The Kenosis Of Christ

The title refers to the "emptying" of Jesus (the kenosis in Koine or common, "vulgar" Greek) or when He "made Himself of no reputation," NKJV, in the sense of laying aside His glory and independent usage of divinity, as He functioned as a man with all the limitations that go with it.  Christ never stopped being God, nor did He lose His powers as God, but only did what the Father told Him to do, following the interposed will of the Father.  Philippians 2:7 (NLT) says, "Instead, he gave up his divine privileges...." Christ's glory is that He laid aside all His glory and humbled Himself, even to the death on a cross as a criminal.



Some may object to this ignominious death, (thinking that it's repugnant to have Christ "defeated" by man) but it was the pleasure of the Father to judge sin in this manner.  We all ought to learn a lesson in humility following His example.  Just to make a point about true service, Christ took a towel and washed the disciples feet, and they were all taken aback, Peter even objected, thinking this was not fit the Lord's dignity.  When Christ said that we also ought to wash each others' feet, we get the lesson that, in God's economy, the way up is down just like John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease"  (cf. John 3:30).



Peter failed to see Christ as the servant of the Lord and that greatness is in how many people you serve, not how many serve you.  Christ himself said that he came, "not to be served, but to serve and to give [His] life a ransom for many" (cf. Mark 10:45).  This gesture of foot-washing showed that we must be willing to humble ourselves, for humility comes before exaltation.  There is no caste system nor a superstar believer in the body, but all are "one in Christ" (cf. Col. 3:11; Gal. 3:28; 1 Cor. 12:13).  There are no "untouchables" and neither is anyone beyond redemption.




All believers are called to become  the servants of Christ; at the bema (or Judgment Seat of Christ) we all look forward to hearing Christ pronounce:  "Well done, thou good and faithful servant...."  Albert Schweitzer was right:  "The only happy people are those who have learned how to serve."   I call this humiliation of ourselves in Christ's service as the "order of the towel," and the question should not be how high we can aim, but how low we can go--nothing is literally "beneath" the believer.  Whosoever humbles himself as a child shall be great in God's kingdom (cf. Matt. 18:4).   Service is the keynote of Christ's ministry, for He went about doing good (cf. Acts 10:38).   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Following Christ

Just "as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him [as Lord!]" (cf. Col. 2:6). We are to walk in fellowship and in the truth, as "the truth is in Jesus" (cf. Eph. 4:11). The whole concept of our ethics in Christ is to follow Christ in discipleship, taking up our cross we bear, deny ourselves, and follow on to know Him as Lord and Savior. We are to follow the example of pious believers and teachers and consider the outcome of their faith. The faith is not so much imitation as inhabitation! We turn over a relinquished life at salvation, live an exchanged life, and enjoy a substituted life while we surrender constantly to His will, and walk in fellowship. The Christian life is not knowing a creed, but a person.

We don't need to get educated or enlightened but transformed by the Word's power to change lives. We shall know the truth that shall set us free, by growing in Christ and believing God, not just believing in God. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto righteousness! Lots of believers think some saints have a surplus of the Spirit or a monopoly on His grace, but all Christians are anointed and have the fullness of the Spirit. It's not how much of the Spirit we have, but how much of us the Spirit has. No one has cornered the market on the gifts of the Spirit and doesn't need the body to complete the ministry and mission of the church.

Two believers can walk arm-in-arm without seeing eye-to-eye on every issue! It is important to look for commonalities, instead of division and areas of dispute. No one can follow Christ solo or as a spiritual Lone Ranger or lone wolf! All Christians are under authority through the body of Christ and no one has the right to throw his weight around or lord it over the flock. The body is in it together and must learn to interact and grow as a body corporately, as well as individually.

Do good deeds in the Spirit (we are a people "zealous of good deeds" per Titus 1:16), and not because you're a do-gooder or trying to gain the approbation of God by good behavior. The whole summation and goal of discipleship is to follow Christ--to know Him and make Him known in a relationship of love. The Christian walk is a matter of faith, but anyone can say he has faith, but faith isn't something you have as much as you see in action: Paul would say I'll show you my works by faith, and James would say I'll show you faith by works. Paul said to the Galatians that the only thing that counts is "faith expressing itself through love" (cf. Gal. 5:6, NIV).

