It’s important to remember those who were examples of what it means to love unconditionally. The first of the Ten Commandments with a promise is, honor thy father and thy mother… the promise is that thy days may be long upon the earth that the Lord thy God giveth thee….

The love of God thinketh no evil… it keeps no records of wrongs done. When we remember the things our mothers taught us, the greatest of these is love…. to love with the unconditional love of God. Pete remembers that his mother was the youngest of eight children. She grew up in a well to do family. Her father was well respected in the Alabama town where they grew up. When the recession hit in the 1930’s her father gave away his fortune to help the destitute and down trodden in their community. She inherited her generous spirit from her father.

Her brother owned a car dealership in Florida and Pete spent time with his cousins there. He remembers these times fondly in an idyllic friendly small town with his loving extended family.

Pete’s mother was the spiritual leader in their home. She raised her children to go to church every Sunday. She had married a man who was a practical hard worker. Pete’s father had come from a broken home where there was no association with the local church. However, his mother made sure that Pete and his brother were raised in an environment influenced by God’s Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 31 says about a virtuous woman…. They shall rise up and call her blessed.

John Adams said, the barometer of the character of a nation is characterized by the modesty and virtue of a nation’s women. The fabric of a nature is bound together by the nation’s virtuous women.

Pete’s mother was faithful to her husband even though her husband had strayed. Her two heroes were her older brother and her older sister. They set a high bar for achievement and worldly success. She learned to emulate their high standards.

Pete’s mother loved her children and held them to a higher standard… the standard of the truth of the Word of God. She taught her sons grace and that love means “I want only the best for you.” She cared when they were hurt. Pete recalls that he was running the anchor leg of a relay at a track meet in Birmingham. His team mate was leading the race. As his team mate passed him the baton, their feet got entangled up and Pete tripped, fell, and skinned his knee. He got up and finished the race in last place. Pete was embarrassed until his mother intervened. After the race she went up to the team and yelled at the coach and his team mate for tripping her son and causing the team to loose the race.

Pete’s mother was a strict disciplinarian. Hebrews 12 says, whom the Lord loves, he chastises. Since Pete’s dad worked as a lineman for the power company traveling all over Alabama, his mother practically raised her two sons as a single mother. She trained them with the character of a Godly woman.

According to Deuteronomy 6, Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Pete’s mother trained up her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. She knew that the blessings of a generation will pass on to generations after. She taught her sons to look forward to marriage…. She said, if you have sex before marriage then what do you have to look forward to on your wedding day? The promise to his mother to abstain from sex before marriage kept Pete sexually pure until the day he married Suzan.

Pete knew that he was fortunate that his mother and father always attended his weekend ball games. Like other southern families, Pete’s mother hired a maid to help with the chores around the house. She always gave their maid a ride home and on Christmas, she would give her a generous check. She taught by example what it means to appreciate and give dignity and respect to those who serve us from a heart of love, even though they were of a different race.

A wise man once said, the best way to for a mother to love their
R children is to love, honor, and respect their father. Even though Pete’s father had many flaws including infidelity, she honored him and provided her children a stable home.

We learn love, gentleness, respect, forgiveness, and humility from our mothers. Even though Pete’s mother had a temper, her anger quickly passed. She never raised her voice to her children… she always treated her children lovingly even while reproving and correcting them.

Even though we may think that we did not live up to our mothers’ expectations, the scripture says, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…. God will fill in the gaps where our parents could not model the perfection we have in Christ.

Love covers a multitude of sins…. Love thinketh no evil… It never thinks evil of others and does not keep a record of wrongs done. Love is always eager to believe the best. Through the eyes of Christ we can remember the truth, honor, love, grace, and mercy that our mothers taught us….

