Tag: knowledge (Page 2 of 3)

“Your Accountable.” Lk. 19:26

November 27, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Our Chapter begins with correction—a setting straight of the record…

The people are gathered around Jesus slacked jawed. He’s in the house of that sinner Zacchaeus! Worse than a sinner—he’s a tax collector! You see Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. About 17 more miles and they would end up at His last Passover celebration with His beloved friends. Golgotha was calling. But before His Bloody ascent up that final hill—He still had things of great importance to teach those He would soon be leaving behind—momentarily.

They thought—mistakenly, that Jesus was about to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, right there and right then. They were thinking short-term and Jesus needed them to see the bigger picture. So, He adjusts their misguided expectations—gently, with yet another parable. An oblique method of teaching He often used—somethings can’t be taken in by all.

Jesus says it this way: “In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them’(Matt.13:114-15).

There was nothing wrong with their expecting the Kingdom of God to come. It is, after all, the hope, the promise—the anchor to which Christians should affix their lives. The problem rests not in expectation—but rather, complacency.

We need only turn to today’s parable for confirmation. Of the servants referenced—only two, not only used their talents, but more, multiplied them. Proving to the King that they could be trusted with what He had given them. That from His one gift they would labor to bring Him an increase. And this pleased the King—after all, it’s why the talents were given them in the first place! From the one, many…

They were forward thinking. Reverent. Obedient. So unlike the servant who buried what was given him in fear that he could never satisfy this King. They, instead, looked forward to the day the King would return and they could give Him a pleasing report—a profit on His investment in them.

In addition to a right heart, integrity, etc, the act of serving should include using what you’ve been given wisely. Whether money, gifting’s, or your time—after all, you’re accountable to the King! That’s what Jesus was trying to get those gathered to understand… Don’t sit around making excuses waiting on a Kingdom that will come. Serve where you are until it appears…increase! Take what has been given to you and use it up right up until the day the King returns for an accounting.

Let’s pause here for a moment to take in the wonder of God’s loving kindness. Notice, however, that though these servants were equally gifted, each receiving one mina, their return was not proportionate. Even so, the King was equally pleased with each because they had whole-heartedly, invested what was given them. Each gained the praise and reward of their King, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” It was all about their using what they had been given obediently and to the best of their ability.

This particular parable is found in only two of the four Gospels, Luke, and Matthew. Matthew references talents, Luke, minas. Money each—about three month’s wages. This was no small investment on the part of the soon to be King!

Throughout the parable—this allegory, we see Jesus as that King whom the people rejected. Yet, to their vexation, He was made King nonetheless. And, this money the King handed out to be invested by his servants is, some say, representational of the spiritual gifts God bestows on His children. And to the gifts a command is attached: “Put this money to work, He said, until I get back” (vs.13)!

Be obedient. Invest wisely what I give you (Matt.13:1-9).

And as it was with these servants, so it is with us today—not all are equally gifted. Yet, we are each equally commanded to labor until the King arrives…God loves His children equally—nevertheless, some have been set apart for works that not all are called to do. “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use” (2 Tim.2:20, also, Eph. 4:11-12). Whether we possess a single gift or many, we are accountable to God to use our talent wisely—exponentially.

As commanded…

That is made copiously clear in this parable as we witness Jesus’ derision of the one who laid away his mina in a cloth—he didn’t take the King’s command seriously…Since he did nothing, he was judged according to his own heart—and its by-product—his words. Listen to the Kings rebuke: “He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas’ (Lk. 19:22-24).

Was this servant standing in judgement of this King? Was he truly fearful of Him? Did he, like the citizens, just not want to bother with this King and so gave a poor excuse to explain away his rebellion? What made him think he would not be accountable? It appears He suffered from the dangers of short-term thinking. The Word of God tells us: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk. 6:45).

The Kingdom will soon be here, I’ll just wait for the King…

At the beginning of this parable, Luke told us that Jesus was trying to get those gathered to stop looking for the kingdom to come immediately. A “short-term” mindset discourages “long-term” vision.

There is a very real tension in Christian living. We must hold two truths concurrently as we seek to apply them. On the one hand, we live in the light of Christ’s imminent return. He may come at any moment, and we should both be ready and watching for His return. But we must also live wisely, making good investments for His kingdom, knowing that His return may not be as soon as we think or hope. We have been command by the Lord to use wisely—invest smartly, what we have been freely given, His good and gracious gifts. The choice has been presented to us all.

Are you being accountable? If not, it’s not too late. Ask the King where He will have you invest your minas…

Obedience.

The Lord requires this above all else. Why? We find that answer in 1 Samuel, listen:“And Samuel said,“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.For rebellion is as the sin of divination and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry…”( 1 Sam. 15:22-23). Emphasis added.

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“There’s Nothing Wrong With My Sight!” Jn. 9:16

November 19, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Some of the Pharisees said, “The man who did this is not from God because he doesn’t follow the traditions for the day of worship.” Other Pharisees asked, “How can a man who is a sinner perform miracles like these?” So the Pharisees were divided in their opinions” (Jn. 9:16).

If only the Pharisees and the religious leaders of the day could have seen what it was this man—blind from birth, saw. Perhaps the whole of Chapter Nine would not have ended up reading like a tragic comedy. Tragic—because it glaringly illumines the out-and-out blindness of the Pharisees and religious leaders present in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day. And comedic in its irony. It was the man born blind that can see the Truth of who Jesus is.

And, it is the man blind from birth who confirms their teachings concerning Messiah in his reply to their scathing, dissection of his miraculous healing at the hand of Jesus… Listen to him:“We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it” (Jn. 9:31-33).

There is a familiar saying that goes as follows: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” It’s believed to be taken from God’s conversation with the Prophet Jeremiah. (Jer. 5:21). And it seems to rightly fit the mindset of the religious leadership of Jesus’ day.

It’s what Paul was teaching Timothy, his young son in the faith, to be on the lookout for—have nothing to do with them! Although Paul is talking to Timothy about the Godlessness that will permeate the last days, his list of reproachful descriptors certainly applies to those hard-hearted religious leaders who refused to acknowledge our blind friends miracle…Proud, boastful, lovers of self and of money—treacherous, and, rash—to name only a few. But,Perhaps, the most telling—the most revealing truth of their spiritual condition, is found in verse five. “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that” (2 Tim. 3:5)!

Once, when He was teaching his disciples, along with those gathered at the temple courts, Jesus aptly instructed them that they must obey the Pharisees and teachers of the law—“because of the office they held. They sat in Moses’ seat” (Matt. 23:2-3). Paul basically mirrored to Timothy the litany of rebukes Jesus used to point out the character— or the lack thereof, of the religious leaders of His day (Matt.23:1-34).

Yet, neither Jesus nor Paul were gentle in their choice of words. Jesus called them snakes, a brood of vipers! He referred to the religious leaders of the people as blind guides! And, throughout John’s Gospel we see evidence of just how blind these so-called, “seeing” spiritual leaders were. Their obvious inability to see who Jesus truly is wasn’t limited to their sinful mishandling of our blind friend and his miracle…

No doubt the religious leaders of the day were present in the temple courts on the day of Passover preparation. Surely they witnessed Jesus making a whip out of cords. Chasing those who were changing money and selling all manner of things out of what He claimed to be His Father’s house! They’d conceivably gotten word of His changing six, thirty-gallon, stone jars of plain water into the best wine served at the wedding feast He attended at Cana in Galilee…

Or, further back still, they were certainly walking among those gathered around the edge of the Jordan river in Bethany where John was baptizing. Perhaps even at the very moment that he proclaimed Jesus to be, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:26;29)! It’s safe to say that from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the religious leaders of the day knew of Him. That fact is evidenced throughout the four Gospels…

They knew of the transformative encounter He had with a woman—a Samaritan woman—at Jacob’s well. And, the effect that one encounter had on an entire town…

Yet, they could not relate to such an experience…

They knew of the royal officials’ son who, having been near death, was miraculously healed…

Yet, they knew nothing of True healing…

But that aside, it’s the healing done for an invalid of thirty-eight years that ushered in the proverbial last straw. It broke the backs of the Jewish religious leaders’ willingness to endure this one they labeled an interloper any longer…

Their protest? The source of their outrage? Jesus was healing people on the Sabbath…

Surely, if He was their long-awaited Messiah, He would have known better, the law is quite clear! And, doing anything outside of what the law states was after-all, is strictly forbidden! Besides, they were the ones in positions of great authority. And He, well, who was He?