The only test of faith is obedience per Heb. 3:18-19! Oswald Chambers said that the value of spiritual life isn't measured by ecstasies, but by obedience; Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes." They are correlated and go hand in hand, not to be divorced. Faith without works is a guise and not the real thing, but a dead faith that cannot save; the Reformers taught the formula: "We are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone."

We must validate our faith by a Christian testimony and life of good works (we are saved unto good works, not because of them). We are not saved by works, but not without them either--our faith is manifest only in obedience, for Christ said that, if you love Him, you will obey Him (cf. John 14:21).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Things Go Better With Jesus

"The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever."--John Piper's rendition of the tradition in the Westminster Shorter Catechism

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings..." (Romans 5:3, NIV).

"... [T]hrough many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, ESV).
"... During the time that he sought the LORD, God gave him success," (cf. 2 Chron. 26:5).

"If I were to ask you why you have believed in Christ, why you have become Christians, every man will answer truly, 'For the sake of happiness.'"--Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.

Jesus did indeed promise life to the fullest (to the max), but not in the way the world would interpret it. Some have imagined it as a book has been written, Your Best Life Now, but this is short-sighted and misses the mark to which we are called--it has been granted unto us that we suffer for His namesake (cf. Phil. 1:29). Suffering is our badge of honor and he who best can suffer best can do. Jesus promised that we could have a life and life more abundant if we seek first the kingdom of heaven "all these things will be added" unto us according to Matt. 6:33.

Some say that all they want in life is to be happy, and Blaise Pascal said this is not unreasonable for anyone to seek ("All men seek happiness"), but we cannot be happy nor fulfilled out of the will of God or if we miss our calling. John Piper writes of Christian hedonism and this is true when one lives his life according to the way it was meant, not fighting God's will but getting with the program and learning to give Him the glory, seeking joy in the Lord. When we learn we are designed for worshiping God we will find our joy in the Lord in so doing. Indeed, "for the joy of the LORD is [our] strength" (cf. Neh. 8:10, NIV) and we are to rejoice always. When our eyes are properly focused on Christ and not on ourselves, things look cheerful and joyful.

The big difference in Christians though is that their happiness isn't selfish nor focused in this life, but looks to eternity and not the here and now or the secular. The world seeks its fulfillment in education, the standard of living, liberty, and even the American way or in achieving the so-called American dream. But true fulfillment only resides in knowing Christ and having a living relationship with Him. The Christian life is not Jesus plus TM or Jesus plus yoga, and so forth, but merely: Jesus in us! We don't add Jesus to our life like some additive, but seek a substituted, exchanged, surrendered, and relinquished life in Him as Lord of our lives because He owns us.

We are designed for worship (as Dostoevsky said that if we don't worship God we'll worship something or someone else because we are made to worship), and bringing God glory and nothing else will fill the void but God, as Augustine said, "You make us for Yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in You." Blaise Pascal said that there is a vacuum or God-shaped blank in us that only God can fill.

Too many people want to add Jesus to their life rather than give their life to Jesus--He's no additive, but the Lord and will not save them in any other capacity. Christians have an abundant life, but this is not to be interpreted that it's God's will for all believers to be successful in the eyes of the world nor to achieve great riches, power, or fame.

One of the great mysteries in life is why the wicked prosper, but their portion is in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14), and ours in the glory. God does indeed bless us in our endeavors but the results are up to him; we are to be faithful and leave the success to God. Knowing Mother Teresa said that God calls us to faithfulness, not success per se. We need to avoid the formulae of success the world offers and seek our fulfillment in serving Christ.

We don't just try Jesus and see if He works for us, but give our lives to Him unconditionally. Christ did all He could to discourage halfhearted, casual admirers and followers because they didn't know what they were getting into with all the trials, tribulations, sufferings, and even chastisement Christians must learn to endure for the sake of the cross and being conformed to His image. We don't give Jesus a trial run and see if He works, on the other hand, we must consider the cost of discipleship and make a commitment. Discipleship involves discipline, endurance, faithfulness, and commitment and the road isn't easy--Christ never promised a bed of roses!

