Wow. Jesus claims He isn't 'a' way. He is 'the' way... the only way.
"He said to them, 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.' " - John 8:23-24 ESV
He is either an egomaniac or He Is the Messiah.
Peter later says this to a crowd...
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-- this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." - Acts 2:22-24 ESV
Jesus was seen alive by many after His death and yet they did not believe. They did not invest faith in Christ Himself.
God doesn't raise egomaniacs from the dead. There is only one person who died the way Christ died (at just the right time and place to fulfill prophecy) and then get raised up only to rise into the sky and never die again.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." - Hebrews 11:6 KJV
The first part needs coverage and then the second part of that passage needs coverage also.
He Is.
Jesus Is 'Him'.
Not only that but He Is 'a rewarder' of people who seek Him. He was from above and He has returned there but that above place is not far away.
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." - Ephesians 2:13 KJV
Jesus came to close the gap.
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Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Friday, July 13, 2018
The Horns On The Lamb
Pondering Jesus and his relationship to and with the Holy Spirit (spoken of in these next passages as the 'seven Spirits of God')
" '...behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David'... And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." - Revelation 5:5b & 6 ESV
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked." - Isaiah 11:1-4 ESV
Horns always speak of power in the scripture. These seven manifestations of the anointing have become horns on this fully grown lamb. He is the master of all the manifestations of God's life.
Yes, Jesus walked as a gentle carpenter on this Earth. He emptied Himself to fully identify with mankind and die as a lamb on Passover as a sacrifice for sin but now He Is a King. That lamb is now fully grown. The work of salvation is finished and He has come into His own.
His horns are our heritage. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear (awe) and joy derived from sensing God in awe belong to those who are hidden in Christ.
We each have individual 'ministries' because the Spirit anoints us at different times and in different ways that represent executions of God plan and expressions of His mood in the moment.
Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of ministry. We are His body now in the world. We are His hands and feet. His horns represent the power that we operate in as we lift Him up.
--
" '...behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David'... And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." - Revelation 5:5b & 6 ESV
"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked." - Isaiah 11:1-4 ESV
Horns always speak of power in the scripture. These seven manifestations of the anointing have become horns on this fully grown lamb. He is the master of all the manifestations of God's life.
Yes, Jesus walked as a gentle carpenter on this Earth. He emptied Himself to fully identify with mankind and die as a lamb on Passover as a sacrifice for sin but now He Is a King. That lamb is now fully grown. The work of salvation is finished and He has come into His own.
His horns are our heritage. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear (awe) and joy derived from sensing God in awe belong to those who are hidden in Christ.
We each have individual 'ministries' because the Spirit anoints us at different times and in different ways that represent executions of God plan and expressions of His mood in the moment.
Jesus is the ultimate manifestation of ministry. We are His body now in the world. We are His hands and feet. His horns represent the power that we operate in as we lift Him up.
--
Thursday, July 12, 2018
He Wrote Twice
I think this next passage is so unique and meaningful...
"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?' This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.' " - John 8:3-11 ESV
You can just picture the religious taunts of the people seeking to bait Jesus as He serenely writes in the dust. Jesus wrote twice and it always makes me think of Moses and the two sets of tablets given to Israel.
"And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God." - Exodus 31:18 ESV
"But he said, 'It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.' And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain." - Exodus 32:18-19 ESV
"So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.' And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped." - Exodus 34:4-8 ESV
"For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." - Romans 10:3-4 ESV
Moses had a sense of outrage when he smashed the first set of tablets but we don't see that same outrage in Jesus. He has compassion and awareness.
Christ is the 'end of the law'. Wow. That road should bring us to a place where we see Jesus and want Him.
I like that Jesus didn't pound them with words. He just quietly wrote in the dust. He never directly addressed their accusations. He didn't react.
God, Please give us this heart and mind. Let this be what we express. Compassion without compromise. Love. Thank you for sending Your Son. He Is just what we need in every way.
