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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Tag: Identity (Page 3 of 3)

Actions, Not Words.

June 26, 2021 /
MaryEllen Montville

“But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful]” –Romans 14:23.

They will know us by our fruit. Aka—how we live, speak, act—react, and how we love, our choices. We can say we’re a Christian all day long—but they will know us—believe us, trust us, follow us, as we follow Christ. They will judge us by our fruit, our example. Not by our lip service.

Chapter 14 of Romans is filled with what we as Christians are allowed to do—our liberties. Those things we can eat, drink, watch, participate in, who we ought to become “besties” with, where we can spend time together. And regarding these things, our choices then reflect our level of maturity—our understanding or our lack thereof; choices that will highlight the strong brother’s character—and the weak one.

We won’t focus on the definition of what is clean and unclean today—those examples found in Leviticus—in the law handed down from Moses. Paul has covered that far better than I could ever hope to. Nor will I be recapping the numerous commentaries written concerning the turbulent era of a newborn Church. From the infancy of the Mosaic era, a Church born from the belly of the familiar rites and rituals into this brand-new, unfamiliar, “adulting in Christ.” Of chasing after, desiring—trying, failing, getting up, and striving to—follow after Christ’s teachings. (Galatians 5:2-4; Galatians 2:21; Romans 15:4).

Today, instead, we’ll focus on the final words of verse 23. “For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin.” Why? Because Paul forces us here to look beyond our liberties, those things he’s already outlined and leads us instead, into those recesses of ourselves, those places we’d often rather ignore. In this verse, Paul delineates the difference between what we can do as fellow believers and what we cannot. We can eat meat. We cannot allow unrepented sin of any kind to exist in our lives, etc. If something is pricking our conscience, we must repent of it—must address it with God and turn from it. We can drink wine if our conscience allows us, but we cannot lie, steal, cheat, nor commit adultery. We can’t smoke crack, sleep around, or continue to cover up our past dirty deeds like a dog covers his bone. Within this verse, Paul’s instructions concerning what we can or cannot do as Christians reach far beyond food and drink. It reaches instead into the realm of “anything” that convicts us, whether that be an action that’s offensive to another brother, food or drink, or some deeper hidden thing—some secret or unconfessed sin.

If it convicts us—it is a sin, and we must confess it, least it keeps us separated from God. And, in opening this Scripture up in this way, Paul, whether intentionally or not, linked it back to a conversation—a teaching concerning the Truth of setting men free. Truth Jesus had shared with the His fellow Jews. You can read Jesus’ teaching in John 8:31-59.

Jesus assured us in John 8:36 that if we are indeed His, His child—if our faith and hope are in Him alone, we are freed then, by Him, from the power of the subjective truths of this world. “So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.” Released from these deceptive so-called “truths” that permeate our society—that once permeated our lives before we knew Christ. Those voices of relative reason that say: because it is true for me—then it is true.

Jesus, however, assures us that if we are His, we will hear His voice—the Voice of Truth—and we’ll hear it purely, above all those contaminated voices clamoring for our attention-seeking to distract us—to devour us. John 10:27; Romans 12:2;1 Peter 5:8).

And yet this is a process for the Christian. Not His Truth, mind you—His Truth is instant, constant, clear, pure, never-changing, eternal. However, learning to hear it more clearly and trust it without question, is a process. It is part of the awe-inspiring journey of discovering, of following after, Christ. Of growing, and maturing in Him, as His child—in being His follower, His servant. Yet Paul reminds us that even in this, in our desire to follow Christ wholeheartedly, we each will do it differently—following a calling uniquely our own. One which will eventually lead us to a solid, sure standing in Christ. By His mercy and grace, and in His Divine timing, landing us exactly where it is He intended us to be.

Don’t get it twisted now. I’m in no way saying that all roads lead to Rome—here, meaning God. There is only one way back to a right relationship with the Father: through His only Begotten—sinless Son, Jesus Christ! “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6.

That clarified, our unique callings do not exempt us from collectively clinging to Jesus in times of uncertainty—or of not adhering to the precepts He’s lovingly provided us—to guide us in our learning, our Christian walk. Are we free to go our own way when His way is not immediately apparent to us? Must we continue to keep ourselves pure and accountable by self-examination through prayer and supplications? Yes, and yes! We each are accountable! And, because of our accountability—we must confess our sin as our consciousness demands it.

Our “different paths,” our uniqueness’s—are as singular as our relationships with Christ are. As our relationships with each other—our children, friends, coworkers, family members are. God deals with each of us according to His knowledge of us, yet equally. No man is above God’s law. Hence, we must be faithful to God and properly, reverently employ the gifts, talents, provisions, and knowledge He has bestowed upon us. Trusting that what He has provided us is all we need for our leg of the journey. True freedom—maturity in Christ, comes first, from knowing Christ through a genuine conversion, then from a loving, intimate relationship with our God—and through a lasting faith steeped and upheld in His Word. Maturity comes through time and testing. In having witnessed God’s undeserved faithfulness over and over and over again. Maturity comes in loving Jesus above all else, above everyone else.

As we grow in God—He alone opens the eyes of our understanding and strengthens us to do all that He has called us to do in Him. Yet, never forget my brothers and sisters that the eyes of the world are always watching us. And they will either want we have or, they’ll be repelled by it; how you live your life matters—keeping your hands, heart, and life clean and upright matters; your walk matching up with your words matters. Your words then, actions, and reactions matter. Keeping your conscience pure before God and man matters. This, in essence, is the modern-day version of what Paul has just spoken to us in verse 23.

In closing, I’ll remind you yet again: “They will know us by our fruit.” Aka—how we live, speak, act—react, and how we love, our choices. We can say we’re a Christian all day long—but they will know us—believe us, trust us, follow us, only as we follow Christ. They will judge us by our fruit, our example. Not by our lip service.

So, I will leave you then right where we started, with the words of the Apostle Paul. Words of wisdom and encouragement both. And, if applied, words that can lead and guide us into a fuller—more unrestrained faith indeed! “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall” –Romans 14:19-21.

