"Utmost with the Least Most" Sanctification & Set Apart

UTMOST

                                                       July 23, 2009


SANCTIFICATION

   Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
   us ... sanctification.

   1 Corinthians 1:30


The Life Side.

The mystery of sanctification is that the perfections of Jesus Christ are imparted to me, not gradually, but instantly when by faith I enter into the realization that Jesus Christ is made unto me sanctification.

Sanctification does not mean anything less than the holiness of Jesus being made mine manifestly.

The one marvellous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is "Christ in you."

It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification, and imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God's grace.

Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the Holy qualities of Jesus Christ. It is His patience, His love, His holiness, His faith, His purity, His godliness, that is manifested in and through every sanctified soul.

Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests it in me.

Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.

Imitation is on a different line. In Jesus Christ is the perfection of everything, and the mystery of sanctification is
that all the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal, and slowly and surely I begin to live a life of ineffable order and sanity and holiness:

"Kept by the power of God."

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LeastMost:



Utmost with the Least Most

Set apart.

Realizing I am nothing isn't hard when I look in the mirror, but what is a miracle is realizing God sees me as perfect.

Not perfected, but perfect in grace, established in mercy, sanctified by the Life and Death of the Son of God.

When He looks at me, He see's a life lived like Jesus did. An obedient life living after not the flesh like I know I do, but after the Spirit of God as He is doing in me and through me.

Thank God I may never see that aspect of His Work to me, but I can be humbled by my sin that is prevalent to me. I am a sinner, that is obvious.

What is not obvious is sanctification meant He already placed me in a category separated from the World and called me Holy.

Love like that dumbfounds me and makes me childlike running to a Father who could do know me so well in my sin, save me from my actions, sanctify me from my judgement and cause me leap into the lap of a God who is not ashamed to call me His Son.

THAT is all Jesus did.
That is good news for me a sinner.

It is great news for those who don't know God yet because it isn't a message of Clean Up and Fix Up, but one of Loving us up to a higher calling than we had ever imagined or dared to believe we could live.

One where He will say...,

"..,presented faultless before the Father with exceeding Joy."

Michael James Stone

Chuck Smith...Worship Leader

Christopher David Laurie is alive!~Greg Laurie

Christopher David Laurie is alive!

July 23rd, 2009 Posted in Pastor's corner, encouragement, family | 3 Comments »

You may have read that headline and thought, “Poor Greg has become delusional! Doesn’t he realize that Friday, July 24, 2009, is the anniversary of his son Christopher’s death?”

Yes, I am more aware of that than you will ever know. I think about it every day, every hour, sometimes every few minutes. It never escapes me nor does the painful grief that accompanies it.

Grief is like a blanket that covers everything in your life when a loved one has died. Nothing is the same, everything is different.

I have plumbed the depths of the pain of sorrow, and have doubled over in pain from the power and reality of it more times then I can count.

So, as you can see, I am very aware that my son is gone. I am also aware that his body is in a grave.

However . . .

The Lord is there

Having said all of this, I must also testify to the grace of God in such circumstances.

When Paul complained of his “thorn in the flesh,” which was some kind of physical malady aggravated by the devil, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” In effect, Jesus was saying, “Paul, you have me. I am there with you” (see 2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

And the Lord has been there for me as well. He has also been here for our family, bringing His peace and calm in the midst of this deep valley we have been walking through. As David said, “Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4 AMPLIFIED).

We are not alone, as I have heard from so very many who have also lost loved ones, including children, since Christopher’s passing. More importantly, the Lord Himself has been there with us each step of the way.

A choice

When a loved one dies, especially your child, it is absolutely devastating. They were such a vital part of your life. You depended on them, and they on you. So when they are suddenly gone, it’s like part of you is gone as well.

The fact is, I would trade places with Christopher without hesitation and leave him here on this earth to love his wife, mom, brother, and, of course, his beloved daughters.

That choice has not been given to me. But another choice has—the choice of how I am going to react to this.

Will I merely react emotionally to it, and live permanently under the cloud of grief, pain, and sometimes even despair? Or will I listen to what the Bible says about this and perhaps gain a new perspective?

Though I have spent plenty of time with the former, I work at living by the latter.

My son is alive

How could that be? Let me state it another way . . . my son is alive in another place.

It’s not that he merely “was,” but he is! He is more alive than he has ever been, in the presence of Jesus Christ in heaven.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26 NKJV).

Jesus then said “Do you believe this?” Not everyone does, of course.

