June 2nd - We Have Received Christ

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him” (Colossians 2:6).

So how had the Colossians "received" Christ Jesus the Lord?

When we get a good rain we often say "we received a good rain from the Lord last week". We had nothing to do with the rain coming, we just received it. That is how I understand Paul when he uses the word "received" above. Humanity has received salvation from the Lord because Jesus brought "salvation it to all humanity".

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity...The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."(Titus 2:11; Romans 6:23)

Humanity should walk and rejoice in the free gift it has "received"  from GOD.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him….The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world…and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."(John 3:17; 4:14; John 4:42)

Humanity will be saved because God thinks it is the right thing to do. It is clear to me that when God is finished with humanity, every human will be saved. 

Humans should "walk in Him" knowing the glorious good news of the "grace of God". Jesus Christ our Lord was and is the grace of God in action, saving humans from our sin and death.

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith,  just as you were instructed, overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, ACCORDING TO THE TRADITION OF MEN, according to the elementary principles of the world, RATHER THAN ACCORDING TO CHRIST. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and IN HIM you have been made complete…you were dead in your transgressions...He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us ALL OUR transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:6-15)

Again, what did Paul mean when he said “as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”? Sinners experience JOY and PEACE when they BELIEVE this good news. Then they walk in that knowledge every day knowing that the best is yet to come. They are not made "captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men".

Not many seem to care about the salvation of all humanity. Nevertheless, “joy will come in the morning” for humanity, when, at the name of Jesus...

"...every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God." (Philippians 2:10)

June 1st - The Evil Eye

Jesus said…

"...is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is mine...is your eye evil because I am good..." (Matthew 20:15)

Muslims believe they are the only ones destined for heaven. Christians think the same thing. The reason is that both want their good deeds or faith to determine their salvation. Nevertheless, the world has only one Savior, and His salvation is a free gift to all humanity, according to the Bible…

“For by Grace are you saved...For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life...For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive...The last enemy that will be abolished is death… so that God may be All in all.” (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

Christians and Muslims alike have leaders whom they believe are men of God. They follow their teaching and trust and put faith in those men. They think their faith is in Allah or God, but it is really in what their leaders have told them about Allah or God.

All are destined to hear directly from Jesus, a few in this life and all in the next. And then they will finally understand what God has did for humanity through Jesus His Son, and all will declare...

"It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

God saves sinners by His "Grace" because He is "good". 

The evil eye of religion rejects the goodness of God saving all humanity.

May 31st - Our Father in Heaven

"This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven..." (Matthew 6:9)

"Our Father in heaven" is the One who gives beauty to replace our ashes, joy to replace our mourning, and praise to replace our despair. He has sent His Son Jesus to see that this is done.

"He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Political and religious differences of opinion divide humanity, they will never bring humanity together. It is depressing to me so I go to the Bible for encouragement. Jesus came into the world to introduce humanity to “Our Father in heaven”. All the political evil going on around us is simply preparing us all for the good that our Father is preparing for His family following this present wicked age. 

"Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named...For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name." (Ephesians 3:1-6, 15).

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:6)

God knows exactly what He’s doing. And He says that the best is yet to come!

“Behold, I make all things new...He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Revelation 21:5; 22:20-21 )

May 30th - Grace in the Eyes of the Lord

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord . . . . .” (Genesis 6:8)

Noah and his family were saved from the flood by the grace of God, but that salvation was temporary because he and his family eventually died like everyone does. Death is God’s will for humanity in this present evil age. But it is also God’s WILL that humanity be saved out of death - again by His GRACE. That is our blessed expectation (hope), and it will be glorious!

"As in Adam all die, even so, in Christ, all shall be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23)

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity…” (Titus 2:11)

“For by grace are you saved through faith…it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8)

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have ALL humanity be SAVED, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, 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)

May 29th - Our Light Affliction

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Now consider what Paul considered "light"...

“…five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep…many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.” (2 Corinthians 4:24-27)

As bad as it was for Paul from time to time, he felt his problems to b light when compared to the "weight of glory" that awaited him.

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

"...as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived -- the things God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Our problems are light when compared to our destiny.

May 28th - What is the Holy Spirit?

This two-word phrase "Holy Spirit" is used over 90 times in the Greek New Testament and only three times in the Old Testament, once in Psalm 51 and twice in Isaiah 63.

 

As I understand Scripture, the Holy Spirit is not a person. It is the POWER coming out of God, the Father, and the Lord, Jesus Christ. Their power created all things. 

“There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live. However, not all believers know this.” (1 Corinthians 8:5-7 NLT)

The Holy Spirit is the POWER of God that enables human beings to hear and believe the gospel of their salvation and tell others about it.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The power of God is what will be used to create a New Heaven and New Earth. 

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." (Isaiah 65:17)

"But in keeping with God's promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells." (Peter 3:13)

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." (Revelation 21:1)

 

Love is the most powerful attribute of our God. The power of His love is seen at Calvary. Love flowed as a river of living water out of the heart of God, through his Son Christ Jesus the Lord, for humanity to see. 

 

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the SPIRIT.”  (John 7:37-39)

 

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in POWER; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a SPIRITUAL body.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44) 

 

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the POWER that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

 

When our bodies of flesh and blood are transformed into glorious new spiritual bodies, this same love will flow like rivers of living water from our new body for we will have become the image of Christ. The Holy Spirit, the power of God flowing through Christ Jesus into humanity will have won the Victory over death!

May 27th - God will Forgive their Wickedness

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples indeed, then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

You “WILL know” the truth He said. Jesus was talking to those who believed in him. Yet they were not yet set free for they did not yet "know the truth". The truth would come through the Apostle Paul. 

Believing in Jesus does not set you free, only believing what Jesus has done for humanity sets us free.

So, what was the truth that would "set them free"? 

"The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

“…by His death He (Jesus) might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their FEAR of death." (Hebrews 2:14-16)

Humanity is “held in slavery by their fear of death”. We fear death if we do not believe that humanity is to be saved out of it. When we “hold to” the expectation of our resurrection we have the faith like Abraham, the father of all who have faith...

“…because the law brings wrath…the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring--not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” (Romans 4:15-17)

After God gives "life to the dead" every human will know the truth and set free from the fear of death. For now, only those who have heard and believe in the resurrection enjoy the free gift of eternal life - we have been set free from the fear of death.

“Now the just shall live by faith..." (Hebrews 10:38) 

As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)

"No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:11-12)

There is a lot of wickedness in this world. We should fight to eliminate that wickedness  - but after the wicked get the death coming to them, God intends to "forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more".  That is what a loving, merciful, and gracious God will do for humanity who He and His Son Jesus created.