Grace & Truth

Romans 2 : 12-16

2012-02-21T17:38:00.003-06:00

"For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." (Romans 2:12-16)

Discussion Questions:

1. In Romans 2:11, Paul writes that "there is no partiality with God." How is this the case when he points out in verse 12 that Gentiles will "perish without law" and Jews "will be judged by the law?" Is that fair? Explain.

2. How do nature and human conscience relate to the law and the judgment of God?

3. How do you witness or evangelize? What do these verses suggest that our witness/evangelism should be like?

Romans 2 : 5-11

2012-02-14T12:21:00.001-06:00

"But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God." (Romans 2:5-11)

We can appropriately title this study, "Judgment by Works." This is a sticky subject because there is always someone who will misinterpret this as being "saved by works." We, obviously, are not saved by works; we are saved by Jesus Christ. But, the Bible teaches that the evidence God will use to justify His judgment will include our deeds. Paul is correctly applying the same lesson that was taught by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke:

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:43-45)

So we can see that the product of our deeds (the fruit that we bear) is the determining factor in God's righteous judgment.

Discussion Questions:

1. In light of Jeremiah 17:9, how is it possible for sinful humans to produce "good fruit?" (Consider Luke 18:27 and John 15:5-8)

2. What is the difference between those who "seek glory, honor, and immortality", and "those who are self-seeking?" (Consider Mark 14:36)

3. Are you a fruit-bearing tree? (Be careful with your answer!)

God bless

The Faith of Jesus

2012-02-07T09:23:00.002-06:00

When I was very little, I went through a phase where I was afraid of the dark. It was near impossible for me to get to sleep unless there was some light in my room. My son is going through the same phase. "Mommy, Daddy, don't leave me!" I always tell him to close his eyes, that it will be morning soon, and there will be light again. We leave the night-light on for him anyway. Someday he will conquer it. But that's fairly simple; a child's fear of the dark is usually temporary, because faith that the sun will rise again overpowers the fear.
This is what the faith of Jesus is about. It's so easy to succumb to the horrors of the world we live in; where boogeymen lurk in shadows and dark alleys. It's easy to be afraid of the uncertainties of life and to be cornered by the inevitability of death. It's easy to get swallowed up by the abyss of loneliness.
When Jesus came to Gethsemane, He was being swallowed whole. He was distressed by the lonely, perilous path before Him.

He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:35-36)

Like a small child left, for the first time, to sleep in his own bed; left to contemplate the impending darkness, Jesus was sad and distressed. "Daddy, don't leave me!"
It wasn't humanity's sins that distressed Him; it wasn't the darkness that overwhelmed Him; it was the inevitability of being ripped from His Father's side that had devastated Him. You see, Jesus had never before been separated from His Father. And now the time had come. Jesus would experience the effects of sin.
Friends, without His sacrifice we would be separated from our Father in heaven. Without Him, we would be exposed to the disease of sin and pronounced terminal!
So praise His name with each and every breath, because Christ believed that the sun would rise again! Christ believed that He would be reunited with His Father! Christ had faith!
You can claim His faith today!

"Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12)

There is no fear that can overpower the faith of Jesus! Follow Him...

The Verb

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. (Mark 1:9-20)

Our God is alive! Our God is working! That's what I love about the Gospel of Mark. In John's gospel, Jesus is the Word; but, in Mark, He is not just any Word! In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is The Verb! The "Active Word!" According to Mark, Jesus' actions are deliberate and "immediate." In chapter one we discover that the word "immediately" is used 8 times! Jesus is certainly not asleep at the wheel! Doesn't that give you confidence?

But, upon closer examination, we find that Jesus is not alone in His "immediateness." In verse 12, we find the Holy Spirit "immediately...drove Him into the wilderness." And, in verses 18, 20, and even in verse 28, we find that human reaction to Christ is also immediate. Simon, Andrew, James, John, and the multitudes that came into contact with Jesus, were changed immediately!

Friend, I believe that everyone who meets Jesus can change. The rich and poor; the popular and the outcast; the Christians who have lost their way and even the atheist can be changed by encountering the Verb!

But, the immediateness of that change is up to you. God wants to fill you with His Spirit of Change today and refine you into a precious jewel! He wants you to experience a life that overflows with the victory of His Son, Jesus Christ! Will you answer His call, today?

Romans 2 : 1-5

2012-02-06T14:24:00.000-06:00

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:1-5)

Discussion:

1. How many will "escape the judgment of God?"

2. What are the dangers of judging others? Be prepared to consider multiple answers!

3. What does the process of God's judgment tell us about Him? What effect should that have on our lives?

Wanted: Jesus - Dead or Alive???

2012-02-05T10:59:00.004-06:00

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” (Mark 16:1-3)

It was a dark and depressing Sunday morning for the followers of Jesus. Just three days earlier, their Master had been crucified; the One whom they had put their hopes and trust in. And now He was dead. The disciples, in shame and in fear, had gone into hiding. Their future was clouded with doubt. Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome came early that morning to anoint the dead body of Jesus; to fulfill their final obligation to Him and then to move on with their lives. But, there was one problem. The weight of the large stone that sealed the tomb was far too heavy for these three women to move. How distressing! How terribly futile was this endeavor! So determined to fulfill their obligation and honor their Lord, yet painfully aware that their efforts were in vain! If you look closely, you can see the irony in this story. As they approached the tomb they were shocked to find that the stone had already been rolled away!

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here." (Mark 16:4-6)

Many Christians today are struggling. Some struggle with financial burdens, so they don't tithe. Others struggle with work issues, so they don't keep the Sabbath. Others fail to overcome addictions, so they remain addicts. Some fail to reconcile broken relationships, so they remain broken. And like Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome at the tomb, Christians go to church every week, and in vain, attempt to serve a dead Christ. The angel who spoke to those three women speaks also to you today. "He is risen!" We serve a living Christ! The stone of doubt, of fear, and of hopelessness has been rolled away! There are no burdens too small nor too heavy for Christ to overcome!

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:27)

Are their sins that you have withheld from Jesus? Are their strongholds preventing you from experiencing the victory that Christ has promised? Whatever the obstacle may be, Jesus is ready and waiting for you to give them to Him.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Trust in Christ with all your life for He lives today! God bless you and your family

Don't Complicate It

2012-02-01T10:19:00.010-06:00

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Heard this one before? Never forget it. Within these three verses are the definition of a Christian. Let's break it down:

1. A Christian declares Jesus Christ as authority.
What a relief! We can be assured that no matter what the circumstances are in our lives, that Jesus is in control and in charge. A Christian is one who honors His authority and declares that life comes by the Word and example of Jesus. Revelation 14:12 says, "Here are the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

2. A Christian disciples others to Christ.
There are many who are confused concerning spiritual gifts, their place in the church, and what God's plan is for their lives. This is how we over-complicate the Christian life. Jesus, in His authority, simply commands us to make disciples in the following way:
A. Baptism - "When I gave my life to Christ..." In every testimony you'll hear those words; the public declaration of baptism. This is how we encourage others to do the same; by sharing our Christ-experience with those whom God has put in our pathways; by giving the gift of the Truth, that salvation comes by Jesus Christ.
B. Teach them - Baptism is a new beginning. Why then are those newly baptized, Christian babies left on the doorstep of the Church building, orphaned and alone? Jesus said, "I am with you always." If Christ be our authority and example then we should do likewise. If we teach them that the Christian life is one day a week inside the church building then we are teaching a fake Christ. We teach by becoming involved in their lives; outside the walls of the church and inside the homes; thus giving us ample opportunity to exemplify the lifestyle change. Otherwise, we encourage them to live two lives; a dangerous and lethal combination.

Is your church struggling? Do you wonder why interest seems to be waning? If so, a reexamination of Matthew 28:18-20 might be in order. Friends, a proper understanding and application of discipleship is vital to the health of the church. God bless

"I'll take Salvation for $1000, Alex!"