--
"The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?' This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.' " - John 8:3-11 ESV
You can just picture the religious taunts of the people seeking to bait Jesus as He serenely writes in the dust. Jesus wrote twice and it always makes me think of Moses and the two sets of tablets given to Israel.
"And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God." - Exodus 31:18 ESV
"But he said, 'It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.' And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain." - Exodus 32:18-19 ESV
"So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.' And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped." - Exodus 34:4-8 ESV
"For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." - Romans 10:3-4 ESV
Moses had a sense of outrage when he smashed the first set of tablets but we don't see that same outrage in Jesus. He has compassion and awareness.
Christ is the 'end of the law'. Wow. That road should bring us to a place where we see Jesus and want Him.
I like that Jesus didn't pound them with words. He just quietly wrote in the dust. He never directly addressed their accusations. He didn't react.
God, Please give us this heart and mind. Let this be what we express. Compassion without compromise. Love. Thank you for sending Your Son. He Is just what we need in every way.
--
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
His Logos
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' " - John 8:31-32 ESV
That is such an interesting phrase 'abide in my word'. Jesus stakes a claim on the words. This isn't Rhema which would be a living illumination. This is Logos (Strongs G3056) and it means words on paper or spoken. Jesus' ideas (word orders that Jesus makes a claim to) will result in freedom if a person 'abides' or 'tarries' in them.
Not my words.
Not your words.
Not a wise person with persuasive ideas and many degrees.
Not common sense.
Jesus' logos sets people free and makes them free progressively over time.
We can tend to add and take away and come to conclusions that may or may not be true and it only results in a loss of freedom.
Can I put 'theology' on hold and just listen? That 'study of God' becomes a framework and it can't be totally put away but can I listen to 'His words' like I could learn something?
"If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." - 1 Corinthians 8:2-3 ESV
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever..." - Deuteronomy 29:29a ESV
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That is such an interesting phrase 'abide in my word'. Jesus stakes a claim on the words. This isn't Rhema which would be a living illumination. This is Logos (Strongs G3056) and it means words on paper or spoken. Jesus' ideas (word orders that Jesus makes a claim to) will result in freedom if a person 'abides' or 'tarries' in them.
Not my words.
Not your words.
Not a wise person with persuasive ideas and many degrees.
Not common sense.
Jesus' logos sets people free and makes them free progressively over time.
We can tend to add and take away and come to conclusions that may or may not be true and it only results in a loss of freedom.
Can I put 'theology' on hold and just listen? That 'study of God' becomes a framework and it can't be totally put away but can I listen to 'His words' like I could learn something?
"If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God." - 1 Corinthians 8:2-3 ESV
"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever..." - Deuteronomy 29:29a ESV
--
Monday, July 9, 2018
A Way To See The World
I have many thoughts this morning... but here is one. Well, Perhaps it is a few jumbled together.
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." - John 7:24 ESV
"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer." - 2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV
Many of us need help seeing. We wear eyeglasses. We read or watch a news program or many of them to perceive what is happening in the world and then make a judgement based on what we see.
Righteous judgement can only happen if we see from eternal perspective and that can only happen if we have God's mind. The Bible gives us that but so many still get so much wrong.
Jesus is in Heaven on a throne. The natural mind says, 'No, He lived 2,000 years ago and died on a cross (if that even happened at all). He is dead, buried and scattered to the wind.' but righteous judgement says otherwise.
Jesus' session (His throne life) becomes a set of spiritual eyeglasses for us. We see life based on a risen Christ who reigns in Heaven and is waiting for the right moment on a Heavenly clock to return to Earth in a profound way.
That is how we see the world.
Our cell phone will tell us many things but not that. Only the Bible tells us that. We forgive based on that. We have patience because of that. We have hope that we will see those who have gone before us to Heaven based on that.
If we live only from our five senses, or however many there actually are, we won't judge righteous judgement but if we think with God we can think that way and it is a very profitable way to think.
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Friday, July 6, 2018
Noah's Sons
I've been thinking about Noah's sons and the licenses people write for themselves.
