Letting Go
Some things have to go to make room for what is new
I used to have an old shed in my backyard that had things in it that were very outdated. It had been there for decades and had accumulated quite a few things over the years.
But the time came when it needed to go in order to make way for the future. It’s funny how difficult it can be to let go of things due to sentimental reasons, or some sort of nostalgic connection.
There are some things that are needlessly held on to for no other reason than the comfort of knowing it’s history. It serves no real purpose, and even interferes with moving on, but yet as human beings we have a tendency to hang on to them.
One thing is for certain it is hard to experience a breakthrough in life if we refuse to let go of things that hold us back. Letting go is important. It is also Biblical.
Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.
Paul desired to go forward, make progress. He wanted to advance even further in the upward call of God in Christ. Basically, I take it to mean Paul desired to be more and more conformed to the image of Christ in His daily living. But notice, how Paul realized he must let go of things. Not only must he let go of them, but he must even forget forget them. Paul refused to allow any sense of sentimentality or nostalgia to interfere with his progress in this matter.
When I tore down my shed it was because I needed to make room for new things. To make that room I had to let go of some old things. This is never more true than when it comes to ideas, notions and even long held traditions and beliefs that are found to be out of step with the New Covenant.
Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Letting go of something means you are making room for something new and better. This could never be more true than when it comes to letting go of Old Covenant ideas and beliefs or practices in order to make room for everything that is New Covenant. This is what New Covenant repentance really is. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to bring revelation of the truth of the New Covenant into our thinking and then letting go of how we used to think to make room for the truth of the completed work of Christ Jesus.
If you wish to really walk in the freedom that is yours in Christ, you must learn the art of letting go. It is the starting point of any real breakthrough spiritually speaking.
Continual Supply
You are never without power
I recall when a record freeze hit Texas and wreaked havoc on thousands of peoples lives. The loss of power led to hardship and misery for many. They were not equipped to handle that type of situation because it was so uncommon there.
There’s a lesson for all of us in that historical event. A loss of power proved to be very dangerous in such a vulnerable situation. All it took was the perfect storm with a loss of power and people suffered greatly, some even died.
As believers we will go through storms that catch us by surprise. They may hit us in an area, and in a way, we never would have expected. We need to know that we will never lose our power because our connection is sure. If, in our thinking and belief our connection depends on our performance it is not sure.
As believers in Jesus the Holy Spirit is our supernatural power supply. Knowing what keeps us connected with Him at all times is of great importance. We know we will go through trials, tribulations and hardships. Some will come as big surprises. But to push through and persevere we will need to know that we are connected to our power supply.
The key is to being certain is knowing you are in Christ, and Christ is in you. Jesus is your continual source for unhindered, unbroken and fully active connection.
Your ability to go before the throne of grace and find mercy to help is not based on your own performance, it is based on the performance of Jesus which was perfect and complete. That is why we bring every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus. Not our own obedience, but His!
By reminding yourself of Jesus’ performance on your behalf you can rise above your coming short of the mark. You can even, in times of great challenge and difficulty, discover you have a connection and the power necessary to thrive, not just survive.
This is why you can count it all joy when you go through diverse trials. When you learn to rely on the finished work of Christ you discover the ever present always available power of the Holy Spirit to carry you through the toughest and most dangerous storms of life.
Jesus will never leave you, nor will He ever forsake you. Once you are His, He will forever be for you. The Holy Spirit is the One who makes this your reality. He is always present to help if you will just let Him. He is so much more than a third string bench sitter in the Godhead. He is meant to be the evidence of the ever present reality of Christ with you and in you. Be open to Him and let Him do what He does best. I promise you will not regret it.
Given Good Things
You have gifts that re powerful
The Old Covenant came with blessings and curses based on one’s performance in it.
The New Covenant came with gifts from the Holy Spirit and blessings based on the performance of Jesus and one’s faith in Him.
On the day of inaugurating the Old Covenant Law 3000 people died for breaking it.
On the day of inaugurating the New Covenant of Grace 3000 people were saved after the disciples in the upper room received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Whenever the Holy Spirit is welcomed into a persons life in fullness He brings His gifts along with Him.
1Corinthians 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
This makes it clear the Holy Spirit brings diversity of gifts just as Jesus gives a diversity of ministries (Ephesians 4).
It is the same Spirit at work In every diverse gift just as it is the same Lord who administrates the diversity of ministries, (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor & Teacher).
