Author: Messes To Masterpieces

Got Born Again?

April 7, 2023

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Act 19:2

As a continuation of the previous post, we will move along to the topic of the indwelling of God’s Spirit, how this happens, how we know when this happens, and what the term “Born Again” means. And thank you for following along in this discussion. And may God impart to you everything He has to offer you.  But before we begin there is a story to tell. 

The Story of “The Bride”

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Matthew 25:12  

The following is a true story. Years ago a young man visited the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and struck up a conversation with a library staff member. During their small talk about frivolous topics, the young man was startled by something in his peripheral vision. That something was what looked like a woman dressed in white moving toward the elevator bank in the left-hand corner of the room. In fact, it looked like a woman dressed in what appeared to be a wedding dress moving into an opening elevator. The young man asked the staff member: “What was that? Was that a woman dressed in a wedding gown?” In the most nonchalant and passionless manner possible, as if rambling off an ISBN number, he replied: “Oh, that’s the bride“. 

Then further details ensued: “Yes, we call her “The Bride”, she comes here all the time, dressed in a wedding dress. She takes the elevators to the upper floors of the library, to the “stacks”, the most remote area of the building where most people don’t visit”.

And then the explanation followed: “Years ago, as a young woman, she was stood up by the groom on her wedding day. He never showed up at the church for the marriage ceremony. And you see what it did to her. She lost her mind and never recovered.” The bride. A woman dressed in a white wedding dress, in the Library of Congress, in the middle of a Saturday summer afternoon, walking into an elevator. Wow!

The young man is said to have never forgotten the mental image. The image of a broken woman dressed in a wedding gown walking through a library. 

Why mention this story that brings chills when reading it? Because it is the story of the five foolish virgins as recorded in Matthew Chapter 25 in Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins. Why did Jesus tell them “I know you not”? The reason for their rejection was that they did not carry oil in their lanterns and allow its light to “guide them into all truth“. (Psa 119:105; Pro 6:23; Joh 16:13) 

The oil is symbolic of God’s Spirit. These virgins somehow and somewhere were not filled with the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost. And as a result of not having oil, it was not the groom, but the bride in this story who stood up her prospective husband – Jesus Christ. When Jesus announced the time of the marriage, five of his future brides failed to show up and he shut the door on them.

Tragic. It’s tragic and frightening to even think about it. But it’s God’s word. And God does not lie. It is a warning to all of us that we all need to be filled, empowered, sealed, and led by God’s Spirit. This story will build the foundation of what follows and connect our previous discussion on accepting and believing in Jesus and what being “born again” means according to the Bible.   

What Does Being Born Again Mean?

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. John 3:5, 7  

Nicodemus was perplexed by this man from Galilee that everyone was talking about. Apparently, he heard and likely personally witnessed the miracles following Jesus’ ministry. So, he visited Jesus at night to inquire about the source of his power and this Kingdom of God Jesus was preaching about. In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, he mentions two elements needed to be part of God’s kingdom.

And to get there involved a new birth process that included a birth of water and spirit. As Jesus explained, this experience would be so life-changing that he referred it to as literally being born all over again. Are these two subjects discussed elsewhere in the Bible? If so, are they only for the original believers in the early church? Or are they still pertinent to us in the 21st century? Let’s see. 

Born Of The Water – Repentance & Water Baptism

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47 

God always blesses where He places His name. In the Old Testament, the Lord placed his name on and blessed the Tabernacle, the Temple, and a city (Jerusalem). The Lord no longer places His name on and blesses physical structures. Instead, he places His name upon and blesses people, his body on earth, the Body of Christ, and the church He is coming back for. Jesus places his name upon you and blesses you when you are baptized in his name, the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins through water baptism. It is the only name that can save us. (Acts 4:12)

And a bride takes on the name of her husband. The early church always baptized in only one name, the name of Jesus Christ. Here are five instances recorded in the Bible where people were either baptized or instructed to be baptized in Jesus’ name: Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5, 22:16 (‘calling on’ – to invoke, entitle). Is this not the way the church should baptize believers today? 

Where does the role of repentance fit into the equation of being born again? Well, repentance precedes receiving anything from the Lord. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, preached the message of repentance (Mat 3:2, 11; Mar 1:4 & Luk 3:3). And Jesus carried the message onward (Mat 4:17; Mar 1:15, 2:17 & Luk 13:3, 5, 24:47). Is there a need to fully repent before being baptized? Repentance cleans the heart and prepares one to receive the best things God has for us (Mat 9:17; Mar 2:22 & Luk 5:37-39):

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38  

Born Of The Spirit – The Promise of The Father

As referenced in the previous post, Jesus gave his disciples a future promise that a comforter will come that would be “with” them and “in” them (Jhn 14:15-18). And the promise was not only for the disciples but as spoken by Peter on the Day of Pentecost in 33 A.D, to “all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call”. (Acts 2:39). Let’s digress here for a moment. Some say that what transpired in the Book of Acts was only for that particular day and for that particular group of believers. It has no relevance for us today.

The digression here is to mention the recent revival at Ashbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky that captivated news media outlets for weeks. A revival in its most simplistic terms is an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon an individual or individuals earnestly seeking all that He has for them. In Ashbury, this outpouring occurred after a large group of assembled people sincerely sought the face of God in heartfelt repentance. 

Many YouTube videos were documenting this event. A person commented on one of those videos that what was taking place in Ashbury was similar to the original outpouring of God’s spirit on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in the Book of Acts. A reply was made to that comment stating that the Book of Acts was nothing more than a historical book, a book of record of the early church and the spiritual happenings in Ashbury was basically emotionalism without a Biblical foundation.

Well, if that is true, then that is true. But as the saying goes: “Someone with an experience is never at the mercy of someone with only an opinion”.

It’s too late to refute the truth. I experienced my own personal Pentecost as a teenager in my last year of high school, backslid for 12 years, and God in His great mercy refilled me with the Holy Ghost at thirty years of age. I personally know many others who have been filled with the Spirit. And not to mention the volumes written about the spirit outpourings at the turn of the 20th century in Topeka, KS (1901), Galena, KS (1903), the Azuza Street revival in Los Angeles, CA (1906), the Philippines, Ethiopia, Russia, China and all over the world. God is still pouring out his spirit on the hungry and on those who sincerely seek after him! 

It’s not all snake oil, hocus pocus, works of satan, or some New Age concocted phenomenon. There is a genuine movement of God’s spirit on earth. Yes, the devil will always attempt to pollute, discredit and contaminate every work of God. But God always puts his truth through the fires of testing. The truth is revealed by fire – God’s fire and not false fire. And the fire came in 33 A. D. and the fire continues to fall today: 

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:2-4 

This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that his spirit would be “in” them and “with” them. Which is the infilling of the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost in the heart and spirit of a believer. In the following verse. Jesus states the essential condition that goes beyond just believing in him:

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John 7:38-39  

What is the condition? The condition is to believe on Jesus according to his word. When one believes on Jesus in complete obedience to the word of God, the Spiritual birth (“rivers of living water“) is available for that believer.

Evidence of Being Born Of The Spirit

We cannot leave this discussion without first touching on this one last subject. Going back to the previous post “Accepting The Lord Jesus Christ As Savior Is Overrated” the main touchpoint was the premise that one “received the spirit” instantaneously upon believing in Jesus. The spirit was imparted during this mental exchange or assent of faith. Well, in fact, the Bible succinctly tells us that there is more to it. Can this assertion be backed up by scripture? It most certainly can.

The Apostle Paul happened upon “believers” in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. He inquired if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed. Let’s stop here. Did God have more for these believers? Indeed, he did for the Apostle asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit “since they believed”. How did both the believers and Paul know that they did in fact receive it? It’s recorded right here:   

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:6 

They knew because they spoke in tongues. Here is another instance in the Bible of people receiving the Spirit of God. In this scene, Peter sees a vision of a sheet descending from heaven holding unclean birds and beasts and is instructed to go to Caesarea with a group of men coming to his house and visit a Gentile man named Cornelius. While Peter was speaking and witnessing about Jesus, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household. How did Peter and his companions from Joppa know that these Gentile believers received the Holy Spirit? The Bible tells us how:

For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Acts 10:46 

Speaking in tongues is the sign God gives someone to assure them that they receive the genuine Spirit of God. Why tongues? Why not turn four shades of pink? Why not have your ears do one-eighties? Please pardon me. God chose the tongue because it is the most uncontrollable and unruly member of the body. James tells us so. (Jas 3:5-8) What is the big deal about that?

