Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to Him, and I will SUP with him, and he with ME" (Emphasis mine).
"Whatsup" or "whasup", that's what my kids always would say to me years ago. "Hey dad, WHASUP?" It's a combination of two words, what's and up. Recently a beautiful family from a church that I had been privileged to preach at, invited me to their home for "supper". What a very special family who loves God with all of their heart, and whose children are loving and serving God. When I got their invitation, it said, "We would love to feed you and to spend time with you, it would be such a blessing". That really got my attention. It was such an honor to sit together at that dinner table, eat Italian food, fruit, dessert, coffee and talk together, sharing Jesus for almost four hours. I left there so blessed! Not only was the food amazing, but the time spent together was even more amazing. I was the one blessed!
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus gives an invitation to a grace meal. It's not forced, but invited. The choice of grace is never a forced choice, but Jesus says, "If you want to, we can eat together, and talk together, because I really, really would like to spend time with you".
The word "sup" is an Old English word that means to eat together. In the Jewish culture, and Jesus was Jewish, to eat a meal meant that you were in covenant with that person, and accepted. Here, Jesus introduces a new covenant called grace, by inviting us to eat or to "sup" with Him. Not only that, but on this side of the cross, in this new covenant, He, JESUS, comes into our house, into our spirit, we are now temples of the living God! So, say "Yes" to the invitation of grace. He wants to seal this grace in your heart! Enjoy! Come ready to eat a grace filled meal. WHASUP? An invitation of grace!
Oh Say Can You See
Psalm 91:2-3 - "I will say...SURELY He will"
A lot can go wrong for those singing the National Anthem at a sporting event, but when it's out of your control, the audience may have your back. That was the case for Michelle Madeira, who performed both the American and the Canadian National Anthem prior to a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game a few years ago. Her audio cut out partway through the Star-Spangled Banner due to a mic malfunction, although she continued to sing, the audience in the rink couldn't hear her.
Thank goodness for Madeira, the fans, without being prompted, all began to sing and helped her finish the song. It was an amazing, inspiring moment, totally unscripted, that made national headlines in the U. S. and in Canada.
In Genesis 1:3-4, it says "And God SAID, let there be light; and God SAW that it was GOOD". In Genesis chapter 1, God gives the Biblical pattern for a successful, fruitful, happy, healthy, prosperous life. It's called, "Oh say can you see". In this same chapter, in God’s creation, we see a pattern that determines what every day will bring, either "Oh say can you see", or "Oh say can't you see". It says God SAID, then God SAW! That's what we're living and experiencing in our lives today.
Mark 11:23 says "you have what you say". Every victory, every thing that you desire to "SEE", is in your mouth! I was reading Mathew 17:27 and it says there's money in the fish's mouth. It says "Open its mouth and you will find the money to pay your taxes". I believe there's money in your mouth, just like that fish, to pay any debt that you may have today, AMEN?!
Say it and see it. That's a word for you today. Do you have a bill? A judgment? A doctor's negative report? Like that fish, it's in your mouth... a bright future, a husband or wife, a career. You'll find it. Where? In your mouth. Hallelujah.
If you say you can't, you're right. If you say you can, you're right, it's your choice. Your freedom, your deliverance, your victory in every area of life is right smack dab under your nose. Your future is voice activated. Open your mouth for good, and sing out "oh say can you see!"
Without a Trace
Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for my own sake, and will not remember your sins"
Trace: a surviving mark, sign, or evidence of the former existence, influence or action, a barely detectable indication or evidence of something left behind.
That's exactly what Jesus and His precious blood has done for us! He has left us "WITHOUT A TRACE" of sin in our life. Not a speck, not a microbe, not a stain, nothing. There's nothing that is left behind that can lead to or leave a clue to that old nature called "the old man". Without a Trace, is actually an old TV series about missing persons. They can't find a smidgeon, a speck, a trace of evidence of what might have lead to their disappearance.
Praise God, the blood of Jesus has left us, you and me, "without a trace"! Isaiah 43:25, says that He "blots out" our transgressions. When you blot something out… it's not there anymore. Notice He didn't say He "covered up" our sins, or "made our sins hard to find". No, it's totally removed as if it had never been there!!