Even when doing a thing was meant for good, still, it was forbidden… “One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son[b] or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” Again they could not answer” (Lk.14:1-6).

So, it wasn’t that they didn’t see—couldn’t see, who this Jesus is, unlike our friend blind from birth. Rather, they hard-heartedly determined they wouldn’t see! They chose to adhere to what they knew. Laws. Rules. Rituals. Ceremony…Leaving no room for growth, relationship—or vision.

I ask you today—rather, our text challenges you, to check your vision. To choose what it is you’ll allow yourself to see…

Will your sight be born from a heart willing to step out with whatever faith you’re able to muster and say, “Who is this Son of Man? Tell me so that I may believe in Him” (Vs. 36). Or, will it narrowly focus on the familiar? On the way you’ve always done it? “We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but for this fellow, we don’t even know where He comes from” (Vs.29)! Will it be the way of the Pharisee who allowed for the lure of worldly power, the seeking of public recognition to overtake them. Blinded, by the lusts of their flesh, and, thus, their hearts waxed hard and cold.

Ridged, they could no longer bend to serve those placed in their care…

Or, hopefully—prayerfully, you will choose the path of the man born blind? The one given a sight beyond that of those who’d been sighted since birth. One who cared little for man’s judgement. Who chose to believe for the impossible that he might see beyond the inside of his own darkened world view. One familiar with pain, rejection, humiliation, with living beneath God’s intended best for him…

Why? Because blindness had eaten up most of his life. Fault, or not. Yet his heart remained pure, willing—open. Unlike the Pharisees and rulers of the law, his heart had stayed malleable. Thus, God could use this man who held no station—had no religious standing, to upset rulers and challenge their dogmatic laws.

How? By the Truth of his testimony…

Reality can’t be argued away. The Word of God says it this way; “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great” (Pro. 18:16). God used the suppleness of our blind friends heart to bring him boldly—confidently, before the religious leaders of his day. Blessing him not only with what the Pharisees had possessed all along, their physical sight; but greater, Jesus opened the eyes of our blind friends understanding to the Truth of who He is!

A Truth that those who choose to sit in darkness, however sighted, will never see…

Our choices are simple and these…

To be—mimic, go after, live as, the Pharisees. Or, to be—choose, openness—malleability. To live as self-effacing as our once blind friend, that we too may gain our sight.

“Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (Jn.9:35-41).

“Assurance, He Is Sovereign” Prov. 8:27-29

November 12, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth” ( Proverb 8:27-29).

One of the purposes of God’s creation is to showcase both His majesty and power—His wisdom. This is how David explains it: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps.19:1).

Job, found in the Old Testament, saw great value in witnessing God’s power displayed through His creation. Even during the time of his great loss, Job displayed great patients. But, he also expressed a desire to understand the why of what God had allowed to happen to him—he could not understand God’s actions—nor his own losses (Job 1:13-19).

And so, Job goes to God asking why …?

And even though Job didn’t get the answers he was looking for, he did walk away with a greater—a renewed, appreciation for God’s Sovereignty.

We must never forget that though God is loving, kind, merciful, slow to anger, and, full of patients—He is, and will eternally be, Sovereign over all creation. He is God—we are not.

And Job knew God. Trusted in Him. In His Sovereignty. We see evidence of Job’s great faith in Job 1:20-21. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job understood nothing is owed us…

Yet, in response to Job’s faith—in the last chapters of this book, God comes and speaks to Job. But, not in the way Job thought He would—nor wanted Him too. Rather, God spoke at length concerning His power demonstrated through His Creation…

Creation? Why are you talking about creation when all I want to know is why you did what you did? Why did you take all I held dear away from me? Why did you change everything up on me God, I don’t understand?

As with Job, many today, the day after what will surely go down in history as a conflict-ridden election, are asking why? Many are seeking answers to ease their confusion, anger, and disbelief. Many are grieving today, feeling a genuine sense of loss…

And, as with Job, they want to know the purpose of it all.

Yet, God does not always answer people in the way that they would like Him to—nor expect. That is where faith comes in. Why it is so very needed. Faith that the God who created us, along with everything seen, and, that which is unseen—has everything under control…

He has a purpose for the momentary pain—the seeming confusion. Listen: “You are fortunate when God corrects you. So, don’t complain when God All-Powerful punishes you. God might injure you, but he will bandage those wounds. He might hurt you, but his hands also heal” (Job 5:17-18).

When speaking to the Prophet Jeremiah concerning the false prophets the Lord says of Himself, “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away” (Jer. 23:23)? What is He saying?…

God is telling Jeremiah, that He is right here with us in the thick of things. That nothing happens without His knowledge or permission. And, that as with the false prophets of old, many today are feeling that God is nowhere to be found. That He is unseeing, unknowing—unconcerned. I am certain Job must have felt this way for a moment or two himself…

Yet nothing is further from the Truth. And the creation spoken of in today’s proverb testifies to that. God is still in control, still on His Throne, still very involved and concerned with man and this world.

God’s Providence and Sovereignty—His ever-present Hand is clear daily in all His creation. And, as we witness it, we will find Him clearly evidenced throughout… If we are looking for the comfort and surety demonstrated in God’s consistency.

Creation is a gift to us—a declaration.

Job did in fact get answers to his questions, as we will get ours. But, we must first come to God as open vessels—tucking away our wants and ideas. Our limited notions of how it is we believe He will come to us—answer us. Remembering that our scope and knowledge are limited—finite…

He alone is infinite—Omnipresent, able to see the beginning and ending of all things…

Job says it this way, “I know you can do everything. You make plans, and nothing can change or stop them” (Job 42:2).

And, as with Job, when we are experiencing—witnessing, difficult times, we too can look to creation and take comfort—solace in, an ever-present God who indeed has all things in hand. We may not understand the reasons for the happenings going on about us—in the world, in our present sufferings or angst…

Why? Because of our limited knowledge—our finite minds cannot—will never be able, in their present state, to take in the thinking and plans that God has for us in their entirety…

But, we, like Job, can experience a renewed—refreshed, re-calibrated, relationship with God. If we choose to place and keep our focus—our trust, not on our circumstance, but rather on the greatness—the Providence of God.

Knowing the truth of creation and witnessing the demonstration of God’s powerful Sovereignty—His abilities displayed all around us, should strengthen our faith and encourage us to trust the One True God who is all-knowing and able…

And, it should guide us into trusting in each of His plans and promises for us—for our Nation, for our futures….

Yet,If you, like Job, find yourself questioning God. Asking where He is amid a world that seems to have temporarily been thrown into deep chaos, I suggest you listen to Job himself—follow his example…

Listen to his reply to God after He came to Job personally and revealed that He alone is God…

Additionally, that He alone created this world and all that’s in it… “I know you can do everything. You make plans, and nothing can change or stop them. You asked, ‘Who is this ignorant person saying these foolish things?’ I talked about things I did not understand. I talked about things too amazing for me to know. “You said to me, ‘Listen, and I will speak. I will ask you questions, and you will answer me.’ In the past I heard about you, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. And I am ashamed of myself. I am so sorry. As I sit in the dust and ashes, I promise to change my heart and my life” (Job 42:1-6).

