Anger

Today I should have remembered the words in James, and I would have been wise to remember the life of my sweet Savior.  I should have been slow to wrath.  I wasn’t and I sinned against my Lord and I broke a tender heart in the process.  I will be working this day out on my knees tonight but I thought I’d try to get some good out of it by sharing some of the verses that helped me see my anger for what it really was, sinful pride.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Matthew 5:21-22

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
James 1:19-21

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.   Ephesians 4:26-27

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.   Ephesians 4:30-32

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.   Ephesians 5:1-2

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. Psalms 37:8

There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. Psalms 38:3

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Proverbs 15:18

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Proverbs 16:32

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. Proverbs 19:11

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Proverbs 27:4

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

Moses Pointing to the Lord for Battle

This mornings devotional is a tender reminder of who we should look to for strength and success in our battles from F. B. Meyers.

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Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies; do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. (Deuteronomy 20:3-4)

Moses is another example of those who lived by grace in the Old Testament. He knew the necessity of relying upon the sufficiency of God, instead of upon the inadequate resources of man. One illustration of this is seen when he pointed Israel to the Lord for battle.
When the children of Israel would enter into the Promised Land, innumerable battles would lie before them. These battles were inevitable, since godless nations had entrenched themselves in the land: “because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you” (Deuteronomy 9:5). Thus, the history of Israel documents one battle after another.
Moses announced the truth that the people of the Lord need to hear as the battle draws near. “Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies; do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them.” So often, when the warfare appears, the foe seems invincible. “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you” (Deuteronomy 20:1). The natural temptation is to “faint . . . be afraid . . . tremble or be terrified.” Another temptation is to try to match the enemy horse for horse and chariot for chariot. The scriptures warn of the futility of turning to worldly resources. “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 31:1).
Moses knew that God’s people need a reminder that the Lord wants to be our hope. When we must go into the battles of life, the Lord accompanies us. “For the LORD your God is He who goes with you.” He is with us not only to comfort us, but also to battle on our behalf: “to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” The Lord can fight for His people in an unlimited variety of ways. He can change the hearts of those who oppose us. He can bring their plans to naught. He can trap them in their own evil plans. He can cause our enemies to turn and devour one another. He can effectively save us in any manner that He chooses.

O Lord, my defender, I face many battles that leave me intimidated and fearful. My hope is often placed in my own worldly strategies or the help that man can offer. Lord, I look to You afresh to fight for me to rescue me any way You chose, for Your glory and honor, Amen.

VICTORY OVER DEATH

Today I felt led to share this devotional from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Myer

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“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” — Isaiah 25:8.
“O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?” — 1Corinthians 15:55.
“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” — Revelation 7:17.

IN THIS marvellous chapter, Isaiah sings a Song of Hope, as he sees the return of the Hebrew people from captivity, and the overthrow of their foes. The Apostle Paul takes up this thought in 1 Cor. 15. He shows that death is the penalty of sin, and it is by the demands of the law that sin is stirred to activity. But Christ has satisfied and met the claims of the law, and gives power by which we are enabled to obey it; therefore the strength of sin is broken, and the sting of death is gone.
The Christian need not dread to die. For him there is no uncertainty about the future. There is no fear of what may come after death, for the condemnation of the law has been met and borne. We may apostrophise death in these exultant words. The viper has been deprived of its fangs! the prison-house cannot hold its inmates! Bunyan describes Satan as exhorting Captain Sepulchre to be sure to hold Christ, but the injunction was useless. No bars or bolts, no seal or sentry would suffice.
Notice that we are to “Put on” incorruption and immortality (1Co_15:53-54). It is as though the new body will be put on over the old, and as this takes place, all the elements of the old body will be swallowed up and absorbed. when the Holy Spirit completes his work in our souls, there will be no trace of the old rags left in the shining robes in which we shall be arrayed as we go forth to meet the welcome of our Lord. Death to those who believe in Christ is now only a Home-going; the falling asleep to open the eyes in the City of God; the loosening of the anchor, to float down stream in the full tide. “There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”

PRAYER
O God, whensoever Thy ways in nature or in the soul are hard to be understood, then may our quiet confidence, our patient trust, our loving faith in Thee be great, and as children knowing that they are loved, cared for, guarded, kept, may we with a quiet mind at all times put our trust in the unseen God. So may we face life without fear, and death without fainting. AMEN.

