV

“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.”

There is nothing wrong with having dreams. God does still speak to people in dreams. The dreams just have to be in agreement with the Word of God. So, if we feel God is giving us a message through a dream, the message still needs to be consistent with God’s divine character and will for us, and it has to be consistent with scripture, particularly under the New Covenant.

So, it isn’t that dreams are bad, it is that people, in their own imaginations (in what they dream up), are teaching and are preaching what is not of God, what is against God, what is against his divine character and will for us, and what is against the teachings of scripture. And, it is that they are teaching what is not for our welfare, but for our harm, to do us evil, not good, to pull us away from Jesus, not to bring us to spiritual wholeness.

But, then they disguise it as the true gospel of grace and as a ticket into God’s heaven, while it is a ticket to hell, instead. For, they are not teaching what is for our welfare – for our completeness, wholeness and spiritual health and well-being. For, they are teaching that we can have faith in Jesus Christ and yet we can continue to walk in darkness, in sinful practices, fulfilling the lusts of our flesh, stealing, hating, lusting, and lying.

So, we need to not listen to those who tell us that faith in Jesus Christ gets us into heaven but that it doesn’t have to alter how we live while we are still on the earth. For, the scriptures are real clear on that subject. For, Jesus didn’t die on that cross just to forgive us our sins and so we could go to heaven one day, but he died that we might die with him to sin and that we might live to him and to his righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 4:17-24).

Jeremiah 29:10-13 ESV

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

One day Jesus Christ is going to return for us, his followers, and we are going to get to be with our Lord for eternity, as he has promised. This is our hope, and this is our future that one day we will be with our Lord forever.

But, the Lord is not promising this to everyone who professes faith in him. He is not giving this hope and this future to everyone who says he is a Christian or that he believes in Jesus. And, that is because our Lord truly seeks our welfare. He truly seeks for us to be spiritually whole, complete in him, and at peace with God, walking in purity of fellowship with him.

There are many people in this life, though, who call themselves Christians, who are not seeking our welfare, although they may claim to be. Their idea of being a follower of Jesus is just to be “nice” (agreeable, pleasant) to everyone, to never make waves, to never confront anyone with sin, but just to be superficially “nice” so that everyone will like them.

But, our Lord didn’t put us on this earth to be people pleasers, to be superficial with others, and to say only what makes people feel good about themselves. He didn’t put us here to be mean or nasty to people, either. But, he put us here to be a light to the world, and that light is His righteousness, holiness, purity, faithfulness, truth and grace.

And, he created us with a purpose, that we would bring him glory, honor and praise by how we live our lives, not in superficial “niceness” to everyone so that they will all like us, but in genuine concern for the true welfare of those around us, seeking God’s best for them, which is that they bow to him in humility and in surrender to his will and to his purposes for their lives.

God’s will for us is that we would seek him with our whole hearts, not that we would seek after the things this world has to offer us. His will for us is that we walk in purity of devotion to him, doing what he says to do. His will, too, is that we love others like he loves us and gave himself up for us so that we might be free from our slavery to sin, and so that we might walk (live) in purity of devotion to him, walking in his ways and in his truth.

How Do We Love?

Do you truly love others? Then seek their welfare, what is for their good, not for what will harm them. Tell them the truth about sin, righteousness and judgment. Don’t sugar coat it to make them feel good about themselves. Be loving, yes! But, don’t lie to people. You are not helping them that way, and truly you are harming them, not doing them good.

God knows what is best for us, and he wants what is best for us. And, what is truly for our welfare is that we submit to him, surrender to his will, and that we walk in obedience to his commands.

This means, too, that we leave our lives of sin behind us, and that we now walk in his ways and in his truth.

And, this is what we should seek for others, too. It doesn’t matter if they like us, though. The important thing is whether or not they truly know Jesus via surrender to his will and via making him truly Lord (owner-master) of their lives. So, we need to be about doing the work of the Lord and seeking and saving the lost.

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ESV

The Ninety and Nine

Lyrics by Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1868

Music by Ira D. Sankey, 1874

There were ninety and nine that safely lay

In the shelter of the fold;

But one was out on the hills away,

Far off from the gates of gold.