2012-01-31T13:00:00.001-06:00

They're calling it, "The American Bible Challenge" ; a new game show to be aired on cable tv in the near future that will test contestants knowledge of Scripture as they compete to win prizes. Proponents of this new show will undoubtedly point to the exposure of God's Holy Word to a national audience; perhaps inspiring multitudes to rediscover a relationship with their Creator. Opponents will most assuredly warn of the dangers of encouraging people to get into the Word so they can make a quick pay-day; thus, attempting to serve two masters and weakening the message of the Gospel. What do you say? One thing is for sure, the idea truly is "American."

When Lightning Doesn't Strike

2012-01-31T09:11:00.007-06:00

Say what you will about Kim Kardashian, but she showed up at a church this past Sunday. And, apparently lightning didn't strike. Sure, there's bound to be eyes rolling and cynicism in abundance, but, lightning didn't strike. God didn't electrocute her. Surprised? Probably not; but maybe skeptical? I've had many conversations about God and one comment that I hear a lot is, "God will strike me down if I step foot in a church!" As if I need to change before I meet Jesus! No, we serve a merciful God who is relentless in His pursuit of our well-being. We serve a forgiving God who greets us with open arms into His family.

So, why the fear of lightning? There is "lightning" striking in the church, however, it doesn't come from God. Sadly, the bolts of condemnation are wielded by the skeptics, cynics, and pessimists. Skepticism, cynicism, and pessimism won't bring people closer to God; won't ever keep them in the church long enough to change. Maybe we suffer from short term memory; forgetting our own arduous climb to the feet of the Master.

"Owe no one anything except to love one another,
for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." (Romans 13:8)

Since God is merciful, let His mercy work through us; since God is relentless, let Him pursue through us; since God is forgiving, let Him forgive through us. God bless.

How Great Thou Art!

2012-01-30T22:37:00.003-06:00

This is a breathtaking video of the evidence of God's skillful, creative power! I hope you enjoy, as it has given me a powerful blessing! Praise Him, for His works are wondrous!

Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.

Romans 1 : 21-32

2012-01-30T14:59:00.004-06:00

"because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:21-32)

The dangerous path of sin is ever-spiraling down, down, down. It is Paul's opinion that when man separates himself from God, it initiates a descent into darkness. After all, Jesus is the "light of the world" (John 9:5).

Paul also lists for us the fruits of this rebellion against God. I hope we can all agree that Paul lists many, if not all, sins here that believers and unbelievers share:

Covetousness

Envy

Deceit

Proud

Disobedient to parents

Unforgiving

Is it Paul's intention to teach that if we sin, we are no longer saved? Of course not!

Is it Paul's belief that we are once saved always saved? Not according to verse 32:

"who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Paul has just defined for us what willful, remorseless sin is. Paul has also given us a clear understanding of how God views sin: He is disgusted by it! He does not approve or accept sin in any conceivable form! Thanks be to God that He sent His only Son to offer His life as an atonement for our sins! Amen.

But, according to Paul, the difference between the saved and the lost is directly tied to how they perceive sin. You see, when I accepted Jesus Christ into my life and was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit, I made a public announcement that I had accepted God's definition and perception of sin. In other words, I declared God's disapproval of the practice of sin! Yet, Paul said there are those who teach that envy, wickedness, pride, deceit...etc. are not sin at all, and in doing so, approve of the practice!

Friends, there are self-proclaimed Christians today who teach the same thing! They claim to accept the atoning sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, but reject the sinless character that was able to provide it! How curious! The individual who willfully and remorselessly sins against God declares that he sins not! I ask then, how can the blood of Christ atone for the sin that is not confessed? It can not.

Beloved, Paul's message was not intended to cast judgment or condemnation upon us, but to reinforce our need for Jesus each and every day. Paul died daily and his counsel is for us to do the same. Strive to represent the name of Jesus in everything you do; not to bring adulation and praise upon yourself; but to bring honor and praise to the One from whom all blessings flow!

If you have a question about this study, a comment, or a request for prayer, please leave a message below. May God bless you and your family.

You Want the Good News or the Bad News?

2012-01-26T09:53:00.004-06:00

If you added up all the crimes reported in Houston, Texas in 2006, you'd come up with just over 144,000! That includes all burglary, theft, vehicular, arson, rape, murder, assault and robbery crimes. 144,000 crimes in one year! If you assumed one person for each crime, that's enough to fill Reliant Stadium twice!

That's enough to make you want to close the blinds, lock the doors, and stay inside your house for the rest of your life, isn't it?
I used to feel that way. To tell you the truth, when I see or hear or read about bad news today, I want to cry. Not because I'm afraid, but because I'm saddened by the millions of people who are victimized in this sinful world, and I don't do as much as I can to help. Not because I don't want to help; but because there are times when I want to help myself more. The devil wants you to love yourself more than your neighbor; wants you to do for yourself at all costs. That's the contributing factor to all sin: "self."

Jesus Christ teaches us about sacrifice; He layed His life down so that we could live. Yet, there are many Christians out there today who will tell you that Christ already did the work and we don't have to do anything; completely ignoring the tragic and self-less lives of the Apostles in spreading the Gospel to the world. If Peter didn't have to do anything, why then, would he continue to live a life of sacrifice, ending in crucifixion? If Paul was "once saved always saved", why then, would he have had to endure all of the trials and tragedies? If it was all so easy, why then, would Jesus have had to die on a cross?

When I contemplate the cross, I am humbled by the purist form of love. Christ on the cross is a gift to humanity; the greatest, most thoughtful gift that has ever been given. When I come to terms with the magnitude of His gift, I realize that I can never top it! I am left with a feeling of devotion and of debt.

If someone saved your life would you be indebted to that heroism? Paul felt that way. In Romans 1:15 he declared himself "a debtor." Some will undoubtedly confuse this with guilt. I'm not talking about guilt and neither was Paul. It was a debt that he was happy to fulfill! Yet, so many Christians live a life of sadness because they shut themselves off from the opportunities the Spirit has provided. They are too busy looking at the terrible world outside their windows; too busy staring at all the sinners!

When Christ said, "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light," (Matthew 11:30) He was talking about the big picture; the picture of hope that was realized when He died on that cross and rose again three days later!

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." (Revelation 21:1-7,10)

A life of sacrifice that culminates in eternity with the greatest Hero of all, Jesus Christ, is a light burden, indeed! Is your life worth more than the kingdom of heaven?

According to the Bible, the size of the New Jerusalem is over 2 million square miles! If you combine the 27 countries that make up the European Union, which are:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom,
it still WON'T equal the size of God's Holy City! Those countries hold over 300 million people!

Friend, you and I have an incredible opportunity! I want you to imagine that you are watching television and a commercial comes on advertising, "The Ultimate Jigsaw Puzzle." And they are giving it away for free if you call right now and order it. So you call and order it. One week later, a huge box about 8 feet tall arrives at your door. On the outside of the box it reads, "The Ultimate Jigsaw Puzzle." So you drag it inside and tear that box apart. And to your surprise, there is nothing inside of it but a bunch of box stuffing and bubble wrap. You are momentarily distracted by the pure excitement of stomping on the bubble wrap. Eventually, the excitement wears off and you become angry and kick the box! You get on the phone and call the company to find out what happened to, "The Ultimate Jigsaw Puzzle" you were supposed to receive. While you're on hold, you see something out of the corner of your eye; something next to the box on the floor. You reach down and pick it up. It's one small puzzle piece attached to a slip of red paper. Confused, you look at the puzzle piece; it has your name on it. Now you look at the slip of paper.

It says, "Congratulations! You have received 'The Ultimate Jigsaw Puzzle!' Go find the rest of the pieces..."

Friend, you and I have an incredible opportunity, because we have a part in the kingdom of heaven! This is the debt that Paul was so happy to fulfill! The good news of Jesus Christ is only good news if you share it...