Through God’s lesson Job figured out that God owed him nothing. No explanations. Yet, in His great love, He came and showed Himself. He explained Himself through His Sovereignty, His Omniscience, His Being the One True God all by Himself. Through His creation that surrounds us daily—for a season. That we might witness it and be reminded of His great nearness—His Omnipresence daily.

And through our witnessing— be assured and draw strength. Increase in faith, in relationship.

“The heavens tell about the glory of God. The skies announce what his hands have made. Each new day tells more of the story, and each night reveals more and more about God’s power. You cannot hear them say anything. They don’t make any sound we can hear. But their message goes throughout the world. Their teaching reaches the ends of the earth. The sun’s tent is set up in the heavens” (Ps.19:1-4).

“Unbending” Dan. 3:16-18

November 5, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up” (Dan. 3:16;18).

Choices. We’re faced with them daily. From the mundane to the eternal, choices must be made. Even choosing not to choose—is making a choice!

What toothpaste shall I buy, use, try? Caffeinated or decaffeinated? Buy or rent? Stay single or marry? Obey or disobey?

You get the point…

To live a purposeful life, you must choose… or life will find a way of making your choices for you!

So, what do you do when you find yourself forced to make a decision that goes against all you stand for? Goes against your faith? When it spins your moral compass away from our due north?

What do you do?

To what will your faithfulness align itself?

Self-preservation—go along to get along?

Or will it be to do what’s right, and the cost be damned!

Let’s up the ante…

It’s your boss. And he says if you don’t do________, your job is on the line. You know it’s wrong…but what about your family, your responsibilities?

Or, what if it’s your best friend? You’ve been tight since the schoolyard, and they tell you they made a horrible mistake. Committed a sin! Now, they’re asking you to lie—cover for them, so their spouse doesn’t find out. I cheated, it was only once but now, if she finds out, man, my marriage is on the line.

Please! I’m sorry. You know I would never ask you, but…

Our three-main characters found in today’s verses, find themselves in such a place…

The place of choices.

That place, that fiery-furnace-of-a-place that tests not only our resolve to with-stand evil, but more, to defend—stand-up for, Truth. Our truth. That guiding light that lives in our hearts and directs us towards right living, right choices.

And, as with my above examples, our friends are also being asked to compromise—walk out on, their Truth. Yet, straight away they said; Okay, death it is. Because we will never align ourselves with the likes of you, never vow allegiance to a counterfeit, a sin, a lie—when we know, have, The Original!”

Let that be our heart when asked to compromise!

But what was so important to them that they were willing to die rather than do what this King was demanding?

One word…God. Their God. This was personal!

Just as back in Chapter One, our three friends, along with Daniel, refused to defile themselves with the king’s food (Dan. 1:11-12). Now, once again, we find them each defying the king’s order to bow down and pay homage—show allegiance to, an image—an idol, he had made from gold (Dan.3:9-12).

They would not disown the One True God to worship an idol made of brass—by a mere man. King, or not! Job, or not! Friends, or not, life or not!

Let me ask you, is there anything in your life that you’d die for? Anything that is so precious to you, that as with our three young men, you’d choose death over losing it? Over betraying it? Over giving any other your fidelity?

Choices. We must make them. Or become swept away in their current. Slaves to their twisting and turnings…

Seldom is it popular to take a moral stand for what you know to be right. And in today’s culture, as with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, standing for God could very well get you killed…

Jesus certainly knew this to be true—so did the Apostles. John the Baptist quite literally lost his head because of his allegiance to God (Jn.12:27-28; Matt. 32-56; Acts. 7:59; Matt.14:10).

When it comes to our profession of faith, our relationship with Jesus—our witness to the Truth of who He is and what He stands for in our lives, we must follow the example of our three main characters.

Even, unto death…

We must be unbending—fixed, focused, on serving the One we love—honoring Him above all else. Come what may. Period.

Listen to how Jesus says it, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple” (Jn. 12:25; Lk.14:27).

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, along with their friend Daniel, had been violently removed from their country, their homes, and, their way of life in Jerusalem. They were taken captive by the pagan King of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar. Babel, the birth place—the very epicenter of confusion! (Gen. 11:9)…

Now, these captives, our three young friends, were no ordinary street boys—Scripture tells us that they were taken from the palace—from royal families, by this king (Dan. 1:3-4). He wanted the best, this King did…

If he was going to steal something and then invest his resources into indoctrinating it—them, into serving his purposes, it only made sense to steal the very best—the elite!

Sin is a master—not a servant…

That worth repeating! Sin is a master, not a servant…

It commands, and it directives are death. Though it’s bondage’s may be invisible for a time, be assured, it is an ever-present trap. It is set—fixed, on capturing and destroying the life it traps within its exacting grip… The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy… (Jn.10:10).

No one knew this better than Jesus, listen: “Once more the Devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, along with their splendor. He told Jesus, “I will give you all these things if you will bow down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9).

King Nebuchadnezzar had, because of their friend Daniel’s proper interpretation of his dream, promoted our three friends to positions of authority. But, as with the promises made to Jesus by satan, conditions applied.

Sin always has a hidden agenda…

That is why we, like our three friends, must follow the example of our Lord—the command given by the Father. We must have no other God before Him. The One True God (Ex.20:3).

We mustn’t’ show our allegiance to—give our hearts, lives, thoughts or desires over to anyone other than the One True God!

We must be unbending…

We must be willing to walk away from—to lose, anything or anyone that asks us to compromise the Truth. That wants us—is asking us, to allow our moral compasses to be tampered with. To sell out our God for the things of this world—whatever, or whoever they might be—or mean to us!

Again, Let Scripture—more the very words Jesus used on satan, be our guide when someone or something tries to take us captive—to hold our faith hostage. Tests our friendships, our loyalties, our livelihoods’, or our allegiances… Test if what we profess to believe is mere religious propaganda or genuine, life-changing faith in the One True God…

For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.’’ Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness” (Matt. 4:8-10).

Choices…we all face them. Who are you choosing to serve today? Yourself? the past? someone else? Or some way of living that has just sort of swept you up? How is that working for you? Remember, to not choose is to make a choice. And your eternity depends on the choices you make–now, today…

As with our three friends don’t hesitate when asked to compromise your beliefs, your Truth, your God. Stand firm, be unbending…Follow the pattern set by Jesus. The way chosen by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego… Because it alone leads to life—eternal!

“But if you are unwilling to obey the Lord, then decide today whom you will obey. Will it be the gods of your ancestors beyond the Euphrates (the gods of your past) or the gods of the Amorites here in this land (those things found here, in this world, now…)? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Quotations my own for emphasis.

“Copycats” 2 Cor.4:17-18

October 22, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Unlike Christ who is the exact image of God—the spitting image, One in Trinity, spotless, pure, and perfect in all His ways—we are copy cats. Now before you go quoting Genesis to me, before you start shouting that we are in fact created in the image—the likeness of God, let me make clear my point—the thing that makes us copycats—what separates us—it’s sin. God doesn’t have any. We do…

So, while we are on this side of eternity—living in our mortal coil still, we are imitators (Eph. 5:1-2). Yes, if saved, we have been made new in Christ. Yes, we’re seen by God through Jesus’s Blood shed on our behalf—in our stead. Yes, we’re seated with Christ in heavenly places, having access to perfection—while still being housed in our tents of tainted flesh—a mystery…

But, we are not made perfect as He is perfect—wholly, not yet. That is our hope—it’s why we press on, daily, like Paul, towards our high calling… (1 Jn.3:2; Phil.3:12-14).

