Saturday, February 25, 2017
Perfect Peace
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts
in Thee. (Isaiah 26:3)
Perfect peace means, Shalom Shalom.
Shalom in Hebrew: safe, well, happy,
health, prosperity, peace, favor, good
health, rest, welfare, be well wholly.
'If you have never used your mind to place
yourself before God, begin to do it now.
There is no reason to wait for God to come
to you. You must turn your thoughts and
your eyes away from the face of idols and
look to Him and be saved. (Is 45:22) Your
mind is the greatest gift God has given
you and it ought to be entirely devoted to
Him.' (Oswald Chambers)
We must recognize and act on what
God has done for us which is to place us
firmly into Him. He said, "It is finished."
I can either believe my emotions or my
mind which is all ready stayed on Him.
Then comes peace...perfect peace.
The Now of God
The land I do give to them, even to the children
of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)
God is speaking about something immediate in
this verse. It is not something He is going to do
but something He does do, at this very moment.
As faith continues to speak, God continues to
give. He meets you today in the present and tests
your faith. As long as you are waiting, hoping,
or looking, you are not believing. You may have
hope or an earnest desire, but that is not faith,
for 'faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see. (Heb. 11:1)...
Have we come to the point where we have met
God in His everlasting now?
(from Joshua, by AB Simpson)
The verse at the top was penned before
one battle was fought, or one inch of land taken.
We dwell in the Eternal Jesus where all is in
the now.
Are You Listening?
Samuel answered, "Speak for Your servant hears."
1 Samuel 3:10)
'The goal of my spiritual life is such a close
identification with Jesus Christ that I will
always hear and know that God always hears
me. What hinders me from hearing is my
attention to other things. It is not that I don't
want to hear God, but I am not devoted in
the right areas of my life. God may say
whatever He wants, but I just don't hear Him.'
(Oswald Chambers)
There are so many distractions and
so much noise in our modern world that it
is almost impossible to hear that still small
voice throughout the day. Samuel heard the
voice of the Lord in the dark of the night.
His spirit was always awake to the call of
God through the priest, but that night God
had something very personal to share with
Samuel himself. Are you listening?
He Prunes
"Every branch that does bear fruit he
prunes so that it will be even more
fruitful. (John 15:2)
It is the branch that bears the fruit,
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth
A fuller life.
Though every budding twig be trimmed,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
May lose its place.
O you whose life of joy seems left,
Of beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand
Of love Divine.
That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life has borne some fruit,
May now bear much.
(Annie Johnson Flint)
prunes so that it will be even more
fruitful. (John 15:2)
It is the branch that bears the fruit,
That feels the knife,
To prune it for a larger growth
A fuller life.
Though every budding twig be trimmed,
And every grace
Of swaying tendril, springing leaf,
May lose its place.
O you whose life of joy seems left,
Of beauty shorn;
Whose aspirations lie in dust,
Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand
Of love Divine.
That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life has borne some fruit,
May now bear much.
(Annie Johnson Flint)
Not Scaring Others Off
I know nothing of this author or his book, but I woke up to this in my inbox this morning.
This is what I wish the Bible-thumpers would understand, and I wish I’d known it before I got into my 50s. If we could understand what he says here we will find ourselves in conversations that matter with people. If we don’t, we’ll forever wonder why people run from us…
Parker J. Palmer in The Courage to Teach:
If we want to support each other’s inner lives, we must remember a simple truth: the human soul does not want to be fixed, it wants simply to be seen and heard. If we want to see and hear a person’s soul, there is another truth we must remember: the soul is like a wild animal – tough, resilient, and yet shy. When we go crashing through the woods shouting for it to come out so we can help it, the soul will stay in hiding. But if we are willing to sit quietly and wait for a while, the soul may show itself.
- Wayne Jacobsen
This is what I wish the Bible-thumpers would understand, and I wish I’d known it before I got into my 50s. If we could understand what he says here we will find ourselves in conversations that matter with people. If we don’t, we’ll forever wonder why people run from us…
Parker J. Palmer in The Courage to Teach:
If we want to support each other’s inner lives, we must remember a simple truth: the human soul does not want to be fixed, it wants simply to be seen and heard. If we want to see and hear a person’s soul, there is another truth we must remember: the soul is like a wild animal – tough, resilient, and yet shy. When we go crashing through the woods shouting for it to come out so we can help it, the soul will stay in hiding. But if we are willing to sit quietly and wait for a while, the soul may show itself.