Identical Twins

2012-01-25T10:35:00.008-06:00

I have two wonderful brothers! Today I can tell you that I am blessed to have them in my life. And they are an extra blessing because of the unexpected way they came into the world. You see, there was only supposed to be one baby brother. But, God found it appropriate that there should be two. And so our family was blessed with twin baby boys! And it is funny to me that though they both came from the same womb and were born within minutes of each other, that they are nothing alike! Nicholas has a light complexion and blue eyes. Brandon has a tan complexion and brown eyes. Their personalities are strikingly different as well. No, my brothers are not identical twins.

Actually, even identical twins aren't really identical. At first glance, they might appear to the same, but upon closer examination there will always be a difference. One thing that is always different is our fingerprints. The reason our fingerprints are different is because they are not based solely on genetic factors, but are also affected by our environment.

Our environment can have a tremendous affect on our lives! You see, what we touch with our hands, what we put in our mouths, what we speak with our mouths, what places our feet take us, what music we listen to, what we watch with our eyes, for better or for worse, can change us! And when comparing the creation account in Genesis chapter 1 to our present day condition, we find that the change has been for the worse.

Is this what God wanted for us? After all, in Genesis we are told that God created us in His own image (Gen 1:26). And in Hebrews we are told that Jesus Christ is the express image of God (Heb 1:3). But when we take a good look at ourselves in the mirror, apart from that beautiful face you see smiling back at you, do you resemble a godly image?

A man went out, one morning, in search of a lemon. He didn't want just any grocery store lemon; he wanted a fresh lemon straight from the lemon tree! So he got in his car and headed out. He drove for a long while, till he saw acres and acres of trees. There was a rather large sign out in front that was painted with the words, "Fresh Fruit." So he pulled over and got out. There was a pathway that led through all the trees; apple trees, orange trees, mango trees; just about every fruit. Off in the distance, he spied what looked to be a lemon tree; he could tell because he saw the yellow-green colored fruit hanging off the branches. So he picked up his pace and hurried over to the tree. He quickly snatched the lemon off of the tree and noticed something strange. "This lemon has a bumpy texture to it," he thought to himself. Befuddled, he took his pocketknife out and cut into the lemon. To his surprise, he found very little juice inside; just dried pulp! Suddenly, the owner of the orchard appeared and asked the man, "Is there a problem?" The man, confused, replied, "I thought I had picked a lemon, but this fruit is something else. What is it?" The owner grinned and said, "I can see how that might happen; there are a lot of similarities between the two. And you're right, that isn't a lemon. What you have in your hands is a citron. And you owe me 75 cents."

Friend, the Bible teaches us about twin kingdoms. At first glance, they appear to be identical in every way. They look the same, speak the same, seem to behave the same; but mankind has been confusing them with each other for 6000 years! In Mark, Jesus appears in Galilee preaching the good news, "the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand." And we, as Christians, await the second coming of Jesus and the establishment of that heavenly kingdom. Unfortunately, many people have confused the kingdom of God with something entirely different and, to their demise, are following the wrong kingdom. Too many of us are content to accept this counterfeit kingdom from a distance; trusting in men rather than trusting the Bible; only to find that what had been purchased is not what was intended. We must examine the evidence for ourselves. I pray that you will make a commitment to the study of scripture on a daily basis, that the light and truth of the gospel might shine the true pathway to the kingdom of God.

"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17)

May God bless you and your family

Broomis

2012-01-24T13:23:00.000-06:00

"By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10)

I hate asking for help. I love figuring things out on my own. Caring people offer me help all the time; but ask them if I take them up on it. Somewhere along these 35 years of life, I got it in my head that to forfeit my pride would be to embrace weakness; that weakness was a bad thing; and that to be indebted to an act of kindness was even worse.

As far back as I can remember, I have had this problem. When I was about 4 years old, I had already begun exercising my independence. My great-aunt, who recently passed away, came to help take care of me during the day while my parents worked. Imagine that. Someone asking for help! And one afternoon, after a thoroughly exhausting and obviously well-conceived plan, I managed to get her to take a nap. That's when this little bundle of independence decided to conquer the world! So out the front door I went; four years old and cruising the neighborhood on foot!

Soon after, my aunt awoke to the troublesome sound of silence. She quickly discovered what had happened and ran outside the house; but I was nowhere to be found! She ran back inside and called my mother and my father, who in turn, returned home. Together, they began searching the neighborhood for their 4 year old son who had become lost and alone.

But, I was not alone. You see, after I had managed to get the front door of the house open, my friend, Broomis, our family dog, followed after me. Broomis: a strange name for a strange dog. One of the reasons I would label him peculiar was the fact that he really hated grass. Usually, he avoided touching it at all costs; I think it disgusted him. The second reason was the fact that he actually followed me. I've had a lot of dogs over the years and most of them, if given the opportunity, would have taken off and ran away if the opportunity presented itself. Not Broomis. Broomis stuck with me. Broomis knew I needed help. My parents continued to drive around the neighborhood, shouting out my name in the hope that I would respond. Their hopes were rewarded by the familiar bark of my friend, Broomis. Broomis barked and barked until we were all together again.

For my parents and my aunt it was another crisis averted. I'm sure there was a great sigh of relief between them that day. But for me, I'm sure the meaning was lost. You see, my aunt knew. My mother knew. My father knew. Even Broomis knew! They all knew that I needed help! They all knew that I was lost! With Christ it is the same. Every day we think we can get by on our own and we leave His side; unaware of our need; unaware of the perils that await us; and unaware of our present condition. But He hasn't left us alone! He patiently waits for us to call on Him to be our everything each and every day.

God bless you and your family!

Romans 1 : 18-21

2012-01-23T12:47:00.005-06:00

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful..." (Romans 1:18-21)

Paul was on a roll! He started this letter to the Romans with a powerful, inspirational greeting. He declared his desire to minister to them and to share his testimony. He gave them a hopeful message of salvation, the righteousness of God, and faithful living! And then, without warning, tossed a grenade into the midst of them, both Jews and Gentiles, with the "wrath of God!" No warnings of "Incoming!" No, "Fire in the hole!" He just pulled the pin and let it fly!
That's the point Paul is making here. No one in their right mind is going to ask who or what the grenade was meant for, because the consequences affect the whole group!
Some may be offended by this. How can God hold everyone responsible when there are those out there who don't even know about Him?

This is one of the most common questions that I have been asked. "Will my loved one be saved if they didn't know the truth?" "Will my loved one be saved if they only knew a little of the truth?" According to Paul, everyone has sufficient evidence of God's existence. According to Paul, "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen." In other words, even through nature we can see evidence of an Almighty God. And this is true! The fact that there are people who claim that God exists and there are people that claim He doesn't, is proof that the evidence has been examined! And because He has been considered, "they are without excuse." It is not for us to determine the amount of light; God is the judge. Amen for that! Our responsibility and our focus is to share what light we do have.

"So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also." (Romans 1:15)

Discussion:

1. Who or what is the object of God's wrath? What does this say about God's character?

2. Paul says that "since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen." Where is the evidence of God's existence?

Share your thoughts and questions with us by leaving a comment below. If you have someone or something that you would like us to pray about you can put them in the comment box or email me at justinbarca@yahoo.com

Do You See What He Sees?