What are the diversity of gifts the Holy Spirit brings with Him?
1)Word of Wisdom
2)Word of Knowledge
3)Gift of Faith
4)Gift of Healing
5)Working of Miracles
6)Prophecy
7)Discerning of spirits
8)Different kinds of tongues
9)Interpretation of tongues
Each of these gifts are given as a manifestation of the Spirit with the intention that it will profit the gathering of believers.
These gifts are a good reason gathering matters. To receive of them, and to give them, one needs to be involved in gathering.
This means as a believer you have the opportunity to be used in a gift, and according to Scripture you should desire the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and an evidence of the grace of God at work. They testify of belonging to Jesus and being a part of the kingdom of God. They serve the body to bring encouragement and strengthening. I encourage you to make yourself available to the Holy Spirit to be used as a conduit for one of these gifts. After all it is the Father’s will that we be submitted to the Holy Spirit. Jesus is magnified when these gifts are properly being used.
There Are Things We Are Meant To Desire
What do you desire?
1Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
Too often I have witnessed well meaning preachers and teachers emphasize 1Corinthians 13 to the degree that it minimizes the importance fo the gifts altogether.
They get so caught up in the love chapter that they come across as though love is supposed to get rid of any need for the gifts. This is an unfortunate outcome to have happen.
We are never meant to emphasize a truth in Scripture to the point it ends up excluding another very important truth. You see an emphasis on the gifts should not exclude the call to exercise the gifts from a motivation of love for others.
That means an emphasis on loving others should be done in a way that also emphasizes the importance of using the gifts to benefit others.
We are meant to desire spiritual gifts, especially that we might prophesy.
In the inner man that desire exists. Unfortunately, it is possible to be so in tune with things in the natural that the desires of the inner man get silenced. But this should not be allowed to take place. We should diligently seek to live according to the Spirit.
The one sure way you can be of great benefit to others is to allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in your life and use you according to His supernatural gifts that are intended to do a work in others that is profound and powerful.
His anointing is far more beneficial than any eloquent words I might say rooted in sentimentality, or some other motive. N one knows better what a brother or sister needs than He does.
The same is true when it comes to the gathering of the saints. You can be used in the gifts to bring something life changing into the moment. When it is the Holy Spirit at work there is someone who is about to get strengthened in their inner man from your obedient yielding to Him. It could be a strengthening that makes a difference in whether or not another rises to victory in a situation, or yields to discouragement and defeat.
A preacher on a Sunday is not the only means of supply for all that the body of Christ needs. It takes the body of Christ being equipped and yielded to the Holy Spirit to cultivate life changing encouragement according to the Spirit.
I encourage you to ponder this in your heart and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how He desires to use you. Ask Him for revelation in this matter and surrender yourself to His wisdom, power and direction.
The gifts of the Spirit are a supernatural New Covenant blessing! We should enjoy every blessing we are offered in the New Covenant. The only Covenant Jesus established with His own blood. He shed His blood to make all these things pertaining to the Holy Spirit possible. We’re not meant to live the new life alone and without help. His help comes with His gifts. I encourage you to desire His gifts, especially that you might prophesy.
Do You Know?
Do you know what is available to you?
Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Before we go any further after reading this amazing prayer of Paul we must consider the kind of people Paul is addressing in his letter.
Paul is addressing the church at Ephesus. He is speaking to born again believers in Jesus. He is not speaking as an evangelist to lost people trying to get them saved. That means this fullness of God spoken of is not about being saved. It is about another wonderful privilege.
Paul is speaking of how Christ dwells in the heart that is true, but his reason for praying this way has to do with the believers being rooted and grounded in love.
What is so important that Paul would offer a prayer of this nature on their behalf?
Because when a person does not know how loved they truly are they struggle to trust as they should. You see the filling spoken of here has to do with the person of the Holy Spirit who is the essence of all the fullness of God.
For a person to trust the word of Christ regarding the gift of the Spirit which is the promise of the Father, they first must really know how greatly loved they are and how deeply they can trust Christ. To not know this hinders their ability to receive all that He might offer.
Not really knowing the amazing love of Christ leads to questioning whether or not everything Jesus is offering them is truly of benefit to them. Especially when it comes to the Holy Spirit and how odd they might find it to be. You might be surprised to know how many think of the Holy Spirit as more of risk than that of a privilege and honor.
It is the desire of God the Father, and Christ the Son, that believers be filled with all the fullness of God! In other words, that believers be filled with the Holy Spirit.