Friend, if you have read this far and do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you not to live one more day without Him in your life! Won’t you welcome Him in as Lord right now? Then watch the fruit of your life change as you learn to trust, love, and walk with Him, daily…

Preparing the Way.

December 26, 2020 /
MaryEllen Montville

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction” –Malachi 4:4-6.

In the Old Testament Canon, we hear the Holy Spirit’s final Words pointing us firstly towards John the Baptist. Toward his crying out in the Judean wilderness to all who will listen concerning Jesus’s imminent arrival. “He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” –Luke 1:17. Malachi’s final verses in the Old Testament are a bridge connecting us to the promises that will not see their fulfillment before Christ’s second coming. And within these closing verses of Malachi, we discover a harbinger, also. For clarity’s sake, let’s define that term. Harbinger: a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another; a forerunner of something. A Harbinger is a sign, a herald, a forewarning. It announces some future event—good or bad. A harbinger is an anticipatory sign, much like crocuses and budding branches are in spring. Like dark storm clouds on the horizon, it can imply a storm is on its way. Today’s Scripture verse is just such a harbinger, a warning that something sudden and life-changing is on its way.

Biblically speaking, harbingers are often given us in advance of some impending judgment or possible disaster that we might repent, having been forewarned. Israel, and through them, the gentile nation would soon receive just such a sign in the person of John the Baptist. Israel had turned away from God—all but forgetting Him. Stepping out of the dry and dusty obscurity of the Judean desert, John the Baptist’s sole message a clarion call to anyone who would receive it: “…His message was, Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” –Matthew 3:2. A strongly expressed, far-reaching demand for action if ever I have heard one. More, it is a harbinger that will remain unchanging until the last of those Christ has called to Himself answers Him. This call is challenging people as acutely today as it challenged them when John first spoke it—forcing them to turn either towards Jesus or away decidedly.

God designed us—our heart, to recognize His Truth when we hear it—our consciouses instantly pricked then, having recognized His voice.

Today’s few Scripture verses ought to make us pause and reflect on what the Holy Spirit is saying to His people—these Words His last for some 400 years! Indeed, they must contain the hope and promise, and direction needed to sustain us through such a long silence.

Within them, Malachi challenges us never to forget the laws given to us by God. How appropriate as we stand facing the close of another year, a gracious gift to take with us lest we forget God’s mercy, His “guardrails”—those immovable boundaries He has set in place both to guide and protect us in the form of His Commandments. “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel” –Malachi 4:4. Next, Malachi encourages us to look forward with hope, looking towards this “Elijah” who will prepare the way for Christ’s return. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes” –Malachi 4:5. Lastly, he encourages us by speaking of restoration and renewal, not destruction, as the portions reserved for God’s children. “And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction” –Malachi 4:6.

These verses are like superfoods for those of us who believe. They are chuck full of direction, hope, and promise. They are the bridge that connects the closing Words of the Old Testament and the opening Words of the New. In them, we are encouraged to look back and remember how God has freed each of us from our personal Egypt. From what and where it is, He has delivered us. Because as certainly as God delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh’s death grip on their lives, so too He has delivered you and me from the grip of sin and death on our own—if we have accepted Him as our Saviour and Lord. “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin” –Romans 6:6-7.

God, mercifully, with Moses as our witness, made His first covenant with us on Mount Horeb—revealing His profound love and power, His intentions for us—through His ordinances and commandments. These our guardrails then, saving our lives—protecting us from hurt, harm, and danger, if we’ll but obey them. The enemy has irrationally done everything in his limited power to maintain the façade that both he and sin will prevail on the earth. Malachi assures us just how wrong our enemy is, building a bridge of hope instead, carrying us into the New Testament towards Jesus, restoration, the forgiveness of sin, and new life. “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was” –Romans 6: 4-5.

And finally, in fulfillment of the Scriptures, Israel and the world will witness God’s two final witnesses. One of which will surely be like “Elijah” having the power to shut up the sky—just as we see the first Elijah did in 1 Kings 17:1.

“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire” –Revelation 11: 4-6.

These witnesses are the vessels used by God to continue His outpouring of undeserved mercy on a lost and a dying world. A world He chose to leave heaven for—offering Himself as the propitiation for its sins so that those who will receive Him will be restored into right relationship with the Father. He did this in Sodom, for Nineveh, and He did it in Jerusalem to pour out His mercy. And He is and will continue to lavish undeserved mercy on this world that has rejected Him—until He finally comes again. Jesus left His place at God’s side and wrapped Himself in human flesh, a Babe born in the lowliest of places all that He would one day offer Himself a living sacrifice for the world. From eternity past, it was the Father’s heart to bestow mercy upon us that we might be spared from the curse of sin and the second death. “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years” –Revelation 20:6.

So, now, in the closing hours of human history, God uses this same mercy to soften the hearts of the fathers toward their children and the hearts of the children toward their fathers.

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God” Romans 6: 6-10. And in kind, so must we.

Yesterday, we celebrated Christmas. And in our celebrating, remembering. We remembered why God’s Son was given us at all. This leading us back, finally, to the harbinger I spoke of earlier, that anticipatory sign, much like crocuses and budding branches in spring, like dark storm clouds on the horizon.

Concerning this harbinger, Matthew Henry states the following: Let the believer wait with patience for his release, and cheerfully expect the great day, when Christ shall come the second time to complete our salvation. But those must expect to be smitten with a sword, with a curse, who turn not to Him that smites them with a rod. None can expect to escape the curse of God’s broken law, nor to enjoy the happiness of his chosen and redeemed people, unless their hearts are turned from sin and the world, to Christ and holiness. His testament is stark certainly, but True, nevertheless.

Friends, as surely as Christ came to us the first time, He will come again. Ask yourself—have I prepared room for Him in my heart? If not, I urge you don’t delay! Please, do it now while there is still time. No man is promised tomorrow. “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” –John 5:28-29.

Head of The Table…

November 28, 2020 /
MaryEllen Montville

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]—From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” –Psalm 121:1-2.