Paul is instructing those in Corinth not to fall for the counterfeits among them—those with smooth words and catchy phrases. Wolves in sheep’s clothing, Jesus warned of them as well! Beware of those who point to themselves—their abilities, and not toward the Cross—towards the finished work of Christ Jesus, as Paul does—unadorned, in plain speak. Don’t buy into what they’re selling—it isn’t Christ (Matt.7:15; 2Cor.4:5).

Christ alone went before us proving that with God all things can be done (Phil.4:13). Even to the overcoming—the survival of, a savage, barbaric scourging that ended in His crucifixion. It should have killed Him—the scourging alone, it should have killed Him. Think the Passion of the Christ…

But it didn’t. Why? Simply put, you, me, them—the whole of a sin-soaked world destined for—deserving of death…

Paul is pointing us towards Hebrews 12. The how of Jesus’s ability to endure—and the why.

Let’s pause for a moment. Allow me to remind you here of where we started a moment ago—about being copycats and not exact images of—not the splitting image of, our Father.

Yet He—God, allows us to share in afflictions, trials and tribulations, in our walk with Him. We, mere flesh, are deigned worthy through this same Jesus. Take Paul . Listen to him stress to the Corinthians, and to us, how minor, how unimportant, his troubles—our troubles, are? How light, when weighed against the gain of Jesus? And what a privilege they are, these trials and tribulations—these sufferings of our flesh and Spirit, mind and soul (vs’s. 8-11).

These, each, afford us the blessed opportunity to share in Christ’s suffering!

Yes. It is blessed to suffer for Christ’s sake…

And this coming from a man of God who knew what suffering for Christ meant, what suffering for the sake of the Gospel was about! Paul saw far more of suffering than many of us have ever or might ever, encounter…

Hunted, in Acts, by men who agreed to fast until they had killed him. And, in 1&2 Corinthians, Paul himself tells us that he was beaten by the Jews five times, endured three Roman scourging’s with rods, one stoning at the hands of a blood-thirsty mob, three ship-wrecks, and multiple imprisonments!

So how is it that Paul can stress to the Corinthians, and to us, how minor, how unimportant, his troubles—our troubles are? How light, when weighed against the gain of Jesus? And what a privilege they are? How it is they afford us the blessed opportunity to share in Christ’s suffering!

Why? Because he knew that the greatest of our afflictions—however painful, however life altering—however they may have broken our hearts, Spirits, minds or bodies, don’t compare—will never compare to what Jesus endured for you and I. Period. Plain-speak…it just doesn’t compare. And that they would help to mold and shape us—in preparation, for the world to come. We must die to our flesh…

We are sinful man, born into a sinful world, where the unthinkable happens around us daily. And we struggle—and often fail, to make sense of a thing. To understand the “why” of it. The terribly insufficient answer is because we live in a world riddled with—corrupted by sin.

Hate, sickness—physical, spiritual or emotional. Financial loss—loss of anything, addiction, is part of the human condition brought on through sin. And yes, as we see via our example in Paul, it happens to Christians also—those used mightily by God, are not exempt. Often the very opposite is true… (Jn. 16:33).

But how Paul? How do we endure when we are drowning in pain, in loss? How do these mere jars of clay, these vapors, press on when our spouse walks out—or dies suddenly? Our child gets sick, turns to the streets or drugs—or dies also? How do we fix our eyes on the very Jesus that is watching us shoot-up, sleep around, get drunk? In our relationship-less-state… How?

Paul says —we must look to Jesus none-the-less. Through the pain, He understands our pain. Through the shame, He underwent shame and understands all too well. We must turn to the one whom Paul has laid it all down for, the One who—endured The Cross so we would not have to. Who said, “I’ll go for you, I love you too much to lose you, even in your sin-stained situation—no, because of it, you’re not ready…I’ll go….”

We must turn to Jesus, the Teacher and Guide. He already knows—and He’s waiting. For you to come, just as you are—now, today, it’s why He endured—the scourging, the desertion and humiliation, the abandonment at the hands of those He loved. Why He didn’t run from the loneliness, separation from The Father, and His shame…

Rather He held His Cross like a precious lover—because it was…

He held it tight for our sins and shame, for our angry, drunken, drug-induced states. For our divorces and abortions, He held that Cross tight. When He knew the time of that Cross was coming near, He locked on to Jerusalem –set, laser-focused, all His attention towards what must happen.

It’s why He was born—It was, is, His purpose. For the weighty—the eternal. The Cross was for but a moment…

And, we, like Paul, must model Jesus. And fix—set our eyes on things eternal. We must endure our light and temporary troubles by always—despite, contrary to—whatever we may encounter, in faith. We must look past our crosses, yet, holding tight to them—for they are our sacrifice, our blessing, our Joy… And we must look, as Jesus did, as Paul did—toward the One who promised to finish the work in us that He started, if we would just hold on!

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction” (Isa.48:10).

…Many have been brought home to God as chosen vessels, and a good work of grace begun in them, in the furnace of affliction. It is comfort to God’s people, that God will secure his own honor, therefore work deliverance for them. And if God delivers his people, he cannot be at a loss for instruments to be employed. God has formed a plan, in which, for his own sake, and the glory of his grace, he saves all that come to Him.

Matthew Henry.

“Dead Men Speaking?” Heb.11

October 15, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“[Prompted, actuated] by faith Abel brought God a better and more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, because of which it was testified of him that he was righteous [that he was upright and in right standing with God], and God bore witness by accepting and acknowledging his gifts. And though he died, yet [through the incident] he is still speaking” (Heb.11:4). Emphasis my own.

These men of God, these stalwarts of the faith—eternal voices, esteemed each, and found in the Christian Hall of Fame, Hebrews Chapter Eleven, are no more dead—no more silent, than is Jesus. And Jesus is most certainly not dead! He is alive and speaking still, as are they—always, to His children—to the world!

There are times, that in order for us to understand where we are now and how it is we got there, we must look over our shoulder for a moment and evaluate—take stock of, our path, our journey. This is what Paul, I believe, is reminding us to do in Chapter Ten’s conclusion. He signals us to remember those moments when we first believed, when we were on fire for the Truth—for God. We must rekindle those moments, afresh, again and again.

There is no price too great to pay to follow what burns in our hearts—what we hunger for, thirst after. Paul reminds us that though time has passed—and with it’s passing, perhaps it’s taken some of our ardor also. Nevertheless, we must hold on, hold fast to, our passion for God. We must remain steadfast in faith. We must persevere…

He reminds us that none of us is promised a smooth path to follow. But he also states plainly that the one who went before us is coming back for us as well—and He won’t delay! That is our Hope delayed, but not denied! Yet this Jesus is not looking for—is not pleased with us when we shrink away from our walk with Him simply because it’s gotten hard…

Think how hard it was for Him. How hard it was for Abraham, Moses and Noah. For David, Mary, His mother, and Rahab, the prostitute. For Peter and John, Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot. Even for Paul himself. How difficult it was for all those who choose to follow the call they knew came from God in the midst of a pagan world who wanted nothing to do with their Jesus…

Sound familiar?

Yet we, like they, gain our strength through The Holy Spirit, so that, we too may endure until the end. If we will turn our hearts to Him—crying out to the only One who can sustain us in our hours of weakness, our times of trials and loss and testing. And there will be testing. Jesus did not escape it, and we certainly won’t either. Like Master—like servant. We must hold firm to our faith. It was this very thing—this faith, this elementary foundational building block, which straightened their spines, these stalwarts, and aided them in putting one foot in front of the other when persecution, uncertainty and yes, fear, hunted them.