2012-01-20T23:14:00.000-06:00

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
(Mark 5: 1-5)

Have you ever wondered how God sees us? We know that He is perfect; His judgments and character are immaculate. But when he looks upon us, what does He see? This is what makes the story of Legion so interesting to me, because the persona of Legion is extraordinary; he's straight out of a horror movie! Legion: the monster who lives in the graveyard. The monster who screams in agony as he cuts himself with stones. The maniac who terrorizes neighboring villages; who escapes the clutches of captivity by breaking his chains and shackles as if they were twigs; the monster whom no man could tame!
Many of Jesus' encounters have this same, dramatic dynamic to them. Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness and fasts for 40 days and then...matches up with the adversary and defeats Satan on every single count! Jesus encounters the demon-possessed, the lepers, and raises the dead. Jesus calms devastating storms of nature and even walks on water! Jesus picks up a man's freshly severed ear and immediately reattaches it. Jesus dies willingly on a cross, though He could have extricated Himself from the situation at any time! And Jesus, resurrects Himself three days later!
People wonder aloud, "Why doesn't that stuff happen today?" Ask God if it happens today and you may get a shocking response. Better yet, and more to the point, look in the mirror and ask God if He sees what you see. Friends, the reality is that at one time or another, there's been a little bit of Legion in all of us; desperate, angry, hurting, rebellious, violent, reckless, and helpless. And despite all of that, we hang by that thread of hope that somehow, someday, someone will make it all go away!
Jesus always seems to end up involved in these dramatic, impossible scenarios. He does this to reveal truths about Himself and about us. He reveals His love for us by allowing us to see what we really look like and He proves His love for us by what He does next. Jesus does the impossible.
Jesus doesn't run from us. Jesus doesn't uncomfortably shift His eyes away from us. Jesus doesn't ignore us. He takes a step closer and embraces us.
Love each other as Christ loves you.

God bless.

Mission Accomplished?

2012-01-19T20:41:00.001-06:00

When I was eighteen, I had gotten involved with the Youth Group at the local church that my mother went to. They had a large Youth Group there; a lot of teenagers. But what I remember the most about the Youth Group was that every Sunday one of the teenagers was given the privilege of reading the morning scripture. And one Sunday, during our teen class, the Youth Pastor told me that the following Sunday would be my turn. He gave me a slip of paper that had the Scripture typed out on it, so I could take it home and practice it during the week. And I remember thinking to myself, “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me!” I was excited! I asked the Pastor if I could go into the Sanctuary and stand behind the pulpit so I could practice. He said to me, “Don’t worry about all that, just read it a few times during the week and Sunday you’ll be ready.”

Now, like I said, I was eighteen and extremely confident in my opinions and in giving them to other people!
So I said, “Pastor, you don’t understand. I've got to read this verse like it’s never been read before! I wanted to go in the Scripture Reading Hall of Fame! That’s how serious I was about this! And he could tell that I was serious! So he relented and led me into the Sanctuary, up to the pulpit and let me get comfortable. And that following Sunday, I showed up to church, ready to read that verse!

And when it was time, I slowly walked up the steps to the platform and took my place behind that huge pulpit. And the Bible that the Pastor read from was one of those “One Ton Bibles” you know? The biggest book I had ever seen! And I’m feeling good! This is the greatest day of my life! And I began to read with feeling; with conviction; fully expecting to receive my Oscar for 1993’s Best Reading of Scripture by an 18 yr old! And when I had finished, I felt so proud of what I had accomplished! The Pastor, who was seated behind me actually got up and walked up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and leaned over to whisper something to me. But before he could say anything, I blurted out, “Your welcome.” I shook his hand and walked off the platform and took my seat, right next to my mom. Proud. Accomplished.

My mother took a look at the bulletin and then looked at me and said, “Weren't you supposed to read this verse?” I had read the wrong verse! I was so upset! I told her, “ I've got to get back up there and read the right verse!” And she grabbed me and held me back in that pew, like a seat belt preventing a driver from flying headlong through a car windshield!

“But mom, you don’t understand! I've got to read that verse like it’s never been read before!” And what she said to me I will never forget. In a strangely quiet, yet stern voice she said, “Son, mission accomplished.”

I love reading Scripture! And I’m not just talking about independent reading; off by myself. I love that too. Every time I open the Bible, I’m either expecting to gain a new perspective on how to live for Christ, or I’m expecting to add more concrete to the foundation of what I've already learned. I expect to get
knocked around a little bit, too; humbled by the revelation of my own mistakes; brought down a peg or two by what I “thought” I knew was truth. And this is an important point. Many times we get caught in the trap of using the Bible to justify ourselves or to judge others around us. There are also those who just read the words but never feel the impact; void of sincerity, they are too busy listening to the sound of their own voice while drowning out the Voice. The Bible and all of the timeless, wonderful letters and writings that are included in it, were never intended to be used as a platform for self-exaltation, or an instrument for self-indulgence, or a weapon for self-preservation. The Bible is a letter of love to us. Each time we unlock it's treasures we would do well to remember the amount of love it took just to have it delivered into our hands. The Bible is about sacrifice. How much are you willing to sacrifice to preserve its truth?

Today Is The Day!

2012-01-18T05:00:00.001-06:00

I want to go home. I want to be part of that first resurrection, don’t you? I want to see that beautiful river. I want to sit under the shade of the great Tree of Life! I want to taste all twelve manner of fruit that perfect tree has to offer! I want to experience the world the way God intended it to be! A world without destruction, without war, and without hate. I want the world created in peace and love. I want to experience life everlasting with my Friend, Jesus.

But that world won’t be the same without you. I want to experience heaven with you. The invitation has been sent; have you received it? In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 22, Jesus tells us about the invitation:

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:2-14)

The invitations have been sent and the wedding is ready! Are you ready? Unfortunately, there are many who think they are ready. But on that glorious day, when the splendor of Christ will be seen by every eye, there will be many, with invitation in hand, who will be turned away; rejected by Christ!

Why are many refused entrance to the kingdom if they had already been invited? Because they refused to wear the appropriate attire to the celebration! There’s a dress code! You see, there’s preparation involved; you can’t just show up!

1. Receive the invitation.
2. Put on the wedding garment.
3. Go to the wedding.

What exactly is the wedding garment? How do I get it?

“'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.' And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." (Revelation 19:6-8)

The wedding garment is the “righteous acts of the saints.” Where does righteousness come from? Righteousness comes through Jesus Christ! So the wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ; the character of Christ! Receiving the invitation is only the first step; then we must cast off our filthy rags and put on the righteous robes of Christ!

“The man who came to the feast without a wedding garment represents the condition of many in our world today. They profess to be Christians, and lay claim to the blessings and privileges of the gospel; yet they feel no need of a transformation of character. They have never felt true repentance for sin. They do not realize their need of Christ or exercise faith in Him. They have refused the gift which alone could enable them to honor Christ by representing Him to the world.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, pg 129)

Friends we need to be transformed; changed by Christ into His glorious image if we would gain eternity with Him.

Now, let's return to the Gospel of Luke Chapter 18. We'll pick up where we left off in verse #34:

"But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken."

Jesus had spent all day walking, and teaching and expounding the wisdom of God to all who would hear. His desire was to bring His children into the light of His glory that the Father might be revealed; and through this revelation many souls might be won back to the Kingdom of Heaven! That they might understand what faith was all about and be prepared to enter into His Heavenly Kingdom! But the cold, hard reality was that no one had grasped His Truth; not one had understood the meaning of His words! And not one seemed to measure up to His standards.

The Persistent Widow: Didn't put God first!

The Pharisee: Put himself above others!

The Disciples: Were a barrier to those who sought Christ!

The Rich, Young Ruler: Couldn't let go of the world!

And the disciples, beside themselves with confusion said, “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26)

"Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho..." (Luke 18:35)

Where were they going? JERICHO!
The same place that years before had been witness to the miraculous, power of God!

What did God do at Jericho? The walls came tumbling down!
And just as He had done years before, by bringing down the walls at Jericho, Jesus was about to bring down the walls of confusion and doubt!

Today is the day, friends, when we can be assured what faith is all about! Today is the day, when we can cast aside our worldly rags and put on the robes of Christ! You can be assured that as Jesus came to Jericho, something special was about to happen!

"Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging..." (Luke 18:35)

There, just outside the walls of the city sat a poor, wretched, blind man; begging for whatever mercy he could receive. He was a social outcast; forgotten and cast aside! Every day was the same; sit by the road and beg! But today was different! There was something inside of him that told him today was the day! He didn't know what was going to happen, but the Spirit of God was moving on his heart!