The big deal is it shows that GOD IS IN CONTROL AND NOT US! No man can give someone the baptism of the Spirit, it is a supernatural impartation and manifestation from God himself. Receiving the Holy Ghost is a tangible experience. In His mercy, the Lord designed it this way so you can definitely and tangibly be assured you have received it from God and God alone. It is his seal over you for eternal safekeeping. (Eph 1:13-14; Heb 5:9)

The Difference Between Words & Words That Are On Fire

One last thing. if nothing resonated with you here, know this and at least depart with this last takeaway. There is an enemy out to destroy you, your children, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your world. His name is satan (the ‘s’ intentionally in lowercase) or the devil. This enemy cannot be defeated by feeble works of the flesh. Let it be known that there is one thing the devil cannot handle. Do you know what that is? Fire.

The devil cannot handle God’s fire because he fears it. He fears it because that is where he is headed, to a lake of fire prepared by God. (Rev 20:10). This warfare can only be won by the inworking and outworking of God’s Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, and by the Word of God, the Word that is on fire! 

Being born again infuses true believers with fire, Holy Ghost fire. And the enemy fears you from having it because it will defeat him, it will strip him, it will shame him, it will shackle him, and it will bring his works of destruction to naught. It’s been said that “if the devil is not rocking your world, could it be you are rocked to sleep?” And God’s fire rocks the devil’s world. 

The devil would never die for you. Given the chance, satan would never allow himself to be nailed to a cross, bleed, be shamed, endure agony and humiliation to save you from a death of sin. Why not? Because he is too full of himself (Isa 14:13-14). 

But Jesus did. Jesus gave everything and is ready today to make you new again through the new birth. Got born again?  

May God Bless You & Keep You In Jesus’ Name!

Happy Easter 2023

 

 

Accepting The Lord Jesus Christ As Savior Is Overrated

April 3, 2023

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 

Hopefully, the title of this post got your attention. This is its purpose, to bring you here to discuss a subject that needs our attention. My prayer is you will not be offended or “turned off” by it and that you will hear out what is communicated and draw your own conclusions. The focus of this post is centered around the following ‘Christian’ belief or concept making its way amongst “Christian circles”. The following two sentences summarize the object of this discussion:

“When an individual accepts Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live within him spiritually”. And …” When you accept Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart“.

The assumption here is that when “one accepts” Jesus Christ as personal Savior, they are at that point, endued or infused with his Spirit, which the Bible defines as the Holy Ghost. Does the Word of God actually support this belief? If it does then it does. But, if the Word of God does not, then I need to find out what it actually says about salvation and having the Holy Spirit actively guide my life.

Our soul is made in God’s image. And God is eternal, and therefore, our soul is destined for eternity …………. somewhere. Do you not think it a worthy undertaking to search out what the Word has to say about salvation and find ourselves before the Judgment Seat on God’s right hand? I hope you believe it is.

Who Is The One That Should Be Accepted Here Anyway?

According to the logic of the opening statement, that I need to accept Jesus to “be saved”, I need to step back a moment here and think about this. Does God need to be acceptable to me as a precondition to believe in him, trust in him and allow him to be my Savior? Okay, if He does then He does. But first, let’s consider who God actually is. Here is one small snippet of how powerful and magnificent this Creator really is.

God’s created the cosmos. There are an estimated 200 billion trillion stars in this space we know as the universe. Do you know how many people have ever lived on planet earth? A simple Google search tells us that a total of 117 billion people have ever lived on this planet. Now compare that to the number of stars (200 billion trillion) in the cosmos. Not even close. And God knows each star by name. He named each one individually (Psa 147:4).

If you pinpoint a speck of light in the massive sea of stars in a spectrograph of the Hubble space telescope and ask God to name the star you just identified amongst the 200 sextillion stars surrounding it, how fast do you think He can answer you? One second, 5 milliseconds, 8 nanoseconds? No, he already knows the name of that star before you asked the question because he knew your question before you spoke it. Instantaneously!

In fact, in his foreknowledge, He knew you would ask that question before you were born and where you would be when you asked it. So he had some time to do His homework, right? The intent is not to be arrogant here. The point being made is we really, really, REALLY underestimate who this God is we are talking about.

Now, that being said, does God need to be accepted by me? It would seem the opposite is the case.

Could it be that I need to be acceptable to God? How? By coming to Him in repentance, humbling myself before him in prayer, laying prostrate before His magnificence with jaw-dropping awe, in godly fear, and desperately seeking Him in my brokenness. That’s how I need to approach God, the God who is a consuming fire and the One who holds the earth in the palm of His hand:

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psa 34:18

What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. Psa 25:12

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,  And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Neh 1:4-5

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; Dan 9:3-4

Now, this is acceptable with and to God and results in Him ACCEPTING ME!

And does God really have to prove anything? God does not have to prove anything to anyone! He is God. He is everything. He inhabits eternity (Isa 57:15). He is beyond our feeble and frail imaginations! So you might say – “You are wrong. God does ask us to prove Him”. That is not in the Bible. You might be referencing this one verse:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Mal 3:10

The underlined words “prove me now” of this verse are actually two Hebrew words בָּחַן and נָא

בָּחַן means to test, investigate examine, prove, or tempt, and נָא means or is translated as “now”, “I pray thee”, “I pray you”, and “Oh”. The word “me” (as a reference to the name of the Lord or God) is not in the verse. In essence, God is not directly asking to be tested or proven. He is setting forth the conditional promise of His blessings for those who give sacrificially from the heart and encouraging the people to receive those blessings through obedience to His Word.

In fact, the scriptures show us that the time’s God is put on trial and tested (tempted), He considers it an affront to His character:

Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. Deu 6:16

And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Mal 3:15

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Psa 95:9-10

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Mat 4:7

If The Devil Believes, Where Does That Leave Me?

Let’s move on to another topic, the one of believing. If I believe in Jesus, if I believe his word and am truly convinced that Jesus is the only one that can save us, is this all that I need? If it is, then there are some problems with this thinking. Here is the first one:

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. Jas 2:19

The devil believes. The devil and his cohorts are true believers in God and in the power of His might:

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.  (29)  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Mat 8:28-29

There are many instances in the Bible where people “believed” in Jesus, but that belief did not take them where they really needed to be in God. Let’s look at one example, His name is Simon the sorcerer:

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: Act 8:9
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Act 8:13
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. Act 8:20-24

Simon believed in Jesus and in the power of God’s Spirit. But was it enough for him? The answer is evident it was not.

And the thought is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and ,,,,,,,,,, you are IN! In what? What needs to be “in” is having Jesus in us, his indwelling Spirit empowering us to see God’s will fulfilled on earth. It is bewildering to think we can deal with our flesh, the world, and with an enemy out to destroy everything concerning our lives by only “believing” in Jesus.

Beyond Believing – The Promise Of The Father

The final area to look at regarding believing is in the lives of the core group of believers Jesus called to be the building blocks of his church after he ascended to Heaven. If believing is all that is necessary to “be saved”, then what was the need for the other twenty-two books of the New Testament (The Book of Acts thru Jude)? If believing in Jesus for salvation is fully established in the writings of Jesus in the Gospels, then why did the other writers extensively teach, admonish, exhort, and reprove in the letters written to the church (epistles) and the Book of Acts? If simply believing in Jesus was all the disciples needed and is all it takes to be saved, then why all the seemingly superfluous writings?

The answer is – Jesus had more for the disciples to receive beyond just believing in him. And if he did for the twelve disciples, then he has more for us also. Which turns our attention to the two Gospel accounts of Luke and John and The Book of Acts – or ‘actions’ of the church. Jesus had the following discussions with his disciples before his ascension.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Luk 24:45-49

Whatever Jesus had for his disciples (and also for us), it was waiting for them somewhere in the future in the city of Jerusalem. In another discussion, Jesus tells his disciples that his Spirit, the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost, shall be in them and will come to them after he left them behind on earth:

If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Joh 14:15-18

Jesus gave this last promise to not only his followers but also to the entire world just before his ascension:

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Act 1:4-5

The promise is the baptism of the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. So it is evident that Jesus has more for the believer than just believing. Jesus has the promise or the gift of his indwelling Spirit that is “in” the believer, and not something imparted to that believer upon their mental ascent of his lordship.