Did you know that this statement was made in front of a tomb? You can have no harsher reality than that. Nothing could be more real than the death of Lazarus.

Jesus was saying Lazarus was alive, not just because he would be raised from the dead momentarily, but because death for the believer is not the end. It is just a change of residence.

He is the God of the living

One day, a group of religious leaders, called the Sadducees, came to Jesus with a trick question.

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. In other words, they did not believe in life beyond the grave.

Maybe that’s where they got the name Sadducee. They were “Sad, you see?”

They challenged the idea of the dead living and Jesus responded:

But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” So he is the God of the living, not the dead. (Matthew 22:31-32 NLT)

When someone dies, we often speak of them in the past tense—“Christopher was my son”—and that is true. But when someone is still alive, you speak of them in the present-tense—“Christopher is my son.”

God said, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” not “I was God of Abraham, etc.” That is because when Jesus said that, He knew that these great patriarchs were still alive, not on Earth but in heaven.

Therefore, we can and should speak of our loved ones who have gone to heaven in the present tense, because they are very much alive.

No, I cannot speak to my son right now, nor can he speak to me, but I will soon enough. I cannot hug him or tell him I love him or remind him to do something like I could when he walked with us here in life on earth.

But one day I will see him again. I don’t just feel it. I know it.

Christopher David Laurie is my son, and he is alive.

And so are your loved ones who put their faith in Christ and have gone before you. You have God’s word on it.

God's Faithfulness and His Promises~Bob Hoekstra

God's Faithfulness and His Promises

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

Previously, we reflected upon God's ability in conjunction with His promises. The capability of the one making promises is strategic when promises are made. When relating God's ability to His promises, we have full assurance that He can fulfill what He has promised to do. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You…Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?" (Jeremiah 32:17, 27). Our Lord created all the universe, and He is ruler over all of humanity. Surely, He is able to fulfill all of His promises.

Now, we have another issue to consider: faithfulness. When promises are made, faithfulness is just as important as ability. It is vital to know that the one promising is not only able, but is also reliable. In our present verse, we are given reason to exercise unwavering confidence in God, based upon His faithfulness. "Let us hold fast theconfession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised isfaithful."

In the book of Hebrews, we are given a recurring call to stand firm in the hope of the Lord. To participate more and more in the reality of being God's spiritual household here on earth, we are to confidently embrace throughout our pilgrimage the hope that is available in our Lord: "whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (Hebrews 3:6). To fully partake of all that is ours in Christ, we are to persistently cling to Him by faith right up to our last days on earth. "For we have becomepartakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidencesteadfast to the end" (Hebrews 3:14).

Our present verse also stresses persistent faith in the hope of the Lord. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering."This persistence of trust in God is related to His promises and Hisfaithfulness. "For He who promised is faithful." We can cling tightly to the promises of God. We can confidently hope in God's fulfilling His promises to us. We do not need to waver in doubt, because God isreliable. He is trustworthy. He is faithful.

Dear God of faithfulness, how delightful to realize that my persistence of faith in You hinges on Your faithfulness toward me. I see that I can continue to depend upon You, because you are fully faithful to me. What expectation this gives me as I consider Your great promises! You will be faithful to fulfill every one of them, as I place my trust in You!