"And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:36-38)

"(H)e cried out!" The same way that Christ said his very elect would do in the Parable of the Persistent Widow! (Luke 18:7)

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The same humble prayer of the lowly tax collector in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector! (Luke 18:13)

"Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet..." (Luke 18:39)
He was rebuked! The same way the disciples rebuked the mothers who had brought their infants to Christ!

"(B)ut he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:39)
He would not be moved! The same, faithful, determined, child-like quality that the Kingdom of Heaven is made for!

"So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” (Luke 18:40-41)

Revelation 3 : 17-18 say,
"Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

You can give me sight! Unlike the rich, young ruler, this man knew that without Christ, he was nothing; wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked!

"Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." (Luke 18:42-43)

Let's rejoice, for today is the day that we can claim with full confidence that Christ reigns in our hearts for eternity!

God bless

Real Values

2012-01-17T05:00:00.003-06:00

"Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' So Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth.' So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, 'You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.' But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'" (Luke 18:18-25)

"Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  The question of all questions! Jesus asks us if there will be faith on the earth when He returns (Luke 18:8), and the rich young ruler steps up with the million dollar question. I’m thinking to myself, why didn't someone ask sooner? But, he asks a great question! You see, he had been listening to Jesus teach the people that had gathered. He heard how the widow lacked a fulfilling prayer life; he heard how the Pharisee was drowning in self-righteousness; he witnessed the disciples failure with the children and when Jesus sternly rebuked them he thought, "I think I measure up!" This seems promising, doesn't it? After all, who better to measure up to than the Son of God? Everyone else has failed to measure up at this point, so he would have to be feeling strong to test those waters!

By the way, the first several times I read about the rich, young ruler, I always pictured his question as presumptuous and arrogant; I felt like he was looking for confirmation of something he thought he already knew; which is true to some degree, but I always thought him to be without any sincerity. But if you read Mark’s account (Mark 10) it becomes clear that he was both genuine and sincere; he really wanted to know where he stood! Mark’s account reveals to us that Jesus searched into this young man’s heart and loved him; he was certainly sincere! The other evidence of his sincerity, of course, is his reaction to the answer Jesus gives him! A self-righteous person would have argued his case with Jesus, but this young man walked away grieving, depressed, and broken-hearted! Now, I’m not saying he didn't have some issues here. He was betting that Jesus was going to ring the proverbial bell, saying, “Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!” But he was shocked at Jesus’ response.

It’s safe to say, that this young man was respected by the people and was probably thought of as a “good man”. I always hear that as long as you’re good in your heart, and you don’t hurt anybody, that you’ll go to heaven. What a deception! Talk about broadening the gate! The account of the rich, young ruler certainly blows that theory out of the water!

Matthew 7:13 says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it."

I don’t know if you can make the argument broader or more subjective than “as long as you’re good.” Who defines what “good” is, anyway? We can’t let humanity define it! We’ll have 3 billion different definitions! Thankfully, Jesus defines it for us in Luke 18:19...

"Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."

Two facts about this verse:

1. Nobody is good except for God!
Which means that no one is getting into heaven on the “As long as you’re good” train!

2. Jesus was not quite sure this man knew he was speaking with the Son of God!
And so, Jesus read the young man’s heart to gauge his sincerity; did he really want to know? Finding him sincere, Jesus answered him.

In truth, this young man thought he had it all figured out. He was young, rich and powerful. If he had ever lacked anything in his life, he had the means to acquire it. And up to this point, he was pretty sure he had what he needed. Yet, there was something else inside of him; something empty; something not quite satisfied. You see, the words of Christ had stirred his appetite; he had become hungry and was looking for a way to fill the emptiness. Don’t think this was the first time he had felt this emptiness. No, he had felt it many times before. But this time was different; this time he had found someone who could make it go away!

We all have experienced the same emptiness; the emptiness that the pleasures of the world cannot fill. The emptiness that a new pair of shoes, or jewelry, or a quarter-pounder with cheese, or cheesecake can’t fill. The emptiness that a television show, or movie, or new car or new lust can’t fill. The emptiness that alcohol, cigarettes or drugs can’t fill. Why can’t it be filled in these ways?

When I was 15 years old, I was lonely, hurt, and angry! Angry because we had to move to a new town every 3 years; lonely because it took so much time to find new friends; and I hated myself for what I had become! I was whatever my friends wanted me to be. I felt this was the easiest way to fit in. I had no identity. It was like I was putting on a show and a mask every day of my life. I wanted to be someone else! And so I began to smoke cigarettes. A couple years later I added drugs and alcohol. I liked feeling nothing and I dreaded the cold, sobering, empty feeling of reality; I was slowly killing myself trying to escape it.

This emptiness cannot be filled with the things of the world, friends, because it is a spiritual emptiness! And a spiritual emptiness can only be filled with spiritual things! The longer we try to self-medicate ourselves with worldly pleasures, the deeper we sink. And the harder it gets to let the useless junk of this world go. And this rich, young ruler approached Jesus in the hopes that the problem could finally be solved. But he approached it the way he did whenever he needed something; hoping to get a receipt for his purchase! He was an acquirer of things. He probably didn't work for his money; he was young, rich and powerful. So the probability that he “inherited” his fortune is quite high. And now, he desired the heavenly inheritance. And Jesus gazes into his heart and answers...

"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'  And he said, 'All these things I have kept from my youth." (Luke 18:20-21)

Jesus answers the question by quoting from the ten commandments. Why?

"By the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

Jesus recites these commandments because the function of the law is to alert us to our shortcomings! And Jesus would have had no need to reference the law if the young man here was perfectly keeping it, right? It would have been easier to just say, “Look man, you’re doing great! No worries here.” Strangely, the rich young ruler believed he was keeping the law! What’s going on?

In any bible study, the best way to get answers is to ask questions about the text.

1. In Luke 18:20, did Jesus recite all of the ten commandments?
No, He just recited 5 of them: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, and honor your father and mother.

2. What is the significance of these 5 commandments?
Regarding the ten commandments, it is generally accepted that the first 4 deal specifically with our relationship to God:

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Regarding the ten commandments, it is generally accepted that the last 6 deal specifically with our relationship to each other:

5. Honour thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not murder.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet.

So the first 4 commandments concern our relationship to God and the last 6 concern our relationship with each other. Now that teaching, by the way, is incorrect. And we'll get to that shortly. But, for now, this will do. As you can see, Jesus recites commandments from the second group, right? But, He only mentions 5 of them! Now your minds are moving! So lets rewrite the question:

Which commandment is missing?
Do not covet.

To covet means to desire to possess something in a way that it was not meant to be possessed. When Jesus told him to go and sell all that he had and give it to the poor, it was because the materials and pleasures of this world were what the young man valued most! You see whatever riches, whatever good things, whatever blessings we receive from God above, are not meant to be kept to ourselves! They are to be given to those in need.

So, the proper teaching is that the first 4 commandments concern our relationship to God, the next 5 concern our relationship with each other, and the last commandment deals specifically with our relationship to things.

A big problem with Christians today is that they haven’t learned this lesson. Just like the rich, young ruler there are many out there who have coveted the things of this world and are busy, struggling to serve both masters. You can’t serve both masters, friends.

And just like the rich young ruler, there are many Christians today who have
coveted the kingdom of heaven; who covet it to keep it for themselves, by sitting in the same pew every week; by avoiding opportunities to witness for Christ; by refusing to take part in the Great Commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Many people today think words are cheap. They say that sounds great, but how do I apply that to my everyday life? Friends, it has been my intention through these studies to show you that the Bible does give us clear instruction on how to do just that. The ten commandments are a mirror that reflects God's character; they tell us what God is like; they show us how God acts.

In Luke 18, Jesus gives us several examples of how this character is manifested in everyday life:

The Parable of the Persistent Widow gives us proper application of the first 4 commandments; the commandments that deal specifically with our relationship to God.
We petition Him. We praise Him. We show Him partiality. He becomes the focus of our life!

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and the account of the disciples failure with the children give us proper application of the next 5 commandments; the commandments that deal specifically with our relationship to each other.

