Abraham had eight children but most only remember or know of 2. Abraham had three wives: Sarah, his first wife, bore him Isaac (Genesis 21: 2-7); Hagar his second wife, bore Ishamel (Genesis 16:2-4); and Keturah his third wife after Sarah had passed away (Genesis 25:1) bore him 6 children. Abraham loved his first two children -- Ishmael and Isaac -- and asked God to bless them both (Genesis 21:11).
When Abraham passed away, both Ishmael and Abraham came to bury their father (Genesis 25:9) with Sarah. The other six children and their families were sent away by Abraham bearing gifts to an eastern land (Genesis 25:6).
Abram descended from Terah which descended from many generations after Noah from Shem. In Genesis 9:26-27, Noah blesses Shem in the name of Jehovah and Noah gives the prophesy that the other two sons of Noah, Japeth and Ham, shall either live in Shem's tents or be Shem's slaves. I mention this as it is doubtful that many generations later, Abram would have remembered this prophecy but God does.
Now when Jehovah told Abram to leave his father's household, Jehovah promises "I will make you a great nation. And I will bless you and make your name great; and you will be a blessing." Genesis 12(1-2). Abram was married to Sarai and it is mentioned in Genesis 11:30 "And Sarai was barren; she had no child." I'd like to point out here that Jehovah said this to Abram, not to Abram and Sarai.
Again when Abram passes through Canaan, Jehovah appears to him and again reiterates His promise "And Jehovah appeared to Abram and said I will give this land to your seed.” (Genesis 12:7, italics added).
In Genesis 15:4b-6, Jehovah shows Abram the stars and confirms to him not to worry as he shall have a direct heir from his own seed and his descendents shall be like the stars in the heavens. Abram believed in Jehovah and He counted it to him for righteousness for not having any children this belief required faith. Not the kind of faith that says “I guess so” but that says “I am confident”.
Now Sarai in Chapter 16 is still barren and knows and believes also that Abram will bear a child. I have always been taught that Sarai gave Abram Hagar because she wanted to fix this and force the prophecy to come true. In essence, she meddled.
God revealed to me this week the heart of this matter. Both Isaac and Ishmael were children of faith. Sarai had faith that Abraham would have children, but being barren she believed that God did not bless her and felt unworthy to be blessed. She watched her husband grow in his faith and age and she loved him. She felt God did not find her worthy to fulfill the prophecies given to Abram and felt in her heart that they must not apply to her. Unworthiness ate at her being and filled her heart. In her love for Abram, she spoke to him and said “See, now, Jehovah has kept me from bearing; go in now to my slave-girl; perhaps I may be built up from her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai (Genesis 16:2). Abram hearing her grief took Sarai’s words to heart and married Hagar and bore Ishmael. Unfortunately, feelings of unworthiness only brings insecurity and discord and so it was.
This time Elohim visits Abram alone and tells him that he will have a son by Sarah (Genesis 17:15-22). This visit Elohim also changes one letter in each of Abram and Sarai’s name giving them the new name of Abraham and Sarah. The new letter represents completion for Elohim was going to complete His will through them. Notice the promise was not through Sarai but Sarah. Still, Sarah was not present and was likely brought to her hears with hope and skeptism for isn’t this what feelings of unworthiness does to us?
Jehovah visits Abraham once more and this time in ear shot of Sarah tells Abraham that Sarah will bear him a son (Genesis 18:9-15). Sarah laughs at hearing this news – I suspect the kind of laughter which mocks as I’m positive in my heart she didn’t find this news funny or irony. For hearing this laughter, Jehovah asks why she laughs and she immediately denies it and is filled with fear. Jehovah came for Sarah’s benefit to heal her insecurities – to convince her that the promise did indeed include her and remove her feelings of unworthiness. Sarah did indeed bear Isaac and this time she proudly proclaimed “God has made laughter for me; all who hear will laugh with me” (Genesis 21:6). Her laughter was joy for she could look back on the years of insecurity and realized that God was there with her the whole time but she did not see nor understand. She understood that God fulfilled the promise in His way and in His time the way each child of God comes to understand our ways are not His ways.
