"For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." - 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 ESV
Wow. Wow... Wow
We expound on Christ, who He Is, what He has done and Is doing and our Messiah is a crucified Messiah. That message is foolishness unless it is accompanied by a 'calling' and that is an invitation to 'walk together'.
"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' " - Matthew 4:19 ESV
"And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.' " - Matthew 8:22 ESV
"And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." - Matthew 10:38 ESV
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.' " - Matthew 16:24 ESV
That was Jesus 'Calling' His disciples and that is how He calls us. If we say 'do something' or demand wisdom from God that gives us the power we miss it but if we follow we get both and even more as time rolls out. We die to the old and grow in the new. Our Christ is a crucified One.
God's love and mercy are His weakness. He Is generous to the unworthy. He Is gracious. His weakness is stronger than men.
--
Monday, July 31, 2017
Friday, July 28, 2017
All From Three Mothers
Just pondering the time between Adam and Noah. It must have been very interesting. Wild. Dangerous. People lived long lives in a world that was very different than our own in many ways.
"The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living." - Genesis 3:20 ESV
"Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood." - Genesis 7:6-7 ESV
All of humanity came from one woman but then in Noah's time, the lineage of mankind was narrowed significantly. All of the mitochondrial DNA only gets passed down through these three women. Everyone on the planet today came from the traits these three women possessed.
What variation there must have been in that ancient world.
God narrowed humanity down. Our genetics was focused so that a child could be born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Mary was just a women like other woman but she was the right woman for the job even though she didn't seem to think so.
God arranged things so that you would be who you are. The molecules that make up your body at any given time were arranged by God to give you form so that you could have a chance to know your creator.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," - Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV
One day we are going to meet some strange folks. Their mothers died in the flood and our mothers didn't. Eternity has so much to look forward to if we know that baby born in Bethlehem.
--
"The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living." - Genesis 3:20 ESV
"Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came upon the earth. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood." - Genesis 7:6-7 ESV
All of humanity came from one woman but then in Noah's time, the lineage of mankind was narrowed significantly. All of the mitochondrial DNA only gets passed down through these three women. Everyone on the planet today came from the traits these three women possessed.
What variation there must have been in that ancient world.
God narrowed humanity down. Our genetics was focused so that a child could be born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Mary was just a women like other woman but she was the right woman for the job even though she didn't seem to think so.
God arranged things so that you would be who you are. The molecules that make up your body at any given time were arranged by God to give you form so that you could have a chance to know your creator.
"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," - Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV
One day we are going to meet some strange folks. Their mothers died in the flood and our mothers didn't. Eternity has so much to look forward to if we know that baby born in Bethlehem.
--
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Numerical Correlations - Part 1
You may have noticed that I don't rely heavily on 'numerical correlations' in my interpretation of the scriptures. Some preachers do and they use that method wisely. Clearly, some numbers in the scriptures have great meaning and significance.
Twelve, for example, is used again and again. Israel had twelve tribes and many twelves in the Hebrew scriptures relate to that. Piles of twelve stones. Twelve loaves of show bread. Jesus has twelve disciples in the Gospels.
Ok, I see that. The number twelve represents something. The question is, 'How far do I take that?' because I see people go quite far down the rabbit hole and start finding 'numerical significance' everywhere and start using it to justify 'doctrinal significance.' They start saying things like, 'This person should be in elected into leadership because they have twelve letters in their name.' or they use strange arithmetic adding and subtracting and coming to conclusions.
I am very wary of that kind of teaching. Authoritative claims are made that are not found in a plain reading of the text. The scripture has one 'essential' doctrine and to understand that doctrine you don't need any understanding of the numbers of the Bible.
Salvation is the 'essential' doctrine.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." - John 3:16-18 ESV
The Bible is an amazingly symmetrical book like nothing else. There is much to be learned by examining the engineering of it but Christ must be central.
Who called the twelve disciples? He did. Who gave Abraham twelve children? It was God.