… For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.~Jon Courson

… For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
	Galatians 2:16
Are you trying to earn God’s favor through morning devotions, or Wednesday night Bible study attendance, through memorizing verses, or witnessing, through not going here and not doing that? If you are, you’re making a big mistake. You are justified by faith and faith alone — not only when you were born again, not only when you were saved ten years ago — but today, right now. God’s blessing will be upon the life of any man, woman, teenager, or older person who simply says, ‘I’m not going to try and earn Your blessing, Lord. I can’t. But I hear You declaring, Father, that You want to bless me by Your grace through my belief in Your Son. And I welcome such blessing.’ Dear brother, precious sister — the blessings of God are not based upon what you do or don’t do. It’s not, ‘OK, God, I didn’t see that movie. Aren’t You proud of me? And because I didn’t, here’s what I’m expecting You to do for me ...’ No. The blessings of God are based upon one thing singularly: faith in His grace. We can receive His blessing for one reason: The sin which cut His blessing off, and separated us from the Father, has been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if I choose to sin, it’s not that God will withhold His blessing in order to punish me. No, the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed me from all sin — past, present, and future (I John 1:7,9). If I choose to sin, I destroy myself. Balak, king of the Moabites, hired Balaam the prophet to curse the people of Israel (Numbers 22). But no matter how Balaam tried, he could only pronounce blessing upon them. ‘I’m paying you good money to curse these people,’ Balak said. ‘Let’s build another altar, and you can try again.’ So again Balaam opened his mouth, but only blessing came out. After a third altar, a third try, and a third failure, Balak was desperate. ‘I can’t help it,’ explained Balaam. ‘I’m trying to curse them, but they’re God’s people. They deserve to be cursed, but God’s for them.’ Seeing his fee slip through his fingers, however, Balaam came up with a new plan. ‘I can’t curse them,’ he told Balak, ‘but they can curse themselves. Here’s what you do: Get your foxiest ladies and send them into the Israelite camp. As they bat their eyelashes and swish their skirts, have them invite the Israelite guys into their tents, then have them pull out their little idols — their Ashtaroths — and say, ‘This is the way we worship in this country. Don’t you want to worship with us?' ‘Good plan,’ Balak said. So he got his girls and sent them into the camp of Israel. They enticed the guys into their tents, and, just as planned, the Moabite women pulled out their idols. Sure enough, the Israelites took the bait — and ended up cursing themselves, the end result being a plague which wiped out 24,000 of them (Numbers 25:9). So too today. God says ‘Blessings upon you. You’re justified by the hearing of faith because you believe in the work of My Son.’ As far as God is concerned, the sin which would bar me from ‘the spout where the blessings come out,’ was taken away by the blood of Jesus Christ. I cannot be cursed. But I can curse myself and so can you. Watch your step, young person. Listen up, 45-year-old man. ‘Oh, it’s OK to see that film,’ you say. ‘It’s only got a few scenes that are slightly compromising,’ or ‘It’s OK to hear that music. There are only a few questionable words.’ Watch out. You’re cursing yourself. We live in a culture where the advice of Balaam is being worked out unlike any other time in human history. Be very careful. You’ll get drawn into tents you never thought you would enter, and you’ll be wiped out in the process.