Away on the mountains wild and bare;

Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.

“Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;

Are they not enough for Thee?”

But the Shepherd made answer: “This of Mine

Has wandered away from Me.

And although the road be rough and steep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep.”

But none of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night the Lord passed through

Ere He found His sheep that was lost.

Out in the desert He heard its cry;

’Twas sick and helpless and ready to die.

“Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way,

That mark out the mountain’s track?”

“They were shed for one who had gone astray

Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.”

“Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?”

“They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn.”

And all through the mountains, thunder-riv’n,

And up from the rocky steep,

There arose a glad cry to the gate of heav’n,

“Rejoice! I have found My sheep!”

And the angels echoed around the throne,

“Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!”

Copyright status is public domain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqRjmVp4cR8

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The Way of Truth

Do Not Love Worldliness

1 John 2:15-17 ESV

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

We are not to take pleasure in, to long for, and to prefer what is of this sinful world over and above God and his righteousness and holiness. We are not to embrace, to esteem and/or to obey the philosophies, attitudes, values, morals and conduct of this sinful world. And, we are not to be passionate about and to give our affections over to the lusts of our flesh, the sinful desires of our eyes, and the pride (boastfulness) of our fleshly lives.

For, Jesus died on that cross to set us free from all of that. He died so that we could crucify our sinful flesh with all its passions and desires. He died to put sin to death in our lives so that we might be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And, he died that we might no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; 1 Co. 6:20; Gal. 5:24).

So, what we need to understand here is that Jesus didn’t die on that cross merely to forgive us our sins so that we could go to heaven when we die. And, he definitely didn’t die so that we could continue on in our sinful practices without guilt, while claiming God’s grace covers it all.

For, this says that if we love (prefer, embrace, take hold of) the passions and desires of our sinful flesh, i.e. if we prefer this to walking in holiness and righteousness, then God the Father’s love is not within us, and how we are living is not from God, and it does not meet his approval, and it will end in death, not life. For, it is only those who make it their practice to do the will of God who abide forever with God (cf. Rom. 8:1-17; Rom. 2:6-8).

Many Antichrists

1 John 2:18-19 ESV

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

Let me preface this section by stating that the church is not a building. It is not a denomination. It is not a business or a corporation under the federal government. So, even though all these things are called “church,” they are not the church, the body of Christ, the holy ones of God, his people. For, they are organizations of men, not of God.

But, the (true) church is a living organism, not built with human hands or with brick and mortar. For, we are living stones built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets with Jesus Christ as our chief cornerstone. So, we who are in Christ, by God-given faith in him, are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (1 Peter 2; Eph. 2:19-22).

So, when it says that these antichrists went out from us, for they were not of us, or else they would have remained with us, please understand that this is not talking about people leaving these human organizations which are called “church.”

But, this is talking about people deserting the body of Christ and faith in Jesus Christ to go after what is not of God. But, they still may be meeting together with people in these organizations called “church,” for many of them are wolves in sheep’s clothing who are leading people astray.

No Lie is Of The Truth

1 John 2:20-25 ESV

“But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.”

This is another area that needs explanation. For, to deny Christ, although it certainly can be verbal, is really done by our heart attitudes and by our thinking and by our conduct. It is more a philosophical denial than it is a verbal denial, although one will sometimes lead to the other.

For, the very premise of wolves in sheep’s clothing, and false teachers, and false shepherds of the people who only come into the sheep fold to steal, to kill and destroy, gives evidence that one can deny Christ without actually verbally denying him. For, many profess faith in Jesus Christ or portend to be followers of Christ, but they masquerade themselves as his servants and messengers, and yet they deny him by how they live, and by their beliefs, and by what they teach others, as well as by their attitudes and conduct.

So, let’s not get tripped up here with words, and then miss the real truth behind those words. For many who are antichrist, and who are out to destroy the church, will make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ in order to deceive those who would put their faith in and who would follow Christ with their lives. For, that is their goal, to lead us away from Christ while pretending to be of Christ, so that they can deceive the hearts of many.

