Are You Watching

Shortly before Jesus and His disciples celebrated what is known as the "Last Supper," his disciples ask Him about the end times. (Matthew 24 - 25) The first thing Jesus tells them is, "take heed that no one deceives you." (Matthew 24:4) Although Jesus tells them, "For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many" (Matthew 24:5), the fact is, deception began in the Garden of Eden as the one who is the deceiver, (Revelation 12:9), who spoke to the woman. As we see Jesus telling the disciples, "many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ." Satan's tactics have not changed. His whole deceptive plan is to deceive people, even believers, away from the one and only true God and especially the deity and humanity of Jesus (1 John 4:1-3). He does this by deceiving them into believing his lies by continuously working at discrediting God and His Word. We see this through all the false religions, so called Christian cults, (I dislike using the term Christian and cult together, but that is what they are referred to) and occultic practices, not only in the world, but also accepted among many believers in the name of fantasy, child's play and or entertainment.  

After Jesus tells the disciples of the end time and after they celebrate the first communion (Last Supper) they head to the Garden of Gethsemane. One of the most important things that He tells them is, "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) Remember, He just recently told them to, "take heed that no one deceives you." Now He tells them to "watch." The word watch means, to be alert; stay on the alert; keep watch; keep watching. Why does Jesus tell them this? "Lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Satan is not only the deceiver, but he is also the tempter. (Matthew 4:3) 

These things are very important for all believers to know. Why? Even some of the strongest believers in the Bible were deceived and or tempted by the devil which caused painful consequences. Today, many extreme or unbalanced teaching takes place in the church, for one purpose, the devil uses them to deceive and or tempt people away from sound doctrine to believe a lie which leads Christian's into a life without any disciplines or power. (1 Timothy 4:1) The Apostle Paul warns us in 2 Timothy 3 of the apostasy that will come upon believers. This apostasy can happen to the strongest believer(s) if we do not continuously watch and stay alert.

So, we need to be watchful, staying alert and continuously looking at our lives to see if there is  anything that is contrary to the entire counsel of God's Word, not what we pick and choose to justify ourselves, but the entire authority of the scriptures. This is why it is so important that we have other believers, especially mature believers, in our lives, giving them access to our lives, to help us so that we are not deceived and are not led into temptation that may lead to sin. We must understand that if there is anything in our lives that does not align with God's Word, even if we ourselves do not see anything wrong with it, then we must conclude that the devil has deceived us. Solomon tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)  

This may be a hard word, but remember, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Satan will always go after the flesh with his deceptions and temptations to get to the believer. He used this tactic in the Garden of Eden, he used it against Jesus and uses the same today against believers. He goes after the flesh using, "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." (1 John 2:16) However, believers have the greatest weapons to expose, defuse and destroy the schemes of the devil, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and God's love.

If we are truly willing to weigh ourselves with God's Word and let the God kind of love take hold of our lives, then we will never give place to Satan's deceptions and temptations. We will see the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) completely replaced by the fruit of the spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) The Apostle Paul tells us, "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:24-26) So, let us move forward in the power of His might, living victorious lives with one another, glorifying the Lord in all things. 

The Apostle James tells us, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) So, let us be watchful, keeping alert, and "do not give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27) Amen?   

That We May Know Him

For centuries, many in the church have come to know God, that is, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan in a very non-biblical fashion. Many believers today also misunderstand or have a limited knowledge of God in this way, therefore, they miss out on the wonderful promises and manifestation of His Kingdom, Power and Glory that come through Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews records, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (nature)..." (Hebrews 1:1-3) 

In and throughout the Old Testament, God used various methods in communicating his will, nature, character, purpose and plan to humanity. At times it was by direct communication and at times by dreams and visions. He did this mostly through the prophets. Although the prophets, were in a sense, great in God, the day came when God sent His only begotten Son into the world where He spoke to us in a way that brought the greatest revelation of His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. The writer goes on to say, that God's Son was the "brightness of His glory and the express image of His person." In other words, when Jesus was revealed in the flesh He was the "exact representation" of Father God. 