The follow-up to this post will be entitled “Got Born Again?” where we will look into the subject of being “born again”, define what that term means, and how one can tangibly know that their salvation is real, sent from God and sealed for eternity. What a great topic to discuss this next week before Easter. Stay tuned.

Blessings At The Bottom Of The Barrel

March 2, 2023

And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 1 Kings 17:12

No doubt you are familiar with the idiom – the bottom of the barrel. You know that place where life’s circumstances and conditions cannot get much worse. A place known for its darkness, emptiness, futility, despair, and the list goes on.

One dictionary describes it this way: “The location of persons or things of the very lowest quality, the least desirable, the dregs”.  -The Free Dictionary

Here are some words that might describe what it feels like when placed in life’s proverbial barrel bottom:

Stuck
Hopelessness
Suffocating
Frustrated
Irritated
Depressed
Anxious

Can you relate? Have you been there? Are you there now? It is interesting to note that the Lord oftentimes places us in impossible situations, at the “bottom of the barrel” if you will, to learn something about Him, and to also learn something about ourselves.

As the saying goes, it’s not over until God says over. And the saying holds true today. When life’s situations and circumstances speak the impossible, it’s time to allow God to step onto the scene and see what only He can do. And God is the God of the impossible.

We’ll look into the lives of two people recorded in the Bible as perfect examples of being pushed to life’s bottom. Let’s see what they experienced and how their ultimate survival can teach us a life lesson. One was a widow woman and the other was a king.

From Emptiness To Blessedness 

Her name is never mentioned. She was just a poor widow woman with a son who lived in a town named Zarephath. That’s all we know about her. Yet, God decided to use her life to tell the rest of the world that His miracles are real and they are ordained only through His command. As the story unfolds, Elijah is instructed by God to visit this woman because God had a mission for the prophet to accomplish:

Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 1 Kings 17:9

Notice what the verse says. It says that this mission to provide food for the servant of God, from a poor woman, was “commanded” by God himself. This is where the paradox of the whole situation comes in. God is instructing a man who has nothing to go to someone who has nothing left to give. That’s not the way it works, right? It’s all about the law of supply and demand. You give from your surplus to receive someone else’s excess. But this is not the way God works. God works in the supernatural. God can take nothing and make it everything. This is exactly what he did for a poor woman who was down to her last scraps of food:

And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 1 Kings 17:12

This widow woman was living at the bottom, at the very end of her existence. There was no 401k plan to bank on, no pension check coming in the mail and no secret cache of cash under the bed mattress. Nothing. But she gave anyway. Despite the risk involved, the widow woman obeyed the man of God and gave everything she had. Her faith was activated. Her faith propelled her to trust God. And God saw it, God honored it, and God blessed it:

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:14-16

And it’s not always about giving monetarily. The giving of one’s time. compassion, love, care, concern, and forgiveness also apply here. When these things are given from a seemingly empty well, God can only respond with His favor and blessings:

And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Isaiah 58:10-11

Scattered, Scarred and Recharged 

David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 1 Samuel 22:1-2

Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 1 Samuel 23:13

You know the story. The young boy with a penchant for strumming a stringed instrument, singing to the God he loved while on the job tending his father’s sheep. The true rags to riches story. But it was not always rainbows, guitars, and Cadillacs for the young man. He faced his enemies, a lot of enemies. Even after being anointed the next King of Israel, he paced the earth awaiting his calling’s arrival.

The king in power did not acquiesce without a fight (nor does the god of this world). There were many days scorched by the heat of uncertainty, protected only by afternoon clouds laced with doubt. And the expansive, stary night sky only mocked him as he pondered the absence of God, the God he knew who created all things. But he kept on. The lessons he learned years ago burned something in his spirit that the God he loved would not fail him. He read about it, he sang about it, and he wrote about it:

A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Psalms 103:1-4

So, he kept running for his life, life at the bottom. Until God showed up. And he did. His Lord did not fail him and restored everything he seemed to have lost:

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 2 Samuel 5:4

God Will Meet You At The Bottom

And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

There is something noteworthy about the above scripture that can slip by undetected. It’s Jesus’ remarkable ability of discernment, that out of a crowd of several thousand, he knew exactly how far, how much sacrifice some of them had made to “tough it out” with him in this wilderness situation. Apparently, some had sacrificed more than others. Some had endured more hardship to travel and hear the Master speak than the fellow across the field did. Was this a test? No doubt it was. He was testing the determination of this crowd to see who would leave the creature comforts of home aside to be near this talked about miracle worker named Jesus Christ.

And Jesus knows how far you’ve traveled. He sees your sacrifice. He knows how far you may have fallen into the dregs of life and how far down you may have descended. With Jesus, it’s never too far because he is waiting for you where you are, at the bottom of your barrel.

Just when you think you’ve hit the bottom where there is no hope, God shows up and changes the whole situation. Just like he did in this situation with a hungry crowd of people far from home with nothing to eat. And just like he did for a poor widow woman and for a homeless king wandering in a wilderness. Nothing is ever the same after God touches it. Ever.

What is the common thread in each of these two examples? Three things – attitude, attitude, attitude. It’s all about our attitude when sitting at the bottom. Because altitude is determined by attitude.

We cannot ignore three aspects of going to the bottom of anything – you did not voluntarily go there, you did not want to stay there, and certainly, you did not want to return there. That is until you discover the miracle reserved only for those who go to the bottom and patiently wait for God to show up.

Here are some takeaways from observing two lives traveling along their path of faith:

God knows exactly how far down you’ve gone.
God is there at the bottom.
God is not too aloof or distant to not travel to the end with you and for you.
God will take your emptiness and turn it into His blessedness.
God will teach you lessons at the bottom that will later take you to the top.

It is not over until God says it’s over. Even at the bottom of the barrel.

In the barrel or out of the barrel – Be Blessed in Jesus’ Name. Amen

By Invitation Only

February 17, 2023

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44

By Invitation Only – you have seen the phrase before, and no doubt have been on both sides of the equation. You have either been honored to be the recipient of an invitation to attend a special event or on the other hand, been overlooked or ended up on the shortlist just as easily. I have experienced both scenarios – elation in one case and feelings of rejection and forlornness in the other. Did you know that entrance into God’s Kingdom is also ‘By Invitation Only’?

Yes, the call is to all, however, not all of God’s invitations are created equal. We will look into five invitation types – the forged, the lost, the ignored, the neglected, and the arrived. Let’s dive into this.

Every Good & Perfect Gift Comes From God

Let’s lay some foundation before moving along. And that is this: every good and perfect gift comes from only one source – God:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

What are some good and perfect gifts? Here are some, you may have others to add:

The desire to love God
The capacity to reverence and fear God
The desire to pray
The desire to worship, praise & offer thanksgiving to the Lord
The desire to repent and keep a repentant heart
The desire to be faithful to the house of God
Faithful in giving
Faithful in reading & studying God’s Word
Showing compassion to others (the poor, widows, orphans, disadvantaged, abused, weak, and the sick)
The desire to be a servant
The desire to seek God’s will
The desire to see fellow brothers & sisters prosper, mature, and advance in the body of Christ
The desire to see me as the lesser, and others as the bigger

And the list goes on. The point is all of these gifts come from God. We can’t “take credit” for any of them. The very desire to “will” the work of God originates from the Lord. There is scripture to prove the statement:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

From here we can understand that it is God who is the source of all things good and perfect. The only good in us comes from God. We are not good within ourselves. It is said that we cannot even get good enough for God to accept us. It is a futile endeavor to think we can. The real conflict is not God accepting us, it is us accepting God! Okay. let’s really go over the edge here. There is a popular song in the Christian worship space with the following tag line:

“I am who you say I am. You are for me, Not against me”.

Okay, that is great. But is not the following line even greater?

“You are who you say you are. And that’s all I need to know!”

Revelation has more staying power than affirmation. Let’s move along.