So, just because someone professes (confesses) faith in Jesus Christ does not mean he is of Christ and/or that he is not antichrist. And, this is critical that we see this, for many are being deceived today by those who confess Christ, but who teach what is antichrist to the unsuspecting and to the naïve who are not well grounded in the Word of God. And, so they are easy targets for deception. So, don’t be fooled by professions only. “Look under the hood” before you buy the “vehicle” to make sure it is the “real deal.”

Those Trying to Deceive

1 John 2:26-27 ESV

“I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”

Ok, so with all of that said, we need to be people of discernment here so that we are not deceived by these master charmers, manipulators, liars and deceivers who are claiming that they are followers of Jesus, but who are truly wolves in sheep’s clothing (antichrist).

So, what this means is that, just because it looks good or sounds good doesn’t mean it is good. Just because someone sounds religious, or seems to know all the lingo, and may even seem to know the scriptures, it doesn’t mean necessarily that they even know Jesus at all. They may sound all Christian, and they may sound like they support Christians, while they may secretly be working to steal, to kill and to destroy the church.

Testing the spirits

So, how do we know? We have to test the spirits to see if they are of God. So, we have to be students of the scriptures (in context) and we need to study to show ourselves as workmen (and women) who do not need to be ashamed because we rightly handle the word of truth. And, then we need to be walking in obedience to our Lord, doing what he says, or we are going to be easy targets to be deceived.

So, we need to know that these antichrist fakers of Christianity are going to sound Christian, and they are going to use scriptures, and they are going to prove to you their philosophy by the scriptures, but taken out of context. And, so you need to check the context of those scriptures against what they are teaching, and you need to test what they are teaching against the divine character and will of God, too.

We can so easily get our focus on the wrong things, which is Satan’s plan, that we miss what is right in front of our eyes staring us right in the face. Distraction, for example, is one of Satan’s greatest tools, like all the chaos in the news continually, and all the uproar over the election process, and all the stuff that gets put on Social Media that gets people all worked up and fighting with each other, probably most of it not even being real.

So, we need to pray for God to open our eyes to the things we are missing. For, Satan has devised a plan, which is antichrist, to fool Christians into denying Christ while they think they are believing in Jesus. He has turned the gospel of our salvation upside down and inside out to where it is illogical, it is contrary to Christ and his gospel, and it is not doctrinally sound at all.

I know this is long, so let me summarize. These who are antichrist are preachers of the Word. They are pastors and leaders of church congregations or of man-made churches which are really businesses. And, they are teaching that we can be saved by a mere profession of faith in Christ but which does not have to alter how we live our lives.

And, then they call it “grace,” but that is a lie, for God’s grace is not going to give us free license to continue in our sinful practices while promising us heaven.

So, we need to go back and read the beginning of this. If we are believing that we can still live for our flesh and have heaven as our eternal destiny, then we are believing a lie from hell. Jesus died to deliver us from our slavery to sin, not to coddle us in our sins. So, we need to follow the way of truth and not get trapped by the lies.

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

Lyrics by Frances J Crosby, pub. 1875

Music by Robert Lowry, pub. 1875

All the way my Savior leads me,

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,

Oh, the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father’s house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWdmZGik1Jw

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A Fountain of Life

Proverbs 14 (Select verses) ESV

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,

    but the folly of fools is deceiving.

9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,

    but the upright enjoy acceptance.

10 The heart knows its own bitterness,

    and no stranger shares its joy.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,

    but the tent of the upright will flourish.

Why would a holy God, who loves us, his creation, send Jesus Christ to die a cruel death on a cross, if it only meant that we were now forgiven our sin so we could go to heaven one day? But, it meant we were still in slavery to sin with no hope of deliverance?

He wouldn’t! That would be cruel to Jesus, who is God, and it would be cruel to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, too.

Yet many people today are teaching a gospel of salvation which delivers no one from slavery to sin, but which leaves them still bound in their sin believing there really is no way they can live godly and holy lives in moral purity. And, so they accept that they will always “struggle” with (meaning they will regularly give in to) their sinful addictions, and that their only consolation is that one day they will go to heaven where they will be free.

