We have a reset button with God.
"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." - Isaiah 1:18 ESV
Maybe we see this in relation to this passage...
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9 ESV
But I think it is more. When we reason with God who we really are gets revealed. Our calling gets restored when it was obscured by another color.
"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables." - 2 Timothy 4:2-4 NKJV
Do you see the triad there? If we stop hearing sound doctrine from someone else, who has been given as a gift to give us sound doctrine, we heap to ourselves teachers who never challenge us with the cross and our ears itch, then we turn our ears away but find that we get turned by some other power towards fables.
King David didn't have itching ears...
"And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, 'Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.' Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, 'Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.' But the king said, 'What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David,' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'' And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 'Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.' So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust." - 2 Samuel 16:6-13 ESV
Wow. David was 'like wool' wasn't he? He was reasoning with God and looking to Him for what was to come next.
Sin can become a distraction from our identity but 'good things' can distract us from our calling.
You have a calling! It is high. It is Heavenly. It is holy!
Confessing what we do or don't do that is not full of faith is important but our actions are only surface things. Reasoning with God is more than that. We reason with Him and discuss what is real and what comes next. What happens next isn't based on the 'success' or 'failure' of past ventures. What comes next is a joint venture with Jesus that can't be evaluated in those terms.
"In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness." - Isaiah 29:18 NKJV
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - 1 Peter 2:9 ESV
Hit the reset button with God and return to your calling.
"To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." - John 10:3 ESV
The many fictions we entertained to keep us entertained get left in the dead end where they belong and we walk with the One who has made us white as snow.
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Showing posts with label Cleansing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleansing. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
White As Snow
The conscience is a funny thing.
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
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How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Hebrews 9:13-14 KJV
Unlike material objects the conscience isn't cleaned by soap or detergent.
Did blood purify? Why? An eye for an eye works on the conscience. You hurt me so I hurt you and balance is preserved. Even children get this. No one needs to teach it. Children need to unlearn it.
Adam's wounds are incurable. He wounds others to balance things out. Terrible... but true.
'I'm sorry.' is a substitute but often a poor one for aching Adam.
God gave an animal sacrifice to Adam. Blood was spilled. It is terrible really it is. An innocent thing dying because of his mistake or just outright transgression... but it is that way. Innocents suffer because of mistakes and that old conscience gets stains no on can seem to reach.
If blood for blood worked, and it did to a degree, then how much more does what Jesus did work?
Like I said the conscience isn't like an object. We can clean something even if it doesn't want to be clean with soap but the conscience must believe that the substitute is good enough.
"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' " - 2 Peter 1:16-17 ESV
God the Father thinks His Son is good enough. He raised him from the dead because He found Him more than acceptable.
Do we?
I think we lapse in this and start to 'do things.' What things? The bible calls them 'dead works' and they are all the things that a person who has a dirty conscience does.
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2 KJV
Jesus isn't just the beginning of our faith. He Is the finisher also. We can live with a clean conscience and have it cleansed again and again.
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Hebrews 9:14 KJV
An eye for an eye just made everyone hurt. Jesus gives all the parties who believe peace without retaliation. No one else can reach that far into a man or woman.
No one else can clean the soul.
--
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
-
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Hebrews 9:13-14 KJV
Unlike material objects the conscience isn't cleaned by soap or detergent.
Did blood purify? Why? An eye for an eye works on the conscience. You hurt me so I hurt you and balance is preserved. Even children get this. No one needs to teach it. Children need to unlearn it.
Adam's wounds are incurable. He wounds others to balance things out. Terrible... but true.
'I'm sorry.' is a substitute but often a poor one for aching Adam.
God gave an animal sacrifice to Adam. Blood was spilled. It is terrible really it is. An innocent thing dying because of his mistake or just outright transgression... but it is that way. Innocents suffer because of mistakes and that old conscience gets stains no on can seem to reach.
If blood for blood worked, and it did to a degree, then how much more does what Jesus did work?
Like I said the conscience isn't like an object. We can clean something even if it doesn't want to be clean with soap but the conscience must believe that the substitute is good enough.
"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,' " - 2 Peter 1:16-17 ESV
God the Father thinks His Son is good enough. He raised him from the dead because He found Him more than acceptable.
Do we?
I think we lapse in this and start to 'do things.' What things? The bible calls them 'dead works' and they are all the things that a person who has a dirty conscience does.
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2 KJV
Jesus isn't just the beginning of our faith. He Is the finisher also. We can live with a clean conscience and have it cleansed again and again.