Hagar bore the child of faith which represents the law. The law was created to find our unworthiness, our inadequacies so we would seek something more. We will always fall short of the law. Sarah bore the child of faith which represents grace. Isaac fulfilled the promise and prophesies. When we become complete in Jesus Christ, we become children of grace also. But when we begin to fell inadequate and unworthy to be used by God or for His sacrifice and do not go to Him about these feelings but instead act out these feelings, we leave grace and start living the law trying to make ourselves worthy by doing a certain task or acting a certain way in order to cover up or compensate which will in turn make us feel more insecure. Without going to Him that makes our lives complete, there is no hope only temporary, fleeting moments. When feeling insecure or inadequate, stop and ask why and root out that unworthy feeling and lay it at His cross. If your cup keeps coming up empty, search out with Him why for He promises He will make our cup runneth over.
Our worthiness is a mystery for it cannot be earned as it just is – this is grace. He fills us with security in and through Him. Your job, your family, your friends, your stuff will never find you the security that He can provide. It wasn’t the child that made Sarah feel secure, it was the knowledge that God did indeed love her and found her worthy and this child was a daily reminder to her.
Dream Dreams
I dream of hills covered with trees filled with blossoms. Their fragrance fills the air like sweet yesterdays and happy tomorrows. The bees swirl around in happy patterns above our heads and laughter competes with the headiness of the surrounding flowers. Berries of all kinds grow with promises of hope and the corn stands like an army ready to advance, all in neat rows. Blessings all around. Chickens, just a few, fly around as my puppies rile them up. And our one cow mowes with the glistening cow bell catches the last glints of the day's sun. The little lambs calling for attention. The wind tossing around our hair as if trying to complement our smiles. It's been a great day, the kind you try to bank in your memory, memorizing every detail so you don't forget.
Joshua and Faith put their book bags down and ready for school in the morning. As we sit on the back porch after a tasteful dinner, we sip our tea watching the fire flies before retiring and surrendering to the night's slumber. Our laughter from the day filling our hearts with gratitude and bountiful praise.
Thank You God
Jesus gave up His spirit, the curtain was torn in two and there was an earthquake. Right before this, the sun stopped shinning.
That's really all the Bible says about Jesus' death that night. I had always imagined it rained for that night and the next day. It does not describe whether the birds or animals were quiet. But one think I am certain, 11 men were alone in their thoughts. Each one remembering in detail every conversation they had with Jesus, especially the imtimate ones. Thinking it all over, grieving as we grieve for those we love. We go over all the details, the funny smiles, the inside jokes and the knowing glances. Peter, I'm sure, was going over every detail of his denial.
These men are just like us. When given enough time to reflect and wonder, we analyze all of our choices and see where God has brought us. Analyze everything He has told us and see how it fits in with where we are now. This has been the closest I have come to death that I could confidentially proclaim, if one should do so. I've never quite taken stock of many life and looked at where some relationships have gone right and some have gone so wrong. It's interesting how God will bring us to a place where we have nothing but time to mend our broken hearts. This seems like what the Shack was trying to say all along.
At the end of the day, it didn't matter that the apostles didn't get it until after His resurrection what Jesus meant, they got it. It doesn't matter if you wait 30 years or 50 years or 2 years. It only matters that you do. God's Love for us is big enough to cover our hurts, our pains and our sorrows. He's big enough to start really deeply healing those hurts which have gone unnoticed and untouched. The ones no one speaks of. Yes, He believes you deserve the best so He sent you His Son to prove it. And when He's ready, He'll show you.
If God took me out of the world tonight or tomorrow, I can honestly say God has blessed me with a wonderful sister and wonderful children. They have brought me much gladness. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, personally and at work. I love sharing Jesus' message during Sunday School and growing with each of you on Sunday. I love you all more than you all may ever know. What the locusts have taken away, God has replaced ten-fold. He has given me a family when I had none.
Just last week I was cutting a pepper and was thinking how I had planted earlier these few seeds to get some pepper plants and now I was holding this stem from one plant and it bore so many seeds. Each pepper plant contains the hope of so many numerous seeds, enough to plant a garden. Each of those seeds have so much potential, too. I belive this is how it is with us. How often we overlook the blessings in our lives. How much God would like to bless us like this pepper seeds. How much we have the opportunity to inspire and encourage those around us. To cultivate what God is harvesting by bringing the sunshine and some occassional showers.
Stop looking for the green blessings. They get us what we need and want. It's all God's anyways. Look instead around us at the opportunities to help with the simple things. Sometimes we really don't know what we mean to others until it is too late. Remember always and foremost God Loves You. I know He loves me.