The Greek word translated "exact representation" finds its origin in the making of coins by striking them, thus creating an impression upon them. This word can be translated as coined impression or exact reproduction. The Greek word translated "nature" can be translated as real substance or essence. In other words, what these opening verses in Hebrews are telling us, is, that Jesus Christ is the exact representation, the coined impression, the exact reproduction of the nature, character, real substance, and essence of the Father. No one had ever revealed the Father so perfectly in every way until Jesus. This is one of the most important things that believers must fully understand if we want to know the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God. 

The Gospel of John expresses this fundamental, but most important truth concerning Jesus more often than any other book. The truth presented by the writer of Hebrews and, as we will see revealed by the Apostle John in his Gospel, can be easily taken for granted because at first glance it seems so apparent. Because it is so apparent, so obvious, it can be easily underestimated in significance. However, overlooking and underestimating the significance of this truth continues to be the main reason why so many believers have such a non-biblical perspective of God, in regard to His will, nature, character, purpose and plan, that is, who He truly and really is. We begin with the conversation that Jesus has with the eleven apostles (Judas Iscariot having left them to go and betray Jesus). Although the eleven are present, Jesus' conversation is directed towards Thomas and Philip. 

"Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7) Jesus tells them that He is "the way, the truth and the life." Jesus is the only access to the Father and He is the source of Truth and life. There is hardly a believer anywhere that would object to these rather obvious truths. He goes on, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Notice that Jesus says, "if you had known Me, you would have known My Father also." In other words, to know Christ is to know the Father. The word "known" in this passage, by definition, carries the same meaning as, "Now Adam "knew" Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain..." (Genesis 4:1) It is to have an intimate relationship, and intimate connection with Jesus as a man with his wife.

Studying the life of Jesus will reveal the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father. If believers fail to believe that Jesus knows and reveals the Father in this way in all matters, their knowledge of God will be filled with misconceptions of who He truly is. Mysteries that were once hidden in the Old Testament, are now revealed in Jesus, through His words and actions. The conversation continues, "Philip said to Jesus, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." (John 14:8-10)  

This conversation reveals some important truths. Jesus tells Philip that when He is seen, the Father is also seen. Every word and every action of Jesus reveals the will of the Father. Jesus also reveals the special nature of the relationship between Himself and the Father. The fact is, Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. The Father in Jesus gives Him the words to speak. The implication is that the teaching and commands of Jesus reveals the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Jesus gives credit to the Father for His works. The miracles and healing in the life of Jesus were expressions of the divine purpose of the Father. Finally, in this conversation, Jesus reveals what this special relationship between Him and His Father will mean to His disciples in the future, if believers want to do the same kind of works. Jesus continues... 

 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:11-14) Faith in Jesus includes believing that He was and is in the Father. This phrase is of great importance. In context of these verses, Jesus has been teaching the importance of believing that He has been revealing the Father. In fact, Jesus commands His followers to believe that very thing. If believers fail to believe that Jesus reveals the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father, they will find that faith will be difficult for many of the things that Jesus did for humanity through His death, resurrection and glorification. They will also fail to understand and walk out in this life, the fact that Jesus calls upon all believers to replicate His ministry and do even greater things. 

This great promise, "the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do" is conditioned on the earlier statement that believers must believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Him. That Jesus is an exact reproduction of the Father revealing the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Believers must believe that the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father was finding absolute perfect expression in the actions, attitudes, teaching and commands of Jesus. Now that Jesus has gone to be with the Father, the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father can now be expressed through believers empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

We can now draw this important conclusion from what has been revealed in the above. Believing that God the Father was in Jesus expressing His perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan through everything that Jesus said and did, has opened the door for believers to do similar and even greater works than Jesus. While many believes would be quick to agree with these things, if they fail to grasp the significance of this highly important matter discussed here, they will fail to experience the miraculous works that Jesus promised those who believe, would do. Simply put, this is not a matter of the intellect, but of revelation. Without seeking God for a revelation of these things, we will see Christianity as no more than any other powerless world religion. We will continue to develop doctrinal disclaimers that disagree with the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God and possibly never come to see God as who He really is.

