Yes is yes, No is no.

Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old,’ You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, or it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair, white, or black. Let what you say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’; anything more than this comes from evil (or the evil one). 

Matthew 5.33-37

Continuing with Jesus’s teaching from his sermon on the Mount, in this portion of scripture, Jesus addresses our ‘words.'  Words matter.  Jesus tells us that our yes and our no are to be sufficient.  Jesus is specifically talking about making oaths. A definition of our English word ‘oath’ is: “a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.”

You’ve no doubt heard the adage don’t make promises you can’t keep.  I think Jesus is saying the same thing.  There are many plans in the mind of a man, but the Lord directs our steps.  In other words, we are not in control of every event that involves us.  We can plan, but plans can fold when we begin to incorporate others.  

Ellicott’s Commentary on this portion of scripture highlights two thoughts I’d like to consider with you,

 “….the context shows that the sin which our Lord condemned was the light use of oaths in common speech, and with no real thought as to their meaning. Such oaths practically involved irreverence and were therefore inconsistent with the fear of God. The real purpose of an oath is to intensify that fear by bringing the thought of God’s presence home to men at the very time they take them, and they are therefore rightly used when they attain that end. Practically, it must be admitted that the needless multiplication of oaths, both evidential and promissory, on trivial occasions, has tended, and still tends, to weaken awe and impair men’s reverence for truth, and we may rejoice when their number is diminished. In an ideal Christian society no oaths would be needed, for every word would be spoken as by those who knew that the Eternal Judge was hearing them.”

 There is this scripture from Ecclesiastes 5:6 that Solomon in all his wisdom offers to us, 

“Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

Hebrews 6:13 tells us that when God made a promise to Abraham because there was no one greater than him, he swore by himself. This reminds me of God’s purity. His word is truth, his word is pure, and there is nothing duplicitous about his words. It is impossible for God to lie. 

Our biblical standard and overall admonition is to be like our Father with our words. James reminds us the tongue is a fire. James calls it a world of unrighteousness, able to stain the whole body and sets on fire the entire course of life.  Only the Holy Spirit can tame our tongues.  Psalm 139:4: “Even before there is a word on my tongue you know it…”. And the Holy Spirit works to check every word that proceeds out of our mouth. 

The book of Proverbs gives us a list of the things God hates, and we find lying on that list.  As his children, we are to hate lying.  There is a duplicity in our speech when we lie.  Jesus, from the gospels, tells us if the light that is in us is dark, how great is the darkness. Lies are darkness, and they can flow from pride and fear.  One desires to appear grander than they are, so they manipulate the truth; the other is driven by fear of exposure.  Perhaps pride holds fear as well.  We live in a culture that minimizes lies.  White lies, little lies, etc., all have one common factor: they are still lies.  The danger of lying is that, ultimately, we could become a ‘liar.’ 

Let us never lose the awareness that Satan is the Father of lies, and there is no truth in Him.  Casual speech offers fulfillment of the proverb, “in the multitude of words sin is not lacking.”  Awareness of what we say, when we say it, and to whom we are speaking holds us accountable to the one who ultimately judges every idle word. 

We are created like no other species of being.  We are speaking spirits with the same power, with the same creative ability our Father holds through speaking… and God said.. and it was. Jesus holds his audience captive with His words of authority and power.  What he said came to pass because He is the one who changes not.   He is the same today as He was in the beginning and will be when he appears again.  His mouth holds a two-edged sword. It divides light from dark and truth a lie. He is the truth. 

The standard for every child of God is to grow up and become as He is.  Yes is yes, and no is no.   We don’t offer them without careful contemplation of all that a yes or no would hold.  We hold watch over our mouths. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and charged them to speak the truth in love and not to allow any corrupt communication to come out of their mouths. We are to love truth with the same passion our Father has.  

Let our yes be yes, and our no be no.  Anything more than that comes from the evil one. 

But I say to you… cont’d.

‘“You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery.” But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in her heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”’ 
NIV Matthew 5:27-30.

What a scripture to wrestle with.  Adultery is birthed through desire. Desire is created by what we give our attention to.  When we put our hand to fulfilling desire, sin is birthed according to James 1:14-15 ~  

‘Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.’ 

We CANNOT conform to current cultural rationale when it comes to acceptable sexual practices.  The body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body, 1 Cor. 6:13. We cannot allow our bodies to be the master and serve their appetites in any area.  Paul wrote every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we exercise self-control so that we might receive an eternal one. Paul went on to say, ‘I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others I should be disqualified.’  This isn’t just willpower, which Colossians 2:23 tells us holds an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body. Still, they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  Paul’s solution to the problem is to set our mind on the things above, Colossians 3:1-2, and change what has captured our attention.   

HELPS Word-studies ‘to lust after’

1937 epithyméō (from 1909 /epí, "focused on" intensifying 2372 /thymós, "passionate desire") – properly, to show focused passion as it aptly builds on (Gk epi, "upon") what a person truly yearns for; to "greatly desire to do or have something – 'to long for, to desire very much

We get the first part of Jesus’ standard, but what are we going to do with the violence that follows?  The KJV states,  “If your right eye offend you.. pluck it out..” The following Word Studies from Vincent give us some understanding.

Vincent's Word Studies.  Offend (σκανδαλίξει)

The word offend carries to the English reader the sense of giving offense, provoking. Hence the Rev., by restoring the picture in the word, restores its true meaning, causeth to stumble. The kindred noun is σκάνδαλον, a later form of σκανδάληθρον, the stick in a trap on which the bait is placed, and which springs up and shuts the trap at the touch of an animal. Hence, generally, a snare, a stumbling block. Christ's meaning here is: "If your eye or your hand serve as an obstacle or trap to ensnare or make you fall in your moral walk." How the eye might do this may be seen in the previous verse. Bengel observes: "He who, when his eye proves a stumbling block, takes care not to see, does in reality blind himself.”

Jesus deals with man's heart through continual searching and revealing of what lies therein. If we look to lust, the heart has already engaged with the snare.  

It is always through works of darkness that we are blinded and find a way to eat the forbidden fruit.  

We are responsible for controlling our behaviour. It’s one of the benefits of being created by God with free will. We are to offer ourselves up to him in sacrificial service, for we are not our own. As Christians, we are to “present our bodies before the Lord as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is our spiritual act of worship.”  Romans 12:1.

We have these scriptures that help deliver us from temptations ~ 

    The record of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out" [Genesis 39: 11–12].

    The Apostle Paul, “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against his own body.”  [1 Cor. 6:18]

    The Lord’s prayer …. “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (the evil one)..” Matthew 6: 13

With all the admonitions throughout Holy Scripture to keep our eyes on the word, on Jesus, and listen to what His Spirit is saying, we can rest knowing these safeguards will always lead us in paths of righteousness and keep us free from all evil.  