We don't fit Christ into our schedules and plans, but make no plans without His consent and learn to do His will and walk in the Spirit in fellowship with Him. A good encouraging word is that if He got you to it, He'll get you through it. We are never alone, nor overwhelmed by our troubles (cf. Isaiah 43:2). We must not reduce the Christian life to a formula, a philosophy, or a creed, but it's all about knowing the Lord and proving it. Yes, the Christian life is not hard, it's impossible, it's been put, and we can do nothing without God's power ("... 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty...", Zech. 4:6, NIV). Jesus Himself said, "...apart from me you can do nothing" (cf. John 15:5, NIV).

Christ was honest enough to forewarn us of future affliction, discipline, suffering, adversity, trials, and tribulations for His name's sake, and He asks us to do nothing He didn't do Himself, while our crosses pale in comparison to His (and He didn't exempt Himself from any adversity). This is Reality 101 and it's inevitable. There is no crown without a cross to bear and we must daily take up our cross and follow Him (cf. Mark 8:34,35; Matt. 16:24) wherever He leads with a walk of faith, not sight, for we don't always know what's ahead, but that Christ is with us all the way.

It's not all about "cashing in on your spiritual lottery ticket," nor storing up treasures on earth, but in looking for a future reward in heaven. We live in light of eternity! In the final analysis, Jesus is not something we add to our lives, but someone we make our lives, which are defined by Him and His will for us, realizing that life makes no sense without Him--as some people try to do and are merely existing, not living, it's been well put. Soli Deo Gloria!

Fixing Our Eyes On Jesus

"I pray that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened..." (Eph. 1:18, NIV).
"Open my eyes that I may see..." (Psalm 119:18, NIV).

The Greeks came to the disciples inquiring: But we would see Jesus! It's not a matter of having some religious or spiritual encounter that lets you behold Christ clearly and meaningfully, but a life of obedience, not ecstasy, vision, or experience! Remember what Jesus told Thomas: Blessed are those who haven't seen! The point is that Jesus opens the eyes of the blind. But Christians all have the ability to see Christ at work in the world, the church, their brethren, and even themselves if they persist in growing in the faith. It is vital to know that Satan will trip us up with a temptation to test us at our weak points and vulnerabilities. And we must realize that he is like" a devouring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (cf. 1 Pet. 5:8)!

As Christians with the Spirit within, we have an advantage over those who actually did see Jesus in the flesh and may have become biased, calloused, or blinded to the Spirit. We don't have to go to and fro seeking Jesus' teaching and presence but have the power at work within--which is a much greater blessing and comfort. We are exhorted to walk by faith and not by sight, and if we do we'll see Christ by faith! To be a person who thinks clearly with our thinking straightened out, we must see (Christ) clearly (i.e., by faith). As the Christian sees Jesus from page to page throughout the Bible like a scarlet thread of His theme in action, that the whole of Scripture is about Him.

Peter walked on water as long as he kept his focus on Jesus, but the second he was overcome with the situation at hand and got his eyes off Jesus he began to sink. Suddenly he realized he needed the intervention of his Savior and uttered the simple words of salvation: Lord, save me! We all need to realize that we are in over our heads in this life and need Jesus in order to cope with the mundane. The distracted mind is no fertile territory for the seed of the Word of God to germinate.

It has been said that the faith the grain of a mustard seed can move mountains; likewise, we can have faith to move mountains in Christ, figuratively speaking. William Carey said that we ought to "Expect Great Things From God; Attempt Great Things for God!' It's not how big our faith, in other words, but the size of our God, who can work the impossible on our behalf. The clearer our perception of Jesus, the closer we can walk with the Lord and be of benefit to the kingdom. Too often the cares of this world smother our spiritual life and we lose focus from keeping the main thing the main thing. We don't want to major in minors, or become legalists! Each of us has a part to do in the Great Commission and can learn from each other doing their part.

The more we learn of Jesus and see Him spiritually at work, the more proficient we are at accomplishing His work. The Great Commission will one day be The Great Completion (by the corporate body of Christ working in unity). Yes, they say that we can walk on water if we have faith, or that someone has the faith to walk on water. This applies to everyone and not just to a spiritual elite, for there is no room for a class system in Christ--we are all one in Christ.