We, like with those who’ve gone before us, who’ve finished their race and received their crown, have been bought for a price. The ultimate price, The Atoning Blood of Jesus. Christ’s sacrificial giving of His life in exchange for our own. Least we never forget!

Now,echoing across this Hall of Fame, we hear the footsteps of Abel—out first dead man speaking. “By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”

As we continue to listen to Paul’s naming of those found in this encouraging—life affirming, faith building chapter, next we hear of Enoch…

Enoch, Noah’s great-grandfather. Much like Elijah in Kings 2:11, Enoch too, was taken up to heaven, never to have tasted physical death (vs.5). Then comes Noah. Noah who in holy fear built the Ark that God instructed him to build—and he built it precisely as he was told…

He built it in the midst of persecution and torment. He built it though he had never seen rain. God had told Noah to build a boat—and he did it, by faith, in obedience. And as a result, he, his whole family, and those animals the Lord chose to enter this boat, were all saved from the coming flood. Through Noah’s faithfulness, God ushered in His judgement on a sinful world. You see, Noah was a type of the Christ to come—and Christ, through His obedience to the Father—offers Salvation for all who will…

An Ark…safety.

Concerning Noah and us all: Faith moves us to do those things we have no foreknowledge of—no reference point from which to spring forward. We are made to be solely reliant on the Christ whom we confess… (James 2:14-26).

And when we think faith, how can our minds not go straight to Father Abraham. Not only did he leave home and country when called to by God, also, when he was nearly 100 years old, he had the faith to believe a promise given him by the Lord under a starry, night sky. A promise which stated that from his withered, and all but dried-up body he would sire a child, Father a nation. And this promise would be fulfilled through the womb of his equally dried-up, and barren wife! It is never too late for God…

Faith is the evidence of things unseen, yet hoped for… (Heb.11:1).

Our Hall of Fame list goes on to mention such memorable names as, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph of the multi-colored coat. Who would save his entire family from famine—because by faith he endured pits and slavery, false accusations, deceptions and treachery, attempts on his life, and abuse at the hands of those he thought loved him—those whom he loved…

In this world you will have trials and tribulations, but fear not, take heart, for I have overcome this world… (Jn.16:33).

And, as I stated earlier, sometimes, in order for us to know how best to move forward we must look back to where we started—for the purposes of re-calibration, not in sorrow or longing for things past, God forbid! If we have been made new creations in Christ Jesus, why would we ever long to unite our new selves to the corpse of the dead selves we left floating about in our Baptismal waters? Though we are—and will be until Christ’s return, working out—learning this new self, this new relationship; it’s thinking and resulting actions.Each of these things will never be made complete should we continue to reach behind…

Paul says it this way, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil.3:13-14).

Each of those found in our Hall of Fame, as well as every Christian that’s gone before us, knew of one trait in our arsenal that was essential to or faith walk. Needed like air and water…

Perseverance.

Paul knew it. Paul’s faith, along with those mentioned in Hebrews 11, was fashioned in trials, made sure through perseverance. In faith believing that the One who started this new thing—this good work, would do just as He said He would, and complete it. That was His part—His promise to them, to us. Our part is the persevering through whatever comes. Through the fiery furnaces, through so much we’ll never understand this side of eternity. That is what Paul is teaching us—back there, in Chapter 10…

Paul says it this way: “But we are not of those who shrink away and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved” (Heb.10:39). And not because of anything we’ve done…

Perseverance is the take-away when we look to God’s Word for how it is we’ll get through this world and all of its many trials and woes. It’s what lead us into Chapter 11, into Faith—the how of perseverance, its partner.

Why perseverance? Why Faith? The closing verses of our chapter gives us a glimpse—and sets us up for what is yet to come. Jesus. It was Jesus these stalwarts in our Hall of Fame wanted, served—yet did not know by name. They knew only the God of Laws and the Prophets. Paul tells us that, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Heb.11:39-40).

Jesus.

And how much more than Paul and Peter and John and Mark are we—witnesses to the fulfillment of the promise each of these Hall of Famer’s clung to. If we, like those before us, will continue to persevere in faith—in spite of, regardless of—come what may. Our joy too will be made complete! Our Faith rewarded…that we may see Him coming on the clouds, returning to bring us to Himself in glory!

“And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. And he that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he saith, Write: for these words are faithful and true” (Rev. 21:3-5).

“I’m Coming Back.”Lk. 13:6-9

October 1, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

Friends, what do the Words of Jesus spoken to a crowd of Jews 2000 plus years ago have to do with us today?

Simply put, “The Word of God is the same yesterday today and forever” (Heb.13:8 NIV). That is a rudimentary Biblical Truth.

As such, it makes what Jesus said to that crowd quite relevant to us today. Put Scripturally, “The heaven and the earth will pass away, but My words will certainly not pass away.” (Mark 13:31 BLB).

I am laying this foundational Truth in preparation for our text today. The sub-heading of which is, “Repent or Perish” (Lk. 13:6-9 NIV).

That statement—those three words, “I’m coming back,”however unpopular in our current culture, are, and will stay, fundamental Truth… believe it or not.

Beginning in Chapter 12 of Luke we witness Jesus revealing certainties that lead us into today’s teaching. Follow along as Jesus walks those who would seek Him through those Truths. While on this walk, notice too that Jesus clearly lays out the costs of following Him, discipleship, as well as the promises—or gains that being a true disciple affords those willing to lay down their life and take up their personal Cross… (Lk. 14:25-34).

Jesus asked his disciples first, then, those standing in that gathering—that mob, just as He asks each of us today, these, and other, questions:

#1. What motivates you to want to follow Me? To serve Me?…

Are you, like the Pharisees? Are you motivated by attention and material gain? Those passing trappings that so often end up owning those who have take-up the profession, the job of preacher or teacher of His Word? Notice I said, taken up, not all those who stand in our pulpits today, who call themselves preachers and teachers have been called, chosen or appointed by God to do so. How do I know this? Scripture tells me. “You will recognize them by their fruit.” (Matt.7:15-20).

Anyone can do anything for a time, but no one can do it for a life time unless it is authentic, a true, pure calling, an appointment—you’re chosen. Think Peter and Paul here, think John the Baptist. Called each. Your heart is, must be consumed—your mind flooded with the ever-present LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ, the burning in your belly to share that Truth, Him… with everyone, and not solely for the benefits promised you if you do… or you will fall away. Think Pharisee’s here…

Again, not my words but His, The Word, listen: “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness”(Matt. 7:21-23NLT).

#2. You’re not getting away with anything!…

Tying into the above statement, think Pharisees here, we too make think or feel that we are getting away with something… Example, we go to church every week, read our Bibles faithfully, give our tithes regularly and practice charity just the like those mentioned in the above Scripture. Yet in private, in our secret place, away from the eyes of onlookers, we are acting as ungodly as one who doesn’t know God! Shame the devil and tell the Truth! I know I’ve been guilty of this sin in my walk with the Lord. Thinking because a man didn’t know, I was okay, I got away with something! Let me share with you a Truth the Holy One hit me with… “No creature can hide from him, but everyone is exposed and helpless before the eyes of the one to whom we must give a word of explanation” (Heb.4:3 ISV).

God is Holy and cannot look upon sin. So if we truly desire to follow God, we too must strive—press in towards, stretch, towards Holiness…

“This is the message he has given us to announce to you: God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts” (1Jn 1:5-10).

#3. Fear the One who can not only kill the body, more the One who when the body is dead can send you to hell.