Tongues

Experience the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Certainty of All the Promises of God

Today’s devotional comes from Bob Hoekstra’s Day By Day By Grace.

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For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us . . . was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2Corinthians 1:19-20)

As we have seen, some of the promises of God are “exceedingly great and precious.” Others are very “unpopular.” The former category of promises brings encouragement, strength, hope, comfort. For example, “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me” (Psalm 138:8). The latter category warns, awakens, humbles, prepares. For example, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Timothy 3:12). Yet, whether we gladly embrace a “precious” promise or struggle with an “unpopular” promise, there is the absolute certainty of all the promises of God being fulfilled. Our present verses explain the basis of this certainty. The assurance is related to the very nature of Jesus Christ.
When Paul and his missionary team preached about the Lord Jesus, it was not a “yes-and-no” message. “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us . . . was not Yes and No.” The character and message of Jesus is not characterized by uncertainty. He is faithful and sure. The message concerning Him, as well as the messages He proclaimed, is “Yes.” They are all guaranteed realities. It is not that Jesus could be the Son of God. He is certainly such. It is not that Jesus might save all who call upon Him. Such is totally assured. It is not that some of His promises could possibly be fulfilled. Rather, all of them will absolutely be fulfilled. Ezekiel declared this truth concerning all of the Godhead. “For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass . . . the word which I speak will be done” (Ezekiel 12:25 & 28). Later, John added a particular word concerning our reliable Savior: “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness” (Revelation 1:5). No wonder then that “all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” Our God is going to faithfully do everything that He has ever stated in every one of His promises. The result will be great glory to Him, as He fulfills His promises in and through our lives.
Day by day throughout the family of God, some Christians live in the blessed certainty of God’s promises, while others do not. The determining difference is faith versus unbelief. Joshua and Caleb of old entered into the promised land. The rest of that generation “could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrew 3:19).

Dear Lord, I long to be a promise believer, living by faith in Your promises to me. Thank You for making it so simple and so available. You want to make promises to me, and You want me to count on You to fulfill them. I rejoice that all Your promises are Yes and Amen in Jesus Christ, my Lord!

The Lord’s Prayer

I’m keeping it simple tonight, brothers and sisters.  I have a whole bunch of ideas I am working on but none are quite ready so I was asking our Father what He wanted me to tell you as I was tucking the kiddo into bed as I do every night.  But tonight we forgot to pray, so after I left His room and sat down to ask again what the message was to be I hear the call “Mom.”. I went back to see what he needed and when I opened his door and said what he says “We forgot to pray.”. I kneel and we begin, and that’s when God whispered “There.”. Ok, Got it Father, your prayer it is.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.   Matthew 6:9-14

I love the sincerity, simplicity, and serenity of this prayer Jesus taught us, it covers it all.

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13    

 

Fear Into Faith

Fear, we’ve all felt it at times.  It can seem crippling, paralyzing, heart stopping at times I know.  Before I knew Christ, knew real life, it often overwhelmed me.  I thought that there was only one sort of fear, the kind that was rooted in sheer terror.  But once I gave my life to Jesus and learned about faith, I learned that there are different kinds of fear.  There’s good fear such as the kibd spoken of here:

… when the LORD said unto me, Assemble me the people, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. Deuteronomy 4:10

That sort of fear is a good fear, the fear of God, it doesn’t mean fear as in be terrified exactly (although to the unbeliever who has just realized who He is that is the exact response many have till they come to know Him more); that fear just means revere, respect, honor a just and holy God.

