sufficient grace

His Grace Is Sufficient!

Feb 2013--Yesterday Linda and I received the news from my prostate biopsy, Adenocarcinoma, Gleason Score 7 (3 +4), tumor length 90% of 14.4mm. 

After we returned home from the doctor's visit yesterday, I cooked baked potato, salad from the garden, and pan grilled ribeye steak. Linda commented that we did not really have justification for our celebration since the news had not been what we hoped and prayed for. But I am glad for having information and being able to make informed choices for treatment. 

If my health were bad, I could just wait it out, and see what killed me first, cancer or heart disease or dementia. But I decided to opt for optimism, since so many things are going on presently that seem to encourage my continued presence, so I called up the doctor's appointment secretary this morning and told her that I have decided to have the Da Vinci robotic surgery for a prostatectomy. 

Linda fixed a nice meal for lunch down at the cabin, by the wood burning stove; green beans, hamburger steak, mashed potatoes, and home made biscuits served with some of Mike Prince's sorghum syrup. It is such a great blessing to be able to live without fear. 

Apostle Paul spent a lot of time planning for his own protection, even to the point of being let down in a basket over the city wall to escape from enemies. After many years of concern for his own safely, Paul finally learned to trust in what the Lord provides. What is provided is not always what we want and ask for, but it is always sufficient. 

Yes, we prayed for a different diagnosis, but we accept what we have with thanksgiving. God's grace is sufficient. I am blessed to have such a wonderful support group; church, family, friends, and especially my wife Linda. 

Good will come from this. Maybe I have been getting too self centered. 

2Co 12:7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 
2Co 12:8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 
2Co 12:9  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
2Co 12:10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDkHNYSdYBg

Doomed Democracy

Blessings and Cursings

God’s people were promised blessings when they love and respect God and each other, and promised destruction when they devote themselves to the love of this world (the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life).

Just before his death, Moses spoke these words to Israel, Deut 30:14-20-- "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;  in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.”

"But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.”

 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

The history of Israel demonstrated the resulting blessing and cursing of God’s people. Under David, who loved God with all his heart, Israel became a powerful nation. But when Israel turned her back on God, and did the things she pleased, destruction followed.

We are supposed to learn something from those events. Paul wrote that we should avoid Israel’s mistakes, 1 Cor 10:1-12—For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.  Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY."

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

Our nation has been blessed as no other nation in the history of the world has been blessed. Those blessings grew from hearts devoted to service and to pleasing God. But we have become a nation devoted to pleasing ourselves. And the house of cards constructed by greed and deceit is collapsing around us.

We are not blessed by democracy, as we see all around us the inherent failure of rule of the majority in situations where the majority are involved in malicious mischief. How would you like to live under a democracy where the Muslim Brotherhood has the majority?

How long do we have before our nation is cursed because of unbelief?  I do not know, and am not worried. Even if the world as we have known it collapses, and people have to return to the basics of life, working for food, clothing, and shelter, all who trust in YHWH will be blessed.

We are blessed when we love and respect God and each other. There is no other source of lasting blessings than what is given by God based upon faith in Him. 

Life does not consist of the abundance of things we possess, but in the abundance of gifts we can offer in service to God and each other. As Yeshua said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Everyone needs to be reminded of this from time to time, so that we do not forget the source of all good things.

So love and trust God with all our being, and say a kind word to our neighbors. Let us be ready to help each other face the challenges ahead. 

Ezekiel's River

                               Ezekiel's River

Ezekiel saw a great river that went down into the Dead Sea, producing life where it went. This is a glorious picture of the power of the message about Jesus the Messiah, which brings life to those who receive and trust the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. The change of hearts that results from acceptance of this message has the power to heal the nations and bring peace to all who believe.

Ezek 47:1-12

1 Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar.
2 He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
3 When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles.
4 Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins.
5 Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.
6 He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
8 Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh.
9 "It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
10 "And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many.
11 "But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.
12 "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing." NASU

This vision of Ezekiel is a vivid picture of the power of the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ, the crucified and resurrected Son of God. This message began to be taught at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost following the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth at the time of the Passover, probably in AD 30. First the message spread among the Jews who had gathered at Jerusalem for the occasion, and then spread throughout the nation of Israel, and then to all nations of the earth. Wherever honest hearts received the message, new life of concern for fellow man began, like the healing of the waters of the Dead Sea by the river that flowed there in the vision. But the message about Jesus the Messiah was not received everywhere, but like the evaporation ponds of the Dead Sea today, some areas would not be healed by the flowing waters, but be left for salt. 

