TGIF

Happy Friday morning to ya!

Paul tells us in Romans 10.17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3.23 that we are born again by the word of God which lives and abides forever.  Plainly put, you cannot be born again without the word of God.  There is no salvation apart from God's Word.  

Jesus is the Living Word.  Thus it is correct to say that there is no salvation apart from Jesus.  But we must be careful not to sell Jesus short.  He is more than just an historical figure.  Jesus is the embodiment of the spoken word of God.  The whole of the Law and the Prophets speaks of Jesus.  The Gospels and the Epistles speak of Jesus who came according to Scripture, lived and died according to Scripture and rose again according to Scripture.  Plainly, to claim to know the word necessarily means you must know Jesus and to claim to know Jesus necessarily means you must know the word.  

If the word of God is that paramount, how is it that we neglect it?  We need to be people of the Book not just on Sunday but everyday.  Paul told Timothy that all Scripture is profitable so that the man of God may be perfect, perfectly furnished unto all good works.  Falling short lately?  The answer isn't found in better surroundings but instead is found in the Word of God.

How much time do you spend meditating on God's Word?  How much time do you spend memorizing God's Word?  How much time do you spend being motivated by God's Word?

Why not start right now?!

TGIF

Revelation 5:1-3  And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?  An no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

If you read this verse carefully, you'll find that MAN is not able to open the book and loose the seals.  The seals are the judgements and cataclysms which are to befall this earth.  A time of unprecedented turmoil and tribulation will occur but it will NOT be because of MAN.  Let this sink in and appreciate the application.  MAN will not be able to destroy this planet.  MAN will not usher in the end of times.  MAN will not bring upon this planet such a destruction that we wipe ourselves out, not even Satan himself.  No!  Only ONE is able to loose those kinds of things.  Verse six goes on to tell us that the Lamb that was slain, we know Him as Jesus, is the ONLY One worthy to open the book.  Our Savior has ALL authority and power.  Our Savior holds the keys of hell and death.  Our Savior has the power and authority to lock and to loose.

Considering this truth, why would we look anywhere else?

Hebrews 12.2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith...

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

TGIF 

2 Timothy 2.3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 

Paul was constantly encouraging Timothy to remain faithful to the Gospel and his calling.  Christianity was in its infancy still and persecution was normal.  Peter even taught it as being so normal that if a Christian was not being persecuted, they needed to check their "light" and their witness.  When you consider the struggles of the early Church, it is amazing the grace of God that was so freely bestowed to enable and sustain the work that was to be done.

When we consider struggles, persecutions, hardness/hardships...I wonder if what we consider struggles could compare to what was endured in the first century.  For us, a struggle may be a night without air conditioning, a 10 minute wait at the burger place, having to wait while a funeral passes, run out of milk with a shopping center 5 minutes away...get my drift yet?

Hardship...no one will hire you because you are a confessor of Jesus Christ.  Hardship...you are throne into prison without a trial for preaching Jesus.  Hardship...you are tossed into an arena to face a bear or lions for the entertainment of the godless masses.  Hardship...your family disowns you because you are a Christian.  

Hardship...well, the struggle of the first century Church ought to help us realize just how blessed we truly are these days.  Instead of thanking men, why not give praise to the One who is the Giver of all that we are blessed with?  Instead of complaining about what we don't have, how about we thank Him for what we do have?  OR we can just admit that we are spiritually soft and lazy and thank God that we were born in this century instead of the first century.

EVERY Friday is a good day to be a child of God irrespective of the circumstances.

Selah

TGIF

Revelation 12:9-11 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Satan is overcome not by your power or your strength or wisdom or sacrifice.  The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from sin and all unrighteousness(I John 1.7).  It's by the blood of the Lamb that Satan is overcome.  Satan is overcome when you testify that Jesus saved you from your sins.  For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation(Rom 10.9-10).  Satan is overcome when you forsake earthly treasures.  Your life is probably your most precious treasure.  Satan cannot win when God's children love Him more than their own lives.  For what have you profited it you gain the whole world and lose your soul(Matt 16.26).  Your SOUL  is more valuable than any earthly treasure including your life.

You don't need a 12 step plan to overcome Satan.  You need a Savior who cleanses you from your sin, a personal testimony that you believe Jesus is your Savior and you demonstrate that to be true by loving Jesus more than any earthly thing you possess.

Jesus OVERCAME sin and the grave.  In Jesus you OVERCOME.

Why would you look anywhere else than the cross of Jesus Christ and the empty tomb?