That as we honor our mothers on Mothers Day and every day, we can live to the praise of the glory of the grace of our Lord,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said, Everyone who says Lord, Lord will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Many are called but few are chosen. Many say they believe but do not follow through with actions that agree with their vows. The scripture says, all men are liars…. We have all spoken words that we cannot keep. God alone is faithful to His word. According to Numbers 23:19, God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent. God alone is righteous. All men have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

The words of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount are contrary to the world’s perception of “truth.” Following after Christ is not the difficult way…. It’s the impossible way when we rely on our own power. However as Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

According to Hebrews 12:14, Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. There is no peace with God without Jesus Christ, the prince of peace. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Without the righteousness of Christ, we cannot stand in the presence of God who is holy and righteous.

When you call a man, “man of God,” most men will look down. When you ask a man why he’ll say, “because I feel unworthy.” In our own flesh dwelleth no good thing. If we’re looking at the fallen nature we inherited from Adam, then we will be ashamed in the presence of God who is holy, just and pure. However, for us who have been born again of God’s seed, Jesus Christ who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Martha was distracted from the Word of the Lord. She was encumbered about with much serving. She complained to Jesus, I’m doing all the work, but my sister Mary isn’t helping me. Jesus said, Mary has chosen that good thing…. To sit at the feet of the master with a spirit of meekness to receive the Word of God.

According to Romans 8, no one can really say “Jesus is Lord,” except by the holly spirit. Without the spirit of God in Christ in us, we cannot confess that Jesus is Lord… that he is lord and owner of my life. To confess Jesus is Lord means to turn around… to repent from confessing that I’m the lord of my own life and to turn to Jesus, bowing down in meekness and humility to serve him from a heart of love.

Ezekiel said, They come and sit before me to hear my words but they do not do them. They hear your words, Lord, but do not practice them. When the judgement of the Lord comes upon them it will be too late, they will know that God’s righteous judgement has overtaken them.

Pete recalls that he was confused as a boy growing up in segregated Birmingham Alabama. He lived two miles from the race riot where the Birmingham police released the dogs to attack the blacks who were protesting segregation.

Once Arthur Blessitt came to speak at Pete’s traditional Southern Baptist church. Blessitt is known for carrying a cross across America and around the world. He attracted a large crowd of hippies to Pete’s church in Birmingham to hear him speak. Arthur said, They fill a stadium of 25,000 people a couple of miles form here to cheer for their favorite football team. We’re going ot lead a cheer for Jesus…. Give me a “J”. Give me an “E”…. When they finished the cheer for Jesus, the hippies cheered but the regular congregation was speechless. After the sermon, the board of deacons met and said to Arthur, never lead a cheer like that in our Church again. The next week Arthur said to the crowd, I’ve been told not to lead a cheer for Jesus in this church. Let’s go out on the steps and cheer for our Lord. He led the hippies outside and led the cheer again. That was the last time Arthur was invited to Pete’s church. That was also the last time that the Holy Spirit showed up in their conservative Baptist church.

When Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day, he said, Well did Isaiah prophecy of you…. You draw nigh unto me with your mouth and appear to worship me me with your lips, but your heart is far from me. Ye are of your father the devil. He was a liar from the beginning and the father of lies and cannot speak truth. You are just like your father.

Jesus said to the multitude at the sermon on the mount, men worry about their material needs. He said, consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air…. they toil not, neither do they spin thread to make their clothes…. Yet Solomon in all of his royal splendor was not arrayed like one of these. If God so clothed the lilies of the field, will he not much more clothe you, oh ye of little faith? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things…. Your material needs, will be added unto you.

The devil appears as an angel of light to distract God’s people from entering into the narrow gate that leads to the narrow way. His lies are the same lie that he told Eve…. God does not love you and his word is not true. If you disobey God, if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you will be like God. Don’t worship God… worship yourself.