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" - Hebrews 9:14 KJV
An eye for an eye just made everyone hurt. Jesus gives all the parties who believe peace without retaliation. No one else can reach that far into a man or woman.
No one else can clean the soul.
--
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
You Are Clean By His Word
"Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:3-5 ESV
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." - 1 John 1:8-10 ESV
If you are clean it is because of the word He has spoken. His word becomes a habitation.
If we say, 'You are not qualified to tell me anything.' or 'I don't need you.' then we have nowhere to live with God and God has nowhere to live in us.
Simple.
My history was not been clean but my present is and my future is. His word comes in and overrides the past. We are washed in places nothing else can reach. The depths of us become clean. God declares it to be so legally by decree.
God has a place for us where we are accepted, loved and appreciated. We can live there.
--
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." - 1 John 1:8-10 ESV
If you are clean it is because of the word He has spoken. His word becomes a habitation.
If we say, 'You are not qualified to tell me anything.' or 'I don't need you.' then we have nowhere to live with God and God has nowhere to live in us.
Simple.
My history was not been clean but my present is and my future is. His word comes in and overrides the past. We are washed in places nothing else can reach. The depths of us become clean. God declares it to be so legally by decree.
God has a place for us where we are accepted, loved and appreciated. We can live there.
--
Friday, June 10, 2016
A Stack Of Clean Towels
Praying and repenting this morning. I sit here again... chagrined and uncomfortable as Jesus washes my feet. He isn't making me feel this way. He is taking the feeling away moment by moment. But, How wrong it is that The King of kings would wash this dusty little man's feet. I want to put on my best face for Him but here He is seeing the worst of me... again.
"Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:7-8 ESV
How much like Peter we all are.
The great thing is that when it is done we stand up clean again and our best face is just revealed... It isn't put on.
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." - 1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV
So here I sit. I come to God based on His work on the cross. My King still easily finds His towel and gently kneels before me. Tears fill my eyes now thinking about it. I should be bowing before Him but here He Is serving me and cleaning up my mess once again.
When He is done He looks me in the eyes and says...
"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you." - Song of Songs 4:7 ESV
He is not counting the times I have needed this cleansing. He is busy numbering the hairs on my head. He is just loving me and looking forward to what He has planned for the day. That is over and done but a stack of clean towels are waiting on the shelf nearby.
Jesus did a work 2,000 years ago. That work is finished. Grace does a work once again today. By grace I can arise and go into a very productive day. By grace I can have joy unspeakable and full of glory because my feet have been gently handled by the Savior of the world.
--
"Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:7-8 ESV
How much like Peter we all are.
The great thing is that when it is done we stand up clean again and our best face is just revealed... It isn't put on.
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." - 1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV
So here I sit. I come to God based on His work on the cross. My King still easily finds His towel and gently kneels before me. Tears fill my eyes now thinking about it. I should be bowing before Him but here He Is serving me and cleaning up my mess once again.
When He is done He looks me in the eyes and says...
"You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you." - Song of Songs 4:7 ESV
He is not counting the times I have needed this cleansing. He is busy numbering the hairs on my head. He is just loving me and looking forward to what He has planned for the day. That is over and done but a stack of clean towels are waiting on the shelf nearby.
Jesus did a work 2,000 years ago. That work is finished. Grace does a work once again today. By grace I can arise and go into a very productive day. By grace I can have joy unspeakable and full of glory because my feet have been gently handled by the Savior of the world.
--
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
That Moment
That moment you realize that you are just being stubborn. You get flashes of your attitude and responses over the last few days and realize but instead of continuing in it you cry out to God, 'Oh, Have mercy on me.' and all of your mental rebellion comes pouring out as you close your eyes and turn to God and speak to Him again. The moment of decision comes and you choose humility instead of clinging to hurt. The Finished Work of the cross contrasts your stubbornness and you are overwhelmed by the mercy available to you... that is a good moment
God is stubborn about redemption. His mercy flows like a river. It can either rush past you or you can wade in and be made clean by the flow.
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God is stubborn about redemption. His mercy flows like a river. It can either rush past you or you can wade in and be made clean by the flow.
--
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
The Fire And The Water
Water washes things. Fire changes things.
"...you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance." - Psalm 66:12 ESV
"...when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning." - Isaiah 4:4 ESV
We have a gas stove. I like cooking with gas. The heat seems easier to control. Perhaps there is better technology out there but I and fond of gas stoves.