The LORD reigneth; let the peoples tremble: he sitteth upon the cherubim; let the earth be moved. The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the peoples. Let them praise thy great and terrible name: holy is he. The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool: holy is he. Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call on his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the pillar of cloud: they kept his testimonies, and the statute that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their doings. Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.   Psalms 99:1-9

It’s a good fear the same as fear of injury or death keeps us from endangering our lives.  I also learned, though,  that fear is the devil’s way of trying to weaken, trap, ultimately control and destroy us.  After all he is the thief whom Jesus refers to in the following passage from John.

The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. John 10:10

That verse finishes with the truth that when we are believers in Christ we need not feel that fear that had so robbed us up to that point.  Instead we are partakers of the life so abundant He came to give us, all because we now have faith.  Faith in our sweet Savior, praise His precious name; our hope lies in Him alone.

Tonight I want to share a few of the Scriptures that I have hidden in my heart that help me to remember whose I am when that second type of fear tries to creep up on me now.  A few of the verses that take me from fear to faith.

Then shalt thou prosper, if thou observe to do the statutes and the judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; fear not, neither be dismayed.   1 Chronicles 22:13

Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31

… Fear not, only believe. Mark 5:36

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  Psalms 23:1-6

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

That’s just seven of the multitude of verses that can encourage and strengthen you in your faith by driving fear and doubt far away.  You might find it interesting to note that the phrase “fear not” used in the context above is found 63 times in Scripture, while faith is found some 235 times.  I think it’s safe to say God felt these two topics were very important in our lives as Christ followers.

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

 

 

 

 

Religion and Remembrance

George H. Morrison has a way of cutting to the chase, speaking to the soul for me; it’s why I so often share selections from his Devotional Sermons.. Hopefully you find this one as edifying as I did.

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The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance — John 14:26

The Holy Spirit Quickens the Things of Christ
One great office of the Holy Spirit is to quicken and refresh the memory. He is given to vivify and make intensely real things that we were in danger of forgetting. He does not deal in novelties nor in unrelated revelations. He does not bring to us anything out of harmony with what we have learned from the historic Christ. Nothing new beyond and above that which is taught in Scripture is imparted to a man when his soul awakens to God. Through the Holy Spirit there leaps into his consciousness what in his unregenerate life he had not understood—for in Him we live and move and have our being.
We might illustrate that from what we know of poetry. When a genuine poet comes along and utters something that is profoundly true, that never reveals itself as novelty, but as the expression of our deepest selves. Instantly we recognize it; we say “Yes, that is true”; what we discover is but the perfect voicing of something which always was our own. The question is why should we recognize it; why should it not come to us as strange; why should we hail it as something that is ours, though we never had the power to say it? It is because deep is calling unto deep; it is because the poet, in his hour of inspiration, brings to remembrance what is deepest in us, buried under the ashes of our Aetna. So comes the Holy Spirit. He does not traffic in untested novelties. He brings to vivid and powerful remembrance the things of the Lord Jesus. And so doing He touches and awakens all that is deepest in our soul, for Christ is the light of every man. “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (Joh_1:4). The business of the Holy Spirit, then, is to display the glories of Christ in us.

The Holy Spirit Aroused the Prodigal’s Memory
This spiritual office of remembrance was largely insisted on by the Lord Jesus. We might take, for instance, His story of the prodigal. To that young fellow, feeding among the swine, there came no startling and unexpected news. There did not flash across his starving soul something he had never known before. He remembered; he recalled; he recollected the plenty of his home—and then “I will arise and go unto my father.” What drew him homeward was not any novelty. It was not any attainment of new knowledge. What made him start and take the trail for home was the uprush of fond and tender memory. And our Lord means that when anyone starts for home, out of the far land where swine are feeding gluttonously, he always does it in some such way as that. God does not convey new facts to him. He comes to him and whispers, “Son, remember. Remember that you are still a child, though sunken in an alien filth.” That is to say, the office of the Spirit, in drawing the sinful soul to higher things, is the deep and mystical office of remembrance.

