Revelation 19: The Rider on a White Horse

The Rider on a White Horse

Revelation 19:11-16 reveals the rider on the white horse who was understand as Jesus. These verses describe the clothes he wears and that he was followed by the armies of heaven. There is something written on the robe on his thigh that reads "King of kings and Lord of lords." If you look at the word King and Lord the word are capitalized and singular. The other words kings and lords are lowercase and plural. That further solidifies that Jesus is the ONE and not one of. The plurality and lower cased lettering displays less significance in authority to the real King and Lord. No matter what nation you rule or army you lead, Jesus stands taller.
 

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Revelation 11: The Seventh Trumpet

The Seventh Trumpet

The seventh trumpet sounded and the loud voices that came from Heaven said in Revelation 11:15 "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." What does this mean? This means that the kingdom of the world belongs to Jesus. But the world isn't one kingdom as it has 7 continents (currently) and many countries with different rulers and methods of governing. But once that 7th trumpet sounds, Jesus will rule all. It won't matter what continent or country you live in. No matter what city, town or state, Jesus will have rule over all. Not for a short while. Not for a week. Not for a year, but "forever and ever."

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Revelation 1: With the Clouds

With the Clouds

Revelation is not one of my favorite books. It can be read literally for its entirety, but I do not think that is the purpose and how it was intended to be written. I am not going to analyze every passage from Revelation, but I will pick something out from each chapter and write about it. For instance, the image of Jesus coming back to earth on a cloud or in clouds can be found in Revelation 1:7. It reads, " Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him." The word "clouds" here does mean an actual cloud as he ascended into Heaven with a cloud and he will descend from Heaven with the clouds (Acts 1:9-11). But the term "clouds" also has another meaning. It was used to describe the multitude of believers (Hebrews 12:1) and also to describe God's presence and glory (Exodus 13:21-22). My point is  just because the Bible says it, doesn't mean that it means what you think it means. Do some research. Here is the source I use for clarification: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/guz/revelation-1.html

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Galatians 6: Bearing Burdens and Reaping and Sowing

Bearing Burdens and Reaping and Sowing

Paul tells the church to bear one another's burdens. That means help each other through the tough times. We can't "expect" others to help us as that leads to disappointment and is very self focused. But simply, find a burden that another carries and help them with it (Galatians 6:2). This is is part of the new commandment that Jesus gave us which was to love one another. It can be tiresome when we are loving people as we can expect the same love back when we need it. But Paul tells us not to grow weary of doing good as we will reap in due season (Galatians 6:9). That means when the time is right, just like with a crop, the fruit will be produced.

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Galatians 4: Slaves and Sons

Slaves and Sons

Being under the law instead of under grace makes you a slave. A slave to the law. As I stated before, when it came to the law, you basically had to be perfect. There is no grace in the law. It is just the law. Either you broke it or kept it. There is no "well just this time" or "if you do it one more time" kind of warnings or grace. It was the law, so there was no space for grace. In verse 7 we understand that we are no longer slaves (under the law) but we are sons (daughters and offspring) of God and therefore heirs to the kingdom. In verses 21-31, Paul breaks down the difference between the slave son (law) from Hagar and the son of a promise from Sarah (grace through Jesus) and which one was blessed. 

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2 Corinthians 11: False Teachers and Humility

False Teachers and Humility

In verses 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul separates himself from teachers who claim to be the same as he is. He calls them false apostles, deceitful and they are disguising themselves. Paul is telling the church at Corinth to beware of these people and not assume that they are the same as Paul who may not be as good of a speaker, but possesses the knowledge. Paul is trying to save them from being led astray. He says that even Satan disguises himself so it would be obvious that his servants would disguise themselves too. 

Lastly, Paul does not like to boast. He has been known to tell his stories of his experiences and he has been told that he is bragging and boasting. Paul says in verse 30 that if he were to boast it would be in his weaknesses. In those weaknesses it can be seen that God is the King of all and turn those weaknesses into strengths to honor his Kingdom. Amen.