- Wayne Jacobsen
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Falling Into Evil
Who would ever think that trees could cause so many problems? But the Bible in the 2nd chapter of the 1st book tells us 2 trees affect EVERY individual’s life, from birth to grave. Michael gives us a great look at one particular tree…
But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die. --Genesis 2:17
Many are surprised when they fall; they were doing so well, they just did not see it coming. There was nothing evil in their lives; in accordance with deliverance teaching, everything evil had been “dealt” with in their lives. How did they fall? Instead of looking for the place where evil began, they should go back and look at the place of good, where they decided that their flesh had improved so much that they did not think about abiding when they entered their house, went on vacation, arrived at work, or taught the Bible study.
What “good-looking” flesh was it with which they had gotten involved? Was it living to people instead of loving them, people pleasing, manipulating, reworking the portfolio, counting the savings, or lusting for the latest from the material world? Were they agreeing to pacify others while staying silent to avoid conflict? Did they avoid telling the truth? Once the gate to the flesh corral is open, not only do the dark horses go out, but those of every stripe. Those who begin to walk in the “good” deeds of the flesh will soon find themselves in evil deeds.
Each day resolve not simply to turn away from evil, but to turn away from the “good” arising from what can be done in the natural, to avoid all strength in the power of the self-life, and to turn to Jesus.
In over 30 years of pastoring, I have rarely encountered a Believer who wasn’t focused on this one tree…the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Surprisingly, the number thinking of one side of the tree basically equals the number thinking of the other side.
Almost never have I found any Believers whose focus was on that “other” tree…the Tree of Life. All the while “flesh” and “self” battle it out in the Believer while every benefit of the Life of Christ goes unused.
But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die. --Genesis 2:17
Many are surprised when they fall; they were doing so well, they just did not see it coming. There was nothing evil in their lives; in accordance with deliverance teaching, everything evil had been “dealt” with in their lives. How did they fall? Instead of looking for the place where evil began, they should go back and look at the place of good, where they decided that their flesh had improved so much that they did not think about abiding when they entered their house, went on vacation, arrived at work, or taught the Bible study.
What “good-looking” flesh was it with which they had gotten involved? Was it living to people instead of loving them, people pleasing, manipulating, reworking the portfolio, counting the savings, or lusting for the latest from the material world? Were they agreeing to pacify others while staying silent to avoid conflict? Did they avoid telling the truth? Once the gate to the flesh corral is open, not only do the dark horses go out, but those of every stripe. Those who begin to walk in the “good” deeds of the flesh will soon find themselves in evil deeds.
Each day resolve not simply to turn away from evil, but to turn away from the “good” arising from what can be done in the natural, to avoid all strength in the power of the self-life, and to turn to Jesus.
In over 30 years of pastoring, I have rarely encountered a Believer who wasn’t focused on this one tree…the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Surprisingly, the number thinking of one side of the tree basically equals the number thinking of the other side.
Almost never have I found any Believers whose focus was on that “other” tree…the Tree of Life. All the while “flesh” and “self” battle it out in the Believer while every benefit of the Life of Christ goes unused.
The Hardest Thing
"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny
himself and take up his cross daily and follow
Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it."
Luke 9:23,24
'Abiding in Christ is something that every believer
has experienced, and yet it seems most difficult
to maintain...
1 Abiding is not something we do, but an
awareness that we trust the Lord completely.
2 Abiding is not dependent on us but on Christ.
It is a faith issue. He is the one keeping us.
3 It is the setting of the mind on things above
instead of on our self and flesh.
4 Abiding is the beginning point of an abundant
life, and all hell is against victory.'
(My Weakness for His Strength
by Michael Wells)
himself and take up his cross daily and follow
Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it."
Luke 9:23,24
'Abiding in Christ is something that every believer
has experienced, and yet it seems most difficult
to maintain...
1 Abiding is not something we do, but an
awareness that we trust the Lord completely.
2 Abiding is not dependent on us but on Christ.
It is a faith issue. He is the one keeping us.
3 It is the setting of the mind on things above
instead of on our self and flesh.
4 Abiding is the beginning point of an abundant
life, and all hell is against victory.'