Peter’s Memory Aroused
Again we might think of Simon Peter when he went out into the night and wept. What were the means our blessed Savior used to break his heart and save him through his tears? Argument? There was not one word of argument. Peter did not need to be convinced. Rebuke? There was not a syllable of that, whatever was hidden in those loving eyes. That cock-crow, that loving look of Jesus, awakened remembrance in the heart of Peter. Peter “remembered what the Lord had said,” and he went out into the night and wept. What broke the heart of Simon Peter was the swift and anguished surging up of memory. In his panic fear he had forgotten everything. Now he remembered and was saved. So Jesus, like the other Comforter, brought all things to remembrance, and by remembrance rescued and redeemed.

The Lord’s Supper Quickens Our Memory
Lastly we might think a moment of the holy hour of the Lord’s Supper. Many of my readers will agree with me that that is a profoundly moving time. It is an hour when Christ draws very near to us, and we grow strangely aware that He is present. Earthly things recede into the shadows, and the things of heaven become intensely real. Excuses vanish; we know that we are sinners; we begin to long for a fuller consecration in the quiet hour when we gather at the Table. If ever religion is a real thing, it is real in the season of communicating. If ever we are touched and awed and elevated, it is in that mystical and blessed moment. And then heaven reaches us, and the divine arrests us, not by the impartation of a novelty, but by the Holy Spirit’s way of stirred remembrance. At the Lord’s Table we get nothing new, nothing beyond and above the preached Gospel, nothing that is not found in Holy Scripture and in the proclamation of the Word. Quickened remembrance does the gracious work. We remember the Lord’s death until He come. It is the blessed office of the Holy Ghost to bring all things to our remembrance.

As always my brethern in Christ may the Father bless and keep you.

Fearless: The Way, Truth, and Life

It’s time for us to take that in-depth look at John 14.  I’ve given you a couple of readings the last few days to get you pondering on these great commands and promises, this great passage of hope.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  John 14:1

It starts with a gentle admonition, filled with great hope – Let not your heart be troubled. We see this echoed and further clarified in verse 27.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.  John 14:27

We believe in God the Father, therefore we should also trust and believe in Christ the Son.  It is believe in him from which our hope, our peace comes.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7

Being therefore justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;  Romans 5:1

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.  Colossians 3:15

Ephesians 4:4 sums it up perfectly:

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;  Ephesians 4:4

Jesus then tells us one reason he must leave, and gives us one promise of a glorious hope, a great joy yet to come.

In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14:2

He goes to prepare a place for us in the Father’s house, a house of many mansions.  This hearkens to the Jewish wedding customs of that time when after becoming betrothed to young lady a man returned to his father’s home to prepare a place to bring his bride.  Often when asked by family, friends or well wishers when the big day would be the young man would reply with the common Jewish idiom “But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.”  If that sounds familiar it’s because it’s what Jesus told the disciples when they asked when he would return in  Matthew 24.

But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.  Matthew 24:36

He knew that they would understand it referenced a wedding and would understand, based on other things he told them to watch for as well, when the time was near.  After His ascension into heaven He gave John the book of Revelation in the 90’s AD when he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos in Greece.  John was the only remaining disciple as all the others had been martyred and John was blessed to see a vision of things to come that had been revealed to Jesus by the Father since returning to heaven to sit at His Father’s right hand.

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  Mark 16:19

The LORD saith unto my lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalms 110:1

But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, Acts 7:55

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to shew unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;  Revelation 1:1

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star. Revelation 22:16

Many of you know I believe that our place is almost ready, that very soon the Father will say to the Son go fetch your bride.  I believe that very soon He will return in the clouds and call us up hither.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  John 14:3

which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, which was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven. Acts 1:11

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Daniel 7:13

Oh, how I long to be there!  I look up with joy and great anticipation for the day my Savior returns to call us home.  But even as I am looking up awaiting His soon return, I know I must be about His work here.  That my days are to be spent in serving Him, sharing Him, ever working to grow the kingdom I am longing for.  I know that one great, joyous day

then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

We that are alive shall be gathered together and caught up to ever be with the Lord, what a sweet promise, what glorious hope. What a day of rejoicing that will be! I believe we will be caught up soon my brethern and we shall trade our mortal corruption for immortal incorruption.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?
1 Corinthians 15:50-55

 

Think of it brothers and sisters, death has lost, no more will it have the victory, the sting, it is defeated.  Praise God, it is defeated.  If you want to know more about why I believe this great day of rejoicing for us, the body of true believers in Christ, is at hand I have written several posts on it, such as, well any post you find here.