When the knob is turned the gas in released and something ignites it. It might be a pilot light that is always burning or it might be a sparker of some kind that makes a clicking noise when the knob is in a certain place.
Fire, water and abundance. That is the order. Fire cooks changing raw ingredients into food but intense fire purges. Water washes the grime away. Then God gives abundance.
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." - Hebrews 12:22-29 ESV
It makes me think of holiness. The Spirit of Grace is also the Spirit of burning. Grace changes us and purges us.
"Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done." - 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 ESV
Holiness is what I want. Heat is required and a spark is required to turn that gas into flame so that the change can happen. If the materials are right the change is a melting change. Gold, silver and precious stones are not consumed... they are molded and set into place.
I look around and I see flammable culture and when people talk about wanting to exit a potential bonfire before it explodes into flame I understand that feeling.
When we know God's character and nature we have great respect for His power and we don't live in fear of His fire. It is controlled and His timing is always perfect. He is for us and never against us even if He turns something we were once fond of into ashes that need to be washed away.
Let's build on a foundation that can't be moved with materials that melt but don't burst into flame and if the fire touches our life then let the water of the word come in to wash away the ashes and cool us down again so that blessing can be abundant in our life.
--
"...you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance." - Psalm 66:12 ESV
"...when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning." - Isaiah 4:4 ESV
We have a gas stove. I like cooking with gas. The heat seems easier to control. Perhaps there is better technology out there but I and fond of gas stoves.
When the knob is turned the gas in released and something ignites it. It might be a pilot light that is always burning or it might be a sparker of some kind that makes a clicking noise when the knob is in a certain place.
Fire, water and abundance. That is the order. Fire cooks changing raw ingredients into food but intense fire purges. Water washes the grime away. Then God gives abundance.
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.' This phrase, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." - Hebrews 12:22-29 ESV
It makes me think of holiness. The Spirit of Grace is also the Spirit of burning. Grace changes us and purges us.
"Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw - each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done." - 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 ESV
Holiness is what I want. Heat is required and a spark is required to turn that gas into flame so that the change can happen. If the materials are right the change is a melting change. Gold, silver and precious stones are not consumed... they are molded and set into place.
I look around and I see flammable culture and when people talk about wanting to exit a potential bonfire before it explodes into flame I understand that feeling.
When we know God's character and nature we have great respect for His power and we don't live in fear of His fire. It is controlled and His timing is always perfect. He is for us and never against us even if He turns something we were once fond of into ashes that need to be washed away.
Let's build on a foundation that can't be moved with materials that melt but don't burst into flame and if the fire touches our life then let the water of the word come in to wash away the ashes and cool us down again so that blessing can be abundant in our life.
--
Friday, February 26, 2016
The Deafening Sound Of The Waterfall
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life." - Psalm 42:5-8 ESV
The Hebrew word translated as waterfalls here is tsinnuwr (Strong's H6794). In the KJV it reads waterspouts. It could describe a tornado touching down on the water and drawing the water from the ocean into the sky or water roaring as it falls and mingles into the water below.
If you have ever stood next to a sizable waterfall you know how loud it is. A tornado sounds like a freight train is roaring right past you when you are close to one. It is almost deafening. This speaks of a sound that overwhelms our senses or waves that buffet us so that we can't keep our footed and we must hold our breadth as they come in to survive.
At times God's grace voice must overwhelm our inner voice. We construct these complex rational structures but God wants the water to flow so He floods us with grace so deefening that we stop listening to ourselves.
This has happened to me in worship. I go away. I enter in the music and participate with all rest of creation and celebrate my creator. Work problems don't exist. How I look in the mirror is far away. I have no past. There is only worship.
It has happened to me when I have heard a message preached by a man of understanding who was anointed by God to deliver that message. The water of God's word was so forceful that I was overwhelmed and brought into the thinking environment that was being presented to me. Jesus didn't die 2,000 years ago on a cross. It was happening right in the moment as it was being described and the waters of it pounded me and life poured into me as life drained out of Him for my sake.
"The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." - Proverbs 20:5 ESV
Are you cast down? God wants to draw the poison out of your soul and pour His life into you. Your inner recriminations must be silenced and replaced by grace thoughts. Speak grace to yourself. Be around people who speak grace.
Sometimes silence is the worst thing for us because we need to hear words from God. There needs to be an exchange of life. Two friends who don't speak can grow distant from one another because one, or both, of them are speaking the wrong things to themselves.
