God has spoken to us by His Son

May 13, 2014

Hebrews 1:1-2, God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ²has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

What’s God saying to me? has in these last days spoken to us by His Son

What it means to me?

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,

• Tyndale Life Application note: God used many approaches to send his messages to people in Old Testament times. He spoke to Isaiah in visions (Isaiah 6), to Jacob in a dream (Genesis 28:10-22), and to Abraham and Moses personally (Genesis 18; Exodus 31:18). Jewish people familiar with these stories would not have found it hard to believe that God was still revealing his will, but it was astonishing for them to think that God had revealed himself by speaking through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment and culmination of God’s revelation through the centuries.

What’s the application?

• The God of the universe, creator of all things, has reached out to us and is speaking through His Son.
• I should pay attention to what He has to say.
• How do I know what He’s saying unless I read His word?
• I should give His word, His direction, His wisdom, His love preeminence in my life.
• I should be overwhelmed that I am loved by God.

 

Abound in Hope

May 12, 2014

Romans 15:13, Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What’s God saying to me?

• May the God of hope
• fill you with all joy and peace in believing
• that you may abound in hope
• by the power of the Holy Spirit.

What it means to me?

Hope definition from GotQuestions.org: Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in “I hope something will happen.” This is not what the Bible means by hope. The biblical definition of hope is “confident expectation.”

God of hope

• If the object of our hope is based on God, we will never be disappointed and have no need to be worried or anxious. We can have that “confident expectation.”

fill you with all joy and peace in believing

• If the object of our hope is based on God, then the result of believing is joy and peace.
• It’s God who fills us – I don’t have to manufacture anything.
• So relieved that joy and peace are not my responsibility. They are a result of believing. It’s a benefit from hoping in God. Having hope in the truths of God and His promises.

that you may abound in hope

• Love the word abound:  plentiful:  present in large numbers or quantities, well supplied, overflowing, in abundance.

by the power of the Holy Spirit

• So glad it’s “by the power of the Holy Spirit” and not “by the power of me.”
• Romans 8:11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

What’s the application? Understand that God is a God of hope.  If I believe that, there is joy and peace. I can believe God and hope will overflow because of the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Cast off and put on

May 11, 2014

Romans 13:12, The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

What’s God saying to me?

• Let us cast off the works of darkness
• Put on the armor of light.

What it means to me?

Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness

• John 3:19-21: And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Let us put on the armor of light

• Armor is protection for soldiers. There’s a war between light and darkness, good vs evil.
• Armor must be put on, we can’t just own it.
• Galatians 4:11-17, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

What’s the application? There’s a war.  Choose a side.  Choose by casting off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Repay no one evil for evil

May 10, 2014

Romans 12:17, Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

What’s God saying to me? Repay no one with evil

What it means to me? Repay no one evil for evil? What is the BIG picture?

• Romans 2:4, Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
• Romans 5:6, For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
• Romans 5:8, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• Romans 5:10, For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
• Is one of the greatest displays of the love of God His mercy? Mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve.
• Is one of the greatest displays of the love of God is grace? Grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it.
• Is one of the greatest displays of the love of God is forgiveness? Act of pardoning sin
• John 3:17, For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
• Luke 9:56a, For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.
• Luke 19:10, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
• Ezekiel 33:11a, Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!
• What’s the application? God doesn’t just look at the circumstance (evil) or our present condition (enemy). He sees the end result of what His death accomplished: salvation, reconciliation, transformation, and regeneration. I should see that too. God does have His vengeance and His wrath, there’s an appointed time for that. Until then, it’s all about saving us no matter who we are or what we’ve done. There’s a bigger picture and it’s all about an eternity with God.

Be and do not

May 9, 2014

Romans 12:16, Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

What’s God saying to me?

• Be of the same mind toward one another.
• Do not set your mind on high things,
• but associate with the humble.
• Do not be wise in your own opinion.

What it means to me?

Be of the same mind toward one another.

Snippet from Matthew Henry: endeavor not to clash, and contradict, and thwart one another; but keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace

Do not set your mind on high things,

Snippet from Matthew Henry: We must not be ambitious of honor and preferment, nor look upon worldly pomp and dignity with any inordinate value or desire.

but associate with the humble.

Follow the example of Jesus.

Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Proverbs 3:7, Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.

Proverbs 26:5, Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

Proverbs 26:12, Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Isaiah 5:21, Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

What’s the application? Be Christ-like and do not be seek worldly ambitions or be wise in my own eyes.

Bless not curse

May 8, 2014

Romans 12:14, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

What’s God saying to me? bless and do not curse

What it means to me?

• Early on in the chapter we see in verse 9 to love without hypocrisy and in verse 10 to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. In verse 14, we are to bless those who persecute us; to bless and not curse.
• The “love of God” is not cliché, poetic, or just emotional.  “The love of God” is not without action.

What God says about love:

• 1 John 4:8, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
• 1 John 3:18, My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
• John 13:34-35, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing. ⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
• Matthew 5:43-47,  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighborand hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
• Matthew 5:38-42, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
• James 2:8, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
• Matthew 7:12, Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
• Romans 13:8, Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• Romans 13:10, Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
• 1 John 3:15, Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
• 1 John 2:9-11, He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. ¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
• Galatians 5:14-15, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

What’s the application? My response to those who would do me harm is to bless them. Without a doubt, I am to love them in action and not in thought only.

