They Never Repented
Seven angels had seven bowls and each of these bowls contains a wrath of God. People can say "God id this to us" but they overlook their actions that led to God's actions. people want to live in heaven now but do not want to do what is required of them by God to get there. God wants your obedience. God wants you to repent for sinful ways. Revelation 16:9 and Revelation 16:11 give specific incidences in these visions where no matter what wrath was being poured out by God's angels, people still could not and did not repent for their ways.
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Continuity of Sin
What have you allowed in your life? What exists in your life that is okay based on what culture thinks? Is it okay with God? Is it God honoring? Look we all mess up and fall short and fail and sin. It's what happens because we are fallible and we are human. In 1 John 5:18 we have to understand (just like in previous books and verses) that once you are born of God (born again, seeking His will consistently) then that sin life that was apart of you can be no more. Let God in to that part of you that you are not willing to give up yet. When you have something big coming up, do you work and get anxious and doubt yourself? That is not of God and that is how Satan uses you and your circumstances to pull you away from God. Seek God's will in your life. Consult the Scriptures and let the Holy Spirit guide you.
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Get Near to Jesus
There was so much power in the physical touch of Jesus as he was God in the flesh. He could touch you and heal you. He could speak to you and heal you of an ailment that has plagued you for decades. There was nothing that he couldn't heal. In Luke 6:17-19, Jesus ministered to a bunch of people. The first thing he did was he stood on a level area (verse 17). That could just be a simple way of saying so he was balanced in a place where there was not much balance to be found (mountainous or hilly area). But you can metaphorically connect it to mean when you are going to do some preaching and teaching and ministering, make sure that your life is in balance, not imbalanced. Imagine watching someone stand in an area that was unstable. You could get distracted by watching them try to keep their balance. The same way we need to keep our balance with God's word and managing what we allow in our lives from the cultures that we live in. My second point is contained in verses 18-19 which show how people from various areas knew of Jesus and wanted to hear him speak and have him heal their illnesses. Those who had unclean spirits and were troubled sought to be healed by Jesus. They wanted to be healed by him because they knew he had power. Just getting near to Jesus can be healing. You must have faith to even believe that he can heal. If they didn't believe that he could heal, would they have gotten near to him or tried to hear him speak. Get near to Jesus.
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Lawlessness and Righteousness
When you stay entrenched in your sin and do not cease to remove from your lifestyle (intentionally) then that is what we be known as lawlessness. For instance, if the will of God is in you and you continue to get drunk and sleep with different people, then that would be an example of lawlessness. In 1 John 3:4-10, John is telling the reader specific ways of how to look at lawlessness. It can be harder for us to understand as it appears that the text is saying you can never sin. While we should do what we can and also rely on God's strength to not sin, the text is specifically speaking about intentional and continual sin that is seen as a regular part of your life. No apologies for it. I have sins such as that. The text further explains that when you have sins like that you do not know the Father (God). What sin is still in your life?
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Fellowship and Confession
1 John 1:6 and 1 John 1:9 show us what it is to be honest about our fellowship with God. We can say we unite with God and walk with Him, but yet we live in darkness. Well, what does that mean? Living in darkness would be along the lines of 1) understanding what it means to be in unity with God and 2) actually doing it. If I meet someone and I say to them I am a manager of a job I have, knowing that manager is not in my job title or description, yet I give off the impression to others possibly to impress them that I am something that I am now, then I am lying. I might have similar responsibilities to a manager, but I am not the manager. So, when I say I walk with God and seek to be in unison with His will, someone would be able to see it by my actions and my words and compare them up against God's will. In addition, verse 9 isn't as deep with a diagnosis, yet it is just as important. Confession of sins is important as it shows us that our way of handling things, saying things, thinking and behaving isn't always in unison with God's will. Being in God's will is the focus. When we act outside of His will, we express selfishness and we sin. When we confess that we have sinned, we are admitting to God, "hey, I didn't get it right. I messed up, but I wanna be back in your good graces." When you can humble yourself and tell God that you want to try it again and get back on the right track, that shows God that we are willing to be humble and seek His ways over our own.