And so, in this sense, they are those who foolishly mock at the guilt offering. For, that offering for us was Jesus’ death on a cross for our sins so that we could be without guilt because, by God’s grace, we are now walking in purity, and in holiness, and in righteousness in the power of God’s Spirit now living within us. We don’t have to go around feeling guilty all the time now, or trying to find ways to ease that guilt by telling ourselves lies.

So, we need to be those who discern what is right and what is wrong. For, a lot of lies are being spread throughout the church that are leading people to believe that they can’t be delivered from their slavery to sin (or that they don’t have to live in freedom from sinful addiction), and then they call that “grace.” But God’s grace sets us free from sinful addiction, and it empowers us to walk in the holiness and righteousness of God. Amen! Praise Jesus!

12 There is a way that seems right to a man,

    but its end is the way to death.

14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,

    and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

15 The simple believes everything,

    but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,

    but a fool is reckless and careless.

These are wise words here. And, we would all do well to listen to them and to take them to heart. For, many people are following a way that “seems” right to them, because it feels good, but it will lead to destruction. For, they are buying into a cheap grace gospel which tells them that they don’t have to change their wicked ways and yet God will still accept them and that they are guaranteed that he will receive them into his heaven no matter what.

But, one day we are all going to reap what we sow. If we sow to please the flesh, from that flesh we will reap destruction. But, if we sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life (Gal. 6:7-8; Rom. 2:6-8).

If we walk (in practice) in darkness (in sin) according to the ways of our sinful flesh, but we claim we are in fellowship (in relationship) with God through faith in Jesus Christ, we are liars who don’t live by the truth. For, if we walk according to the flesh, we will die in our sins. But, if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we have eternal life with God (1 Jn. 1:5-9; Rom. 8:1-17; Rom. 6:1-23; Lu. 9:23-26; Gal. 5:16-21).

So, we can be wise and we can believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith which turns away from sin (away from evil) and which turns to God (to Jesus) to follow him in obedience to his ways of holiness and righteousness. Or, we can be foolish and keep on in our sinful ways, and instead of our lives ending in life everlasting with our Lord, they will end in death (damnation).

So, we can choose God’s way for us, which is life, or we can choose our own way, and we can go after the way that “seems” right to us in our own eyes, but it will end in death.

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?

    Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.

25 A truthful witness saves lives,

    but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.

27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

    that one may turn away from the snares of death.

29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,

    but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Faith in Jesus Christ is not some one-time experience which happens in our lives, then we are good to go no matter how we live our lives from that moment forward. For, genuine faith in Jesus is from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is divinely persuaded to follow after the ways of God.

And, so it submits to God and it surrenders to his purposes. It dies with Christ to sin that we might live with Christ to his righteousness. But, this is not a one-time deal. This is a choice to have a change of lifestyle by God’s Spirit. It is like we were going left, then we turn 180 degrees, and now we are going right, in the opposite direction of where we were headed. And, this is what it means to repent (to have a change of mind).

Is adultery, hate, lust, stealing, cheating, abusing others and lying, etc. a good way to go? NO! So, why do we get this idea that God is somehow okay with us living in hate, adultery, deception, and the like now that we are “under grace”? That is not what scriptures teach, that grace somehow frees us from the guilt and punishment of our sin but that it gives permission for us to keep on in our sinful practices unhindered.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

    that one may turn away from the snares of death.

Amen! Can I get an amen? Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, paid much too high a price for us to have our souls just stirred emotionally at times and yet never truly changed.

For, He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God so that we would now be God’s possession, and so that we would now honor God with our lives; with our whole being. Jesus Christ died that cruel death on that cross so that you and I might die with him to sin and live with him to righteousness. And, he died that we would no longer live for ourselves, but for him who gave his life up for us (1 Co. 6:20; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; 1 Pet. 2:24).

He died to transform us, not just to forgive us. And, He died to give us NEW lives in him FREE from slavery to sin, not just to free us from punishment so that we could go on living in sin guilt free (Rom. 6:1-23; Eph. 4:17-24).

Much Too High a Price

Phil McHugh and Greg Nelson

You paid much too high a price for me, Your tears, Your blood, the pain –

To have my soul just stirred at times yet never truly changed.