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1 Corinthians 15: The Past, The Dead, Stay Strong

The Past, The Dead, Stay Strong

1 Corinthians 15:10 is a very powerful verse as Paul is retelling Christ's resurrection and the order in which he appeared to people. Paul retells how he was not born at the time in which Christ was resurrected but Christ still appeared to Paul (even though Paul was persecuting Christians). Paul says in verse 10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." This means Paul recognizes that he made huge mistakes and bad choices before Christ appeared to him, but "I am what I am" signifies how Paul's past does not keep him from serving God. And when he says "His grace was not in vain" he is saying that God's grace wasn't wasted. If Paul had ignored seeing Christ and not doing what he was told, then Christ speaking to Paul would have been wasted. I ask you, what is God try to tell you but you are not listening?

Paul also points out an issue with a belief versus the truth. It was believed by the Corinthians that the dead could not be raised, but they overlooked that fact that Christ was raised from the dead. If the dead could not be raised then that makes the faith in Christ null and void and a fallacy. Paul points out that if there is no resurrection then we have no Heaven, no afterlife and we should be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Lastly, 1 Corinthians 15 ends with a reminder to believers, not just Corinthians. Paul says "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58)." He is endearing to them while encouraging them to stay strong and unable to be moved in doing work for the Lord knowing that the work is not in vain.

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Friday Focus #21

Fresh Start with Jesus

No matter where you are in life, that is not the end. It is not over. There is still another chance when you bring Jesus in. He will not force his way in and make you submit to him. It is your choice to bring him in and let him work through your life. I have had people tell me that they 1) are not good enough to go to church and 2) are not good enough to go to Heaven. They have missed the point. You don't earn church attendance or Heaven. You don't earn Jesus. You cannot read scripture and come away with that belief. Please do not be misled. Seek Jesus and begin again with him.

Before Paul wrote many books from the New Testament, he was not the Christ loving individual we have come to understand him to be. In Acts 9, we are taken through Paul's transformation and experiences with Christ. Paul was responsible for the stoning of Stephen (a new disciple). Paul was responsible for pulling men and women out of their homes and having them killed for following Christ which stepped on the toes of the Jewish faith. On the road to Damascus, Paul has an encounter with the voice of Jesus who asks why Paul was persecuting believers. When Paul rose from the encounter he was blinded and instructed to go a temple to meet someone. Once he meets that person his sight will be restored. Paul followed through and had his sight restored. Paul began to proclaim Jesus as the son of God in the synagogues. It did not matter what life Paul had before he came to know and follow Christ, but what mattered was his dedication to Christ after deciding to serve him. Paul didn't have to be good enough. He just had to have a fresh start which including repentance for his sins.

I will say it again, you do not have to earn your way into God's good graces. God's grace is free. It does not cost any money. Grace is not connected to any good deed. Grace is not connected to any church or denomination. Grace is given to us freely from God and all we have to do is accept it (Ephesians 2:1-10). I was watching a video last night from Ray Comfort who was evangelizing (preaching the word of Christ) on the streets of Huntington Beach, Ca. He explains to people that their set of beliefs is opposite to what scripture teaches. Check out the videos below:

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Luke 14:7-24- Humility and Salvation Parables

Humility and Salvation Parables

Jesus told many parables. He used these parables to drive home points that people needed to understand about humility and salvation and serving the poor. He brought up these points to also show us to be used by God for God's purposes. 

The scene is set knowing that Jesus is set to eat at the house of the ruler of the Pharisees on a Sabbath. He healed a man with dropsy (fluid accumulation in body tissues) and knowing he was being watch asks the lawyers and Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. We know Jesus was far more focused on fulfilling God's purposes and being in God's will than trying to meet man's expectations and interpretations of God. Jesus asked them if their son or ox they owned fell into a well on the Sabbath, would they let them drown or try to save them? No one had an answer. Jesus is exposing their hypocrisy of how they would rationalize their own law breaking but hide it while condemning others who break laws.

Jesus then uses the parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-11) to explain how many are concerned with giving only if they are to get back. In a Wedding Feast, people are likely to sit at places of honor and feel ashamed when asked to move to lower places. Jesus said that people should sit in the lowest place so that the host has the chance to move you to a higher place of honor. That way you will not be humbled in front of others, but be exalted by someone else rather than yourself. He is saying there is nothing wrong with being honored, but if you are honoring yourself then that can lead to being humbled and embarrassed.