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Unstable Twist vs. Stability
When reading through 2 Peter 3, I saw verses 16-17 and shook my head and gave an affirmative "mmmhmm" which signified my solidarity with what was written. Here was have Peter (yes that Peter) writing about the letters that Paul had written. Peter says that some things Paul wrote/writes are hard to understand and those that do not understand them and those that are unstable (not solid in their faith) will use them and twist the meanings to mean what they want them to say. He continues on and warns them to not get carried away (figuratively) with the lawlessness of the ignorant and unstable who twist the words of Paul as they have done with other scriptures. When I communicate with other be they believers or not, I see the same issue. People will use scripture to fuel their own sin and validate its existence in their life. We need to be careful not to fall prey as those people do and not let them whisk us away with them into those lifestyles and areas of thinking.
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God Still Loves You
Do you ever look at yourself like you don't deserve to be loved? Have you committed a sin that you think is unforgivable? Maybe you committed a crime and had to serve a prison term, now you don't respect or like yourself very much. With all that being said, God still loves you. There is nothing that can make God stop loving you. Yes, He can be disappointed or mad, but that doesn't mean he stops loving you. God forgives all sin and blasphemy, except when it is against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). We can still repent for those sins that we commit (Acts 2:38) and know that God does want us to be saved and with Him (1 Timothy 2:4). And let us not forget, further solidifying God's love for us in 1 John 4:9-11. If He didn't love us then we wouldn't have Christ to redeem us to God.
Resource:
http://www.biblestudy.org/question/does-god-love-believers-who-repeat-the-same-sin.html
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Servants and Masters
With reading 1 Peter 2:18-22, I didn't want to address the servants and masters issue that some Bible detractors will try to bring up to discredit scripture and say how it encourages slavery. When if read properly the reader (detractor will see) that the Bible was not seeking to institute slavery, it was trying to show people how to respond in various situations and circumstances. Even doing this ministry over the last few years, God has told me some things that I was not ready for and didn't want to do, including starting the ministry itself. But in this regard, we have Peter speaking to servants who, of course, would want to fight back for being beaten/whipped for sinning against the master. The first part is the sin of the servant against the master. Compare that to the way we as God's children sin against God and we are punished for it. Are we supposed to fight God, our master? No. The same "rule" applies here as servant hood was not the same during this time or in this example as the slavery we understand from American slavery. This was servanthood to pay off debts. So Peter's words here are about enduring when being punished for wrongdoing against the person you went into an agreement with. Even when you are innocent, Peter's words are to "endure" the punishment as Christ was also innocent and that endurance will be a testimony to you in honor of God through Christ and his endurance.
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Blood for Sins
The old covenant was solidified by blood (Hebrews 9:22). It was the blood of animals that were used as a sacrifice for sins of men. But when Jesus sacrificed himself, did that not hold more weight with sacrifice for sins than an animal? The writer makes this point once again by pointing what would be flawed logic for those that say Jesus was equal to or less than High Priests. Jesus shed his blood for your sins further solidifying his sacrifice. And that shedding of blood by Jesus was what we needed to be redeemed to God.
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Be Patient, Stay Strong in Him
If you have read through Proverbs then you know that there is plenty of wisdom to obtain from that book. In Proverbs 16:7 we read "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." This is not specific to just men, but women too. First, look at the phrase "man's ways please the Lord." These are not ways that you justify that are just what you want to do, but what God wants from you. How do you know what God wants from you? Look at John 13:34 and know that Jesus himself said that he wants us to love others as he has loved us. Remember he died for your sins. Also remember this was a command, not a suggestion. Secondly, "He makes even his enemies be at peace with him." Have you ever heard the term "misery loves company"? It is hard to argue with someone who won't argue with you. Let "Jesus take the wheel" to your heart and soul and steer you away from sin and troubles.