If someone does not have the core understanding of salvation by grace as central in their teaching I really don't care what else they have to say about the Bible or spirituality. Knowledge like that is a distraction and not a blessing.
So, I ask you. Do you have the 'essential' truth of the scripture? Do you know that Jesus came to Earth and died on a cross to save your soul and everyone who would believe in Him?
Let that be our foundation. If we have that we can study the Bible and it will blossom like a flower. Then the tools we have can be useful and helpful in watering the incorruptible seed that has taken root in our life and given us a brand new identity.
--
Twelve, for example, is used again and again. Israel had twelve tribes and many twelves in the Hebrew scriptures relate to that. Piles of twelve stones. Twelve loaves of show bread. Jesus has twelve disciples in the Gospels.
Ok, I see that. The number twelve represents something. The question is, 'How far do I take that?' because I see people go quite far down the rabbit hole and start finding 'numerical significance' everywhere and start using it to justify 'doctrinal significance.' They start saying things like, 'This person should be in elected into leadership because they have twelve letters in their name.' or they use strange arithmetic adding and subtracting and coming to conclusions.
I am very wary of that kind of teaching. Authoritative claims are made that are not found in a plain reading of the text. The scripture has one 'essential' doctrine and to understand that doctrine you don't need any understanding of the numbers of the Bible.
Salvation is the 'essential' doctrine.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." - John 3:16-18 ESV
The Bible is an amazingly symmetrical book like nothing else. There is much to be learned by examining the engineering of it but Christ must be central.
Who called the twelve disciples? He did. Who gave Abraham twelve children? It was God.
If someone does not have the core understanding of salvation by grace as central in their teaching I really don't care what else they have to say about the Bible or spirituality. Knowledge like that is a distraction and not a blessing.
So, I ask you. Do you have the 'essential' truth of the scripture? Do you know that Jesus came to Earth and died on a cross to save your soul and everyone who would believe in Him?
Let that be our foundation. If we have that we can study the Bible and it will blossom like a flower. Then the tools we have can be useful and helpful in watering the incorruptible seed that has taken root in our life and given us a brand new identity.
--
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
The Oasis Of Grace
This is a core truth. This truth is an oasis for the self-image...
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain..." - 1 Corinthians 15:10a ESV
Whatever you 'are' since the moment you first believed can only be understood in God's grace. Every other lens is deceitful.
I have met some awesome people. I'm thinking of a few of them this morning. These people are radically different from one another in so many ways. They look different. They have different personalities and tendencies. Some are so talented and creative. It shocks me. Some are steadfast and patient. Others are quiet and I feel I barely know them because who they truly are is only partially on display while other wear their hearts right out there where everyone can see.
I sit here comfortable in my own skin because I am what I am by grace and I know that is true for each person I love and admire.
I often have wished I had other talents and abilities. I have wanted to be something or someone else. But God's grace is an oasis from all of that. In that place called grace, YOU are loved and grace given is never in vain.
We can seek to understand, praise and affirm people and that is needed but giving and explaining grace by living in it has no substitute.
I pray for the ones in my circle that are so different from me and each other. I pray that God would make me a minister of reconciliation. A priest. A friend. A fellow traveler. A broken man made whole on display.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace..." - Hebrews 13:8-9a NLT
Yes. Yes, It does.
--
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain..." - 1 Corinthians 15:10a ESV
Whatever you 'are' since the moment you first believed can only be understood in God's grace. Every other lens is deceitful.
I have met some awesome people. I'm thinking of a few of them this morning. These people are radically different from one another in so many ways. They look different. They have different personalities and tendencies. Some are so talented and creative. It shocks me. Some are steadfast and patient. Others are quiet and I feel I barely know them because who they truly are is only partially on display while other wear their hearts right out there where everyone can see.
I sit here comfortable in my own skin because I am what I am by grace and I know that is true for each person I love and admire.
I often have wished I had other talents and abilities. I have wanted to be something or someone else. But God's grace is an oasis from all of that. In that place called grace, YOU are loved and grace given is never in vain.