"Without a trace", that's really good news because there's nothing left to remind us of our sin, or the sin nature. See, His blood took care of sin - past, present and future. 1 Corinthians 5:17 says that we are a new creation altogether. Therefore, you are no longer a sinner. Colossians 1:28 says that Jesus presents you "perfect" In Christ!
There's not a trace, no evidence, you are justified, or just-as-if-I'd never sinned. You are holy and righteous, you're living without a trace of the old sin nature. Nothing, Nada, Gar Nichts...I think you get the point. Isaiah 43:25 says," He will not remember your sins". How can He, they don't exist, they're gone, adios! It's time for you to do the same, stop bringing up past failures. You're living " without a trace"!
Exhale
Genesis 12:2 (Amplified Bible) - “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you {with an abundant increase of favors} and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing {dispensing good to others}”
There's a really great song that says it all for me about grace, it's called Exhale by Plumb. Listen to these powerful lyrics, "O God, we breathe in Your grace, we breathe in Your grace, and exhale. O God, we don't just exist for ourselves, but to share Your grace and love and exhale"!!!!! It goes on to say, “it’s okay to not be okay, this is a safe place, don't be ashamed, there's hope here".
This really describes a beautiful aspect of grace to me. It's not just for ourselves. True grace, God's favor, God's nearly too good to be true news - when we breathe it in - is given to us so that we can exhale grace. To "exhale" means to breathe out, to give out. I love that. So here’s how it works…first you inhale grace, breathe it in, then you exhale grace, you breathe it out.
The thing is, you need both to live, both working in your life, if you don't you’ll die. When you inhale, you have to exhale, you have to get something out of you, you've got to release something. For a Christian, to live a healthy Christian life, that something is His grace that's on the inside of you. In Genesis 12:2 , it says, "We are blessed, to be a blessing". We are blessed (inhale) to be a blessing (exhale).
I think if we tilt in one direction too much, we get out of true grace. Jesus said " freely you receive, freely give". Again, you need both to be healthy, physically and spiritually, as a child of God! So, INHALE, breath in God's unmerited favor, His love and grace, but find an avenue to EXHALE, to give it out. The more you do it, it will become like your natural breathing, you just do it without thinking, it becomes so much a part of you. Go ahead, breathe grace in and breathe it out to others…it’s fun!!!
No Sweat
Matthew 11:28-30 (Message Bible) “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
I love that, the unforced rhythms of grace. When it comes to exercise, I know that I’ve done an exceptional workout when I sweat. I know I’ve put a lot of effort into it, exerted a lot of energy, pushed my body to the max. Not so with grace.
As part of the curse, Genesis 3:19 says, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, til thou return to the ground.” Meaning man would now work hard to make any progress, and sweat it out in an earth cursed system. Verse 17 says “Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of your life.” Sorrow, here, signifies struggle, putting in great effort with little results. Not so with grace.
This doesn’t mean that we will never work. It simply means that our labor will not be in our own strength or efforts or wisdom or by the “sweat” of our brow as under the curse. We are now under a new covenant and a new system. We’ve been redeemed from the curse. Jesus said “Come to Me”, “Get away with Me”. Then He says, “Walk with Me” and “Work with Me”.
Jesus never toiled or stressed or panicked or worried. He simply went about His day in peace and resolve. Before the curse, Adam and Eve walked with God. Jesus is calling us to walk with Him, depend on Him, work with Him, enjoy a life of grace, His unmerited, undeserved favor. It’s like that Easy Button at Staples, an office supply store. You press it and it says, “That was easy”. That’s the unforced rhythms of grace.
Watch the Tram Car Please
Psalm 35:27 "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant."
The five most frequently repeated words at the Jersey Shore every summer are not "license and registration please", or "we are all booked up". Instead, it's a recorded phrase that you hear every few minutes over the loud speaker from the Tram Cars that carry passengers up and down the Wildwood boardwalk…"WATCH THE TRAM CAR PLEASE"! The announcement from these legendary tram cars that roll day and night, from one end of the boardwalk to the other started in 1971, to protect the pedestrians also enjoying the boardwalk.