(My Weakness for His Strength
by Michael Wells)
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
When did the Old Covenant End?
The Bible is made up of two documents: the Old Testament and the New Testament. These documents roughly equate to two covenants: the old covenant and the new covenant. I say roughly because the old covenant did not begin in Genesis 1 and the new covenant did not begin in Matthew 1.
A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties characterized by promises and obligations. In a biblical context, a covenant describes how God relates to people.
The old covenant, which was based on law, was how God related to the nation of Israel. The new covenant, which is based on grace, is how God relates to everybody, including the Jews.
The old covenant came into effect at Mt. Sinai through Moses, Israel’s representative, while the new covenant came into effect at Mt. Calvary through Christ, humanity’s representative.
On the night before his death the Son of God announced a “new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). He was literally declaring his last will and testament, a new covenant that would come into effect when he died (Hebrews 9:16-17).
The new covenant was new
In every way, the new covenant is superior to the old.
– The old covenant failed because it hinged on your imperfect obedience, but new covenant endures because it is founded on Christ’s perfect obedience unto death.
– The old covenant says you will be blessed if you do good, but the new declares we are blessed because God is good.
– The old covenant warns that you will be punished if you do bad, but the new declares that in Christ you are eternally unpunishable.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. (Hebrews 8:7)
On the cross the sinless Savior fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law. The old covenant that had been so shabbily treated by the children of Israel could now be satisfactorily concluded. Thus, with his final breath, Jesus declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The old covenant began when Moses received the law; it ended when Christ fulfilled it.
Overlapping covenants?
Some say the covenants existed side-by-side for a generation. “The old covenant it didn’t end, it merely became obsolete. The temple sacrifices continued as before until God judged Jerusalem in AD70.”
Those who subscribe to overlapping covenants point out that David was anointed king while Saul was still on the throne. “The new and the old orders existed side by side, and this parallels what happened in the generation after Christ’s death.”
But David did not ascend to the throne of Israel until after Saul’s death. They were never king at the same time. Similarly, Jesus died (fulfilling the old covenant) before ascending into heaven to be crowned as king. There was no overlapping kingship and no overlapping covenant.
The old covenant did not end with the beheading of John the Baptist. Nor did it end with the disappearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. These were dramatic scenes in the final act of the old covenant play, but the curtain did not fall until the climactic sacrifice of God’s Lamb.
The cross changed everything
In the moment Jesus died the temple veil was supernaturally torn. It was rent from top to bottom signifying that God was done with the old covenant. The law was a shadow, but Christ is the reality. Jesus is the old covenant fulfilled.
By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Hebrews 8:13, NIV)
Christ’s perfect sacrifice made the old covenant instantly obsolete. From God’s perspective it had served no further purpose. Yet after Christ died religious Jews continued bringing animals to the temple to be slain in ritual sacrifice.
Imagine how offensive those sacrifices must have been in the eyes of heaven. Each sacrifice declared, “Jesus died for nothing.” Every priest and penitent was essentially saying, “God, your Son’s death means nothing to me.” What an insult! What blasphemy!
Yet no lightning bolts fell from heaven. The ground did not open up and swallow these blasphemers.
Unauthorized sacrifices
Contrast that with what happened to Aaron’s sons when they brought an unauthorized offering into the tabernacle: Fire from God consumed them (Leviticus 10:1-2). Nadab and Abihu died as screaming, burning testimonies to the seriousness of sin. But that was under the old covenant which was no more.
Now in the new covenant, priests who brought unauthorized sacrifices went home unharmed. They didn’t know it but they were living testimonies of God’s grace. Had the old covenant still been in effect, there could have been fire and screaming. There would have been one animal sacrifice and no more. But the old covenant was finished, so unauthorized and blasphemous sacrifices continued for years.
But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)
Jesus sat but the Jews stood for there are no chairs in the temple. For forty years they carried on with their religious rituals as though nothing had changed, but everything had changed. This is why God never judged them, not in AD30, nor in AD70.
How could he when their sin had been borne by the Savior they rejected?
A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties characterized by promises and obligations. In a biblical context, a covenant describes how God relates to people.
The old covenant, which was based on law, was how God related to the nation of Israel. The new covenant, which is based on grace, is how God relates to everybody, including the Jews.