TGIF

Acts 4:16-17  What shall we do to these men?  for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

The background of these two verse is as follows.  Peter and John were walking into the Temple when a cripple man asks for alms.  Peter, not having gold and silver, instead in the name of Jesus heals the man.  Of course this ran through the crowd(I see the pun) and as the crowd gathered, Peter began to preach Jesus but those pesky ole religious leaders wanted nothing of it.  They put them in "jail" over night and the next day tried to deal with them.  The two verses above show their conclusion after hearing the matter.

They could not deny the miracle but they did not want it to be spread either.  These religious leaders of Israel who ought to have been kind shepherds but cared not one whit about the lame man.  There was no celebration on their part that the man who could not walk could now leap with joy.  There was no acknowledgement to the glory of God on their part that a miracle had been done in their presence.  They were determined to ignore it and stop the truth of its spread.

When a miracle threatens our hold on power, we ought to recognize that there is a greater power among us.  Maybe, just maybe, we do not have the power that we think we do.  And when we are in the presence of the Great and Mighty Power of God, we ought to bow our knees as servants before the Master.

Scientists today cannot ignore the complexity of our world neither can they deny it.  But instead of giving glory to God for His great power of creation, they instead worship at the feet of Darwin.  Being highly educated and unwilling to lose that power over the masses, they deny the power of God at work before their eyes.  Unfortunately, their teachings have caused many among the body of Christ to doubt and deny the truth of God's Word to their own ruin.

Seeing they cannot see.  Hearing they cannot hear.  That would be terrible phrases to have spoken over us.  Dare we know the truth and deny it?...and even worse, threaten, mock and ridicule those who cling to the truth?  We must accept and receive the truth of God's Word no matter what it should cost us.  We must humble ourselves before the Almighty so that He can lift us up.  Pride would be a foolish reason to not celebrate the good things God has done.

selah

TGIF

Matthew 28:20  And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the age.

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

When we by faith receive the Spirit at and as a result of salvation, we have a promise that is thought provoking and life changing.  Thought provoking in that no matter WHERE we may go and no matter WHAT we may do, the Spirit of the Lord is present with us.  Think about that next time you go to sin.  You will be sinning in the presence of the Lord.  Sure, you can't see Him.  Sure you may even try to block Him out of your mind for a brief moment of insanity but for the children of God, we have the promise of an eternal abiding presence.  He sees and knows everything about you.  

When we pray, we do not inform God, we acknowledge God.  When we pray and ask God to be with us, our language confounds our faith.  Faith says that I do not need to ask for what has already been given.  If the Lord's Eternal Spirit is sent to us(and He has been), then He will ever be with us.  Rather than pray for His presence to be with me, I pray in acknowledgement and thankfulness that He IS with me.  When I am afraid, it is because I doubt His presence.  When I worry, it is because I doubt His presence.  His presence is not dependent upon my circumstances but IN SPITE OF my circumstances.

Rejoice in the truth that the Lord's Spirit is with you always.  You always have a Helper.  You always have a Comforter. You always have a Teacher.  You always have a Guide in truth.  Thank the Lord in the truth that His Spirit is there with you.

Selah

Way Back Wednesday

324 years ago this week, the Salem Witch Hunts began.  In the end, 19 innocent men and women were executed "suspected" of being a witch.  It would eventually come out that those involved were simply settling grudges against those they didn't like but nonetheless, the Witch Trials began.

Different tests could be used to implicate a witch.  It was thought that since a witch had rejected the sacrament of baptism that the water would reject the witch and thus the witch would float.  Typically, a rope was tied about the waist of the accused but this test did result in drowning.  If by chance the "witch" floated, they would then be burned at the stake(Europe), hung(American Colonies) or whatever was convenient at the moment.  Another test was to have the person recite a portion of Scripture since it was reasoned that a witch could not say it properly.  ANY mistake would be an indication of being a witch.  Could you pass this portion of the test saying either Psalm 23 or The Lord's Prayer.  Remember, if you forget or misplace even ONE word, you could be considered a witch.  Another test was to have a person supposedly possessed be touched by the witch.  If the possessed did not react, the "witch" was considered innocent.  However, if the possessed came out of their fit(unclenched their fist for example) then the accused witch would be executed.  Surely no one could fake this, right!?  Another test was to search the "witch's" body for extra marks.  A birthmark, a mole, a scar or any other unordinary mark could indicate a witch.  

Now you can see why we call false trials a "witch hunt".  When true justice is abandoned and false tests and false witnesses rule the day, it is usually to settle a grudge.  It is true that the Mosaic Law did not allow a witch to live among the Israelites, but the Salem Witch Trials were not about truth but about hysteria and ill will towards individuals.