God’s prophet Isaiah gave a parallel prophecy recorded in Isa 2:1-3

1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Now it will come about that
In the last days
The mountain of the house of the LORD
Will be established as the chief of the mountains,
And will be raised above the hills;
And all the nations will stream to it.
3 And many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
That He may teach us concerning His ways
And that we may walk in His paths."
For the law will go forth from Zion
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem 
NASU

The prophet Zechariah made a similar prediction, recorded in Zech 14:6-9 

6 In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle.
7 For it will be a unique day which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but it will come about that at evening time there will be light.
8 And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. 
NASU

Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, and gave them their marching orders. This is recorded in the gospel of Matthew, Matt 28:18 –20:

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." 
NASU

Christianity spread throughout the world. Within three centuries, Christianity had changed the nature of man’s devotion from worship of pagan idols to the worship of the true and living God who has revealed himself in history. All over the world, the idol temples fell into ruins, and the exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord of all was demonstrated.

The establishment of Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire soon led to the corruption of the faith of the church, as political power, wealth, and social position became the goals of some leaders within the church. This corruption opened the door for the purge of the church by the followers of Mohammad, who soon established their rule from India to Spain, enforcing their religious faith by the power of the sword.

Three branches of the descendants of Abraham (Jews through Isaac, Arabs through Ishmael, and Christians through Jesus, descendant of David) became entwined in a struggle that has dominated history. The promise of the angel to Hagar regarding her son Ishmael has been amply fulfilled. He became the father of twelve princes, and the resulting Arab tribes. And his violent promise has been realized, as predicted by the angel, recorded in Genesis, Gen 16:7-13:

7 Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
8 He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."
9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority."
10 Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."
11 The angel of the LORD said to her further,
"Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
12 "He will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone's hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers." 
NASU

Today it is into this dead sea of hatred that the love of Jesus is again being poured forth like springs in the desert. The prophet Isaiah described the gospel in this way:

Isa 35
1 The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus 2 It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God. 3 Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble. 4 Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you." 5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. 7 The scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes. 8 A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it. 9 No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, 10 And the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away. 
NASU

Jesus Christ is the hope for peace in the Middle East, for Jew, Christian, and Palestinian. When people stop hating each other, and begin to think about what is best for everyone involved, it will be like water in the desert that causes the crocus to blossom profusely.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, calling us to life in the presence of the living God who has revealed himself in history, and spoken through his prophets, can bring life to the land plagued by the darkness of ancient hatreds and rivalries.

Yeshua is the promised messiah, and he rules within the hearts of all who trust in him. Those who refuse his presence are like the flats of the Dead Sea, left for salt. Those who trust in him will have abundant life, and will produce healing for the nations.

Balm of Gilead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fcMxI_6xsk

Nothing to Fear

Nothing to Fear Except Unbelief

Fear of failure and fear of death are common concerns for mankind. Once I was trapped inside an overturned truck that had lost its gas cap, replaced by a temporary Beanee-Weenee can. 

I had just filled the gas tank with 18 gallons of gasoline, which dumped out underneath the truck. I was pinned in the cab, upside down, unable to move because my feet were trapped by the gear shift and dump lever of the farm truck, with the top of the cab mashed down to the level of the window openings, giving me just enough room to not be crushed. Gas fumes were so strong I could hardly breath. There was a probability that any second the thing would go up in a large whoosh of flame. 

I was trapped like that for 45 minutes, until neighbors managed to pry the truck door open, and bend the dump lever to free my feet, then pulled me out of the cramped space, feet first. By that time, an ambulance had arrived, and I was loaded up to take for check out. My pulse and blood pressure were normal when they checked my vital signs. I had been constantly praying and warning people not to light a match. 

Recently I underwent a prostate biopsy with local anesthetic, and 12 sticks for the procedure. Other than the indignity of the occasion, it was no problem. I reminded myself of what I said when I was extricated from the truck, "I will never be uncomfortable again!"

Perhaps it was an overstatement, but comfort is relative.  Our experiences can teach us to trust in God's provision. Nothing can separate us from the love of God except unbelief. 

Apostle Paul says this about his being stoned at Lystra: 2Co 1:8  For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 

2Co 1:9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 
2Co 1:10  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 

Paul continues to talk about suffering he faced: 2Co 12:2  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 

2Co 12:3  And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
2Co 12:4  and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 
2Co 12:5  On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—
2Co 12:6  though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 
2Co 12:7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 
2Co 12:8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 
2Co 12:9  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
2Co 12:10  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When I am weak, then I am strong. Learning to trust the power and provision of God delivers us from fear of death and failure.