The old covenant came into effect at Mt. Sinai through Moses, Israel’s representative, while the new covenant came into effect at Mt. Calvary through Christ, humanity’s representative.
On the night before his death the Son of God announced a “new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). He was literally declaring his last will and testament, a new covenant that would come into effect when he died (Hebrews 9:16-17).
The new covenant was new
In every way, the new covenant is superior to the old.
– The old covenant failed because it hinged on your imperfect obedience, but new covenant endures because it is founded on Christ’s perfect obedience unto death.
– The old covenant says you will be blessed if you do good, but the new declares we are blessed because God is good.
– The old covenant warns that you will be punished if you do bad, but the new declares that in Christ you are eternally unpunishable.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. (Hebrews 8:7)
On the cross the sinless Savior fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the law. The old covenant that had been so shabbily treated by the children of Israel could now be satisfactorily concluded. Thus, with his final breath, Jesus declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The old covenant began when Moses received the law; it ended when Christ fulfilled it.
Overlapping covenants?
Some say the covenants existed side-by-side for a generation. “The old covenant it didn’t end, it merely became obsolete. The temple sacrifices continued as before until God judged Jerusalem in AD70.”
Those who subscribe to overlapping covenants point out that David was anointed king while Saul was still on the throne. “The new and the old orders existed side by side, and this parallels what happened in the generation after Christ’s death.”
But David did not ascend to the throne of Israel until after Saul’s death. They were never king at the same time. Similarly, Jesus died (fulfilling the old covenant) before ascending into heaven to be crowned as king. There was no overlapping kingship and no overlapping covenant.
The old covenant did not end with the beheading of John the Baptist. Nor did it end with the disappearance of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. These were dramatic scenes in the final act of the old covenant play, but the curtain did not fall until the climactic sacrifice of God’s Lamb.
The cross changed everything
In the moment Jesus died the temple veil was supernaturally torn. It was rent from top to bottom signifying that God was done with the old covenant. The law was a shadow, but Christ is the reality. Jesus is the old covenant fulfilled.
By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. (Hebrews 8:13, NIV)
Christ’s perfect sacrifice made the old covenant instantly obsolete. From God’s perspective it had served no further purpose. Yet after Christ died religious Jews continued bringing animals to the temple to be slain in ritual sacrifice.
Imagine how offensive those sacrifices must have been in the eyes of heaven. Each sacrifice declared, “Jesus died for nothing.” Every priest and penitent was essentially saying, “God, your Son’s death means nothing to me.” What an insult! What blasphemy!
Yet no lightning bolts fell from heaven. The ground did not open up and swallow these blasphemers.
Unauthorized sacrifices
Contrast that with what happened to Aaron’s sons when they brought an unauthorized offering into the tabernacle: Fire from God consumed them (Leviticus 10:1-2). Nadab and Abihu died as screaming, burning testimonies to the seriousness of sin. But that was under the old covenant which was no more.
Now in the new covenant, priests who brought unauthorized sacrifices went home unharmed. They didn’t know it but they were living testimonies of God’s grace. Had the old covenant still been in effect, there could have been fire and screaming. There would have been one animal sacrifice and no more. But the old covenant was finished, so unauthorized and blasphemous sacrifices continued for years.
But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:12)
Jesus sat but the Jews stood for there are no chairs in the temple. For forty years they carried on with their religious rituals as though nothing had changed, but everything had changed. This is why God never judged them, not in AD30, nor in AD70.
How could he when their sin had been borne by the Savior they rejected?
- Paul Ellis
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
He giveth quietness (Job 34:29)
'He gives quietness in the midst of the raging storm. As we sail the lake with Him, reaching deep water far from land, suddenly, under the midnight sky, a mighty storm sweeps down. Earth and hell seem mobilized against us, and each wave threatens to overwhelm our boat. Then He rises from His sleep and rebukes the winds and the waves. He waves His hand, signaling the end of the raging tempest and the beginning of the restful calm. His voice is heard above the screaming of the wind through the ropes and rigging, and over the thrashing of the waves. "Quiet! Be still" Can you not hear it? And instantly there is a great calm. "He giveth quietness"--quietness even in the midst of losing
our inner strength and comforts....He draws near and whispers the assurance of His presence,bring-
ing an infinite calm to keep our hearts and minds.'