The account of the rich, young ruler gives us proper application of the last commandment; the commandment that deals specifically with our relationship to things.

I hope that God continues to bless you and your family as you strive to reflect the grace and truth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1 : 16-17

2012-01-16T10:06:00.003-06:00

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Shame is a devastating feeling. It is directly connected to feelings of guilt and also to fear. As I look back on the most difficult moments of my life, I can find shame and fear at the root. There is zero confidence in shame. As the son of a military Dad, I was the new kid in school every 3 years and struggled mightily with the fear of not being accepted; the fear of looking foolish; and the fear of failure. And as the years crept by, that fear began to grow into anxiety and I became emotionally paralyzed by it. Fear became a prison in the form of panic attacks; a prison in the form of depression; and a prison in the form of drug addiction. Yes, there are pills for the panic attacks and the depression, and there are programs to help with the addictions and they can serve a purpose. But we spend too much time putting out the fires and not enough time preventing them; treating the symptoms rather than the source of the problems. You see, fear is the problem and its source is mistaken identity.

Paul tells us in Romans 1:16 that he, "is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes."

Do you know who you are? Do you know who Jesus is? In Hebrews 2:11 we discover that Jesus is not ashamed to declare you and I His brothers and sisters. Jesus is my Brother. Jesus is your Brother. We are children of God!

When I accepted Christ as my Savior, the frequency of my panic attacks greatly diminished. But I remember about 2 years ago, I went to preach one Sabbath and in the middle of my sermon my mind went blank. I couldn't find the words. And I began to panic. All those fears of looking stupid; fears of failure; fears of having a panic attack in front of all those people began to flood back into my body and I was mortified! And in the middle of that storm, I heard a still, small voice and He said, "John 1:1." And as the words fumbled out of my mouth, I rediscovered the "power" that Paul is talking about.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

Despite all of our struggles, trepidation, and failures, there was a beginning when all things were good! God formed you, He gave you life, and He gave you identity. And as I read those words aloud, the fear and the panic and the anxiety disappeared. Friends, belief in where we came from is power indeed because it also reveals our destination:

"for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes."

Discussion:

1. What does Paul mean when he says that "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith"?

2. We can see from scripture what understanding who we are reveals about our past and our future, but what does it say our life should be like right now?

Share your thoughts and questions with us by leaving a comment below. If you have someone or something that you would like us to pray about you can put them in the comment box or email me at justinbarca@yahoo.com

God bless

Of Such Is The Kingdom of God II

2012-01-14T05:00:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, we read about the disciples rebuking the little children from seeing Jesus. We learned a valuable lesson about hindering others from coming to Christ. But, there is a flip-side to this teaching that often goes overlooked. Today, we will look to see what the Bible has to say about this very important subject.

"In the last days false Christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Mark 13:22)

Deception is a big problem. Mainly because most don't know that they are being deceived. That's the whole idea of deception, isn't it? Jesus makes it clear though that it is something we need to look out for. Will you be deceived? Will you be discouraged so much that you’ll turn away from the Light you've been given and fall back into darkness?

Make no mistake, if it wasn't a challenge to stand up for Christ every day of our lives; if it was easy to adhere to the teachings of God, He wouldn't have to warn us; and Jesus wouldn't have had to die on that cross! Friends, if you hear this warning, it’s because God hasn't given up on you! But every day that we ignore His call is one more opportunity down the drain! Remember John 4:23?

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

The rooster is crowing! The time is already here! WAKE UP! How many of us have already been tempted and tried? How many of us have had our feet put to the fire?

In Luke 6:22 Jesus says, “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.”

There are people that will mock you, degrade you, humiliate you, and hate you because of your love for Jesus. And what will you do? What are you prepared for?

Long ago, the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, decided to have a 90 foot statue of pure gold made; one that all peoples, nations, and languages could appreciate and worship! And along with all the Babylonian officials, Nebuchadnezzar set up a special day on which to dedicate that statue of gold! And on that Dedication Day, a symphony would play a special song, loud enough for all people to hear. And it was decreed by the King that when the music sounded that all peoples, nations, and languages must bow down to the image! BUT, whoever did not fall down and worship the golden statue would be thrown into a fiery furnace!

"Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, 'O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.'

Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, 'Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Daniel 3:8-15)

Just one time, guys! Bow down this once! And I’ll spare your life. Your God won’t mind, it’s not that big a deal! We have tons of gods! We can all get along! It doesn't matter what you eat; it doesn't matter what you drink; it doesn't matter what you wear; it doesn't matter what day you worship on; it doesn't matter if you’re baptized; it doesn't matter! I hear these excuses all the time in the Christian world today. It's the 'ecumenical' message. But don't be fooled by it. It is a devious deception.

Friends, the world invites you to compromise what God commands you to protect: His truth.

It does matter! There are no small issues, there are no extreme issues; when it comes to God’s Truth, that’s all there is! Whatever decision you make in your everyday life is either bringing you closer to Him or pulling you farther away. And just so we’re clear, the world has crept its way into the church! It’s not only those on the outside who may discourage you, but there will be people in the church that may discourage you. There will be times when a brother or sister hurts your feelings and offends you; or encourages you to do contrary to God’s word!

Lets go back to verse 12 because a curious statement is made here.

"There are certain Jews."

Were Shadrach, Meshachband Abed-Nego the only Jews in Babylon? Of course not! There were many Jews in Babylon! But not many stood up for God that day! So if the pressure from the Babylonians was big enough, think about the pressure from witnessing all of your countrymen; all your brothers and sisters; all your fellow believers compromising God’s Truth! Do you think you’d be more tempted to just say, “It doesn't matter! Just this once!” Would you be discouraged enough to turn your back on God?

Luke 18:17 says, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Right now you may be thinking, "What are you talking about? What does receiving the kingdom like a little child have to do with any of this?"

Have you ever been in a grocery store check-out line and seen a mom & dad with little children? That’s where all the candy is! The little kid grabs a candy bar...“Can I have this pleeeeeeaaaase?” The parents refuse to give them the candy and then what happens? They cry and scream till they get what they want! They don’t give up! No matter how many times you tell them! Nothing will separate them from the candy bar! Now I know some of you might be offended by this example. “How dare he compare God to a candy bar!” My purpose is not to compare God to a candy bar! We’re investigating the child!

Here’s another example:

I remember when my son, Julian was two years old. And no matter where my wife went, Julian would follow. He could be playing with his toys and she would try to sneak off and take a nap. And when he finally realized that she wasn't in the room with him, he’d ask me, “Where is my Mommy?!” And I always said the same thing, “She’s taking a nap in the bedroom.” And before I could say "STOP!" He’d already be waddlingn down the hallway and into the bedroom and tugging on her arm, “Mommy, are you sleeping?” No matter where she went, he was right behind! If she went outside, he went outside; if she went to the store, he was going to the store! If she went to the store without him, every five minutes he would ask me, “When’s she coming home? Is she home yet? Call her.”

Why are small children like that? As they get older this behavior tends to stop, right? Because small children understand their parents are their source of survival! And nothing is going to keep them away! They need their parents! They love their parents! Try and argue with a small child, sometime. Let me tell you, it’s a fantastic experience. Try to convince them that what their parents tell them is untrue! They won’t have it! When you tell them something, they take it as gospel and they don’t budge from it. We can learn so much about faith from little children; they take more on faith than we do. So in Luke 18:17, it is that child-like characteristic that God says we need to have! He wants you to desire Him over all other things and cling to Him for life NO MATTER WHAT THE OBSTACLE!

So there are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; the line drawn in the sand; either compromise God’s Truth or stand up and defend it!

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.'” (Daniel 3:16-18)

"Of such is the Kingdom of God." We are to humble ourselves so that the Holy Spirit may use us to lead souls to Christ, not to push them away. And we must not allow others to push us away from Christ; we must persevere! We need not be discouraged! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had no doubt; no reservation about standing up for God’s Truth; no fear in testifying to the great power and love of the God in heaven! We serve a God that has the keys to life and death! And just as God rescued those 3 faithful men from the fires of the furnace, He will deliver you from the clutches of this world; to the great reward that our blessed Jesus has promised us.