This kind of love is from God:

• Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
• John 15:4, Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Giving preference

May 7, 2014

Romans 12:10, Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

What’s God saying to me?

• Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,
• in honor giving preference to one another;

What it means to me?

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love

• We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving others is not a calling or a ministry, it is commanded. How much more are we to be kindly, affectionate and have brotherly love for other believers, all believers? Whenever I don’t have kindness, affection or brotherly love, I must be quenching the Spirit because “love” and “kindness” are fruit of the Spirit. Shouldn’t it come naturally if I’m abiding in Christ?

In honor giving preference to one another

• Philippians 2:3-4, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
• 1 Peter 3:8-9, Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; ⁹ not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
• Colossians 3:12-13, Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
• Galatians 5:14-15, For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

What’s the application?  Without “the love of God,” I will not give preference to others.  Without a doubt, “the love of Isabelle” is limited and restrained.  If I want to bear much fruit, specifically love, I need to abide in Christ.

John 15:1-8, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Love, abhor and cling

May 6, 2014

Romans 12:9, Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

What’s God saying to me?

Let love be without hypocrisy.

Abhor what is evil.

Cling to what is good.

What it means to me?

Let love be without hypocrisy:

• Loving others can be so effortless, until it’s not. The Lord tells us to love our enemies that would include those who are not our enemies: a friend, sibling, parent, co-worker, employer, etc. Matthew 5:44, But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
• When we find ourselves without love, we have the Holy Spirit who can give us love. Galatians 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Abhor what is evil:

• Abhor definition: Hate, dislike, have a horror of.
• What immediately comes to mind are TV shows that are so entertaining but make light of evil, or promote evil, or make evil appear good, or good appear evil. Do I hate evil yet am thoroughly entertained by it.
• Do I really understand how wicked evil really is, enough to hate it?
• Am I horrified by evil?
• Evil > sin. Jesus died to set us free from sin and it’s effects then I turn on my TV, listen to the radio, pay money to watch it at a theater?
• What is evil?

Revelation 21:8, But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Galatians 5:19-21, Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2 Timothy 3:1-7, But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Cling to what is good:

• Cling definition: to glue together, cement, fasten together. I should be glued to what is good. What is good in God’s eyes? His truth from the Bible.

What’s the application? Love others with the love that comes from God. Hate and be horrified by evil. Be glued to good.

More highly than he ought

May 5, 2014

Romans 12:3, For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

What’s God saying to me? not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,

What it means to me?

Carl Westerlund notes:

• The renewed mind puts “self” in the right perspective
• The renewed mind does not have an inflated view of self
• The renewed mind recognizes that the gifts come from God
• The renewed mind recognizes that each has a gift

What’s the application? Do not think more highly of myself than I should.

Galatians 6:3, For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

A living sacrifice

May 3, 2014

Romans 12:1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

What’s God saying to me?

• present your bodies a living sacrifice,
• holy, acceptable to God,
• which is your reasonable service

What it means to me?

present your bodies a living sacrifice,

• Matthew Henry notes: “Presenting them denotes a voluntary act, done by virtue of that absolute despotic [powerful ruler] power which the will has over the body and all the members of it. It must be a free-will offering. Your bodies; not your beasts.”
• The Sermon Notebook notes: We are told that these bodies are to be presented “a living sacrifice“. This sounds dreadfully painful to us because we know that a sacrifice, in Bible times, was an animal that belonged to the person offering it and that the animal was put to death, its blood was shed and its flesh was burned on an altar. That does not sound like something I want to be involved in. The difference between what the Lord is calling us to do and what He called those people in the Old Testament to do is this: Their sacrifice was to die, our sacrifice is to live! While that is true, there are also some similarities between our sacrifice and their’s. Now, just as then, the sacrifice the Lord is commanding each of us to make is costly, painful, difficult, personal and necessary. Basically, God is commanding every one of His people to lay the totality of their persons on the altar of sacrifice. But, at the same time, this sacrifice must continue to function in the world around it. This is confusing, but I think that four ideas are in view right here:

         1. A living sacrifice means that we are to be on the altar wherever we are. Regardless of the geographical surroundings, we are to remember that this body and all it is belongs to God. There is never an instant in life when we are out of His view or free to live as we please.

         2. A living sacrifice means a constant, continuous sacrifice. This is not something we do from time to time. But we are to offer this body up to the Lord and never ask for it back again!

         3. A living sacrifice means that the body sacrifices its own desires for those of God. To be a living sacrifice will require that the body does not live for the world, the flesh or the devil, but that everything the body does is held to the guidelines of the Word of God.

         4. A living sacrifice means that the body is devoted to the task of serving God. This means that we are to lay down the ambitions and desires of the body and commit ourselves to doing nothing but that which God bids us to do! We are to be His vessels through which He can live and work in this world.

holy,

• consecrated, sanctified, prepared, dedicated, hallowed, separated

acceptable to God

• Not acceptable according to this world, but acceptable according to God

which is your reasonable service

• Amplified Bible, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

What’s the application? I want to be a living sacrifice. I must willingly lay down my ambitions and desires and commit myself to doing that which God bids me to do. All that I do must be acceptable to Him.  My whole life, everything I do, should be a living sacrifice.

The Take my life and let it be hymn comes to mind.

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.