That's really all the Bible says about Jesus' death that night. I had always imagined it rained for that night and the next day. It does not describe whether the birds or animals were quiet. But one think I am certain, 11 men were alone in their thoughts. Each one remembering in detail every conversation they had with Jesus, especially the imtimate ones. Thinking it all over, grieving as we grieve for those we love. We go over all the details, the funny smiles, the inside jokes and the knowing glances. Peter, I'm sure, was going over every detail of his denial.
These men are just like us. When given enough time to reflect and wonder, we analyze all of our choices and see where God has brought us. Analyze everything He has told us and see how it fits in with where we are now. This has been the closest I have come to death that I could confidentially proclaim, if one should do so. I've never quite taken stock of many life and looked at where some relationships have gone right and some have gone so wrong. It's interesting how God will bring us to a place where we have nothing but time to mend our broken hearts. This seems like what the Shack was trying to say all along.
At the end of the day, it didn't matter that the apostles didn't get it until after His resurrection what Jesus meant, they got it. It doesn't matter if you wait 30 years or 50 years or 2 years. It only matters that you do. God's Love for us is big enough to cover our hurts, our pains and our sorrows. He's big enough to start really deeply healing those hurts which have gone unnoticed and untouched. The ones no one speaks of. Yes, He believes you deserve the best so He sent you His Son to prove it. And when He's ready, He'll show you.
If God took me out of the world tonight or tomorrow, I can honestly say God has blessed me with a wonderful sister and wonderful children. They have brought me much gladness. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, personally and at work. I love sharing Jesus' message during Sunday School and growing with each of you on Sunday. I love you all more than you all may ever know. What the locusts have taken away, God has replaced ten-fold. He has given me a family when I had none.
Just last week I was cutting a pepper and was thinking how I had planted earlier these few seeds to get some pepper plants and now I was holding this stem from one plant and it bore so many seeds. Each pepper plant contains the hope of so many numerous seeds, enough to plant a garden. Each of those seeds have so much potential, too. I belive this is how it is with us. How often we overlook the blessings in our lives. How much God would like to bless us like this pepper seeds. How much we have the opportunity to inspire and encourage those around us. To cultivate what God is harvesting by bringing the sunshine and some occassional showers.
Stop looking for the green blessings. They get us what we need and want. It's all God's anyways. Look instead around us at the opportunities to help with the simple things. Sometimes we really don't know what we mean to others until it is too late. Remember always and foremost God Loves You. I know He loves me.
Rest
I work so hard at my job, to be a great Mom, to be involved to always improve and always falling short. Who said we have to keep raising the bar? What happened to resting in the knowledge that we are loved and saved by Grace? Why the need to feel so compelled to live up to some standard that may not even be attainable? And who sets these goals -- the world? Me?
God's goals for us is to know HIS Son, to know Him and from this His immense love for us and, in turn, we will learn how to love others as He loves us. This great love will take us out of our comfort zones but should it leave our cup empty?
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:4-6 (New International Version)
29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30 (New International Version)
Mother Teresa was quoted as saying "God didn't ask me to be perfect. He asked me to be faithful."
If your burden is heavy and your feeling spent, you may need to look up and evaluate whether you kept your head down too long. Just remember that our path is not a competition. It's a race of endurance within ourselves. You may just have to ask yourself if you're striving for faithfulness or perfection. And, please don't forget that Jesus took time to be alone even when He knew He didn't have much time left.
God's goals for us is to know HIS Son, to know Him and from this His immense love for us and, in turn, we will learn how to love others as He loves us. This great love will take us out of our comfort zones but should it leave our cup empty?
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:4-6 (New International Version)
29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30 (New International Version)
Mother Teresa was quoted as saying "God didn't ask me to be perfect. He asked me to be faithful."
If your burden is heavy and your feeling spent, you may need to look up and evaluate whether you kept your head down too long. Just remember that our path is not a competition. It's a race of endurance within ourselves. You may just have to ask yourself if you're striving for faithfulness or perfection. And, please don't forget that Jesus took time to be alone even when He knew He didn't have much time left.