You may ask: What do you mean by all this? Let’s look at someone in the Bible who thought he could position himself to where God had to accept him, accept him for his own goodness. And this is the first invitation type and it belonged to a man named Cain,

The Forged Invitation

And in process of time, it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. Genesis 4:3

Most know the tragic story of Cain and his brother Abel. God established his standards for what constituted an acceptable offering – a living sacrifice. Abel offered “the firstlings of his flock” as his sacrifice (acceptable) while his brother Cain offered “the fruit of the ground” (unacceptable). And Cain became offended when the Lord let him know his offering was unacceptable. The result? The rejection enraged him to the point of taking the life of his brother.

What was Cain’s problem? His problem was he attempted to forge his own invitation to Heaven. He sought to make it to Heaven on his own merits, his own goodness, and on his own terms. God was not fooled.

This was not God’s only encounter with forgers. Jesus experienced them during his earthly ministry. The rich, young ruler was one and Jesus’ run-ins with the Pharisees and Sadducees comprised the list of the other forgers. These people thought they knew the way to eternal life better than God did.

Before plowing into the next type, it is worth mentioning that the next four are all derived from Jesus’ parable about the seed. This parable is essentially a window into how the Word of God, the “Invitation” if you will, is received and ultimately handled by its intended recipient.

The Lost Invitation

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. Luke 8:5 

Here the invitation did not even make it to the intended recipient. The word was disconnected from its target, was lost in transit, and never delivered. How can this happen? First, it was not communicated. The Apostle Paul addressed this phenomenon in The Book of II Corinthians:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 2 Corinthians 4:3

The Word, God’s truth was not delivered. In the next verse we can also see that even if a delivery attempt was made, there is an enemy who can make it appear invisible. The capacity to see and understand the invitation to eternal life is compromised to the extent that it’s as if it was never delivered.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2 Corinthians 4:4

When they went to look for mail in their proverbial mailbox, God’s love letters sent personally to them, their unbelief caused them to see nothing but dark, empty space.

The Ignored Invitation

And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. Luke 8:6

Here we see the invitation is making some progress in its delivery route. It was actually received and read, as it “sprung up”. The word’s effect upon the heart began its work. However, that work was cut short. Why? Because it was not taken seriously. The reader’s indifference to the meaning and importance of the invitation’s message caused it to be ignored.

Like when you receive mail and stack it in a pile to be read at a later time because it lacks the distinction of bearing something important. It could be the name of the deliverer, the appearance of the envelope or packaging, the stamp is watermarked and is not one personally licked and applied, or it is not certified mail that required a signature. Or the mail was opened, however, its contents were deemed unimportant, of no value, irrelevant or immaterial. So, its contents were not taken seriously. For these, the gospel was just not attractive and did not grip the heart.

The Neglected Invitation

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. Luke 8:7

Again, the message gains more traction here. The invitation was delivered, it was read and even taken seriously at first. The date and time of the event was penciled in on the calendar. It was determined that this event would not be missed. The RSVP line was filled in and the invitation was placed on a desk to be sent back. However, between the ’emotion’ surrounding the excitement and anticipation of the future event and the grating of time, something tragically happened. The thrill wore off, the joy dissipated, and the invitation’s aura paled.

Why? Things got in the way. In fact, another event happened to coincide with the date and time listed on the invitation, and it was decided this other affair would instead be attended. The Apostle John tells us exactly what happened here:

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Revelation 2:4

Left thy first love. This will snuff out good intentions every time, especially with things concerning eternal life and the kingdom of God.

The Arrived Invitation

And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. Luke 8:8

Lastly, here the path of the invitation has run its course. It was read, and understood, its impact clearly appreciated, and the event contained in its contents was ultimately attended by its recipient. The gospel for these folks absolutely swept the reader “off their feet”. They simply fell in love with Jesus and remained obedient to God’s word! Such will it take to make it into the gates of Heaven.

It has been said that Heaven’s invitations are not what is most important. The most important element in arriving at eternal life is showing up with the boarding pass. And Jesus stands at its gate to collect our invitation:

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13:24

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9 

In Conclusion

We have discussed the circuitous and meandering path God’s call and His invitation to eternal life can take. Not all of the invitations God sends out are received and respected. Many are offered an invitation, but as we’ve seen. not as many are faithful enough to show up at the boarding gate with the pass in hand. May we not become weary in well doing but persevere through these trying times to hear those comforting words of the Master – enter thou into the joy of thy lord. welcome in thy good and faithful servant!

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. John 6:65

The Other Goliaths

December 25, 2022

And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; Matthew 1:6

It might be an understatement to say King David’s “claim to fame” was his dramatic, almost theatrical slaying of Goliath, the giant from Gath. Most Bible readers associate young David with this amazing feat as his “coming out” moment. This one central feat that would define him for the remainder of his life – the impossible odds of an ill-equipped, strapping youth who, depending totally on his Lord, confronts and beheads the infamous and revered Philistine warrior on the battlefield.

But in retrospect, is the perception truly accurate that the biggest giant King David ever faced was Goliath? Were there other Goliaths he faced in life, and if so, were they greater in magnitude, demanded a deeper well of inner strength to overcome, and perhaps defined his life more deeply? 

Unbeknownst to him, David would face many formidable situations on the horizon of his life. We will look at four other giants he had to confront and defeat in his life – Treachery & Conspiracy, Tragic Personal Loss, Pride & Arrogance, and Guilt & Shame. 

The Goliath of Treachery & Conspiracy

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Psalms 41:9

There are perhaps no deeper, more penetrating, and more hurtful wounds than those coming from trusted confidants or from those you trust and have direct access into the inner, sacred sanctums of your heart – loved ones, family, trusted friends, and authority figures, tops the list. This giant was no stranger to David and the first one he confronted before the famous giant of Gath. It first surfaced amongst those most familiar to him, his own family.

We get a glimpse that David was not well-liked and even disparaged by at least his oldest brother. Eliab. David’s oldest brother should have been his best friend and champion, instead, he felt threatened by the next King of Israel being his youngest brother (I Sam 17:28). Apparently, his behavior toward him was not surprising (I Sam 17:29). King Saul was the next source of attack against the future young king:

And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. 1 Samuel 18:11 

And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain. 1 Samuel 18:21  

And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 1 Samuel 19:1 

Here is the next leader of Israel running for his life from a mad, dethroned king. Though it all David “acted wisely” and retain his integrity and dignity while being unjustly attacked and running like a fugitive. 

The Goliath of Great Personal Loss

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! 2 Samuel 18:33

It is said that nothing in life is more debilitating to a person’s mind, body, soul, and spirit than the loss or serious illness of a loved one.  The saying is: “It should not happen this way. It should be the other way around!”. The weight of great personal loss has far and lasting effects. This leads us to the next giant King David faced, the Goliath of loss and heartbreak over the death of two of his children, his first son, and his son, Absalom. 

His birth was not timely, he was never given a name, and he never lived to assume the throne of Israel he was destined to inherit as the king’s first-born son. Nevertheless, his father loved him and grieved over his premature death: 

David, therefore, besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 2 Samuel 12:16-17

The loss of a child is a heavy weight to bear. Even for kings of the earth. But this was not the last of his experience with the heartbreak of losing a child. Absalom was a beautiful child from birth. His visage had the look of royalty, and his hair was something to behold. He had it all, good looks, prestige, opportunity, intelligence, charisma, and the skillful wit to influence the masses towards his political leanings (2Sam 15:6). In the end though, it all worked against him because rebellion entered his heart. And it cost Absalom his life. 

Nevertheless, this did not stop his father from loving him. His death was still a crushing blow. 

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. 2 Samuel 18:5 

No matter what dishonorable things a child may do, no matter how they may fail to live up to their potential, at the end of the day they are still our child. The king felt the same way. Though Absalom did many despicable things in his life, they did not turn his father’s love away from him. Absalom’s death was a crushing giant King David had to face. 