I read a book once called The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey that was a description of the Bible's doctrine of Christ. The point: one can never adequately describe Jesus, but you can know Him personally! And we must learn to focus on Christ in the mundane and everyday and down to earth, not just in a book. Each of us is a gospel in shoe leather and has a story to tell or a gift to give. We don't want Jesus to be just in our head or what's called story faith or head knowledge but have first-hand experience one-on-one with our Lord that we have something to share and pass along to others of our encounter with the Lord.

We are to walk hand in hand with our Lord through all the ups and downs, through thick and thin, to realize the presence of our Lord and being able [to see Him more clearly,] "to know Him more clearly, to follow Him more nearly, and to love Him more dearly"  (cf. Richard of Chichester). You don't just need a book to know Jesus, you need Jesus! Jesus is as close as the mention of His name! However, the temptation is to get enamored with the intellectual aspect of the faith and not to apply what we know. And the Bible wasn't written to describe Jesus, but to make Him known.

Our faith is not a creed to believe or even song to sing, but a relationship and person to know in the here and now with vibrations throughout eternity.   Religions are creeds to believe but Christianity is a Person to know!  We don't need to get informed, but transformed, and to know our Lord, if we are to walk with Him. We get to know the Spirit at work in our hearts and grow in the faith as we increase in our experiential knowledge of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. "But we do see Jesus..." (cf. Heb. 2:9). God is with us through the indwelling Spirit. The disciples longed to see the Father, thinking it would suffice, but Jesus reassured them He is all they need.

We are not boasting of visions and dreams or visitations, but we see Christ at work in the world in the here and now through each other. Do you see just evil in the world, or do you see the good overcoming evil? Paul said that it was "Christ in you, the hope of glory..." (cf. Col. 1:27), meaning that we live an inhabited life, not just an imitating one. Our walk is a substituted, transforming, relinquished, and surrendered one--"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me..." (cf. Gal. 2:20).


We ought to be so preoccupied with our Lord in all we do that he is the center of our life and our treasure is in Him that it shows to the point of being a testimony and a light in the dark if we are Jesus freaks or fanatics to some or even "out of our mind" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:13) it's for Christ's sake, that would be a compliment, as long as we don't live in ignorance of sound doctrine, having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (cf. Rom. 10:2, Prov. 19:2) Colossians 3:2, NIV, says: "For you died., and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."

We are the hands to do Christ's work, the heart to show Christ's love, and the voices through which Christ speaks to a lost world that doesn't realize He's for real and works in us. We shouldn't be saying that we see the devil at work in the world and ask "why?" but Jesus at work through the church and ask "why not?" As the hymn by William Cowper goes: "God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform."(Cf. Isa. 45:15, NLT).

The faith we have is the faith we show--we must learn to become contagious Christians because of our fixation on the Lord, though we are not fanatics who have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, because the clearer our vision of Christ, the more useful in the mission to the world and ministry in the church, as it becomes obvious that we have been in the presence of Jesus!

Bear in mind that to see Jesus with our physical eyes may not do any good spiritually, we must behold him with our spiritual eyes and not only with our intellect but with our whole heart. We need a real-life personal encounter with God that will change us from the inside out so that we can walk with Christ through faith. To see Jesus is to know Him and to know Him is to love Him.

In sum, let's follow on to know the Lord (cf. Hos. 6:3).   Again, as Richard of Chichester said, "To know Him more clearly, to follow Him more nearly, to love Him more dearly."

CAVEAT: TO THE PERSON WHO DOES NOT SEE, HE SHOULD ASK HIMSELF: WHERE IS HIS HEART? Jesus Himself said that the person who is really blind is the person who thinks he sees and doesn't. Soli Deo Gloria!

Is Jesus Authoritarian?

"When Jesus had finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes"  (Matt. 7:29, HCSB).
"For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations"  (Psalms 22:28, KJV).  




Jesus not only reigns on High with all the authority granted from the Father (cf. Matt. 28:28) but He rules and is the sovereign over creation; this is His prerogative as Son of God, not His attribute--He's earned the right to rule (and not like the sovereign of the UK, who reigns but doesn't rule).  To disobey Christ is to disobey God.  Jesus said that if we love Him we will obey Him--those are His friends.  To disobey Christ's authority has consequences, which can even lead to eternal punitive measures in hell.