You deserve a fiery love that won’t ignore your sacrifice

Because You paid much too high a price.

Your grace inspires my heart to rise above the sin

And all the earthly vanity that seeks to draw me in.

I want to tell a jaded world of love that truly saved my life,

A love that paid so high a price…

https://youtu.be/FeNA1NoJJH4

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Ad Nauseam

Ad Nauseam (definition): This has to do with something that has been done repeatedly (habitually) over a long period of time. It has been done or said so often that it is now to a sickening, disgusting, ridiculous or excessive degree, i.e. to the point to where it makes someone sick (nauseous), and so he or she wants to throw up, for this has been going on far too long.

With regard to that, the Lord Jesus is leading me this morning to combine the following passage in 1 John 1 with a subsequent passage in Revelation 3, regarding the lukewarm church in Laodicea.

And, this definition of “ad nauseam” fits perfectly with what Jesus described regarding how the lukewarmness of the Laodicean church was to the point of “ad nauseam” to him, i.e. to the point to where he was going to vomit them out of his mouth.

If We Say… But We Do

1 John 1:5-7 ESV

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

You are going to have people tell you that, to receive God’s gift of salvation from sin and eternal life with God, all you have to do is to repeat some words after someone else, or to “receive Jesus into your heart,” or to make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and to publicly confess him as Lord.

Certainly belief in Jesus Christ, and an outward confession of him as Lord, are essential to our salvation from sin. But, belief in Jesus is not just an experience or some feeling or some outward confession or profession of faith.

But, belief in Jesus Christ, which is from God (Eph. 2:8-9), is a heart transformation of the Spirit of God away from living to sin and self to living for God in obedience to his commands and to his righteousness (Rom. 6:1-23; Rom. 8:1-17; Eph. 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Lu. 9:23-26; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Co. 6:20; 2 Co. 5:15, 21; Jn. 10:27-30; Acts 26:18).

So, if we claim to be in fellowship with God, in an intimate relationship with him via faith in Jesus Christ, but we walk (live, conduct our lives, in practice) in the darkness (sin, wickedness, immorality) then we are liars who don’t live by the truth. And, we need to get this! For genuine faith in Jesus Christ results in us walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

But, if we walk (in practice, in conduct, in lifestyle) in the light of truth, in holiness and righteousness, and in Christ Jesus, and in his love, and according to the Spirit of God, and not according to the flesh, then the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. And, we are in true fellowship with God, and thus we have genuine Christian fellowship with others who are also in sincere fellowship with God.

You Are Lukewarm

Revelation 3:15-17 ESV

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

So, let’s look at this in light of the “ad nauseam” definition and in light of this passage in 1 John 1, also. “Neither cold nor hot” means “ad nauseam,” i.e. this is not something that just took place. This has been going on a long time and they aren’t listening to the Lord, but they are going their own way.

And, God has been patient with them up to this point, but it has gone on way too long, and nothing is changing, and so he is ready to puke them out. For, their apathy regarding his commands is now making him sick, especially since they are putting on a performance of righteousness and of having a close intimate relationship with him, which he knows is false.

And, “lukewarm” means that they are making a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, so they aren’t totally opposed to him (not all the way cold), but their profession is surface only, for they are still walking in the ways of the flesh and not in the ways of the Spirit.

And, probably this is because they have bought into this cheap grace gospel which tells them that they don’t have to, for nothing is required of them other than some obscure human-based faith which believes it doesn’t have to obey Jesus, but heaven is still guaranteed.

And, this cheap grace gospel can be realized in people’s lives in two different ways. One is very outward and in God’s face claiming that they don’t have to submit to the Lord or obey him or leave their lifestyles of sin behind them.

And, then there are those who are closet cheap grace people who put on an outward show of righteousness and of obedience to Christ but who are secretly sinning against him, so they live the cheap grace while they profess the true grace of God with their lips, and/or they vacillate back and forth.

And, their pretense of righteousness, while living in wickedness, does make the Lord want to puke. For, the picture here is that this has been going on a long time, i.e. this has been their repetitive pattern for a very long while.

