Category: The Word

Did Jesus Die for Those Without Sin?

Did Jesus only have compassion on saints and ‘good’ Christians? Or was his compassion on sinners? Was his ministry only to those who had never been saved? Did he only minister to those who lived “right?” Did the people in the Bible live a life committed fully to God, always? Rahab, Tamar, David, Bathsheba, Solomon, Saul-Paul, Zaccheus, the Kings, tax collectors, prostitutes, harlots, thiefs, murderers, (to name a few}? Who are the ones who need Jesus, the sinners and the ones not living for him, or the ones fully committed to Him? That’s a trick question, because the answer is all. We all need Jesus. 

But I’ve noticed many times that “churches & Christians” only accept a few sinners and other “Christians” based on conditions or legalities. Many times, these same churches hold their ministers up to a different standard than that of other Christians, but Matthew 23 has a good teaching on this, in that we only have one Father – God and one teacher – the Messiah. It is when we put ministers on pedestals and they accept that worship instead of turning it over to God, that they face the greatest danger of falling off the pedestal or throne. 
  

There are times that we, as Christians, have certain expectations for those who attend church, our fellow members, whether they are grounded in faith or not, we think that those who are converted are suddenly supposed to be without sin. Although in some cases, God does work in a very quick way to rid a person of most of the sins in their lives, it is usually a slow progression that the Holy Spirit convicts each individual of things in their lives that are not amenable to the life of a Christian. We are not instantly ‘set apart’ but it is a progressive salvation. We are gently and constantly reproved by the HOLY SPIRIT, NOT BY MAN. Sure there are times that a minister must point out repeated blatant sins that might be offensive or lead others astray; instead of allowing someone to live in a state of sin, but it isn’t a list that can be handed to someone or a church’s bylaws or legalities that can set someone on the ‘straight and narrow’ path. It is gentle reproof and love. But it is usually the churches whose doctrine is steeped in legalism, traditions, rules, and regulations, that drive away the newly converted tender hearts of  Christians, back into a life of sin. If only, these churches allowed God to be God, the Father, who is able to nurture, love, give comfort and compassion, to gently reprove, through the Holy Spirit, without a litany of laws. Bedsides, Jesus REDEEMED us FROM the law. Man has reintroduced new laws, traditions, and religion over the years and has termed them the ‘correct way to live or THE religion to follow.’ Yet the correct way to live is guided by the Holy Spirit alone. 

Galatians 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

1 Corinthians 2:15-16 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

When we are saved, we are given the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. We are given the mind of Christ. We must renew our minds by reading the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us and through those who are put in Spiritual authority in our lives, but we must choose them wisely. God is our ultimate authority and if the person we are following is not following God or the Word, we need to find someone who is. Jesus is our teacher through the Holy Spirit. May we all grow in the Word through Grace and fellowship, preferring others before ourselves. May we submit to God and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and when we are convicted; may we have the strength and desire to turn from it. May we love and accept each other in our individual walks where we are. When the Spirit leads, let those who are mature, help those who are not, in love, not condemnation, but by example. 

Prayer: I ask for you Father to touch all who read this to allow the Holy Spirit to be their ultimate inspiration and convictor. In Jesus name. Amen!

Accepting the Passover Lamb

The bitter herbs to be eaten at Passover were to remind the Israelites that they had been delivered from slavery in Egypt. Today, by the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ let us be reminded that we have been redeemed from slavery to sin and have received a final, one time propitiation (sacrifice) from our former life.

The lamb was to be without blemish; Jesus was the lamb without sin.

The Israelites were instructed to eat the meat right away after draining the blood and marking their doorposts. We should eat the meat of the Living Word immediately once we accept our Savior. How are we marked with His blood? By accepting him, we are passed over in death when we have accepted His eternal life. We are also marked by our demeanor and his light. 

This is how the Israelites were instructed to partake of the Passover, in Exodus 12:11

“And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste.” 

We are reminded again in Ephesians 6:14-17

“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

We are not to hesitate with preparing ourselves. Stand your ground; don’t let anything hinder you from your faith. Put on the belt of Truth which gives us discernment and the belt protects our vulnerability as well as frees us to move without hindrance. God’s righteousness is to live by the Spirit. Putting on the shoes, sandals & peace of the good news are having a readiness to share the gospel. The shield of faith or your staff is the faith you rely on when you cannot see the outcome and still know God has it under control. Salvation as your helmet is having the mind of Christ. The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.

When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2:13-16

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1

Focus on Jesus During the Storms

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+14%3A24-34&version=NLT

I was reading in Matthew14:24-34, 
about the disciples being out in a boat when a storm came up. They saw Jesus walking on the water and thought he was a ghost, but immediately he spoke to them to calm their fears. Peter who was dubious, like the rest, asked Jesus if it was indeed Jesus, to call and ask him to come out to him, which Jesus did. Peter walked on the water also, but as soon as his focus was off of Jesus, he again focused on the storm & started to sink. He called out for Jesus to save him & immediately, Jesus rescued him. When they got back in the boat, the winds stopped and the storm calmed. Then the disciples recognized him. They went on across the lake to Gennesaret. The meaning of Gennesaret, is “the Paradise or fertile ground of Galilee.”

Galilee was the home of Jesus when he was on earth. The literal meaning of the root word of Galilee (galal) is to put one’s trust in God. 

Psalm 37:5 “Commit thy way unto the Lord ; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

So if you think back on the meanings of this story – when you face a storm in your life, look to Jesus. Call on him and he will rescue you, keep your focus on him, even when the winds are howling and the waves are high. He doesn’t just rescue us, he takes us to The Paradise of his home. We are delivered to his doorstep. It is also interesting that this area, in Solomon’s time, was called Galil by the Jews meaning ‘the Galilee of the Gentiles.’ Jesus delivered both Jews & Gentiles. In Biblical times, Galilee was the largest portion of Palestine. 

Isn’t it just like God, not only to calm us, but also to rescue us, and to deliver us to the most fertile (Gennesaret) and give us the largest portion (Galilee)!! All we must do is to recognize him and keep our focus on Him! Look to Jesus!

I had not thought about the meaning of Genassaret as the paradise or fertile ground before or of Galilee being the home of both the Jews and the Gentiles! What a picture of God rescuing us from the storms of life!!