Growing in Christ~Bob Caldwell

Growing in Christ 1:2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue Our personal and experiential knowledge of Christ becomes a pathway to be "partakers of the divine nature." Christ within us becomes our limitless resource for "life and godliness." God's divine life in its multi-faceted expression becomes a life-transforming force as we by faith embrace God's "exceeding great and precious promises." As we take personal responsibility to act upon these promises, we are capable of adding to our faith a deepening and practical list of life's virtues. To make what is promised to us our own provides a limitless resource of divine blessings that assures us that our faith will not be barren. Instead, it can and will produce abundant fruit. In fact, any of us who claims to be born of God and partakers of His new life yet do not produce new and abundant spiritual fruit prove we really do not know who we are. We are like a person who cannot remember what they look like after just looking at themselves in the mirror (v. 5-9). It is vital that we not only discover who we really are in Christ as partakers of this divine life, but we must build our personal experience with Christ upon unshakable, verifiable facts. Peter gives two such facts here. First, he refers to the voice he and two other apostles literally heard from heaven that validated who Jesus is (v. 16-18). Secondly, he refers us to the objective proof of the scriptures. Peter points to the prophecies within the scriptures that Jesus Christ fulfilled in ways that cannot be denied (v. 19-21). Both our personal spiritual transformation and the facts prove Christ fulfilled a long list of prophecies are the best defense to "cunningly devised fables" (v. 16). Conversely, where these two facets of our faith are not secure, we become prey to false teaching that promises a counterfeit solution to the emptiness of our lives. As Jesus said, it is Truth that sets us free. But the tragic opposite is also true. Lies bring us into deception and bondage. Therefore, be sure to give yourself fully to personal growth in your relationship with Christ and His Word.
2 Peter 1:1-21 Greeting the Faithful 1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Fruitful Growth in the Faith 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter's Approaching Death 12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease. The Trustworthy Prophetic Word 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 1:1-21 2 Peter is the second letter written to this group of Christians living in Asia Minor, approx 66 AD. Peter's primary purpose for writing was to encourage the believers in their time of trials. v. 1 Simon Peter – In biblical times it was customary to identify yourself in the beginning of your letter. Peter's birth name was Simon. Later, Jesus surnamed him Peter. Simon is a Hebrew name after one of the tribes of Israel (Gen 35:23, Num 1:22,23). Simone means harken. Peter is a Greek name meaning rock or stone. Bondservant – doulos (Gk.) A slave, bondman, man of servile condition. In his first letter Peter identified himself as an apostle in his opening address. But now he also introduces himself with the much more humble title of bondservant, which means a willing slave. With maturity comes humility. Apostle – apostolos (Gk.) A delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders. Peter is an authoritative messenger commissioned and sent by the King of kings and Lord of lords. Righteousness – dikaiosune (Gk.) The state of one who is as he ought to be, the condition acceptable to God. One of the great truths of scripture is that Christianity shows us how to approach God by the righteousness of our God and not by our own righteousness (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-26; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9). We can never approach God by our own righteousness because our righteousness is filthy and unacceptable in His eyes (Is. 64:6). The only way to be right before God is if He makes us right by His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). Of Our God and Savior Jesus Christ – Here is another of many very strong cases for the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not only the Son of God, but He is also God the Son. According the scripture, the phrase God and Savior should only properly be applied to God alone (Is. 43:3, 45:21; Hosea 13:4; Titus 2:13). Savior – soter (Gk.) savior, deliverer, preserver v. 2 Grace – the undeserved kindness and blessing of God given freely to those in Christ Peace – eirene (Gk.) Undisturbed rest and quietness. A state of mind fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is (Phil. 4:7). In New Testament thought this would translate to a tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. Multiplied to You in the Knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord – In scripture, we consistently see an inseparable link between God and Jesus. It would be pure heresy to associate any other person, angel or prophet to God in this way. The only way to have Grace and peace multiplied to us is in the knowledge of God and Jesus. Knowledge – epignosis (Gk.) Precise and correct knowledge. v. 3 Life – zoe (Gk.) Of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical. There are many Greek words Peter could have used for the word life here, such as psuche which merely means breath of life, to be alive. Peter could have used the word bios, which means the course or sum of a life. But Peter uses the Greek word zoe, which means absolute fullness of life, which comes from God. This is the same Greek word Jesus used for life in John 10:10. Godliness – eusebeia (Gk.) Reverence, respect, and holiness. The quality of life God intends for His children. Knowledge of Him – This word knowledge in the Greek (epignosis) means precise and correct knowledge. In context Peter is telling us that the way to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness is through the knowledge of Jesus (John 17:3). Who Called you – This is how every Christian came to God (2 Tim 1:9; 1 Peter 5:10). It was God who called us to His eternal glory. And He called us through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. By Glory and Virtue – The scriptures clearly teach that we have no righteousness in ourselves (Rom 3:10). v. 4 Exceedingly Great – These two English words actually come from one Greek word megistos, which means the greatest. We get our words mega and magnificent from this word. Precious Promises – These promises, which are too numerous to mention here, refer to all the wonderful promises to God's people found in God's Word (2 Cor 1:20; 6:18; 7:1; Gal 3:16; Heb 8:6). Through These You may be Partakers of the Divine Nature – Peter is actually saying that it is through believing the precious promises found in God's Word that we are changed into the image of Jesus and given His divine nature through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18; 1Thess. 