Atoning Sacrifice

What type of message/ bible study or book did you engage in this week at church or through ITunes, on line or personal study? It seems as if there are many messages and books about me. For example, "How to become a better You", "My best life now", "Finances-God's way" Those might, I say might, make me feel good, but they do nothing for my salvation, and in today's scripture the Bible tells me what is most important.

Scripture

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Observation

Atoning Sacrifice-is that a phrase that I have used or heard this week? No. I heard how "I" could become better. Forget how "I" can make myself better, here's how I get better, because Jesus was sent by God to atone for my sins, so I could have a relationship with him.

Application

If I studied and understood the fullness; the depth and breadth of the atoning of my sins I think that would take up most of my study and church time, and all the things that have to do with me would be light years behind me. In my mind I just heard myself answering a question from a Christian Friend saying, "that God is guiding me, watching out over me, that I am blessed". That is all nice and good about "Me", but what if the next time someone asked me how I was doing my answer was THE most important answer, "I'm loved by God, and Jesus has atoned for all my sins". And what if I not only said that, but lived in a way that demonstrated the Praise and Thankful to Jesus for atoning for every dirty, fretful sin I have committed. That would "Make me a better Me", instead of a 10 step program about things I have to do to be better for God.

Prayer

Father, You alone could bridge the gap between us. You have sent your Son Jesus to atone for every sin I have in my life. I praise you for that. Nothing I do matters. What matters is that I have accepted your gift of Jesus, and the complete cleansing, wiping clean, purified, eternal forgetfulness atonement of my sins that Jesus provided on the cross. Amen.

Homeless Veteran

I'm calloused. I say that about the guy who is standing on the freeway ramp holding a "I'm a homeless veteran sign-God Bless". There may be others who think that that guy is scamming the system, and there have been TV reports that that person actually makes $100's of tax free money a day, and in some ways its not a "bad job". Let's take a look at what the Bible says about that person( the needy).

Scripture

1 John 3:17-18 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

In the Message it says: 16-17 This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 18My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love.

Observation

I have been given much, and so when I see a brother and sister in need I need to obey the scripture and engage with them in their need. As I said I've become calloused to the people always begging, and I am only following my own thoughts, and not those of the Spirit.

Application

I have to follow the scripture and when I see a need, allow the Holy Spirit(verse 24) to guide me in how and what way to help my brother/sister, instead of relying on my own thoughts and prejudices about someone in need.

Prayer

Father, you have given to me lavishly. I would ask in my life that you would destroy in me any type of cold shoulder I would make towards the brother and sister, that you created, who are in need. And replace my coldness with the warmth of your love to my brother and sister, and then cause my hands and feet to go into motion. Amen.

I love Spaghetti and Pizza. But it really isn't a true "love". The Bible tells me about a true love, let's take a look.

Scripture

1 John 3:1-2a

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God.

Observation

There are so many juicy details in this verse that I could sit and savor on. Whatever type of love I know on this earth is a flake of dust compared to the GREAT LOVE God has for me. GREAT LOVE. Let that run around in your head a bit. A sinful man, but God extents His GREAT LOVE to me. I'll take it. And not only that, but he LAVISHES it on me, That means it keeps coming and coming and coming in abundant amounts, there is NO LIMIT. God does have to go drill another well because the first LOVE well ran dry. Now God goes on to call me his Son. I am FAMILY. In the HOUSE. With the proclamation that "that is what we are!!" This world is messed up, because they do not know this Loving God, and they are ever seeking Him in the things of this world, and will not find them. But we are God's family right now.

Application

As family I can talk with my Father, rest with Him and have the faith that because HE has GREAT LOVE for me, that everything in my life is for the good of the HIM/myself/the family. When my mind wants to think otherwise, I need to remember that God's limitless LOVE is constantly poured over my head and lavished constantly on me. The the God of the universe has my best interests in mind, because I am his kid. He would have it no other way because HE loves me. I need to live today like I AM FAMILY, because I am. So what will I do. Maybe I need to lavish love on someone who irritates me when I drive today, lavish love on someone who returns no love, lavish love on the needy/widows/in firmed, lavish love on people in the office who are gossips and haters, or lavish others with a free coffee when you are standing in line, or lavish someone in the grocery line and buy some of the food for them. I have received GREAT LAVISHED LOVE, let's share it with others when we meet.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for the unlimited, endless lavished GREAT LOVE you have for me. I did nothing to deserve it, but you have opened the fire hydrant hose of love on me and it never stops. I ask that you assist me in sharing your GREAT LOVE to a dying world today. Open my eyes to situations so I can show how you GREATLY LOVE me and others. Amen.

Going, Going, Gone

Baseball season is starting up very soon, and a common baseball "call" after a ball is hit very hard and looks like it is going to leave the park is "Going, Going, Gone". The scripture today is very clear on something else that is "Going, Going, Gone; let's take a look.

Scripture

1 John 2:15-17

15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Observation

Don't get very attached, in fact DON"T GET attached at all to this world and its desires because they will pass away, in fact they are "Going, Going, Gone".

