It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Archive for March, 2023

God – The Heart of a Loving Father, Or A Cruel Tyrant

Some people are astonished at the fact that God would send His only begotten Son to die for sinful mankind. They speak of what a cold and heartless Father He must be to do such a thing to His Son, to allow Him to be beaten and crucified.   Yet they are blinded to the great love He has for us and all who are created in His image. 

The Father’s love is so great that He would allow His Precious Son to give His life for those who had no hope. Perspective is everything! How we view a matter is of the utmost importance. The enemy is constantly trying to blind the eyes of humanity of the great love God has for us.

John 12:40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” NKJ

Jesus’ great love for His people, moved him to lay down His life, though He despised the shame of the cross. It gave Him joy knowing that we would be forgiven and spend eternity with Him, so He endured the shame.  Jesus chose to lay down His life for us. God was not a tyrant Father who made Jesus come to this earth and die. The Trinity, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are always on one accord. 

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It was the love that Jesus has for us that compelled Him to give His life for His people and God the Father was moved with compassion, mercy and forgiveness and allowed it. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that moves and indwells every true follower of Christ that brings them to the saving knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.  This is the Trinity at work on one accord for the salvation of mankind. 

1 Thessalonian 1:3-4 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 

Our perspective will determine how we see and view God as a Father who offers up His Son for the sins of others. This can appear to be an act of a cruel and merciless Father with little or no regard for His Son. Yet, in reality it was a loving Father, a Sovereign God and His plan of redemption, salvation and restoration, for the rescue and recovery of His people and to glorify His Son above all.  

What appeared to be a cruel act, by a fallen world, was in truth a loving act of God our Father, full of compassion and mercy extending deliverance to His creation. God showing mercy and grace that we may live again and have an abundant life on earth and live eternally with Him in glory. For this reason, we must study God’s word to understand His kingdom principles and to know God our Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent. In this knowledge we are able to have peace and discern what is best from that which may appear to be good.   

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,   by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Satan is continuously lying to mankind and accusing God of being a cruel and heartless tyrant, while accusing mankind of not really loving God, but only caring for what they can get from Him.  It takes the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth of God’s word and His everlasting love for us. 

When we see what Jesus’ act purchased for us and the greatness of the riches and the glory God has given through Christ, then we will begin to understand how great the love God has for us. God loves all humanity, all mankind and all who were created in His image, and that is why He sent His Son to deliver us from destruction. 

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

God loved us so much that He would not leave us in our corrupt, evil and wicked state. It would have been fitting for God to just save our souls from eternal destruction and leave us to pay for the consequences of our disobedience on earth.  But through God’s constraint He moved on our behalf with His tender mercy and great compassion that we might not only have eternal life but abundant life on earth. 

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Heartfelt thanks be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ–the Father who is full of compassion and the God who gives all comfort. 

Psalm 103:4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

May God give us knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. May we be granted wisdom to hate evil, pride and arrogance and to understand His kingdom ways and principles. May we also be given discernment to make the best choices for ourselves and family.  That we may have Favor with God and man to fulfill His purpose, to show His love to a dying world and to reflect and reveal His glory on earth. 

Daniel 1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 

Hosea 2: 19-20 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.

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As The Father Has Sent Me, I Am Sending You!

Jesus was sent by God His Father with a Divine purpose, to give His life that others may be saved. When we look at the life of Jesus we see the example that is set before us as followers of Christ. This same Divine purpose and assignment has beengiven to every true believer in Christ, to die to self, lay down their pride and to give their life that others may live and have eternal life.

John 20:21-22 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

We must change the way we think about suffering and sacrifice for the gospel’s sake. When we look at the life of Christ and of those who walked closely with God we see the same pattern of self-sacrifice for the betterment and the greater good of others.And also, for the glory of God being magnified not only on earth but in the heavens and in the spirit realm.

Jesus was despised and rejected by the people He came to save. Jesus carried our griefs and sorrows, he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities and He was chastised of men so that we could have peace in this life. 

Isaiah 53:3-5 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 

We must adjust the way we view and measure success. We have to recalibrate our thinking and the way we view life, by resetting our goals and what we call success, which is most often the world’s way of measuring success. This is because this fallen world’s images stay before our eyes in every form of media. 

We are to set the life of Christ before us, let our eyes be open to His light, that the truth of His word must be the plumb line or the measure of our success and upward growth. God gave the prophet Amos the picture of the plumb line as a symbol of the standard of which God has for His people. This represents the requirement for those who are faithful to His word and as a way to measure or gauge their faithfulness to His divine calling.  

Amos 7: 7-8 Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.  And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: ‘Behold I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. 

At every turn we are being fed a steady diet of covetousness, materialism, greed and narcissism, which is shown to us in every outlet of media and social media, written or electronically. The enemy wants our eyes and minds fixed on the things and the corruptions of this world, so that we do not have time to read and meditate the truth of God’s word. 

Psalms 101:3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. NKJ

We wonder why our children and families are so self-centered and narcissistic. It is what they are seeing and being taught subliminally, without them knowing it, through all the noise, voices and distractions the world is sending out. It is in every toy and cereal commercial, in every clothes and shoe commercial or ad. This fallen world is telling us and our children that we need these material things to be happy, to be accepted or to have worth.  

Psalms 4:20-24 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble. My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my saying. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. 

As the Father has sent Jesus, so Jesus has sent us. We are toldto die to self as a kernel of grain dies when it is sown into the soil that it may produce a greater harvest. It is when we die to our selfish concerns that our lives are being planted by God, into the lives of others that they too may receive eternal life. Just as Jesus did for us. This is a hard saying, and not many can take it. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit and the will of every follower of Christ to accept this truth from God and pray to God to give them the will and the power to do His great work.