Sometimes we all need peace and quiet but we also need the place that deafens our inner voice and replaces it with God's noise and God's mind. A balance of both is a healthy thing.
God loves you without conditions because all the strict conditions were already met by His Son. I pray that God overwhelms you with this concept this weekend or one day very soon.
It is wonderfully refreshing when the fresh water from the waterfalls fills our pool and displaces what was there. Life can happen in that noisy flow.
--
The Hebrew word translated as waterfalls here is tsinnuwr (Strong's H6794). In the KJV it reads waterspouts. It could describe a tornado touching down on the water and drawing the water from the ocean into the sky or water roaring as it falls and mingles into the water below.
If you have ever stood next to a sizable waterfall you know how loud it is. A tornado sounds like a freight train is roaring right past you when you are close to one. It is almost deafening. This speaks of a sound that overwhelms our senses or waves that buffet us so that we can't keep our footed and we must hold our breadth as they come in to survive.
At times God's grace voice must overwhelm our inner voice. We construct these complex rational structures but God wants the water to flow so He floods us with grace so deefening that we stop listening to ourselves.
This has happened to me in worship. I go away. I enter in the music and participate with all rest of creation and celebrate my creator. Work problems don't exist. How I look in the mirror is far away. I have no past. There is only worship.
It has happened to me when I have heard a message preached by a man of understanding who was anointed by God to deliver that message. The water of God's word was so forceful that I was overwhelmed and brought into the thinking environment that was being presented to me. Jesus didn't die 2,000 years ago on a cross. It was happening right in the moment as it was being described and the waters of it pounded me and life poured into me as life drained out of Him for my sake.
"The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." - Proverbs 20:5 ESV
Are you cast down? God wants to draw the poison out of your soul and pour His life into you. Your inner recriminations must be silenced and replaced by grace thoughts. Speak grace to yourself. Be around people who speak grace.
Sometimes silence is the worst thing for us because we need to hear words from God. There needs to be an exchange of life. Two friends who don't speak can grow distant from one another because one, or both, of them are speaking the wrong things to themselves.
Sometimes we all need peace and quiet but we also need the place that deafens our inner voice and replaces it with God's noise and God's mind. A balance of both is a healthy thing.
God loves you without conditions because all the strict conditions were already met by His Son. I pray that God overwhelms you with this concept this weekend or one day very soon.
It is wonderfully refreshing when the fresh water from the waterfalls fills our pool and displaces what was there. Life can happen in that noisy flow.
--
Monday, October 5, 2015
Clean Feet
It is not easy to trick a person who stands on principles. The person who lives for pleasure is easily drawn away.
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-2a, 4b-5 ESV
I want this to be a good week. I don't want to be taken for a ride this week. So, I'll focus on the 'good and perfect' gifts that come from God.
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." - James 1:12-18 ESV
God gives true acceptance. God gives hope for the future. God has given us a cleansing provision that keeps us clean because it continually washes us as we walk in a sometimes dusty world.
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:3-8 ESV
We must let Him serve us. We can be kept experientially clean by grace. If we live by principles then we will not be easily drawn away by passions.
Thank you God for another week. Thank you for new opportunities. Give us creativity. Let us see temptation a mile away and help us to flee it's grip. You have made us 'the head' and not 'the tail' and we are believing that you will give us power to in your purity this week. Thank you God.
--
"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." - Psalm 1:1-3 ESV
"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." - 2 Timothy 3:1-2a, 4b-5 ESV
I want this to be a good week. I don't want to be taken for a ride this week. So, I'll focus on the 'good and perfect' gifts that come from God.
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." - James 1:12-18 ESV
God gives true acceptance. God gives hope for the future. God has given us a cleansing provision that keeps us clean because it continually washes us as we walk in a sometimes dusty world.
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' " - John 13:3-8 ESV
We must let Him serve us. We can be kept experientially clean by grace. If we live by principles then we will not be easily drawn away by passions.
Thank you God for another week. Thank you for new opportunities. Give us creativity. Let us see temptation a mile away and help us to flee it's grip. You have made us 'the head' and not 'the tail' and we are believing that you will give us power to in your purity this week. Thank you God.
