Tuesday, February 10, 2009
"Neither Do I Condemn You"
John 8:3-11: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with His finger. When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
There is only One Who has never sinned and He is the only One Who can condemn us. But He does not, rather He came to save us. "For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him." (John 3:17)
And here is an awesome truth . . . "Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son" (John 5:22) The only One the Father has judged was His Son while He took our place on the cross. Therefore, Jesus is the only One who can condemn us . . . yet according to Romans 8:1 -- "there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."
The legalists thought they had trapped Jesus. They didn't know that He was the Second Adam, the One who fulfilled all righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf. As God's Son, He had the authority to negate the letter of the Law in order to expose the Heart of God.
I believe the interpretation of all Scripture needs to pass through Jesus. He told the Legalists that they search for eternal life in them, but they really speak of Him! John 5:39 . . . "You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me!" In Christianity today, there is sometimes a tendency to view Scripture as God and ultimate Truth, rather than something pointing to God and ultimate Truth (Jesus). In other words, we start to worship, idolize Scripture... and that is precisely what Jesus was critical of.
Legalism is a TRAP! Legalists want to trap everyone. They want to keep you from entering into the rest of Christ. Matthew 23:13 -- "For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either."
Another time the Law of God went through a "revision," was when Peter was hungry (in a trance) on his roof and had a vision of defiled animals and was told by the Lord to "eat." Acts 10:11-15 -- He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”
14) “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.” And basically God said, “What I call holy is holy." Mark 2:27, Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. . . He's the Lord of the Law. He "broke" the law continually and frustrated the legalists. He wanted them to see, but they were blind.
I don't know which way I'm going here. I seem to be trying to convey two things at once:
1) the Law was meant to serve man, not man to serve the Law. This applies to the Scriptures, as well. They were meant to serve us, to point us to God's plan of Salvation through His Son. . .they were not meant for us to serve them. We serve Christ.
2) Jesus is the only One Who can condemn or judge us and He's the One Who came to save us. That, to me, is such a relief.
I've been on the end of a stone throwing and I can relate with the woman's experience of Jesus' heart of compassion. Stones were thrown and landed hard. Would they have been able to throw them if they heard the Master say, "You without sin, cast the first one?" Absolutely not. After they left . . . after they all walked away . . . One was still standing with me. I asked Jesus, "Your still here?" And He told me, "I will NEVER leave you NOR FORSAKE YOU. You are Mine." I am so grateful to have found my True Friend. I would go through it all again, just to have what I have in Christ so solidly now. I am fully convinced . . . .Thank you Jesus. I love you!
2/14/09 -- Adding this complementary and recently found video:
Sunday, February 8, 2009
God's Love Expels All Fear
35) Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?. . . 37) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
17)May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18)That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19[That you may really come] to know [practically], through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20)Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--"
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
His Fruit . . .Not Mine
5) I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Futility of Legalism
(revision)
Jesus came to lift from the backs of tired people the burden, trying to do everything right. The Spirit-filled life is not a formula; it is a relationship . . . a relationship with a Person -- the Holy Spirit.
If you examine what exactly religion is and what it does and doesn't do, you will see what Jesus saw. Clean on the outside, but inside full of corruption, and emptiness. Many religions, such as Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, FLDS, Muslim, Jewish Pharisees, and many denominational Christian churches emphasize duty, devotion, commitment, "faithfulness"in order to succeed or be fruitful. They promote what I like to call "spiritual technologies.". . some steps to take. Just master the mechanics and the directions of what to do and your problems will be solved and you'll be fruitful.
Paul said he could boast of being a "Pharisee of all Pharisees!" He was very faithful in tithing, reading the Scriptures, praying, fasting, worshipping in the temple . . . "covering all the bases." But in all this "activity," in all this "devotion and duty," there was no fruit. In fact, he was a murderer and persecuter of Jesus' followers. The spirit behind religion, all religions. . . what drives it, I believe, is the spirit of anti-Christ. Religion is what tortured and killed the Lord of Glory. Legalists are provoked by the preaching of the cross. In Galatians, Paul states that "as the natural son (Ishmael) persecuted the spiritual son (Isaac), so it is today." He says in Galatians 4, "Have I now become your enemy because I continue to tell you the truth?" The truth that the way to live in freedom is by the Spirit through your faith?