2:13). Corruption – phthora (Gk.) Destruction, perishing; in the NT, corruption in an ethical sense, i.e. moral decay. The reason Jesus came was to deliver us from the power and consequences of sin (John 10:10, 1 John 3:5). It is God's will that we not only escape sin's consequences (punishment), but also to escape its lifestyle (corruption). v. 5 Giving – pareisphero (Gk.) To contribute to something. This word implies a conscious act of willing contribution. Diligence – spoude (Gk.) earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything. Add to Your Faith – Faith is the conviction of God's truth (Heb 11:1). Peter is telling us to not just be content to have a conviction of the truth, but to add certain things to that conviction. Some of these things are actions and others are character traits. Virtue – arete (Gk.) moral excellence, purity and modesty Knowledge – gnosis (Gk.) Having moral and or intellectual understanding. We can only possess this moral quality through the knowledge of God's Word. From a purely intellectual context, this same Greek word is translated science in 1 Timothy 6:20. v. 6 Self-Control – egkrateia (Gk.) one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites Perseverance – hupomone (Gk.) A patient enduring, sustaining, steadfastness. To bear up under pressure. Godliness – eusebeia (Gk.) A reverence and respect toward God and the things of God. v. 7 Brotherly Kindness – These two English words are translated from one Greek word, philadelphia, which means brotherly love. This simply means to have a close knit family type love for all members of the body of Christ. Love – agape (Gk.) Affection, benevolence, charity. The major difference between brotherly kindness and agape is that brotherly kindness implies a mutual family love in which love is shared between both parties, while agape does not imply being loved in return. Agape loves and gives regardless of circumstances, just as God loves us not because we love Him or are lovable or because we deserve His love. God loves because God is love (1 John 4:8,16). Agape requires no reward or reason. Agape loves by its very nature. v. 8 Abound – pleonazo (Gk.) to exist in abundance Barren – argos (Gk.) inactive, idle, useless or lazy Unfruitful – akarpos (Gk.) unproductive v. 9 Shortsighted – muopazo (Gk.) To see dimly, to see only what is near. Peter is describing one who is exceedingly limited in his spiritual vision. There are various levels of blindness. This context reveals that the kind of person Peter is describing is shortsighted because he can't see into the past. He has forgotten what God has done, as the next phrase indicates. Forgotten That He was Cleansed from His Old Sins – This is a description of a backslidden Christian. It is a blindness of the mind that has forgotten the joy and power of receiving forgiveness of sins and new life. This person has lost sight of God's priorities and plans for his life. He has lost his way because he can only see what is immediately in front of him. This is the person who finds his life spiritually barren and unfruitful. In this state of mind one can easily become obsessed and overcome with all kinds of sin and vice since he has forgotten the joy of being cleansed from sin. And since he has also lost sight of God's abundant life, he likely looks for other means of satisfaction in life. v. 10 Make Your Call and Election Sure – Both calling (God's invitation and call) and election (God's choosing you) are from God alone. Yet, the Christian is exhorted to action here. Sure – bebaios (Gk.) certain, secure, stable, fast, firm. if You Do – These three English words are translated from one Greek word, poieo, which means to make one do something. A picture of a condition based upon our choices. Will Never Stumble – To stumble here pote (Gk.) means to fall. This verse implies that if we don't do these things we shall fall (2 Peter 3:17-18). This is certainly a warning against a Christian backsliding or falling away from the path of God's righteousness. v. 11 abundantly – plousios (Gk.) richly, plentifully Everlasting Kingdom – Peter points us to God's promise of eternal life, which will be abundantly provided to those who heed Peter's instructions (Ps 145:13; Dan 4:3; 7:27). v. 12 negligent – ameleo (Gk.) careless, be negligent, no regard Remind – hupomimnesko (Gk.) To remind quietly, put in remembrance. The scriptures are filled with examples of times when God's people forgot God's promises or truths and as a result suffered grave consequences. Therefore, the New Testament writers felt the need to continually remind us of truths that we should already know but may tend to forget (Rom. 15:15; Phil. 3:1; 1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 1:6; Heb. 10:32; Jude 1:17). Peter felt so strongly about this that he states that he would be negligent or careless not to remind us of these things. Though You Know and are Established in the Present Truth – Just because a person already knows the truth and may even be presently established or standing in that truth, that does not guarantee that he or she will never lose sight of or turn from the truth. Much of the Bible is written as a continual reminder to the believer of already known truths. That is why Peter says in the first part of this verse that he intends to remind you always. Established – sterizo (Gk.) to make stable, to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or to confirm v. 13 Tent – skenoma (Gk.) A tabernacle, encampment, dwelling place. Peter is speaking of his body as a tent. Stir – diegeiro (Gk.) to arouse completely to awaken (Heb. 10:23-25) Reminding – hupomnesis (Gk.) mindful v. 14 put off my Tent – Peter is referring to moving out of the temporary dwelling