Love fulfills the law

In the midst of all of Jesus teaching I want to segway my thoughts and once again highlight the biblical truth from Romans chapter 13:10  ~

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

HELPS Word-studies

2556 kakós (an adjective, and the root of 2549 /kakía, "inner malice") – properly, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned); (figuratively) inner malice flowing out of a morally-rotten character (= the "rot is already in the wood").

[2556/kakós is often a pronominal adjective (i.e. used as a substantive) meaning, "wickedness, inner evil."]

You can see the literal meaning of ‘wrong’  is a much stronger idea.

As New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, the bedrock of our lives must be the love of God. Could it be the reality of the ‘fulness’ of the spirit is the manifestation of his love.  This love IS shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

It’s not only just about the power He imparts or is it?  Is the power the love?  I think we could agree, yes.  I remember one time when I was intently seeking the power of God in my life for ministry and felt the spirit of God check me about my prayer. 1 first Corinthians 12 teaches us how to properly navigate spiritual activity in the church and concludes with showing us a ‘better way’.   1Corinthians 13 sets and defines this better way; His standard for love. 1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us yes, desire the spirituals, but let your pursuit be knowing, receiving, giving, His love.

The primary motivation of everything we do and say, again as New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, is to be done with a motivation of love for every human being.  Watch out for the words we declare over people.  They either show honor and value or disdain.  We can never loose sight of the value God has placed upon his creation. 

The love of God is not given based on performance…Romans 5:8. God shows his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners.   Can we say the same? Freely we have received. Freely, we are to give in the same manner we have been given, for with the measure we meet, it is measured back to us again. This is the standard Jesus has set for us and it was motivated and manifested as the love of God.

As we come into all the teachings of Jesus from the sermon on the mount, holding this truth, enables us to welcome the work of God to increase our capacities to love in unlovely situations, laying down our lives and will for the well-being of another.

We can see as we review the words from his sermon, the failure to measure up to his standard would flow from the wilfulness in our own heart and a desire to care for self.

How can we ever overcome the propensity to always guard and defend our soul without  growing in the love of God? Something must die at the cross. If, and he is, God, at work in us who provides both the will and the energy that enables us to do what pleases him, then it becomes a matter of my willingness to engage with that enabling.

I have a houseplant I’m considering this morning. This plant has some type of disease. Looking at it, the new growth is showing signs of being infected.  It’s the same way with our growth. Every opportunity gives us the ability to work on the diseased areas that get manifested through our relationships.  This is not meant to discourage us or rob of us hope, but rather the reality of growing up. We just have work to do while we continue our pursuit to walk in the way that pleases him by loving righteously until ultimately all the dis.ease is eradicated. 

It is my prayer that as we continue to look at His sermon that our heart cry will always be a hunger to know and believe the love that God has for us in order to allow that great mercy, and kindness to flow to others.

PS – let us not misinterpret the love of God when it comes to the discipline He will bring into our lives. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Our Father corrects/ disciplines every child he loves.  If we are without discipline, Hebrews 12:8 tells us we are illegitimate and not his.  Shall we not rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?

But I say to you …..

For if you forgive others their trespasses your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  

Matthew 6:14-15

As I continue my thoughts on the need to forgive, I would like to highlight this scripture passage, dealing with a “paraptoma,” a trespass.  What actually constitutes this trespass? 

Strongs Expository Dictionary on trespass ~  

paraptoma (παράπτωμα, 3900), primarily “a false step, a blunder” (para, “aside,” pipto, “to fall”), then “a lapse from uprightness, a sin, a moral trespass, misdeed,” is translated “fall” in Rom. 11:11–12, of the sin and “downfall” of Israel in their refusal to acknowledge God’s claims and His Christ; by reason of this the offer of salvation was made to Gentiles; cf. ptaio, “to stumble,” in v. 11. See fault, offense, sin, trespass. 

Our expectations can be a slippery slope. We must be able to divide our expectations righteously. What we require of others may not be what God requires of them. We must always bring events back to the word of God and examine them in light of the word and by His Spirit.     

From the definition above, there are two steps involved.  First, a false step, a blunder THEN, a lapse from uprightness, a sin, a moral trespass.  Our English definition of trespass reads - to commit an offense against a person or a set of rules.  

While we can determine the effects of someone’s actions, we do not have the ability to judge the intent of one’s heart.  That’s God’s business, not ours.  When we are met with the statement, “that was not my intention,” our job is to believe the best.  Love will believe the best, and it will cover a multitude of sins. 

I guess my real concern is the place where Christianity meets the psychology of a self-care philosophy and ends up developing a new doctrine validating and strengthening our will instead of His will and His standard.  Jesus set the standard for his disciples with “take up your cross and follow me.”

God’s better and higher way, if we choose, is to come to the throne of grace.  We are invited to abide with The Shepherd and overseer of our souls until our hearts are adjusted.  Peace flows as we commit to the one who judges righteously, and we leave empowered. Victory is won and sustained at the throne of Grace.

    ‘Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be known unto God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’’ Philippians 4: 6-7

Matthew 5:21-26; Matthew 6:12; Matthew 18:15-20; these scriptures set the largest teaching from Jesus on the subject of forgiveness, and yet I seldom see this fully practiced. Most of the counseling we have done in our nearly 45 years of pastoral work dealt with people’s relational offenses and their unwillingness to follow the instructions Jesus gave.  

Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth, warns against the body being devoured through strife and contention.  There is a spirit of offense continually working to sow division.  I’ve never seen an individual leave offended who first did not deposit their offense into another, and so the cycle continues.   Jesus’ instructions about the works of Satan sowing division into the Kingdom is highlighted by the reality that a divided Kingdom cannot stand, Matthew 12:25.  

You’ve probably heard this idiom, ‘We are only as strong as our weakest link,’ meaning our enemy looks for weaknesses to work in.  We, His church, must, must, must hold one another accountable to these scriptural precedents for the health and well-being of His body, and it must begin with us, individually.  Committed to upholding his standards, in that spirit of meekness and humility, we work at maintaining the unity of the body.  

Jesus reminds us how much we have been forgiven that we did not earn with the admonition that since we have freely received, we are to freely give.  While we’ve all had lessons in boundaries, I’m not sure the boundaries we’ve allowed ourselves to set have always generated the unity our Father is looking for.  We tell ourselves we hold no ought, but when we come face to face with the individual, our heart reveals what it truly holds.  

As much as lies within us, we must be at peace with all men.  Jesus, accused, betrayed, rejected, and killed by the people he came to deliver, never withdrew his love or purpose from or for them.  There is a tangible and powerful love that is birthed in us by His Holy Spirit that does enable us in our weakness.  As a child of God, a disciple of our Lord Jesus, It is never that I can’t forgive; it is that I won’t.  

You’ve heard it said…

“You have heard it said….But I say to you everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment…”
Matthew 5:22

 HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 3710 orgízō – be angry, as expressing a "fixed anger" (settled opposition). 3710 /orgízō ("to show settled-opposition") is positive when inspired by God – and always negative when arising from the flesh. "Sinful (unnecessary) anger" focuses on punishing the offender rather than the moral content of the offense. See 3709 (orgē).