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Division and Deeds
Paul tells Titus to be careful of those who cause division in the church in Titus 3:10. Paul says, "As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." He isn't saying don't give them a chance, but he is saying after so many times, move on from them. The whole church is bigger than an individual who is not unified with others in Christ.
Paul also tells Titus "And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful." This reminds me today of so many of us who do not serve as Christ did and think we are "good Christians." We all have some kind of ability to help someone, not just our family and friends. Even the pagans can serve their families. Christ followers need to step it up.
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Jesus Eats with Sinners
In my many travels (read this article) I came across an image with some text that seemed to be saying that Jesus would endorse/support sin because he ate with sinners. I may have gotten the message a bit mixed up (I doubt it though), but I do think and know that there are people who believe that because Jesus ate with sinners, that it must mean that he accepted their sinful ways as okay to live in and would encourage these sins to continue. I beg to differ and scripture would disagree with that too (that is what is most important). Jesus does not endorse sin. Many look at Jesus and forget why he came to earth and what his purpose was while he was here. I hope I can remind people today that Jesus would not encourage or endorse sinful behavior.
In Mark 2:13-17, Jesus had called Levi to follow him. Levi was a tax collector and they were known to take more taxes and save some for themselves. While eating with Levi and other tax collectors, the Pharisees got upset with Jesus for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus told them that it is not the well, but the sick that needed doctors just as the sinners (the sick) are the ones who needed Jesus. Why would a sinner need Jesus? So that they can follow him. If you love Jesus and what he stood for then understand he was not just a good person, but a servant of God doing the Lord's will while loving the unloving and the sinners.
And remember that Jesus did not want you to sin. Remember the adulteress woman who the Pharisees brought to him to have her stoned according to the law (John 8:1-11)? After he made some markings in the sand, Jesus told the Pharisees whomever had not sinned could cast the first stone. The Pharisees one by one dropped their stones and walked away and could no longer condemn her. When there was no one left to condemn her, Jesus said he didn't condemn her either and that she should "go and sin no more." Jesus wants us to be united with God in Heaven and if we are accepting of God's grace and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior then we get who Jesus is. For those that think that Jesus just accepted everyone and was okay with everything, they still have some reading to do.
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Thank Him for Strength
Paul's strength to do his ministries were not of his own accord. He knew that. We should know that our strength to do God's work does not come from our own reserve either. In 1 Timothy 1:12 Paul says " I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service..." We can do the same. While we are not Paul, we do know that God has, does and will continue to appoint those He chooses to do His work. What has he called you to do?
Another note, if we look at Paul's life in whole and not in part we will see that verse 15 that speaks of Paul being the worst sinner is not a verse that many can apply to themselves. I personally, due to my guilt of my own sin, used to wear a t shirt that displayed my guilt as if referenced that verse and being the worst sinner. But, in fact that verse that Paul wrote was in literal reference to himself in regard to him being personally responsible for the death of Christians because they were Christian. So, before you go quoting scripture and applying it to you, make sure it is not one that is specific to just one person and can only or primarily apply to them.
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Canceled Record of Sins
When you read Colossians 2:13-14 it may not hit you right away. It may take a couple of reads as it did me. It reads "...God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." The point is for people to understand that through Christ, our sins are forgiven if we accept him through God's grace. You do not have to carry the burden of your sins around with you for the rest of your life. Imagine a judge telling a criminal who is repentant that he doe snot have to pay the penalty or fine or serve a jail term for his criminal activity. That's huge. And even more important than that is our forgiveness through accepting Christ so we do not have to pay the penalty of our sins (separation from God).
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No Greater Love Than This
Are you a friend of Jesus? How do you know? How do you check that or test that? Are you willing to do as He commands? Are you willing to lay down your life for your friends? You can say yes to all of these things, but the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. In John 15:13, Jesus says, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." What did he mean?
In the very next verse (14) Jesus says "You are my friends if you do what I command you." If you think you are a Christian, it may only be in thought. If you are not willing to submit your will to be in accordance with what God says and how Christ taught, lived and commanded, then how can Christ be in any title that you associate with your spiritual perspective? Are you willing to die for you friends? If so, are you willing to stop, slow down and make a phone call? Visit? Before you say you can do the big stuff, are you already doing the small stuff? Or are you too busy?