Luke 10:17-20 Jesus said, Even though you cast out demons in Jesus’ name… Even though you saw satan fall from heaven like lightning, do not rejoice because the demons are subject to you in my name. Instead, rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

The devil will condemn us for our failure to perform… for our missing the mark. However, God doesn’t want our performance… our works of our own self-righteousness. He doesn’t want our actions or our behavior…. He wants our heart. Therefore Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. For thy life is hid with Christ in God…

…. That together we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Whose Side?

Jesus wraps up his Sermon on he Mount in Matthew chapter 7. He taught the people not to judge others because God alone is the righteous judge. Then he warned them, beware of false prophets because they will ravage the flock of the church dressed like wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Jesus said, many will say, Lord, Lord did we not cast out demons and do many mighty miracles in your name? Jesus said, even though they thought they knew me, I will say unto them, depart from me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.

Many believe in God… that God exists. Even the demons believe and tremble. Jesus said, there are many false prophets…. They speak the lies of their father, the devil. They are ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus said, even though they look like the sheep, you shall know the false prophets by their fruit. An evil tree produces rotten fruit. A good tree produces good fruit. He didn’t call us to judge others…. Instead he called us to inspect their fruit. An evil tree produces corrupt, rotten, and evil fruit of vanity and vain glory that leads to destruction. But a good tree produces the good fruit of the spirit. And the fruit of the spirt is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control…. Against such there is no law.

An interviewer asked Pastor David Jeremiah, “Given the current condition of the United States, do you think God’s given up on America?” David answered, “I don’t think God’s given up on America… I think America has given up on God.” Jesus said, whosoever will may come. The open invitation is to “come unto me all ye who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” God is no respector of persons, nations, or people groups… he is, however, a respector of His word. To come to the Lord is on his terms, not ours.

In the Civil War both the Union and the Confederate armies claimed that God was on their side. To settle this dispute, someone asked President Lincoln, “Is God on the side of the North or the South.” Lincoln paused and responded thoughtfully, The question is not, “Is God on my side?” The real question is, “Am I on God’s side.” If we find ourselves far from God, who moved?

When we, like the prodigal son, “come to ourselves,” then we can turn around, leave the pig pen of this world, and to return to our Father. When we realize that “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing,” when we come to the end of ourselves and realize we are “poor in spirt,” destitute, deprived and depraved, then we can do an about-face to return to the Lord.

The standard of the world requires that we fall in line motivated by fear of punishment and condemnation. Their standard for conformance is a works-based, fear-based and rules-based coercion system of behavior modification to squeeze us into the world’s mold. Their approval is based on performance. In the world’s system, good enough is never good enough. Everyone has failed to perform. The consequences of the sin nature we inherited from Adam is that the wages of sin is death.

A true Christian has confessed Jesus is Lord. In mourning over the sin that has separated their hearts from God’s heart, true believers turn from the god of self to serve the Lord Jesus Christ from a heart of love.

Many will say, didn’t we call you Lord? However, no one can really say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. His spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are sons of God. Unless we are born again of His Holy Spirit, we cannot approach our holy Heavenly Father. Only from the heart of Christ In us, having been born again of his spirit, can we approach our Father’s throne of grace to praise his holy name.

Pete recalls that Author Blessitt during the late 60’s was invited to preach the annual revival at his traditional Southern Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Blessitt was known for preaching to the hippies at the towns and cities where he stopped as he carried a cross through America. The first night of the revival Blessit said, there are thousands who come to the great stadiums to cheer for their favorite team. We’re on Jesus’ team so let’s cheer for Jesus… Give me a “J”, give me an “E”, ….

After the fired up sermon, there was a meeting of the Sanhedrin at Pete’s church. They said to Arthur, “How can you desecrate this church by leading a cheer like that? You’re not allowed to lead another cheer inside this church ever again.” The next sermon, Blessit said, I’ve been told not to lead a cheer for Jesus inside this church. Then he said, follow me outside the church. Then he lead another cheer, Give me a “J”. Give me an “E,” Give me an “S,” Give me a “U,” Give me an “S”. What’s that spell? The hippies shouted enthusiastically… “JESUS!!!”