What Works
Ezekiel 18:4: Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the Father, so also the soul of the Son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Atonement of sin comes from faithing in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as your Savior and Lord of your life. It is accepting that He, through the Father and the Son’s great love for your soul, accepted death on the cross as payment for your sins. He did this for me, and for you, not in our perfection but in our sinfulness. To us that were not yet born, He knew us already and willingly accepted this death so that we could be free. Not taking away our free will, Jesus Christ accepted the will of His Father in order for us to choose to walk again in relationship with God the Father. Once we come to the conclusion of who Jesus Christ is in our life, we begin our walk of faith were Abba Father, The potter, molds us into what He designed for us to become. To help us do this daily, Jesus Christ, knowing He was going to ascend up to the Father and be seated at His Father’s right side, gifted us with the Holy Spirit to speak on our behalf and transforms our life. This whole action, once accepting Christ and what He did for us on the cross, allows God’s judgment to Passover us so that when God sees us, He sees not our sins but our soul clothed in purity, having been washed by the blood of the lamb. It is this daily transformation, walking by faith in Christ Jesus, that we are justified and have salvation for eternity.
Many will say that it is we will know whether they are a Christian or follower of Jesus by their works. Was Christ’s death and our acceptance of His sacrifice the transformation of a yard stick by which others can measure how saved, how faithful, how much God loves us? Many would say that and judge each other harshly, dismissing a soul for his or her shortcomings instead of encouraging each other in love, realizing that we are all on a journey of transformation and in this journey is God’s glory truly revealed.
In Galatians 2:15-17, Paul reminds us that we are not justified by our good deeds, so how could our works be a unit to measure each other by? It cannot! Clearly works of the law did not work in the Old Testament. Works today are still ineffective for it is not by works that we are saved or we would not need a savior. Works of the law was meant to be a yard stick to measure our short fallings and draw us into our need to seek a Savior – the Savior, Jesus Christ.
15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Paul points out through the Jews that it is in God’s great mercy and love, knowing all that He has done for us, knows still our nature to choose sin. The Gentiles represent those that are still ignorant of the law, and therefore do not yet recognize their need for a Savior. We, the saved, must walk in faith daily for us to seek Christ. For what is it that we seek but to know God and for God to recognize us by the covering of the blood of the perfect Lamb. It is by this covering that God’s judgment passes over us.
This Passover and deep love that we find is so exciting that we wish for our loved ones to join us in the kingdom. Although well intended, we cannot save through our own means anyone: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him (Psalm 49:7). We can pray for the lost as prayers of the righteous avail much and matters of the supernatural are best dealt with in the supernatural for our physical nature is unfit to save anyone.
And dear children, before determining who truly is saved and who walks by faith, take heed by this warning in Psalm 143:2: And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. It is again by the Passover of Christ’ blood on us that we are marked His, the Son of the Most High. For if it was not by this blood, who would be blameless of sin. The Psalmist put this another way in Psalm 130:3: If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Jesus Christ explains in Luke 15:3-10 that it is by His work to seek the lost that we are eventually found and rescued from the penalty of sin – death for eternity. Jesus seeks us not because He desires to condemn us but because He loves us. He finds us where we are at in our lives and, if we allow ourselves to humbly accept His great love and sacrifice, how much He will bring us through it. In fact, Jesus explains how Heaven is filled with excitement at our decision to humbly ask forgiveness of our sins and accept our redemption through His sacrifice of our sins on the cross.
3And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
It is in this great joy and misunderstanding of His mercy that we, in our unworthiness of this unmerited grace, can become entangled by works, trying to earn what we have been granted. God wants us to love Him and be faithful, walking daily in faith of Christ Jesus. He does not want our sacrifices through works for there was only one sacrifice worthy of the repayment of sins.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 2:16
Or, put another way -- we, being flesh born of sin, have not been made righteous out of the works of love. Absolutely not! Nothing but the faith of Jesus Christ and our daily faith walk that the “righteousification” of faith of Christ, and not of the works of the law, will we made right in the eyes of God. The just live by faith and not by sight [or works] for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
But heed the warning in Hebrews for those who accept the gift of salvation but deliberately do not allow the Holy Spirit to change their lives, but rebel instead and continue to sin:
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The parable of the faith of the mustard seed, Matthew 13:31, is meant to express that when we start our race of faith, we start out very small. But when we allow the work of the Holy Spirit in us to transform our lives, we express His glory. It is by His work, not ours, that we will know we are saved. The mustard tree is large in size for the small seed and offers many birds and wildlife rest in the comfort of its branches. So it is in our daily faith walk that when God transforms our lives, it provides those around us refuge and shelter. God’s work in and through our life is what draws others to us as they desire to truly know Him for it is all for His glory. It is and always will be all about His work.