We can seek to understand, praise and affirm people and that is needed but giving and explaining grace by living in it has no substitute.
I pray for the ones in my circle that are so different from me and each other. I pray that God would make me a minister of reconciliation. A priest. A friend. A fellow traveler. A broken man made whole on display.
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God's grace..." - Hebrews 13:8-9a NLT
Yes. Yes, It does.
--
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Restoration When He Appears
This is what happens when God visits you...
"Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten." - Joel 1:2-4 ESV
""Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. "The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame. "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit." - Joel 2:23-29 ESV
Jesus will return as a king coming for His bride and He will bring personal restoration with Him. It could be this year.
"And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." - Matthew 24:31-37 ESV
Yes. He Is going to return but He visits us in this age. He makes His presence known in gatherings...
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."" - Matthew 18:20 ESV
He also comes in the scriptures...
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me," - Psalm 40:7 KJV
When He comes He restores something. His full arrival will bring great restoration but His 'visitations' also have a restorative quality. He meets us in our spirit that has been made alive and our sanity is restored. Our emotions get renewed. Our thinking and perspective get aligned.
I want to be where God is visiting. I open my Bible or a booklet that was transcribed from an anointed message and God visits me. Scripture correlates with scripture and a piece of my time is restored. The space where I am sitting becomes holy and reclaimed for those moments. When God gives me an appointment with a person that is divinely scheduled and I have my 'feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace' that time is a time of restoration.
You and I may have experienced great loss in our lives but God can restore in ways beyond our imagining. His arrival mystically does that.
The Apostle Paul said this:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." - 2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV
Yes. A crown just for those who want God to visit. It becomes their lifestyle. They invite Him. Amazing.
--
"Hear this, you elders; give ear, all inhabitants of the land! Has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation. What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten." - Joel 1:2-4 ESV
""Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. "The threshing floors shall be full of grain; the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else. And my people shall never again be put to shame. "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit." - Joel 2:23-29 ESV
Jesus will return as a king coming for His bride and He will bring personal restoration with Him. It could be this year.
"And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." - Matthew 24:31-37 ESV
Yes. He Is going to return but He visits us in this age. He makes His presence known in gatherings...
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."" - Matthew 18:20 ESV
He also comes in the scriptures...
"Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me," - Psalm 40:7 KJV
When He comes He restores something. His full arrival will bring great restoration but His 'visitations' also have a restorative quality. He meets us in our spirit that has been made alive and our sanity is restored. Our emotions get renewed. Our thinking and perspective get aligned.
I want to be where God is visiting. I open my Bible or a booklet that was transcribed from an anointed message and God visits me. Scripture correlates with scripture and a piece of my time is restored. The space where I am sitting becomes holy and reclaimed for those moments. When God gives me an appointment with a person that is divinely scheduled and I have my 'feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace' that time is a time of restoration.
You and I may have experienced great loss in our lives but God can restore in ways beyond our imagining. His arrival mystically does that.
The Apostle Paul said this:
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." - 2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV
Yes. A crown just for those who want God to visit. It becomes their lifestyle. They invite Him. Amazing.
--
Monday, July 24, 2017
What Abounds More?
"Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 5:20-21 ESV
Who is the better athlete? Is it man's sinfulness or God's grace? The work that grace does in a person 'abounds' more than what sin is capable of.
Sin reigned (past tense) in death but grace reigns in right standing which is vital to eternal life. What a statement!
Grace gives right standing in one faith transaction. Believe in Jesus and all of a sudden a person is right with God forever and reigning in righteousness eternally in their standing.
Sin brings shame (self-hatred) but grace disarms and undoes that work in it's continual multiplication.
" 'Ah, stubborn children,' declares the LORD, 'who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;...' " - Isaiah 30:1 ESV
"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." - 2 Peter 1:2 ESV
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you." - 1 Peter 1:1-2 ESV
Sin is added but grace multiplies.