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! 2 Samuel 19:4

The Goliath of Pride & Arrogance

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man. 1 Chronicles 21:13 

It was a mistake King David knew he should have never made when he commanded – “Joab, go and number all the soldiers in the army of Israel. Just would like to know how big and powerful our military strength and capabilities are. You know, it’s just an ego thing”. Numbers. Numbers in spiritual matters are oftentimes nothing but ego. Before you click out of this blog, wait and see what God has to say about it. And the best place to start is The Book of Acts and how numbers were emphasized. The thing is, they weren’t. Here are examples:

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Acts 1:15 

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41 

Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. Acts 4:4  

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.  And all the men were about twelve. Acts 19:6-7

When Luke recorded the actual numbers of people added to the church (water and spirit birth – which is how God adds to His church), he was not specific. Maybe God is saying something here. Sure, numbers indicate growth, and everyone wants to see God’s church grow. But only the Lord knows the heart and knows who really has set their heart to the things of God and keeps it there. Keeping count of souls is God’s business and it can become a sin. It did for King David. 

Did he feel that familiar, unsettling tinge of remorse in the gut like he felt the day he summoned his beautiful neighbor over to his palace for some “private” time together? The Lord only knows. One thing is for sure, this blunder would take more than just the lives of two people (Uriah and a newborn) as visited by the next giant. At the end of the mayhem of God’s wrath, the King’s pride and arrogance were responsible for the death of 70,000 men. That is a heavy weight to bear. It is said that pride is the original sin and is the root of all evil that spawns more and more iniquity. The giant of pride and arrogance is a giant most of us must confront in life. 

Now we save the best (or depending on how you look at it), the worst giant for last. And that is the giant of guilt and shame.  

The Goliath of Guilt & Shame

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. 2 Samuel 12:7

Thou art the man – POW. Four words that none of us would want to hear, especially from the God of Creation through the mouthpiece of his prophet. Those words still sting, even though directed at someone else. Upon hearing them, David had about 200 milliseconds to process what Nathan was communicating and provide the right response. And the response he would give set the stage for his future and this giant’s ultimate defeat. 

Most Bible readers are familiar with the sins Nathan exposed here in David’s life. The sins of murder, adultery, the blasphemy of God’s name, and the military code breach of a superior deliberately setting up a subordinate in a compromising situation. In essence, King David failed politically, militarily, personally, socially and spiritually. In essence, he failed in every aspect of life one can possibly fail in. A total failure you might say.

But before we drop the curtain of shame and guilt over King David’s life and write him off as a non-entity and someone God could never use again, let’s wait and see how the story ends before making that judgment. We need to look and see what God had to say about the situation. Why? Because only God knows the history. And only God truly knows your history. Does this matter? Oh, yes, it matters immensely. And it mattered to King David. So, let’s take a look at his history and the context surrounding 2 Samuel 12:7. 

The sins Nathan revealed in King David’s life are recorded in 2 Samuel chapter 11.  These events occurred near the very end of his life during a time of personal weakness. God is a God of patterns and looks at things from a big perspective. And one interesting aspect of God’s judgment is that he compares it to a balance – an interplay between two opposing weights. And the Lord’s weights of justice and judgment are perfectly balanced. He hates balances that are skewed and unjust (Pro 11:1, 16:11, 20:23). 

What does this mean? It means when God is forced to pronounce judgment in a situation, He takes everything into consideration before making an ultimate decision. It is simply what a just judge does and is the basis of our judicial system. The dynamics of mercy and judgment are the key aspects of God’s order of justice and judgment. With this in mind let’s visit the “weight” already resting on the right-hand side of King David’s life scale with some real-life Biblical examples:

Mercy & Compassion – He shows great mercy towards Abigail’s plea to withhold judgment because of the merciless and callousness acts of her husband, Nabal (I Sam 25:32-35)
Loyalty & Faithfulness – his honor of the king he was hand-picked by the Lord to replace, King Saul, is on display when he refused to touch “the Lord’s anointed” (I Sam 24:6-10). And he upholds his vow to preserve the lineage of Johathan (King Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth)
Generosity & Graciousness – His graciousness and generosity towards Mephibosheth is like nothing else recorded in the Bible until Jesus arrives on the scene over 1,500 years later (II Sam 6:9-11)
Forgiveness & A Father’s Unrelenting Love – his forgiveness towards his rebellious son Absalom hit a high-water mark of despair and anguish paralleling the emotional intensity of Rizpah (2Sam 21:10), Naomi (Rth 1:20-21), Rachel of Rama (Mat 2:18), and of course, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world (Luk 23:34).
Committed to Prayer, Worship & Thanksgiving – cannot forget this one. King David was a man of prayer and worship. So much is recorded in the Bible of this man’s predisposition to praise the Lord, worship God whenever and wherever he was and devoted himself to pouring out his heart to God in prayer. King David is the only one recorded in the Bible who is known as “a man after God’s own heart”. He also had a thankful heart and understood where he came from and where God’s blessings had taken him.
Fear of God – King David had a genuine reverence and fear of God. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psa 111:10) and he mentions it many times in his writings (Psa 19:9, 25:14, 33:8, 34:11, 96:9 & 135:20). 
Lover of the Law (Word of God) – King David’s love for the word of God is unquestionable. Psalm 19 is devoted entirely to the majesty of God’s word. And Psalm 119 (the longest Psalm) references the word of God in every one of its 176 verses.  
 
Are these not all attributes shared by the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, the God-man himself? Indeed, they are. This is not to say someone racks up points to manipulate God into making a decision we’ve slyly attempted to fabricate. But our past behavior and actions do set a precedent, a pattern of established behavior on Him to base decisions. Someone once asked a question about the expected behavior concerning an individual. The reply given was: “What established behavior did they exhibit in the past? That will tell you what they will typically do in the future”. God sees the motivation of one’s heart as a major factor in what we will expect to receive in life. The entire “Sermon on the Mount” by Jesus as recorded in Matthew chapter 5 is entirely about the heart’s condition and motivation.  

One writer, George Buttrick, penned a remarkable statement in his book The Parables of Jesus (written in 1928) regarding the importance of motivation behind our actions. In his words:

“Everlastingly the motive of a man’s (person’s) life proclaims his worth”. End of quote. 

King David paid a dear price for his sins. His infant son with Bathsheba died. His son Amnon committed a hideous act against his beautiful virgin sister, Tamar. His other son, Absalom, takes the life of Amnon for this deed. And Absalom is killed not long after this for his rebellious acts against his father.

Psalm 51 is the Psalm of repentance following God’s rebuke through the prophet Nathan. In this prayer of repentance, what is the first thing mentioned?

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

Mercy. The key to his conquering the giants of his life rests squarely on this – King David had a deep revelation (understanding) of the mercy of God and he believed God was who He said He was. He knew the heart of God is touched and moved by two things; the fear of God and those that hope in his mercy. Let his own words tell us:

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. Psalms 103:8 

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Psalms 103:11

But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; Psalms 103:17 

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Psalms 89:14

His son, Solomon, would also carry on the cornerstone elements of mercy and truth:

Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. Proverbs 20:28

This all brings us to the conclusion of the matter. King David has shown us we are not hopeless when the giants of life come across our path in life. And those giants can be conquered by two slayers the Lord has equipped us with. 

The Giant Slayers – Mercy & Truth

We’ve all sung the songs and know about the “power of the blood”. But do we know why? The study of the life of King David brings to light two foundational bedrocks that brought the King through life’s tragedies and traumas – God’s mercy and God’s truth (His Word). Without the sinless blood of the Lamb of God, there is no mercy. Mercy cannot exist without blood, the powerful sin-cleansing blood of Calvary. Secondly, God’s word must be believed and not allow doubt to creep in and cloud out the promises given to us in God’s word. 

The modern-age church primarily avoids and skirts around the subject of the blood of Jesus Christ. Why is that? One reason is the devil, yes Satan, knows the power that is in the blood of Jesus. If he can construct a mental barrier and shut down and impede access to the blood, he has effectively rendered null and void the most powerful two aspects of God’s salvation for mankind – His forgiveness of sins through the agency of His mercy.
 
Did you know that the word “mercy” is referenced in the KJV of the Old Testament 217 times in 208 verses? And do you know which book of the Bible references mercy almost five times more than any other book? Yes, the Book of Psalms references “mercy” 100 times in 99 verses containing almost half of the total occurrences of the word in the Bible. King David had a deep understanding of God’s mercy. 
 
Forgiveness is only possible through God’s mercy. And God’s mercy cannot exist without God’s blood. Why? Because it is the blood that washes us from sin, the forgiveness and remission of sin through the blood of Jesus:

 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1:5 

This is how serious God is about sin and how serious He is about his blood.
 