To me this is speaking of the baptism of the Spirit and the continual opportunity to be filled daily. The giving of the Spirit in such abundant measure is the riches of His glory, and only the Holy Spirit can strengthen the inner man with might.
I encourage you today to seek to grow in your knowledge of the love of Christ and begin to boldly ask to be filled with all the fullness of God. Be wide open to the Holy Spirit and let Him strengthen you with might in your inner man today and everyday.
More Glory
Do you know what you possess within?
In the Old Testament there is recorded several occurrences of the glory of God filling a tent or structure made by man’s hands. These structures were built to be a dwelling place for God here on the earth. When His glory filled them it was dramatic and powerful.
But these structures were not what God was really after. They simply served a momentary purpose. The real aim f God was to dwell in mankind.
His ultimate goal?
Habakuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 40:5 The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
It is at Christmas time each year that the church puts its focus on the fact that a child was born and He would be called Emmanuel (God with us).
It’s so sad that many still do not realize how powerful that reality is. You see the glory of God fills the earth because new creations filled with the Spirit fill the earth.
Born again believers are the temple of the Living God here on earth now and they are where He manifests His glory! You and I are meant to be manifestations of the glory of God as we go through life.
The glory we get to experience is a far greater glory than that of any of the Old Testament generations during the time of the tents and temples built by men.
You have the God of glory living within you! He has brought with Him an un-diminishing glory. A glory that does not fade like that which Moses experienced when he came down from the mountain and hid his face behind a veil. Christ has brought with Him an ever increasing glory!
The only way to experience this is to believe what the word of God says about it. You and I are to be filled with the Holy Spirit to an overflowing measure and thus be expressions of His glory on this earth. But this experience is received and enjoyed the same way our salvation is, by faith!
I encourage you to believe in the goodness of God and the promise of His glory dwelling in you as His temple today, and everyday.
A Fruit Of Love
Have you been disciplined by the Lord lately?
(NKJV) Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.
(The Message) Hebrews 12:5 So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. 6 It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.
When I was around five years old my three older brothers decided to teach me how to ride a bike. At the time we lived way out in the country and had a really steep gravel driveway. I had just learned to stay balanced around the house when I saw my dad a ways down the hill with a man he had been helping to survey some land. My dad was standing in from of the mans open driver side door with some tools in his arms when I yelled out, “look dad I can ride” and started down the hill. I began gaining speed fast and my dad was yelling, “hit the bakes, hit the brakes!” I yelled back, “I can’t!” Just then I ran straight into my dad, the tools went flying, my dad went backwards into the car door, but I was safe.
You see if my dad had not stopped me there was a long way to go down that hill and at the end a road with traffic, it would have been really bad. But, my dad stopped me. He used his body to do so and it wasn’t pretty, but I was safe.
When you come to Jesus, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all three commit to your wellbeing and development spiritually. God will look out for you in an effort to see you grow and succeed, and He knows there will be many lessons along the way.
My dad sat me down to purposefully and seriously instruct me after that incident, not because he stopped loving me and wanted to disown me. It was because He loved me and wanted me to be able to ride my bike with confidence. He wanted me to know how to stop my bike in any situation and realize how important it was to know how before riding anywhere I wished. His concern was for my well being. That is how it is when Jesus comes to our rescue and we are corrected by His instruction. Correction is not unloving, it is a sure sign of belonging, being loved and cared for at a much deeper level than unwarranted praise could ever offer. It says this very thing in the Scriptures we began with.
You might be going through a time where the Father is sitting you down to instruct you in some area but do not be discouraged by it, be encouraged. It means you belong to Him and you are greatly loved. Listen carefully, and get up knowing you are now empowered to do differently. Let His joy and peace rule in your heart even during those times and you will experience great success.
The Ultimate Justifier
Have you thought about how complete your salvation is lately?
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
There’s a lot that could be said of these verses of Scripture.
There’s now the righteousness of God apart from the law that has been revealed. That means this righteousness spoken of is not because of the law. Yet it was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets (The Mount of Transfiguration). That establishes the authority and validity of this righteousness spoken of.
This amazing righteousness spoken of here is in and upon people who believe in Jesus only by grace. There is no difference in them that made it be upon them in the sense of them being any better than others to merit it. All humanity has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God so there was nothing special about those who have this righteousness that made them candidates for it. They became this higher state of righteousness when they simply believed in Jesus and received Him as Lord and Savior.