Application

Where is my heart, and what am I in love with? Verse 15 says not to love the world or anything in the world. So what do I love? Evidence will show in two areas; where I spend my time, and what I spend my money on. All this stuff in this world-passed away-"Going , Going, Gone", why should I be attached to it, there is no return on investment. But in God's Kingdom, what I do matters. Did I show and act out in love more than I boasted about what I had? Did I give to the poor and needy instead of giving into the lust of the flesh and buying a flashy new cellphone that slides, flips and practically cleans itself? And after craving that promotion did I discover turmoil instead of peace? So what should I do today? Follow the teachings of Christ in all situations I face. Love my neighbor as myself instead of loving a thing of this world, give to the needy and poor instead of giving to myself with more "trinkets", and if I feel a craving for something that is "Going, Going, Gone" flip that craving into something eternal, such as a craving for God's word and His kingdom, so when I engage in "things", I am storing up in Heaven things where they will never rot or decay, unlike this world which is rot and decay.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for the powerful and instructive word on what we should put our life into. It is not things of this world. I ask that you would guide and develop me in how I should spend my time and money so it is profitable for your kingdom, instead of something that will pass away. Amen

The Defense Rests

In the news is a man by the name of Bernard Madoff. You may have heard about him and his $50 billion dollar ponzi scheme. He is accused of scamming money from 1000's of investors, and having spent all the money on himself instead of investing it, like he said he would. So he has done the only thing a person in this situation would do, and that is to hire the best defense attorney money can buy. He is in trouble and needs the best paid help he can get, to get him out of this mess.....that he made. Let's take a look at 1 John 2:1 at another defense attorney.

Scripture

1 John 2:1 1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

Observation

I do not have to go through the Yellow Pages and look for a defense attorney, I already have on and a pretty good one.... A Righteous One!!!!

Application

Jesus is my defense attorney, but I have to call and tell him that I need some defense, from my sinful actions. It is that simple. Jesus is waiting for me to confess my sin( 1 John 1:9) and when I do, my defense attorney-Jesus the Righteous One-goes to the Judge and presents my defense, that I am purified by His blood (1 John 1:7) and made righteous. God wants us to know him is so we can see his Glory that he has provided it ALL for me, so a sinful man can have an unbroken relationship with Him. When my sin is cleansed then God sees me as totally righteous, because I am. What a wonder. I don't even have to wait for the jury to give a verdict. The defense is made and rested and I have been declared as FREE.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for giving me a Defense Attorney who is always working for my good, to continue to present me to you, as your son who has been washed clean of all sin, and in right relationship with you. Amen.

In the Mud

Scripture
2 Peter 2: 22
Of them the proverbs are true: " A dog returns to his vomit," and " A Sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Observation

Is that me?

Application

As I read this scripture I began to wonder if there is any part of me that is returning to things of old, before I was rescued by Christ from the corruption of this world? A dog returning to his vomit is disgusting, and a pig will return to wallow in the mud and food slop, and I have been washed by the cleansing blood of Jesus and if I return to anything that I have been freed from it is just as disgusting as me going back to eat my own vomit. Why would I do that? What will keep me from returning to wallow in the slop? It has to the constant renewing of the my mind (Romans 12:2) so I have NO conformation to this world, BUT will approve the good, pleasing & perfect will of GOD. That renewal will come from feasting on the Word-like a starving man going to a buffet, from listening to the Fathers Voice and Direction-instead of the banter of the world, and receiving the freshness of the Holy Spirit as a fresh drink of mountain water.

Prayer

Father, I ask that you would reveal in me any area I am returning to to wallow in that is covering the cleansing you have given me. I pray that you would bring a stronger will in me to feast on your word, to listen more intently to your voice and take in all the freshness from the Holy Spirit. Amen

Recipe of the Day

Yesterday I needed a recipe so I went to a website "AllRecipes.com". In reading the Bible today, it did NOT direct me to a recipe website, however it did give me a recipe for being a productive and effective servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's take a look at this recipe, and how and if we have the ingredients on hand.

Scripture

2Peter 1:3-9

3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Observation

God has given me EVERYTHING I need for life and godliness.

Application

What if I don't feel like I have everything, because life seems hard and I feel a long way from being godly? I need to preach to myself because it doesn't matter what I feel......it matters what the Bible tells me about myself. So the Bible tells me that God's divine power has given me everything I need to for life. The scripture goes onto say that God has given me these promises and through MY PARTICIPATION in them I will escape the corruption of the world. So what do I have to do? I've been given these promises. I now have to take them and embrace them and actual use them in my life. If I treat them like shirt someone gives me, and I hang it in the closet, it does me no good. It was given to me, but I have made it useless because I have not put to use the gift I was given.

So what is the recipe I need. The Bible says that EVERY EFFORT should be made to take the faith I have been given and add a CUP of goodness. To goodness add a CUP of knowledge. Once that is mixed up a bit put in a CUP each of(maybe two CUPS) self control and perseverance. Thoroughly mix scraping the sides then add a CUP of godliness. Let that stand for 30 minutes, then finally add brotherly kindness and the final ingredient which must cover the entire batch and then be mixed completely throughout is Love. That's it. A wonderful recipe for me to put together to be effective for our Lord. I can't leave Love on the spice rack and try to substitute it with something else, because the Bible says I am blind and have forgotten how my sin was forgiven.

Do I fail in making this recipe? Yes. But do I make the effort to have these promises and ingredients displayed in my life? Yes. I think the lesson for me is that I need to take inventory of my spice rack and see what I am using; are they the spice promises God has given me or are they spices I bought for myself at the Farmers Market?

Prayer

Father, you have given me everything I need for life without me even asking for them; you know what I need. Thank You. I ask that you go through my spice rack to take inventory to make sure I have your promises in the inventory, not useless Warren spices. Amen.