The Scroll and the Lamb
Through reading an interpretation of the scroll and the lamb (Revelation 5:1-10) serve as God's will (the scroll) and Jesus (the lamb). The scroll is written on the front and back, which was not typical, could also represent the old and new testaments of the Bible. The scroll being handed to the lamb could signify that Jesus is the only one who has it within him (and his death) to unlock what is God's will. Therefore, if you really want to know what God wants from you, go to Jesus. Read about him and understand how he lived and why he lived and then you will know, what God wants from you.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Just Because You Can....
I'm sure you have heard of that saying "just because you can, doesn't mean you should." We can apply that saying to so many different areas of our life, but there is one area it needs to apply to. It needs to apply to our walk with Christ. In Christ we have freedom from condemnation and from the death of sin (death in connection to God), but that does not mean that just because we can seek forgiveness we should just go and sin anyway? I was confronted a couple of different times by an atheist and by an agnostic and they both said that since I can be forgiven by God, I should just go an sin intentionally or else I am wasting what Christ did on the cross. Wow. Seriously? What a ridiculous statement.
First,
I needed new people to hang out with. I needed new people to hang out
with and as a Christ follower, I needed to be around other Christ
following men. That didn't mean that I no longer spoke to those guys,
but I need men in my corner who also follow Christ. If we look at
Proverbs (great book) but specifically the wisdom contained within
Proverbs
13:20, then we see we need to be around those who are wise. Not
so much worldly wise, but also wise in the Holy Spirit so that he can
assist me in my growth and I can assist him as well. If I am attacked
by a man (or sin in this case) a brother in Christ can help me up if
I fall and stand with me as we fight with the Holy Spirit against
Satan's temptations (Ecclesiastes
4:12).
Man
understands things a certain way and outside of the Holy Spirit they
will not know what God has for them in life. Proverbs
14:12
tells us people think a certain way and think it is okay, yet they
have no idea that death is inevitable in that way. Maybe you are so
accustomed to being isolated. In isolation, no one can keep you
accountable about the sinful ways that you succumb to. No one can
love you in isolation. No one can hold you in isolation. While
isolation may seem like it is "drama free" it is also void
of love, accountability and growth. Just because it seems okay for
you doesn't mean that God wants that for you.
A
common thing I see is people who control others. They are always
taking charge and always the boss. If they don't get their way they
become the take my ball and go home type or the "it's my way or
the highway." Not everyone, but there are those that feel like
they should control what is going on. Why? It seems right to do so,
but why? Is it a lack of faith in others to do their part? Is it to
hard to trust others? Or maybe the faith that God isn't going to
provide you with what you need? If we read the word we know that God
provides for those doing His will (Philippians
4:19). It doesn't mean life will be perfect. There will be some
bumps. That's life. But just because you are comfortable controlling
everything doesn't mean that is how it needs to be or even what God
wants from you. If you aren't asking for His guidance before and
during a task, then that is part of the problem (Psalm
32:8). You need to submit to God's will and let Him show you what
it is that needs to be done. Not just on the surface, but also on the
inside of you. Your spirit is important and it needs to be in
conjunction with God's will.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Overcome the World
Jesus was explaining to his disciples that he came from God and man (Mary) and would be returning to God. Typically, he would say things like this in figures of speech, but changes his method hear as the time drew near that he would be crucified.
When Jesus was relaying to them that there is a time when he will return to God, he let them know that their faith may be shaken and they will return to their homes and leave him alone. That is a glimpse into the death on the cross and his body being placed in the tomb. He told them not to worry because he would be with the Father. He told them this so that they could have peace and for them to understand that there will be tribulation in the world but he overcame the world (John 16:33).
Jesus wanted them to be at peace and not worry about him as he was with the Father. His overcoming the world is the overcoming of sin by being sinless, overcoming being arrested, beaten, misjudged, and even the overcoming of death through his resurrection. Life has problems. We all have had them, will have more and may even have some now. But, no matter what the problem has been, Jesus has overcome it. With him we can overcome them too.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Throwing Stones
Isn't interesting that when we see someone doing wrong we want to jump down their throats and tell them how wrong they are for what they did? Why do people get so angry about the sin of others? Do they get that mad at your their own sin?
In this John 8:1-11, we see a woman brought before Jesus. She was caught in the act of adultery. They were asking what should they do with her as the law of Moses said that she should be stoned. Jesus knelt down and wrote in the dirt and told them that whoever was without sin should be the first one to throw a stone at her. We don't know what Jesus was writing. He could have been writing the sins of the men who brought her to Jesus or he may have been writing the names of the men she had been with that could have included the accusing men's names as well. We don't know. But we do know that Jesus did not want us to throw stones (physical or verbal) at people. After each man left, Jesus asked her where the accusers were and then he told her "Go and sin no more." He did not say "let and let live" or "to each his own." He said go and sin no more. Gentle. Direct. Compassionate.
We can learn from Jesus in this example as well. When people sin by lifestyle or by slip up, condemning them is not the way to get them to turn their life around. The don't need to be reminded of their sin. They need a scriptural response to their sin and compassion. If they mess up, that is not your job to fix them. It is your command from God to love them the same way Jesus loved us by dying for us selflessly. Think about that the next time You get outraged at a sin. Maybe that person just need a Christ like hug and God given direction. Try it. Condemnation turns people away from God.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
Eternal Life or Wrath of God
Scripture is pretty clear...okay, no...it is VERY CLEAR on who Jesus was and what his purpose was. Scripture is clear on what happens when we believe in Jesus and what happens when we do not.
There are still many who believe Jesus was the Son of God but do not follow his example and do not accept him as their Lord and Savior. That is there choice. We as believers are not to force or condemn anyone. If they are to come to Christ, then that is a decision they must make on their own. Since Jesus is God in the flesh then wouldn't you really, really want to know what he said and follow that? In John 3:36, we read part of John's testimony of Jesus. John says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." I would rather not have God's wrath on me due to my disobedience.
But where does John even get this idea from? He got it from Jesus. In John 3:14, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that "the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." This is reference is connected to Jesus being lifted on the cross. If you believe in Jesus as the Son of God then you will have eternal life. Jesus also says in John 3:5 that we must be born again of "water and spirit" or we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Think of birth and the water breaking before the birth of a child. Now, think of submerged water baptisms. You are submerged under the water and brought back up as rebirth with the Holy Spirit as you are expressing that you are a believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus wants us to be born again in the Holy Spirit in order to be with us in the Kingdom.
PLEASE SEE THE LOGOS AND LINKS BELOW TO SHARE VIA EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST AND GOOGLE PLUS. THANKS!