God Sovereignly appointed this responsibility of being the only One who could make a person righteous to His only Son Jesus. It is God who set the terms in place and therefore He is the One who gets to say clearly how a person is able to be made truly righteous and no one gets to alter it.
God had not ultimately punished anyone for their sins before. God had been patient and forbearing and had passed over sins that had been previously committed. People had not felt the fullness of His wrath and He did so in order to demonstrate His righteousness when Jesus would come and would give Himself as a sacrifice to pay for the sin of the world.
He did this to demonstrate that He alone is Just and therefore He alone could be the Justifier of anyone who has faith in Jesus.
All this means that there’s absolutely no way anyone can make themselves more righteous than they are already made to be when they put their faith in Jesus.
To even imagine that anyone could add to the righteousness they have so freely received would be an attempt to rob God of the glory of His very own righteousness imputed through faith in Jesus.
1Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
Today I encourage you to make your boast in what Jesus did and refuse to give any place to any thought of having earned even a hint or privilege with God through your own obedience or good works. Make it your aim to give all the glory for your right standing with the Father to Him with a full understanding of how He worked it all out for you in Jesus. Oh what a great love we have come into! Oh what a great God we have come to belong to. Oh what a great salvation is ours to enjoy. Rejoice in the Lord for this today and always.
Has God Indeed Said
Want to take hold of the promises?
In the beginning of creation the serpent used a cunning trick to deceive the first woman.
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
This tactic is still being used today especially as it pertains to the promises of God. Believers are challenged in their faith concerning the ever present very real presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit.
They see with their natural eyes situations and circumstances, they feel with their natural senses certain things in their bodies and it is so real. So when a promise like that of being healed, delivered, or having been given great favor becomes challenged with a subconscious “Has God Indeed Said.”
In another place in Scripture we find an important truth regarding the things seen verses things unseen.
2Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The things of the Spirit are eternal and more real than what we can see, feel or touch here in the natural. Everything in the natural is temporary. Everything in the Spirit is eternal and will have no end.
Understanding this truth can help determine what is sought after more, the spiritual promises made by God and authenticated through Christ, or the natural solutions man in all his limited wisdom can devise.
It might seem foolish to a natural man for someone to put their trust in a promise from God, but to a person of the Spirit it is like breathing fresh air. The promises offer a hope and a future that far exceeds the answers and promises of men in their limited wisdom.
Believing and taking God at His word is the one thing that is always guaranteed to please Him. It is the the obedience we’ve been asked to engage in. So I encourage you today to silence that cunning voice that wishes to camp out in the subconscious always challenging the good thing God has said and His wise counsel. I encourage you to take God at His word just as it is given, even the promises that right now seem too good to be true due to all the circumstances surrounding you in this moment. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, by your faith in Jesus, to push forward into the greater things God has for you.
Free Indeed
Do you know how free you really are?
There once was an elephant who had spent its life tethered with a rope around its foot. The rope set limits on how far the elephant could go. It was about a 30 ft radius from the post the rope was attached to. As far as the elephant knew it was really living. One day the owner of the elephant needed some money and decided to sell it. A kind and gracious man came and bought it desiring that the elephant be set free. He took it to a beautiful wide open space where it could roam as far as it wished. The man removed the rope from its foot but the elephant would not go past the distance it had learned for so long in its life. It would only move about 30ft and no more even though it was no longer tethered to a post. It did not realize just how free it truly was.
Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
A life of trusting in and being governed by the law is not the way of the New Covenant. Jesus came to set us free from the law. He came to break condemnation being under the law put on our lives. His work at the cross established us in the very righteousness of God so we might live by faith in Him. The just shall live by faith.
Paul said it this way in,
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Your rope my friend has been removed in Christ. Before you are open fields of grace in which to adventure with Him!
Do not let some well meaning person convince you to go back under the law as a mean of keeping, enhancing or improving your position with God in any way. God is only impressed with His Sons righteousness which you already possess by believing in Jesus. God the Father is to be approached and known on the basis of that righteousness alone.
Never let anyone lead you to think the righteousness Jesus gave you was not enough. It is for freedom Jesus set you free. Do not return to any type of yoke of bondage. Enjoy and rejoice in what you’ve been so freely given by a gracious Savior. Enjoy Him today and always by simply believing in Him and in what He accomplished.
A Greater Glory
Have you come to believe just how much glory you possess?
2Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
Under the Old Covenant, established by Moses using the Ten Commandments given by God to set the terms of what would be required to have any hint of a relationship with God as a people, there was a glory. At the start it caused the face of Moses to shine. But that shine was already starting to fade as he came down off the mountain where he had just been with God.
The relationship of the Old Covenant was tenuous at best because it relied on the ability of the people to stay in step with the law to remain right with God and receive His blessing s as opposed to being cursed. We all know how miserably Israel failed at saying right with God.
When we think of glory we think in terms of an effect in a moment. But is that a correct way to see it?
The ministry of righteousness excels in glory. What exactly does that mean and what does it look like?
It means we get to enjoy a relationship that doesn’t fade based on our ability to keep the law. It means God is now relating to us based on a righteousness that was imputed to us through Christ. That means the relationship holds. The presence of God remains with us even when we cannot discern it due to our neglect of it.
The glory of His presence is expressed in us and through us by the person of the Holy Spirit. In fact, when we read about the glory that came into the temple on the day Solomon dedicated it, and we marvel about how the priests could not stand and do their work because of the intense cloud and weightiness of the presence of God, we should get excited. Not because we are in a quest to capture the experience in similarity, but because the glory that is ours when we are together is greater than that which took place at Solomons temple.
God’s glory is tied to our relationship with Him and our belief in Jesus. If we will but believe as the Scripture says concerning Jesus we are welcomed to partake of the fullness of God through coming to know the love of Christ and believing in His finished work.
In Christ you are right now a part of a New Covenant far more glorious than that of the Old one. You have stepped into a ministry of righteousness covenant authenticated with the very blood of God’s Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.
A ministry of righteousness that far exceeds the ministry of death that was written and engraved on stone tablets so long ago. You have come to a greater glory, a greater experience of His presence, a greater continuance of closeness with Him that you never had to earn!
I challenge you to ponder these things in your heart and mind and let the Holy Spirit give birth to an even greater revelation of all that is yours to experience and know in Christ!
Learning To Live In Rest
Do you know what it means to really rest?
Throughout the world there is a common occurrence that excites those who labor during the week. It is called the weekend. It is a day or couple days off at the end of a workweek. That glorious opportunity to rest from one’s week of labor!
Scripture speaks about this idea of rest in two very different ways in the context of two very different covenants.
Under the Old Covenant Israel was commanded to observe a day of rest. It was to acknowledge that God created everything in six days and then rested on the seventh day. So Israel was commanded to remember the Sabbath Day in order to keep it separated as a stand alone from all other days. (That is what it means to keep it holy.)
Under the New Covenant we read the following: Hebrews 3:10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
Now any thinking person knows that this cannot mean a person never labors to provide for their family or themself. That would be absolutely absurd. So it must mean something entirely different than that.
This is speaking of a persons efforts to be made righteous, or to maintain righteousness before God. The rest that is referred to in Hebrews 3:10 is speaking of a gift that is given through Jesus. It is speaking of a continual rest from laboring to be accepted, forgiven, made right with God, or loved by Him. This rest is a free gift that comes by grace through faith in Jesus. It is not of works, otherwise you would be able to boast of how you achieved it.
We do not work to obtain, or to maintain fellowship with God, we simply put our trust in Jesus to enjoy the fruits of it. It is by believing that we receive the benefits afforded us through the obedience of Jesus at the cross.
I know our faith will produce actions in life. But we should never forget that our actions are meant to springboard off of our faith, not the other way around.
To miss this amazing promise of rest is akin to being on a gerbil wheel always running, but never really going anywhere. That my friend is not your inheritance in Christ. I encourage you today to ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what it means to rest in Christ, and to once again enjoy belonging to Him. I promise it will not make you less productive or effective. It will enhance your view of things and make you even more productive in the long run.
This is a rest that invades your soul every day no matter what might be taking place. This is what I call leaning into Him! I encourage you today to “Learn to live in rest!”
The End Of Shame
In Christ you now have a Father in heaven who is for you!
When I was a boy in elementary school I was an honor student. But the day came as I got a little older that I became distracted by sports and I slacked ever so slightly in my effort to study. As a result I actually got a C in one subject on my report card. I was embarrassed without anyone saying anything at all.