Remember Jesus was not "some guy" but he was God in the flesh and was also human. He read the scriptures and learned from them. He applied them when applicable. He sacrificed himself for your sins and mine. We can't even sacrifice time for our friends so how can we say we would lay down our lives. We can't even sacrifice parts of us that make others stumble. Are we really friends of Christ willing to sacrifice? Or are we just being selfish and thinking we are doing what we ought to be.
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Saved By Grace Through Faith
You can take credit all you want for your being saved. You can say that you kept the commandments. You can say that God favors you over others. you can say that your sins aren't that bad. But, ultimately, you're wrong. It is not your works that led you to be saved. Yes, it is up to you to accept the grace given by God through the blood shed, death and resurrection of Christ, but it was God's grace that even allowed that to happen. If someone gives you a gift, not a reward, you cannot take credit for that gift. A reward is something you earn for doing something. A gift is freely given. That is what Paul tells us here in Ephesians 2:8-9. Paul says "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." You cannot brag about your being saved. Give glory to God.
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Redemption
Let us not forget, not matter how bad we think we are or how far apart from God we feel, that we can be redeemed to God. How does that happen? In Ephesians 1:7 the redemption is through Christ's blood. Christ shed his blood and became the sacrifice for our sins. When we accept Christ, our sins are forgiven because of God's grace. We don't have to be perfect, we just need to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior.
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Christ Lives Through Me
We have to understand, as Paul tells the Galatian church, that it is not us who are just so great, but it is God working through us. Paul said that he died with Christ. His statement was answering a question that he would have been asked from the Galatians. His point in saying that he died with Christ was that he died to the rules of the law when Christ died in his place. Christ died in all of our place. He died for our sins. So, when Paul says "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me", he is saying that because he accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior, it is now the Spirit of God that lives through us and guides us (Galatians 2:20).
In verse 21, Paul validates what he stated before. Paul is showing the church that the law cannot save them, but only the grace of God through Christ. Paul says, "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." Paul's point is to say that the law cannot save someone for if it could, the Christ's sacrificial death was wasted.
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How Strong Are You?
How strong are you? I don't mean physically, but emotionally. How much can you endure? How much can you handle? How strong are you spiritually? In class last night, we discussed forgiveness and it made me think of how people will forgive an egregious sin or wrong doing done to them and people may say to them "You're so strong" and "I could never forgive that." But, it makes me think, is it really us individuals who are so strong and so awesome, or is it God working through us to make us and shape us to be who we become?
Pride makes us believe that we are so awesome and can do anything on our own apart from God. But that will make us stumble (Proverbs 16:18). That could be working through forgiveness, powering through a project, or anything. People apart from the Lord will say it is all you and you can do anything. But, for those of us that have accepted Christ and seek God's will in their life over anything else, we know that apart from God we can do nothing (John 15:5). Do you want a healthier marriage and stronger bond? Use God's strength! Do you want to forgive who hurt you? Use God's strength! Admit that you cannot do it on your own as the false prophets would say and preach. We have to stay connected to the true vine which is Christ and through him we are connected to God in order to live, think and operate in honor of God.
If we need an example of looking to strength that is beyond humanly possible, look at the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus tells a parable of a father who gives one of his two sons the inheritance/property that was entitled to him. He wanted it before the time he was to have. The father gave it to the son who then squandered it, realized his mistake and had to return home starving and humbled. The father gladly accepted the son back into his arms and was joyful to see his son alive. He treated him well when he returned and did not shame him, but loved him. This is not a man who was operating out of his own power. This is a father who was infused with the Holy Spirit to forgive and not hold a grudge. He was happy to see his child alive. And that is how God sees us. He wants us to see that we need Him and can do nothing apart from Him. We walk away from God when we let our pride control our emotions. The strength it takes to overlook the wrong someone has done takes God strength, not our own apart from Him.
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