Of course the disciples with Jesus that day long ago didn’t know what we know, they could only see their present, their little piece of the puzzle, not the whole picture so when He says to them:

And whither I go, ye know the way.  John 14:4

Which is why then that,

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?  John 14:5

Our Savior answered as only He could, with complete love, complete hope, with the glorious truth of who He is!  He also reminds them and us that He is the ONLY way to the Father, the ONLY truth.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:6

“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life”.  He is the way to the Father, He is the truth about all things, and He is the Life, eternal life and fully realized life here and now. We see this further shown throughout Scriptures.

and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live: John 11:25

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. John 10:9

But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.  Hebrews 9:11-12

He is our only hope for salvation from the penalty of our sins, a right restoration with the Father, which He continues on to explain.  Showing how the only way to truly know God the Father is through himself, Christ the Son.  Once we are in Christ, once we know Him, are saved by Him through His precious atoning blood, then we truly begin to know God.  To know the designer of the universe, this single (uni-) spoken sentence (verse) we live in thru it’s Creator, God’s only begotten Son is the greatest hope, joy and peace we will ever know.

If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.  John 14:7

They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also. John 8:19

Like all of us though, the disciples needed a little more, more proof, more understanding, more faith?

Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  John 14:8

Isn’t this how we all respond when we first see the Truth and the Way – we want hard evidence, we want to see something that knocks our socks off, that we can’t possibly question because we see it right before us, in real life.  We want to see God with our own eyes because in our weak and sinful state seeing is believing.  But our sweet Lord, our Savior knows that seeing with the eyes can be deceiving, things aren’t always what they seem after all, human eyes see with human fallacies.  But Christ is not just fully human, he’s fully God also and when we place our faith in Him and look through that faith, through our Way, our spiritual glasses of sorts, well it all begins to come crystal clear.  For the first time we truly see, praise Him, glorify Him for that first glimpse of Truth.

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Shew us the Father?  John 14:9

And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me.
John 12:44-45

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.  Colossians 1:9-17

God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.   Hebrews 1:1-4

It all boils down to belief, faith, trust.  It’s hard I know brothers and sisters, so hard to trust something you can’t quite see.  At least not when you look at it head on, no seeing the Son, and the Father it’s kinda like those hidden picture things that were so popular back in the 90s; you couldn’t just look at it, you had to relax your eyes a bit and look at it through the fuzz for a few seconds till all of a sudden you see the picture.  We’re kinda like the blind man from Bethsaida.

And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him. And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught? And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking. Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly.
Mark 8:22-25

That’s what looking at the Father through the Son is like, we have to trust we will see before we can see, we have to change the way we look at things.  We have to believe first, without seeing, then and only then will things be made clear to us, then we will truly see.  The Son and the Father!  When we do that, believe first then we truly are blessed, we are saved, as Jesus himself told Thomas one day long ago in the upper room.

Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.   John 20:28-29

Blessed are they who have not seen but believe.  I believe!  And by believing I see.

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.  John 14:10

I love how Jesus chides us here, reminds me of days trying to explain long division and fractions, they see it, sorta know it, then it flies right by ’em and you gotta start again.  I know how He feels here, thank God he has more patience than I do, He lovingly explains it again, and as Scriptures show again and again.

But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. John 10:38

that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.   John 17:21-23

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner. John 5:19

Jesus is in the Father, He is the Son, and the Father is in him, it’s that simple.  And that hard to grasp.

Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.  John 14:11

Here we get one of the blessings of believing, it is a beautiful, glorious blessing too.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.  John 14:12

He that believes in Jesus and the works he does shall do the same and even greater, that folks is a blessing.  We can do this because he goes to the Father, because He died for us.