The Great Banquet parable found in Luke 14:12-24. It has a couple of different pieces to it.  In verses 7-14, Jesus explains that when we have feasts, we should not invite those that can and may feel obligated to repay us. We should invite those that cannot repay us like the poor, crippled, lame and blind. Jesus says we will be repaid at the resurrection of the just ("we will never be the loser when we give after the pattern of Gods generosity."- Dave Guzik).  

There is a second part that breaks down Jesus's role in salvation. He compares God to a man who hosts a great feast and sends a servant (Jesus) to get people (all people on earth) to attend. People give excuses as to why they cannot attend the feast such as tending to a field, examining their property and being just being married. His point is that people will give any possible reason as to why they will not follow him (the servant) back to the man's (God's) feast (salvation or Heaven). God sent Jesus to get us to sit with Him in Heaven. It is up to us to follow Jesus to that feast.

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Mark 13:37- Stay Awake

Stay Awake

In Mark 13:32-37, Jesus is speaking about being ready and "awake" in a spiritual sense. He is talking about his return (after crucifixion and after ascension). Jesus is saying that no one knows, not even the angels and not even he knows when that return will be. Earlier in the chapter in verses 24-27, he speaks on signs that will indicate the time is near or has come. He compares it to knowing summer is near when a fig tree sprouts leaves and branches become tender. He is reminding us that when the moon will not give its light and the stars are falling from heaven, they will see the son of man (Jesus) coming in clouds with great power and glory.

In the last few verses of the chapter Jesus tells us to stay awake and ready. But he uses the word "awake" several times, four times to be exact (other translations use watch). There must be a reasons for that. Have you ever spiritually fallen asleep? You were on fire for God and passionate about serving and learning and in fellowship with believers, but then "life" happens and passion is lost from those parts of life? You spiritually fell asleep. We put off spiritual growth for other priorities. Time to wake up!

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Matthew 19:16- The Rich and the Kingdom of God

Matthew 19:16 "Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?'” commentary- This man wants to know what to do to get into Heaven. He recognizes Jesus as the authority which is why he calls him teacher. Jesus replies and tells him only "One who is good." The "o" in one was capitalized to show that only God was good (God is the One Jesus referred to). Jesus told the man if he wanted to enter life then he should keep the commandments. The man wanted to know how to enter Heaven but Jesus gave him the examples of how to enter life to show the difference between earthly existence and the kingdom of Heaven. The man asked which of the commandments to keep and Jesus points out six of the commandments that have nothing to do with relation to God being number one. The man says he has kept all these commandments and Jesus then tells him to sell his belongings and follow him. The man went away sad because since he had great wealth, he did not want to sell his "things." His things were far too important to remove in order to follow Christ.

Jesus goes on to explain that a rich man entering the kingdom of God is harder than getting a camel through the eye of a needle. But with God all things are possible. So Jesus is not saying that you have to be broke in order to get into the kingdom of Heaven, but if you are rich and are afraid to or refuse to give up what prevents you from following Christ, then the kingdom of Heaven is not attainable for you. He wants our obedience whether we are poor or rich.

Matthew 18:4-6- Humble Yourself

Matthew 18:4-6- ^"4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.⁶ “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." commentary- When the disciples wanted to know which of them was the greatest, they were off base in their questioning. Jesus shows them that it is not those who are trying to be great that are great, it is those who are focused on humility that are great. He used the example of the child because children were seen as property not as individuals. Children are also not intimidating and they don't care about social status.

In verse 6, his point is if you take someone (or "something" in this context) and ruin it, then shame on you. You ruined something beautiful with human purposes over God's purposes. Those of you/us who have children, let our interaction with them be as God would want it. We are their examples. As children, didn't you look up to an adult and make that person your hero? How often are our heroes from our youth people that have no good character? We have to check ourselves with the holy spirit and seek God's purposes for our lives, over our own.

Matthew 7:21

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of  heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." commentary- Jesus here is referring to those  who claim one thing verbally (as it pertains to doing God's will), but in their heart they are not focused on God's will. You can see how others live for God's will  by the fruit they produce. Does the Holy Spirit run their life or is it their own passion & selfish desires?