of his body. It seems that Peter knew that his life was almost over. He even indicates here that Jesus Christ showed him this fact through revelation. v. 15 that You Always have a Reminder – Peter knew that when you write things down and pass them along that your writings can live on after your death. Peter was so concerned that these truths continue being taught that he wrote them down to be passed along. We see now that because of this wisdom God gave him, his teachings have not only outlived him, but have also gone on to instruct us today, over 2,000 years later. v. 16 Cunningly Devised Fables – Peter is assuring his readers that the things he writes about are facts rather than fables. A fable is a fictional story that is make-believe. Unlike the stories and beliefs of other many of the world's religions, the Gospel of Jesus Christ contains accurate history and trustworthy facts. Eyewitnesses of His Majesty – Peter was not the only witness of these things (1 Cor. 15:1-8). Not only did they see Jesus, they were also witnesses of His majesty. The Greek word used for majesty here, megaleiotes, is found only three times in the Bible (Luke 9:43; Acts 19:27; 2 Peter 1:16) and is only used in reference to a divinity. It means divine majesty. v. 17 God the Father – This phrase is found 16 times in the NJKV bible. And in every instance this phrase is used in direct relationship with Jesus Christ. It is clearly making a distinction of God the Father from God the Son. Peter also uses the phrase God the Father when discussing the life of Jesus. Jesus is God the Son and He receives honor and glory from God the Father. Honor and Glory – To honor means to place a high value on someone. Glory is praise and worship. Here we gain insight into the great value God the Father places upon His Son. The scriptures declare that Glory and honor together belongs to God alone (1 Tim 1:17). In addition to this, Revelation 5:13 reveals the value all of creation places upon the Father and the Son together as we see of a time when God the Father and God the Son will receive glory and honor jointly as all of creation offers their praises up to them both simultaneously. This is yet another glimpse of the deity of Christ. Excellent Glory –The Excellent Glory here is referring to God the Father. Peter is now recounting his eyewitness account of the time when he personally heard the voice of God the Father speaking from heaven, honoring His Son (Matt 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35). My Beloved Son, in Whom I am Well Pleased – This is what God the Father has said about Jesus (Matt 3:17; 17:5). Compare this with some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah (Is. 42:1, 53:10). The Father calls Jesus, My beloved Son (Mark 1:11). The writer of Hebrews also uses this point to prove the Deity of Christ (Heb 1:5-13). v. 18 we – Peter was not alone in this experience of God (Matt. 17:1-6). Some try to explain away the spiritual experiences of God found in scripture by claiming them to be mere hallucinations or delusions. But hallucinations don't happen to masses of people all at the same time. It is important to keep in mind that the events recorded by the New Testament writers were attested to by many witnesses. v. 19 Prophetic Word Confirmed – According to the scriptures, we are not to accept a testimony to be true without the confirmation of two or three witnesses (2 Cor. 13:1). But not only is Peter bringing in the witnesses of James and John to testify about Jesus (Matt. 17:1-6), but we also have the very voice of God confirming who Jesus is (Matt 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22; 9:35). You do Well to Heed – In light of these clear confirmations from God, It is reasonable and wise to embrace and obey God's word concerning Jesus Christ. There are at least 332 distinct Old Testament predictions regarding the Messiah that Jesus fulfilled perfectly. The percentage of the possibility of the combinations of all this evidence together, from a simple statistical perspective, is absolutely overwhelming. Light that Shines in a Dark Place – This is illustrative of what God's Word is like (Ps 119:105). Just as a bright light shinning into a dark place reveals the truth about that place, so when God speaks, He shines light into the darkness of our hearts and reveals the truth about our lives and our environment (John 3:19-21). Until the Day Dawns and the Morning Star Rises in Your Hearts – Peter uses more metaphorical language here. When the day dawns you no longer need to shine any more light, because the daylight has overpowered the darkness. Jesus Christ is called the morning star in Revelation 22:16. There will come a day when Jesus returns and all things hidden shall be revealed by the dawn of the Morning Star and we shall know as we are known (Luke 12:2; 1 Cor. 13:10-12). v. 20 First – proton (Gk.) First in time or place. Peter isn't speaking of knowing first chronologically, but in knowing first as in priority. Prophecy – propheteia (Gk.) The utterance of prophets; prediction or foretelling of the future. Or in general, the Word of God. Scripture – graphe (Gk.) The holy writings. Private Interpretation – Personal opinion. We must always be careful not to twist, manipulate, add or subtract from God's Word. v. 21 Prophecy Never Came by the Will of Man – A prophecy is God speaking to man through man (1 Cor. 14:3). Peter is plainly stating here that the writings of scripture are not simply revealing the opinions of men but the mind of God (2 Tim 3:16). Holy – hagios (Gk.) pure, morally blameless; a saint Men of God – godly men submitted to God's will and instruments of His using Moved by the Holy Spirit – Peter clarifies that the writing of scripture has recorded the prophecy of holy men who were being led to speak by the very Spirit of God. Peter is specifically speaking of the writings of the Old Testament because the New Testament was not written yet. But we can most certainly apply this principle today to the New Testament writings (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 3:15, 16).
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue –2 Peter 1:2-3 Lord, we know that it is only through reading Your Word that we can grow to know You better and grow in our relationship to You and with You. We pray today for hearts that seek a thirst for the words of the Bible.