“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven.” (Luke 6:21-23)

If you have been discouraged; if you've doubted God’s love; if you've strayed from the truth even just a little; Jesus wants you to come home.

God bless you and your family.

Of Such is the Kingdom of God

2012-01-13T14:00:00.003-06:00

"Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." (Luke 18: 15-17)

Jesus was spending the day walking with and teaching the people. First, He taught the Parable of the Persistent Widow, and then the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, and the crowd began to grow. He stopped for a moment to sit; the people still absorbing His words. Then several women came forward. Each one with little children; some with infants, tucked safely in their arms; others with toddlers straggling behind. They had left their homes, put aside the burdens of the day, for one purpose; that The Master might touch and bless their little ones.

It was common practice for mothers to bring their young ones to be blessed by a Rabbi. And why shouldn't they bring them to Jesus? He is the Son of God! Surely, Jesus would welcome them with love and appreciation! This is the same Jesus who ate with Tax Collectors, healed Gentiles and Samaritans! The same Jesus who touched the lepers and healed them of their affliction! Surely, children had a place in His Kingdom! And make no mistake, Jesus knew why these mothers had come; it is God, Himself, who draws us to Him. But Jesus waits...He watches to see what His disciples will do...watches to see how his disciples will treat them...

Why? Because He had just taught them through the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector that there is no place for self-righteousness in the Kingdom of God! And He knew that it hadn't quite sunk in yet! I’m sure His disciples were thinking, “Boy oh boy, those Pharisees! They’ll never learn!”

Have you ever listened to a good sermon or a good Sabbath School lesson where a Biblical truth is brought out that really hits home with you? Points out one of your weaknesses? And you think to yourself, I’m not going to do that anymore? Or maybe it makes you think of someone else's supposed weakness? And you think to yourself, “I’m glad I’m not like that!” And then the minute you walk out of the church...you find you've become the Object Lesson? It just hits you right in the face! Needless to say, it is a humbling experience! And that is exactly why God presents His truth to us in that manner; so that we will be humbled; we will stop in our tracks and take better care to watch the things we do and the things we say to our brothers and sisters.

In a wonderful book called "Desire of Ages", there is some profound counsel on this point. Page #517 reads, "Let not your un-Christlike character misrepresent Jesus." Friends, our character is represented in everything we say and do. So let our character be Christlike! It is imperative to understand that the words we say and the things we do can affect the people around us! We must not stand in the way of a person seeking Christ; we are all God’s children. And besides, God builds bridges not walls. We must allow the Holy Spirit to live inside us so that we can lead others to Christ; not push them away!

When the disciples rebuked the mothers from bringing their children to Jesus it is the same as them saying, “ You've got to get through us if you want to get to Him! We’ll be glad to set an appointment at a later date!”

1 Timothy 2:5 says:

"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."

No one stands between you and the Father except for Jesus! And Jesus stands there to bridge the gap between fallen man and the Creator of Heaven and Earth; not to ward us off! The Cross is a bridge and not a barrier.

I hope you'll come back tomorrow for Part 2 of this message. God bless.

Broken Cisterns

2012-01-13T06:00:00.033-06:00

“An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?" (Jeremiah 5:30-31)

What will you do in the end? When these words were first spoken, it was Jeremiah, the prophet of the Lord, relaying a warning to the back-slidden children of Israel who had forsaken the Lord and gone after other Gods! Friends, Jesus is coming soon, and He yearns to create in us a new heart, and a new spirit; fully prepared for the Revelation of His Glory!

God’s people have been and will be a prayerful people offering up both petition and praise and putting Him first in all things! But this acknowledgment of the existence of God does not make us righteous, nor does it give us the power to condemn each other; It gives us the power to see things as they really are! That you and I are trapped in the same boat and endangered by the same storm of judgment that stands to destroy all who are stained with the mark of sin! And the true worshipers of God are broken of self and serving the Lord by serving each other; taking up the humble cross of Christ because righteousness comes through faith in Jesus! BUT...

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Jeremiah 2:13 says, “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Just in case, some of you don’t know what a cistern is, it’s a receptacle to store water in. Or in simpler terms: a well. For the Jews, cisterns were a necessity of everyday life; they lived in the desert where water could be hard to find. These wells served as the water supply for drinking, cooking, even in case of fires. So God was telling His children, “Stop! Don’t you remember? I am the living water! I am your exclusive source of survival! Why have you gone after other Gods? What will you do in the end? When the fire in your house is raging? When those fake Gods are silent and those broken wells run dry? What will you do in the end?" God was warning them that time was running out!

And just as God is busy seeking to find those who are lost, the adversary is conspiring to sabotage the saved! To plant in us an attitude of doubt, fear, and confusion so that we won’t cling to God and only God; so that we’ll become discouraged, disenfranchised, and destitute; living on the scraps of a lazy, watered-down gospel! So that we won’t be able to stand in the smothering heat of this earth’s final days!

But God is fearless! God is sure! God is truth! And only God can give us the courage, the strength and the heart to overcome the world. Will you ask Him to give you that blessing today? Join us tomorrow for a study entitled, "Of Such is the Kingdom of God." God bless.

The Righteous Disguise

2012-01-12T10:23:00.003-06:00

"Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14)

Once again, we are faced with a parable. Strangely enough, Luke has decided to give us some valuable information at the very beginning of the parable:

"Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"

Why does Luke give us the meaning of the parable before he tells us the parable? Because the meaning in verse 9 only tells us what to do. If you want to know why, then you need to study the parable! To truly understand this parable we need to establish a few things:

1. Who are the characters in this parable?

We have a Pharisee and we have a Tax Collector. Well that’s simple enough! Two men from different sides of the track, right? Polar opposites! One, a member of the religious elite! The other, a lowly tax collector. And if you could go back in time and ask the Pharisee if he thought that he had anything in common with the tax collector he would have scornfully, laughed at you saying, “What? Silly person from the future!” So sorry, Mr. Pharisee, I may be from the future but I have read my Bible and you do have something in common with that tax Collector!

What do they have in common?

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."

They went to the temple to pray! You might be thinking,“Big deal, Justin! They might shop at the same fruit cart too! So what?!” It is a big deal because what they have in common is the key to understanding this parable! It’s not just that they both went to the temple to pray! It’s what praying at the temple tells us about them! Remember John 4:23?

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."

There are many who claim to be worshipers of God. But not all of them truly worship Him. Just as it was with Cain and Abel, whose story can be found in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, both brought a sacrifice to the Lord; both acknowledged His existence; both thought themselves true worshipers of God! Did God accept both Cain and Abel's offerings?

"And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell." (Genesis 4:3-5)

God accepted Abel’s lamb offering, but rejected Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground!

Why did God reject Cain’s offering? Cain's offering was an open denial of his sinful nature. Abel brought the lamb offering which is symbolic of Christ, the lamb slain before the foundations of the world. So Cain's offering was a declaration of his own ability to save himself by his own hands; his own works. Both brought an offering to God; both acknowledged the existence of God; both thought themselves true worshipers of God. But it doesn't matter what we think is true! The only thing that matters is what God says is true! And both of these men CLAIMED to be true worshipers of God!

Does God accept our worship? The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, just like the story of Cain and Abel, teaches us the difference between GENUINE and COUNTERFEIT worship; the difference between what God accepts and what He rejects; the difference between the RIGHTEOUS and the SELF-RIGHTEOUS. And just so we’re clear, the way we feel about each other, is clear-cut evidence of the way we feel about God. There is no room in heaven for the self-righteous.

But, what does it mean to be self-righteous?