This wasn’t the message I had intended to post today, yet it is God’s message for you; not that what I had written originally wasn’t intended for you, it was. My timing in sharing it was off, however. And timing matters greatly to God. Hence, this post in place of that one. I had planned to share a different message entirely. To point you in faith’s direction. Towards Father Abraham, and a gentile harlot named Rahab—but that will have to wait for some future date. This is God’s Word—humbly, I’ve been allowed to convey what it is He wants saying. So, for today, we’ll be talking about our Father. Let’s focus our attention then, on the head of the table—towards the seat of honor and authority—the host’s seat. The place where Dad sits. Where the first portion of every good thing brought to the table is served up.

It’s Saturday. The turkey is little more than a carcass by now—if there’s any leftover at all. The bowls of delicious sides are probably gone too. The pies and guests vanished. The platters, dishes, and pots, long washed and put away. The good china tucked safely away in the sideboard until next time. The host’s chair at the head of the table pushed back under it now, along with the rest of the chairs. Thanksgiving is over. That red number day on our wall calendars a memory now, stored away until another layer of memories is added to it next year. Should the Lord tarry.

But for you, dear Christian, though the red numbered day on your wall calendar is over, and all your favorite goodies are gone now. I pray your heart of thanksgiving burns as brightly today, tomorrow, next month, with thanks and praise to our God, as it did this past Thursday? As I stated earlier, the Lord caused me to momentarily look away from Abraham and Rahab—redirecting us instead to the Book of Psalms. Towards those 150 songs packed full—well, most of them at least, with praise and thanksgiving to Him—extolling His attributes. In psalm after psalm, we are directed, or redirected somehow, towards God—towards giving Him thanks and praise. No doubt why He has directed us here today. Yet far too often, sadly, we need reminding of just how magnificent He is. And so, throughout the Book of Psalms then, we are reminded of just who our God is. How Wonder-full. Reminded of His goodness and mercy and kindness. His faithfulness and long-suffering. Of the unfathomable depths of God’s unplumbed love for us.

Our giving thanks then, should be as natural as breathing for us. His Holy Spirit in us bringing back to our frail, forgetful flesh, in those moments and hours when we do forget, somehow, that it is this very same God of the Psalms who stood over the blank canvas of a yet created world and, with the power of His Word, filled it with His creations—everything we know and experience today. Just listen to the proofs offered us in the opening verses of Psalm 19: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]. Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world. In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun…”

And, because of this—this inescapable evidence of God’s existence, power, His majesty that so plainly surrounds every man, not one of us can use the excuse that we did not know God was real when we stand before Him. We can’t. It’s been removed by God from our endless list of excuses. It’s no longer usable when we’re faced with the proof of His very real realness—both day, and night! “O Lord, our Lord, How majestic and glorious and excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have displayed Your splendor above the heavens”–Psalm 8:1.

But why look to the head of the table? And what do the psalms and seating arrangements have to do with each other?

Customarily, it is the host—the head of the household, who sits at the head of the table. They take on the responsibility of ensuring that everyone who has been invited to join in the festivities has everything they need. And, while we’re talking about those who’ve been invited, it’s also the host who does the inviting as well. The host has also tended to the preparations. Planning for and providing everything needed to make each guest feel welcomed and well cared for. It is also the host who usually serves those who have been invited to their table. Any of this sounding familiar to you yet? If not, allow me to give you some clues as to where this is going. In sticking with the Psalms, let’s look at the opening verse of the 23rd Psalm—a clear giveaway. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  Need more still? Then let’s head over to Revelation 19: 6-9 then. “Then I heard again what sounded like the shouting of a huge crowd, or like the waves of a hundred oceans crashing on the shore, or like the mighty rolling of great thunder, “Praise the Lord. For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and honor him; for the time has come for the wedding banquet of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She is permitted to wear the cleanest and whitest and finest of linens.” (Fine linen represents the good deeds done by the people of God.) And the angel dictated this sentence to me: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “God himself has stated this.”

Friends, it is the Lord who has been given this seat of honor at the table of our hearts—and rightly so. He alone gave and continues to freely give, to us. We come owing Him everything—unto our very lives if need be. Everything we have a gift from Him—He owes us not one thing, and yet He gave the world His absolute best—His Son, Jesus. And He continues to invite us, daily, to partner with Him. Sharing with the whole world then, the Good News of this Jesus that He gave, and that we know and love. Love because He first loved us. And we partner with Him solely because He chose us, creating us to do so long before He knit us together in our mother’s womb. This God, our Lord, The King of kings who, when dinner was over, long after the preparing and serving and giving was done, donned a towel and washed the feet of those He had invited to His table. Then, He got up, and, after being brutally tortured, picked up His Cross and went willingly to die in our place. And we should forget to thank Him after the turkey is gone? God forbid! I pray not my brothers and sisters. Let us instead enter His courts daily, hourly, minute by every precious minute we’re afforded, with thanksgiving and praise in our hearts, flowing freely from our lips! “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing. Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations” –Psalm 100

Friend, I do hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. But know this, God wants your thanksgiving, daily. You were created to praise God. But how can you praise someone you don’t yet know and love? Start by asking Jesus into your heart. He’ll gladly accept your invitation if you’ll sincerely extend it. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened “ –Matthew 7:7-8.

Victory, in Pursuit…

November 7, 2020 /
Kendra Santilli

Here we are in November 2020, suspended in thin air hoping for release, at any moment. The joy of freely gathering with our beloved friends and family, the privilege of returning to work, the gift of peace of mind. It appears time has decided to just stop without a care in the world about its effects on our human experience. Yet as I sit here asking God how I can share a spark of hope, I am reminded of all the times that God has met me with supernatural strength to fight my way through the muddy seasons of life. I’m not talking about physically, but more so mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It feels reminiscent of the story of Gideon. It’s one of great courage and redemption which seems like a timely message for this moment.

God tends to catch us off guard by finding us right in the place of obscurity where we thought we were invisible. Let me give you a tiny snippet of Gideon’s situation before we dive into the good stuff.