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done.  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:21-22

And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting:  James 1:6

And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; Mark 16:17

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4

But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

He even explained earlier in the Gospel of John how when they (and we) look to him, the uplifted Son of man, Jesus crucified, in the grave, then resurrected and ascended, then will it all come clear, then they will fully see, just as all believers since have seen and some could argue a select few before such as Abraham, David, and the prophets.

Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him.As he spake these things, many believed on him. John 8:28-30

Jesus, ever the patient teacher, the Good Sheppard not wishing to lead any astray, further clarifies one of the multitude of blessings we believers can expect.  He ensures we understand the promises He is making, ensures we fully trust, that our faith is strong.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  John 14:13

We see this theme repeated and echoed throughout Scripture.  After all He knows we need to hear it over and over to believe, being we are in the flesh.  This is why all key points, core beliefs, important ideas are repeated at least three times throughout the Bible and the most vital ones seven or a multiple thereof.  Just like my son learning the division process or his fractions, times, tables, etc. sometimes it takes lots and lots of repetition to make it stick in our heads.  Here’s some repetition on the truth that whatever we ask in Jesus name according to His will shall be done.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Matthew 7:7

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22

Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:24

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

 

Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled.  John 16:23-24

But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.   1 John 3:21-22

And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 1 John 5:14

Let me wrap up here with Jesus’ own words, His heartfelt command to all who believe in Him.

If ye shall ask me anything in my name, that will I do.  John 14:14

That command is repeated at least 14 times throughout this post, by the way.  See if you can find all the verses referencing it in some form, then see if you can find all the verses in Scripture, because I didn’t even scratch the surface really.

I know today’s teaching is long, but God laid it on my heart and has led me through pulling it together over the last couple of days.  I have felt His urgency to share it with you, yet also His great abiding mercy as He strengthened me when I grew weary, led me when I was lost on where to go next and to rest when I was exhausted yet trying to go on.  I put it all in His powerful, capable hands and said “I am yours, Father, use me as you will.”

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, the Son, may we strive always to be about the Father’s work, relying upon Him to carry us through by the blessings of His matchless love and mercy towards us and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  And may the Father bless and keep you.

 

 

The Most Precious Promise of Shared Life

Now we’ve come to the heart of God’s promises and the final one we will discuss right now.

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By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature . . . Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law . . . that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (2Peter 1:4 and Galatians 3:13-14)

Here, we get at the heart of God’s “exceedingly great and precious promises.” By means of promise, the Lord has made it possible for us to share in His life: “that through these [God’s promises] you may be partakers of the divine nature.”
What a remarkable prospect this is—that man could participate in the divine nature. Yet, the promises of God make this available to man. Of course, this does not mean that man becomes divine (as many false religions and some aberrant theologies espouse). God alone is, and will ever be, divine. “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me” (Isaiah 46:9). Nonetheless, man can share in the life of God, even though he will never become “a god” himself. This is accomplished by Jesus Christ coming to dwell within the lives of those who believe in Him. The Lord Jesus died for us that He might give life to us. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47). This life that Jesus wants to share with us is His own life. “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ . . . Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ ” (John 11:25 and John 14:6).
The Apostle Paul taught this great truth extensively. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus” (2Titus 1:1). He understood that his apostolic ministry was not only anchored in God’s will, but it also depended upon the life that God promised. Thus, he confessed Christ as his very own life: “Christ who is our life” (Colossians 3:4). Paul was not the source of the daily Christian life that he lived. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). The Lord Jesus was Paul’s life source.
This is what the promise of the Spirit is about. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law . . . that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” At new birth, the Holy Spirit also comes to indwell those who believe. The Spirit reveals these truths to us through the word of God. Then, the Spirit pours forth the life of Christ through every humble, dependent child of God. “It is the Spirit who gives life” (John 6:63).

Lord Jesus, thank You for making Your life available to me. What a precious promise that is! Teach me to walk according to Your Spirit, that Your life might be expressed through my life day by day, Amen.