After Blessitt’s second inspired sermon, there was another meeting of the Sanhedrin. That was the last time Blessitt spoke at Pete’s church. That was also the last time their head pastor attended that church because he had invited Blessitt to preach. In retrospect, It was also the last time the Holy Spirit filled the sanctuary. In essence Jesus had said to the congregation, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.

Jesus said, examine yourselves to see where your allegiance lies, whose kingdom you serve. As Joshua said after he had led the Children of Israel into the Promised Land, “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord.” Romans 6 says Ye are slaves of whom ye obey. You are either servants of sin unto death or servants of righteousness through Christ unto life everlasting.

According to Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God… not of works lest any man should boast. For we are God’s workmanship…. His work of art, his magnum opus, his poetry in motion, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (works that are loving, beautiful, well pleasing and acceptable unto God) which he has prepared in advance that we should walk in them.

It’s not by works of righteousness but by his grace alone. We love him not because of who we are but because of who He is. God is love and in him is no darkness at all. He loved us before we could love him…. He was the prime mover for even when we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. We were called with a divine appointment not because of our own righteousness, but because of Christ’s righteousness…. For Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus Christ is a gentleman. He doesn’t break down the door to our hearts. Jesus said, behold I stand at the door and knock. Any man who opens the door and invites me in, I will enter into the house of his in-most being, and I shall eat with him and he with me. We will together share in the fellowship of the spirit of the living God.

…. That we may ever live to the praise of the glory of God’s grace.
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Good News, Bad News

The way of Jesus Christ is not the difficult path… it’s the impossible path. Apart from God’s spirit we cannot approach our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 7, if we judge others and point out their sins, we’re subject to a greater judgement from God himself. You cannot see to remove the speck in your brother’s eye until you yank the plank from your own eye. The plank is the two by four of judgementalism. If we think we’re superior in our own power, then we have the greater sin. Our righteousness is in Christ alone.

Then Jesus said, I am the narrow gate and the narrow way that leads to life eternal. The broad way of the world leads to sin, death, and destruction.

Jesus reminded the multitude about false prophets who come to destroy the flock. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They appear to be righteous, but they are actually ravenous wolves. Jesus asked, how can you recognize a false prophet? Then he said, you shall know them by their fruit. A bad tree produces poisonous rotten fruit but a good tree produces good fruit. He didn’t call us to be judges. Instead he called us to be fruit inspectors.

The false prophets stand by the entrance to the narrow gate to tempt those who would enter into the narrow gate. They say, don’t enter into the narrow gate. Instead you need to be “tolerant.” However, the broad way of the world tolerates the lies of the devil and leads to destruction.

Jesus warned the multitude about the false teachings of the Pharisees. They do everything to be seen of men. They are concerned about their own vanity and vain glory… Their drug of choice is the praise of men. They preach about their own made-up laws that are contrary to the word of God. They clean the outside of the cup, but inside of the cup is rottenness… Their rules are fear based and works based. No one can follow their impossible self-serving commands. They outwardly appear as righteous men. Jesus said, You Pharisees are like whitewashed sepulchers… graveyards that appear green, beautiful and carefully manicured on the outside. But inside you are full of dead men’s bones.

False prophets never tell about the judgement of sin… of missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. They are “unconscious hypocrites” that never examine whether a person has come to the cross of Christ on God’s terms. They deny the consequences of sin and iniquity… of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam’s fall. They distract the unwary from the truth of the spiritual battle. They speak flattering words that appeal to vanity, pride, and self-sufficiency. They say, you can make it on your own…. You deserve to be in the limelight, to be front and center…. You deserve the praise of men. Jesus said, They seem to draw nigh unto God with great flattering words of eloquence, they say seem to say the right things, but it’s for their own vain glory instead of to God’s glory.