When we find Gideon in Judges 6, Israel (God’s chosen people) had been under the oppression of Midian for 7 years after they had “done evil in the sight of God”. At this point, much of Israel had adopted the pagan gods of their oppressors. In this case that god was Baal. Now, let’s meet the man of the hour. While Gideon is thought to be one of the greatest judges of the Old Testament, his valor did not come naturally. At our introduction to Gideon, we find that he was timid (although I’d say timid is an understatement). He was NOT the kind of guy I’d pick to lead me into battle. We meet him while he was threshing wheat in secret. Threshing is the process by which the edible portion of wheat (the kernel) is separated from the stalk, a laborious task that I can’t imagine was very subtle. But in this case, he was literally preparing his food in secret out of fear of his oppressors. He feared they would steal the bounty of his demanding work. Yet it is in this secret place that the Bible tells us, “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” —Judges 6:12.

The Lord is with you, mighty warrior?

Those words echo so loudly in the caverns of my soul. Perhaps that’s because I’ve found myself in a fearful place where hearing the words “mighty warrior” would have been too overwhelming to bear. I don’t know that I would have believed anyone who would call me a “mighty warrior”. Honestly, I’m not 100% convinced that Gideon bought it either. But I don’t think the angel of the Lord cared whether Gideon believed it, because the angel was speaking to who he knew Gideon was created to be, not to who Gideon thought he was. See, our perceptions of ourselves don’t always reflect God’s intentions for our purpose. He sees the warrior in you long before you can ever even think you’re capable of being strong.

The first thing we learn in this story is that although he was insecure and filled with doubt, God STILL chose Gideon. Instead of being confident in this identity, he came back with skepticism, listing reasons the angel was wrong according to what Gideon could see, God wasn’t doing signs and wonders anymore; God had abandoned them—and his clan was the weakest of all the clans, and, he’s the weakest in his family. These are all declarations devoid of hope. Yet, when hope is all but gone, God can restore your purpose in a moment! The response was remarkable. The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” Judges 6: 14;16. God’s responses are always brilliant. He speaks to the root of the problem and not just the symptoms. Gideon is giving all these excuses as to 1) why God is absent and 2) why he’s not qualified, but it’s almost as if the Lord said, “yeah, and?” In a lot of ways, He does the same with us. Just stick with Him and He will lead you out of the hands of your oppressor! Whether that oppressor is someone, something, or even anxiety, depression, or insecurity. He is faithful to lead you into victory.

The next thing we see about Gideon is how fearful he was. This angel had just given him a divine revelation of who he was, but Gideon was skeptical; he needed proof. So, the angel gave him a sign that he was from the Lord, and then Gideon was *kind of* comfortable following his lead. The first thing the Lord commands Gideon to do is to tear down the altar to Baal. Now, instead of making a scene in broad daylight, Gideon is terrified. He agreed, but he did it at night when no one could see. Let’s stop here and observe something. How often do we get caught up trying to make ourselves good enough to live for God or even do something as simple as going to church? Right here, in this humble story, we learn something about God the Father, He’s not afraid of your fear. Gideon was afraid, but he obeyed while afraid. God knows our fear, but he’s looking for our obedience. He alone will give us the courage to obey His Word in the face of our greatest fears!

Are you getting the gist of Gideon’s personality yet? I hope so!

Let’s fast forward a bit. Now, Gideon is getting used to fearful obedience (which ultimately turns him into that mighty warrior God knew he was). God leads Gideon to fight a battle with Midian (remember, these were the oppressors). Now, the Midianites were a large army; the Israelites were not. But that’s JUST how God wanted it. In fact, as small as the Israelite army was, God wanted it smaller still. God’s power shines brightest in the face of the impossible. So, Gideon chose 300 of the most unlikely men to be in his army, and off they went to war.

Now, if you’ve made it this far, here’s where I REALLY want you to pay attention!

Gideon and his three hundred men exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it. –Judges 8:4. The text makes it clear these warriors were exhausted. But they KEPT. ON. FIGHTING. How many times have you been so exhausted and wanted to throw in the towel? I for one have oft found myself too tired to keep moving forward, maintaining joy amid crisis, keeping faith when I felt incredibly let down, finding hope when it felt like I was drowning. I’m sure you can relate in some way? But be of good courage, because if you walk with God, He promises to be with you! He will give you strength. He’ll give you what it takes to keep up the pursuit! Victory is often just around the bend, yet how often we miss it because we quit too soon. Keep fighting. Keep moving. God is on your side!

You may find yourself in the same place Gideon was—just living your life when bam! your all of a sudden moment comes, and you get that sense that there must be more to life than this. We can be doing the most normal thing when God moves us to action, and it’s up to us whether to respond with obedience or complacency. As we think about this time we are living in, may I remind you that God has created you and me for such a time as this, to surrender to Him, be His righteous ones, live with the kind of obedience that “does it afraid”, and fight until the battle your in is won. I know these are trying times, but remember, God’s power shines brightest in the face of the impossible. “His power is made perfect in your weakness” 2 Cor 12:9.

Are you afraid, tired, hopeless, doubtful, lonely, anxious? God sees you. He knows your short-comings, yet He still calls you by name- the name HE gave you. It’s up to you to respond. With God by your side, victory is yours! I invite you to turn to Jesus, repent of anything in your life that may not be pleasing to Him, and ask Him to walk with you, giving you courage and strength to live to your fullest potential.

Perspective.

March 25, 2020 /
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

Greetings to you sonsofthesea family and friends and followers!