Put on Christ

Revelation 3:18 ESV

“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.”

Basically, without going into all the symbolism here, the Lord is counseling them to put on Christ and his righteousness and to put off their former way of living for sin and self, and for them to now walk according to the Spirit of God and no longer according to their flesh (Lu. 9:23-26; Rom. 8:1-17).

Be Zealous and Repent!

Revelation 3:19-22 ESV

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

So, the Lord is saying to those who are “lukewarm,” i.e. who are living according to the flesh while making human effort to walk according to the Spirit, and while vacillating between the two; and while putting on a show of righteousness while engaging themselves in secretive sins, that he wants them to make him truly the Lord of their lives and to be on fire for him.

So, he is warning of divine discipline and rebuke if they do not repent of (turn away from) their lukewarmness, and if they do not get on board with him in following him in his ways in obedience to his commands. And, then they will have true fellowship with the Lord, for they won’t any longer be walking in darkness, i.e. living according to their sinful flesh while claiming fellowship with God.

This is really the bottom line here. The scriptures teach that if we walk (live) according to the flesh, we are going to die in our sins, but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the deeds of the flesh, then we will live with Christ for eternity. And, they teach that we are going to reap what we sow. If we sow to please the flesh, from the flesh we will reap destruction (decay), but if we sow to please the Spirit, we will reap eternal life (Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 6:7-8).

Lukewarm, although it may feel as though it is in a safe zone half way between obedience and disobedience, is not safe. For, the scriptures also teach that we are enslaved to the one we obey, either sin, which ends in death, or obedience, which results in righteousness and eternal life with God (Rom. 6:1-23). So, if we aren’t walking in righteousness, but habitually we are still living to please our flesh, then it will end in death, not life. For, he will spit (vomit) you out of his mouth unless you repent (Gal. 5:16-21).

Seek the Lord  

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy, and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you,

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

https://vimeo.com/379408296

A Wake Up Call

You Shall, Shall Not

Romans 13:8-10 ESV

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

In our day and age, and in our present culture, this word “love” has come to mean so many different things, most of which seem not to coincide with the kind of love this passage of scripture talks about. For one, “love” has come to mean just being “nice” to people, but “nice” is not always kind, and it isn’t always honest, either.

For “nice” is what is agreeable to people. It is what is pleasant to them. Or, it is amusing and charming, but charming can be deceptive and manipulative. And, “nice” can mean to be polite, but “polite” can mean to lie to people to their faces and then complain about them behind their backs, and that is not kind, nor is it loving. And, “nice” can mean to be appealing, and so we won’t say anything that might offend anyone.

“Nice” can also coddle people in their sins, and it can mean being a peacekeeper who will compromise faith and convictions to avoid conflict. So, “nice” will never confront people with their sins nor will it call for repentance or warn of judgment if one does not repent, because that makes people uncomfortable and it offends them. And, so to “love” people we have to do what makes them feel good about themselves and what makes them happy, not what might tell them that how they are living is not loving or kind.

But, the truth of the matter is that to love people with God’s love, we aren’t going to coddle them in their sins. We aren’t going to lie to them. We aren’t going to be one thing to their faces and something entirely different behind their backs. We aren’t going to tell them just what makes them happy or what makes them feel good about themselves, but we are going to tell them the truth, in love, so that hopefully they won’t continue on a sinful course.

For, when we choose to sin against other people, we are not acting in love. We can call it love, but that would be a lie. For, it is not loving to commit adultery, to lie, to steal, to cheat, to hate, to slander, and to lust after others. For love does no harm to its neighbor, i.e. to its fellow humans.

Time to Wake Up

Romans 13:11-12 ESV

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

It is always time for people to wake up from being spiritually asleep or lazy. It is always God’s will for people to be saved from their sins or to return to him out of a time of rebellion and apathy and waywardness. For, it is God’s will that we walk in holiness, and that we follow our Lord in surrender to his will and in obedience to his commands (New Testament/New Covenant).

So, it isn’t that it isn’t God’s timing for people to repent of their sins and to walk righteously with God, although I hear people say that. They talk as though it is God’s will for them that they live immoral lives so that they will learn what not to do, or because God just hasn’t changed their hearts yet.