Believe it or not, the principal of the school thought it merited public attention. I was sitting in class when the loud speaker for announcements came on. To my surprise and total shame he read my report card to the whole school and then ended by saying I hope Tim will bring that “C” back up on the next report card. I’m sure he imagined he was motivating me to return to my former honor roll ways but it wasn’t having that effect. I was devastated, and the other kids, although shocked themselves, did not waste that opportunity to tease me and make the shame even worse.
When I got home that day I told my parents what had happened and my dad was furious. The next day I was in class and the loud speaker for announcements came on again. I was nervous wondering if I would once again be targeted. It was about me, only this time the principle was making an apology and acknowledging the his actions were way out of line. I was vindicated!
I learned later that my dad had paid him a visit and was even in his office while he was making the announcement. Talk about taking the ammo away from the kids who just one day before were really laying into me. All of a sudden my shame turned to victory. It felt amazing to know that my dad had my back.
I share that to say there is an enemy out there who uses shame to imprison people in their soul. But, if you give your shame to Jesus you are able to make the confession that the blood of Jesus took care of all your sin past, present and future. When you become aware and convinced that you belong to Jesus and you do not let yourself get all caught up in caring about what this world thinks, you walk in a victory many people never realize.
You see, God as your Father has your back and He is not like that principle at my school using shame to get you to perform for Him. He has lovingly set you free so you can be who He says you are and live the abundant life Jesus died to give to you.
So tell shame to take a hike and embrace the love of God for you!Smile through the momentary embarrassment of whatever it was that sought to shame you in the first place. Learn, grow, and go be a blessing on the heels of whatever that was. Your sins have been paid for past, present and future in Jesus. He has forgiven you and He is not shaming you in the least. He is interceding for you right now to the Father and His prayers for you are not for harm and destruction. Believe that His prayers are for your success. I promise you’ll have a much better day as a result.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
God’s Attentiveness
Do you know how aware God really is concerning you?
My wife has some little finches and recently one of them died. It was a cute little brown and white male and his name was Butterscotch. He had such a pretty song. His passing reminded me of something Jesus said and interestingly on the night before finding her little finch I was reminded of how even one sparrow gets God’s attention. That means we get it even more because we are more valued than the sparrows.
When my wife and I settle into bed each evening we pray and chat just a bit. Now mind you, I am not educating my wife as she is well versed in the word on her own. But by speaking of these things together we are encouraged. She shares her thoughts with me concerning what the Holy Spirit shows her as well. In Scripture it says this,
Luke 12:6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I marvel that there has never been even one sparrow at any given time that was forgotten by God. That is attention on a whole other level. Now it doesn’t say God stops them from being sold. It is speaking of how He keeps track of them.
But it doesn’t stop there. You see something even more important to capture is stated. God watches you and me so carefully that even the hairs on our heads are numbered by Him. I must confess, I am keeping His subtraction skills well tuned. But the beauty of this statement is that it ascribes an amazing value to me, and to you. It also lets us know how attentive God is towards us.
You see we are of more value than the sparrows!
So, if God gives incredible attention to detail with sparrows and has never forgotten even one, I find it difficult to believe He would ever forget you, or me.
There is a love and compassion that runs really deep with God, and it was put on display at the cross of Jesus. Be encouraged today in knowing you are very well known by God, and take time to get to know Him better by the grace that yours in Christ Jesus. I promise it will never be a waste of your time. It can be a comfort to know that even in times when things aren’t going your way, He is aware and He never forgets you.
Never forget that you are of more value than many sparrows and not even one of them is sold without God knowing about it. I invite you to ponder that with the idea of how aware He must be as it pertains to you. You can go to Him knowing He is already aware and was hoping you would come to Him about it.
Have a great day enjoying His love and attention in your life.
Loved And Part Of
You are loved and belong because of what Jesus did
Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
There is power in what I believe and say regarding my belief and experience with God in Christ. So I’d like to share my confession with you today.
Through the cross Jesus rescued me from being an enemy to God by allowing me to be identified with Him in His death signifying my old life was dead and gone. My past is no longer able to haunt me or condemn because of Jesus. “Old things have passed away.”
Jesus then allowed me to become identified with Him in His resurrection signifying that I had been given new life in Him. “Behold all things have become new.” Everything became brand new the day that I came to life in Christ.
In giving me new life Jesus declared me righteous with a righteousness that wasn't my own and I did not earn. He gave me the very righteousness of God to forever settle the matter of who I am now, and to establish my place in the family of God. God is now my Father, and I have a relationship with Him thanks to Jesus.