Part one......

We have just one great commandment before the Lord, love him with our all and others even as we have been loved, my paraphrase. Our lives revolve around these two primary relationships: God and others.  Romans 13:10 reminds us ~ 

Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

Jesus comes to instruct and realign understandings about our relationships.  His sermon on the mount provides us with a standard for our time here and now.   If we followed His instructions, how different would our relationships be?  As we follow them, we experience the fullness God has intended about being one.  It is in walking out of the relationships that we find exposed hearts and opportunities to choose life.  If we indeed are believers, then trusting His word leads us into life and well-being; it stands to reason we do what He commands. 

The scriptures validate righteous anger toward sin, but Jesus, as we see from the Helps Word Study, is speaking about a settled opposition that focuses on punishment. 

In context, Matthew 5:21-26  Jesus noted anger harboured in the heart produces unrighteous fruit; angry words.  Angry words are subject to judgment. 

21. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 21. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

From Ellicott’s commentary~ let us consider these thoughts …..

“Angry . . . without a cause.—The last three words are wanting in many of the best MSS. They may have been inserted to soften down the apparent harshness of the teaching; but if so, it must have been at an early date—before the fourth century. They may, on the other hand, have been in the text originally and struck out as giving too wide a margin to vain and vague excuses. Ethically, the teaching is not that the emotion of anger, with or without a cause, stands on the same level of guilt with murder but that the former so soon expands and explodes into the latter that it will be brought to trial and sentenced according to the merits of each case, the occasion of the anger, the degree in which it has been checked or cherished, and the like. As no earthly tribunal can take cognizance of emotions as such, the “judgment” here is clearly that of the Unseen Judge dealing with offenses which, in His eyes, are of the same character as those which come before the human judges. “Hates any man the thing he would not kill?”

Raca.—“…like words of kindred meaning among ourselves, was in common use as expressing not anger only but insolent contempt. The temper condemned is that in which anger has so far gained the mastery that we no longer recognize a “brother” in the man who has offended us but look on him with malignant scorn.”

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Can we recognize this place of harboring anger, leaving room for our adversary to stand in the very courts of heaven and accuse us of unforgiveness?  A righteous judge, examining the charge without our repentance, would find us guilty. We should consider what this potentially allows in our world. The lesson presents the punishment of captivity until the debt owed is fully paid.  What is the debt owed?  Our love for our brother, Romans 13:8-10.  The height of deception would be thinking we were right with God yet out of step with our brother.

……To be continued 

Part 2 ~ Sermon on the Mount

Now when he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them, saying….”

Matthew. 5:1-2

We continue with Jesus’ sermon from Matthew’s gospel, considering something I believe to be foundational to the rest of his sermon.  The disciples are learning life in the Kingdom of God. Simply put, the Kingdom of God is about a King, his rule, and his territory. Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world,’ establishing for all time that the Kingdom he rules over is the heart and soul of His disciples. 

The teachings of Jesus had to be believed then as they must now. Jesus sets before them a new identity. Have you noticed, from verse sixteen, that Jesus tells them God is their “Father in heaven”?  

Just for further thought and consideration, ChatGPT, 2024 notes, “When Jesus referred to God as his Father, he was implying a unique, intimate relationship that went beyond the general notion of God as the Father of Israel.  Jesus' claim was more personal and direct, suggesting a unique and unparalleled relationship.  While the Old Testament referred to God and the Father of Israel in a metaphorical and communal sense, Jesus’ claim to divine sonship was understood as unique, literal, and equal relationship with God, which was considered blasphemous by the Jewish leaders of His time,  This profound theological claim and its implications for Jewish monotheism and the established religious order were key reasons for their anger and accusations against Him.” 

Can you imagine how this would have had to be heard, received, and believed by those culturally raised with the Old Testament understanding?  Jesus’ life was spent displaying the expressed image, the fullness, of the Father’s heart and mind.  We learn this consistently conflicted with what the religious teachers were showing and teaching.  

Jesus brings them into this new identity as children, salt and light, who are now to reflect this nature before others. Salt must season and preserve.  Light mustshine.  All must be done to glorify our Father in heaven.  So much can be said here for the born-again believer to understand the identity given in Christ, which is sonship, salt, and light.  We can only reflect His nature to the degree of our revelation. Every disciple continues to grow in this revelation.  Jesus’ prayer from John 17 is for his disciples to know the Father and His son to experience eternal life (both quality and quantity). In this prayer, he highlights the words that he has been faithful in giving them and the work he has done to keep and guard them.  On a side note, there is much we can learn about discipling others from Jesus’ prayer in this portion of John’s gospel.  

The place of guarding and keeping that Jesus does comes about not only through his prayers for them but also through the words he has given them. We see now, in these next verses, 17-20, that Jesus must be addressing the questions that they are holding within their own thinking. “Don’t suppose.” His teaching conflicts with everything they have ever learned.   

I have personally heard things that challenged my understanding at the time, and I am thankful for my teachers’ patience, who allowed me the freedom to ask questions, enabling me to process the truth.  Earlier, we find Jesus as a child, in the midst of the religious teachers of his day, both listening and asking questions, Luke 2: 26.  The word righteously applied consistently always leads one to life.  Jesus said that we might have life and have it more abundantly, and it is through the entrance of His word, with the breath of the Holy One, that we are illuminated. 

Thus, Jesus continues to set things in order. Lifelong teachings and mindsets, strongholds, must first be brought down through the teaching and preaching of truths his disciples must know and hold. 

“Think not; I have come to destroy the law of the prophets; I did not come to destroy them; I came to fulfill them!” 

N.T. Wright, A Contemporary Translation of The Kingdom New Testament uses the phrase  “covenant behaviour” in the place of  “righteousness” in this portion of scripture.  The life of a disciple must be far superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The teaching and practice of the commandments are to be upheld.  As born-again, spirit-filled believers, we understand, from Romans 13:he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law, for love does no wrong to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

We will continue next week to see how this law of love is the backbone, the foundation, of all of Jesus’ teaching as we consider Jesus’ words, “You’ve heard it said,… but I say to you…”

Sermon on the Mount

“Now when he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and he began to teach them, saying….”

Matthew. 5:1-2

I’ve been studying Jesus’ sermon on the mount again and I am struck by the simplicity of the Gospel Jesus preached. We have this great commandment before the Lord to love him with all our hearts and others even as we have been loved, my paraphrase. Our lives revolve around these two primary relationships, God (fully Father, son, Holy Spirit) and people.

Jesus comes to instruct and realign understandings about these relationships.  His sermon on the mount provides us with a standard for our own time.  If we followed His instructions, how different many of our relationships would be.  As we follow them, we experience the fullness God has intended about being one; one with Him and one with each other.  It is in the walking out that we find hearts exposed and opportunities to choose life.