Source:  history.com

Matthew 15.9

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.(KJV)

Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.(NLT)

The Disciples had not washed their hands, according to Rabbinic tradition, so the Pharisees confronted Jesus about this lack of attention to their laws.  Jesus responded by pointing out their hypocrisy in following more closely their man-made laws than the actual truth of God's law.  The Pharisees thought that they honored God by following their own ideas rather than living according to the revealed truth in God's covenant He had made with them.  They were self deceived and actually quite arrogant to think that their traditions took higher ground than God's truth.

Considering specifically the verse above, let us think about OUR worship.  Do we follow the traditions of man and think we've done our "duty" or do we truly seek the face of God through His truth?  Traditions:

Singing BEFORE the preaching

Church on Sunday mornings

Services last an hour or not much more.

Christmas, Easter(we are not told Biblically to observe either)

Focusing more upon how we dress than what's in our hearts

Taking up an offering during the music portion of the service

Getting the idea yet?  How many of these things do we do the way we do them and by doing them in that way, think that we have impressed God?  According to Jesus, following the teachings of man rather than of God makes us hypocrites and vain.  We congratulate ourselves and our worship is hollow when we exalt the ideas of man over the doctrines of God's Word.

Our response to Jesus' teaching ought to be to search our hearts and know why we do the things we do or do not do.  When we search our hearts and find the traditions of men pushing the truth of God's Word into second place or completely out, our proper response is not to justify ourselves but rather repent(quit following man's ways) and return unto the Truth, God's Way.  We do this best specifically by submitting ourselves to Jesus and His righteousness.  We come to Him and His blood justifies us and this is especially important since we in all sincerity cannot justify ourselves.

You haven't done a thing if you've neglected the truth of God's Word while following precisely the precepts of man.  If you want your actions to matter, to account for something more than immediate gratification, seek Jesus in spirit and in truth.  Honor His Word above the words of men.  Seek Him through your heart and not by your deeds.

selah

 

PS:  When you truly give Jesus your heart, He gives your deeds eternal purpose and value.

Way Back Wednesday

We have considered today's topic during the last year but we usually learn by repetition and today is a good day for that to happen.  Most people do not give the calendar's compilation too much thought.  Truly, about the only time we are date concerned is Leap Year, holidays and that dreaded time change, which DOES NOT add time to your day.

Julius Caesar had given us a calendar but the true problem with that calendar, it was several minutes longer than the actual year, would reveal itself in about a thousand years.  Every 400 years, the Julian Calendar would be off by 3 extra days.  By 1582, the calendar was off by 14 original days and was missing the Spring and Fall equinox by 10 days.  This was important because Easter is determined by the Spring Equinox.  This would be like us celebrating Christmas December 11.  It just would not "feel" right but to the Catholic Church, the exact day was extremely important and to some, it would be just outright wrong.

On this date in 1582, Pope Gregory issued the "order" that in October of that year, October 4th would be followed by October 15th in all Catholic countries.  The uneducated protested and wanted their "eleven" days back but that would not happen.  England would not adopt the new calendar until the year 1752 in which the American Colonies would also adopt it.  China, Russia and Japan would not adopt it until the 20th century which aided international business and important dates recognition.

We follow what is known as the Gregorian Calendar and it was given to us 434 years ago today though we didn't switch for almost another 200 years.

source:  christianity(dot)com

luke

I am going to speak more technically now.

One of the things important to us today is to understand that Easter is seldom on the actual date the Resurrection actually took place.  Easter is a moveable holiday and is dependent upon the full moon and the Spring Equinox.  Our calendar is a solar calendar and does not align with the lunar calendar accounting for the difference in the date for Easter.  True Passover seldom aligns itself with Easter as well.  The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar(based on the moon).  The Jewish calendar adds an extra month when necessary to keep the Jewish Feasts aligned with the lunar cycle.  This means that the moon will ALWAYS be in the same place on a Jewish Holiday and if your calendar is lunar, this keeps the consistency throughout the years as time passes.  While Sunday is the first day of the week and is the actual day of the Resurrection, the date of the Resurrection is seldom near our celebration.  This has to do with the discrepancy between the Lunar Calendar, Solar Calendar and how the seven days of the week fit year.  Thus, it is possible to have Passover on a Monday, which if we are studying the last week of Christ's life would not fit the "days" listed by the Gospels by any shape. 