In Psalm 35:27, the Psalmist says that there is something that we are supposed to say over and over and over again…"Let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants". He uses the word continually, meaning without stopping, all day, every day. We magnify the Lord when we talk about how much and how often God prospers us.
mean, if you ever wondered about prosperity for your life, that sure clears that up! He says to say it continually, "Let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants. To thank God for prospering you in your health, in your family, in your finances, in your dreams and goals.
Prosper means "to thrive, to be successful, to have more than enough". He says that this is how the Lord gets magnified. This is how people around us know how big God is. Prosper also means "to succeed in an enterprise or activity, to flourish". To magnify means "to increase, to hold in greater respect, to give more value, or esteem".
We need to press our "continuous play button" when it comes to sharing the goodness of God, His favor, and His love for us. He takes pleasure in, He delights, and has joy when we prosper and when we succeed. And the more you say it, the more you hear it. "Let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants". Nothing makes him more joyful, more excited. So, be like that loud speaker on those Tram Cars, and speak of God's prosperous acts toward you, and His covenant, and His commanded blessing on your life all day long!
All in the Family
Genesis 12:3 (Amplified Bible) - "And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses {or} uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families {and} kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]."
If you are over 50 years old, you may remember the 1970's hit TV comedy, All in the Family, depicting a so-called typical blue collar family from New York City. Who can forget the head of the house, Archie Bunker, extremely outspoken, stubborn, and very opinionated. Or is loving, naive wife, Edith, or their daughter Gloria, equally outspoken on the opposite side of the political spectrum…or her husband who you might only remember as Meathead, affectionately named by his father-in-law.
In Genesis 12:2, the author of the book, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit shares with us one of the most powerful principles in the Bible. "In you" all the families and kindred of the earth shall be blessed. He is speaking of Abram (meaning exalted father), and later renamed Abraham (father of many).
You see, from Genesis to Exodus 19:8, people were blessed because they were born a Jew, being "born right". From Exodus 19:8 until recorded in the gospel of Matthew, people were blessed because they "performed right". From Matthew until today, we are blessed because we are "positioned right" or made in right standing with God.
Romans 8:4 says, "That the righteous and just requirement of the law might be fully met…", now here's the key, "in us". In Christ, we are now born right, and we have right position, Jesus has become your perfect performance of the law. Galatians 3:29 says, "And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise".
Wow, this means that when you received Jesus Christ, you became Abram's offspring. So, what am I saying? By you receiving Jesus, Abram's offspring, YOUR family, your children, your grand children, your relatives, ALL in the family are blessed and highly favored!
Kindred simply means "one's relatives, all family relationships". So, don't despair, don't worry, don't fear, don't stress anymore. Your whole family is "greatly blessed". Tell your relatives that because of Jesus, the Seed of Abraham, they are blessed. Our church family is greatly blessed, all in the family is greatly blessed. Hallelujah!
Good to Great
Genesis 12:2 - "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous {and} distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others]."
If you haven't already, you have got to hear this story about Nate Boyer. He describes himself in his earlier years as very average, non-descript, "rudderless", without direction. Then, as a young man just out of high school, while sitting on his couch in his living room, he saw a program on TV about refugees in Darfur, Sudan. Soon after, he found himself hitching a ride on a plane carrying supplies, and on his way to that very region to help make a difference. After serving as a volunteer helping, feeding, building and doing whatever was necessary, he enlisted in the US Army Green Berets and served his country through multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. After six years, he earned an honorable discharge. Never having played a day of organized football in his life, Boyer tried out for the team and played for the University of Texas on a full scholarship, eventually becoming the starting "long snapper". Going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft wasn't about to stop Boyer, who eventually signed with the Seattle Seahawks on May 2nd at 34 years old! You could easily say that Nate Boyer went from "good to great".
In Genesis 12, Abram had a huge decision to make, stay where he was, in the Ur of Chaldees, or follow the Lord's direction. Previously, in Genesis 11:31, in the Amplified Bible, it says that "Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together to go from Ur of the Chaldees into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there"…they "settled" there.
