June 21st - All in All.

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19).

The secret to worthwhile faith is figuring out what God has actually said. That is not always easy. Who among us today has actually had a two way conversation with God? What I assume is that God spoke to men of old and they wrote down what God told them into a book we call the Bible - the Scripture.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…for everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” (2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4)

My hope for humanity is found in the Bible. Paul sums up this “hope” as follows...

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive… so that God may be All in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

God “All in all”.  That is the hope for humanity, a treasure worth guarding!

"I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day...with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:12-14)

June 20th - Better Promises

Concerning the history of the unfaithfulness of Israel Paul writes...

“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

The promises to ISRAEL that were dependent on their faithfulness needed to be exchanged for a covenant based on the faithfulness of Jesus, the Son of God,  rather than sinful humans.

"Now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6)

The basic promises of the old covenant Law of Moses can be summarized as "do this, and you will live." The promises under the law were not realized because humanity does not obey the Law of God.

"Notwithstanding, the children rebelled against me; they did not walk in my statutes, and were not careful to observe my judgments, which, if a human does, he shall live by them" (Ezekiel 20:21).

God has promised a new covenant which is immeasurably better than the old one, because it DOES NOT depend upon human performance, but on the GRACE of God. 

"I will make a new covenant… I will put my law in their minds…I will be their God…I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

God has promised to forgive the  sins of humanity and remember our sins no more! Paul was given this good news to tell everyone.

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have ALL humanity to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one MEDIATOR between God and humans, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not ; a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” (1 Timothy 2:3-7)

June 19th - Myths and Strange Doctrines

“To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord...instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths… It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:1-20)

You can search all you want but you will not find a single verse in the Bible that says the penalty for sin is eternal conscious torment. It is a myth. the Bible clearly says that the penalty for sin is DEATH.

"...but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

"The wages of sin is death..."  (Romans 6:23)

Salvation is what happens AFTER death. The Bible tells us that Jesus will save OUT OF DEATH - not save FROM it. But for more than 1900 years there have been leaders in the church like “Hymenaeus and Alexander”, who have been shipwrecked in regard to the faith by the strange doctrine and myth of eternal conscious torment.

All of God’s dealings with humanity is with a view to the eventual reconciliation of ALL humans to God.

“…through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not counting their sins against them and has given us the ministry of reconciliation...” (Colossians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5)

Eternal conscious torment was introduced centuries ago by corrupt theology and has been passed down as truth. How incredibly sad! Paul addressed the source of the myths and strange doctrines.

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness..." (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

June 18th - Religious, Political and Journalistic Fabricators

“For us, who love God, who are the called according to His purpose, there is an awareness that He is working all together for good.” (Romans 8:28).

God is working everything for the good of humanity. This truth is refreshing to me in a world of religious, political and journalistic fabricators. Truth has become what these institutions perceive it to be, or would like it to be. 

All who have lived on this planet - even the religious, political and journalistic fabricators among us - will discover that humanity will be saved out of death by the grace of God.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all humans to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and humans, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all…we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all humans, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 18-19; 2:3-8; 4:9-11)

This truth continues to brighten even my most difficult days in this present evil age. It gives me peace and enhances my love for God. Not a fabricated love, but a genuine love flowing from the knowledge of God's grace, love, and goodness.

Religious, political, and journalistic fabricators are obsessed with the idea that those who agree with them are the only ones who will have things work out for good - however, I am confident that they are wrong!

June 17th - Don't Be Judged By Religious Ritual

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect…” (Hebrews 10:1)

The above was written to Jews who had believed and followed Jesus as their Messiah. They were considering returning to the Law and its rituals as the way to righteousness. The writer was reminding them that the Law nor the rituals surrounding the obedience to it could make them perfect.

Gentiles who had believed in Jesus were being told by some of the Jewish followers of Jesus that they too had to observe the rituals of the Law of Moses. Paul tells them that they should not allow these Jews to judge them by religious rituals...

“Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17)

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we will not be judged, nor rewarded, concerning our attendance at Church nor its associated rituals. We will be judged by whether we believe "the word" of Christ Jesus that He is the SAVIOR of the world. Jesus said…

“If anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him; THE WORD I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.…” (John 12:47-48)

And what is “the word” which Jesus spoke which will “judge him” who rejects it? His word that He came “to save the world”. 

Jesus will SAVE the world because that is what he came to do. He did not come to condemn the world.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:17)

Those who do not believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world will be “judged” WRONG and be ashamed when in fact Jesus saves everyone from death. At that time all will give account of their life to God including what they believed about God our Savior. ALL humanity will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord bringing "glory to God"…

“God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

"For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:8-12)

June 16th - Try to Keep Calm in the Storms of this Life

There is a saying that a person can be so heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good. But that is not what the Bible says.

“If, then, you were roused together with Christ, be seeking that which is above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Be disposed to that which is above, not to that on the earth, for you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested together with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:1-4)

Christ is “that which is above”. While He was down here He did what was necessary to save sinners condemned to death. One day He will return to earth. The older I get the more I find myself “seeking that which is above”. It gives me peace to know what awaits me and my family in the next life. For now, I try to enjoy this life the best I can trying to keep clam during the storms.

“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

June 15th - The Faith of Jesus Christ

"Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus.” (Romans 3:24-26)

Our righteousness is not based on OUR faith, but the faith OF Jesus. And the only way to be “justified” (declared righteous) is to be a recipient of the “faith OF Jesus”.

“...the righteousness of God is through the faith of Jesus Christ to all. and on all who believe." (Romans 3:22)

If your version of the Bible says "faith IN Jesus", it is wrong. Any honest translator with a Greek Interlinear will clearly see the proper translation is "faith OF Jesus". Nothing wrong with having faith IN Jesus, but that is not the context in the above verses which are talking about the faith that Jesus had, not our faith.

For it is by Grace you have been saved, through FAITH - and that NOT OF YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT OF GOD...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all humanity...Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of FAITH, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 12:2-3)

Jesus had faith that His suffering and death on the Cross was the RIGHT thing for God to do . The sacrifice of His body was necessary, and therefore Jesus "endured the cross" because He knew that...

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, my God....and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once FOR ALL...when this priest had offered FOR ALL TIME one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool. For by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy..." and God says that "their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 10:5-17)

What is the will of God for humanity that Jesus was sent to do?

"This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who WILLS all humanity to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and humans, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom FOR ALL..." (1 Timothy 2:3-7)

"Therefore when Christ came into the world He said 'Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do YOUR WILL, O God.’ ” (Hebrews 10:5-7)