2 John 1: Verify the Teaching

Verify the Teaching

2 John 1:9 tells us that anyone who is teaching the word needs to abide in the Father and the Son. Anything less or more is incorrect. Don't let these teachers in your house. Furthermore, why would you want to let them in your house? If they teach that Jesus isn't the son yet you know differently, why would you allow falsehood into your life? Anything more than the Father and the son is like saying Jesus isn't good enough. Look, we do include the Holy Spirit but not as an extra, but as an inclusive part of the Father and Son. The Spirit comes from God, not some extra reach from another culture. You are responsible fore the teaching you allow in your life and do not check. If your math teacher tells you that 20 + 20 is now 60, would you not disagree, argue or consider them a fool? Do the same thing with Scriptural teachings.

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Hebrews 12: How Tough Is It Right Now?

How Tough Is It Right Now?

Have you heard the saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going? There was even a song about it by Billy Ocean in 1986. But, from scripture, we can know and understand that when things get difficult for us it can be seen as discipline. Having money troubles? Maybe God wants you to cut back on your spending. Maybe God wants you to trust Him through hardships. Maybe you shouldn't have taken that job as it didn't pay enough and you made a bad decision. What ever happens is not always "God punishing me." Your earthly father disciplines you and you respect him, but God does it and you curse Him. Why?? In Hebrews 12:7 we read "It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" God is disciplining us. It isn't going to be easy. We can make decisions that back fire on us because we weren't doing what God wanted from us to begin with. See the discipline not as punishment but as a guiding for a new direction.

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1 Thessalonians 2: Leading and Loving Like Parents Should

Leading and Loving Like Parents Should

I noticed a couple of things Paul said in this chapter that stuck out to me more than other verses. He compared the way that he was gentle and how he exhorted (encouraged) the church. In verse 7 Paul says "But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children." He is talking about his approach to correcting the church for missteps. He was gentle. He wasn't harsh and full of blame, he was gentle like a nursing mother would/should be. He also makes the comparison in verses 11-12 to being like a father and encouraging the church to "walk in a manner worthy of God." He is saying this is what a father would. He should his solidarity with the church by comparing his style to that of their parents. And since honoring your parents is in the law (Ten Commandments) then it would be in their best interest to respect Paul as such as the parent of the church, metaphorically speaking.

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Acts 24: Paul's Defense

Paul's Defense

Have you ever been accused or even falsely accused of something? It is not fun to have than done. I have had it from loved ones and even strangers. There is a way to handle these types of situations and the way Paul is very similar to that of Jesus. Jesus faced temptation in the desert and faced accusations from the Pharisees many times. He never got defensive, but he did defend himself with truth from scripture. Paul's defense here is not one of yelling and screaming and pointing fingers, but one of truth.

In verse 10 Paul "cheerfully" makes his defense while acknowledging the length of time Felix has been in power. To me it shows an initial sign or respect which sets the tone for how his defense will continue and end. In verses 11-13 Paul tells Felix that he can check any of the accusations that have been brought against him. In verses 14-19 Paul says what he is "guilty" of and still challenges the accusers to find him guilty of what they accuse him of. In the last sentence I wrote "guilty" because he had not done something wrong in the eyes of God but only in the eyes of the accuser. Paul verifies that he is guilty of worshiping the same God that the accusers worshiped. He says he is guilty of having hope in God, wanting to give alms to his nation and present offerings. He admits to being in the temple but being purified while there and then says challenges his accusers again. Paul was not afraid.
 

Paul was kept in custody and told by Felix that when Lysias the tribune comes then the case will be decided. Felix showed his greed by making Paul sit in custody for 2 years as that was Roman law and Felix had hoped for a bribe. For if Paul had offered Felix a bribe, Felix would have let him out.

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John 16- Overcome the World

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.

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John 5- The Authority of Jesus

The Authority of Jesus

Jesus really wanted to validate his presence and who he was. He was not a stand alone guy just doing stuff because he wanted to (verse 19). If that were the case, then would he have been the Son of God and the Son of Man? No, he would have been like a cult leader who do things on their own accord for their own purposes.

Jesus did as he saw what God doing (verses 19-22). Jesus did what God did because whatever God does, Jesus would do. God raised the dead and Jesus did so as the God did. God stopped judging and gave all judgement authority to Jesus. That further supports the understanding that denying Christ is denying God.

Jesus received his authority from God (verse 27). Jesus was sent by God to do a job or in other words fulfill a purpose. Those who witnessed what Jesus did and said and still denied him were denying God. With all that we know of Jesus and can test his existence with the prophecies he fulfilled, you cannot overlook Jesus as God in the flesh.

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John 1:14- And the Word Became Flesh

And the Word Became Flesh

Maybe not for me or you, but I have this feeling it is "easy" for some to forget that Jesus was God in the flesh. Not just a good guy, but the human version of God who was both God and Man at the same time.