Atonement of sin comes from faithing in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as your Savior and Lord of your life. It is accepting that He, through the Father and the Son’s great love for your soul, accepted death on the cross as payment for your sins. He did this for me, and for you, not in our perfection but in our sinfulness. To us that were not yet born, He knew us already and willingly accepted this death so that we could be free. Not taking away our free will, Jesus Christ accepted the will of His Father in order for us to choose to walk again in relationship with God the Father. Once we come to the conclusion of who Jesus Christ is in our life, we begin our walk of faith were Abba Father, The potter, molds us into what He designed for us to become. To help us do this daily, Jesus Christ, knowing He was going to ascend up to the Father and be seated at His Father’s right side, gifted us with the Holy Spirit to speak on our behalf and transforms our life. This whole action, once accepting Christ and what He did for us on the cross, allows God’s judgment to Passover us so that when God sees us, He sees not our sins but our soul clothed in purity, having been washed by the blood of the lamb. It is this daily transformation, walking by faith in Christ Jesus, that we are justified and have salvation for eternity.
Many will say that it is we will know whether they are a Christian or follower of Jesus by their works. Was Christ’s death and our acceptance of His sacrifice the transformation of a yard stick by which others can measure how saved, how faithful, how much God loves us? Many would say that and judge each other harshly, dismissing a soul for his or her shortcomings instead of encouraging each other in love, realizing that we are all on a journey of transformation and in this journey is God’s glory truly revealed.
In Galatians 2:15-17, Paul reminds us that we are not justified by our good deeds, so how could our works be a unit to measure each other by? It cannot! Clearly works of the law did not work in the Old Testament. Works today are still ineffective for it is not by works that we are saved or we would not need a savior. Works of the law was meant to be a yard stick to measure our short fallings and draw us into our need to seek a Savior – the Savior, Jesus Christ.
15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Paul points out through the Jews that it is in God’s great mercy and love, knowing all that He has done for us, knows still our nature to choose sin. The Gentiles represent those that are still ignorant of the law, and therefore do not yet recognize their need for a Savior. We, the saved, must walk in faith daily for us to seek Christ. For what is it that we seek but to know God and for God to recognize us by the covering of the blood of the perfect Lamb. It is by this covering that God’s judgment passes over us.
This Passover and deep love that we find is so exciting that we wish for our loved ones to join us in the kingdom. Although well intended, we cannot save through our own means anyone: None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him (Psalm 49:7). We can pray for the lost as prayers of the righteous avail much and matters of the supernatural are best dealt with in the supernatural for our physical nature is unfit to save anyone.
And dear children, before determining who truly is saved and who walks by faith, take heed by this warning in Psalm 143:2: And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. It is again by the Passover of Christ’ blood on us that we are marked His, the Son of the Most High. For if it was not by this blood, who would be blameless of sin. The Psalmist put this another way in Psalm 130:3: If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Jesus Christ explains in Luke 15:3-10 that it is by His work to seek the lost that we are eventually found and rescued from the penalty of sin – death for eternity. Jesus seeks us not because He desires to condemn us but because He loves us. He finds us where we are at in our lives and, if we allow ourselves to humbly accept His great love and sacrifice, how much He will bring us through it. In fact, Jesus explains how Heaven is filled with excitement at our decision to humbly ask forgiveness of our sins and accept our redemption through His sacrifice of our sins on the cross.