I have heard many excuses over the years for why people continue to live in sinful rebellion against God – excuses which remove responsibility from them and it puts it on others or on God, as though it is God’s fault that they are still walking in immorality and that they are not walking in victory over sin. Yet, they’ll claim they didn’t know when they knew fully, or that they are “not perfect,” which is just another excuse for continuing in willful sin.

So, this is a reminder that time is short. Not one of us knows if he has tomorrow. We can’t be assured another day. No one can! Every day is a day nearer to when Jesus returns and he takes his bride to be with him forever and our salvation is then complete and our marriage to Christ consummated.

So, the encouragement here is to cast off (throw off), to get rid of the works of darkness, such as lies, adultery, hate, stealing and coveting or lusting after what is not ours to have. We need to forsake these fruitless deeds of darkness. In the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we need to put them to death.

And, we need to put on the truth and righteousness and holiness in God’s power and strength at work within those of us who are his. And, we need to walk in the light as God is in the light, and the blood of Christ cleanses us from every sin. And, we need to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh if we want to have eternal life with God (Rom. 8:1-17; Rom. 6:1-23; 1 Jn. 1:5-9; Gal. 5:16-21; Eph. 4:17-24; Rom. 2:6-8).

Let Us Walk Properly

Romans 13:13-14 ESV

“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

The modern teaching within the church is that once you are “saved” it doesn’t matter how much you sin or if you continue on a sinful course, because God’s grace covers it all. But, that teaching is dispelled in Romans 6 alone where it teaches that we are not to continue in sin that grace may abound, but we are to die to sin and live to righteousness. For, we are slaves to whatever we obey – if sin, it results in death. If obedience, it results in righteousness which then leads to eternal life with God.

It is dispelled in the teaching in Titus 2 where it says that God’s grace, which brings salvation, instructs us to say “NO!” to ungodliness and to fleshly lusts, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for Christ’s return. And, it is dispelled in Ephesians 4 where we learn that the way to know Christ is to forsake our former lives of living to sin and self and to be transformed of the Spirit of God in heart and mind, and it is to put on our new self in Christ, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

And, it is dispelled for us in Romans 8 where it says that the righteous requirement of the law if fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For, if we walk according to the 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. And, Luke 9:23-26 and 1 John 1:5-9 agree!

So, this is not just a mere suggestion or a recommendation. It is not something just to be encouraged but that we have the option to refuse it. Paul is not teaching this as a “good idea” but that it doesn’t matter if you follow it or not. For, he didn’t teach that our sins don’t matter to God once we believe we are saved. He taught consistently that if we walk in sin we will die in our sins and that one day we are going to reap what we sow on this earth (Gal. 5:16-21; Eph. 5:3-6; Gal. 6:7-8; Rom. 2:6-8; 1 Jn. 2:3-6).

So, God’s grace to us is not an “out” so that we can continue living in sinful rebellion against God and yet still have heaven guaranteed us when we die. Even in the book of Revelation it tells us who will not get into heaven –

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Rev. 21:8, 27

So, we need to take this to heart. If we continue on a sinful course, thinking that God’s grace will cover it all, and that no harm will come to us, and that heaven is guaranteed us regardless of how we live our lives, then we need to think again. For, many are going to say “Lord, Lord,” and he is going to reply, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” So, know what the scriptures teach about what it means to know God and to be known by God.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg

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What Sets Your Heart on Fire?

An Original Work / February 20, 2020

As fire is passion,

As some would say,

What sets your heart

On fire today?

What lights that fire

Of zeal within?

What makes you happy?

Causes you to grin?

What gets you up

Before the dawn,

Drives you to go,

E’en though you yawn?

What do you do

When time is free?

What do you watch?

What is your spree?

What do you talk

‘bout to your friends?

What interests you?

And never ends?

What gets your heart

Pumping twice its speed?

What do you take in?

What’s your feed?

What do you share

Without a qualm?

Ne’er shy away,

And ne’er disown?

The answers here

Will surely tell

What is your passion,

What rings your bell.