Christ's rule is by virtue of His office as Lord (RHIP or rank has its privileges--it comes with the territory!) referring to His position over all creation.  He is Lord of all (cf. Acts 10:36; Rom. 10:12). He is not a colleague to be befriended, but the Lord to be obeyed-we don't make Him Lord, He is Lord!  A. W. Tozer says He will not save those whom He cannot command, and He will not barter away His right to be Lord!  Note that a lord doesn't give suggestions, but commands!  In a sense, Christ is a micro-manager because everything is under His authority and the buck stops with Him.  He is authoritarian in the sense that He rules with an iron fist and is sovereign over all without exception.



Christ just has to say the words for His will to be accomplished:  When He said to the storm, "Peace, be still," there was an immediate slick and the sea obeyed.  Even the demons believe and tremble because they realize they must obey or be sent to the Pit. Christ expects full compliance.  When Christians disobey, there are consequences: They are divinely disciplined and brought back into line with God's will.



Now there is another aspect of Christ's authority that differs from His authority to give orders and enforce them.  He has the authority to induce, woo, convince, persuade, and to influence for His will.  We change our minds due to His power of persuasion and wisdom because we respect His counsel and person.  He's earned respect in this way that we heed His Word.  (He not only claimed the authority of the Word but claimed to be the very personification of the Word Himself, the Logos, as John termed it.)  The Christian obeys and does good deeds because he wants to not because he has to.  Works are not in order to gain the approbation but because we have it already--a "therefore."  We obey out of the motive of love, and it's this love that has authority over us, for it's the most persuasive force or influence of all.  We've learned to love, trust, and obey Jesus through our ongoing, daily experience, and as we grow and mature in Christ.



During Jesus humiliation, He demonstrated all manner of authority:  over the laws of nature, all forms of diseases, demons, birth defects, sin, death, and even food!  His miracles were really signs proving His divinity and each showed an aspect of this.  He did not do them for the purposes of a show, or for personal gratification or pleasure, but to show mercy and kindness to the people in need.  He refused to do any biggy miracle that would've been to the pleasure of the skeptics and make them believe against their will, but His miracles were always sufficient for the willing.  Miracles never cause faith but only to bolster and confirm it; however, faith causes miracles.  In other words, Christ's authority and power were under great restraint during His days on earth with the disciples and He only proved what He was capable of, without actually doing it.



There is a great reward in obeying Christ and following Him; on the other hand, there are punitive measures for disobedience.  Either way, we must not ignore the authority of Christ, or it will be at great peril.  Jesus didn't teach by authority, as if someone had ordained Him, but with authority, and this was unlike any man had ever taught.  The rabbis and religious authorities, including the Pharisees, would quote the experts and teachers of the Law, and would never say something on their own authority; however, Jesus never footnoted His sermons, but would say, "You have been heard it said,  but I say unto you."  It's like a parent to a child say, "Because I said so!"  He was claiming greater authority than the authorities!  And this was an offense to the job security of the Pharisees!  Jesus never "footnoted" His sermons like the rabbis, or quoted anyone but the Scripture itself as the final word and rule of faith.  His methodology of quoting in speaking would be, "It is written," even to Satan.



The wonderful thing about Christ's authority is that He has commissioned us with authority to preach the gospel and we are His ambassadors who have a right to speak on His behalf.  Christ has earned authority via humiliation; however, we share in His spiritual authority, and when the Word is preached God anoints it with the unction of the Holy Spirit.  Christians are therefore the representatives of the King!  The good news is that He has given us authority in His Name!  Though we can rest assured He is in full control, He's no control freak!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Upsetting The Religious Applecart

"Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them.  Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them"   ( Mark 7:15, NIV). 
"You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act..." (Matt. 7:16, NLT).



Jesus was clearly antiestablishment and countercultural and was determined to overturn the tables on the Pharisees' religious turf.  He managed a revolution of topsy-turvy spirituality.  They had no notion of true spirituality, but only of externalism:  circumcision, tithing, offerings, sacrifices, festivals, Sabbath observance, fasting, handwashing, ceremonial duties, and whatever agreed with the outward show of religious piety but having no inward vitality or reality.  Jesus succeeded in internalizing religion and making it a matter of the heart and sin was on the inside that God could see.  The Pharisees were highly jealous of Jesus and protecting their turf was Job One.  Everyone wants job security, but this was too much for Jesus.  They sensed a threat to their authority and teachings, which Jesus referred to as the leaven of the Pharisees.