To settle means to be resigned to an average, maybe "good" life. Abram wanted much more. To do that he had to leave his comfort zone. In Genesis 12:1 it says, "NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father's house, to the land that I will show you." That is huge, God is saying to Abram, get away from those that are closest to you, and "I" will make you great!
Great means large, numerous, remarkable, successful, etc. Like Nate Boyer, we have to make a decision to get off the proverbial couch, and follow God's leading. That's what Abram did. As a result, eventually God gave him a name-change from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of a multitude). And it all started with one decision. This could be your day to get on the road to greatness. It's your time. Life may be good, but it's time for God's people to be GREAT!
Teach Me Lord to Wait
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. "
I heard a very interesting fact recently that really changed my perspective about waiting. Ready for this?...on The Golf Channel! The presenter was talking about the recipe for success for winning a golf tournament. They gave many "ingredients", but the one that caught my attention was when they said that to win a major tournament, a player needs to learn how to "wait properly". Why? Because during a four day tournament, the amount of time actually spent playing - hitting, swinging, putting, etc., is six minutes and 30 seconds! The rest of the time is spent walking or waiting for other players to advance. So, what a player does during that waiting time also requires practice…they need to learn how to wait.
In Galatians 5:22-23, a fruit of the Spirit called patience is mentioned. The King James Version calls it longsuffering. It's a Greek word that describes how that through grace, we learn to "bear along with frailties, offenses, injustices and provocations of others without murmuring, whining or resentment". Wow! I bet you've never heard patience described that way before.
Paul goes on to say something that I've never heard spoken of before, "against such there is no law". In other words, the law of Moses can't compete with the Gospel of grace. The grace that we need, to learn the proper way to wait when things are coming against us. The grace we need, to learn how NOT to take the bait of offense, or give in to resentment when someone makes a rude comment about us, or wrongfully accuses us. The grace that comes through the power of the Holy Spirit to learn how to wait.
Our cry, "Teach me Lord, to wait". Teach me Lord to think before I speak, to think the best of people in the worst of situations. I already have everything I need on the inside of me by the Holy Spirit. Now it's time to bear the fruit of the Spirit, to wait. To practice waiting. To simply wait on Him.
Just Be-Cause
1 Samuel 17:29 – “And David said, what have I now done? Is there not a cause?”
I have an important question for you today. What is you “cause”? The word cause means, a principle, an aim, or a movement that, because of a deep commitment, one is prepared to defend or advocate. Some synonyms of cause are: belief, conviction, object, end, objective, purpose, mission.
Matthew Barnett, of the Los Angeles Dream Center, wrote a tremendous book entitled, The Cause Within You, about his journey from serving under his father, Tommy Barnett at Phoenix First Assembly to finding the “cause” within him while on the streets of LA. When he first arrived in California many years ago, he pastored a small Filipino church. After several weeks, he went from having a handful of members to no members, they all left. His response, “I’m a complete failure. I’m obviously not cut out for this”. Then late one night, the Lord lead him to Echo Park, one of the most dangerous areas of the city, and he asked Him, “Why am I here?”. The Lord quickly replied, “If you minister to the people that nobody wants, I’ll give you the people that everyone wants”. And there, in the midst of drug deals, prostitution, homelessness, and devastation, the Los Angeles Dream Center was birthed. Twenty years later, the Dream Center has made a powerful impact on the inner city, reaching tens of thousands of people each month with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Why? God showed Matthew his “be-cause”. God wants all of us to “just be your cause”.
In 1 Samuel 17:29, there was a 9’9” giant named Goliath that came against the people of God. Instead of saying, “He’s too big”, David said, “He’s too big to miss!” He said, “Is there not a cause?” Like Matthew Barnett, God wants to use you to be the answer to the problems around you. David looked at the giant as an opportunity for God to excel through him, not as a roadblock to avoid. What’s your cause? Everyone needs one. And when you find it, God uses you to fulfill that cause. Your life becomes exciting and filled with adventure…defeating giants! So, find your cause within you, and just be-cause! Something greater than yourself is about to take place. Just be-cause!