Expulsion of Jews (1992) ~Dry Bones

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Expulsion of Jews (1992)

Expulsion of Jews (1992)

Today's cartoon is a Golden Oldie from 1992.

In 1492 the Jews of Spain were ripped out of their homes, towns, and villages and expelled. Exactly 500 years later, in 1992, the government of Spain apologised. Interestingly, that was the very same year that an American administration set as its goal the expulsion of the Jews of the "West Bank" from their homes, towns, and villages.

* * * From the New York Times (April 1, 1992):

500 Years After Expulsion, Spain Reaches Out to Jews

"In a poignant ceremony marking the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, President Chaim Herzog of Israel and Spain's King, Juan Carlos, prayed together in the synagogue of Madrid today. Their gesture symbolized reconciliation between their people.
For Mr. Herzog, it was an occasion that "closes one more of the many painful cycles in the history of our people." And he added: "We cannot change the past. But we can learn its lessons and thus assure a better future for ourselves and humanity."
For Juan Carlos, it was a chance both to pay homage to the exiled Sephardic Jewish communities that have never forgotten their Spanish roots and to tell Jews that Sefarad -- the Hebrew name for Spain -- was "no longer nostalgia" because the country was once again their home.
The King, who wore a skullcap, was accompanied by Queen Sofia. "It may seem odd to choose the anniversary of a separation for a meeting of such profound significance," he said. "But the history of all people and, without doubt, that of Spain, is full of lights and shadows." A Dubious Choice,
The expulsion edict of March 31, 1492, signed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in Granada, ordered "the departure of all Jews from our kingdoms with instructions that they should never return." Facing death if they stayed beyond July 31 that year, 100,000 to 200,000 fled the country." -more

I posted the 1992 cartoon because of the current expulsion orders coming out of Washington. Back then it was Republican George H.W. Bush with Secretary of State Baker, now it's Democrat Barack Obama with Secretary of State Clinton. Different names, different faces, different political parties. Seventeen years later and America's leader for "change" is giving us the old "same old". The 1992 cartoon closed with an angry Mr. Shuldig ...he's still angry.

Your thoughts?

-Dry Bones- Israel's Political Comic Strip Since 1973

Then comes the end.~Daily Light

July 23
MORNING

Then comes the end.

"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. . . . And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."--The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.--The coming of the Lord is at hand. . . . Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.--"Surely I am coming soon."

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness.

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.--"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks."

1 Cor. 15:24; Mark 13:32, 33, 37; 2 Pet. 3:9; Jas. 5:8, 9; Rev. 22:20; 2 Pet. 3:11; 1 Pet. 4:7; Luke 12:35, 36

EVENING

Brothers, pray for us.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him. . . . And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. . . . Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.--Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.--Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers.--Always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

1 Thess. 5:25; Jas. 5:14-18; Eph. 6:18; Rom. 1:9-10; Col. 4:12

Keep a Sharp Sword ~Greg Laurie

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Keep a Sharp Sword

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
--Hebrews 4:12

Temptation is definitely going to come your way and mine. But when we know the Word of God, we can deflect the blows that come against us and strike out offensively.

For example, the devil will come to us when we have sinned and say, "You failed. There is no forgiveness for you."

So we pull our sword out of its sheath and say, "It is written in 1 John 1:9: 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' " Touché!

The devil says, "You are wrong. God condemns you."

So you strike back with your sword and say, "You are wrong, because Romans 8:1 says, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.' "

Then the devil says, "Now wait. You are going to fall again. I am going to take you down."

You can reply, "No. You are wrong. In John 10:28, Jesus said, 'And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.' " And you thrust your sword again.

This is why it is important for us to commit Scripture to memory and to keep our sword sharp.

Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
to listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com, click here.

2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19 ~ Romans 8:9-25~ Psalm 18:16-36 ~ Proverbs 19:26

2 Chronicles 8:11-10:19 ~ Romans 8:9-25~ Psalm 18:16-36 ~ Proverbs 19:26

~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

Old Testament - Today in Second Chronicles chapter 8 we learn that Solomon married the Egyptian Pharaoh's daughter, which was not pleasing to God and was contrary to God's Law of not marrying foreigners (in large part because they worshiped foreign gods) as you'll recall from Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The Chronicler overall paints a very rosy portrait of both David and Solomon, ignoring many aspects of their sins that we read about in Samuel and Kings. But, it's interesting the Chronicler mentioned this marriage. Solomon married likely for a military alliance with Egypt. Solomon's marrying of foreign wives ultimately led to his turning his heart away from God, as we read in 1 Kings 11:1-11. Interestingly, we see that Solomon won't allow his Egyptian wife to live in David's palace in verse 11: "Solomon moved his wife, Pharaoh's daughter, from the City of David to the new palace he had built for her. He said, "My wife must not live in King David's palace, for the Ark of the LORD has been there, and it is holy ground."" And so he builds her a brand new palace! Think Solomon knew something was amiss with this situation before God if he wouldn't let his Egyptian wife live in David's palace? What about us in our lives today - when we sin, do we try to "cover it up" or "build a pretty palace" to maybe try to distract ourselves or God from our sin? Should we instead just simply confess our sin to God and repent?