The people were burdened by 613 additional (248) commands and (365) prohibitions or laws of their legal system that made the Law of Moses a burden too heavy a yoke to carry.  Even the Sabbath with 39 additional activities regarded as "work" was nothing to look forward to anymore nor enjoy as a day of rest and spiritual renewal.  What really got them uptight and ill at ease was His popularity among the common people who heard him gladly and the miracles He was doing were both undeniable, and they had to come up with some explanation.  Jesus repeatedly made them out to be as fools and an embarrassment to their own cause.  Jesus seemed like a hero and authority the way He threw the moneylenders out of the temple.  They had every reason to fear His authority because He spoke like no man, not by authority, as one of the teachers of the law, (cf. Matt. 7:29), but with authority and they could not resist the Spirit by which He spoke nor answered His questions.




Jesus was against religion as they knew it.  The Pharisees were frauds at worship--just going through the motions with lip service and their hearts being far removed.  He saw the Jewish faith as one of knowing God, not of performance or a list of dos and don'ts.  The Pharisees were white on the outside but inside were as sepulchers.  They would strain a gnat and swallow a camel because they were so worried about the minor details of the Law but missed the main points of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.  Religion for them was mere show and Jesus despised it.




One thing that He wouldn't tolerate was duplicity and He saw this in the Pharisees they way they didn't practice what they preached. The religious authorities were never the same after Jesus was through with them and He changed the culture by changing people.  He was the light that shown on every man to see.  No one was unchanged nor the same after an encounter with the Lord.  The religious applecart had become an organization, not an organism, or living community of believers.




The major realignment in religion came as Jesus saw through legalism and hypocrisy and instituted undefiled and pure religion as coming from a sincere heart and motive.  Jesus saw through the veneer and facade!  The people needed to be set free from the burden and yoke of the Pharisees and their take on religion, in fact, most people didn't want to emulate them nor were they jealous, though the Pharisees were respected, Jesus saw their veneer and masquerade that they hid behind.




One sad commentary on the Pharisees was their tendency to exalt themselves and of having an air of superiority.  Jesus countered that the way up is down in God's economy and one must humble oneself first to be exalted in God's eyes.  He warned them that one must become as a child to enter the kingdom of God (cf. Mark 10:15; Matt. 18:3).




The normal Christian life was in contradistinction to the one of the Pharisees.  The Pharisees flaunted their faith and Jesus taught that people should not practice their righteousness before people (cf. Matt. 6:1) but keep their religious duties between them and God and to pray in their closet, inner sanctum, comfort zone, or private space.  The Pharisees were the ultimate goody-goodies who were working for God and kept up all appearance of propriety, but they knew not the Lord in reality.  Christ will say unto them that He never knew them at the Judgment.  But we all have feet of clay (flaws not readily apparent) and must repent of the Pharisee in us.  All our works are worth zilch if we don't love the Lord and do His will--"if I have not love, I am nothing."   Soli Deo Gloria!

Indebted To Jesus

Do you know that you owe
It all to the Lord Jesus!
When your goal loses your soul,
And you want a way out,
Remember He's near and saves ev'ry tear,
And your woes won't overflow His bowl.  




When the fight is lonely as the night,
And you wonder where He is,
Remember all the same to praise His name.
So thank Him anyway,
For you He'll win, so don't lose by sin.
And if you pray, claim His fame.  





The joy you'll share, knowing He's there,
Treading those paths ahead.
But let it glow, and you will grow,
To lighten the paths of sin;
But love is the way to make His day,
And loving the Lord will make them know.  




Soli Deo Gloria!

The Man On A Mission Extraordinaire

Jesus came to save sinners and set them free from themselves, God's wrath, their enslavement to Satan, and sin.  His message only has something to say to those who are lost, sick, and unrighteous and see their need for a Physician to heal them.  Sin is a virus that must be healed and we cannot approach God while affected--He must cleanse us or He will have no part of us.  He saves us despite ourselves and our own efforts, for there is no pre-salvation work we can achieve or preparation we can make to qualify for grace--that's why it's grace and not merit-based.  In fact, the only qualification for salvation is to realize our need and bankruptcy in God's tribune.  Jesus is on a rescue mission and meets us in our deepest need--the effects of sin.