John 12:24-26 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

We are told not to be weary, disenchanted or fed up withdoing well, because in doing good and helping others, we will be rewarded. We rewarded if we do not become faint hearted and give up before we accomplish the assignment God has given us. We may get tired, exhausted and drained as we serve and engage the hurt and wounded, the oppressed and marginal but we are to come to God, our Source so that He may restore and refresh us.

We are not to get disillusioned or jaded with doing good to those who may not appreciate us, or to those who may not be lovely in their response to us. Because God will reward us if we do not faint or do not give up. Let the Lord be our Shepherd the one who feeds us and restores and refreshes our soul.

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

That same Jesus who was despised and rejected by men, is still being rejected. It is the life of Jesus that lives in us that thisworld also hates and rejects. It is the resemblance and reflection of God’s glory that is upon us that is being attacked by Satan, who has set himself up as God’s enemy. Satan reviles, hates and scorns all humanity because there are created in the image of God, and as the people of God we are to reflect and reveal God’s glory on the earth.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Just as Jesus laid down His life without murmuring or complaining, so are we to be the example before this crooked and perverse world. We are to let the light of Christ shine through us and not allow our own selfish concerns to take priority. We can do this by holding fast to what the word of God tells us, so that we will rejoice with Christ and our labor will not be in vain.

Philippians 2:17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all

John 20:21-22 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

The life of every true follower of Christ is one that must die to self-service and be poured out for His service. We will rejoice when we see the souls of those whose lives we sowed into, living with Christ for eternity. 

This can only be done when we have received the Holy Spirit of God living in us and through us. We are called to be broken bread and poured out wine for those around us.

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Truth – What is Truth?

Many people have their own beliefs, opinions and perspectives that have been shaped by their families, communities and lifestyle. The information that we have been fed from our upbringing is the only information we have at the time. Though the information we have may not be truth, but it is what we have been taught, given from someone’s opinion, their teaching or philosophy.  Most times these teachings are developed for the benefit and/or the protection of that particular family or people group. There is only one truth, while there may be many opinions and perspective, but Jesus is the only way “the truth” and the life. 

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJ

As young children we accept the teaching we receive from our parents and adult authorities as real when in actuality they may not be fact, but only the information that they have been limited to or had access to.  As we mature into adulthood we find ourselves evaluating and questioning those presumed facts, beliefs and opinions. We see this with our teenagers as they transition from adolescence to adulthood, they start reevaluating the information they received to see if these beliefs and opinions line-up with their experience. 

There are so many perspectives, opinions and beliefs that portray themselves as truth but in reality they are lies,deceptions and just smoke and mirrors. That is why we must be sure of what is the real truth and how to authenticate what is true and then accurately communicate that truth to our children, family and community. 

Johns 18:37-38a Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”…

As Pilate asked, people are still asking that same question, “What is truth?” Jesus stated, for this reason and for this root cause He was born into the world, that He should display, exhibit, make evident and be a witness to what truth really is. Truth is not part of this fallen world’s views and biases but truth is according to the word of God.  Without the truth of God’s word men would not have been able to believe by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and then to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. 

Jesus has revealed to us what truth is and has told us the He is the truth, life and the way to God our Father, Creator and Sustainer. 

Jesus “is the way,” the way we should live life on earth as God’s creation to reflect His glory on the earth.  

Jesus “is the truth,” the truth of God’s word to us and the truth of who we are and who we were created to be as God’s ambassadors to reflect and reveal His truths to those who live in lies and darkness.

Jesus “is the life,” He is the One who gives us eternal life that we may have everlasting life with God our Father for all eternity while experiencing an abundant life here on earth.  

John 17:17-19 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Jesus’ prayer to God the Father is that He would sanctify us by His truth and that His word is truth. Many people have the wrong concept of the word sanctify, because of what they have been taught. Some people believe to be sanctified is to remove sin or to be without sin. Jesus said He sanctified Himself, that we may also be sanctified. Jesus did not have any sin to remove but He separated Himself and set Himself apart from His heavenly glory so that we through faith in Christ and the truth of God’s word may also be set apart from this world. 

To sanctify is to set apart, to dedicate, to bless, hallow or to respect. Jesus is asking God the Father to make a difference between His people and the world. To separate them from this fallen system, to bless them to give them honor and respect.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.   All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.   And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Before the foundation of the world was laid Jesus was with God in the beginning, He was the Word of God and He was with God and Jesus is God. All things were created by Jesus and He made everything in perfect harmony with God our Father. He also gave His creation, mankind a will, that is the ability to choose their allegiance. It was Satan that brought sin and darkness into the world. Fallen humanity was blinded to the truth of God’s word after they rejected God’s truth for Satan’s lie. Jesus came back to restore truth and gave mankind the opportunity to choose once again God’s truth over the lie of the world. 

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

For those who choose Christ as their Savior, Jesus states, if they abide in His word they are His disciples through the actions and deeds that they perform. It is the word of God that instructs us on what truth is and gives us the ability to discern God’s best from what the world calls good.  

We shall know the truth and the truth that we know, will make us free. To know with understanding the word of God is different than just hearing words spoken without any intellectual insight or understanding in our mind. The truth that we should know, is the truth that is in God’s word. When we have a real understanding and knowledge of God’s word and put into practice what God’s word say on a matter, then we are able to be free from the bondage, oppression, suppression and burden this fallen world system tries to bring us into.   

What is Truth? Jesus, His life His words and His love for us is true reality of life. Satan is a deceiver, a thief and a liar but Jesus came to expose the enemies lies and to give us a life that will fulfill our purpose, which is to reflect and reveal God to lost world.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. NKJ

John 10: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The truth we need to know is that Jesus is the only way to Godthe Father. In Him is life, not only eternal life in some far-off future, but the way for us to live an abundant life on earth.

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