False prophets lead God’s people astray, especially in the church. They look like the sheep on the outside but on the inside they are ravenous wolves. Their fruit will reveal their hearts. They outwardly appear to be Christian, but their heart is not conformed to the image of Christ. Some have even deceived themselves. Like the Pharisees, they teach that their performance and actions merit righteousness in their own power… in the vanity of their own minds. Only God can reveal the deception of false prophets. Without the Holy Spirit that convicts our own hearts when we sin, we cannot spot the sin in the lies of the deceiver and his false prophets.

To identify the counterfeit means that you know the characteristics of the genuine… the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unless we know the Lord and his word, we cannot perceive the false teachings of false prophets. In Matthew 12 Jesus said, the tree is known by its fruit. The good man brings from his heart good fruit. The evil man brings from his heart evil fruit. A false prophet will be convicted by his own words and actions which are contrary to the word of truth.

False prophets say there is good news but they do not reveal the consequences of the bad news… that the wages of sin is death…. That there is a broad way of the world that leads to destruction.

The good news, the gospel of Christ confronts the law of sin and death. The point of repentance is when we humble our hearts under the mighty hand of God. Repentance starts with brokenness, meekness, and humility. Blessed are the poor in spirit who are broken and mourn over the sin that separates our heart from God’s heart. To enter into the narrow gate starts with understanding that “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing,” for there is none good but God. Then in meekness and humility I can turn from my selfish self, turn around in repentance and follow Christ.

The good news of life in the spirit of life in Christ is bad news for the “old man” of the flesh… the natural man born of Adam’s seed. To turn from the sin nature and the sin that separated us from God is to die to self to live for Christ. Therefore, The true disciple of Christ is an example of Galatians 2:20…. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me….

… That we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Narrow Minded

Jesus came to introduce the lost sheep of the house of Israel to a new kingdom. He said, my kingdom is not of this world. The people had witnessed his mighty miracles… he opened the eyes of the blind, healed the lepers, made lame men walk and the deaf to hear… he even raised the dead. The people marveled that he had power over the powers of darkness… over the oppression of the spirit world.

The crowds that followed him around said to Jesus, we want to make you our king. He said, that’s not why I’m here. They said, then, what’s your plan. Jesus pointed to some lowly Galilean fishermen and a hated tax collector. He said, those guys over there. They are the plan. God chooses the despised and foolish things… the poor, mournful, meek, hungry, thirsty, pure, peaceable, and persecuted disciples of Christ to confound the wisdom of this world. Those he has chosen he has called to be living epistles… God’s love letters written not with ink or engraved in tablets of stone… but written in the tables of the heart.

Jesus said that if you’ve been called as His disciples, his disciplined followers, then the world will hate you just like they hated me. The kingdom of this world is opposed to the kingdom of heaven. He said, blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven. However, as Paul said, greater is he that is in you, Christ in you the hope of glory, than he that is in the world.

The devil is the god of the world who has blinded the eyes of those who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of truth should shine unto them. He is the thief who attempts to enter into God’s sheepfold to steal, kill and destroy the sheep. However, Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. He himself is the door to the sheepfold. He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

The devil says, don’t worship God… worship yourself. To follow Jesus Christ, God requires that we forsake the god of self in order to approach our Lord Jesus Christ, to turn from sin with a heart of meekness and humility and turn our eyes upon Jesus. To look full in his wonderful face. Then the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

Jesus said, any man who wants to be my disciple must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. The cross means that I myst die to myself in order to be resurrected into the spirit of life in Christ. For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Life is a series of choices. As Joshua said to the children of Israel after they had entered into the Promised Land: Choose ye this day whom ye shall serve, as for me, we shall serve the Lord.