Before we begin at the sermon, I would like to make note of Matthew. 4:17 as Jesus begins his ministry, “from that time Jesus began to preach, ‘repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Following the death of John the Baptist, Jesus continues with Johns’ message.  The word ‘preach’ is Kerussein from the Greek and is a word for a heralds proclaimation from a king.  Keris in the Greek is herald and the herald was the man who brought the message from the King.  Jesus as the herald, herald the message‘’repent’, turn from your own ways, and turn to God.  It was this man and his message which drew the first disciples to Jesus.

This then is the beginning of that sermon, as Jesus takes his place to teach his disciples.

Within this very word ‘disciple’, we find our word discipline.  Every disciple must discipline himself in the study and practice of his masters words.  The crowds were hearers who ultimately separated at words which were to hard to hear, John 6:66.  Israel at the mount of Sinai, experienced the same dynamic as recorded in Exodus 20:20.

Our Fathers plan is for us individually as well as corporately is to be discipled and disciplined by the Father of Spirit’s unto life.  It is left up to us whether we will eat what he feeds us.

Jesus begins with ‘blessings’ that are found within this Kingdom He has come to demonstrate and establish.  William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible on Matthew highlights some great thoughts on the word Blessed.  First he notes,”the common expression from the Aramaic and Hebrew would read O the blessedness of…making them exclamations!!!  The word itself “makarios” describes a joy which has its secret within itself. A joy that is serene and untouchable and self contained, independent of all the chances and changes of life.’

It is the joy Jesus proclaims in John 16:22 which no man can take from us.  We could liken it to that state of joy unspeakable and full of glory which Peter wrote about in his first epistle.

Elliott's commentary notes —‘The word (blessed) differs from that used in Matthew 23:39; Matthew 25:34, as expressing a permanent state of felicity, rather than the passive reception of a blessing bestowed by another.’

Jesus tells us this blessed state where joy is to be found is never in the externals, but only in His kingdom, which is rather a mystical concept to those who are looking for a earthly King to save them from the oppression and tyranny of the now Roman Government.

We know now, from Paul’s writings Romans 14:17-18…..

“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men”…..

….but then, they were first learning new and different thoughts that had to be embraced as a disciple.

While our natural man looks for happenings to make us happy, Jesus defines nine conditions of this blessed state which imply a spiritual condition in a natural state; a synopsis of what our spiritual endeavours will produce.  A defined pursuit of this character enables one to find the blessedness of life in His Kingdom in relationship with Him.

Jesus sets in order first. At the beginning of his discipleship training he deals with first things first.  Disciples must hold a heart and pursuit for Him and His kingdom.

It is within this foundation laid Jesus now begins to address our relationships with one another.

To be continued…

Anxiety

“So never worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries of its own.  Each day has evil enough of its own.”

Williams Translation.

Matthew 6:34

NT WRIGHT rendered this verse; “….tomorrow can worry about itself.  One day’s trouble at a time is quite enough.”

Why are we always surprised at the trouble that come to us when we live in a troubled world.  Jesus assures us, in the world we WILL have troubles BUT we are to be of good cheer for HE has overcome the world and HE shows us how to overcome too.

I find great encouragement in this because as the way, and the truth, and the life, he  knows the path I need to walk on,   And, he knows the way I need to walk it out that will produce HIS life in and through me.

So, we must learn to live in the now moments of time and take life one day at a time.  At the end of each day we want to be confident we have walked thorough it in the way that glorified our Father and caused us to grow.

There is only grace for the moments we are in, now.  Grace is a now commodity.  It doesn’t get stored up.  Faith is a now commodity.  It doesn’t get stored up.  As is every other spiritual dynamic that God has given us in this world to empower.  This is our need for God.  We must come to Him for our daily provision and receive the grace that is sufficient for the moment.

I find it interesting that Jesus said in todays verse, from the ESV, “tomorrow* will be anxious for itself”.

HELPS Word-studies……”anxious”

3309 merimnáō (from 3308 /mérimna, "a part, as opposed to the whole") – properly, drawn in opposite directions; "divided into parts" (A. T. Robertson); (figuratively) "to go to pieces" because pulled apart (in different directions), like the force exerted by sinful anxiety (worry). Positively, 3309 (merimnáō) is used of effectively distributing concern, in proper relation to the whole picture (cf. 1 Cor 12:25; Phil 2:20).

3809 (merimnaō ) is "an old verb for worry and anxiety – literally, to be divided, distracted" (WP, 2, 156). It is more commonly used in this negative sense in the NT.

Ellicott’s Commentary on “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof:”

—The word rendered “evil” occurs in the Gospels only in this passage, and in the Epistles has commonly the sense of “wickedness.” That meaning would be too strong here; but it reminds us that our Lord is speaking not of what we call the simple accidents or misfortunes of life, but of the troubling element which each day brings with it, and against which we have to contend, lest it should lead us into sin. That conflict is more than enough for the day, without anticipating a further mischief.”

Peter’s epistle reminds us not to think it strange when we are tested but rather knowing that our faith is keeping us connected to the one who shows us how to overcome and overcome well!  We are told in James to count it all joy.   We are admonished to rejoice always.  In everything give thanks.  Pray without ceasing.  To be strong in the Lord and the power of His might- not ours.  All of which have the ability to be lost when we find ourselves in ‘trouble.’

I’m always taken back, when less than my sterling self is displayed in the midst of trouble.  When murmuring and complaining, or even unbelief, begin to show itself, I realize I’m disconnecting from my life source.  I’m unplugging, as it were, operating apart from Jesus with the promise that nothing I do will produce the right fruit He desires. I will ‘exalt Jeanne’ never yields what I really need or truly want.  I am so thankful for the mercies of the Lord that are new each day.  His faithfulness is great and His grace abounds.  That’s why I love early mornings with the opportunities it gives to start each day new!

No matter what we face each day, His grace is sufficient.  Rest assured, tomorrow will bring its own stuff…. BUT we are not to be anxious in, or through, any of it because of the union we keep with Him.  He is the Prince of peace.

Crowns

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12 ESV

When we study the scriptures on receiving the crown of life, they are always in context of overcoming.   Jesus asks a poignant question, from Luke 18:7-8, “when the son of man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”  From Matthew 24:13 Jesus said it is the one who endures (perseveres) through the difficulties to the end that shall be saved.

We live in a troubled word and should not think it strange when we meet trouble.  First Peter reminds us to rejoice as we participate in the sufferings of Christ because the end of the matter is a revelation of His glory.   Paul reminds us these momentary light afflictions work a far greater weight of glory for us.  We don’t always believe the circumstances are working good when we are in the midst of them but anything that reveals the condition of our hearts and aligns us with and to our Father is good.   