At the very end of Second Chronicles chapter 8 today we read these interesting verses 17-18: "Later Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Elath, ports in the land of Edom, along the shore of the Red Sea. Hiram sent him ships commanded by his own officers and manned by experienced crews of sailors. These ships sailed to the land of Ophir with Solomon's men and brought back to Solomon almost seventeen tons of gold." You will see the port of Elath in the 2nd map below. Then, the big question I had today was where is Ophir? Well, it turns out that Ophir was likely in the land of "Sheba" from whence Queen Sheba comes to visit Solomon! So, it is interesting to see how these last 2 verses in chapter 8 lead us to Second Chronicles chapter 9 today where we read about the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon. Below is about the best map I could find with the land of Sheba, and Ophir, in comparison to Israel. The Queen obviously traveled quite a distance in those days to visit Solomon! And I think we can now understand how she learned of Solomon - he built a fleet of ships and sailed them to her land!

In Second Chronicles chapter 9 we read about Solomon's wealth and splendor. I think it is interesting for us to remember that Solomon likely writes the book of Ecclesiastes, which we will read later this year. Ecclesiastes wisely teaches us that living life for one's own pleasure and for riches is meaningless - but only living for God makes life worthwhile. I thought about Ecclesiastes when reading about all of Solomon's wealth today - and realizing that it would later all by destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar and his army from Babylon. Solomon's wealth was yes, impressive. But Solomon's sins and the sins of his descendants eventually took all of it away. Let us never forget that sin kills... Let us never forget that the wages of sin are death. (remember where we read that recently? You've got this memorized from Romans 6:23 correct? :) Today in Verses 22 through 24 we read - "So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king in all the earth. Kings from every nation came to visit him and to hear the wisdom God had given him. Year after year, everyone who came to visit brought him gifts of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules." Below is a painting of Solomon in all of his splendor in "The Queen of Sheba before Solomon" by Nicolas Knupfer, c. 1640:

I do think map's can often give us a great overview / understanding of what we're reading about in the Bible. I think now is a good time to show a good map of Solomon's Kingdom compared to modern day Israel, below. Take a few minutes to really study this map and reflect upon places you recognize from today's readings and previous day's readings:

King Rehoboam's bad decision making in Second Chronicles chapter 10 is an excellent example of why we should respect our elders... Rehoboam blew off the advice of his elders and instead heeded the foolish advice of the young men around him. And then the kingdom was divided. Of course, this turn of events was the will of God. But, still, a good example I think of why we should listen to and respect our elders...

New Testament - Wow... I love Paul's writings today in Romans 8 verses 12 through 14! "So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." How do these verses speak to you? Can you imagine that these words were written for you and your life today? Do you believe that you have no obligation whatsoever to do what sin urges you to do? Are you led in your life today by the Spirit of God?

Bible.org's fantastic commentary on today's readings in Romans titled "Siding with the Spirit" is at this link and "From Groaning to Glory" is at this link.

Psalms - There are so many great verses today for us to meditate upon in Psalm 18! I love verses 25 through 27: "To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but you humiliate the proud." Are you showing yourself to be faithful to God? Are you living with integrity? Are you showing yourself to be pure? Is God showing you these things as well?

I really love verse 28: "LORD, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness." Has Jesus brought light into your life? Does God light up your darkness?

Proverbs - Proverbs 19 verse 26 is a great reminder of the commandment to honor thy father and mother: "Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are a public disgrace and an embarrassment." So.... have you called your Mom lately?? :) Of course I'm being facetious here with this question as it might (doesn't) relate to this Proverb, but hey, I'll let it stand...

Worship God: Based on Psalm 18 today I think Michael W. Smith's "You are Holy" is a great song to worship God to today. Enjoy!

Do you know our Holy God? Click here for Holiness!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Comments from You & Questions of the Day: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

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