Yogi Bera said, When you come to a fork in the road, pick it up. The fork in the road leads to either of two roads: a broad way and a narrow way. The broad way is the way of the world and the kingdoms of the world…. This is the path that leads to destruction. The narrow way is Jesus Christ. He said I am the narrow gate that leads to the narrow way that leads to life everlasting. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life… no man cometh unto the Father except by me. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

A wise man said, I don’t keep my vows, my vows keep me. When God called Abram and showed him the promise of the Promised Land… a land of abundance flowing with milk and honey, God said to Abram, We’re going to ratify a covenant …. To cut covenant. A vow is a promise. Usually a contract or a covenant is when one party makes a promise, an offer of value to another party. To accept the offer, the other party promises to pay for the value of the promise or to perform a valuable service in exchange. When the one who receives the offer accepts the offer, this exchange of promises becomes a legally binding agreement which is enforceable by law. If one party fails to perform the terms of the agreement, the courts can require the non-performing party to pay for the value of the performance of the other party.

Today’s contracts may be secured by a binding written agreements signed by both parties. In Abraham’s day, an exchange of promises was ratified by cutting sacrificial animals in two and then both parties would walk between the two halves of the sacrificed animals. When Abram arranged the sacrificial animals according to God’s instruction in Genesis 15, God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Abram. While he slept God reveled to Abram a vision of a burning lamp passing between the two haves of the sacrificial animals. This showed Abram that God accepted the terms of his promise on Abram’s behalf because Abram himself as a man could not keep his own promise. God knew that Abram could not keep his vow so God himself had to accept the promise on Abram’s behalf.

This covenant between God and Abram is an example what God would do for us through his son’s payment for our sins. Jesus Christ was God’s sacrificial lamb who shed his innocent blood for our guilty blood. For he who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Christians are accused of being narrow minded… of prescribing to a doctrine of exclusion. However, the world does not understand that true freedom is the freedom to walk to the straight and narrow path of God’s righteousness. Jesus said, many will say, didn’t we cast out devils and perform mighty works in your name? Jesus said, there’s power in the name… however, I will say unto you, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.

God doesn’t want your performance. The purpose of Christianity is not “behavior modification.” He doesn’t want your works, your actions, your good deeds, your money or your material abundance…. He wants your heart.

God made us an offer: He’s invited us into the narrow gate. Whosoever will may come. Accepting his offer of eternal life is on God’s terms, not ours. Accepting his offer is according to his unilateral terms that only God defines. What is acceptable unto God… what is well-pleasing in his sight? He does not require the sacrifice of bulls, goats, lambs and burnt offerings. How do we accept God’s offer? What is acceptable and well pleasing him his sight?

Acceptance of God’s offer of salvation means to turn from myself and toward Jesus Christ. It means to confess Jesus is Lord… to agree with God’s terms that Jesus Christ is Lord and I’m no longer lord of my own life. Then when we believe that God raised Jesus from the dead… in his power of the resurrection of His son, the scripture says, thou shalt be saved. Salvation is to be made whole, born again of God’s spirt.

Then when we love him above all, we can present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and wholly acceptable unto him which is our reasonable act of worship from a heart of love. The sacrifice is bringing a sacrifice of praise, acceptable and well pleasing, a sweet smelling savor unto the Lord…

That we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace, mercy, love and honor….
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Narrow Gate to the Narrow Way

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus brought the multitude who came to hear him a new message about the kingdom of God. He wrapped up his teaching In Matthew 7 with several illustrations about the way of God’s Kingdom versus the kingdoms of the world.

In order to enter into the Lord’s Kingdom, we must first be broken of our pride and approach his throne of grace with humility and meekness. When we perceive our poverty of spirit, when we mourn over the sin that separated our hearts from God’s heart, then he will give us a hunger and thirst after righteousness. This hunger is an acquired taste… it is acquired by following in the footsteps of our Lord… then we will acquire a taste for the word of truth. As Jeremiah said, I found thy words and I did eat them and they were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.