3And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
It is in this great joy and misunderstanding of His mercy that we, in our unworthiness of this unmerited grace, can become entangled by works, trying to earn what we have been granted. God wants us to love Him and be faithful, walking daily in faith of Christ Jesus. He does not want our sacrifices through works for there was only one sacrifice worthy of the repayment of sins.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galatians 2:16
Or, put another way -- we, being flesh born of sin, have not been made righteous out of the works of love. Absolutely not! Nothing but the faith of Jesus Christ and our daily faith walk that the “righteousification” of faith of Christ, and not of the works of the law, will we made right in the eyes of God. The just live by faith and not by sight [or works] for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
But heed the warning in Hebrews for those who accept the gift of salvation but deliberately do not allow the Holy Spirit to change their lives, but rebel instead and continue to sin:
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[d] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[e] 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The parable of the faith of the mustard seed, Matthew 13:31, is meant to express that when we start our race of faith, we start out very small. But when we allow the work of the Holy Spirit in us to transform our lives, we express His glory. It is by His work, not ours, that we will know we are saved. The mustard tree is large in size for the small seed and offers many birds and wildlife rest in the comfort of its branches. So it is in our daily faith walk that when God transforms our lives, it provides those around us refuge and shelter. God’s work in and through our life is what draws others to us as they desire to truly know Him for it is all for His glory. It is and always will be all about His work.
Sin
Our pastor was speaking on sin and how sin is allowed to creep into our lives when we allow Satan an entry. It is often from our weakest points that he attacks us. I was reading CS Lewis' Magician's Nephew to my son and daughter tonight and the witch was trying to persuade the boy to sin as "no one will notice." The boy identifies the lie, immediately flees from the witch and does the right thing, even though it may cost him his mother's life.
J. Vernon McGee described sin something like this: A man in apartment building jumps off the top which will cause him to surely die. Another man who lives in the middle of the apartment complex sees the man jumping and decides to climb out of his window after the man that jumped from the top, meeting his death. A final man climbs out of the window from a lower story and meets his death too. Is the man who climbed from the top any more dead than the one from the lowest story? The net effect is that they are all dead. Sin is the same way. God sees sin as sin and must be atoned for.
The atonement God gave us is Jesus Christ. To understand that we need a Savior, we must realize we are lost. Until we come to the ends of ourselves and realize we are truly and completely lost, we will not feel the need to be completely saved. It takes true humility to realize that we are not self-sufficient and turn the reigns of our lives over to God. But when we ask for forgiveness and acknowledge that Jesus died for the atonement of our sins, not when we were saved or "doing good", but while we were yet sinners -- in all of our imperfections in order to fulfill the purpose of being joined again in union with the Father and embark upon a journey that will bring us new life as we seek to know Him better. This journey, when not giving up but remaining faithful, though we may stumble and fall, will brings us new life until, for His glory, our life radiates anew as more of the new remains and the old passes away. This journey must be undertaken with the Word in one hand, faith in the other, the Word upon our lips and a new song in our heart.
We may find on this journey that we are truly a failure by the world’s standards. But God judges the heart Hebrews 4:12. What may be a failure to man, may bring God the ultimate glory. After all, what sense is there in building a boat if no one has ever seen rain? Why deliver a people to the water when the mountains would be more obvious? Why choose over and over again those that care for sheep to lead His people? Isn't it wonderful that God's ways are not our ways? Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"
J. Vernon McGee described sin something like this: A man in apartment building jumps off the top which will cause him to surely die. Another man who lives in the middle of the apartment complex sees the man jumping and decides to climb out of his window after the man that jumped from the top, meeting his death. A final man climbs out of the window from a lower story and meets his death too. Is the man who climbed from the top any more dead than the one from the lowest story? The net effect is that they are all dead. Sin is the same way. God sees sin as sin and must be atoned for.
The atonement God gave us is Jesus Christ. To understand that we need a Savior, we must realize we are lost. Until we come to the ends of ourselves and realize we are truly and completely lost, we will not feel the need to be completely saved. It takes true humility to realize that we are not self-sufficient and turn the reigns of our lives over to God. But when we ask for forgiveness and acknowledge that Jesus died for the atonement of our sins, not when we were saved or "doing good", but while we were yet sinners -- in all of our imperfections in order to fulfill the purpose of being joined again in union with the Father and embark upon a journey that will bring us new life as we seek to know Him better. This journey, when not giving up but remaining faithful, though we may stumble and fall, will brings us new life until, for His glory, our life radiates anew as more of the new remains and the old passes away. This journey must be undertaken with the Word in one hand, faith in the other, the Word upon our lips and a new song in our heart.