 I pray this finds each of you, and your loved ones, engaged, encouraged, and healthy! Know that we here at sonsofthesea and Highland City Church, continue to keep you lifted-up before the Father’s Throne of grace. We do hope that you are using this time afforded us all—this hour of a great pause wisely, seeking the Lord and drawing in closer to Him? That you might build a more intimate and lasting relationship with Him. Our prayer, starting with our own lives and ministries, then reaching out to cover you and yours in this hour is this: “Lord Jesus, have your way in my life. In my every waking hour I surrender all that you’ve allowed me, every breath and desire, every possession and idea, my family and resources, my priorities, and perceived needs, into your hands. I choose instead to desire what you desire. Teach me now, today, in this hour, to seek after those things that are eternal, surrendering to you all of the wood and hay and straw in my life. Every area of weakness or lack of faith. I choose today instead, faith and hope and more of you, Lord. I choose to let go of all of my need for control and those things I’ve thought, and foolishly think still, I cannot build the life I was after without. Give me new eyes, Holy Spirit, new wants and desires, new goals. Allow me to emerge on the other side of this time of pausing reflecting a brighter, more pure reflection to a lost and dying world of this new creation I am in You. This salt. This Light. Teach me to cease striving for treasures that can be lost or stolen in the blink of an eye, and chase after instead, focus on, instead, storing up eternal treasures. Lasting and true. Those things built with pure gold and silver and precious jewels; things no thief can steal, nor fire destroy. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen…

Friends allow me to share this powerful reminder of just who we, as Christian, as His beloved, are.

We all can get momentarily lost, sidetracked, or distracted, losing sight of our identity. Especially in times as trying as these—it’s easy to lose sight of ourselves. Who we are and are called to be—in Christ Jesus? Allow me to throw out this precious, powerful, succinct reminder—to myself first, and then to you. I read it just this morning in my own time of devotion, and it made my breath catch. And here now, at almost the end of my workday, it has yet to have taken its hands off of me. It has sifted me and humbled me and re-centered me. I pray it touches you as powerfully…

“The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me. This leads to deep humility and confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself or less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.” –Tim Keller.

Take Courage, Beloved! 2 Corinthians 1:4.

March 7, 2020 /
“Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Now here we have a very peculiar source of consolation in suffering. The thought that the apostle’s suffering benefited others soothed him in his afflictions, and this is a consolation which is essentially Christian. Consider how the old Stoicism groped in the dark to solve the mystery of grief, telling you it must be, and that it benefits and perfects you. Yes, that is true enough. But Christianity says much more; it says, Your suffering blesses others; it gives them firmness. Here is the law of the Cross: “No man dieth to himself”; for his pain and loss is for others and brings with it to others joy and gain. –F. W. Robertson, M. A.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at this young girl’s face. Her countenance speaks volumes. Her face a billboard for one who came hoping to hear one thing, but instead, heard something quite the contrary. Her hope snatched out from under her just as quickly as a magician makes a quarter disappear. She is downcast. Questioning. Searching. Disheartened. Dare I say fearful? I have seen this same expression all too often as of late. Many in the Body of Christ have been wearing this very same face. God has sent me to you, beloved brother, dearest sister, to re-mind you that your loving Father is right by your side. His all-powerful right hand holding yours—lending you His strength in your time of weakness. Take Courage, beloved. El Roi, “the God who sees me” is with you. “We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives!” –2 Corinthians 4:8 MSG.

The enemy of our God—our soul, is keeping busy. We have been lulled, however temporarily, into forgetting that we live in a fallen world. Eden no more…

One in which we both reap what we sow and, are suddenly seized by the inevitable end-result of having lived at all. A world in which God never promised us a trouble-free existence. “I have spoken these things to you so that you shall have peace in me. You shall have suffering in the world, but take heart, I have overcome the world” –John 16:33. A world that is filled with people who will one-day leave their mortal coils in the very dust from which they were created. He, our enemy, wants us to forget about this part. Conning us into believing we’ll live forever. That death is for others, not for us. He does everything possible to shift our focus away from God, from pursuing a life in Christ, a relationship with Him. From beginning to prepare ourselves for those things God has clearly foretold will come to all mankind. The saved and unsaved alike. No race or social class left exempt. As with death, disease and trials, tribulations, and hardships are among the great equalizers of this, our one human race. It is a sure sign of Grace when a man can trust in his God, for the natural man, when afraid, falls back on some human trust, or he thinks that he will be able to laugh at the occasion of fear. He gives himself up to jollity and forgetful-ness, or perhaps he braces himself up with a natural resolution—”To take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them.” He goes anywhere but to his God. –Charles Spurgeon.

I’ve received reports of loved ones being suddenly struck ill. One minute healthy and smiling, the next in peril or pain. Cancers being diagnosed, brain tumors and shingles attacking bodies, strokes leaving once strong and virile men at the mercy of bodies they can no longer control. Being washed now, dressed too, and fed by the very woman they once took pride in gallantly protecting—providing for. Minds once sharp and quick now muddled, processing as slowly as molasses pours. Others still whose memories are being wiped clean by Alzheimer’s. So frustrating! Such heartbreak. And yet, it is to these very souls that we must go fellow Christian, and, with a touch as tender as a child’s, hearts bursting with compassion and the love of Christ, uphold these words we find in today’s scripture verse.

For us as Christians, tribulation, trials, and sudden hardships should be expected; a thing we know with certainty will come. Christ made it clear to us that they would. And He cannot lie. The only unknown is the ‘when’ of it. That is for God alone to know.  Yet, as I’ve stated, Christ expects us to go to, sends us to, these very souls hip-deep in sorrow, shredded by recent loss, dazed by the 1-2 sucker punch of their child’s, son’s, brother’s diagnosis, and encourage them to fear not. To re-mind them that God sees them, knows what has just happened to them and that He has a plan to bring some-thing, some future good, from this seemingly rotten, pain-full, confusing circumstance—if, they’ll but trust Him. If they’ll but leave the door of hope cracked just enough that He might come into this, their worst nightmare, and flood them with, overtake them with hope. Comforting them, offering His strength to endure, press on and into Him…

But how? How do I go to one so raw, so exposed? What can I possibly say to them to help ease their pain or return to them just a glimmer of the hope they just lost? How do you and I go and comfort, bolster, build-up, offer peace to the one whose world just got turned on its head? We can only do this, offer this because we have first experienced it for ourselves. More, because the Spirit of the Living God lives in us, enabling us. He alone gives us the words, His Words. His peace. We can do this because we have experienced it first-hand. We know it to be real. We simply offer our Truth. His Truth. As tenderly and surely and deeply, yet as confidently and powerfully as Jesus Himself would! Is doing through us. We who have felt Christ come and wrap us in a peace that should not exist amongst the chaos of the moment. Strength to stand and take the next step and the one after that, after leaving the last ounce of the strength we possessed discarded, at the feet of that terminal diagnosis.