Giants – Stepping Stones to Greater Things

In summary, we’ve looked at the life of King David. Can we agree that the most formidable and challenging giant David ever faced was not the encounter with the Philistine from Gath? In retrospect, could it be that the real giants in life are not the ones staring you in the face in the noonday sun? But could the real giants we must face and confront be the ones that surface unexpectedly, out of nowhere, and come from events and experiences that we least suspect? Life’s biggest giants are not always physical. The biggest giants we will ever face could be spiritual ones. Those that are hidden and slip by us unaware and silently weave their way into our minds and hearts. Those are the real giants because an enemy that remains invisible is not easily defeated.

Despite the chaotic aftermath of Nathan’s pronouncement against King David, he was able to recover and move ahead in life while retaining his trust, confidence, and love for the God who so vividly expressed His displeasure over his sins. How was he able to do this? By coming to the complete understanding (revelation) and total knowledge that HE WAS FORGIVEN! He knew beyond all doubt that God is a God of mercy, He is who He said He is, and His mercy is effective when it’s believed and acted upon.

What may appear as a “Goliath situation” today could simply be steppingstones for overcoming bigger, more intense, and more formidable giants further down the road of life. Like King David, your best day is yet to come and the faith you nurture on the inside is waiting to be revealed by the God who delights in making your enemies fall dumbstruck at the feet of a people who call God their Lord and Savior and who “hope” in His mercy.

Be Blessed & Merry Christmas 2022!

It is “Merry” because Jesus was born to forgive us and deliver us from our sins. He will if we allow him and believe in him. Amen

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: Proverbs 3:3

And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. Isaiah 16:5 

So Come Lord Jesus

November 18, 2022

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20

So Come Lord Jesus

Have you ever experienced a situation or situations in life where you just wished Jesus would step on the scene? Or, after confronting a major trial or test your hope was for the Lord to simply call you home? If you have not, you have possibly known someone who has. Being exiled on the Isle of Patmos, no doubt the Apostle John was living there at the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation. It is in these situations where the heart can boldly cry out “So come Lord Jesus!“.

These four words are the last few words recorded in the Bible’s final book, And the very last four words written right before the book’s ending “grace benediction”. This should tell us something. And it does. What exactly is the Apostle John telling us here? Basically, the phrase is a plea: “Jesus, we desire your presence, are eager for your return, and hope you will not delay. We can hardly wait any longer and will not be disappointed if you come right now!”.

To be confident enough to say that means one thing – you are ready for the Lord’s second return to earth, which is a core theme communicated in The Book of Revelation. Jesus stresses six times in Revelation the urgency of being ready for his Second Coming with his phrase “I come quickly” (Rev 2:5,16, 3:11, 22:7, 12 & 20). Jesus alludes to the critical importance of readiness in these three words. In short, because of the almost mysterious nature of Jesus’ Second Coming, he is implying to “Be Ready“.  Be ready all the time and be ready at all times.

There is an underlying theme to this concept of readiness that we can sometimes miss. It is the element of timing. Specifically, our reaction to the timing of Jesus’ return to earth. And there is no better example to illustrate its significance than in one of Jesus’ well-known parables, The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

Timing Come Down to Two Things

Before jumping into the heart of the matter it may be worth mentioning or refreshing our understanding of the definition of the word “parable”. Here is one of the best descriptions of what a parable is: “A parable is an earth-based story that describes or illuminates a heavenly truth”.  With that under our belt let’s jump into this.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is recorded in Matthew chapter 25. Here is a situation where ten virgins are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. Jesus alludes their anticipation (Mat 25:1) to the arrival of the kingdom of Heaven, or the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth. As the parable unfolds, we are told five of the virgins are equipped with lamp oil (symbolizing the Holy Spirit) with five of the virgins lacking that oil.

Let’s digress here for a moment. There is nothing more deadly in Satan’s arsenal than his attempts to hinder, suppress and impede God’s mission on earth by blocking the flow of the Holy Ghost through the Body of Christ. For it is the Spirit that energizes the Word of God in one’s life to ignite living faith into action. Okay, let’s move on.

The virgins are then unexpectantly jarred in the middle of the night by the shrill – “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (Mat 25:6). The five wise virgins prepare to take their already lit lanterns to go and meet their bridegroom. To their dismay, the foolish virgins find themselves in a quandary as they have no light source to make that journey. And their attempt to harvest oil from their prepared companions fails.

In the end, the foolish virgins arrive too late and are rejected from entering the marriage banquet. And again, we hear the familiar words of Jesus: “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Mat 25:13). What was one key differentiator (other than preparation) that determined the final outcome of the two groups of virgins? The answer is – timing.

For the wise virgins timing meant absolutely nothing. They were ready and prepared at all times. It was inconsequential to those virgins if the bridegroom came at midnight, 4am, 9am, a week later, six months later, or six decades later. The timing simply did not matter to them.

This was not the case for the foolish virgins. Because timing meant everything to them. Their marriage (salvation) hinged on them either being called to the marriage banquet in the middle of the day or by perchance, they happened to have lantern oil on the night the marriage cry was made. Depending on the timing, they would either be saved or find themselves facing God’s judgment (Mat 25:12). In the final scheme of things, timing will either mean nothing or timing will mean everything at the Second Coming of Jesus!

The Right Mind, At All Times 

To continue on this thought of timing, let’s turn our attention to how it not only impacted the lives of Jesus’ parents but also everyone who would read Luke’s account of Jesus’ initiation to the Temple at Jerusalem. There are two people recorded in the New Testament that have always stood out as personifying what it means to be consistently ready and zealously cognizant of the time in which one lives. Furthermore, given the role they would play in the Saviour’s introduction into the Jewish faith system, it was critical that their reaction to God’s timing be perfect. They are Simeon and the prophetess Anna.

We are introduced to Simeon in Luke chapter 2 (vs 25-32). No other account of his life is recorded in the Bible. He was simply a man described as “just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel:” who God had chosen to reveal the Messiah to before he died (Luk 2:26). Another aspect of Simeon’s life is given to us. He was sensitive to God’s Spirit and yielded in obedience to the spirit’s leading:

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Luke 2:27

Is that not all that God really needs to advance his Kingdom, willing and obedient vessels? Apparently, it was all that Simeon needed for the Lord to use him. The Lord chose this common man to prophetically announce Jesus’ Messianic role as the Savior of the world (Luk 2:28-35) as Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple. What a profound mission God called Simeon to fulfill. Since he was queued into God’s spirit it did not matter to him when the Lord prompted him to visit the temple. Simeon was ready.

Another humble and nondescript person used at this same instance in time was Anna the prophetess. We read about Anna in Luke 2:36-38. What was exemplary about her life? She devoted her entire life to temple service, night and day, with prayers and fasting:

And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day Luke 2:37

Now that is living a life of total dedication to God. One could say Anna and Simeon had the right mind, all the time. God’s timing was immaterial to them because they were perpetually tuned into their faith in God’s word and the leading of the Spirit. Notice that they both arrived at the Temple exactly at the right time. That was not coincidental. Nothing happens happenstance in God’s kingdom. And nothing happens without prayer, fasting and sincere devotion to God’s work on earth. It just cannot be done any other way. The Bible gives us real examples through the lives of Simeon and Anna that that is how God operates.

Time Remains to Get Ready

God is faithful, merciful, longsuffering, gracious, loving, and passionate about His church. Jesus’ primary mission on earth was to destroy the works of the devil (death – I Joh 3:8) and to bring salvation to lost humanity. You might ask: “What does all that mean?” It means that until Jesus returns, there is still time to find lamp oil, become a wise steward and be a useful vessel for God to use in these endtimes we are living in. The Lord is forever bidding for people to come to the soon marriage supper of the Lamb (Joel 2:28; Luk 14:23; Rev 22:7).

If you find yourself under the weight of the “spirit of the age” or incapacitated by past abuse, failures, mistakes, shortcomings or sins, bring them to Jesus who is both ready and willing to hear your sincere prayer and give you the strength you need in your day of trouble! (Psa 37:39, 46:1)

Refuse to quit. Your breakthrough is just one prayer away. And with God, His timing is always perfect. Be ready for it!