Amazing Feet
Ephesians 1:22 “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,”
Several weeks ago, the USA Women’s Soccer Team accomplish an amazing “feat”, who had been previously de-“feat”-ed by Japan by penalty kicks. But this year was a different story when USA won 5-2, with the amazing Carli Lloyd scoring three of the five goals, and assisting on a fourth. Her third goal was absolutely remarkable, when the Japanese goalie came out a bit too far, never thinking that Carlie would score from 60 yards away. What a historical moment…what feet!
In Ephesians 1, Paul speaks about our authority in Christ, comparing it to a physical body. He says that Jesus is the Head, and we the church are the Body of Christ. He goes on to say that He has put all things under His feet. So, simply stated, Jesus is the Head, we are the body, the feet are in the body, and therefore Satan is under our feet. This is important to understand because it truly gives us a picture of the authority that we enjoy. Yes, I said enjoy.
Ephesians 6:15 says, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”. This verse speaks of always being prepared to share the Gospel of grace and the peace, wholeness, completeness that grace brings to us.
Joshua 1:3 says, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” That’s exacting our authority, it’s been delegated to us in the body. As you can see by now, as the Body of Christ we have amazing “feet”, both positionally (new word!) and authoritatively! So let’s get moving, exercising our authority, claiming what’s ours, and sharing the Gospel of grace and peace wherever we go!
The Power Energizer
Galatians 5:6 “Faith worketh by love”
In 1989, a television icon was born…the Energizer Bunny. If you live in America, you’ve seen him, a pink bunny in flip flops and sunglasses, beating a large drum over and over and over again. His claim to fame - when powered by Energizer batteries, he outlasted every other toy on the market powered by the competition. Their slogan, “It just keeps on going, and going, and going”.
owever, in Galatians 5:6, the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives us the REAL energizer, “Faith worketh by love”. He gives us something that powers us in every area of life - our health, in our family, in our finances, anything that you can think of.
The Greek meaning of the word “worketh” is very interesting: a supernatural power from within. In English it the same word for “energy”. Paul is speaking in reference to grace, as mentioned in verses 1-5, that it’s not our works that empower us, but God’s undeserved favor. In verse 2 he says that if you want to rely on your own works and your own power, “Christ shall power you nothing”.
Christ is not Jesus’ last name. Christ means “the Anointed One and His anointing”. The anointing is what empowers you to do things far beyond your own abilities. It will cause you to “run through a troop and leap over a wall” (2 Samuel 22:30, Psalm 18:29). It’s powerful to know the anointing is in you.
Paul goes on to say that immersing yourself in God’s love energizes your faith, it makes your faith work, it allows the faith of God to access the finished works of the cross in our life. “The Energizer Power” is available to you, it is ready to “over-supply” any need you might have today.
Go ahead, say out loud “Jesus loves me”, and watch your faith get energized. The Energizer Power. Tap into it today!
The Honeymoon is Never Over
Romans 5:8-9: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
For those of you who are married, remember how wonderful your honeymoon was? I hope so! You and your spouse were inseparable, passionately in love, on your best behavior. You both loved and accepted each other unconditionally, you overlooked mistakes and missteps, your perspective was positive, your future was bright!
Similarly, when I was first saved, people would say to me, “God is doing that for you because you’re still on your honeymoon with God”. What they meant is that God doesn’t expect you to do anything, He wants to give you your heart’s desire. The only problem with that thinking is that it implies that after a period of time, when the honeymoon is over, God expects you to pull your weight and work hard, no more Mr. Nice Guy. You know, I never saw that in the Bible, but I actually believed it.
This is so far from the truth, it’s not even close. In Romans 5:8, it says, “God commended His love toward us when we were yet sinners”. While we were at our worst, when we deserved nothing, God gave us everything, He gave us total salvation.
The next verse says, “Much more then”, which is a comparison to verse 8, “being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through him”. In other words, after we’re saved, being now justified by His blood (declared righteous), we are saved from God’s wrath or anger. See! The honeymoon is NOT over, to the contrary it’s NEVER over, it’s for eternity.