The epistle of James, chapter 1 addresses testing.  We are told to consider testing as something that works for our good because it produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work to produce a mature and complete (entire, sound, perfect, complete in every part) individual who lacks nothing.  This is the work of God and it is good in His sight.

Learning how to view the events transpiring in our lives must be done with a view of eternity, in order to to endure.  If our hope is only in this life, we are of men most miserable. But we are to hold a hope of heaven that frees us from the love of this world, knowing that everything we endure and overcome yields this promised crown of life.

This crown is mentioned twice in the New Testament and is also found noted in

Revelation 2:9-11 -

[9] “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [10] Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. [11] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

You can see the crown is associated with overcoming some kind of trouble.  It reads to me, the overcoming is about our ability to stay faithful and  believing in Jesus as our Lord, not denying him in the middle of adversity.

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him, if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-14

Let’s think about denying in a different context than denying our eternal salvation and consider; if Deny is defined as ‘refusing to admit the truth of’ and Jesus is the ‘Word of truth’, if we reject His word, are we then denying Jesus?  We are exhorted in Philippians  to hold fast to the word of life.  If we deny his word, we can not persevere.  Wavering and doubting make us unstable in all our ways.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:7-

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

and again in 1 Corinthians 9:25 he says ~

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

By having endured, our hearts and minds-our lives-are disciplined. With our understanding of the Lord’s ways increased, we labour on knowing God works all things together for our good.   Finally, in that great day, we are crowned with the Crown of Life.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Worship

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace; whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength, God supplies – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever amen.  

1 Peter 4:10 ESV 

Service is worship.  Worship is service.  Everything in the OT temple service revolved around the ‘worship’ they performed.  The first time worship is used in the Bible is when Abraham is to offer Issac, Gen. 22:5.   While we have the psalms/hymns and are instructed to sing spiritual songs, our current mode of worship was not practiced in the early church.  At the last supper, the Gospel of Matthew and Mark records “they sang a hymn”.  

Don’t misunderstand this, I’m not trying to discount the worship experience that the North American church is currently experiencing.  There is no denying the presence of God as He inhabits the praises of His people, the times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord, but unto what purpose?

In every new move, every fresh wind of God, there must be fruit that remains.   These times of encounter are - so impacting spiritually they leave one marked and changed.  From glory to glory we are transformed through the beholding.  It is always relational and transformative, purifying the vessel.  

From the beginning we see man created for a purpose.  He was given dominion. Instructed to be fruitful and multiply and placed in the garden to work.  We are even now to continue this purpose as we increase with the increase of God through our yielded service.  

Please remember our service is ‘worship’ unto the Lord, which is why it is so important to do this willingly, cheerfully, not grudgingly or under compulsion.  God loves a cheerful giver. It was Abel’s offering of the first and the best God consumed.  If our service is worship, it should be a praise unto Him, with the very best we can give.

Peter’s exhortation above is that we serve by the strength the Lord supplies in order that in everything God alone is glorified through Jesus Christ. 

Deuteronomy 28:47 holds me in check with a strong exhortation for the one who does  not serve with joyfulness and gladness for the abundance of all things serves his enemies. If (and we are) to do all things without murmuring and complaining, the fussing would be a good indication right hearted service is lacking.  Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength looks like whole hearted worship.

We have two admonitions from the New Testament about the way we are to serve and if we note the terminology used here we are reminded in these verses from Gods perspective we are his ‘slaves’, ‘bondservants’.  

Helps Word Study ~ defines this term bondservant from the Greek doúlos #1401 as  ~ properly, someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. 

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.  

Ephesians 6:6-8

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3: 22-24

Whatever our act of worship might be, it is to be whole hearted with the ultimate goal of all the glory going to God.

To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.  

Wait

Why are you in despair my soul, and why are you restless within me?  Wait for God, for I will again praise Him for the help of His presence, my God.   

NASB Psalm 43:5

Time can be such a challenge.  Our world is defined by time.  God is.  Present.  Now.  Our times are in His hands.  In His hands, we meet the reality of His decreed fullness of time or His now moment.  As His created beings, subject to His purposes, we must learn to wait for the fullness of our time.  We have a birthing time, a growing time, a preparation time, all working until the now moment of our time.  Then our time comes to an end and we move to heaven. 

It’s in the moments of waiting that we can find, as expressed in todays Psalm, despair of soul and restlessness within.  Moments or seasons that demand the discipline to wait and to wait patiently birth character and strength. 

Wait patiently for the Lord, be strong and courageous (take heart) and wait for the lord.  Psalm 27:14

I wait for the Lord,  my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.  

Psalm 130:5

When you study the concept of waiting, you will note how interchangeably translations utilize hope or wait to infer the same concept. Waiting in hope, waiting with expectation are inclusive.  It isn’t waiting if there is neither hope or expectation of fulfillment. I’ve written about the book “The Patient Fermenting of the Early Church”.  The expression of theses first disciples faith, hope and love as they waited and longed for the return of the Lord should be significantly visible in our lives today.  

Alec J. Motyer writes in his commentary on the book of Exodus; “ Knowing the will of God for every every day things, as well as for the big life changing decisions is a huge topic, but the example of Israel in the wilderness lays down a great fundamental principle. Israel did not seek guidance, they waited for it, because the directive will of God was expressed to them by the movement of the cloud, Exodus 40: 36-38. For them, guidance was a matter of waiting and watching. So also for Jesus: as for Isaiah 50:4- 5, the will of God was made known to him in the daily disciplined and privilege of meeting with the Lord and waiting upon him ‘morning by morning’ for his word.

It is in this position of waiting that we meet our (and others) pressure (temptations) to act.  Psalm 106:13 reminds us Israel “ so forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold, NIV.  The NLT reads, “yet how quickly they forgot what he had done, they wouldn’t wait for his council”. We have several Proverbs, 19:2, 21:5, that speak to todays well known proverb, “act in haste, repent in leisure”.  

We also know from proverbs that man holds many of his own plans, but it is only the counsel of the Lord that stands. God watches over his word to perform. It’s vain to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so he (God) gives his beloved sleep (rest).  In others words you can make it happen!  God is the creator, the performer.  Jesus said our works were to believe.  This frees us from all anxiety and stress to perform.  Our job is to wait upon Him and continue to hope in His promises.

We are familiar with the words from Isaiah 40:28-31…”but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”.

Where there is despair and restlessness there is a need for renewing.  Acts tells us times are refreshing are in the presence of the Lord.  Repentance may be required, but He is faithful to strengthen, his mercies are new every day, so….

Why are you in despair my soul, and why are you restless within me? 

Wait for God, for I will again praise Him for the help of His presence, my God.   

In Spite of this …..

Yet in spite of this Word, you did not believe the Lord your God. 

Deuteronomy 1:32 ESV

I’m not a Hebrew or Greek scholar, but I love word studies.  I find it helpful when studying the Old Testament to take advantage of various Jewish resources.