Sin is both alienating and enslaving, it estranges and separates us from others and God.  Jesus is the Great Reconciler and has done something about the sin question on the cross by shedding blood.  Yes, He owns us because He purchased us with His very own blood was shed voluntarily on our behalf.  Our greatest need was to be forgiven and made righteous, both accomplished at the cross.  We are forgiven for our sins (what we've done or called being justified) and delivered from what we are (sanctification or from our sin nature).  The cross is a great rescue operation!    "If our greatest problem had been ignorance God would've sent an educator, or if it had been technology, He would've sent a scientist, but our greatest need was the restoration of our relationship with Him" (source unknown).




That's what salvation is: the healing of our relationship with God and getting back into fellowship with Him, for sin precludes and prevents that.  We were in no position to save ourselves or salvage our souls, in fact, we needed divine intervention to meet our needs and do for us what we couldn't do for ourselves.  Jesus raised the bar on love and sacrifice, giving His all for us and pouring out His compassion on the cross when He was suffering the most--the ultimate sacrifice.




He thought of us to the very end and would rather die than live without us!  His love is unconditional and sacrificial and cost something!  We can give without loving, but we cannot love without giving!  In the final analysis, Jesus knew what His mission was--to do the Father's will and be subordinate to it in all things (that was His mission statement or motto of life--to do God's will!), which would bring about the salvation of His sheep, by laying down His life, for whom He shed His blood and poured out His very life.    Soli Deo Gloria!

Christ's Bema

"...[B]ecause anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Heb. 11:6, NIV).

"... 'Fear not, Abram, I am your shield, your reward shall be very great'" (Gen. 15:1, NIV).

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:12, NIV).

BY WAY OF INTRO, SOME LAWYERS DON'T CARE SO MUCH WHAT THE LAW IS AS TO WHO THE JUDGE IS! WE CAN REST IN PEACE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS FATHER HAS GIVEN ALL JUDGMENT TO THE SON WHO SAVED US.

The Judgment Seat of Christ, known as His bema or tribunal, is where all believers get their appraisal (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:8,10) and evaluation of their life's work done in the Lord, as to whether it deserves a reward. Some will be saved, as if by fire (cf. 1 Cor. 3:14-15) and some will have a full reward. But what are we to expect at the bema? God isn't going to inquire as to what political party we aligned ourselves with or affiliated with, as to whether we are saved by virtue of it--for God is nonpartisan and doesn't give us brownie points for this! He will not inquire about our denominational affiliation or positions on the issues and doctrines. God isn't going to ask us about our highs and ecstasies in our walk, for God is more concerned with faith than feeling.

Oswald Chambers said that the "measure of a person's spiritual life is not their ecstasies, but their obedience!" Again I quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, rephrased Martin Luther: "Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes!" They go hand in hand and must not be divorced--they can be distinguished, but not separated! We must be obedient to the faith (cf. Rom. 1:50. This means a penitent and willing spirit, submissive to His will as our yoke. We are not under the Law, (cf. Rom. 6:14) but under a higher standard, albeit easier, the law of love, which can never be satisfied!

We must not expect God to give us kudos for our strong faith or our assurance--how strong our faith was--for the faith as of a mustard seed is adequate. Faith, like our righteousness, is the gift of God for which we are held to account. Our assurance of salvation and strong faith is a gift and for our benefit, not God's. We're measured by our good works, not our faith (cf. Rom. 2:6)! Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our blessing or gift to God! All our works must be tried as if by fire, to see if they are worthy--some will only be wood, hay, and stubble, while others as pure as silver and gold that is refined and found to reflect God's image--we are meant to be God's ambassadors in the world (cf. 2 Cor 5:20) and for God to see Himself in us (cf. Col. 1:27).

At Christ's bema we will be held accountable for all the resources, blessings, character, personality, gifts, talents, relationships, time, opportunities God has granted us by grace. Everything we have is only on loan from God as we are merely stewards of His manifold blessings and provision. Nothing we have belongs to us, for it's all His and we must make an investment in the Lord to find a return on that investment! God's dividends are well worth it--for it is well worth the time and effort to serve the Lord, for He is a bountiful giver of rewards as our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh) to those who serve Him, and God is no man's debtor!