Jesus was straight-forward with all those who wanted to run after Him concerning the cost they would pay to have right relationship with Him. Notice I did not say to have salvation alone in Him, but, right relationship (Mk.10:17-27). Jesus must be Lord and Savior in our lives. We must be completely submitted to His will and abandoned to our own. We must wholly recognize the ultimate price He paid to redeem us, He is no mere gain in our life’s pursuit of getting more (John 3:16 ESV)!

Let me pause here a moment to ask if you know Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life?

Lord. The One to whom you’ve given unfettered access. The one who now controls every aspect of your life. From a heart filled with loved you’ve surrender yourself to Him…” Yes, to your will, yes to your way, yes to more, deeper, wider, less of me and more of you…yes, yes.

Your will for His will. Your thoughts for His thoughts. Your life—no longer your own…. Lord of all—everything—it’s yours. Period.

Savior. The sinless, spotless Lamb of God who from an unfathomable depth of love for you and I, while we were yet filthy in our sins, looked across time and eternity and said to each of us, I believe you are worth dying for. And with that He held His cross like a dear lover—tight, and laid Himself on it—willingly, until it was finished. The sin debt, yours and mine, theirs too…was stamped, paid in full! God split the veil—His Pure Flesh—Jesus’s…access. Unworthy.

Let’s continue on, shall we…

#4. Do not Blasphemy the Holy Spirit.

He comes to us politely. He’s never rude or intrusive. Recurrently, He will knock at the door of our hearts seeking entry. Offering us knowledge of the Christ—His will, and reconciliation through Him to the Father. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when we blatantly refuse to acknowledge His gracious offer of a life reconciled to God, we choose to hold fast to what His gentle promptings are asking us to release to Him. The god of our sin, our sins… (1 Tim. 4:1-2). Jesus tells us that we may sin against Him and be forgiven, but sinning against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable (Matt. 12:32 NIV)!

And why is that? We are being given, offered—freely, the opportunity to choose God—choose reconciliation, choose life, eternal, yet we willingly—hardheartedly, stay in our sin. We choose to cling to it them, our gods, and stay at odds with, push away The God. The I Am that I Am… again, let’s hold it up to our above Scripture, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matt.7:23 ESV).

In closing, picture this…. we’re standing at the entrance of a lush vineyard. Shhh, listen, the Owner and Manager are speaking. They’re talking about one of us. They’re discussing the outcome of—the fate of, that fig tree over there… Metaphorical. It’s You, me—one of the others maybe standing just there…it’s our fate.

The owner of the vineyard is telling His manager to cut the thing down, it’s worthless!

What? Wait!

Throw it in the fire with all the other useless wood! It’s simply taking up a space that something with far more value—productive something fruit-bearing, could be planted in. It’s been three years since its planting—yet no fruit. Now everyone knows if a fig tree is going to produce fruit typically it happens within the first three season…

Not our little tree… how? It’s been well-tended, planted in the riches of soils, watered regularly—looked after with the greatest of care—with the greatest of attention to every detail of the thing… Yet nada—nothing! Not one single fig…

The owner wants to turn it into firewood, but the manager intercedes…After all, that’s why He was hired—the welfare of the Owner’s vineyard… (Rom. 8:34; Heb.12:2).

Friends, the Word of God tells us—you, the one who is here, now…seeking, that if you do not know Jesus: “God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David, as was already stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb.3:7).

Friends, a thing is true whether you believe it or not. Jesus is coming back. He loves you and wants to return you into the loving arms of Father God. Won’t you pray along with me—please? If you ask Him, He’ll let you, come to Him. He’s right here, now, waiting for you to ask…Promise.

It’s not complicated—like this, ready?

Dear Jesus, come into my heart, I can’t do this anymore, it’s not working. It hasn’t worked in a long time. I’m told you’ll come to me if I ask—if I mean it from my heart… So I’m asking, as messed up as I am. With all of my sin, shame, hurts and hang-ups, with no clue how to do this…I’m asking you into my life, my heart. Today, now—forever. Amen.

“Atom to Adam and Beyond…” Col. 1:15

September 3, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

“He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation” (Col.1:15).

Originator of all creation? Wait. Does that mean that the same God that created me, created the salamander and the snail? The sea and slime? What about the milky way and neutrons? Oxygen and sunshine? Souls and Spirits and intelligence too? Abilities and ideas? Even my desire to do or be a thing?

Yes. Categorically—without equivocation. Yes (Acts 17:27-28).

Our Scripture today plainly attests to this fact—this reality.

Jesus is not only (as in simply, merely or just) our Lord and Savior, not just God’s substantive equal, in that He is not solely the firstborn human fathered by God—literally (Phil.2:6-7). He is the God of the Trinity.

Think the Holy Spirit over-shadowing Mary here…

She, by the power of the Holy Spirit, would conceive and give birth to God’s only begotten Son—Jesus the Christ (Lk.1:35). Three in One, the Godhead.

He is inestimable—boundless. Omnipresent. All of creation—all of it, contains His essence. His Word, thought and will (Ps.33:6-9).

He is God with us—permeating His creation, Immanuel. The very templet of the New Creation, the New Adam. Pure—undefiled, worthy of God. He is Deity wrapped in flesh—man as God intended, perfect. He is in intimate relationship with—gnosis with, the Father God. (Rom.5:12-18).

Creator of all, over all—atom to Adam. In Jesus is found the very definition of fullness—the sum total of all. Both Alpha and Omega, babe and man, lamb—spotless, and lion—roaring, all-powerful, eternal (Col.1:19).

This Jesus is the greatest author, the most prolific of artist. He is the creator of mechanics and all things mechanical, designer, and engineer. Gravitational pull, magnetic poles, the very site of, placement of our galaxy, temperate zones and lightening—tectonics and solar nebula’s (Job 9:9-10; Amos 5:8; Ps.19:1-6; Rev.4:11).

This Jesus—our Jesus, He is the stuff of Greek myth. Half man, half God. Difference is, He’s no myth. He’s real, authentic, sole, glorious, magnificent, awesome—He is God all by Himself.

Contained within man, animals, aquatic life and yes, even plant life, is a protein known as Laminin. Science has come to bear out the Truth of God’s Word…

After all, He is Creator of all things—science included, it is only fitting that science should confirm His Truth.

The Laminin Protein.

What is this stuff?

According to the Journal of Cell Biology: “Lamins line the inside of the nuclear membrane, where they provide a platform for the binding of proteins and chromatin and confer mechanical stability.”

Laminin Protein is the physical proof of—form of, substance of—what we find in Colossians 1:17. “And HE IS before all things and in and through Him the universe is a harmonious whole, all things are held together.” (Emphasis added).

And, as it is physically impossible for man to be literally held together in the absence of this protein, so it is also, spiritually speaking, to hold together as well—without Jesus we fall apart… (Gen.3:6-7).

We have absolute need of Jesus. Without whom, life is and will always be—without form or substance.

Willy-nilly.

And we, having no true, set form, nothing fixed and unchanging to which we can attach to and sustain our lives—are left to our own inadequate devises—veiled attempts at self-construction.

Thus we build shabby frames and frame-works—pointless, faltering constructs—unable, incapable of successfully sustaining function long-term—our essential static, fixed framework nonexistent.

No God, no life. Simple… (Acts:28 specifically; 17:22-31).

Put Scripturally, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn.15:4-5).

Break off a branch from any vine, tree, plant and what happens? Death. No life-source, no life.

And that leads us into this protein also being present in plants of the field, birds of the air, as well as the fish of the sea.

In “types” of their own of course…

Each type—each protein strand, unique to whom it inhabits. Makes sense right? Man is unique from all other created things. He is the only created article that God formed in His own likeness and blew His Ruach breath into—His Spirit, His life-giving, creative breath. (Gen.1:27; Gen.2:7).