God is not the type to overlook you. Remember that. In John 1:14 we see it clearly with "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

"The Word became flesh" breaks down how God became human and was Jesus. "Dwelt among us" shows us how Jesus walked with people and did not just live up on some cloud in the sky. "And we have seen his glory" refers to the physical evidence that shows that it was not some fairy tale told generation after generation, but witnesses seeing the same great things Jesus did. "Glory as of the only Son" tells us that God only had one Son. The S in Son is capitalized to reference that God was in Him. Remember Jesus was half Mary's and half God's. Joseph would be Jesus's step-father so to speak. We have earthly parents while Jesus had one earthly parent. "Full of grace and truth" identifies Jesus's character and his fulfillment of the prophecies.

The next time you think you are having a bad day or think no one cares about you, understand that God came down on earth to walk among us. He didn't do it out of obligation, but out of unconditional love. In that Jesus died for our sins forever uniting us with God if we accept Jesus as being God in the flesh and follow him.

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Wednesday Wake Up #6

Belief in Jesus or Follow Jesus

Maybe it is lost in semantics and what people really mean, but I have heard people say that they believe that Jesus was the son of God. But, what do they really mean by saying that they believe in Jesus?

Are they saying that they simply believe that he is the Son of God or that he simply existed? Are they saying that  they think he was simply a prophet or a prophet like other prophets from other religions? Or are they saying that they believe that Jesus is God in the flesh and they follow him? Click here for historical evidence of Jesus's existence.

In Matthew 8:28-34 Jesus was met by two demon possessed men. The demons referred to Jesus as the "Son of God" in verse 29. They begged Jesus that if he casts them out of the man then to case them into a herd of pigs. Jesus did so and the herd of pigs went down a steep bank and drowned in the sea. My question is why would the demons refer to Jesus as "Son of God" if he were not the Son of God? Also, if Jesus was not the Son of God then why the demons have begged him for mercy? Even more so, who would have had power to cast out demons but God himself?

So, if we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, then that is just the start; then you follow him. In John 14:6, Jesus says he is "the way, the truth, & the light." He did not say his one of many ways or various ways. He did not say that he is just a human. Jesus was no ordinary man. He walked the earth as the son of God. And Jesus said "No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus did not say everyone can do it on their own. Jesus said they have to go through him to get the Father. There is a difference between believing someone existed and following someone. Follow Jesus.

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Luke 2:49 - My Father's House

My Father's House

In this chapter we get to see Jesus's birth and an excerpt from when he was 12. The excerpt by itself could seem rather normal, but if you have read through Matthew and Mark with me, then you understand nothing about Jesus was normal, primarily because he was God in the flesh.

During the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph as was the custom. After it ended, Jesus was thought to be traveling back with them, but he was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem to see him sitting among the teachers asking questions and listening to them. Mary and Joseph were worried and I love the response Jesus had and I will tie this in to who we are today. Jesus's response in Luke 2:49 was “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 

It was the custom during this time for the son to take on the same work his father had involved himself with. We know Jesus was a carpenter as was Joseph, but we can't overlook (while I can understand the reason why) that Jesus is God's son, not Joseph's. While Jesus had taken on the customary apprenticeship of his earthly father, he also took on the work his Heavenly Father had for him.

God has roles for each of us, but if we are not in tune with what God want's from us, then we are just fulfilling earthly duties. I ask you this question, are you about your Father's business? Are you doing what it is God wants you to do? I don't just mean with work or school (but it could be that), but outside of the church for the purpose of spreading God's word and the life of Christ.

We must be about our Father's business and be in our Father's house. We are to do what God directs us to do out of obedience for Him. Even Jesus, after Mary and Joseph found him still in Jerusalem, he went back with them to Nazareth and was submissive to them (verse 51). Jesus was doing what he was supposed to and that was pleasing to God.

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Matthew 21:31- The Two Sons

Matthew 21:31 "...Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." commentary- Once again we talk about what is fair and what is not. Jesus tells a parable of two sons. One is told to go work in the vineyard and he said no initially and then later changed his mind and went and did as he was told. The second son was told to go work in the vineyard and said he would, but did not. 

Even though the first son initially denied his fathers orders, he later changed his mind and did as he was instructed. Isn't this just like those who initially are told by God what to do, and how to live, say no, but then later become obedient to God's word? Even for those of us who have already accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Savior can still be disobedient, but we can a;lways make the choice to go back to doing what God wanted us to.

For those of us who say we will follow God's word and seek to be obedient and then do not, then we have lost our way. We become the second son who says he will obey but then does not. 

On a personal note, we sell ourselves out for so many things from sports, to understanding money and investing to gossip columns to food (foodies), but do we sell out for God? Do we really commit daily to Him as we do our routines? God isn't saying don't be dedicated to your work or your family, but He is saying "don't put that before me."

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?