Paul wasn't against good works, just those done in the flesh (by the energy of the natural man, not the Holy Spirit). Only those works foreordained by God per Ephesians 2:10 and we are led to do while filled with the Spirit and enabled to do: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD God" (cf. Zech. 4:6). If we walk after the flesh, it doesn't matter how many good deeds we do--they are not worthy (cf. Isa. 64:6). This is why the faith we have is the faith we show, and works validate faith and are evidence, not the substitute for it; also, faith without works is dead faith and cannot save (cf. James 2:17)!

We increase in the knowledge of God as we do works in the Spirit as God ordained (cf. Col. 1:10). This is precisely why Christ said that even a cup of cold water given in His name will not remain unrewarded or lose its reward! Many will put their confidence in their works, not in the Lord, and expect a free pass by virtue of them; however, all in all, what we should expect to hear are the words: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" The Lord is our portion and our reward (cf. Gen. 15:1) and compensation is in heaven--don't get into a comfort zone in this life and feel too much at home.

In sum, we must be looking unto the heavenly city (cf. Phil. 3:20), to a heavenly reward not realized, and not realize our reward in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14)--we're only passing through as sojourners (cf. 1 Pet. 2:11) and pilgrims, as mere stewards of God's manifold bounties! Soli Deo Gloria!

In Jesus' Name

When we pray in Jesus' name what do we imply and implicate? It seems odd to pray to Jesus in Jesus' name but God's name is one and co-equal, but not interchangeable, and by no means do we pray presumptuously or in an overly familiar pattern like we're being best bud; however, we can pray like one of the family of God. Jesus exhorted us to ask anything in His name in prayer (according to His will) and Paul said, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Does this necessitate knowing Jesus' actual, official name or title? In Aramaic, His name was Yeshua or Joshua as we would say it Anglicized. Are Christians who believe in Jesus and those in Yeshua both saved and praying to the same God? Today, many youths believe all monotheistic religions pray to the same God, just by different names.

There is nitpicking and anyone who thinks we have to get all our doctrine straightened out to be saved doesn't know the Lord. It is vital to know to Whom we are praying and Whom we trust, not their official title or name. The name of Jesus refers to His authority and power at the right hand of God. We may all know Christ by a different name, but what is fundamental and essential is that we know the Lord in our hearts. Obviously, if you don't feel comfortable with a father figure, you may refrain from calling God your Father (cf. Isa. 9:6), but you have the divine right and privilege to do so, which is a status symbol in heaven. When we command demons in Jesus' name to leave or begone, we are using His authority, not ours. They know Jesus, not you!

We must understand that in every tongue they call Jesus by a different name by custom, though by transliteration or close pronunciation (as allowable). The Spanish refer to Jesus, but pronounce it differently, the Germans may say Jesu, and the Swedes Jesus, but they all pronounce it quite unique to their tongue without a J sound. What's more important, the spelling or the pronunciation then? But we all know to whom we are referring--the only begotten Son of God!

Doctrine is important, but it's not everything and even sincerity isn't, where one's heart resides is the most vital link to eternal life. We will be rewarded for all our deeds done in the name of Jesus, and that doesn't mean according to our perception of it, but to honor and glorify the one and only begotten Son of God. Some will do good deeds in Christ's name but lack saving faith, simply trusting in their works, not in Christ. To suffer for the sake of the Name is an honor, though.

The crux of the matter, then, is knowing Him, not in being a linguist! How do we know that translating a name is copacetic with God and He doesn't forbid it? Greek translates Hallelujah as alleluia because there's no H! In Greek, there is no J sound! They translate Jesus name, nevertheless with it. With a J sound would've sounded strange to them.

We know that translating is approved because we have the Septuagint into Greek and it was quoted by the apostles and church fathers, who even wrote in Greek. Luke wrote Acts 9:36 saying that Tabatha is translated: Dorcas.  We don't go around like Germans telling people to believe in Jesus Christus! In German a Christian is a "Christ," and a Christ is Jesus Christus, or Jesu Christi! Just like when immigrants come to America they usually Anglicize their names to they don't sound fresh off the boat. Though it seems odd that Hispanics name their children Jesus, they call the Lord Senor too like we would say, Mr. Jesus! Thus, we know the Son of God by the Anglicized name "Jesus."

Soli Deo Gloria!