When I think about my honeymoon with my wife, Natalie, I get a big smile on my face, it was awesome. Above and beyond my highest dreams. But the honeymoon didn’t end there. Because of God’s goodness and grace, our lives are more blessed and we are more in love than we’ve ever been before.
After all, God doesn’t treat us better when we first get saved and then the rest of our Christian life goes all downhill from there, struggling to make it to the end. Get that thinking out of your head! Get back to the honeymoon frame of mind. It ain’t over! In fact, it never ends, from God’s point of view…you’re still on your honeymoon!
School's Out for Summer
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) – “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”
My favorite moment of the school year was the minute the last exam was finished and I heard, “Time’s up, pens down, and please remain seated until your papers are collected”. Music to my ears! All the hard work and study was behind me, all the exams were finished…school’s out for Summer!!
This is how it is for the believer when the Gospel of righteousness take root in their heart. The first reaction is one of sweet relief. They say to themselves, “Really, Jesus did it all? I don’t have to work to impress Him? I can stop studying for the exam and trying harder and harder to achieve? Oh happy day!”
Unfortunately, many believers are still living dreading the “final exam”. The good news is there is no final exam. Jesus already took it on our behalf. And guess what, He passed with flyer colors. School’s out forever!
How’s this for New Covenant math?...How many sins did Jesus commit before He was made sin for us? Answer: None! And how many righteous acts did you do before you were made righteous? Answer: None! God did it all the moment you put your faith in Jesus. You were immediately stamped “RIGHTEOUS” for all of time and eternity. School’s out for eternity. You are on the eternal “Dean’s List”. Congratulations!!
The New Adams Family
Colossians 3:3 – “For you died, and your new life is hidden with Christ in God”
Some of you might be old enough to remember the 1964 TV series, The Adams Family, about a rather different, shall we say, type of family. Characters such as Morticia, the mom, and the father, Gomez, Uncle Fester, Cousin It, and of course, the butler Lurch, became household names, and are still referred to today by certain generations. It might have been strange, but try and find one family around at that time that doesn’t remember watching the show as a kid, including me, who never missed an episode.
Why am I talking about the Adams Family? Because 90 percent of Christians today are still living as heirs of the first Adam, embracing the old, unrenewed life and the old covenant, ignorant of the miracle of the cross of Jesus Christ, the last Adam.
Why? I believe there are two reasons. First, they do properly value what Christ accomplished on the cross. Second, they do not know what happened to them on the cross. Every believer knows that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, but not every believer knows they died too.
Paul says so, again and again, to the Christians in Colossae, “you died with Christ”. To the believers in Rome, “we died with Christ”, to the Corinthians, “we all died”. You may say, “How did this happen? I don’t remember the nails.” Well, you were included in Christ when you were baptized into His death. His death became your death. The old Adam, and that old sin nature died. That’s good news!
You must see your old life, your old man, as crucified with Christ, and live the new life in Christ, as a new creation, a new being that never existed before. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me”. Your baptism into His death is just about the most important thing that ever happened to you. Yet, many Christians still see themselves as a new and improved version of their old self. No!
Again, Jesus is called the last Adam, He came to restore back to us the dominion and authority that God originally gave Adam in the Garden of Eden. Knowing this, why would anyone want to remain and live as a member of “Adam’s Family”? “For if we died with him, we shall also live with Him also” (2 Tim 2:11). If you don’t really know that you died, then you can’t really live. Instead, you will spend your life trying to die, dying to self, dying daily, and crucifying the flesh.
Today, if you’re saved, you are no longer a member of the LAST Adam’s family, that old man died, you are now living in Christ, it’s time to start living like it!
Just Bring Yourself
Hebrews 8:10 - "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people"
When I was single, I got a lot of dinner invitations to people's homes, and I would always ask them, "What can I bring?". Being that I wasn't the most domesticated bachelor, I couldn't bake, and I couldn't cook very well, they would always answer, "Just bring yourself!" Ahh, music to my ears!