The crowds who flocked to hear Jesus’ message thought that he had come to overthrow the kingdoms of this world, especially the wicked oppressive rulers of the Roman Empire. Many people said to Jesus, we want to make you our king. Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world. They asked him, then what’s your plan? Jesus pointed to a hated tax collector and some lowly fishermen from Galilee. He said, those guys over there, they are the plan.

God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. The kingdom of God turns the kingdoms of the world upside down… the truth of the Word of God is the opposite of the doctrines of this world.
Jesus said in Matthew 7, there is a narrow gate that leads to the narrow way to the Heavenly Father. It starts with turning from self and unto the Lord. The value system of the Kingdom of God is diametrically opposed to the value system of this world.

To follow Jesus Christ is to forsake the world. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father except by me. When we turn our eyes upon Jesus… when we fix our eyes steadfast upon him, the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.

Apart from Christ living in us, we cannot live the Christian life. The world demands that we bow down to unjust worldly ways, worldly secular laws, and worldly leaders that oppose the righteousness of God. Jesus said, when you follow me, the world will hate you because it hated me. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven.

Without Jesus Christ, The wold cannot understand Him in whom we live and move and have our being. Even though the world will oppose the followers of Christ, the Apostle Peter said, we who are in Christ are a chosen generation, an holy nation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood that ye would show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

God is holy and those he has chosen are sanctified…. set apart from this world for His purpose…. to proclaim, to show forth, to witness, and to testify of the excellency of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We who were once in darkness, God by his grace and mercy has called as the light of the world… to reflect the light of Christ. For we have this treasure, the gift of His Holy Spirit in an earthen jar of clay, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. Therefore, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father which. Is in heaven.

For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, God has called us to be witnesses… living testimonies of his grace, mercy, peace, and love.

Jesus said, you can recognize false prophets by their fruit. An evil tree produces rotten and corrupt fruit. However, a good tree produces good fruit. Psalm 91:1-2 says, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Some fruit can only be produced in the shade… in the shadow of the Almighty. Some things you can only learn through trial, tribulation, and the fire of the Lord’s refinement. In the midst of the storm we learn that our prayer is not, Lord deliver me from the storm, but rather, deliver me through the storm. He alone is our strength, our power, our refuge and our sufficiency.

The devil appeals to the prideful nature we inherited from Adam’s fall. The devil’s worldly doctrine says that the God of self is supreme. The kingdom of self is heavily defended territory. To forsake the world is to turn away from self and to turn our eyes upon Jesus…. The author and finisher of our faith. To approach God’s throne of grace with a heart of meekness and humility is to be broken of our pride. As King David prayed, search my heart O God and see if there is any wicked way in me. Purge me with hyssop, cleanse me from my sin and lead me into the path of thy righteousness. Create in me a clean heart O Lord that I may glorify you.

In the rodeo of this world, the wild bull of our flesh will try to buck us off the path of righteousness. When we’re tied down and secured with the tie that binds us to Jesus Christ and his power, count it all joy when the world buffets, bucks, beats, and berates us. According to Romans 8:18 God will teach us through the tribulation that the suffering of this present moment is not to be compared with the glory that shall follow.

The thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy. However Jesus said, I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly. The abundance of life is in the joy of the Lord. Despite the trials, tribulation, suffering, and persecution of this world, the abundance of life is in the fruit of the spirit…. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness and self control…. Against these things there is no law. Joy is not the absence of pain… Joy is in the Lord…

…. That in the abundance of life in Christ, we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

The Greatest Miracle

In Luke 21, Jesus prepared his disciples for the events that would unfold before his second coming. He said his followers would be brought unjustly before unrighteousness men to be tried in their unjust courts and be unjustly accused and convicted by their unjust laws. He said believers will suffer in the end times before my return. Jesus said, be prepared not to defend yourselves… though you will be unjustly convicted, the justice of your Heavenly Father will ultimately prevail. I did not come to bring a declaration of war against the kingdoms of this world…. I have come to deliver a peace treaty from the Kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus had commissioned the seventy to go into the villages in Judea to prepare the way for him, he said I give you power to cast out devils and to heal the sick…. When they returned to Jesus they were overjoyed and said to Jesus, “we saw satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Jesus said, don’t rejoice because you cast out devils with power over darkness…. Instead rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

What is the greatest of all miracles? The greatest miracle is your redemption and mine.