(Streams in the Desert)
our inner strength and comforts....He draws near and whispers the assurance of His presence,bring-
ing an infinite calm to keep our hearts and minds.'
(Streams in the Desert)
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Exhausted?
A sudden warm up is creating new problems for the
community--flooding. It has only been a few months
of upheaval but it feels like months of bitterly cold
weather and interventions to save roofs and make
travel safe. This morning a major ice dam broke up
sending a sudden flood of water over a main road
and into houses. People are being evacuated.
'The everlasting God...neither faints nor is weary.'
Isaiah 40:28
A good word from Oswald Chambers:
'Continually look back to the foundation of your love
and affection and remember where your Source of
power lies You have no right to complain, "O Lord,
I am so exhausted." He saved and sanctified you to
exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember
that He is your supply.'
community--flooding. It has only been a few months
of upheaval but it feels like months of bitterly cold
weather and interventions to save roofs and make
travel safe. This morning a major ice dam broke up
sending a sudden flood of water over a main road
and into houses. People are being evacuated.
'The everlasting God...neither faints nor is weary.'
Isaiah 40:28
A good word from Oswald Chambers:
'Continually look back to the foundation of your love
and affection and remember where your Source of
power lies You have no right to complain, "O Lord,
I am so exhausted." He saved and sanctified you to
exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember
that He is your supply.'
The Challenge of Our Times
Celebrity-driven religion is one of the reasons why today’s Christianity is so shallow. So much so that it’s a profound challenge to drown a gnat in it.
The marks of a celebrity are twofold. They are overexposed and inaccessible. (And very often, they’re underdeveloped.) Try reaching Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, or Taylor Swift with an email or Facebook message. Inaccessibility creates a certain mystique that gives the impression that someone is a VIP. This is true regardless of the person’s intent.
On the flip side, here’s an easy way to detect a celebrity-driven Christian.
* You share an audio message with a friend, a message that’s blown your mind and changed your life. Your friend is monumentally disinterested because he/she has never heard of the speaker. By contrast, if the message was by [name of celebrity preacher], your friend would listen to it in a heartbeat and thank you for sharing it.
* You share a book with a friend, a book that has marked a milestone in your spiritual life. Your friend is monumentally disinterested because he has never heard of the author or has a vague familiarity with her or him. By contrast, if the book was by [name of celebrity author], your friend would order it in a New York minute and thank you for sharing it.
The same applies to conferences, trainings, events, etc.
In effect, the celebrity-driven Christian only has time for what’s popular and/or what his or her friends are into.
Strikingly, all throughout the Bible, virtually every time the majority decided on something, it was outside of God’s will. That’s another story, but it underscores the principle that what’s popular usually doesn’t represent the Lord’s best or highest.
My point is woven into this prayer: Lord, raise up more servants who can declare your Eternal Purpose with gripping power and who have no interest in being celebrities. And raise up more believers who are seeking the true riches, regardless of who delivers them.
The marks of a celebrity are twofold. They are overexposed and inaccessible. (And very often, they’re underdeveloped.) Try reaching Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis, or Taylor Swift with an email or Facebook message. Inaccessibility creates a certain mystique that gives the impression that someone is a VIP. This is true regardless of the person’s intent.
On the flip side, here’s an easy way to detect a celebrity-driven Christian.
* You share an audio message with a friend, a message that’s blown your mind and changed your life. Your friend is monumentally disinterested because he/she has never heard of the speaker. By contrast, if the message was by [name of celebrity preacher], your friend would listen to it in a heartbeat and thank you for sharing it.
* You share a book with a friend, a book that has marked a milestone in your spiritual life. Your friend is monumentally disinterested because he has never heard of the author or has a vague familiarity with her or him. By contrast, if the book was by [name of celebrity author], your friend would order it in a New York minute and thank you for sharing it.
The same applies to conferences, trainings, events, etc.
In effect, the celebrity-driven Christian only has time for what’s popular and/or what his or her friends are into.
Strikingly, all throughout the Bible, virtually every time the majority decided on something, it was outside of God’s will. That’s another story, but it underscores the principle that what’s popular usually doesn’t represent the Lord’s best or highest.
My point is woven into this prayer: Lord, raise up more servants who can declare your Eternal Purpose with gripping power and who have no interest in being celebrities. And raise up more believers who are seeking the true riches, regardless of who delivers them.
- Frank Viola
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