In Hebrews 8:6, the writer says, "But now has He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much more also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises". In the old covenant, I had a part and God had a part. In the new covenant, the only part is God's part. In Hebrews 8:10-12, all I see is "I will, I will, I will", and the "I" is God. The only part that's my responsibility is in verse 12, when God said that He remembers my sins no more, which means that I must remember them no more as well. No more sin consciousness! I must call myself righteous like He does, and accept and receive what He says about me.
Just like with those dinner invitations, it's this simple, the first thing I need to do is show up! The next thing I do is say thank You! We always think that we have to bring something to God, and if we don't and show up "empty handed", we think we're doing something wrong, or we should have at least DONE something! In the new covenant, we don't have to DO anything except to believe, receive, and say thank You. So, what should you bring to God, just bring yourself. No good works, no good deeds, no excuses, no sacrifices, no shame, just bring yourself.
What a great covenant, with better promises! He says, "I will be your God", meaning when you're sick, He is your Healer, when you have bills to pay, He is your Provider, when your kids are out in the world and not living for Christ, He is the Restorer and the One who will show them who He is.
I think sometimes we want to DO something so we can boast, or maybe because we simply don't trust Him to DO what He says, but God is teaching us to depend on Him. So when You come to God, just bring yourself, that's it. AND here's the best part, that's our message to the world around us...simply, "Come to Christ, there's a seat waiting for you at His table, all are welcome, no need to bring anything...just bring yourself".
Error Message
Romans 2:4 – “…the goodness of God leads you to repentance”.
For so long, Satan has trapped people into a sin consciousness, always thinking about what’s “wrong”, a performance based system of measuring our worth, accusing us of every little thing. That’s a lousy way to live, but so clever on his part. Why? He knows if he can overload our thoughts with lots of “wrong” and condemnation, it will be harder for us to recognize and accept when God wants to bring sin to our attention.
When God shows us the error of our ways, it’s totally the opposite of the way Satan does. Satan pounds us, God is good, He speaks to us and guides us and leads us into repentance. It’s a still, small voice, like an “error message” that pops up on your computer or phone or TV. Error messages are used when invention is required, or to indicate that a desired operation has failed, or to relay important warnings.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore or resist that “error message”! It’s a good thing! Hebrews 12:6 says that the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, as a loving Father with his child. Allow yourself to be corrected, quickly. I know it’s not easy, “for the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful” (verse 11), but “afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it”.
Better yet, when temptation to sin comes, don’t give in. Genesis 4:7 says, “Sin is crouching at your door, its desire is for you, but you must master it”. How? 1 Cor. 10:13 says, “God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Side note: temptation to sin is not sin. It’s when we give in to temptation that we actually sin. Jesus was tempted in all ways but without sin.
Get rid of that sin consciousness, and quickly respond to the error messages that GOD sends, because He loves you and wants the best for you. Make this your prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). Be totally vulnerable with God, really get to know Him, enjoy your relationship with Him, you can trust Him with your heart.
No If's, And's or But's
Romans 8:4 – “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
You’ve probably heard the phrase “No if’s, and’s or but’s”, most likely from your…parents! It means “No excuses! If you don’t mow the lawn, you can’t go to the movies, no if’s, and’s or but’s!” Sound familiar? Maybe so, however, the way I’m thinking about this phrase is entirely different.
In Deuteronomy 28:2, it says, “And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.” In the Old Covenant, this was the “if and then” condition…if you do this, then God will do that. But in the New Covenant of grace, we no longer live under the Old Covenant where performance determines the blessing.
In fact, grace means undeserved, unmerited favor. God freely gave us His blessing at salvation, it’s no longer based on what we “do”. In the Old Covenant it was do, do, do – in the New Covenant it’s done, done, done! I don’t know about you, but I’m having more fun living in the done, done than in the do, do! Just sayin’.
In Romans 8:4, Paul tells us exactly how we relate to the Old Testament blessings that were under the law. He says, “The righteousness of the law is now fulfilled in us…” That’s awesome. That’s powerful. Why? Because of God’s gift of righteousness that has been imparted to us, all of the blessings of Deuteronomy 28 are “fulfilled” in us. Wow, that’s amazing! So now every one of those blessings are yours simply by accepting that you are “the righteousness of God” in Christ Jesus.