For those who love the Lord, and who have been called into God's family by the gospel, perfect love casts out fear. As Paul wrote: Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 


Rom 8:28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 
Rom 8:29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 
Rom 8:30  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 
Rom 8:31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 
Rom 8:32  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 
Rom 8:33  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 
Rom 8:34  Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 
Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 
Rom 8:37  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 
Rom 8:39  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 


Yes, unbelief is all that we have to fear. The outcome of unbelief is destruction and separation from the Love of God.  Our faith is strengthened as we walk with Jesus, and experience His loving care, which is sufficient to get us through our greatest trials. 

Sinner's prayer

Easy Believism?

The request of the thief on the cross beside Jesus, and Jesus' promise to him, is often used to justify a concept of calling on Jesus for salvation today. However, Jesus' promise to the thief was given under the Law of Moses, before the death, burial, and resurrection that ushered in the law of the spirit of life in Jesus the Christ.

Jesus often forgave sins during His personal ministry,  but after His resurrection the gospel was preached on Pentecost by Peter and the other apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit. The gospel message demands faith and repentance, and immersion in water by the authority of Jesus. Public confession of faith that Jesus is the Son of God, the good confession made by Peter, is also part of the response of faith to the gospel message. 

Paul makes it clear in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is God's power for salvation, and in 1 Cor 15:1-4, he says that the gospel consists of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Luke records that repentance and remission of sins would be preached from Jerusalem, and we understand this is a reference to Pentecost and the gospel preached by Peter. Luk 24:45  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

Luk 24:46  and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
Luk 24:47  and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48  You are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

The words of Peter on Pentecost seem simple and straight forward: Act 2:32  This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 

Act 2:33  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 
Act 2:34  For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, "'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, 
Act 2:35  until I make your enemies your footstool."' 
Act 2:36  Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." 
Act 2:37  Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 
Act 2:38  And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
Act 2:39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." 
Act 2:40  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." 
Act 2:41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 

The importance of baptism by the authority of Jesus is confirmed by the record of believers at Ephesus who had only received the baptism of John: Act 19:1  And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 

Act 19:2  And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 
Act 19:3  And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 
Act 19:4  And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." 
Act 19:5  On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 
Act 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 

Obviously, these believers had done what they though was calling upon the Lord for salvation, they had been baptized with the baptism of repentance, having been told to believe in Jesus. However, they had not been taught about the baptism authorized by Jesus, which is a pattern of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. 

As we realize that baptism in the name of Jesus involves following the pattern of His death, burial, and resurrection, we can understand that a sinner who has died because of sin is buried with Jesus, cleansed by faith in the power of God, and raised to walk in new life, having received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Teaching that a person is saved before the baptism of faith in Jesus presents a picture of burying someone we are saying is alive. It does not fit the picture: Rom 6:3  Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 
Rom 6:4  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 
Rom 6:5  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 
Rom 6:6  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 
Rom 6:7  For one who has died has been set free from sin. 
Rom 6:8  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 

When Paul writes that those who call upon the Lord will be saved, Romans 10:13, he fully realizes that he has already taught how one calls upon the Lord by obeying the gospel commands of repentance, confession, and immersion. Obviously, we call upon the Lord for salvation by doing the simple and necessary things He commands. It is not doing the things that saves us, but God has always counted obedience as faith. When we obey a simple command like confession that Jesus is the Son of God, and are immersed in water as commanded, we show our faith, and call upon the Lord for salvation. 

We are saved by grace through faith, cleansed by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for our sins. However, faith includes simple obedience, just as was required of Israel when they marched around Jericho 13 times, Naaman dipped in the Jordan river 7 times, and Israelites bitten by the firey serpents had to look at the brass snake in order to be healed. 

Telling people that they are saved by praying a prayer of repentance, and putting off baptism until it is convenient, does not follow the story of the gospel. Surely it is time for believers to return to the story of the gospel, 1Co 15:1  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 
1Co 15:2  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 
1Co 15:3  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 
1Co 15:4  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 

The idea that we are saved by faith only should be defined. We are saved by submitting our will to God, in faith. Without submission, there is no saving faith. Without repentance, confession, and immersion, there is no saving faith.

counting the cost

Counting The Cost

Jesus set the standard for counting the cost. He gave His life willingly, amid horrible suffering, to accomplish His purpose of paying the price for sin and bringing many children to the Father. The writer of Hebrews wrote this, Heb 12:1-3 –“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Scriptures are from the New American Standard Updated version, unless otherwise noted)

                

Jesus taught that we should count the cost before we start following Him, Luke 9:59-62—And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."

Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."

                

But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

                

Luke 14:27-33--"Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.'”

"Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.”