Legalists get no closer to God and do not "achieve" God's fruit by "doing their best" or meeting some requirements of the religion. The basic tenet of this mindset is that confidence before God and rewards from God result from "piety and blameless ways." (Job 4:6) Titus 3:5, 6 -- He saved us NOT because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy." God deals with us today, not on the basis of our ways, works, or even behaviors/performance, but on the basis of His Grace, appropriated by us through our personal faith in Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection Life and indwelling Spirit. True "spiritual warfare" and the actual battlepoint is this: It is easy for one to be self-righteous and believe that if life "seems to be working" for us, it is because we are "doing things right." The TRUTH is, it is Grace --- all Grace! Jesus does not give us a list of behaviors to perform or a catalog of answers; rather, HE GIVES US HIMSELF.
This leads me, then, to the question . . . THE FRUIT OF THE WHAT?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Slumdog Millionaires
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
He Lifts Us Up!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Do Not Be Impressed . . .
I Samuel 16:7 says, "But God told Samuel, 'Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. . . God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.'" -- The Message
I don't know what to say. To me, this is an unhappy day. My guess is, to alot of US citizens, who voted with moral consciences, it's not a day to celebrate either. I don't like the overindulgence regarding Barack Obama's outward appearance. I'm all for "Black American History." He will be, afterall, the first Bi-racial president. Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Indian . . . .it should make no difference what the outward appearance and stature represent. What should matter is what is in the heart of the man . . .not the color of his skin, the articulate speeches, nor the great political promises for future prosperity and peace.
I fear what this man, and the people working behind this man, will do to unborn children, the sanctity of marriage, and the religious freedoms we now rest in. Tomorrow is the 36th anniversary for Roe v. Wade and newsarticles have suggested that on the second day of office, President Obama is planning on quickly reversing President Bush's pro-life policies. If he does, the door of murder will again be opened wide for international and domestic abortions and infanticides and we will be paying for this with our taxes. See this CNN article dated just yesterday . . . http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/19/obama.abortion/ for more details.
I will be watching and praying for Divine protection. Dear Lord, please keep us alert and far away from acquiesence. Keep us from passively accepting something, without necessarily consenting to it . . . compromising. Forgive us and keep us from wanting a "King," more than a God. . . for suppressing the Truth, worshipping the created more than the Creator and for betraying the multitude of innocent unborn . . . betraying them for pieces of "economic recovery," the god of money and self-preservation. . . betraying them for the sake of history.
Let us not trust in "chariots or horses," but remember and trust in the Name of our God. (Psalm 20:7) Let Jesus be our King!
I want to share this poem, written by Chief Justice of The Alabama Supreme Court, Judge Roy E. Moore, July 1998 entitled:
OUR AMERCIAN BIRTHRIGHT
One nation under God was their cry and declaration.
Upon the law of Nature's God they built a mighty Nation.
For unlike mankind before them who had walked upon this earthen sod,
These men would never question the Sovereignty of God.
That all men were "created" was "self-evident,"
To secure the rights God gave us was the role of government.
And if any form of government became destructive of this end,
It was their right, their duty, a new one to begin.
So with a firm reliance on Divine Providence for protection,
They pledged their sacred honor and sought His wise direction.
They lifted an appeal to God for all the world to see,
And declared their independence forever to be free.
I'am glad they're not here with us to see the mess we're in,
How we've given up our righteousness for a life of indulgent sin.
For when abortion isn't called murder and sodomy is deemed a right,
Then evil is now called good and darkness is now called light.
While truth and law were founded on the God of all Creation,
Man now, through law, denies the truth and call it "seperation."
No longer does man see a need for God when he's in full control,
For the only truth self-evident is the latest poll.
But with man as his own master we fail to count the cost,
Our precious freedoms vanish and our liberty is lost.
Children are told they can't pray and they teach them evolution.
When will they learn the fear of God is the only true solution.
Our schools have become battlegrounds while all across the land,
Christians shrug their shoulders afraid to take a stand.
According to a US Casualties report 4,156 humans lost their lives in Iraq in almost six years. Compare this to the daily total of over 3500 innocent lives lost to abortion and infanticide. There have been demonstrations and outrage galore over the war in the Middleast. . . . where are they for the war against the sanctity of life?
After watching the following video, I would hope everyone will agree with me in prayer for God's mercy and protection to be over the innocents who have no voice . . . .
Don't be impressed by the outward appearance and stature, don't be impressed by cheering crowds, elated news commentators, or image-printed coins. Don't be impressed by the outside appearance. But watch what is within. Pray, of course, and hope for the best alway, but don't "fall" for the illusion . . . stand for the Truth and let Jesus be your King!