Just sharing.

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“The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.”

Matthew 9:6

Behold one of the great Physician's mightiest arts: he has power to forgive sin! While here he lived below, before the ransom had been paid, before the blood had been literally sprinkled on the mercy-seat, he had power to forgive sin. Hath he not power to do it now that he hath died? What power must dwell in him who to the utmost farthing has faithfully discharged the debts of his people! He has boundless power now that he has finished transgression and made an end of sin.

If ye doubt it, see him rising from the dead! behold him in ascending splendour raised to the right hand of God! Hear him pleading before the eternal Father, pointing to his wounds, urging the merit of his sacred passion! What power to forgive is here! “He hath ascended on high, and received gifts for men.” “He is exalted on high to give repentance and remission of sins.” The most crimson sins are removed by the crimson of his blood. At this moment, dear reader, whatever thy sinfulness, Christ has power to pardon, power to pardon thee, and millions such as thou art.

A word will speak it. He has nothing more to do to win thy pardon; all the atoning work is done. He can, in answer to thy tears, forgive thy sins today, and make thee know it. He can breathe into thy soul at this very moment a peace with God which passeth all understanding, which shall spring from perfect remission of thy manifold iniquities. Dost thou believe that? I trust thou believest it. Mayst thou experience now the power of Jesus to forgive sin! Waste no time in applying to the Physician of souls, but hasten to him with words like these:—

“Jesus! Master! hear my cry;
Save me, heal me with a word;
Fainting at thy feet I lie,
Thou my whisper'd plaint hast heard.”

 

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The Book Of Jude And The Last Days


The Book of Jude seems as if it’s almost written for today. Find out why.
Who was Jude?
The Apostle Jude
Are we living in the last days? The Book of Jude is not very long (only one chapter), but its twenty-five verses have much to say about the last days, and today, it is strikingly similar to the way it was in Jude’s day. Jude is the half-brother of Jesus Christ, having the same mother but not the same father, and the range of date for this book is incredibly wide, with conservative scholars placing it between the years 70 to 90 AD. The reason I think the date is much later is because Jude refers to the Apostle’s predictions for the last days (Jude 1:18) as having come true (Jude 1:17), but clearly, Jude’s epistle is just as relevant today. Jude begins by telling us that he’s “a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1:1), so Jude is a servant of Christ, but he is also his half-brother.

Notice that Jude puts these relationships in the proper hierarchy; Jesus is His Lord and God, and only by birth is Jude physically related to Jesus (having the same mother) but is also the brother of James, however the word translated into “servant” is wrong. It should be as the Greek word says, and that is “slave” (doulos), so there is a huge difference between a slave and a servant. A servant can quit their job, get fired, and go home after work, but a slave, particularly one of Christ, is owned by the Master, but the Master is good and He is merciful, and He now calls us friends.

Of Necessity
Jude wrote this book out of necessity for the church. You can tell it’s different from the rest of the New Testament books because it refers to a later time period than most of the others do. Jude writes with a sense of urgency, saying he “was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).

Contending for something means we have to fight for something, and in this case, it was the faith that was once “delivered to the saints,” which is clearly in the past tense. I’ve heard it said, “If it’s new, it’s not from God; and if it’s from God, it’s not new,” so “new revelations” trouble me because we cannot ever be certain of the source. Just as it was going on in the church then, today, “certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). This perversion could the “quid pro quo” God Who promises to bless your “seeds of faith,” or adding things to the gospel like, “Jesus Christ + baptism = salvation.”

Many swallow these lies because those who brought them came in under the cover of darkness and have “crept in unnoticed.” If they had been noticed, someone would have said something, but that’s why Jude believes we must contend for the faith originally delivered by Christ and expounded by the Apostles because people are adding elements to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That means it’s not really the gospel at all (Gal 1:7-9). God has already spoken through His Apostles and Prophets, but most clearly through the Son of God, Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1-2), and we hear Him speak clearly and plainly in the Gospels.

Fulfilled
Since the date of this book’s writing may have come after most of the Apostles had died, it makes sense that the prophecies the Apostles gave had been fulfilled. Jude writes to remind them about “the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:17), and what “They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions” (Jude 1:18). We know it’s not those within the Body of Christ that Jude writes about, but “these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 1:20), and without the Spirit of God, no one is a child of God (Rom 8:16). Looking religious means nothing because it’s not about religion; it’s about a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ. We are reminded that Satan has his own ministers, and this deceiver will make them look like angels of light (2 Cor 11:4-5), but they only appear that way, because they bring a message of darkness.

A gospel look-alike that neglects matters of sin, repentance, confession, sanctification, living in holiness, coming out of this world, being Jesus’ disciple, and doing what Jesus’ disciples would naturally do (Matt 25:35-36). If the Apostles were here on earth today, would be appalled at some of the “buffet-style” religions that claim to be Christian? There is only one way and through One Person (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). We can’t have a little of this and a little of that, because without the whole gospel of repentance and faith (Mark 1:14-15), you have half the truth, and a half-truth is a whole lie…straight from hell.

Conclusion
I do not write a lot about the end time events or the last days, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important, but I believe it’s best to focus on Christ and to be ready for His appearing at any moment. I am not a Bible prophecy hound, but I do pay attention to what the Scriptures say, and what’s going on in the world, however I don’t do that at the expense of studying and reading the rest of Scripture. Is Jesus’ return soon? Are we living in the last days? I don’t know, but I know a better question: “Have you put your trust in Christ? Are you ready for His appearing because He could come at any moment?” If not, there are other prophecies that will come true someday (Rev 1:7, 20:12-25), so the question remains: “Will you put your trust in the Savior today?” Eternity is a very long time to be wrong.

 

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Righteousness exalts a nation Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored. Proverbs 27:18 NIV __________________ A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. Proverbs 17:2,3 KJV __________________ Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully. Proverbs 14:34,35 RSV __________________ Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:22-24 KJV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“The bow shall be seen in the cloud.”

Genesis 9:14

The rainbow, the symbol of the covenant with Noah, is typical of our Lord Jesus, who is the Lord's witness to the people. When may we expect to see the token of the covenant? The rainbow is only to be seen painted upon a cloud. When the sinner's conscience is dark with clouds, when he remembers his past sin, and mourneth and lamenteth before God, Jesus Christ is revealed to him as the covenant Rainbow, displaying all the glorious hues of the divine character and betokening peace.

To the believer, when his trials and temptations surround him, it is sweet to behold the person of our Lord Jesus Christ — to see him bleeding, living, rising, and pleading for us. God's rainbow is hung over the cloud of our sins, our sorrows, and our woes, to prophesy deliverance. Nor does a cloud alone give a rainbow, there must be the crystal drops to reflect the light of the sun. So, our sorrows must not only threaten, but they must really fall upon us. There had been no Christ for us if the vengeance of God had been merely a threatening cloud: punishment must fall in terrible drops upon the Surety. Until there is a real anguish in the sinner's conscience, there is no Christ for him; until the chastisement which he feels becomes grievous, he cannot see Jesus.

But there must also be a sun; for clouds and drops of rain make not rainbows unless the sun shineth. Beloved, our God, who is as the sun to us, always shines, but we do not always see him — clouds hide his face; but no matter what drops may be falling, or what clouds may be threatening, if he does but shine there will be a rainbow at once. It is said that when we see the rainbow the shower is over. Certain it is, that when Christ comes, our troubles remove; when we behold Jesus, our sins vanish, and our doubts and fears subside. When Jesus walks the waters of the sea, how profound the calm!

 

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Cats, Me, and God



What do I, cats, and God have in common? It’s a lot more than I thought.
Under the Bus
Often in my messages, I throw myself under the bus. I’m not embarrassed to tell the church and others about all the mistakes I’ve made, and the many sins I’ve had to pay for, but transparency is important to me. It shows others that the bar is not sky high to be a Christian. It’s a matter of trusting in Christ. It is a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-9), but we are to confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9) so that we can be cleansed, but of course, we’ll sin again…and again, but hopefully, we’ll sin less over time. James tells the church to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

The first order of repenting of sin is confessing our sin, but we also confess it to others in order that we can “pray for one another” and “be healed” of whatever sickness, problem, or besetting sin we’re going through. That doesn’t mean we confess every single sin in our lives but those things we’re struggling with. Of course, there is extreme vetting to enter the kingdom, but it’s not what we’ve done by which we will enter…it is what He’s done that allows us to enter into the kingdom. Only then will we be saved to sin no more, and for me, not sinning anymore can’t happen fast enough.

In or Out?
Years ago I saw a comic strip of Peter at the gates of heaven, and there’s a cat, just sitting there. While Peters holding the gate open, he says, “Well?! In or out?” That’s the way many are in regards to Jesus Christ, and the way I was for many years, but later I read that you cannot be neutral about Jesus. You are either for Him or you are against Him, and those sitting on the fence end up with the same fate as those who openly reject Him. To hesitate and not trust in Christ is dangerous ground to be standing on, because if that person dies without Christ or Christ returns before they trust in Him, is it too late. That may be why those who see Christ at His return will mourn (Rev 1:7), so today, listen to His voice (2 Cor 6:2), because “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

Come to the Water
After a strong thunderstorm moved through our neighborhood, our “water cat” couldn’t wait to get outside. In fact, our “water cat” (her real name is Fluffy) is so named because of her obsession with fresh water. Frequently you’ll find her sitting in the rain while drinking from the gutter spout. She doesn’t care if she’s getting soaked. She cares more about drinking the fresh water than getting wet in the process. She loves fresh water so much that if you’re not careful, and you leave a glass of water sitting around, she’ll jump up and start drinking from it. She loves sitting under the water facet when it’s on and drinking in all the fresh water her tummy can take. For some reason, this experience reminded me of Isaiah the Prophet, who said to all, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah55:1). Jesus said through the Apostle John, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.”

And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Rev 22:17). In discussing this “living water,” Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). She did find it, but not at Jacob’s well or in a nearby stream. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38), and the Samaritan woman had found it. Then, she could not help but tell others about Him (John 4), so come to the water. It is without price, and yet so priceless that no man could buy.

Covered versus Removed
If you have indoor cats, you know that you have to keep an eye (or nose) on the litter box. It may look good on the topside, but underneath, it may be a whole different matter. That’s because cats only cover their excrement, and covering it doesn’t take them away. My nose reminds me of this, so I have to scoop them out and take them away myself. Only then is it safe to enter the litter box (or the room!). The Old Testament Mosaic Laws included blood sacrifices, but these sacrifices only covered sin and never really took them away.

That’s why they had to be repeated over and over again, but when Christ came, He did not just cover our sins…He removed them by His own precious blood, and it would not have to be repeated over and over again, because Christ was the spotless Lamb of God; without blemish and perfect in every way (1 Pet 1:19). Only the sinless Son of God would satisfy the wrath of God for sinners, so Jesus came to give His own life as a ransom for the many who would trust in Him (Mark 10:45).

Conclusion
We love our cats, but we also love the Lord our God, and it is Him whom we serve, but in serving Him we know we must also care for our animals because God says, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Prov 12:10). My wife has rescued several cats from certain death, and by getting them fixed, their shots, and sometimes finding them a good home, she shows her love for God’s creatures. Did you know that God had a similar problem with me at one time? I was broken and needed God’s Spirit; I was lost but then was found; I was headed for certain death from my sins but He gave me eternal life (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9), and this world was not my home and I was only passing through.

It was just like the time my wife found a stray cat; she sought it, fed it, nourished it, and later, called it as one of her own. The rescued cat became part of the family. God is doing similar things for the lost; He is drawing them to Himself, but only through Christ (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). He is giving them new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). And He is finding a new home for them in glory, and giving them a new name; a name only they and God will know (Rev 2:17, 3:12). And this new home shall never pass away.

 

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While we were yet sinners He died for us Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting Isaiah 45:17 NIV __________________ The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. Proverbs 15:24 KJV __________________ But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. Romans 5:8,9 RSV __________________ Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. For Your loving-kindness toward me is great, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. Psalm 86:11-13 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“All things are possible to him that believeth.”

Mark 9:23

Many professed Christians are always doubting and fearing, and they forlornly think that this is the necessary state of believers. This is a mistake, for “all things are possible to him that believeth”; and it is possible for us to mount into a state in which a doubt or a fear shall be but as a bird of passage flitting across the soul, but never lingering there. When you read of the high and sweet communions enjoyed by favoured saints, you sigh and murmur in the chamber of your heart, “Alas! these are not for me.” O climber, if thou hast but faith, thou shalt yet stand upon the sunny pinnacle of the temple, for “all things are possible to him that believeth.”

You hear of exploits which holy men have done for Jesus; what they have enjoyed of him; how much they have been like him; how they have been able to endure great persecutions for his sake; and you say, “Ah! as for me, I am but a worm; I can never attain to this.” But there is nothing which one saint was, that you may not be. There is no elevation of grace, no attainment of spirituality, no clearness of assurance, no post of duty, which is not open to you if you have but the power to believe. Lay aside your sackcloth and ashes, and rise to the dignity of your true position; you are little in Israel because you will be so, not because there is any necessity for it.

It is not meet that thou shouldst grovel in the dust, O child of a King. Ascend! The golden throne of assurance is waiting for you! The crown of communion with Jesus is ready to bedeck your brow. Wrap yourself in scarlet and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day; for if thou believest, thou mayst eat the fat of kidneys of wheat; thy land shall flow with milk and honey, and thy soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. Gather golden sheaves of grace, for they await thee in the fields of faith. “All things are possible to him that believeth.”

 

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Lost World



The fifth commandment – Honor your father and your mother – is a counter-cultural demand.
Many in our time live according to the 1960s maxim, Question authority. It’s apparently an authoritative command, and it applies in the family as well as everywhere else.
But the counter-cultural character of this commandment runs even deeper. It’s not just the commandment itself that violates contemporary norms. The social picture assumed by the commandment has disappeared in many places.

The command to “honor” assumes a hierarchy. Some are in a high position and deserve our attention and respect. We live in an age of equality. We don’t defer to our betters because we find it offensive to think we have betters.
The command to honor father and mother assumes that unchosen relationships have a moral force. If there’s one thing that we don’t choose, it’s our family and parentage. In our age, choice is the foundation of all moral action. Nearly everything can be justified, so long as it’s sanctified by “consent.” Unchosen obligations can’t be binding.

The reference to father and mother runs against the grain of myths of self-creation. We believe in the self-made man, the buffered self, the isolated individual; every man is an Adam, without the belly button that bespeaks dependence.
We’re commanded to honor father and mother, both of them in the singular. The assumed situation is one where children have one of each sex as parents. Today, many families are constituted from the broken bits of other families; in any household, the children are “yours, mine, ours”; children grow up with multiple fathers and stepfathers, mothers and stepmothers.


Both parents are assumed to be present. Most of America’s children still live with two parents, but a quarter does not. In some sub-communities, the situation is far worse: Three-quarters of African American children are born out of wedlock.

More radically, the fifth word assumes a world where parenthood was a given, an unavoidable reality for every human being.
Reproductive technology has eroded that assumption. A couple can have a child that is genetically their child, but never carried by the mother; children can be manufactured from donated eggs and sperm, so that they have no connection with the parents. Family membership is being detached from biology.
And the changes in marriage law functionally universalize this. Children in same-sex families obviously can’t be biologically related to both parents, and so the relationship between parents and children is legal rather than biological. We’re used to this in adoption, but the changes in marriage law effectively universalize adoption. Adoption becomes the paradigm for all parent-child relations.

To keep the fifth word, we not only have to obey its literal force. We have to reconstruct the social situation that it assumes – two-parent families, the goodness of relations of authority, the limitations of choice and consent, the preservation of families through the whole lifetime of the father and mother. This commandment is foundational to forming a Christian counter-culture in our churches.

But these social changes also mean that we have a huge mission field around us. Families are under stress in all kinds of ways. The church has an opportunity to evangelize and disciple families, so that they become places where it’s possible for the Fifth Word to be obeyed.

 

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Sin shall not be your master If any man will do His will, he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. John 7:17 KJV __________________ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:11-14 NIV __________________ For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother. Matthew 12:50 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.”

Mark 16:9

Mary of Magdala was the victim of a fearful evil. She was possessed by not one devil only, but seven. These dreadful inmates caused much pain and pollution to the poor frame in which they had found a lodging. Hers was a hopeless, horrible case. She could not help herself, neither could any human succour avail. But Jesus passed that way, and unsought, and probably even resisted by the poor demoniac, he uttered the word of power, and Mary of Magdala became a trophy of the healing power of Jesus. All the seven demons left her, left her never to return, forcibly ejected by the Lord of all.

What a blessed deliverance! What a happy change! From delirium to delight, from despair to peace, from hell to heaven! Straightway she became a constant follower of Jesus, catching his every word, following his devious steps, sharing his toilsome life; and withal she became his generous helper, first among that band of healed and grateful women who ministered unto him of their substance. When Jesus was lifted up in crucifixion, Mary remained the sharer of his shame: we find her first beholding from afar, and then drawing near to the foot of the cross. She could not die on the cross with Jesus, but she stood as near it as she could, and when his blessed body was taken down, she watched to see how and where it was laid.

She was the faithful and watchful believer, last at the sepulchre where Jesus slept, first at the grave whence he arose. Her holy fidelity made her a favoured beholder of her beloved Rabboni, who deigned to call her by her name, and to make her his messenger of good news to the trembling disciples and Peter. Thus grace found her a maniac and made her a minister, cast out devils and gave her to behold angels, delivered her from Satan, and united her for ever to the Lord Jesus. May I also be such a miracle of grace!

 

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3 Potent Powers Of The Word Of God



God is all-powerful (omnipotent), but the Word of God has great power in itself.

Power of the Word
There is potent power in the Word of God. For example, there is the power of salvation to save (Rom 1:16), and even though it’s foolish “to those who are perishing…to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). We also know that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12), and even further, there is “no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13). Believers are not to judge those outside the church. God’s Word is to be their judge and God is the final authority, but that day is coming (Heb 9:27; Rev 20:12-15). And we can trust the power of God’s Word because God’s Word will do what God sends it out to do (Isaiah 55:11). It can comfort the afflicted, but afflict the comfortable. For sure, God’s Word is “like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jer 23:29b).

The Power to Cleanse
The psalmist asked a question many of us should be asking: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9-11). What the psalmist does is store up God’s Word in his heart, or memorize it, maybe by meditating on it, but he does this so that he “might not sin against” God. This keeps him from wandering “from [God’s] commandments,” so that means we can guard our hearts by storing up the Word of God.

That way, when we’ll need it, we’ll have it, and we “might not sing against” God. Jesus Himself recalled Scripture when resisting Satan in the Wilderness, so there’s power to cleanse in God’s Word but power to keep us from sin. Jesus told the disciples, “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3), so there is a cleansing power in the Word of God. Knowing this, the Apostle Paul wrote that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Eph 5:25-26).

The Power of Salvation
The Spirit of God may quicken us to new life (Eph 2:1-5), but Paul recognizes the fact that there is power in God’s Word, saying that “it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). It makes no sense to the world as “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). The psalmist adds, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). The NASB is more accurate, saying “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.”

Power to Sanctify
When you read the Word of God, it sometimes reads you, and the more you read the Word of God, the more it works in you, along with the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote that “we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers” (1 Thess 2:13). That’s why we need our daily bread and ration of the Word of God. The Word works on us along with God’s Spirit in us, so “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation” (1 Pet 2:2).

When God’s Word works with the Spirit of God, we are sanctified by the Word of God and the Spirit of God, but when we’re not in the Word of God, the Spirit of God can’t do His work as easily. The reason the Holy Spirit is called the Holy Spirit may be due to His work in us. Jesus prayed for the disciples that the Father would “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). Sanctification means someone or something being set aside for holy use by God, and it is for God’s glory that we are sanctified by His Word. His Word help up us “grow up into salvation.”

The Authority of God’s Word
We have read about the power of God’s Word, about the cleansing work of God’s Word, about the power of salvation that’s found in God’s Word, and about the sanctifying work the Word does along with the Spirit of God. Now we write about the authority of God’s Word. Paul says that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17), and “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:20), so there’s the washing of the Word, the power of the Word, the sanctification of the Word, the power of salvation in the Word (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18), and the authority of that Word.

Conclusion
Every believer must admit that Jesus is “the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5), and nothing does not mean a little something…it means nothing. Any works we do are attributed to the glory of God because He laid out these works for us to do ahead of time (Eph 2:10). Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8). His Word is a consuming fire. It cuts like a sword but cuts in order to heal, and it has the power to save. All it takes is a person of God with the Word of God with the Spirit of God to birth the children of God for the glory of God. That’s an amazing fact about the power of the Word of God.

 

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Teach your children well "Let us be diligent then to Obey Him and teach our children to do the same..." "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Genesis 18:19 NIV __________________ And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. Deuteronomy 11:19-21 KJV __________________ Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him. Proverbs 22:14 RSV __________________ Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 NASB __________________ We proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29 NIV __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Everlasting consolation.”

2 Thessalonians 2:16

“Consolation.” There is music in the word: like David's harp, it charms away the evil spirit of melancholy. It was a distinguished honour to Barnabas to be called “the son of consolation”; nay, it is one of the illustrious names of a greater than Barnabas, for the Lord Jesus is “the consolation of Israel.” “Everlasting consolation” — here is the cream of all, for the eternity of comfort is the crown and glory of it.

What is this “everlasting consolation”? It includes a sense of pardoned sin. A Christian man has received in his heart the witness of the Spirit that his iniquities are put away like a cloud, and his transgressions like a thick cloud. If sin be pardoned, is not that an everlasting consolation? Next, the Lord gives his people an abiding sense of acceptance in Christ. The Christian knows that God looks upon him as standing in union with Jesus. Union to the risen Lord is a consolation of the most abiding order; it is, in fact, everlasting.

Let sickness prostrate us, have we not seen hundreds of believers as happy in the weakness of disease as they would have been in the strength of hale and blooming health? Let death's arrows pierce us to the heart, our comfort dies not, for have not our ears full often heard the songs of saints as they have rejoiced because the living love of God was shed abroad in their hearts in dying moments? Yes, a sense of acceptance in the Beloved is an everlasting consolation. Moreover, the Christian has a conviction of his security. God has promised to save those who trust in Christ: the Christian does trust in Christ, and he believes that God will be as good as his word, and will save him. He feels that he is safe by virtue of his being bound up with the person and work of Jesus.

 

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What Is The Role Of The Holy Spirit?



What is the role of the Holy Spirit? Why is the Spirit called the “Holy Spirit?”
God is Holy
What is the role of the Holy Spirit? First of all, the holiness of God is the only attribute that is mentioned three times in the Bible. We read Isaiah’s account of his view of the throne of God. He writes that he saw three seraphim over the throne, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Isaiah did what the psalmist would do, and writes, “I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you” (Psalm 5:7). When God is mentioned as being holy, this includes all three Persons of the Trinity, so the Holy Spirit is just as holy as God the Father and just as holy as the Son of God. They are all three co-equally God as well as holy, holy, holy.

The Work of the Spirit
The Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, so why not the “Holy Father,” or the “Holy Son” since we call the Spirit Holy? Of course, all three Persons of the Trinity are holy, but the Spirit may be called the Holy Spirit due to the work He does in us, making us more holy over time, at least in His sanctifying work in us. Naturally, we’ll never be sinless until we enter the kingdom, but the Spirit does work in us to renew us and to conform us into the image of Christ (Rom 12:1-2). The Holy Spirit works along with the Word of God to make us more like the Son of God, although we do fall infinitely short of His glory (Rom 3:23), and there are no exceptions. He is holy…we are not (Rom 3:10-12), but the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to point us to the Son of God. The Spirit always testifies of Christ (John 15:26), and the Holy Spirit highlights the Person and Work of Christ and seeks to glorify Him.

The Role of the Spirit
The role of the Holy Spirit is not only to bring conviction of sin, but first, He must bring us to an awareness of our sins. Before the Spirit came, we were dead in our sins and could not hear or see the need to repent (Eph 2:1-4), but God granted us repentance (2 Tim 2:24-26) through the Spirit’s birthing from above (John 3:3-7), and then the Word of God brought us to saving faith in Christ. Jesus said the gospel of the kingdom of God must include repentance and faith (Mark 1:14-15). The Holy Spirit shows us why we need to repent, and thus, why we need the Savior. We cannot even know the things of God without the Spirit of God because “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:8) as “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Rom 8:7). This means only those “who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” and daughters of God (Rom 8:14).

The Apostle Paul asked, “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:11). That is a key role of the Holy Spirit. He reveals the “thoughts of God.” The Holy Spirit will convict our conscience when we’re not doing the right thing or not doing what we should do, and He is continually dealing with the sins in our life. He won’t let us get comfortable in our sins, and the Holy Spirit helps us to avoid sin, but He also prompts the believer to help someone when opportunity presents itself.

The Teaching of the Spirit
When you sit down to read the Bible, pray that the Holy Spirit will open up the Scriptures to you, because one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to teach us all things, as Christ told the disciples before He ascended back to the Father (John 14:26, Luke 12:12). The Holy Spirit is also called the Helper and the Comforter, and teaches us about the things of God through the Word of God. He will guide us in revealing the meaning of God’s written Word (John 16:13), and will help us remember Jesus’ teachings when we need to remember them the most (John 14:26). If you want to know more about the work, role, and ministry of the Holy Spirit, read John chapters 14, 15 and 16 and Romans 8.

The Spirit as Author
Finally we know that the Holy Spirit guided the content and the assembly of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Paul reminds Timothy that he can trust the Word of God because “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). The Apostle Peter says that not even one “prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:21). We see this when “the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest…and the hand of the LORD was upon him there” (Ezk 1:3). One of the roles of the Holy Spirit was that He authored all Scripture while ensuring the proper assembling of the different books of the Bible.

Conclusion
Did you know that we can actually grieve the Holy Spirit of God? You can quench Him, you can resist Him, you can ignore Him, you can grieve Him, and you can fail to yield to Him, but we need His work in our lives to renew our minds (Rom 12:1-2). We cannot fully know the Word without the Spirit. We cannot know we need Christ without the Spirit, and we cannot know how to grow in holiness without His prompting and convicting us of sin. That’s the role of the Holy Spirit…thus His name is what He does in us…to make us more holy than before. Not perfection or sinless-ness, but hopefully, sinning a little less over time.

 

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Satisfied with His Goodness My people will be satisfied with My goodness But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." Isaiah 49:4 NIV __________________ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:1-4 NIV __________________ Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1 Timothy 4:16 KJV __________________ I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness, declares the LORD. Jeremiah 31:14 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“And I will remember my covenant.”

Genesis 9:15

Mark the form of the promise. God does not say, “And when ye shall look upon the bow, and ye shall remember my covenant, then I will not destroy the earth,” but it is gloriously put, not upon our memory, which is fickle and frail, but upon God's memory, which is infinite and immutable. “The bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant.” Oh! it is not my remembering God, it is God's remembering me which is the ground of my safety; it is not my laying hold of his covenant, but his covenant's laying hold on me.

Glory be to God! the whole of the bulwarks of salvation are secured by divine power, and even the minor towers, which we may imagine might have been left to man, are guarded by almighty strength. Even the remembrance of the covenant is not left to our memories, for we might forget, but our Lord cannot forget the saints whom he has graven on the palms of his hands. It is with us as with Israel in Egypt; the blood was upon the lintel and the two side-posts, but the Lord did not say, “When you see the blood I will pass over you,” but “When I see the blood I will pass over you.”

My looking to Jesus brings me joy and peace, but it is God's looking to Jesus which secures my salvation and that of all his elect, since it is impossible for our God to look at Christ, our bleeding Surety, and then to be angry with us for sins already punished in him. No, it is not left with us even to be saved by remembering the covenant. There is no linsey-wolsey here—not a single thread of the creature mars the fabric. It is not of man, neither by man, but of the Lord alone. We should remember the covenant, and we shall do it, through divine grace; but the hinge of our safety does not hang there—it is God's remembering us, not our remembering him; and hence the covenant is an everlasting covenant.