Have you been here Brother? Sister? Church mother? Pastor? Friend? Is it you I was sent back to encourage today? You whose hand I might hold and say, “fear not, beloved one, God is nearer to you than you could ever imagine. Closer to you than your skin and breath…”

Is it you that I was sent to share my survival story with? My, suddenly-that-day-when-the-bottom-fell-out-of-my-world-too, testimony? Because I have one, I do. One where I not only survived but thrived and grew and, as a result of my suddenly moment, God stepped into the very center of it and saved so much more than this my mere flesh, this temporary tent I call me. Jesus walked right into the messy middle of my fractured mind and commanded it to reroute. He commanded the clot in my brain to cease from doing any further damage, and He then lavishly, lovingly, poured healing balm over every area of my brain, restoring it. Jesus saved the real me, His child; safe. He saved my immortal soul; healing my mind and emotions, and a brain fractured and failing as the result of a massive stroke. He came calming that fear that that would well up inside of me each time I so wanted to move the left side of a body, a side I could no longer control. In those instants, God came with His peace, His strength, and re-minded me that there was never a moment, not one second of my life as I’d known it, including that very second a blood clot ripped through my brain, that I’d ever been in control of, could stop from happening, what could happen to this earthly tent I call my-self. None of us has that ability. That is His alone. He alone is Sovereign.

But what we can do, are called to do, must do, is come to you and her and him amid your trials, your dis-eases, your crisis, whatever they may be and, right there in the messy middle of them, share the love of this same Jesus who met us, met me, dead center in my crisis. Assuring you, as only one who has experience, has a relationship with God, can. God is for you, beloved. He is right where you are, right now. He sees you and knows your fears and feels your pain. He once felt it all Himself. Remember, He is fully God, but Jesus when He walked this earth was also fully man. “He knows our pain all too well. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” –Hebrews 2:14-18.

Fear not beloved, all things, even those we label as, feel are, the worst possible things; our parents or children or loved ones becoming ill, must pass through the Sovereign hands of our loving, kind, just and mercy-full Father. And, know this: if He permits a thing, even some bitter thing, some circumstance or illness to touch our lives, their life, it is this same God who also holds your life, their life, in His hands. Whatever may come your way, God’s got you. Nothing. No-thing, no sickness, trial nor adversity can ever, nor ever will, separate you from God’s love for you. Ever. He has promised that to each of His children. If you are His today, then this promise is surely yours. You say, “I feel so dead and cold, I have not the spiritual vivacity and warmth and life that I used to possess. I used to come up to the Tabernacle and feel such joy and rejoicing in worshipping on God’s Holy Day, but now I feel flat and dull.” Oh, but do not be tempted to get away from Christ because of this! Who runs away from the fire because he is cold? Who, in summer, runs away from the cooling rook because he is hot? Should not my deadness be the reason why I should come to Jesus Christ?” – Charles Spurgeon.

Friend, if you or a loved one is experiencing a time of fiery affliction and you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, please, do not let today pass you by without asking Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. Invite Him into the middle of your pain-filled, messy circumstance, and then watch God do what only He can!

Joined. John 15:4

February 4, 2018 /

 “Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.”

The Message Bible says it like this: “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

In the opening sentence of our Scripture we hear a vow being exchanged—a promise being made. “Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you.  An offer to make an everlasting home in, and with Jesus. “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. So, is the Scripture talking about fruit only, or are we witnessing a marriage proposal as well? Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, I posit, at its deepest level, this Scripture lends itself to both…

In the parable of the Vine we’re called—commanded (this is no mere suggestion) to remain joined to, to never separate from, Jesus. Just as a husband and wife are joined as one, so too are we commanded to be with Jesus in this verse—If we are His. We’re called to cling, stick to like glue, to “stay put” in Him, that we might be fruitful. As a bride becomes filled with new life once she has cleaved to her husband, so too do we, as Christians, in the Spirit, once we are joined with Jesus.

His Word tells us, as a woman without a man, Christians, outside of Jesus, will be barren—fruit-less, able to bear nothing of eternal value. They might try, through works of their own—but those works will die on the vine…

To do this, to be fruitful, prolific, we must be united to Him—belong to Him, as a wife belongs to, is joined to, her husband. After all, if you are a believer in Christ Jesus, that is exactly who you are—His Bride, the Church! A member of the, “ekklēsia” (Lexicon: Strong’s G1577 – ekklēsia). The inference being that a relationship exists, a rather intimate relationship. A knowing, gnosis, an intimate knowing, as in the knowing a husband shares of his wife. (Strong’s Greek: 1108. γνῶσις (gnósis) – a knowing, knowledge).

Hence, we begin to see the connection bubbling up between the parable of the Vine and marriage. A joining—a oneness is taking shape. No longer are they two, but now one flesh. One message. Concerning Christ, both the Vine and Marriage are inextricably linked…

Jesus makes plain that the branch cannot produce fruit outside of its relationship with the Vine; and the Body—the Church, cannot bear spiritual fruit apart from the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Each relies on intimate union that lasting fruit might be produced.

So, how does this joining—this abiding, this knowing come about? What is its genesis—where does it begin?

We witness its birth within the confines of a relationship. To truly know anything— any person, one must have a relationship with them. Otherwise, they may know about a thing, know of the person—but they do not know them. It is only within the confines of relationship that we are both known and, grow to know another…

And, as it is in our earthly relationships, how much more in our relationship with Jesus?

Jesus, speaking to His friends, is instructing them, commanding them, to remain in relationship with Him (if they want this relationship to flourish, to bloom and become all it can be—that they might continue being productive for Kingdom purposes). He assures them, in vow language, in covenant speak, that He’ll never leave them. He’ll never bail on their relationship. Never. That’s His vow to His friends—His Bride. What He’s asking of them in return is for their vow of love and fidelity also. A promise to remain loyal—to stay joined, connected—in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, being poor or in plenty, regardless the circumstance, against all odds—never let go of Me. That is—in part, what Jesus is saying in our Scripture—to their hearts and to ours.