Self-righteous:

convinced of one’s own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others

Have you ever known anyone who elevates themselves by pushing others down? Or who justifies their own sins by the sins of others? I don’t know about you, but for me, this definition is like looking into the mirror! I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have been caught measuring myself by the actions of others. It doesn't matter how you try to spin it; if we choose to judge ourselves by the actions and beliefs of others, God will find us guilty on Judgment Day! Instead of comparing and contrasting each other, we should be measuring ourselves to God! This truth will bear itself out as we continue studying this parable.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"

The Pharisee opens his prayer with these words:

“I thank You that I am not like other men.” The great lie! How the truth has been twisted! Do you know what the word Pharisee means? It means a Separatist! Now, I know that God calls us out of the world to be separate; to be different; but that doesn't mean we build walls between each other. It surely doesn't mean that we build ourselves up and tear others down? God did not call you out of the world to condemn the world!

“Therefore understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness" (Deuteronomy 9:6)

Why then? Why does God call us out?

"that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever." (Joshua 4:24)

Now lets explore the context of this verse here in Joshua by reading the preceding verse (Joshua 4:23), because there is an underlying message here that I pray will effectively drive this point home.

"for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over." (Joshua 4:23)

God delivered Moses and the Israelite's from the hand of Pharaoh and his army by causing the Red Sea to part so that they could cross to safety. God miraculously stayed the waters of the Jordan so that Joshua and the Israelite's would have no barrier between them and victory.

God doesn’t build walls! God builds bridges! AMEN! And if you know the story here in Joshua, the power of God moved the waters of the Jordan so that they could cross over to Jericho to conquer the city! But the city seemed impenetrable because of the size of the walls of Jericho! What happened to those walls? Just as the song says, “the walls came tumbling down!” Not because of Joshua’s righteousness; not because of the Israelites righteousness; not because of some human military genius; the walls were brought down by the power of God!

"that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever." (Joshua 4:24)

That you and I might stop looking at each other to gauge our righteousness. That you and I might look to the heaven’s and worship the One who has real power! That you and I might have the fog cleared away and we might see where we really are.

In the history of this world there have only been two classifications of people:

One is a Savior. The rest are sinners. The Bible says that no one is better than another.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

Do you remember the story when Jesus and the disciples got into a boat and began sailing and were overtaken by a monstrous storm? And the disciples began to panic and soon it became clear that there was absolutely nothing humanly possible that could keep them from being swallowed up by that stormy lake! And Jesus lay fast asleep. They awoke Jesus crying out “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Every one of them in the same boat. We are all in the same boat; guilty as charged and perishing because of sin. And not one good work of ours; not one flailing human effort will ever change that. But our friend, Mr. Pharisee here still thinks he’s not like us sinners; thinks he’s better than the rest of us. Well we've already exposed his lie, right? Now, I’m not going to assume that this one Pharisee cornered the market on self-righteousness; it seems to be a common problem for us. So, where did the idea come from? Who started this lie? Thankfully, the Pharisee gives us a clue! Just by examining his “righteous” prayer we can discover the answer.

"'God, I thank You that I am not like other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' " (Luke 18:11)

Is this really the Pharisee’s prayer? Sounds vaguely familiar so lets break it down:

1. I am not like other men

2. I am not unjust

3. I fast twice a week

4. I tithe

5. I possess

Long ago, in heaven, there was a beautiful angel named Lucifer and you could call this his prayer:

"For you have said in your heart: ‘ I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’" (Isaiah 14:13-14)

Lucifer’s Prayer

1. I will ascend into heaven

2. I will exalt my throne

3. I will sit on the mount

4. I will ascend above the clouds

5. I will be like the Most High

Self-righteousness, like all sin, originated with the Devil. And God rejects self-righteous worship, but the Devil is more than happy to accept it! If we do not respect each other we do not respect God! Reverent worship to God includes reverence for each other!

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:14)

Since we are all perishing in sin, helpless to save ourselves, how can we be found righteous? The answer can only be: JESUS.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)

"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)

Righteousness comes through Jesus Christ!

"By this it is made clear who take their nature from God and are His children and who take their nature from the devil and are his children: no one who does not practice righteousness [who does not conform to God's will in purpose, thought, and action] is of God; neither is anyone who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10 AMP)

It’s time to tear the walls down and allow God to build bridges to each other; loving, caring, relationships. Comfortableness is the Cancer of Christianity, BUT, the Cross is the Cure!

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)

The Fear of the Lord

2012-01-11T13:12:00.004-06:00

So there I was, a lonely goalie frozen in place; praying to God to let that ball hit me square in the face! Because that was the only way I was going to stop that penalty kick from going in! I was terrified! I was terrified that we would lose because of me; terrified that I would disappoint my father (who was also the coach); terrified that the parents, the players and the kids would think I was a failure; a total loser.

The reality was that I wasn't mentally prepared for this situation; I hadn't taken it seriously; I wasn't prepared! Sure, I went to the practices, I went to the games, I wore the uniform; but I wasn't prepared! But, I wasn't going to run away. I had to stand up! And as the referee blew his whistle, signaling that the ball could be kicked at any moment, I thought, "I will stop this ball!" Then the ball was in the air like it was shot out of a cannon! And my brain was screaming, “MOVE YOUR LEGS!” My legs screamed back, "YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!" The only thing moving, besides the ball, was my head as I turned to watch the ball going right by me! And then I heard a sound I will never forget! The sound of that ball colliding with the metal post and bouncing back to land right in front of me. I pounced on that ball like my life depended on it; squeezed the air right out of it, I think!

We worry too much about results, and numbers, and what people will think about us. But God is not asking us to win the game; He only asks us to stand up in the heat of the battle, and to take a step forward in faith.

Yesterday, we discovered the importance of putting God FIRST in every aspect of our lives:

1. We praise Him

2. We petition Him

3. We show Him partiality

But acknowledgment of the existence of God, friends, is only the beginning.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." (Proverbs 1:7)

Let’s dig into this verse some more. We’ll use the Amplified Bible's translation:

"The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]" (Proverbs 1:7 AMP)

In other words, the fear of the Lord is both the beginning and the essence of wisdom; it is the FOUNDATION! But what exactly is “the fear of the Lord?” What does that mean? Two important words here:

1. Reverent

2. Worshipful

Acting with reverence is the same as treating another with respect or honor. For example, a long standing tradition in the Eastern world is to greet someone by bowing to them. The bow not only shows respect but it also indicates a lack of arrogance; it shows humility; it says, “I am at your service.”

But worship is a specific type of reverence. To worship means to respect or honor as a Divine Being. The fear of the Lord is a humble, reverent, respectful attitude that identifies God as Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer!

"You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3)

There is nothing before Him! There is nothing above Him! And this principle is both the starting point and the foundation of truth! This teaching changes our worldly perspective to His heavenly perspective. We no longer see the world through our eyes; we see the world through His eyes!

This brings us back to the question Jesus asks us in Luke 18:8:

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find FAITH on the earth?”

Because ever since this world began, the truth about genuine worship has been stained with lies; the lies of those who claim to be true worshipers of God! In John 4:23, Jesus is speaking to a Samaritan woman at a well:

And He said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."

Our Father is seeking out the true worshipers! And if there are true worshipers then there must also be false worshipers. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to teach us the difference. Because knowledge of the existence of God is not enough! Too many of us accept this as the end of the road; more than pleased to stop here and plant ourselves in place; continuing the same comfortable spiritual lifestyle we've grown accustomed to! Comfortableness is the cancer of Christianity. That pathway does not lead to the Kingdom of God!

As we continue our walk with Jesus Christ; as we listen to His wonderful words of life; as we ask of Him and patiently await the guidance and wisdom that only He can give; will we accept the new heart that He desires to create in us? Will we do what He asks us? What will our decision be? As we walk with Jesus through this little chapter in the Gospel of Luke; down the dusty roads, in and around the little towns,as the crowd around Him grows larger; as the Divine Son of God reveals the pathway to the Kingdom of Heaven, and we see Him leading the way; beckoning us forward, will we follow Him?

I hope you'll join us tomorrow as we look at the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in a study entitled, "The Righteous Disguise." God bless.