"And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him." - Genesis 9:20-24 KJV
It's funny how when we are uncomfortable (like when it is very hot) we can also become rude or irritable. We no longer hold the same standards of behaviour because our behaviour can be self-regulated and mankind after the fall can live in self-regulation.
Two of Noah's son's lived in pre-planned honour. No one had ever gotten drunk before. What Noah did had no precedent. There were no rules for what you do and don't do in that situation because it had never happened before but two of Noah's sons lived a life of gratefulness. Noah had saved the world by being obedient to God. These two men found the right thing to do. They didn't have rules with exceptions. They had grace.
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." - Genesis 6:8 KJV
Yes. So did these two men.
We can't always have a preplanned response but we can live in preplanned honour, love and forgiveness because that is what God has given us. That is how the Trinity lives towards one another and towards us.
In that attitude, we will 'find' a response and it will be one of covering and respect in an attitude of thankfulness.
--
"And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him." - Genesis 9:20-24 KJV
It's funny how when we are uncomfortable (like when it is very hot) we can also become rude or irritable. We no longer hold the same standards of behaviour because our behaviour can be self-regulated and mankind after the fall can live in self-regulation.
Two of Noah's son's lived in pre-planned honour. No one had ever gotten drunk before. What Noah did had no precedent. There were no rules for what you do and don't do in that situation because it had never happened before but two of Noah's sons lived a life of gratefulness. Noah had saved the world by being obedient to God. These two men found the right thing to do. They didn't have rules with exceptions. They had grace.
"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." - Genesis 6:8 KJV
Yes. So did these two men.
We can't always have a preplanned response but we can live in preplanned honour, love and forgiveness because that is what God has given us. That is how the Trinity lives towards one another and towards us.
In that attitude, we will 'find' a response and it will be one of covering and respect in an attitude of thankfulness.
--
Monday, July 2, 2018
The Worthy One
The legend of King Arthur borrows from this next prophetic account. In that legend, it was a sword in a stone but in truth, it is a scroll that no one can open. The apostle describes this as an event outside of time.
"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it." - Revelation 5:1-4 ESV
Yes. We weep because power, knowledge and ownership is locked up. Some scholars see this as the 'title deed' to the Earth or it could be seen as the formula for restoration from the fall but either way it is an important document. It is 'the' important document.
When Adam and Eve submitted to the serpent in the garden they left him an opening to take something precious from them. They came under his authority.
"He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." - Genesis 3:24 ESV
Mankind was locked out of the garden. This scroll is locked up.
"And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.' And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.' Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!' And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' and the elders fell down and worshiped." - Revelation 5:5-14 ESV
We all sense and know on some subconscious level that there are things locked away and kept from us. Satan uses that knowledge to cause man to blame God and one another but God has locked things up for a reason. Things are locked to keep them safe.
Only the 'worthy one' can open the scroll or pull the sword from the stone and take that power or understanding.
Jesus is the worthy one. We have a worthy one. If we have believed we know the worthy one.
--
"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?' And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it." - Revelation 5:1-4 ESV
Yes. We weep because power, knowledge and ownership is locked up. Some scholars see this as the 'title deed' to the Earth or it could be seen as the formula for restoration from the fall but either way it is an important document. It is 'the' important document.
When Adam and Eve submitted to the serpent in the garden they left him an opening to take something precious from them. They came under his authority.
"He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." - Genesis 3:24 ESV
Mankind was locked out of the garden. This scroll is locked up.
"And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.' And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.' Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!' And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' and the elders fell down and worshiped." - Revelation 5:5-14 ESV
We all sense and know on some subconscious level that there are things locked away and kept from us. Satan uses that knowledge to cause man to blame God and one another but God has locked things up for a reason. Things are locked to keep them safe.
Only the 'worthy one' can open the scroll or pull the sword from the stone and take that power or understanding.
Jesus is the worthy one. We have a worthy one. If we have believed we know the worthy one.
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