Sin can reign in a person's life until it kills them and brings them into a Godless eternity. It is powerful. More powerful than a person's will or human goodness but it is small potatoes compared to God's grace.
Grace is the winner!
What will happen in our situations this week? Will we believe God and let grace do it's work or will we just live in the addition of sin in our experience? We have the option to believe and operate proactively from rest and we will be amazed at the eventual outcome.
--
Who is the better athlete? Is it man's sinfulness or God's grace? The work that grace does in a person 'abounds' more than what sin is capable of.
Sin reigned (past tense) in death but grace reigns in right standing which is vital to eternal life. What a statement!
Grace gives right standing in one faith transaction. Believe in Jesus and all of a sudden a person is right with God forever and reigning in righteousness eternally in their standing.
Sin brings shame (self-hatred) but grace disarms and undoes that work in it's continual multiplication.
" 'Ah, stubborn children,' declares the LORD, 'who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;...' " - Isaiah 30:1 ESV
"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." - 2 Peter 1:2 ESV
"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you." - 1 Peter 1:1-2 ESV
Sin is added but grace multiplies.
Sin can reign in a person's life until it kills them and brings them into a Godless eternity. It is powerful. More powerful than a person's will or human goodness but it is small potatoes compared to God's grace.
Grace is the winner!
What will happen in our situations this week? Will we believe God and let grace do it's work or will we just live in the addition of sin in our experience? We have the option to believe and operate proactively from rest and we will be amazed at the eventual outcome.
--
Friday, July 21, 2017
The Priestly Ministry
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior," - 1 Timothy 2:1-3 ESV
This is so good. People need prayer and we need it also.
As communication has become easier criticism has also.
I can't hate someone I am praying for. Those kinds of things dissolve in the presence of a holy loving God. Leaders are easy to hate. They make impactful decisions and those decisions are going to affect a percentage of people negatively.
People do stupid, crazy, thoughtless and dangerous things. Let pray for the idiots in our life. They need it and we need it. It is part of the ministry of the believer priest.
Only the priests could enter into the holy places of the temple in Israel. Everyone else brought sacrifices and their access brought them to the brazen altar (which for us is the cross). The priests washed in the laver, a large polished bronze bowl that was filled with clean water. They saw their reflection in that hypnotic bowl. They were cleansed subjectively and objectively. They felt clean after they washed off the blood. They smelled the show bread and the oil burning clean in the menorah. (Exodus 30, Leviticus 24)
If we have no priestly ministry we never get past the cross.
We need the cleansing of the laver. We need to smell the smells of Heavenly thinking. The flicker of the light of the burning candlesticks give us hope like nothing else can. Those lights are forever. They never go out.
Let's pray for those in 'high positions'. They need it and we need to don the light linens of the priest. It will give us an oasis in a crazy merciless world. It will keep us sane.
--
This is so good. People need prayer and we need it also.
As communication has become easier criticism has also.
I can't hate someone I am praying for. Those kinds of things dissolve in the presence of a holy loving God. Leaders are easy to hate. They make impactful decisions and those decisions are going to affect a percentage of people negatively.
People do stupid, crazy, thoughtless and dangerous things. Let pray for the idiots in our life. They need it and we need it. It is part of the ministry of the believer priest.
Only the priests could enter into the holy places of the temple in Israel. Everyone else brought sacrifices and their access brought them to the brazen altar (which for us is the cross). The priests washed in the laver, a large polished bronze bowl that was filled with clean water. They saw their reflection in that hypnotic bowl. They were cleansed subjectively and objectively. They felt clean after they washed off the blood. They smelled the show bread and the oil burning clean in the menorah. (Exodus 30, Leviticus 24)
If we have no priestly ministry we never get past the cross.
We need the cleansing of the laver. We need to smell the smells of Heavenly thinking. The flicker of the light of the burning candlesticks give us hope like nothing else can. Those lights are forever. They never go out.
Let's pray for those in 'high positions'. They need it and we need to don the light linens of the priest. It will give us an oasis in a crazy merciless world. It will keep us sane.
--
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