We may find on this journey that we are truly a failure by the world’s standards. But God judges the heart Hebrews 4:12. What may be a failure to man, may bring God the ultimate glory. After all, what sense is there in building a boat if no one has ever seen rain? Why deliver a people to the water when the mountains would be more obvious? Why choose over and over again those that care for sheep to lead His people? Isn't it wonderful that God's ways are not our ways? Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;"
Hebrews 11 (continued)
These prophets turned away, sinned, and were by all accounts unworthy of the magnificent job entrusted to them. But by who's account, by mans? God loves us all with our faults, knows we turn away at times, knows our weaknesses and still He trusts us to carry out his message. It is true that we put a lot of stock in who we are, e.g. our position at work. Our congressmen, our president, all the way down to our cafeteria lady or trash man. What makes one better than the other? It takes both to make the world function in our day to day and yet we would admit we would not want to be the lowly. Why is that? What makes them lowly? Why do we judge them so when God may see it just the opposite? I pray that we as people stop trying to climb the work ladder and climb the ladder to God. The two shall not meet.
Hebrews 11 - What do you believe in?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
Everyone believes in something, some believe that a lottery ticket could solve all their problems. Some believe that if they believe hard enough, that it will become true. There are all types of things we believe and put our faith into. True faith is explained in 1 John 5:
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
When we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we begin to seek to please God and obtain righteousness. We often try to do this through our own efforts, performing good deeds or works to try to please God. I, myself went through this after accepting Christ. But, we cannot obtain righteousness through works, but through putting our faith in Christ Jesus’ righteousness. Paul explains it in Philippians 3:
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
In Habakkuk 2:4, it is written "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous will live by his faith.” We become filled with pride when we transfer our service and sacrifice into show cases of our righteousness and believe that our living rightly is pleasing to God. The focus is taken off of Christ and onto serving ourselves. We must guard against this tendency and remain in the word, guarding the truth in our hearts. True righteousness is imparted only from faith in Jesus Christ and it is this faith that pleases God. Jesus explained this in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18)
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
From the beginning with Cain and Abel we see that Abel was a shepherd and lived by faith. Abel was a slave of the ground and lived by the curse. He was sure that his sacrifice would be approved by God. Through Abel’s humbleness, his sacrifice was deemed a better sacrifice than Cain’s (Hebrews 11:4).
When we humble ourselves and our faith grows, we begin to live by faith and not by sight as Jesus Christ becomes more real to us than the things of the world. We learn to seek Him in our every day existence and lean on His understanding instead of our own. It is this faith in Jesus Christ that connects us to all those who have come before us and will follow after us, as documented in Hebrews 11:
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned."[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea[d] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[e]
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Beloved, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." (Romans 1:16-18). Faith in Jesus Christ is a verb -- it is an action and is not meant to be an idea to be tossed around and merely contemplated.
Everyone believes in something, some believe that a lottery ticket could solve all their problems. Some believe that if they believe hard enough, that it will become true. There are all types of things we believe and put our faith into. True faith is explained in 1 John 5:
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
When we accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we begin to seek to please God and obtain righteousness. We often try to do this through our own efforts, performing good deeds or works to try to please God. I, myself went through this after accepting Christ. But, we cannot obtain righteousness through works, but through putting our faith in Christ Jesus’ righteousness. Paul explains it in Philippians 3:
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
In Habakkuk 2:4, it is written "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous will live by his faith.” We become filled with pride when we transfer our service and sacrifice into show cases of our righteousness and believe that our living rightly is pleasing to God. The focus is taken off of Christ and onto serving ourselves. We must guard against this tendency and remain in the word, guarding the truth in our hearts. True righteousness is imparted only from faith in Jesus Christ and it is this faith that pleases God. Jesus explained this in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18)
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a] himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
From the beginning with Cain and Abel we see that Abel was a shepherd and lived by faith. Abel was a slave of the ground and lived by the curse. He was sure that his sacrifice would be approved by God. Through Abel’s humbleness, his sacrifice was deemed a better sacrifice than Cain’s (Hebrews 11:4).
When we humble ourselves and our faith grows, we begin to live by faith and not by sight as Jesus Christ becomes more real to us than the things of the world. We learn to seek Him in our every day existence and lean on His understanding instead of our own. It is this faith in Jesus Christ that connects us to all those who have come before us and will follow after us, as documented in Hebrews 11:
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he[a]considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned."[c] 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.
23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea[d] as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[e]
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Beloved, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." (Romans 1:16-18). Faith in Jesus Christ is a verb -- it is an action and is not meant to be an idea to be tossed around and merely contemplated.
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