--
Monday, June 15, 2015
Experiencing The Relationship
How easy it is for us to be isolated from the present reality of a relationship through a lack of communication.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:7-9 ESV
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." - Hebrews 9:13-14 ESV
Yesterday at the service by the river P Veader made a great statement when he spoke about the work of the blood of Christ cleansing us. He said in effect (I'm not quoting him directly) that we need confession because we need to experience forgiveness and forgiveness is not real to us unless we experience it.
That is so true.
" 'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?"
And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching," - Matthew 7:21-28 ESV
People will know of Jesus but not know Him. We 'know of' people but don't know them but when there is communication then we can know them and have a relationship. As we live in transparency before people we extend a hand to them and relationships are possible. Sure, people can speak many words and hide their true selves. Folks do that all the time but eventually the masks fall away in the light of truth. Grace makes them obsolete. The blood of Christ nullifies the need for those defense mechanisms. The cross kills that old identity. People are raised with Christ in their experience when they participate in true fellowship.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
I think the people were astonished because Jesus was offering them an intimacy with God that they didn't think was possible to have. There are very few people who are open enough to talk to us this way in life. They didn't expect God would be a person like that.
We can get isolated and isolation is the enemy. When things start to build up in our minds it can distort our perception of how God sees us. As far as God is concerned the blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin. Our agreement just puts us on the same page with God in His thinking and two can't walk together unless they agree (see Amos 3:3).
As a friend we can refuse to impute sin to people. Or to put it another way we just don't put error or falling short on another person's account as a mark against them. Then in our communication we function that way. Our faith in God is on display because we trust that God has covered their sin as well as ours. We don't do this as naive people. If some one has a problem or a weakness we don't ignore it. We just don't treat them like they are their problem or focus on it as if it is associated with their identity. As we walk in the light we can have fellowship together.
I plan to walk with God today and if I fail I will confess to God that that failure is paid for. If and when others fail I will make a mental calculation that their sin is paid for also and treat them as justified people.
No isolation has to happen or be reinforced. We can be reconciled ones who have a ministry of reconciliation if we communicate in grace.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:7-9 ESV
"For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." - Hebrews 9:13-14 ESV
Yesterday at the service by the river P Veader made a great statement when he spoke about the work of the blood of Christ cleansing us. He said in effect (I'm not quoting him directly) that we need confession because we need to experience forgiveness and forgiveness is not real to us unless we experience it.
That is so true.
" 'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?"
And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.'
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching," - Matthew 7:21-28 ESV
People will know of Jesus but not know Him. We 'know of' people but don't know them but when there is communication then we can know them and have a relationship. As we live in transparency before people we extend a hand to them and relationships are possible. Sure, people can speak many words and hide their true selves. Folks do that all the time but eventually the masks fall away in the light of truth. Grace makes them obsolete. The blood of Christ nullifies the need for those defense mechanisms. The cross kills that old identity. People are raised with Christ in their experience when they participate in true fellowship.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20 ESV
I think the people were astonished because Jesus was offering them an intimacy with God that they didn't think was possible to have. There are very few people who are open enough to talk to us this way in life. They didn't expect God would be a person like that.
We can get isolated and isolation is the enemy. When things start to build up in our minds it can distort our perception of how God sees us. As far as God is concerned the blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin. Our agreement just puts us on the same page with God in His thinking and two can't walk together unless they agree (see Amos 3:3).
As a friend we can refuse to impute sin to people. Or to put it another way we just don't put error or falling short on another person's account as a mark against them. Then in our communication we function that way. Our faith in God is on display because we trust that God has covered their sin as well as ours. We don't do this as naive people. If some one has a problem or a weakness we don't ignore it. We just don't treat them like they are their problem or focus on it as if it is associated with their identity. As we walk in the light we can have fellowship together.
I plan to walk with God today and if I fail I will confess to God that that failure is paid for. If and when others fail I will make a mental calculation that their sin is paid for also and treat them as justified people.
No isolation has to happen or be reinforced. We can be reconciled ones who have a ministry of reconciliation if we communicate in grace.
--
Friday, February 20, 2015
Clean Free Hands
His mercies are new this morning. They are right out of the oven mercy. Fresh. Warm. Wholesome. New.
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' " - Lamentations 3:21-24 ESV
His quickening is real this morning.
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11 ESV
The Word is sharp and alive as ever.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12 ESV
His faithfulness is not yesterday's news. It is today's reality.
"For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!" - Psalm 117:2 ESV
"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;" - Isaiah 59:1 ESV
God's ears are awake and His arm is strong.
"Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore." - Psalm 121:4-8 ESV
He isn't sleeping. He hasn't forgotten us. He has been awake this whole time.