Imagine my surprise when I learned Deuteronomy was not a Hebrew word but Ancient Greek. The Jews call this book in the Torah, ‘Devarim’ which literally means words.    Here’s what chabad.org had to say ~ 

Moses recaps the major events and laws that are recorded in the Torah’s other four books. Thus the book of Devarim is also called Mishneh Torah, “Repetition of the Torah” (and hence its Anglicized-Greek name, Deuteronomy, or “Second Law”).
 

Deuteronomy rehearses the history of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their journey thus far in the wilderness. Moses once again emphasizes God’s words, Israel’s response, and the consequences of their choices. It is the reflection of forty years of leading a nation. 

I hold mixed emotions as I read this book of ‘words, which causes me to reflect on my personal history with God.  Deuteronomy 8:2 reminds me that life with God is constantly being tested.  

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about Israel’s history. These testimonies have been written for our examples that ‘we might not desire evil as they did.’  Paul calls their idolatry, sexual immorality, and murmuring evil.  He notes how they put God to the test with their practices, and the Destroyer ultimately destroyed some.  

 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

 Because we experience nothing in this life that is not common to all, God’s word always prepares us and offers us the way of escape. There is nothing new under the sun.  

It is how we respond to the words God speaks that reveals the matters of heart.  

Hebrews chapter three tells us Israel did not enter into the rest of God (his promised land) because of their evil heart of unbelief. It is never about our ability but always about our trust In God.

Joshua and Caleb’s words are recorded in Numbers 14 as they spoke to the congregation affirming the exceedingly good land, saying, “If the Lord is pleased with us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us….only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey.  Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”

When giants in the land are more significant than God and we are as grasshoppers in our own sight, human reasoning rules, hearts get hard, and hearing becomes dull.  Yet God’s word to them then continues to us; ‘Today if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts’.  We are to guard against the evil of an unbelieving heart. 

God gave the nation ten times to come to terms with the promise of His words before He judged their unbelief.   I’m so thankful that our covenant with God through the blood of Jesus enables us to receive forgiveness every time we confess our sins.  

Jesus sets a human standard for us that reflects the vastness of God’s heart when he tells his disciples, ‘forgiveness must be given seven times seventy’  when dealing with others, Matthew 18:22.  Under our new covenant established upon better promises, we are met by our Father who is rich in mercies that are new every day.  Great is His faithfulness to a people who are willing to live before him in a posture of submission and humility.  Moses' life of intercession on behalf of the nation kept them alive in their times of rebellion. This wasn’t about their ability.  It was about their trust in God.  

This week, I am watching my life and reflecting on any words God has spoken to me that deserve this rebuke…..

Yet in Spite of this Word, you did not believe the Lord your God. 

It is a suitable pause for reflection and, if necessary, repentance. Realignment keeps us moving forward into His promised word.

Wisdom and understanding

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding….

Proverbs 3:5

The Bible tells us Jesus had the ‘spirit without measure’.  Isaiah chapter eleven illustrates the seven Spirits of God as the fulness of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.   As we process our verses today I want to highlight the help we have been given as Spirit filled believers so we will not lean to our own understanding.

Helps Word Study defines lean from the Greek (SN 8172) shāʿan as properly, to lean on, be supported; choosing the means of support (rely on).

  From the book of Acts we learn the first disciples to experience the promised outpouring of the Spirit, were ‘all filled with the Spirit’.  From Paul’s writings to the church at Corinth we learn the gifts of the Spirit were given to profit and edify the body of Christ.

From 1 Corinthians 14 we learn the manifestations of these Seven Spirits, or the fulness of the Holy Spirit, operate to exhort, comfort and edify the church.  Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to be in us and with us, is to be our help.

1 Corinthians 2:6–16 (ESV):

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord

of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.  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. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

So when we come back to Proverbs 3 and it tells us ‘to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding’, we find through the help and direction of the Holy Spirit, wisdom from God that gives us the God perspective needed.

In the acknowledging of Him, in all our ways, we find direction.  His reproofs and corrections (3:11-12)  are proofs of His love and when heeded, set us back on the road to life that verses 16-18 refer to.

The admonition to not be wise in our own eyes, verse 7, is the call to humility.  Fear the Lord is our command to submit and obey. The evil we are to turn from is the leaning on  of our own understanding.  Finding wisdom and gaining understanding (verse 13) is the blessing that comes from acknowledging Him.

I find in my own world, there is always a word God has decreed that can sustain me, if I will trust it.  When we continually acknowledge him, his word, his ways, above our understanding, choosing to trust and lean upon Him, he will direct and make straight our paths.  I will find His wisdom and hold His understanding.

Resurrection Sunday

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of his salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now, for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief and all kinds of trials.”

1 Peter 1:1-6 NIV

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which has given every believer  ‘new birth into a living hope’.

To the early disciples, this “living hope” Peter writes about, meant the assurance of a future eternal life with an inheritance kept in heaven.  Truly in all this, we too can greatly rejoice.  While we are not able to always control our external circumstances, Peter noted in his letter we may suffer adversity, but when we do, we do so knowing and believing that in this world facing trouble we are still of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world through his death and resurrection. 

As children of God, even in our inability to control external events, we can control our internal realm.  Righteousness, peace and joy are ours to freely choose at all times. God has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a well ordered, disciplined mind.  Choice is always ours.  The resurrection is our proof and guarantee of life to the one who chooses to believe. 

Jesus himself declared in John 10:10 the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.  The obvious tactic of the evil one is to remove every hope about the life Jesus’ resurrection gives, both now and eternally.

Jesus’ own testimony from John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

According to Hebrew 2:14, Jesus came to destroy the one who had the power of death and deliver mankind from the fear of death.

From Romans 1 we learn concerning Jesus, he was declared to be the son of God by this resurrected life. The amplified translation renders verse four ….

    4and [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated to be the Son of God with power [in a triumphant and miraculous way] by His resurrection from the dead:

This life that Jesus displayed as the son of man and the life that is assured to every believer by his resurrection from the dead was seen when he presented himself alive to his disciples by many proofs, Acts 1:3.  This gives the one who believes great hope not only in this life but the one we expectantly look for and wait on.

Romans 8:29 tell us because Jesus is the first born he has made the way for many brethren to share in this resurrected life.  

And as Paul wrote to the church of God in Corinth from 1 Corinthians 15 …… 

14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. . 

This living hope that we hold fast to, is a sure and steadfast anchor for our souls in the good and the troubling times of life.  

So what does resurrection mean for us?  A living hope for life now, and forever more.  The confidence we place upon His resurrected life enables us to boldly declare “Death where is your sting?  Grave where is your victory?’ 

Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ, and we confess He is Risen.  

He is risen indeed.  

For.Give

“…and Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

We can find two aspects in our scripture today teaching us about forgiveness.  First, the heart of God is for.giving mercy and second, like Christ, our hearts must hold the same.  