 

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Consider the Lilies


Did I forget to tell you that He loved lilies? It is a well-known and much overlooked fact of His life--as known and overlooked as the lilies He loved. And it's a puzzling fact, too. Why lilies? Why especially lilies?
Maybe He loved lilies for being white, the way many people love roses for being red. Maybe it was because of the brilliant green of their long, slender stalks or the glorious, darker green of their leaves. Maybe He loved them because their blooms looked like trumpets and their leaves resembled swords. It could have been their simplicity, it might have been their commonness. It may have been because of all of that and it just as easily could have been because of none of that at all. But it seems like He loved them.

In the Sermon on the Mount--a sermon that predated the birth of Christianity, a sermon so profound and timeless that it would endure throughout the history of Christianity and would (in fact) shape and distinguish the character of everything Christian--Jesus pointed to lilies as examples of a splendor superior to that of Solomon's. He considered them to be better dressed than kings--lilies, that is (and a lily is one of the most naked flowers known to us). He did not apparently blush or stutter when He commanded His followers to consider them. He gave that command with the same authority that He gave the command to "let your light so shine" and the command to "turn the other cheek." It is an astonishing command maybe given because lilies are astonishing flowers or maybe given because Jesus was an astonishing man.

After all, He had a certain fondness for sparrows and did not consider their care and feeding beneath the dignity of God--though God's care and dignity (Jesus would assert) is beyond the comprehension of men. It was God's Spirit that led Him into the wilderness where He fasted and spent forty days (Mark tells us) "with the wild animals." It is easy, considering this attitude about lilies and sparrows, to imagine (and yes, this is imagination and certainly not revelation) that He spent that time romping with those creatures, not cowering from them and thus in His person, partially fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about a "peaceable Kingdom of the Branch."
If this was the whole picture of Christ, we could easily write Him off as a nature lover with a heavy Hebrew orientation. But this is where the love of lilies throws us a curve--He loved men. It was to the end that they might be saved that He came.

This man who looked at flowers and loved them, also looked at an arrogant young human and loved him. He who romped forty days with the wild animals, spent and worked three years with yet a more savage and brutal species--man. He who rejoiced in God's providence for sparrows miraculously fed a crowd of 5,000 people on one occasion and 3,000 on another. His attention and affection was not won by the attractive and the beautiful--His glance and His love made things and people attractive and beautiful. The touch of His hand would give sight to the blind and from the hem of His garment flowed healing.

And even if someone would (and why should they) doubt the accounts of His miracles, I can testify myself I had never seen a lily until He showed me one. I had never heard a sparrow until His voice unplugged my ears. I had never known love until I met Him ... and He is love.

So, all those things He did that we call "miracles" became believable to us because Christ, who performed them, operated out of love--and love (His love at least) has a height and depth and breadth and length that reach beyond the dimensions of mere reason. And while reasons may be found within His love, no reason would be able to contain His love. It is possible that He loved lilies because He is love and that He feeds sparrows for the same reason. It is possibly that the evidence of His divinity lies in that love--that in light of love, miracles seem sort of unremarkable. If God can love me, the rest will follow. And Jesus Christ is, for me, the evidence of God's unreasonable and unsolicited attentiveness, His unearned favor, His incomprehensible love.
Did I forget to tell you that He loved lilies?

 

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Work while it is day Let us see His Kingdom Come Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:2,3 NIV __________________ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19,20 KJV __________________ I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. John 4:35b,36 RSV __________________ And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. Luke 12:42-44 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“I know their sorrows.”

Exodus 3:7

The child is cheered as he sings, “This my father knows”; and shall not we be comforted as we discern that our dear Friend and tender soul-husband knows all about us?

1. He is the Physician, and if he knows all, there is no need that the patient should know. Hush, thou silly, fluttering heart, prying, peeping, and suspecting! What thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter, and meanwhile Jesus, the beloved Physician, knows thy soul in adversities. Why need the patient analyze all the medicine, or estimate all the symptoms? This is the Physician's work, not mine; it is my business to trust, and his to prescribe. If he shall write his prescription in uncouth characters which I cannot read, I will not be uneasy on that account, but rely upon his unfailing skill to make all plain in the result, however mysterious in the working.

2. He is the Master, and his knowledge is to serve us instead of our own; we are to obey, not to judge: “The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth.” Shall the architect explain his plans to every hodman on the works? If he knows his own intent, is it not enough? The vessel on the wheel cannot guess to what pattern it shall be conformed, but if the potter understands his art, what matters the ignorance of the clay? My Lord must not be cross-questioned any more by one so ignorant as I am.