So, let us be as Abraham, "Who did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21) Amen?

Resting in Him

The first Monday in September is a holiday, created by the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to strength the well-being of the USA. Through the years, the nation gave increasing emphasis to Labor Day. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature, but the first to become law was passed by Oregon on February 21, 1887. Through the following years other states passed laws to establish Labor Day. Finally, on June 28, 1894, the US Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. Labor day has also become known as the unofficial end of summer.

Taking a rest from laboring is an important part of life. We see that God Himself rested after completing the work of creation, "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." (Genesis 2:1-3) God Himself sees the benefit of resting to the point where under the Mosaic economy He called for one day of rest, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." (Genesis 20:8-11) 

But what about today? Should believers have a day of rest? Yes, but not in the sense of a special day. The Apostle Paul tells us, "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind." (Romans 14:5) This is why I said that believers should have a day of rest but not in the sense of a special day. The rest for the believer starts with and continue in, Jesus Christ. First, Jesus gives all people an invitation to rest, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Although Israel was to observe a day of rest, under the Mosaic economy, they never really came into true rest, "And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:18-19) "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works, and again in this place: They shall not enter My rest. Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience." (Hebrews 4:1-6) 

So, let us see the true rest that God has promised by looking at the statement Jesus made in Matthew eleven. To "come" to Jesus is to come humbly and to come in faith. God provides salvation through Jesus Christ, which includes the fact that man must give himself to the Lord Jesus Christ in commitment before it becomes effective. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me,” and then immediately added, “and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). Salvation is not through a creed, a church, a ritual, a pastor, a priest, or any other such human means, but through Jesus Christ, who said, "Come to Me." To come to Christ is to believe in Him and submit to His lordship.  

"All who are," indicates a condition that already exists. Those whom Jesus invites to Himself are those who already are weary and heavy-laden. "Weary," or “to labor,” carries the idea of working to the point of utter exhaustion. John uses the term to describe Jesus’ fatigue when He and the disciples reached Sychar after a long, hot journey from Jerusalem (John 4:6). Weary refers figuratively to arduous toil in seeking to please God and know the way of salvation. Jesus calls to Himself everyone who is exhausted from trying to find and please God in his own resources. Jesus invites the person who is wearied from his vain search for truth through human wisdom, who is exhausted from trying to earn salvation, and who continuously struggles trying to achieve God’s standard of righteousness by his own efforts. 

"Heavy-laden," indicates that at some time in the past a great load was laid on the wearied person. It suggests the external burdens caused by the futile efforts of works righteousness. In Jesus’ day, the teachings of the religious leaders had become so massive, demanding, and all-encompassing that they prescribed standards and formulas for virtually every human activity. It was all but impossible even to learn all the traditions, and was completely impossible to keep them all. Jesus spoke of the heavy loads of religious tradition that the scribes and Pharisees laid on the people’s shoulders, "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." (Matthew 23:4). In a similar way, Peter, at the Jerusalem Council where the apostles and elders came together to discuss important doctrinal issues, noted that the Judaizers were trying to control believers with the same man-made “yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Acts 15:10).

Therefore, to enter God’s rest is to cease from all efforts at self-help in trying to earn salvation. It is a place where God gives His children freedom from the cares and burdens that rob them of peace and joy. It is to have the wonderful assurance that our eternal destiny is secure in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is to be freed from vain philosophies, dead works, man's traditions and false doctrines, that is, freedom from dead religion that has no power, which puts the focus on self rather than Christ. When we enter into God’s rest, we are given the assurance that “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

Finally, resting in Christ also means depending on Him. Believers can depend on our Heavenly Father with utter certainty, because, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:19)

Although "Labor Day" is a national holiday where the American worker can rest from their labors for a day, believers can find their rest in Jesus Christ every day. PTL 

