As He Is, So We Are

With all the struggles that believers may face in this fallen world, our trust should never be placed in what man can do, no matter how good it seems. The Holy Spirit through the Prophet Jeremiah tells us, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited." (Jeremiah 17:5-6). For the believer, our trust should be wholeheartedly in the Lord, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  

I have highlighted two things in the above scripture that we should fully understand. The believers trust in the Lord keeps us from fear and anxiety. It is fear and anxiety that holds believers from experiencing the fullness of Christ. Jesus tells us, "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." (John 14:12) Believers will never experience doing the things the gospels reveal that Jesus did, and even greater, if they trust in man, rather than God. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) In other words, believers are to put their faith, their trust, in God alone. 

The gospels reveal numerous examples of the things that Jesus did. Keeping in mind that Jesus was as much a human as we are, let us consider the following. Jesus lived above natural laws. He spoke "peace" to the storm; (Mark 4:39) Food came when it was needed; (Matthew 14:13-21; 15:29-39) Money came when it was needed. He had no sense of the need of righteousness, that is, the ability to stand in God's presence without fear, guilt, or inferiority. He simply walked into the presence of the Father calmly and quietly. (John 11:42)  Time meant absolutely nothing to Him. He was never in a hurry, though He had the greatest work of any human being on His hands. (John 3:16-17) 

He faced the cross and its awful consequences with a strength that staggers us. He seemed to belong to humanity and lived in the realm of time, but in reality, He belonged to eternity. (John 18:36) He never reasoned, nor did He ever make a mistake. He always said the right thing in the right place at the right time. (John 12:49) He chose twelve men, and each one of them fitted into His program perfectly. No general in the history of man ever had such wisdom and such great insight into mans character as He. (John 15:16) He never lived in fear of contagious diseases. He laid His hand upon the lepers and the ones filled with fever and disease without a hint of apprehension. (Matthew 4:23-24) 

Jesus was and is all that God is. (John 14:1-11; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3) He had perfect wisdom and perfect peace. (John 7:46) He had perfect self-control. He had perfect dominion over the laws of nature. He read the hearts and minds of men as an open book. (Mark 2:8) He stood absolutely alone, a Master, and yet He was utterly one with humanity. He sympathized with our weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15.) He felt our limitations and the difficulties that we may face in this life. He was utterly holy, and yet the most vile person that comes to Him in faith will instantaneous "become the very righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:17) He was perfectly just, and yet the criminal who hung on a cross next to Him seem to have a sense of peace as he asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom. (Luke 23:42) He had no sense of limitation as He faced the needs of humanity and now through His meritorious work of redemption has answered every cry and need of humanity, especially to those who come to Him.

He has made Himself approachable for all people. By grace through faith, that is, ones complete trust in Him, He invites us to come boldly to His throne of grace without as sense of guilt, unworthiness or inferiority, to receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) The Father through Christ has given us every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3); He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness as well as exceedingly great and precious promises; (2 Peter 1:1-4) He has given us His name to use to cast out demons and heal the sick. (Mark 16:17-18) and as the Holy Spirit spoke through the Apostle John, "...as He is, so we are in this world." (1 John 4:17) So, let us give Him unending praise!!!

Give me my Portion

Joshua, the servant of Moses lead Israel in the conquest of Canaan. The LORD gave Joshua the details of dividing up the land among the tribes as their inheritance. However, in Joshua 13:14 we read that the tribe of Levi did not receive any land as their inheritance like the other tribes, but why was that?

We find out in Numbers 18:21 that Levi's inheritance was all the tithes of Israel in return for the work they performed at the tabernacle of meeting. Further investigation, Numbers 18:22-28 reveals that the tithe of Israel was actually given to the LORD who in turn gave to the Levites and then the Levites would tithe the tithe to Aaron the preist. So what was the tithe?

LEVITICUS 27:30-32 shows us what the tithe really was. The tithe was agricultural produce, crops and animals for food and not money. This is important to understand if believers are to be free from the laws the church leaders have placed upon them concerning tithing as a standard and or obligation in the church. We also see that the tithe was a tenth of the crops, as well as every tenth animal that passed under the shepherd's rod, not the first. Contrary to popular teaching in the church, there is no scripture where God had ever command tithing to be on the first ten percent. Next we notice something else the is very interesting. There was a penalty for someone who wanted to exchange their tithe for money which indicates that it was no longer a tithe because it was now 12%. God was discouraging tithing money by adding a penalty if it was exchanged for money.

The crops and animals were miracles of God, not from the labor of man. God was not commanding pay back of a tenth of what man created or earned. It had nothing to do with man’s labors but God’s provision. Israel was to trust the LORD and He would provide. It is the same for believers today. Although we may labor in our places of employment, faith says it has nothing to do with my labors, it is God who is providing. When believers think this way, then giving bountifully and cheerfully is a freedom because it is of grace not obligation, that is, Law.