3. He is the Head. All understanding centres there. What judgment has the arm? What comprehension has the foot? All the power to know lies in the head. Why should the member have a brain of its own when the head fulfils for it every intellectual office? Here, then, must the believer rest his comfort in sickness, not that he himself can see the end, but that Jesus knows all. Sweet Lord, be thou for ever eye, and soul, and head for us, and let us be content to know only what thou choosest to reveal.

 

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Cats, Me, and God


What do I, cats, and God have in common? It’s a lot more than I thought.

Under the Bus
Often in my messages, I throw myself under the bus. I’m not embarrassed to tell the church and others about all the mistakes I’ve made, and the many sins I’ve had to pay for, but transparency is important to me. It shows others that the bar is not sky high to be a Christian. It’s a matter of trusting in Christ. It is a free gift from God (Eph 2:8-9), but we are to confess our sins to God (1 John 1:9) so that we can be cleansed, but of course, we’ll sin again…and again, but hopefully, we’ll sin less over time. James tells the church to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). The first order of repenting of sin is confessing our sin, but we also confess it to others in order that we can “pray for one another” and “be healed” of whatever sickness, problem, or besetting sin we’re going through. That doesn’t mean we confess every single sin in our lives but those things we’re struggling with. Of course, there is extreme vetting to enter the kingdom, but it’s not what we’ve done by which we will enter…it is what He’s done that allows us to enter into the kingdom. Only then will we be saved to sin no more, and for me, not sinning anymore can’t happen fast enough.

In or Out?
Years ago I saw a comic strip of Peter at the gates of heaven, and there’s a cat, just sitting there. While Peters holding the gate open, he says, “Well?! In or out?” That’s the way many are in regards to Jesus Christ, and the way I was for many years, but later I read that you cannot be neutral about Jesus. You are either for Him or you are against Him, and those sitting on the fence end up with the same fate as those who openly reject Him. To hesitate and not trust in Christ is dangerous ground to be standing on, because if that person dies without Christ or Christ returns before they trust in Him, is it too late. That may be why those who see Christ at His return will mourn (Rev 1:7), so today, listen to His voice (2 Cor 6:2), because “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).

Come to the Water

After a strong thunderstorm moved through our neighborhood, our “water cat” couldn’t wait to get outside. In fact, our “water cat” (her real name is Fluffy) is so named because of her obsession with fresh water. Frequently you’ll find her sitting in the rain while drinking from the gutter spout. She doesn’t care if she’s getting soaked. She cares more about drinking the fresh water than getting wet in the process. She loves fresh water so much that if you’re not careful, and you leave a glass of water sitting around, she’ll jump up and start drinking from it. She loves sitting under the water facet when it’s on and drinking in all the fresh water her tummy can take. For some reason, this experience reminded me of Isaiah the Prophet, who said to all, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Isaiah55:1). Jesus said through the Apostle John, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.”

And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Rev 22:17). In discussing this “living water,” Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10). She did find it, but not at Jacob’s well or in a nearby stream. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38), and the Samaritan woman had found it. Then, she could not help but tell others about Him (John 4), so come to the water. It is without price, and yet so priceless that no man could buy.

Covered versus Removed
If you have indoor cats, you know that you have to keep an eye (or nose) on the litter box. It may look good on the topside, but underneath, it may be a whole different matter. That’s because cats only cover their excrement, and covering it doesn’t take them away. My nose reminds me of this, so I have to scoop them out and take them away myself. Only then is it safe to enter the litter box (or the room!). The Old Testament Mosaic Laws included blood sacrifices, but these sacrifices only covered sin and never really took them away. That’s why they had to be repeated over and over again, but when Christ came, He did not just cover our sins…He removed them by His own precious blood, and it would not have to be repeated over and over again, because Christ was the spotless Lamb of God; without blemish and perfect in every way (1 Pet 1:19). Only the sinless Son of God would satisfy the wrath of God for sinners, so Jesus came to give His own life as a ransom for the many who would trust in Him (Mark 10:45).

Conclusion
We love our cats, but we also love the Lord our God, and it is Him whom we serve, but in serving Him we know we must also care for our animals because God says, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel” (Prov 12:10). My wife has rescued several cats from certain death, and by getting them fixed, their shots, and sometimes finding them a good home, she shows her love for God’s creatures. Did you know that God had a similar problem with me at one time? I was broken and needed God’s Spirit; I was lost but then was found; I was headed for certain death from my sins but He gave me eternal life (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9), and this world was not my home and I was only passing through.

It was just like the time my wife found a stray cat; she sought it, fed it, nourished it, and later, called it as one of her own. The rescued cat became part of the family. God is doing similar things for the lost; He is drawing them to Himself, but only through Christ (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). He is giving them new life in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). And He is finding a new home for them in glory, and giving them a new name; a name only they and God will know (Rev 2:17, 3:12). And this new home shall never pass away.