Truly Free

When we look at or listen to the news we find that the present human condition affirms that the world at large is not "free indeed." Human history records an unbroken trail of bondage. Secular wisdom cannot unshackle the heart no matter how hard a person tries, no matter how educated a person may be. The changing of or improvement of living conditions, or equal rights will never set a person free with any lasting results. Only the Creator of humanity can do that. God alone has provided the emancipation of human suffering and captivity through Jesus Christ His Son, our great Savior and Liberator. Jesus said, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) The Apostle Paul tells us, "It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed]." (Galatians 5:1 AMP)  

Jesus Christ of Nazareth, born of a virgin by means of a miraculous conception through the power of the Holy Spirit, became like one of us to completely set humanity free from sin and the tyrannical power of Satan. Luke records the ministry of Jesus to the world, which was foretold by the prophet Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) The gospel of John also records the many claims that Jesus made regarding himself and his relationship to all of mankind. Those claims are extraordinary, absolutely amazing! One of the things He said of Himself was, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6) What He was proclaiming was that He alone was mankind's great Liberator, that He could and would set man free. 

The gospel is the Good News about Jesus Christ and the freedom that He gives. It is the Holy Spirit inspired presentation of that Good News that sets man free. Although the true gospel of Christ can be distorted or perverted, Jesus and his apostles preached a lifesaving, mind and heart freeing message from God. Numerous times and in different ways Jesus said, "For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak." (John 12:49) The Apostle Paul tells us of his ministry in the gospel, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ." (Romans 15:18-19)

It is the cross, that is, the cross of Christ the presents the Good News. The cross of Christ focuses on God's answer to man's need: life and freedom. The death of Jesus, the Son of God, is revealed in that historical event at Calvary. He died, according to God's Word, as a sin offering for man. This is the one and only way that mankind can be set free. It is an act of God's grace alone with absolutely nothing to do with mans efforts. Although freedom is by grace through faith, many believers have created doctrine and legalism, as an attempt to earn one's salvation by works rather than relying upon God's grace through Christ to save. The Apostle Paul tells us, "But if it is by grace [God’s unmerited favor], it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace [it would not be a gift but a reward for works]." (Romans 11:6)  Paul dealt with this very thing with the church at Galatia. (See Galatians 3) 

Although there are numerous barriers to freedom that rob people, even believers, from God's gracious and abundant provision of life that we have in Christ, (John 10:10), I believe that these three stand out, ignorance, pride and fear. Ignorance of the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God through Jesus can keep one in darkness. The very darkness that Jesus came to set us free from is what keeps us from God's freedom and love. Jesus is the wisdom from God that dispels ignorance. He is the truth that sets men free. "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6) 

Pride can keep us enslaved to our selfish egos and erroneous ideologies. Pride can cause people to presume that they have need of nothing outside themselves. This is the very issue that was the fall of  Lucifer, "For you (Lucifer) have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14) God's Word tells us several time, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Pride is a self-righteous attitude that  robs one of their freedom in Christ because it is void of grace. Ignorance and pride are two deadly foes of the freedom that God's grace brings to those who would follow Jesus Christ. The final foe of freedom that I want to mention is fear. 

Fear is the root of anxiety and worry. According to the Apostle John, "fear involves torment."  (1 John 4:18) Fear can keep one in bondage, robbing them of the life that Jesus brought to humanity. Fear is not from God, it is and evil spirit. The Apostle Paul tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of fear." (2 Timothy 1:7) These three, ignorance, pride and fear are thieves that cheat us out of the joy of God's freedom through Jesus Christ.  