No if’s. No conditions. No performance. Nothing for you to do but receive.
No and’s. No Jesus AND anything, it’s Jesus, period. You don’t have to add anything to Jesus, it’s yours, it’s fulfilled.
No but’s. No “Yeah Pastor Joe, BUT I did this and that”. No “Yeah, BUT, you don’t know what I did”. It doesn’t matter!
There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s. You are blessed!
Superman
2 Corinthians 5:17 “So then if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away, behold, all things have become new.”
Did you know that the comic book character Superman was born on the planet “Krypton”, then rocketed to earth by his scientist father as an infant, just moments before Krypton’s destruction? The story goes on to say that he was discovered and adopted by a Kansas farmer and his wife, raised as Clark Kent, and instilled with a strong moral compass. Very early on he began to display superhuman abilities, which he resolved to use for the benefit of humanity. As an adult, he became a journalist with the “Daily Planet” newspaper in the fictional city of Metropolis.
Enough about Superman, how about you and me…we’re super-human! According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, the day we got born again, one third of us became “wall to wall” Holy Ghost. When a child of God says, “Well, I’m only human”, that’s not true, they’re not “only human”. That phrase shows that they haven’t grasped the fact that in their born again spirit they are totally and completely supernatural.
In their spirit is everything they need to overcome in this life, where the fruit of the Spirit comes from, where the love of God resides. In their spirit, there is no sickness or depression, no lack or weakness. As a supernatural born again Christian, I learned many years ago that I didn’t have to receive allergies every spring. Nobody prayed for me, I just simply said, “From now on I refuse to allow allergies to make me tired, constantly sneezing, and all stuffed up”.
How could I do that? Because we are not “only human”, we can do supernatural, superhuman things that even Superman couldn’t do! I know some of you think I’m strange, but John 14:12 says “We can do the works of Jesus”, and in John 11 it says, we “received power to be sons of God”, and 1 John 4:17 says, “As He is, so are we in this world”. We get to choose, are we going to live like “Clark Kent” and “only human”, or are we going to live like Superman. We have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living in us, how can we possibly be “only human”?
Jesus said to “cleanse the leper”, that’s an incurable disease, but we have the supernatural power to live without sickness. We’re not subject to the world’s economic system, we don’t have to live an “only human” life on earth. Start living like a super-human, living according to what the Word says, you live healthy, you live debt free, your family is restored. Supernatural things happen to you every day because…you’re super-human!
What's In YOUR Attic?
Hebrews 11:15 – “And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.”
There are two really cool things that I remember about the house that I grew up in. First, we had the best, most adventurous basement in the whole neighborhood, with secret passages behind the walls, which were great for playing the game “hide and seek”. Second, our amazing attic. It was right next to my bedroom. It had a small door you had to squeeze through to enter, but once inside, you could stand up and walk around. There was so much stuff up there, old stuff. Old photos, decorations, and keepsakes from decades ago. I guess that’s what attics are for, a place to store old things from the past. When you look around it and dig through boxes, it brings back lots of memories…good ones…and not so good memories.
In Hebrews 11:15, the author is warning us that if we “call to mind” that from which we came out, we would have opportunity to return. If we meditate on, dwell on, are attracted to, keep looking back at the past, we are tempted to return to a place that we have already left. We are not meant to be there anymore, but if we look with fondness or longing to that place, it says that we will have the opportunity to drift backwards to that place.
If we’re not careful, our minds can take us backwards to things that we have already overcome in our lives. Things in “the attic” of our minds, old negative memories. It’s okay to think once and awhile on the good memories! The family traditions and special mementos that are woven into the fabric of our families, the good things that make us who we are today and make us unique as a family. But not those things in “the attic” that pull us down and try to pull us back to where we have been delivered from.
In Hebrews 11:15, he is speaking of a life that “looks” forward to what’s ahead, not backward to the past. What’s in YOUR attic that’s trying to pull you backward instead of meditating on the amazing plans that God has for you? The vision God has given you for the future! What’s in your attic that’s drawing you and tempting you to go back there? Well, stop looking at it!!! Clean out that “attic”, once and for all. Your best days are ahead of you, not behind you!