Because of this I can stand confident of His love, confident of His forgiveness, confident of my acceptance, and confident of the Father's love! I know that I am a new man with a righteous, everlasting love and identity in Him. I am a son now! God is for me so who can be against me! My access to God is not determined by my performance. It has been forever settled by Christ’ performance on my behalf. My place and position was not earned it is a gift and it is settled forever.
I am not a foster child or orphan hoping to earn my place in His family. I am loved, accepted, affirmed and empowered by His Spirit living within me. All glory and honor belongs to the Lamb who was slain! All praise to Jesus! He is my Savior and Lord!
If you’ve put your trust in Jesus this is your testimony as well! You are not on the outside looking in. You are loved just as I am or anyone else might be. Your love guarantee is just the same because it is all made possible through Jesus alone.
So my encouragement to you is to live loved and part of the family today and always!
Abundance
You’ve not been left on your own to survive. You’ve been given abundance to thrive!
2Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 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, 4 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.
He gave us something according to His divine power. He gave us all things that pertain to life and godliness. It’s already been done. But taking possession of it depends on our knowledge of Him.
You see He called you by glory (Intimate relationship and unity) and virtue (His own works of righteousness imputing to you) and it is because if His doing this that exceedingly great and precious promises are yours.
By receiving all the exceedingly great and precious promises promises you are made a partaker of His divine nature. It is by partaking in His divine nature through this means provided that you are empowered and liberated to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust.
You see when you partake of His divine nature you develop a spiritual appetite unlike anything this world could ever offer. This is describing the new life you have in Jesus and the wonderful way in which it works in you.
Why would anyone want to live like a spiritual beggar when Scripture clearly reveals we already have what we need in abundance through Christ? I encourage you today to go live in the abundant life you have been given in Christ Jesus.
Let the overflow of the Holy Spirit flow out of you like a torrent river just as Jesus promised. You have an abundant river of life within you that flows from you. Such as you have you can give to others. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit now that you are a New Creation in Christ and that means everything that is life and health, and purpose is filling you.
You have not been left on your own to survive. You’ve been given abundance to thrive!
The Simple Things
God uses the simplest acts of obedience to bring great blessing to others
During my early 40’s I was at my office at the church. I had just gone through a very trying rough time with a lot of situations that were working overtime to challenge my gift and calling. I was just sitting there behind my desk thinking to myself and preparing for an important meeting I was about to have with someone. That’s when the phone rang.
I answered it in the usual way. The voice on the other end was very deep and simply said this is a voice from your past. I could not for the life of me figure out who it was. Then he revealed himself to me. It was the man who in my boyhood years had challenged me to play the drums and to sing. Mr Jimmy Gibbs himself. It was then that he said, “I didn’t know how to find you as I had no information to go on so I searched your name on the internet and found a Harvest Church church website.” I stopped him and said, “Jimmy we terminated that old website over three years ago, how on earth could you have possibly found that?” He said, “I don’t know, but I did and so I called the number I guess God wanted me to be able to reach you.” Then he began to speak over me words about my calling and the things I was in the middle of at the time and he prayed and I began to weep and convulse like something was being pulled out of me. It was a powerful release in my spirit. He finished praying, and we talked to catch up for a bit but then I needed to get composed before the meeting I was about to have so we hung up.
Jimmy had just gone out of his way because he had an impulse in his spirit he needed to talk to me after many years. He acted on that impulse in his spirit even though he could have been doing something else. He is way older than me and lives far from from me so what was there for him to gain from it? He simply acted on that impulse he had in his spirit and I was so glad he did. What a rich blessing that was to me in Avery timely way. He of course said he was tremendously blessed as well. That memory lives fresh with me.
God takes the simplest act of obedience and He uses it to bless someone by encouraging them. Those very simple acts turn into some of the greatest riches in life. I love how His kingdom operates. I love how He loves us. He loves you! Maybe that simple idea you had recently is much bigger than you think. What can it hurt to do something with it? I sure am glad Jimmy did.
Maxed Out
You can have a righteousness that is more Ethan you’ll ever need
It is proven that small gas engines last longer, and perform better with 100% gasoline in them. Ethanol based fuel shortens their life and it often causes carburetor issues.
I also like creamy French dressing with baby carrots as a snack. I’ve tried generic brands of French dressing but they just weren’t the same as the Kraft brand I like so much. To me Kraft Creamy French is the real French dressing. I know you do not read these posts to hear about my preferences in such matters. That’s not really what this is all about. This is about what you received when you came to Jesus.