Stay with Me…

The other part of His message?

There can only be One Source—and I’m it.

You cannot be joined to Me and the world. You must commit—be joined, serve, One, or the other… “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” –Matthew 6:24.

We hear this echoed in Paul’s writings to the Romans. He doesn’t mention vines, but he does talk about fruit. In the 7th Chapter of Romans, Paul uses the illustration of marriage to make a point about the law having rule over a married person so long as their spouse is alive. He talks about a woman being bound to her husband—as one flesh, eternally joined. Should she leave him and be joined to another while her husband lives, she is committing adultery. (vs’s 1-3). He then flips the script and tells his audience that they in fact have died to their old life—the law. They’ve now died to being single, to doing it their way, to serving—being joined to, other gods. And, that now, since they have been freed from this death, (the husband they were bound to, the law) they’re free to be joined to Christ, married to Him. Now, they must serve Him only—bearing good and lasting fruit because of this new union, this joining. No longer will they bring forth corrupt fruit that withers and rots on the vine; a result of their marriage to, them being joined to, the law. (vs’s 4-6).

In our Scripture verse, Jesus is planting seeds that He will bring to fruition during one of His final conversations with those He loves—at their last meal together. Seeds that have lasted throughout the generations in order that you too might benefit from them today… “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” –John 14:6. Said differently, a relationship between you and Me must exist in order for you to be mine, to bear eternal fruit.  We must be one, jointed like the branch is to the vine. Joined—united, one, as a wife is to her husband.

You must know (gnosis) me…

Friend, let me ask you. What are you joined to? More directly, who? What type of fruit is your life producing? Is it lasting, eternal fruit, or is your fruit, what you’re producing, dying, and withering on the vine? If you’re reading this and you do not know Jesus, you’re not connected to Him, then please, use this invitation the Holy Spirit is extending to you to “know” Him—become joined to Him.

You’re not here by accident, you’ve been chosen! Jesus loves you…

Will you join Him so that you might become all that He has created and called you to be?

Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb ‘” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” –Revelation 19:9

 

 

“Free to Choose” Rom. 8:6

June 18, 2017 /

 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Choose: is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as follows: to select freely and after consideration.

Contrary to all that the world is aggrandizing—contrary to its boasting of the supposed ‘choices’ people have, truth be told, there have continually only been two choices given to every man. The way of Life and the way of death. There’s a right way and a wrong way, there is no third way. These two choices were offered to Adam and Eve in the Garden by God and the same two choices stand today. And, even if you are a Christian, we too need to be reminded of this—daily.  To live according to The Word of God—according to a fixed way of life, of choices and consequences clearly mapped out for us in that Word we profess. Or, of choosing, and it is our choice, to live according to the ways of our fallen flesh—aka, in rebellion to God. Ignoring—pushing aside, disregarding, dismissing, Him or His ways and doing ‘our’ thing instead. Our thing, our way, our choice…

A daily battle.

And so it was that through one such self-gratifying, rebellious, choice—that sin entered into the world through man’s rebellion against God’s command. “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis. 2:16-17).

Yet—these above choices mentioned and those below, the opportunities, blessings, tests, and, trials—all of it, everything, literally starts with our first—our most important choice. Asking Jesus into our lives. To be our Lord and Savior. To be our Guide, our Friend. To have and grow in a loving relationship with Him.

Listen…

The Apostle Paul, being the author of both Colossians and Romans, sums up—echoes, within Colossians what he was driving at—teaching, in Romans 8:6. The better way, the Godly way. “And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth” (Colossians. 3:2).  Yet, every believer has the freedom to choose between the way of the Spirit—the higher things, or, the way of the flesh, earthly things…

And, because we are flesh, there are moments—choices, that we absolutely get wrong. Why? We make them in the flesh. ‘Flesh’, in this case, referring to the way of death—as in things fleshly,  finite. Or, as with our choices, those things resulting from its nature. Our physical bodies that is, and its fruits—the byproducts of our choices. It is only those things—decisions, actions, thoughts, born from the Spirit—that have any true lasting, or eternal value.

Paul teaches that we live, move, and, react as a result of how it is we truly believe. In other words, our actions are a result of—a byproduct of, what we deeply, firmly, believe and confess. If we profess God, we must live Godly lives, doing all we can to put to death our old ways. Whatever they were. In Romans 8:12-13 he says it this way: “So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever.”

According to the Old Testament, at least two witnesses are required to establish any charge. Jesus Himself confirms this law—this truth, while He’s addressing the Jews concerning their charges—their accusations, against Him and His healing of a man who had been disabled for 38 years. Listen to what Jesus says about the necessity for witness in John 5:31-37: “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.  “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me…”

So then, based on this need for two witnesses, let’s turn to the Apostle Peter as our second witness. Let’s listen to his confirmation—his witness, to what Paul has already taught us. In Chapter 1 of 2nd Peter, starting with verse 12 Peter expounds on—reiterates, our need to remain—that is, for those in Christ—believers—to continue in choosing Godly living. And, how we might escape the corruption of this world through our knowledge of Christ. Here the word, ‘world’ is used as ‘flesh’ was in Paul’s teaching. Pointing to our baser desires and their subsequent actions. Peter says—choosing self-indulgence, willful rebellion—our choosing ‘the flesh’ over the ways of The Spirit—will lead to death: 1 Peter 2:11, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges [those dishonorable desires] that wage war against the soul.”

We have now seen evidence—heard teachings of both the Apostles Paul and Peter concerning our need to make Godly choices. To choose the ways of God—our need of His Spirit to lead and guide us, to strengthen us, to help put to death our most base and fleshly desires. Those corrupt, fallible, finite impulses. To walk away from—train ourselves to renounce, the ‘things’ of our flesh (fornication, adultery, unclean passions, evil desires, lying, stealing, and, covetousness—to mention some). Those things that lead us away from God’s will for our lives. Away from living a life that offers us hope for an eternity spent with Jesus and, that aides us today—in our daily living. Strengthening us to become more Christ-like, more reflective of His imagine and likeness in this world.