I believe, as Christians, our ability to forgive others stems from a heart that understands how much we’ve been forgiven. To whom much is given much is required,  are the words of Jesus from Luke 12:48. 

Jesus also relays a parable from Luke 7 about forgiveness and sums it up by telling us the one who has been forgiven much loves much.  

As we approach our Christian celebration of the Easter Holiday, we highlight the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour,  Jesus Christ.  Each gospel book records this event, yet only Luke records our scripture today,“Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”  

The greatest truth in our gospel story of Jesus Christ is that while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly.  

But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8 

Our celebration from Good Friday through Resurrection Sunday is the story of redemption based upon the love and forgiveness God extended to all mankind through the gift of his son’s life.  

The will to surrender His only son, displays the immeasurable riches of Gods love for all.  

My prayer is that we would hold the power of this truth as a daily and vital standard for well being.  Mindful of how much we have been forgiven; mindful that Jesus was not sent to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him, enables us to freely give what we have freely received.   

Did God Say...?

What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”  James 4:15 NLT

The danger of presumption is the false belief that it carries the approval of God.  James began his thought in chapter three verse five, highlighting the tongue as such a small member yet boasting great things.  He continues in verse six calling the tongue a fire which can stain the whole body and sets on fire the entire course of life. Which, by implication, means presumption and boasting is fed by the strategies of Satan and works to produce our separation from God.

Let’s recall the proverb, ‘man plans his own way, and when it doesn’t turn out right, he rages against the Lord.’  (My translation.)  With this in mind, we’d better ask and answer for ourselves the question, “Did God really say…”?

This is not just a great individual test for good, it is also our greatest temptation. You can see from Eve’s temptation in the garden, even knowing what God had said, did not prevent her from being tempted. Every temptation holds a test to prove what is in the heart of man.

Our foundation must be our assurance of what God has saId. We hold a God breathed living Rhema word from the Lord that directs our steps.

Most of us understand the difference between Logos being the written word of God, and Rhema as the spoken word of God.   We have the value of this written word of God, yet each of us must attend to this so that the Holy Spirit is able to take this word and make it a “rhema’ to us. It must hold the breath of God on it to become a living word in my heart.

We don’t get to pick and choose a word that seems right in our own minds.  We search the scriptures diligently until we sense the Spirit breathing upon a word and then we take the time to process this with our Father, allowing Him to bring the Yes and Amen.

Without this process we are presuming upon the goodness and grace of God,  We don’t want to enter into something ‘thinking’ this is okay with God, we want the assurance that God has said!

If we follow the example set before us in Abraham’s life, we can learn how God speaks and leads.  Abraham has the first encounter with God and is instructed to go.  We find Abraham going, not knowing wither, Hebrews 11:8.  Most of us would like to sit and wait to know the wither, the why and the what that is going to happen when we get there.

Abraham left by faith, knowing nothing more than God Had said I will show you a land.  I will make your name great.  I will bless you.  Apparently this is all that is needed to go.  There is no word of God that is void of power.  The spoken word carries with it all the grace needed to obey.  Sometimes it is a matter of stepping out and walking the land to find this isn’t the land I am to settle in, but it never makes having taken the journey wrong.

Our need to understand the beginning, the middle and the end of our life’s journey require more than human reasoning.  If you take the time to study Abraham’s story you will find a journey of discovery.  Every step brought Abraham into the greater purposes of Gods plan and a greater understanding of who God is, how He works and what He demands.

Our own journey is to be walked out in the same way, with the same workings of God. The difference between faith and presumption is what God has initiated.

Processing

   Great is our Lord, and abundant in power and his understanding is beyond measure.

Psalm 147:5

Let us never loose sight of our Father as God Almighty and Sovereign in all His ways. With Him all things are possible.  He is the Lord, the God of all flesh. Our walk with him is one of continual adjustment and alignment.  Asking and seeking; processing, are all necessary parts of our discovery of him. All of this adjustment and discovery takes place through our life’s daily affairs.  Let us always remember our Father is patient with us in the process.  He is long-suffering. 

It helps to remember that in all things God is working with his creation, as the potter works the clay.  There is nothing that transpires in our life that God does not hold wisdom and understanding for us.  It’s simply unveiled through the process of life,  revelation comes from the asking and seeking; the discovery.     

Job assigned fault to God in what he considered were his unjustified circumstances until his great revelation, then he fell into agreement with God.  

Job 42:2. “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted

There is a proverb that says “there are many plans in the heart of a man but it is the counsel of the lord that stands.” Proverbs 19:21. When we plan our own way without his counsel and it doesn’t unfold according to our expectations, this proverbs again tells us our hearts fret (rages) against the Lord, verses 2-3.

    James 1:20, AMP: “The resentful deep seated) anger of man does not produce the righteousness God (that standard of behaviour which he requires from us).” That anger or frustration positions us to process our own thoughts and intents, with and through Him, until we completely humble ourselves under His hand.  ‘Not my will but yours be done’, is our wrestling until submission reigns and rules. 

Certainly in our crisis and pain we want him to remove all conflict and pain.  Yet in some matters, that’s not for our best. Even Jesus prayed, in a critical time of pain, “My Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.”

Nevertheless, the NEVERTHELESS clause must always be included in our prayer life.  Jesus ultimate ability to move forward came through soulful searching, aligning with His Father’s purpose.  Our souls being exceedingly sorrowful must also wrestle. The leper meeting Jesus in the Gospels asks, “if you are willing you can make me clean.”   This is a good place to start in our conversations with our Father. Someone said “Faith can only begin where the will of God is known.”

We know if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. This necessary alignment is our responsibility.  He who comes to God; the coming, the asking, the seeking, are all indications of our faith in Him who can does all things according to His will.  This is the process, coming to confidence IN HIM, not ourselves.

The Epistle of James chapter four verses 13-17 holds a strong admonition against the foolish presumption of a believer.  We cannot shortcut the process by pushing our way forward. 

Come now you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, “IF THE LORD WILLS, WE WILL LIVE AND DO THIS OR THAT.”   As it is, you boast in your arrogance.  All such boasting is evil.

We must have the process for the transformation. 

What are you thinking….

“…And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart…”  Revelation 2:23

I’ve said several times, transformation begins with beholding Him. 

In the process of seeing Him through the lens of the written word, and what that builds within our imagination, we learn He searches not only hearts but minds as well.  

I’ve taken our verse today out of context but the realities of ‘Who He is’ and ‘What He does’ here is capable of standing alone.  

The first commandment that Jesus also affirms in the gospels is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.”  Then, your neighbour as yourself.  

We focus on loving Him with all our heart and many times overlook the aspect that we are to love Him with all our mind as well.  What does that look like?  I believe the simplest explanation is in our agreement with what He has/is saying.  

The apostle Peter wrote in his first epistle describing Jesus as the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.  Jesus as overseer is the one who is looking into us. He supervises and rules.  As our Shepherd He leads, feeds and protects.  All this through the workings of the Holy Spirit.   