"So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

Seems that Jesus did not teach the “easy believism” that is so popular today. Jesus taught that we must have a change of heart before we can follow Him. We must be willing to give up doing things our own way in order to follow Jesus. This does not mean we must change jobs or family relationships to follow Him, even though Jesus said in Luke 14:26--"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”

Jesus is not saying we must shun our physical life and family, but He is saying we must put Him first, even above our own life and family. Jesus taught that the way to have a good life is to put Him and the Kingdom of Heaven at the top of our priorities. God will not accept second place in our lives. Either we surrender our lives to His control, or we will keep on being dominated by Satan through our worldly passions.

                

Coming to Jesus is not just believing and inviting Him to come into our lives. Coming to Jesus requires our counting the cost, being willing to give up selfishness and self-worship, and to come to Jesus in acceptance of His invitation.  He invites us to take His yoke, which requires us to give up our “doing things my way.”

                

It was Jesus who commanded that repentance for remission of sins would be preached beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-49). Just before ascending into heaven, Jesus spoke these words, Matt 28:18-20-- "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  

                
Repentance requires a decision to give Jesus first place in one's life. Counting the cost of following Jesus involves giving up selfishness.
         

God's Awesome Grace

God's Awesome Grace

My daughter Amy told me about a sermon she heard about God’s Awful Grace. The theme is how God can take calamity and turn it into something good.  Maybe World War II could be an example, how that horrible war and the deaths of millions of people reshaped the world into something where freedom of conscience could increase. Most people understand that it was the terrible persecution of Jews by the Nazis that led to the establishment of modern Israel, and produced the vibrant society there that is willing and able to fight for their freedom. Maybe God is working out something through His awful grace, as the great confrontation between Radical Islam and freedom unfolds. In the end, Jesus and freedom of conscience will win the battle.

Probably Job is the most famous example of how the grace of God can work through a series of hopeless calamities to result in greater blessings in the end. Job wished he had never been born, after losing his children, his wealth, and his health. But in the end he was more blessed than ever, and he had come to a realization and appreciation of God’s divine power and being.  God is able to accomplish His purpose through people and events that seem hopeless.

Apostle Paul experienced God’s awful and awe inspiring grace. After giving up his social and political position in Jewish society, he spent the rest of his life being persecuted because of his proclamation of Jesus as Messiah. Once he was stoned at Lystra, (Acts 14:19-22) Later Paul said, 2 Cor 1:8-10—“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us.” NASU

And it was Paul that wrote these comforting words, Rom 8:28—“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Rom 8:37-39—“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NASU

My own experience with tragic events has given me a greater appreciation for how the most painful experiences can shape our lives and teach us to trust in the things that really count. My failure in farming back in the 1980’s taught me to appreciate my own family and God’s family, and broke my pride in my own accomplishments. I was blessed to become involved in a fellowship of believers in several nations, with opportunities of service that I never imagined.

God’s grace is awe full, in that it often involves painful experiences, and that through tragic events He is able to work out something good. God’s grace is wonderful, as it reveals His awesome power, and gives us reason to trust His power to work out our lives according to His purpose and calling. God’s grace is comforting and encouraging, because it holds the promise, that even when we die, we can still be victorious in Jesus.

Nothing demonstrates the awful and awesome grace of God better than the dying of Jesus on Calvary’s cruel cross. Through the unbelievable suffering of Jesus, something of priceless value was secured, and the victory was assured when Jesus rose from the grave that Sunday morning. His power produces awe, reverence, and hope for all who truly believe. Eternal victory comes to all who trust in Jesus.

believer community

Caring for the Poor and Hungry

The first baptized believers in Jesus who were added to the number of God’s people lived in a special way at Jerusalem, Acts 2:40-47, 4:32-35.  They showed the power of God to all who saw them living their lives each day. They shared with each other and had a great fellowship in their new family relationship with God. They were not an institution, but they were God’s people.

                

God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah that He would make a new covenant with His people,  not based on laws written in stone, but based upon a relationship made possible by the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ, Jer 31:31-34 --"Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

"But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, "Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (New American Standard Updated)

The Christian Community is to be a fellowship in Jesus Christ, lived out each day in our relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. Paul explained the sacrifice involved in his letter to God’s people at Rome, Rom 12:1-2 – “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

We prove God’s will when we demonstrate love for God and for our fellow human beings in our daily lives. It is one thing to dress up and go to a church building on Sunday and call ourselves worshiping God.  It is more difficult to worship God each day of our lives by loving Him and the people He created in His image. Sunday assembly is important, but we should not think that worshiping God is limited to assembly in a special building for a special program. We should not think that the Holy Spirit is only present on such occasions. The Holy Spirit lives in the minds (hearts) of God’s people, and wants to lead us in living Godly lives each day; every hour, every minute, every thought of our lives.

I suppose that Jesus said it best, John 13:34-35 --"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." NIV