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Matthew 24:44

The Thief Cometh (Part 2 of 2)

October 17, 2022

We left off discussing what the enemy is after in your life (faith), the importance of faith to you and God, the devil’s mission to steal and derail your faith, and the role hope plays in this walk of faith. We will carry on here and dive into four areas in this concluding piece – hopelessness, God’s mercy, the role God’s blood plays in His mercy, and our reaction when confronted with all three.

Hopelessness – God’s Pathway to Greatness?

From the surface, it appears that any hopeless situation one would encounter in life can offer no truly positive benefit or outcome. Is this a true statement? Let’s look into the lives of three Biblical examples (there are more) and see if it is.

The life of Jephthah is recorded in the Book of Judges (chapters 11 & 12). Jephthah entered his world with some major disadvantages. Jephthah was an illegitimate child, the son birthed between his father Gilead, and a harlot (Jdg 11:1). Because of this, he was rejected by his family and forced to flee home to the city of Tob. It looked like a hopeless situation for the young man. However, there came a time when the Ammonites decided to make war with Israel. (Note: Ammon, father of the Ammonites, was the offspring produced between the union of Lot and his youngest daughter (Benammi – “son of Lot” Gen 19:38), and like Jephthah, a complicated birth experience).

However, there was something burned in Jephthah’s spirit that distinguished him from his peers – according to the Bible, he was “a mighty man of valour” (Jud 11:1). That distinction got the attention of the elders of Gilead who asked Jephthah to become their leader in the defeat of the Ammonites. Jephthah accepted the offer, relocated back to his hometown of Gilead, and proceeded to singlehandedly (remember Samson?) defeat the children of Ammon (Jud 11:33).

What looked like a hopeless situation for Jephthah turned out to be his pathway to greatness. One interesting note is the translation of Tob (the city where Jephthah sought refuge from his shame and rejection) in Hebrew is the word “good” in English. Jephthah may have never understood how anything “good” could become of his life, but God has the ability to turn the tables of adversity around and shine His hope into the hopelessness of any situation.

Now, let’s turn our attention to another man in the Bible who also encountered a literal “hopeless” situation. His name is the Apostle Paul. Paul was on a voyage to Rome when a terrific storm named Euroclydon swept through the Mediterranean Sea and wrought havoc on those on the ship:

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. Acts 27:20

Note the Bible records that “all hope” was “taken away“. That describes a hopeless situation friend. And God allowed it. And He allowed it to happen to one of His chosen vessels. Why? It forced Paul to dig out something he had never excavated in his spirit – overcoming faith that summoned angels into a hopeless situation (Act 27:23-24). The end result was a miraculous deliverance, miraculous healings (Act 28:8-9), and the continuation of God’s perfect will for Paul’s life.

Lastly. let’s travel back in time to a place called Calvary in 33 A.D and observe this scene. What do we see? We see three men hanging on crosses. The man in the middle Is Jesus Christ, falsely accused of the crime of blaspheming God (Jhn 10:33). Jesus is flanked by two other men, thieves justly accused of crimes they did commit. It looked like a hopeless situation for all involved for they knew death was just moments away. But here is where something buried very deep inside of them is revealed no other way nor can it appear in any other fashion. What is this thing? It is called faith. Faith is very powerful. So powerful in fact that it can transcend the iron-bared chambers of life’s darkest, hopeless, and most inescapable caverns.

One thief (we can surmise on Jesus’ right hand) refused to be conquered by his hopelessness. How? By his faith in Jesus’ kingship, authority, and the promise of eternal life to those who believe in him. This thief simply believed Jesus’ words of hope:

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Luke 23:42

Amazingly, it was this condemned criminal (of all people) who brought strength and encouragement to the Savior of the world when he needed it most. The one thief asked Jesus for forgiveness. He believed in Jesus’ kingship and his message of the hope of eternal life. This one thief understood the reason for his punishment but was bewildered why Jesus, a perfect man in his thinking, was being unjustly punished for things he did not commit (Luk 23:41). One thief made a difference and it’s been written that this man had the revelation of Jesus’ deity (God in flesh) and his resultant power over death that his own disciples had not yet embraced (Luk 24:11; Mar 16:14; Joh 20:25). And this one thief asked for and received forgiveness including eternal life (Paradise – Luk 23:43). One thief had faith in Jesus’ message while the other rejected him:

And one of the malefactors who were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Luke 23:39

The passage of time and its ensuing impact on life (Ecc 3:1-8) can be the catalyst for interesting and dramatic changes, even in hopeless situations. As these three examples show, it is not over until God says, “it’s over”!

Do not ever think that if you or someone you know facing hopelessness it is a curse, punishment, or judgment from God. In some cases that may be true. Even then, we must understand that God is always looking for the best outcome in any given situation. God’s desire is for ALL (that means everyone) to be saved! (II Pet 3:9) It has been said that God will always choose His mercy over judgment if, in his foreknowledge, the outcome will lead someone closer to him.

The Power of The Blood

The definition of power can be viewed from different angles. The classic dictionary defines the word “power” as the “ability to act or produce an effect, capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect” (Source: Merriam-Webster). In the physical realm, power can also be defined as the measurement of the rate of change to a physical state. In its most simplistic terms, something powerful can change something in a very short amount of time. Let’s use explosives as an example. The hammer of a toy cap gun can strike a small circle of red phosphorous and potassium chlorate (i.e., Armstrong’s mixture) meshed between a layer of thin tissue. The friction generated by the hammer strike will set off a small explosion and resultant heat that burns the cap tissue. The change is measured in the degree of energy (i.e., heat) generated and the force exerted by the expansion of gas generated by the small explosion.

Now. Increase the amount and chemical formula of the explosive material used in a toy cap gun to a more powerful compound such as TNT. TNT is a common explosive used in mining, military weapons, and oil extraction (i,e., hydraulic “fracking” and other applications). TNT is also a standard of measurement used to gauge the energy output of another destructive force – nuclear weapons. The nuclear explosion in WWII in Hiroshima, Japan was equivalent to 15kt (15,000 tons) of TNT. That bomb’s energy output was responsible for the immediate death of 70,000 civilians; wooden structures within 1 1/4 miles from its epicenter were immediately destroyed and wind speeds were 10x that of a Category 12 typhoon.

In these examples, we’ve moved from the physical change generated by a toy cap gun to that of a “powerful” nuclear explosion. The rate of change to the physical surroundings between a toy can gun in comparison to that of an atomic bomb in Hiroshima is astronomical – power as the measurement of the rate of change (i.e., effect) to the physical world.

Let’s move this discussion of power and its effect in transforming physical phenomena into a spiritual context. Medical science can perform many amazing transformations such as heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, and intestine transplants. But ONLY God can perform a mind transplant! Only God knows our hearts. And God has the capacity to, in many instances, “instantaneously change” a heart/mind from one that is destructive, depressed, evil, immoral, self-centered, guilt-ridden, jealous, bitter, perverted, or confused into a mind that is healed with thoughts infused with love, peace, joy, goodwill, compassion, kindness, gentleness and HOPE.

That is power in action. How does He do this? By washing you in the blood of Jesus through water baptism and by the infilling of his Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost! God’s spirit is powerful! And the blood of Jesus is the powerful agent that washes away all our sin and makes us, as the song of old says:

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

O precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow;
no other fount I know;
nothing but the blood of Jesus.

The morning after this section was written, I opened up a book I’d been reading (The Wisdom and The Power of The Cross) and this paragraph stared right at me:

“The ushering in of the nuclear age is a poor comparison to the historic moment of Christ’s resurrection when a powerful force of non-matter entered into the order of matter and energized molecules into life. Jesus’ resurrection is His title to headship.  He rose in might, power, and majesty”. As the author uses Jesus’ resurrection as an example, God’s power and His exercise over life simply cannot be produced or replicated by man-made devices or inventions. There is unmeasurable power in the blood and in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Heaven’s Mercy Seat – Mercy Perfected & Salvation Eternally Secured

For Jesus to come back from death a living, breathing human being one thing had to happen. It should be noted that Jesus was not some mystified, virtual-angelic manifestation of a human being after his resurrection. Jesus walked the earth in human form after his resurrection just like he did before his crucifixion (Luk 24:39-40, Joh 20:19-20, 27). Therefore, in the process of Jesus’ resurrection from death’s grip, somewhere during that process his body’s blood was regenerated. The purpose of bringing this up is when Jesus departed earth for the last time, he ascended to Heaven with blood flowing through his glorified body. So, when Jesus touched the mercy seat in Heaven, his blood in essence also touched that seat and forever sealed for us an “eternal” salvation (Heb 5:9).