We know that we have the written word as our daily bread, and we know that we are to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying as we diligently search the scriptures.  Truth and life are in them, but only as we receive and agree.  Numerous times through the New Testament we find words said by Jesus, or in the epistles, written for our well being and life, that still require our agreement. 

Agreement; initially, brings adjustment, and then continual realignment.  

Romans twelve admonishes us to not allow ourselves to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.  Through this process, we are able to test and discern the will of God.  Hebrews chapter four tells us the living word is active and able to divide soul and spirit.  In others words, it sifts through our mind and divides human reasoning and understanding, while revealing His.  Agreeing with Him leads into abundant life. 

Our spiritual battle, as 2 Cor. 10 tells us, is not carnal (not mental reasonings) but spiritual (discernment by the Holy Spirit as He reveals truth to our inner man).  We are able to destroy strongholds, (the mindsets that have set our boundaries and limitations) and every lie that exalts itself above the knowledge of God as we bring them into alignment with the word of God.  I want you to note this battle is all about our mind sets and words.  

You can see where we would loose the battle if we did not know what God thought about something.  Yet, we are assured by the word that we are capable of holding the mind of Christ and the wisdom of God. 

Isaiah 55 reveals that our thoughts are not God’s, in order for us to bring them back to a place of right alignment and agreement with Him.

Each day we hold audience with our Father is a day of searching and aligning, not just our hearts but our minds as well, unto agreement with Him in all matters that pertain to life and godliness. 

Jesus did say, if you love me you will keep my commandments and this begins with alignment of heart and agreement of mind in every act of obedience.

His Invisible Attributes

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:19-20 ESV

Continuing to behold him, I’d like to consider how He is seen through His creative works.  David and I live in ‘Beautiful B.C.’   On a recent trip home from northern B.C. we traveled through mountain ranges and valley floors.  I was surrounded and awed by the majesty of His creation and the verse today came to mind.

What can be known about God, is plain to them.  His eternal power and divine nature are clearly perceived in all things created.

John’s gospel reminds us all things were made through God and His word.  Colossians tells us they are things visible and invisible, powers seen and unseen.  All things created through him and for him. He holds all things together that in all things He would be preeminent,  Col. 1:16-18.

It is as we behold every created thing that we begin to understand his ‘invisible attributes’, which are His eternal power and His divine nature. I understand the eternal power in His creative force, but have to ask myself how do I see His divine nature in creation?  I’m reminded of scriptures that tell me how the sun and rain are given to all, Psalm 19:1-6; Isaiah 55:10.  How can we survive without these?  This is the goodness of God. The feeding of all animal life shows His great care and tells us how much more value we have than these.  Job chapters thirty eight, thirty nine, remind us of His great power and glory in all creation and speaks to the divine order of His nature.   

There was a time when David and I faced a significant financial need.  I was sitting on our porch praying through Matthew Six and came to the scripture about God feeding the birds.  A memory comes to mind about my mother being diligent, daily, to feed the birds.   About this time a small bird came and landed on my table, inches away, facing me.  The uncanny thing was I had no food and it just stayed there staring at me.  It seemed like forever, but in those moments eternity was woking.  ’How much more’  became a reality to my heart.  As I watched this bird, the words ‘how much more’ penetrated my fear of lack and highlighted our Father’s care for our needs. Peace filled my soul, then the bird flew away.  His eternal power (who else can make a bird land and stay so close) and divine nature (His lovingkindness) was revealed to me.  Our need was met as supernaturally as the bird landing and staying. The work God did in my heart that day continues to remind me to never fear lack.  Yet today, watching birds I am continually reminded of this moment and rehearse once again His eternal power and divine nature.

It is as we take the moments to have eyes that see God in all things that surround us we are able to rightly discern our Father’s Heart through His works and workings.  He is ever ready to reveal and satisfy hungry hearts.

And…Romans chapter one reminds us that in the beholding of His invisible attributes - His eternal power and divine nature- that we are to honour Him and give Him thanks lest we become futile in our thinking and our foolish hearts grow dark.

Purpose this week to take time to see Him in nature and the natural around you and then ask Him to reveal something of His eternal power and divine nature to you.

Behold Love

‘…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you….’

1 John 1:3 

Let us call to mind that our purpose for knowing HIM, is to become like Him, in all things.  This is eternal life, to know the Father and His son Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ own testimony was that He was has seen me has seen the Father.  This is our goal.

Last week we talked about the process. Growth takes time.  Our position that is challenged is what we choose to do with the time that has been given to us. 

The things that assault our senses in this world occur as we remove our gaze from Him.   We feel sometimes this an impossible task; to continually be mindful of Him in every moment of our day.  Yet if we are to live and move and have our being in Him, we must discipline our lives to hold him at centre.  It is a matter of discipline, and like any other practice, it gets better with the doing.  I won’t say easier, because there is always a battle going on for our focus so we must constantly choose what we give our time and attention to.  

This week I want to rehearse a truth we all know so well yet still seem to stumble over throughout our day.  God is love and He has loved us so much that he has given his only begotten son for us.  In this love, He has chosen and adopted us.  He has made us accepted in the beloved and given us an inheritance as a child of God.  He who withheld not his only son, how will he not, with him, freely give us all things? 

All these fundamental truths are vital to our identity and security as His child. Jesus begins his ministry with the seal of approval “this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” only to have this immediately challenged by Satan in the wilderness. 


We come into our salvation and are given the Holy Spirit as a seal. He becomes our assurance.… ‘when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” Ephesians 1:13. We now join the multitudes in this family crying Abba Father. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6 

It is a perfect love that casts out fear because fear has to do with punishment.  A coming to Him fearing that we will receive something other than mercy at the throne of grace is not the heart of the Father.  We don’t come in arrogance or willful ways but in humility and repentance as needed assured by Him of being met with mercy. We want His love to so permeate the soul’s capacity that it overrides every onslaught, real, inferred or imagined that tries to separate us from His love. 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  Ephesians 2:4

1 John says we have known and we do believe the love God has for us.  Knowing and believing this is our starting point in all things righteous.  Just as Jesus moved with compassion and love for all, it is to be our primary motivation in our activity with others.  We simply cannot do this if we are unable to behold Him as the one who is love. I believe our understanding of all God’s nature and character rests upon our ability to understand Him as love.  

Every facet of His being is governed by this love.  His hatred for sin is governed by his understanding of the death it creates for the one He loves.  What he judges is governed by His love for righteousness. Ps. 45:7. 

Beholding Him holds us within the construct of His Lordship and Leadership so that we are continually being washed by His word and cleansed by His blood.  This is our place of freedom from guilt, shame and condemnation.  

My prayer for the church in this growing hour of darkness and deception is to find ourselves drawn ever deeper into His love.  Rooted deeply in, and founded securely on His Love, let’s continue to be found passionately pursuing the One our soul loves.