Certainly fish, snails, sea algae, and, cows should not—don’t need to, carry within them the fullness of what man has. They are not called—were not created to be him—man. To follow after his Creator, to co-create with Him…

Yet, even these creatures contain within themselves this life-force—this divine glue, that holds them together. It allows for them to work and flourish, to reproduce, and have dominion over—their little place under the sun… (Ecc. 3:1). All of which Jesus’s hand is in as well—His creations. (John 1:3).

Our God—this Jesus, is far too enormous for us to take in. Trying to ingest this enormity of–the scale of, His person, intelligence and creative abilities is like trying to eat an elephant in a single bite—impossible!

Jesus is too great for our finite minds to even begin to grasp. We try. We wrestle and grapple and stare out into the void—in wonder, with a sense of slack-jawed awe…God! My God!

And we are left still—silent, humbled, incapable. As it should be. How thoroughly disheartening—horrifying, it would be if we could conceive—thoroughly take in—this Lamb, this Lion, this Baby, Child, Man, eternal—what is an eternal God? Inconceivable!

He is One who speaks and things are—poof! (Jer.1:5)

And with that same breath speaks—and they are not. Gone, baby gone… (Lk.12:20).

This Jesus, as we have just witnessed, in part, such a small,small part, is greater, bigger, more far reaching—present in everything we think of, image or remember—daily. He is God present not only with us—but in all things. All of life, every created thing, every situation—He is there in it all.

Since this is fact, it only stands to reason that He is here—now, present with us, in this space and time. The Word of God tells us that no man is promised tomorrow. That today is the acceptable day. Your problem is not too big for this big God. Your mistakes not too great for Him to forgive and more—turn into a lifesaving word for another.

There are no bars that can hold Him back or keep Him out, no addiction He can’t overcome—stomp out beneath His all forgiving feet.

There is no crime unforgivable, ask the thief on the cross, he’ll tell you I’m telling the truth. Jesus told Him at his moment of salvation, as he hung dying next to Jesus, the very same words you will here on your day of –your moment of salvation; “And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk.23:43).

But, like with this thief, you must believe that He, Jesus, is who He says that He is. You must ask Him to come into your life and have mercy on you—forgive your sins. We all must, each of us.He won’t just bust in and save you, me, us, from hell.

God’s Word says it like this; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.…(1Jn.1:8-10).

Today is that acceptable day. Now—right now, this second, is the acceptable time—what are you waiting for. You just received your personal invitation, please respond now to assure your place in heaven.

There is a great big creating God who has—in all His building, all His creating, prepared a place specifically—exclusively, for just you—and Him. All that will, come…

“Does God Play Favorites?” Rom.9:21-22

August 13, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction” (Rom.9:21:22).

So are we to understand that we serve a God who plays favorites? Some school-yard bully randomly choosing up sides for a game of you-go-to-heaven-you-go-to-hell?

“You—yeah, you, the fast one, I’ll take you.”

“And you, yeah, you next to him, you can come too.”

“But not you—are you kidding me…not on my team!”

For many this example brings up memories of being the last man standing. Cheeks-red, ashamed. And even now, after all these many years and accomplishments later, you’re feeling the pain, still— are angry, still—to say nothing of feeling like it was completely unfair!

After all, what’s wrong with me you’ve asked? I’ve got two legs and two feet. I could run fast—heck, I could run faster than him! So why didn’t I get chosen—I am too good enough!

And there it is… Paul’s argument.

Our answer—Election.

God’s Sovereignty.

The topic some pastors dodge, and unseasoned ministers shrink under the weight of. But not Paul. Why do they run and shrink? It’s unforgiving—this topic of election. It doesn’t play well with collection plates and full pews—true statement.

So what do we do with unpopular Truth? Truth too great for finite man to wrap his finite mind around? Do we who have been called to bring His Word, this Truth, into a lost and dying world, water-down the gospel—dilute God, so as not to offend?

I will say as my brother Paul said before me, “God Forbid!”

No, we are called to boldly proclaim the Gospel, boldly speak the Truth. We serve a Sovereign God. He does not serve us…Potter, clay. Divine order.

I’m reminded of a quote I recently came across. “A watered down gospel may fill pews, but it will never lead a sinner to the Cross of Christ.” And we are sinners, of that be sure. All of us. There’s not one of us “deserves” to be on team Jesus.

Not one of us is good enough to have gotten picked for His team…

Who of you reading this, in the light of God knowing your heart can say, “but I am”—good enough that is.

The Word of God itself condemns you. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1Jn.1:8). “All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.…(Rom.3:12).

God is the Righteous Sovereign over the whole world. As such, He, God, has the right to do with anyone or anything He created exactly as He wishes, sees fit —no questions asked..

.And that’s where our backs get up—our necks stiffen…

That’s where we cry, “foul!” That’s where the screaming starts, “but it’s not fair!”

We forget that we serve at His pleasure and His calling. Grateful beyond words to have been called, chosen at all. We are not owed our salvation—quite the opposite in fact. What we deserved is hell… Why do we all try to convince ourselves that we are good? Haven’t we all told a lie before? Haven’t we all stolen something that did not belong to us? Haven’t we all looked with lustful eyes or had sexually perverted thoughts?

Jesus defined looking with lust-filled eyes to be the same as adultery (Matthew 5:28).

You are a liar, a thief and an adulterer and so am I. And there is not one person on this planet that likes liars, thieves, adulterers or murderers…

The reality is you agree with God and you cannot fight something you agree with…

How would you defend yourself when you agree with the very laws you’ve broken?

Romans 9 is God speaking to us in and with His authority. It’s not Paul speaking to us—sharing his opinions. How can we know that God’s promise of salvation will not fail? Paul’s answer is that our salvation is secure because it doesn’t depend on us, rather on God’s purpose according to election.

As the sovereign of the universe, God always accomplishes what He purposes to do. He chooses some for salvation apart from anything that they do, and He rejects others apart from anything they do… “So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” (Rom. 9:13).

Think the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:15. Was He the only one there that day in need of a healing? Why not heal all those gathered? And Why Israel? Why wasn’t Africa or Asia made the Apple of God’s eye—His chosen people?

We need to submit, joyfully, to this truth of Gods Sovereignty. Not question it. It’s God’s authoritative revelation of Himself. And this revelation should put an immediate end to our, “I’m good enough for His team argument.”

Paul knew then, as ministers of the gospel know now, today, that there will always be those who will cry out loudly, “but that’s just not fair!” Why them and not me? I’m a good person, don’t I deserve…

Their failure to see—their shortsightedness, comes from their inability to realize, accept, that God is not bound further than He has been pleased to bind Himself by his own covenant and promises…

In other words, God is bound by His will and Word only. Not be our wills and wants. Not by what we think we should have and deserve. Our screaming, “It’s not fair”, changes nothing…

It serves only to show how little we fear God and how prideful arrogant we actually are—how little we know of submission or humility…

How little we understand—know—about God. About the unconditionality of being chosen by God as a child of promise. “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” (vs.16)

He owes His creation nothing. Hard pill to swallow I know. Doesn’t sound like the squeezably-soft God of love, and plenty and forgiveness for all being preached about today. Apostasy! A feel good gospel designed to tickle the ears of those who cannot—will not—hear the saving Truth of the Gospel.

So to answer my opening question, no, God is not some school-yard bully. He is rather an Awesome God, Righteous in everything He does. Sovereign, sinless and pure—perfect in all of His ways—above reproach.