Before the creation of the Heaven and the earth, God couldn’t manifest His mercy because the presence of a blood sacrifice is required to remit sins and is needed for the provision of mercy. Otherwise, God would have been obligated to offer that mercy to Lucifer and all of the rebellious angels. This was not possible. There was no provision for the forgiveness of sins in Heaven, never was nor never shall be. In God’s plan, the earth would be the location to heal the sin problem, the void sin created in Heaven (Lucifer’s rebellion), and the sins on earth (Adam’s original sin and its subsequent aftereffects). The Bride of Christ, Jesus’ church, when raptured will fill that void in Heaven. God has a plan, and His plan never fails.

The very word “mercy seat” has its origins in a word that refers to blood and its ability to forgive sins – propitiation. The Greek word propitiation used in Hebrews 9:5 is ἱλαστήριον (hilastērion) which is translated as “to atone for sin, mercy seat”. Propitiation is the price God determined that would cover the penalty for sin. Jesus, of course, was the propitiation for the sins of all mankind and Jesus paid the price for those sins when he laid down his life on the cross (Act 26:18; Rom 3:25; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14).

Blood & The Mercy Seat

Of all the attributes God embraces, mercy and love are perhaps two aspects of His being that are most glorious and magnificent. And love and mercy are twin sisters that appear numerous times together (10x) in the scriptures (Exo 20:6; Deu 5:10, 7:9; Neh 1:5; Dan 9:4; Mic 6:8; Eph 2:4; II jhn 1:3; Jud 1;2, 2:1).

As a sidebar, the number 10 is significant in the Bible (https://jesusalive.cc/number-ten-significance-in-bible/). Among other things, the number “10” is a number of completeness and appears in the Creation account, construction of the law and the tabernacle, God’s judgment (I Sam 25:38; Est 9:13), worship (Psa 92:3, 144:9), testing/trials (Dan 1:12, 14, 15; Rev 2:10), and the endtime (Dan 7:10, 20 & 24; Rev 5:11, 12:3, 13:1, 17:3, 7,, 12  & 16).

In addition to love, God’s mercy cannot be separated from one other thing – God’s blood. The O.T. provided a “temporary” way for God to show His mercy by forgiving the sins of His people for one more year. This was accomplished through the sacrifice of bulls, goats, and lambs as the shedding of blood were always God’s requirement for forgiving sins (Lev 16:34, 17:11).

According to God’s word we know that “things” existing on earth are simply examples, figures, and shadows of things already existing in Heaven. (Heb 9:9, 24). The animal (blood) sacrifice, the tabernacle, and the law on earth were already well established in Heaven. Only the completion of God’s will in time separated them from their eternal existence and ultimate prophetic fulfillment upon the earth.

A blood sacrifice was always a requirement to address the sin issue. And the presence of blood is also required for the exercise of God’s mercy. This is why the high priest would sprinkle the blood of a bullock and a goat on the mercy seat located in the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:14-15). Indeed, the very act of this “sprinkling” was a prophetic foretelling of the blood the coming eternal high priest, Jesus Christ (Heb 4:14, 5:9-10), would shed for the sins of all mankind (Heb 9:11-12, 9:22) and occupy the mercy seat in Heaven. Even the testimony of Jesus Christ is the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10).

The Blood Always Demands This One Thing

There is something about the precious, pure, perfect, priceless, and powerful blood of Jesus that cannot be dismissed. And that is the blood of Jesus always demands a response. When confronted with the sinless blood of the Perfect Lamb of God, a response will be demanded of you. It requires a decision of which there are only two possibilities – repentance or rejection (rebellion). We will either repent upon knowing the Savior shed his blood for our sins. Or we will reject and rebel against the blood’s effectiveness because of unbelief or impenitence.

A response was demanded from the two thieves next to Jesus as he hung on a cross bleeding from his hands, feet, and back. And they did respond. One made the right choice and the other a very bad one (Luk 23:39).

It All Comes Down To One Question – Which Thief Am I?

As mentioned in part 1 of this series, the cross of Jesus Christ is the defining event in human history. No other event in all of time compares to what transpired on Calvary’s hill – the death of our Savior, God manifested in flesh. And when confronted with the sinless blood that flowed from that cross, as with the two thieves surrounding Jesus, we too are forced to answer one question – Which thief am I?

You may ask: What are we stealing? We are stealing from God’s sovereign right over the totality of our being. Which is the complete and total surrender of our human will to His will. It always comes down to just one word and a big word at that. What is the word? It is CONTROL. It’s always about control – who is really in control over our lives, us or the Lord? If it’s us, then we are convicted as a thief in God’s court of justice and righteousness.

Self-will is nothing more than self, seeking the gold of glory – in self. It is the root of all evil and was the original sin. The original sin did not take place on earth. The original sin took place in Heaven when Lucifer desired to “steal” God’s glory (Isa 14:12-14). The original sin was the attempted theft of God’s glory. God called it iniquity (Eze 28:15). It is the sin of “seeking self-glory” (i.e., pride) and not seeking the God of glory, for the glory of God, who is worthy of ALL THE GLORY. And that same sin bled into the human race when Adam rebelled against God’s word.

There is purpose in life’s tumultuous and tragic happenings and times of sheer hopelessness. Out-of-control life situations reveal one thing – who truly is in control? At times the Lord brings storms to show that our trust must be in him and not in ourselves or in those around us.

Like the two thieves next to Jesus, there will be two groups of people at the end of time standing before God’s right and left hands. Like the one thief who asked for forgiveness, one group, the true believers who relinquish all self-control, will be redeemed and rewarded with eternal life. And one like the other thief, a group of unrepentant, unforgiving, unbelieving souls rewarded with a just sentence – God’s judgment (eternal death).

Shall He Find Faith?

There is a parable of Jesus recorded in the Book of Luke that we call the Parable of the Unjust Judge. Here is a situation where Jesus describes a real-life struggle between a judge and a poor widow who is facing a hopeless situation. However, this interplay between a cold professional and a broken widow is not the only message being communicated by the Lord. There is also an underlying thread of truth that Jesus wants to convey here. And it is the central subject weaving thru these two installments – the vital importance of faith, especially not losing faith during times of hopelessness. Here is the key verse:

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18:8

There are at least two hidden questions Jesus is asking us in this verse: what kind of faith is he speaking of here and why will this be? From the surface, we generally assume Jesus is referring to faith “in general”, that is, will there be any faith at all upon the earth when Jesus returns? However, this is actually not the full essence of what Jesus is asking. We know this by looking at the word “shall” in the verse.

The English word “shall” is a translation of the Greek word ἆρα (ara) and appears only 3x in the N.T. (Strongs G687), and in each case, the word precedes a condition where a negative response is expected (see Acts 8:30 & Gal 2:17). Jesus is talking about “God faith” here, the kind of faith needed during the endtime, a time of great tribulation and chaos. To clarify the point, here are two other versions of the scripture:

I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?” Message Bible

Yet, the Son of Man having come, will He find the aforementioned kind of faith on the earth? Wuest

Jesus is asking if great faith, God-faith, white knuckled-like faith as the widow in the parable be present on the earth because of the state of hopelessness occurring during the tribulation period and endtime. Jesus also alludes to this same state of affairs when he stated that the opening of iniquity’s floodgates right before he returns will cause the love of many to “wax cold” (Mat 24:12).

When the curtain of time is drawn shut will I be the redeemed thief, repentant, asking for forgiveness, with overcoming faith, forgiving those doing the punishing, and believing in the One whose message of hope, truth, and light still reverberates throughout the hopelessness surrounding earth?

There will always be two thieves next to Jesus, one believing, yielding, and forgiven, the other unbelieving, self-willed, and unforgiven.

When faced with the precious blood of Jesus I must ask myself this one question: Which thief am I?

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:6-7