Passover is always on Nisan 15 irrespective to what "day" of the week that may be.  Each month of the Jewish calendar is very similar.  The 15th is a full moon because it is 14 days after the New Moon which is the first day of a Jewish month.  Thus every Jewish month has a full moon on the 15th and a new moon on the 1st.  The Jewish Feast Calendar is a LUNAR calendar.

Easter is determined for the SOLAR calendar by finding the FIRST full moon AFTER Vernal Equinox(Spring Solstice), March 20th.  The first Sunday AFTER the first full moon is Easter.  That is why it moves around because a solar calendar(365.25 days) is not "cleanly" divisible by the lunar calendar in which a month can be 29 or 30 days long depending upon the moon's position when Earth reaches the equinox.  This also explains why Mardi Gras does not fall upon the same date every year.  Same day, yes, but same date, nope.  Mardi Gras occurs 47 days before Easter but if you live in SW Louisiana, you know there are only 40 days for Lent. There are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.  Ash Wednesday begins Lent for the Catholic Church but Sunday is a day to be celebrated, NOT fasted upon so it does not contribute to the 40 days of Lent.

Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday                                   = 46 days.

46 acutal days between Lent minus 6 Sundays during Lent =40 days.

Hope this helps a little in understand why we do what we do.

luke

A Tune For Tuesday

According to her own words, there is more to the story behind this song than what she tells.  As of yet, Search Engines and myself have been unable to locate the rest of the story.  But what she does share will give you new insight whenever you sing or hear this song.


 

TGIF

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

Luke 22:32
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

There is a common theme with both of these verses.  Those(we) who have been comforted have been enabled to comfort others going through troubles.  Too often, we keep our struggles and victories to ourselves rather than seeking to comfort someone else facing something similar to what we faced.  Perhaps we do this because we do not want them to know that we too have struggled and struggle.  Perhaps we do this because we are afraid they may say, "How could you know what I am going through?!" Perhaps this is all because WE do not realize that other people struggle, even our heroes, and perhaps WE have responded to someone before that they could not possibly know what WE were facing.  All of these "perhaps" are just excuses.  God's Word teaches us that we are to use the comfort that was given to us in our pain to comfort someone else in pain.  We are to share the tender mercies that have been poured upon us.

One final note for the passages listed.  In both instances, suffering came about because of a relationship with Christ.  It would be good for us to take note of why we are suffering.  Is it because we are simply reaping the consequences of sin(a life apart from Christ) or is it because of our relationship with Jesus Christ?  Why am I doing what I am doing?  For me?  or for Christ?

luke

Way Back Wednesday

It would be difficult to find a human venture where success or failures of the past are not built upon.  It would be difficult to find a human venture where maths and sciences of the past are not utilized by those in the present.  In short, there is nothing that we do that is truly unique.  Solomon is quoted as saying, "there is nothing new under the sun".  If you can read, someone taught you to read but even earlier, someone put together the letter system whereby you form your words.  We build upon the works of those who have preceded us.

Eusebius is a popular name among Church historians.  While not all of his beliefs would be held up as true, he was so meticulous in his writings at quoting others and referencing their works that many modern scholars use him precisely because of the fact that they can learn what men who preceded Eusebius had taught and believed.

Eusebius had a teacher named Pamphilius.  Pamphilius was also a scholar that studied the writings of earlier Christians and referenced their works.  Pamphilius accurately copied Scripture so that he could give them to men and women, and his students.  He lived the Gospel he taught as well as demonstrating true brotherly love by caring for the slave as his brother.  He taught brotherly love to his students and greatly impacted their lives.

Idolatry was being practiced in Pamphilius' town and one of his students challenged the idol worship of the local governor.  The local governor had the student tortured and killed along with other Christians.  The governor had Pamphilius arrested and when he refused to practice idolatry, he was tortured and thrown into prison.  As dangerous as it was, Eusebius continued to visit his teacher in prison and together they wrote works and studies that Eusebius would continue to build upon.

One year and four months after Pamphilius' arrest, a new governor ascended to the governorship.  He ordered that Pamphilius be killed and 1707 years ago this week, that order was carried out.  Maybe his life was cut short but his work was not because he had invested in and tutored Eusebius.

We can continue the work of Christ by building upon the One Firm Foundation.  In doing so, we are building upon the works of those prior to us.  From another point of view, their work continues through us as we follow what we were taught.  Our boasting of "our accomplishment" without naming all of those from whom we've learned is like a quarterback boasting of his superior skills without mentioning the linemen that protected him and the men that caught his passes.  No man is an island and humility is the antidote for avoiding a fall or destruction.

Source(christianity.com)