When you came to Christ you did not receive a generic brand of righteousness in small quantity. A righteousness laced with a questionable additive that might gum up your life and cause you to perform subpar. Nor did you receive an off brand of righteousness that just isn’t as good as other types.
When you came to Christ in faith God imputed His very own righteousness to you in full measure. You were given the highest level, full measure of righteousness there is. An untainted, 100 proof, not watered down original source righteousness.
A righteousness so powerful it needs nothing added to it in order to do it's job. You will never become more righteous than you were at the start, that you are right now, or that you will be when Jesus returns and you go to be with Him.
You’re “maxed out” on righteousness at this very moment. You’re at the very peak of it, and you’ll remain there.
Now you may not outwardly be manifesting that level of righteousness at this point in your journey, but that could have a lot to do with struggling to believe you have it already and failing to fully take advantage of what it offers you.
His righteousness in you is meant to bear the fruit of wide open, full on fellowship with God! It is meant to bring you before the throne of grace with great boldness to ask for mercy to help in your times of need. You see it is why you have fellowship with God. It is not your performance that secures that for you. It is His righteousness in you. Christ in you secures your ability to be close to the Father.
So I encourage you to enjoy knowing Jesus today and share the blessing of it with someone else. In Jesus there is an overflow of life to offer to others.
Add Virtue
There’s something to be added to your faith.
2Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 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, 4 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. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,
VIRTUE - The word virtue in the Greek is a very interesting word. It actually means “manliness in the sense of valor coupled with excellence.” In modern terms one might say it is the equivalent of saying, “Man up.” Or in the ladies case, “Pull up your big girl pants.”
Virtue is the confidence to be and to do.
Jesus walked this earth and went to the cross with virtue. There has never been a more manly man than Jesus who gave Himself for others. Jesus took on the form of a servant and humbled Himself even to death on a cross.
I've been made a divine partaker of His nature! He calls me to let my faith be activated into action in this life.
I’m not wanting to only have great thoughts, theories and ideas about what it means to belong to Jesus. I want to live my life fully aware, fully activated, and fully enjoying who He is in my life.
Jesus gives life and He gives it more abundantly. That means He gives it to be lived boldly and unapologetically. That’s why I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. I am not ashamed of being known as belonging to Him and being one who follows Him.
I want to live fully from the place of who He says I am and do all that He says is mine to do. You have a faith to add virtue to as well. You will grow in what you know when you step out in faith on what He has shown you. Today is a new day with new opportunities and possibilities before you. Seize the day by faith and let Him reveal Himself to you in astounding ways! Walk in the power of the new you He has made you to be in Himself. Let the adventure begin!
A Willing Savior
Jesus loves you and has compassion for you
I love the way Luke captures a moment in time in the life and ministry of Jesus in chapter 5 of his gospel writing. A leprous man falls at the feet of Jesus and says to Him, “Lord if You are willing I know you can cleanse me.” Jesus responds with, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Everything we can read regarding Jesus in the Bible demonstrates an ever ready willingness to show compassion and heal and to help people who were hurting or in need. Jesus showed Himself willing every time He was approached with needs whether it was one person or many. In fact, Scripture records for us the phrase, “He healed them all.”
In every testimony found in Scripture regarding the willingness of Jesus to heal or do a miracle, there is no instance of Him putting the person through a litmus test to determine if they deserved the healing or a miracle.
Jesus did not set any performance or moral conditions on the person for receiving from Him the power to heal or to be given a miracle in their situation. He did often tell them to have faith, or to fear not, or that it will be unto to them according to their faith.
By coming to Him in the first place they were already exhibiting an act of faith on some level, and as a result Jesus was willing to meet them at the point of their need. What a loving, compassionate and generous Lord and Savior Jesus is.
Scripture tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change, His heart and attitude have not taken a turn for the worse. He is not now in a mood to reject as opposed to showing compassion and mercy. In fact, as believers we are encouraged to come boldly before the throne of grace to find mercy to help us in our time of need. Oh how I love my Jesus!
I want to encourage you today that whatever you may be going through Jesus loves you and His is willing to help you. I believe His words still ring true today, “I am willing.” Just turn to Him in faith at any level and ask Him for mercy to help and I am certain you will receive it. Be encouraged in Him today! Go to Him for His help and guidance. He is still just as compassionate and good as He was when He walked on this earth as a man. I can say with assurance that you will not be disappointed.