Freedom is a gift we possess only when we receive Christ as Lord and Savior and walk in it. A free person is not afraid to make up his own mind to settle for himself the basic issue of life. A person who desires reality must fearlessly pursue truth and be responsible for making decisions regarding that truth, that is, God's Word. Long ago, Joshua, a great man of courage and faith said, "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:14-15) 

When one submits to the truth of the gospel and obediently trusts in God's abundant grace to save, then, that person will know what it means to be "free indeed." They will be free from ignorance; free from pride; and free from fear. The saving grace of a loving God as realized in Christ Jesus is the most liberating power known to man. However, a prisoner is not a free man if he refuses to leave his cell after the door is opened. God, through Christ has opened the prison door for all. So, as Joshua said, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" let us make the same declaration, believing and receiving the complete freedom that was freely given through the Lord Jesus Christ. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

The Greatest of All Is Love

The gospels record numerous times how the Pharisees, Sadducees and their disciples "plotted how they might entangle Jesus in His talk." (Matthew 22:15-33) However, the wonderful wisdom of God in Christ always corrected their hypocrisy with Truth. On one particular incident, a lawyer of the Pharisees "asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40) 

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, You shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10) So, who do you love? Who is your neighbor? For many believers, we can love those who fellowship with us; those who believe as we do; and possibly the unsaved, but, and unfortunately, for many believers, their love for their neighbor stops and oft times turns to criticism, judgment and even hatred for those who do not fellowship with us, believe as we do or even those criticize us for what we believe. Neither Jesus nor Paul ever said there are exceptions to the law of love. In fact look what Jesus says, “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." (Luke 6:32-33) 

I believe the main reason for the lack of loving as God loves, is due to believers not breaking free of natural love and exercising the God kind of love. Every person has within themselves the natural kind of love. However, natural love is based on selfishness. One moment it says, I love you, and the next moment selfishness rises up releasing anger, jealousy, hatred and even murder. If all believers would exercise the God kind of love, the entire world would be changed. If you are born again, then know that "...the love of God (the God kind of love) has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) Notice, that the God kind of love is in each and every believer. Paul also reveals this, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." (Galatians 5:22) Notice, love is first. Paul also tells us, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13) 

To exercise the God kind of love simply comes down to choice. Am I going to yield to the God kind of love and let it prevail or let natural love and selfishness reign.  Look at the wonderful biblical definition of the God kind of love, "Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP) 

The natural kind of love manifests in the complete opposite of the God kind of love shown above. Not to be critical or condemning but honest, many believers have followed after money, after pleasure, after the things that please our senses rather than following hard and relentless after God, who is love. (1 John 4:8) But if we are truly willing to follow hard after God, we will find ourselves going where love leads and doing what love suggests. That is the way Jesus lived. He followed after love. Jesus' path led Him to Calvary where the greatest expression and show of love took place, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)  

The God kind of love can stand the test of the things that come against us in this life. It is only His love that will enable us to love the unlovely, the disagreeable and the hateful. God's love will lift us up into God's class where we love the ungodly, the unworthy, just like Jesus did. It is only the God kind of love that will enable us to love them when they are doing all they can to injure us. It is only the God kind of love that will have us say as Jesus, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) Yes, the God kind of love works. It makes hard, bitter people, gentle and loving as Jesus. It will take a man like Saul of Tarsus and turn him into Paul, a man who said, "For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us..." (2 Corinthians 5:14 AMP), a man moved and motivated by the love Jesus Christ. The God kind of love will take people out of the lowest depths of the slums and prisons, leading them into the streets and pulpits where they will lead multitudes to Christ. It continues to be a miracle of even today and will be forever. Why? As it has been already stated...

"Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]..." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 AMP)

The Great Exchange

After a time of enjoying the benefits of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, believers can get caught up in various things such as, ministry, education, work or just life itself and not take the time to reflect on the divine exchange that took place at Calvary nearly two thousand years ago. We can take for granted the great works that were carried out by Jesus on the cross. The work of the cross was perfect. The last words Jesus said before He died were, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). The Greek word for finished means "to end; to complete; to execute; to conclude; to discharge a debt. Jesus had perfectly fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Mosaic Law and as Hebrews says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) Now, He was about to complete His mission of the restoration of humanity in the dark regions of Sheol or Hades. He became sin with our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21); He became sick with our sicknesses (Isaiah 53:10); He became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) For three days and three nights He suffered unimaginably. 

The essence of the cross and His time in Sheol or Hades, which separated Him from the Father (Matthew 27:46), consists in Jesus taking our place. He was our substitute. He personally suffered the totality of the punishment that we deserved for our disobedience so that justice could and would be satisfied. This was the divine exchange. In this exchange, we receive all the righteousness of Jesus and all the blessings of His obedience. (1 Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:3) From the day we enter into this exchange, (John 3:1-7) our goal should be to become like Jesus, (2 Corinthians 3:18), living in the fullness of His righteousness, in the same way that He became like us on the cross, sinners in need of deliverance. 

On the cross, God the Father placed all the sin, transgression, iniquity, guilt, shame, rebellion, sickness and curses that fell upon man, on Jesus. Every wicked thing produced by our rebellion/sin was put on Jesus, as all the goodness in Him became ours because of His obedience. This is absolutely wonderful news. The divine exchange came about in the following ways; Jesus was forsaken so we could be forgiven. (Matthew 27:46); Jesus carried our sicknesses and pains so we could receive healing. (Isaiah 53:4-6, 10); Jesus became sin so we could become righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21); Jesus died our death that we could share His life. (Romans 5:6-11); Jesus became poor that we might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9); Jesus carried our curse so that we could be blessed. (Galatians 3:13, 29); Jesus suffered our shame so that we could partake of His glory. (Hebrews 2:10); Jesus suffered our rejection so that we could be accepted in Him. (Ephesians 1:6)

The father has provide humanity with a perfect and complete redemption. Not only do we receive the blessings of the divine exchange shown above, but also every promise of God revealed in both the Old and New Testament. Look at the following passages, and receive by faith all that our Heavenly Father delights in giving to His children. First know that, "He (Jesus) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) This does not exclude the Old Covenant promises of God, but, actually includes them along with all the promises under the New Covenant. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

Notice, the Father through Christ freely gives us all things! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3) "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:2-4) (Note: these are just a few of the things available to believers through faith in Jesus Christ)

Some of you reading this may have been taught, with the exception of being born again, all these things only pertain to those in the Bible, especially those in the early church, and that they are not for today. This insinuates that God's Word has changed, when in fact He and His Word are one (John 1:1; 1 John 5:7) and as He has not changed (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8) then His Word also has not changed. (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31) So, how can we appropriate the benefits of what Jesus has accomplished through His death and resurrection? By faith. There are no substitutions for living by faith. We must wholeheartedly trust in God and believe that He is Who His Word says He is and that He will keep all of His Promises because He cannot lie. (Numbers 23:19)

Also, through God's plan of redemption, Jesus defeated the devil. This victory is irrevocable and eternal. Satan cannot do anything to change it. Jesus is the stronger man Who entered the strong man's house and plundered his house and his goods. (Matthew 12:29; Revelation 1:18) When confronting the devil, his crew of demons and evil spirits, we must not deal with them on any basis other than on the blood and righteousness of Jesus and the authority that He has given to us in His Name. If we try confronting the kingdom of darkness by any other means, we can be defeated. We also need to be aware of the enemy's schemes (1 Peter 5:8-9), because he can camouflage the meritorious work of Jesus, thereby diminishing its power, which is one of the devils strategies against every believer. But, if we confront the enemy on the blood (Ephesians 1:7) and righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) of Jesus, the authority that He has given to us in His Name, (Mark 16:17-18) and the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3) we will always be victorious.(1 Corinthians 15:57; 2 Corinthians 2:14)

God has provided a complete, comprehensive and eternal redemption through Jesus Christ and has made it available to all humanity. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) There is no value that man can put upon the Father's ingenious, brilliant plan of redemption that could ever do it justice. What Jesus did for you and me is priceless, beyond any price tag that we could imagine. Therefore, let us never forget what Jesus has done and always remember, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, (selfish, rebellious, hopeless, haters of God) Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) So, never forget the divine exchange that we have through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ...

Anxious for Nothing

I am sure you have heard the expression "not a care in the world." It is an idiom which means to be completely happy as a result of being free from all worry and or anxiety. Now for most, this may seem out of reach, to actually live life free from all worry and or anxiety, but the reality is, not having a care in the world is exactly the life that our Heavenly Father has provided His children through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said it this way, "Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." (Matthew 6:31-32) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) 

Two main things that we must consider. First, "Do not worry...For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." Second, "I will give you rest."  Believers are not to worry. Worrying gives way to anxiety or unease to where one's mind dwells on difficulty, troubles or the uncertainty of actual or potential problems. However, Jesus tells us, "I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:25-30)  

Believers must come to know without doubt, that in every area of our lives, our all-knowing Heavenly Father loves us, desires to take care of us and is able to do so, far greater than all the best human father put together could ever do. (Matthew 7:11) However, with worry comes an element of torment which robs us of the very thing that opens the door to our Father's care for us, our faith. Notice Jesus says, "O you of little faith." Faith is the quintessential required by God for all who come to Him and live through Him and for Him, " But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) The Bible records four times, "The just shall live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 311; Hebrews 10:38) This is not a suggestion and therefore there is no getting around this. If believers want the rest that God has provided, then we must shed ourselves of all worry and anxiety and exercise faith in our faithful God and Father. 

Jesus also tells us, "men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth..." (Luke 21:6) Fear is a product of the devil (2 Timothy 1:7) and I believe that fear is worry or anxiety left uncheck and taken to a higher level of destroying faith and robbing believers from all that our Heavenly Father has promised us. Notice, that men's hearts will fail due to things coming on the earth. In other words, things that are not real, they have not happened and there is no assurance that they will happen. Now let us look at what the Apostle Peter tells us, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith..." (1 Peter 5:7-9) The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith..."  

As we can see, believers are to cast, "throw something forcefully in a specified direction" their cares on the Lord because the devil is looking for believers on whom he can take advantage of, that is, to steel from, kill and or destroy. (John 10:10) Even the American Medical Association agrees with this in some sense. The AMA has stated, "the effects of worry can cause a host of health problems." Let us be honest. Health problems are not from God. This is why believers are to submit to God, be firm in our faith and resist the devil. The Apostle James tells us, "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) How do we resist the devil? By being "firm in your faith...", that is, trusting wholeheartedly in God. The Apostle Paul reveals a plan to rid ourselves of worry and anxiety, "Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God." (Philippians 4:6 AMP), that is, "casting all your cares upon Him." How? "by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."  

When we do this, God makes us a promise, "And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]." (Philippians 4:7 AMP) There's the rest that the Lord said He would give us. Let's face it, everyone, at one time or another may find themselves in the difficulties of this life. The crises of life come to all of us. The difference is, if we know God's Word; if we know the Holy Spirit; if we know how to effectively offer our prayers to God and cast all of our cares on Him rather than holding on to them, then we will find the rest of the Lord and be free from worry and anxiety. 

Unfortunately, many believer today are holding onto cares that produce worry and or anxiety which rob them from the abundant life that is only found in Christ our Lord. If this is you, God wants you to turn your cares over to Him right now. Anything and everything that is causing worry and anxiety to manifest in your life, our Heavenly Father is waiting to receive from you, but you must give it to Him. Maybe worrying has become a constant habit in your life. It does not matter. It is time to make a habit of exercising faith and cast your cares upon Him. Again, if this is you, then I encourage you to make this declaration of faith every time you find yourself worrying or being anxious over any of life's circumstances...

"Heavenly Father, I am casting my cares upon you. I am turning them over to You. I refuse to worry anymore. I refuse to let anxiety have place anymore. You said to cast all my cares on You because You care for me affectionately and You care about me watchfully. Right now, I release, (name the cares) and I give them to you. They are in Your hands and now I rest in you. Thank you Father for freeing me from worry and anxiety in Jesus Name."

No doubt, the devil will do all that he can to try and bring the cares that you have just cast on the Lord, back into your mind. If or when he tries to do this, simply laugh at him and remind him that you have given the situation over into the very capable hands of your Heavenly Father because He care for you affectionately and He care about you watchfully. Paul also gives us a great way to help us guard our mind against the cares of life trying to take hold of us. He tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)  May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ rule your heart and mind!