The Opposing way is—has continually been, foolishly been, to choose—some short-lived, self indulgent, existence we might piece together. The Bible is littered with many such examples—and their common demise.

Two witnesses have now been established in Peter and Paul.

The Word of God clearly tells us that God does not want any man—His creation, to perish. But to have eternal life with Him (2 Peter 3:9). Peter and Paul both, were talking to those who had accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We, like those Christians, are each given this same opportunity—this choice, this magnificent free gift through belief in—relationship with, Jesus Christ. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy. 2:3-4).

The ‘will have’ in this Scripture reflects God’s heart that all men should come to Him. And not a guarantee that just because you were born that you will come to Him…

The main subject—the very title of this teaching, relates to making a choice—it reflects this one Truth.  You must choose.

Jesus Christ died so that all men might be saved. Jesus loves you. You are a part of the, “all men” spoken of in 1 Timothy above. That is a Truth so solid, so fixed—you can anchor your life to it. Will you, like Peter and Paul, and countless others, choose Jesus’ way over your way of doing things? Or will you go the way of Adam and rebel? Allowing your sins—your choices, to separate you from a God that created you to love you—and, to have a relationship with you? Jesus is patiently waiting for you to choose Him…

As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” emphasis my own; Hebrews 3:15

“Who Are You?” John 1:19-28

April 30, 2017 /

  

“And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? He confessed (admitted the truth) and did not try to conceal it, but acknowledged, I am not the Christ! They asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not! Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No! Then they said to him, Who are you?…” (John 1:19-22)

The moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior our identity is changed. Not outwardly mind you—rather, Spiritually. We are born again. If that confuses you, you’re in good company. Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a teacher of the Law, was equally perplexed (John 3:1-3).

John, known as the Baptist, was called to point all men towards the One who would follow him—but, was not in the least inferior to him. He was called to make all men aware of their sin, and to call them to repent of those sins. Yet, John was different from those of his station. You see, John was born to Zechariah—a priest from the line of Aaron, and from Elizabeth, a relative—the cousin in fact, of Mary, Jesus’ mom. So by all accounts, he should have been found wearing a fine linen tunic and been seen serving inside the splendor and protection of the Temple.

But that’s not where we meet him—God called John—predestining him to be a forerunner. A herald. To be a voice crying out in the wilderness and, that is precisely where we come across him. Clad not in a tunic of fine linen, but rather of rough camel’s hair. In fact, it is safe to say that John was very rough. And not merely in his appearance…

Aside from his severe clothing and wild haired appearance, John also spoke coarsely. Calling those, who perhaps at a different time, would have been his contemporaries, his peers—vipers and hypocrites! You must be dead certain—so to speak, confident, of who you are, and know exactly what it is God has called you to do to be that emboldened—that antagonistic, and impertinently dismissive—of the ruling religious powers of the day! And John was.

He lived to please an audience of One, and only One…

He knew his only mission in life was to prepare the way for the coming of Messiah…

He also knew he was not that Messiah. Nor was he the Prophet Elijah—though in defense of the Pharisees and Priests, John had apparently, somewhat, adopted the appearance of Elijah in that he wore a hair-tunic tied at the waist with a leather belt (2 Kings 1:8). Nor did John consider himself a Prophet. So, when these same authorities came challenging him—asking in whose authority did he rebuke the people, calling them to repent and be baptized, he emphatically stated that his authority came from the One that was standing right in front of them—The One whom their false-piety and high-mindedness would never allow for them to truly see…

John knew both who he was, and who he was not…

He stayed in his own lane—in complete obedience to God’s call on his life—even unto death…

When challenged, concerning your faith, your calling—the work the Lord has placed before you to do, how will you answer? Because, at one time or another, you will be challenged. Are you, like John, rock solid—laser-focused in your certainty of what God has called you to be, or speak, or, to do for the advancement of His Kingdom?

Will you be able to refute others when they challenge your faith or your ministry?

If so how? And by whose authority? What is the basis of the certainty of your calling/ your relationship with Jesus? It, your confidence, should stem from your relationship with the Father. And, to fully grasp His will for your life—you must first know (ginskō, in the Greek; yada, in Hebrew) Him. “Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Dan. 11:32; emphasis my own).

This “Knowing” according to John Rittenbaugh, indicates a close, warm, and even passionate intimacy combined with head knowledge that produces an “edge” in a person’s life. This enables us to trust God and, at the same time, to perceive what He is doing. It is this factor that makes God’s Word authoritative to us.

John had it, this knowing. Jesus Himself confirms that he did, listen to what He tells two of John’s disciples sent to Him for answers: This is the one about whom it is written: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You. Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matt.11:10-11).

And, there is yet another—One greater than John, if fact, He is the One John states that He was unworthy to even unlace the sandals of, Jesus—our example. Jesus had the greatest, most pure, form of this knowing of God and His will. “It is He Who, coming after me, is preferred before me, the string of Whose sandal I am not worthy to unloose” (John 1:27).

Jesus too, knew who He was. He was certain of it. As with John Jesus too was certain unto death. And, as with John, it was, in part, the certainty of that knowledge that emboldened Jesus also, to fulfill the will of the One that had called Him—sent Him, predestined Him, to save souls, to draw all men unto Himself, to restore to right relationship to Himself everyone that has, is, and, will ever, go astray…

So, in order to answer the question posed to you today, like John, you must first know Jesus. And, like Jesus—you must know God—His will for your life, starting with His deepest desire. And that is for you to have a relationship with Him. That He be both Lord and Savior of your life.

And that can only happen when you accept Jesus into your heart…

Then, and only then, will you, too, be truly able to state emphatically who you are! “My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples” (John 15:8).

And, if you’re reading this and you’re not sure who you are, then I beg you—now, to ask Jesus into your life as both your Lord and Savior. “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

Plainly stated, you will be able to boldly reply to anyone that may ask, who are you? I am a Son/Daughter of The Most High God, saved by His amazing grace…

And that is the most potentially life-changing answer you may ever give to anyone!  Just ask John, or better still, Jesus. “And they overcame him (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death” ( Rev.12:11).

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