"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" - Psalm 130:3-5 ESV
New mercies mean new hope.
"A Song of Ascents. Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!" - Psalm 134 ESV
We let go of the old and lift holy hands. We don't want to hold on to that which is false and feed on ashes (see Isaiah 44:20).
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus" - Hebrews 12:1-2a ESV
Today we rise to drink the cup of salvation and rejoice in the freshness of who God Is and always will be. Today is a day to shake off the dust, cast all of our cares on Him and rejoice as we worship Him with clean free hands.
---
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' " - Lamentations 3:21-24 ESV
His quickening is real this morning.
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11 ESV
The Word is sharp and alive as ever.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12 ESV
His faithfulness is not yesterday's news. It is today's reality.
"For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!" - Psalm 117:2 ESV
"Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;" - Isaiah 59:1 ESV
God's ears are awake and His arm is strong.
"Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore." - Psalm 121:4-8 ESV
He isn't sleeping. He hasn't forgotten us. He has been awake this whole time.
"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" - Psalm 130:3-5 ESV
New mercies mean new hope.
"A Song of Ascents. Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD! May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!" - Psalm 134 ESV
We let go of the old and lift holy hands. We don't want to hold on to that which is false and feed on ashes (see Isaiah 44:20).
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus" - Hebrews 12:1-2a ESV
Today we rise to drink the cup of salvation and rejoice in the freshness of who God Is and always will be. Today is a day to shake off the dust, cast all of our cares on Him and rejoice as we worship Him with clean free hands.
---
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Cleaning Up
"They gathered their brothers and consecrated themselves and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. The priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it and carried it out to the brook Kidron. They began to consecrate on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. Then for eight days they consecrated the house of the LORD, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. Then they went in to Hezekiah the king and said, 'We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils. All the utensils that King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and consecrated, and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.' " - 2 Chronicles 29:15-19 ESV
In the verses to follow King Hezekiah would order the offerings to be made and there would be worship.
"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly." - 2 Chronicles 29:36 ESV
This whole chapter is a picture of conversion. I want to read it again and again and ask God to show me the little details and nuances that are found in these passages. This morning verses fifteen through nineteen really stuck in my mind.
I have never killed an animal and offered it up to God nor do I need to. Jesus is my priest and my offering. I have however taken out the trash and done the dishes. I have helped people move and done demo on a structure where the broken up structure needed to be dragged out and thrown into a dumpster.
A clean empty sink is a wonderful thing isn't it? Someone must clean the utensils.
You could preach a very legalistic message using this passage... a 'How can you worship if your house has not been cleaned first? Clean up your house.' sermon.
But if you look King Hezekiah isn't the one who cleaned up the mess. The priests did it.
Our priest is the One who does this work. He cleans and He offers. We reap the benefit of His work.
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." - Hebrews 9:11-14 ESV
"When he said above, 'You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings' (these are offered according to the law), then he added, 'Behold, I have come to do your will.' He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God" - Hebrews 10:8-12 ESV
No one wants faithless artifacts cluttering up our life. God will take them away if we let Him. The water of the Word can wash us clean. The sacrifice has already been made.
---
In the verses to follow King Hezekiah would order the offerings to be made and there would be worship.
"And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly." - 2 Chronicles 29:36 ESV
This whole chapter is a picture of conversion. I want to read it again and again and ask God to show me the little details and nuances that are found in these passages. This morning verses fifteen through nineteen really stuck in my mind.
I have never killed an animal and offered it up to God nor do I need to. Jesus is my priest and my offering. I have however taken out the trash and done the dishes. I have helped people move and done demo on a structure where the broken up structure needed to be dragged out and thrown into a dumpster.
A clean empty sink is a wonderful thing isn't it? Someone must clean the utensils.
You could preach a very legalistic message using this passage... a 'How can you worship if your house has not been cleaned first? Clean up your house.' sermon.
But if you look King Hezekiah isn't the one who cleaned up the mess. The priests did it.
Our priest is the One who does this work. He cleans and He offers. We reap the benefit of His work.
"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." - Hebrews 9:11-14 ESV
"When he said above, 'You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings' (these are offered according to the law), then he added, 'Behold, I have come to do your will.' He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God" - Hebrews 10:8-12 ESV
No one wants faithless artifacts cluttering up our life. God will take them away if we let Him. The water of the Word can wash us clean. The sacrifice has already been made.
---
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