But, as this Righteous Sovereign God He is also free to harden whom He wishes, in order to display His glory…

God could have chosen to be merciful to Pharaoh and the Egyptians by softening their hearts—telling them about the need to put the blood on their doorposts to escape the wrath of the destroying angel. Rather, God chose to harden Pharaoh’s heart for the greater purpose of displaying His glory in power and judgment, so that His fame would spread throughout the earth.

As the Righteous Sovereign over all, God has the freedom to harden sinners for His greater purpose of displaying His glory and power in righteous judgment. “You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? (Rom.9:19-21).

Remember today that you are the clay, not the Potter. “For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me. “I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isa. 45:4-6).

“I’ve Been Where You Are.” 2 Cor.5:11-21

August 6, 2016 / ministermaryellen@gmail.com

I believe one of the many wonderful gifts God offers us—is diversity. I’m not speaking here of the diversity found within the melting-pot of nationalities, though beautiful. Nor of cultures, though certainly diverse.

I’m speaking directly—specifically of diversity found within experiences— our varied yet collective flawed pasts.

Those universal hurts, mistakes, betrayals, and, tragic-regrets we’ve shared or witnessed. Those life-events survived. The events that didn’t kill us, but rather strengthened us. The experiences we might offer each other as balm to sooth, as encouragement to keep going, as a proof-of-life that helps to build up, that unites rather than divides.

Those very things that shamed us, ripped lives apart. Ours and theirs…

Those things that made us drop to our knees and cry out—in loneliness, desperation, pain, and regret. Like a wounded animal bellowing from places of deep brokenness. From almost-fatal wounds.

Painful scars, cruel slashes, some raw still…staring at us from just over there.

Reminders.

Paul carries them too, these scars. Thorns in our flesh. Dare I say they compel him? Us…?

Listen as he pours himself out in this Fifth Chapter. Read it, Dig into it. See for yourself how he understands—firsthand, what being saved from sin, his sin, truly means… as best one can this side of glory.

He understands that no man’s promised tomorrow— that the light which emanates from a life can, and, often is, snuffed out without warning—zero regard for station.

Beggars and kings, young, old, rich and poor alike—will each will face the Throne of God’s Judgement… ready or not.

Paul knows this like you know water is wet.

And so we witness him defending himself, his knowing, before those who think him arrogant, superior even.

Why?

Because they’ve mistake his heart of compassion, his certain knowledge of God’s mercy, his unmerited, unwarranted internalized forgiveness as arrogance, insolence.

Yet he is trying to persuade men still, to seek salvation in the Lord. Be ye reconciled! And those that do not find him arrogant or superior, those that know him, his sincerity, that know the Truth, will most certainly view him as hypocritical, unreliable, untrustworthy even, should he not boldly speak out, should he back down—from defending this Truth.

Everyone is watching…

Yet despite their fierce scrutiny, he has great love for these Corinthians—so he does all he’s able to remind them, encourage them—of who they are.

Our charge..

There are times in our walk when competing voices will try to put their distracting hands of confusion over others ears. Attempting to block out the deep Truth that lives within us all. But thankfully, mercifully, we serve a God whose will won’t be blocked—His will—will be done in the lives of His children. Those He’s called…

His strength, not ours.

That’s where Paul finds himself today. Convicted. Fiercely. Determined. We’ll all stand in his shoes one day, if we’re truly called as Ambassadors of God…

In his opening verses Paul’s doing his best to say, “Hey, listen to me please. I’m not trying to indoctrinate you into some cult. I’m not bullying or threatening you. I’m not using cheap scare tactics or throwing around disheartening words merely as frightful rhetoric—just because. I’m trying to tell you I’ve been where you are, and by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ I’ve been saved, restored in Him. It’s only now, as a result of His mercy, that I understand just how far my sinned stained soul was from God—please listen, you’re making an eternal choice.”

Paul is telling us that God’s judgement is coming to each of us—to the whole of the world. There is no escaping.

In the closing lines of the previous chapter he states that all men will appear before the Throne of God, judged for the deeds done while in the body.

Paul has tasted the goodness of Jesus, His saving grace. Remember he was once among the greatest of those who not only persecuted Christians—he stood as a witness and championed Stephan’s death… stoned for his witness of Christ—of the Truth.

He, Paul, possibly, threw stones himself. Maybe the fatal blow. He stood among the mob gathered…Stephan’s accusers. The first verse of Acts Eight tells us plainly that Paul stood there, “giving approval to his (Stephan’s) death.”

Stephen, God’s servant, operated in signs and wonders. Unheard of…

Recall that at this time in biblical history only the Apostles had been known to move in signs and wonders…

We never know who we may be standing before. Judge not, least…

Yet Paul hated him—as he did all Christians. He rejected everything and anything that smacked of it—Christianity that is. Paul was relentless in his pursuit and elimination of Christians…Think today. Think Isis. That type of determined righteous erroneous hate.

Deeper, more personal. Have you hated or rejected someone for their faith in Christ?

Acts Eight states that Paul, “began to destroy the church. Going from house to house. He dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”

It becomes plain to see why, at this place in his life Paul is so convicted—so concerned about people being reconciled to Jesus. It’s plain to see how well acquainted he is with the weight of sins, his, theirs and ours—and their eternal reach.

Now freed himself through God’s mercy and grace, that freedom drives him to pour out his life in service to the One He had persecuted. Now he lays down his life so that some would know—be reconciled to—find—his Jesus.

Rejection by the world is an oddly a unifying thread among Christians…

We each own a piece of it…this rejection.

It’s an ever present—however silent—tie that binds us all to Jesus. After all, who more than He knew rejection, persecution, and the need for man’s salvation?

And we, His children are commanded to go out into that world that wants little to do with us, often despises us, and daily, faithfully, in-spite-of, carry-out His directive? Go ye therefore unto all the world…

Paul didn’t care what these Corinthians, or anyone else for that matter, thought of him—how they perceived him—so long as his God was honored.

He stood as naked as one may stand fully clothed…our example. Bold.

Naked—in his removal of self-will.

Naked, because he had stripped off his care for the opinions of the world—standing, he was clothed only in the pure love of Christ. Confident that he might reach those he’d been sent to reap—to bring in to the Kingdom. Listen to his plea in verse 20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

And there it is. The heart-cry of Paul and Peter, of James and John and the remaining Eight. Of every Christian Martyr that shared in their same faith, their same certainty. The point of this message…

It’s the heart-cry of every Pastor, every minister and evangelist. The song of every worshiper and the prayer of every warrior who storms the gates of Heaven— violently, for the sake of salvation of souls.

Be reconciled to Christ Jesus!

We are Ambassadors of Reconciliation. Marked by God. Chosen…

We must wear that mark soberly into each encounter, before each new soul presented in Christ.

Not as one still in bondage, God forbid!

Rather as a Holy fuel!

Being ministers who live in a state of such relentless remembrance of Gods mercy towards us, allowing that to spur us on, to pour out our lives for each other, and the whole world.

We must never forget our past sin-stained state—more, we mustn’t care for the opinions of others towards it, that in that caring we may be deterred—save the opinion of Christ alone. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are.”

We must keep in the forefront of our minds that we, and those that have yet to know our Father, are not promised tomorrow. And while it is today labor tirelessly for the reconciliation of souls.

In closing, listen to our brother Paul’s heart…“If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

Receive this word as a charge. Wrap yourself in it. Arm yourself with it because; “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

I’ve been where you are, dear heart, precious soul, please, hear my plea that you too be reconciled to the Father. Cry out to Jesus for forgiveness of your sins.

Until next time…

Tag: knowledge (Page 2 of 3)

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“Does God Play Favorites?” Rom.9:21-22

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“I’ve Been Where You Are.” 2 Cor.5:11-21

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