What’s good about Good Friday? In England, they call it Good Friday because the greatest good was done that day: He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.

Before the day of the Passover, Jesus had said to his disciples, with desire I have desired to eat the Passover feast with you before I suffer. Jesus knew that on that Passover day, he himself would be the Passover lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. In the upper room, Jesus took the bread and said, take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you… this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also he took the cup after supper saying, This cup is the New Testament of my blood which is shed for you… for the remission of your sins. When you eat this bread and drink this cup, This do in remembrance of me.

Jesus knew what was in the heart of man because his Father revealed it to him. He said, one who dips bread with me in the bowl will betray me. The disciples asked him one by one, Is it I? When Judas asked him the same question, Jesus said, you have said it.

The disciples didn’t realize the significance of the last supper…. They argued among themselves who would be the greatest after Jesus left. Jesus had said, the first shall be last and the last shall be first… He who is chief among you shall be servant of all. Then he demonstrated this truth by assuming the role of the lowest household servant… He girded himself with a towel and washed their dirty feet. Peter said, Don’t stoop to wash my feet, I should wash your feet. Jesus knew Peter’s heart. He had said to him, satan is waiting to sift you like wheat. Unless I wash your feet you shall have no part of me.

The devil will confuse and deny our Lord and his word. He will cause us to rationalize our own will instead of subjecting our will to his will in meekness and humility. Before Peter could become the rock, he had to be crushed… to come to understand that in my own flesh dwellers no good thing. Until we die to self, we cannot live unto the Lord. Until Peter was broken of himself, he could not relinquish his life to serve his Lord.

After the Last Supper, Jesus took his disciples to the edge of the Garden of Gethsemane. Then he took Peter, James and John into the garden and said, watch and pray. Jesus prayed three times, If there be any other way, let this cup (of condemnation, guilt, sin of the world, death and separation from the Father) be taken away from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.

Then the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus. Judas met them and kissed Jesus… the signal identifying Jesus as the one they came to came to arrest.

They took Jesus and brought him to the high priest. The leaders of the temple accused him of false charges. The ones who testified against him couldn’t get their stories straight. Usually the Romans would allow the Judeans to try their own citizens in their own local courts. However, the rulers of Judea couldn’t sentence him to death. They took him to Pilate, the Roman governor for trial in a Roman court.

Crucifixion was known as death on the torture stake. The Romans were expert at excruciating torture and a slow agonizing, humiliating, shameful death, lifted up on a cross as a signal to all around that Rome was in command and that anyone who dared defy the power of Rome would suffer a humiliating death.

Many thousands of people were convicted of capital crimes and crucified by the Roman government. Why was Jesus’ crucifixion any different? The difference is that all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. Every man is guilty as charged.

Only Jesus lived a sinless life. As the innocent sinless lamb of God without spot or blemish, he alone was worthy to suffer and die for the sins of the world. We are all guilty of sin and the. Wages of sin. Only Jesus shed innocent blood. Romans 5:17-18 says, For if by one man’s (Adam’s) offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

The greatest miracle of all is the new birth…. Being born again of of the spirit of life in Christ. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sin by shedding his innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood. ! Corinthians 15:42-45 says, So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Because of the price Jesus Christ paid on our behalf, we have been redeemed from the power of sin and death. When we confess Jesus is Lord and believe that God has raised him from the dead… that he is risen…. We are saved, born again, redeemed and made righteous… salvation is by God’s grace alone because God has raised him from the dead…

This gift of salvation is the greatest of all miracles…. That because God has raised Jesus Christ from the dead, we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael