Doing Righteousness

Posted on March 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Duané Viljoen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/couple-hugging-and-holding-sing-with-enough-is-enough-inscription-5097418/

1 John 3:10-11 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

J.K. Rowling, the author of the “Harry Potter” series of books (something I’ve never read, nor am I interested in reading) spoke up about transgender issues. Her statements were quite mild. She rejects the popular phrase, “people who menstruate” in favor of the word “woman”, as only biological women do this. Popular comedian and talk show host Bill Maher said:

“{Rowling} doesn’t hate trans people. Everybody has to stop saying they hate the thing that they don’t hate. Like pro-life women don’t hate women. … They think it’s murder. And it kind of is. I’m just okay with it. (emphasis mine) I’m totally okay with that kind of murder. But it is kind of, it’s becoming a life. But they don’t hate women. That’s not why pro-life people are against abortion. They think it’s murder.”

I’ve never heard anyone in Hollywood admit what we all know, that abortion is “kind of murder”, nor say they were okay with murder. The reason I quoted this to you today is because this is where the devil as taken the world. When we disagree in America today, and do not go along with whatever is the vocal majority – then we are branded as “haters”. Yet Jesus said this would happen. Jesus calls on His people to be attached to Him. He said:

John 15:5 (ESV) I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Since the believer in Christ is attached to Christ, then Jesus told us to expect the same kind of treatment He got. He said in the same chapter:

John 15:18-20 (ESV) If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. … 25 They hated me without a cause.

They had no cause to hate Jesus – but hated Jesus anyway. Why? Because Jesus came teaching us that we are to love God the Father and one another. Beloved, according to the Bible,

What we are seeing in the world today is NOT love,
but hatred. All sin is at heart HATRED.

John brings this out in our text today. We read:

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

John asks, “How do we spot a Christian?”, and then gives us TWO criteria to determine what a Christian looks like. The Christian,

1. DOES Righteousness, and
2. Loves his or her brother

The Christian DOES Righteousness Because The Christian Loves God

Jesus said that the very first commandment of God is that:

Matthew 22:37 (ESV) You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

God is to be put FIRST in your love and adoration. When our God gave the Ten Commandments from Sinai, He wrote with His finger:

Exodus 20:2-7 (ESV) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Since God saved Israel from enslavement to Egypt, since God elevated these people to be His, God demanded that they love Him exclusively. This meant that they were to worship no other gods or goddesses. They were to put away their past experience in Egypt, and follow where God led. They were to honor God with their life, and serve God with their hands, feet, and lips.

God hates sin, but loves righteousness. Why does God hate sin but love righteousness? Because sin is the very basis of lovelessness. Sin is lovelessness of God. When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, He told Adam to love Him. God told Adam,

Genesis 2:16-17 (ESV) … You may SURELY eat of EVERY TREE of the Garden. But the Tree of the Knowledge of good and Evil you SHALL NOT EAT, for in the day you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE

God in his love gave Adam a parameter. God said, in effect, “I establish good and evil. I love you. I gave you life. I gave you a great job. I will give you a great wife. You have paid for none of these things. You work a job you never sweat at, and do something you can never fail at. JUST LEAVE THE GOD DECISIONS TO ME.”

When the serpent came into the Garden to tempt Adam, Adam had a choice. Would he love God and do as God said? Or would he follow his wife and the serpent, placing both above God.

You know what he did. “By one Man SIN ENTERED THE WORLD, and DEATH BY SIN, and so death passed upon ALL MEN, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Adam did not DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Adam loved his wife and himself more than he loved the Lord. Adam ate what was forbidden because he put himself first above God. His bad decision brought death into the world.

Righteousness is what God has said is RIGHT. God is always right. The Bible defines what is righteous, and what is unrighteous.

You cannot say “I love God” if you do not DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. The two are tied together. The Scripture says:

Psalm 89:14-16 (ESV) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted.

Because God is RIGHTeous and because god is JUSTice, God is both STEADFAST in His love for us, and FAITHFUL in keeping His promises to us. You cannot divorce RIGHT from LOVE. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 33:5 {God} loves RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE, the earth is FULL O THE STEADFAST LOVE of the Lord.

If you love God, you love what God says is right. If you love God, you hate what God says is wrong. Sin is bound to a loveless attitude toward God. When God reached out to save Israel from Egypt, why did He do it? Because it was the RIGHTeous thing to do. God told Israel:

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (ESV) It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

God told Israel that He freed them because (1) He LOVES them, and (2) He is DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS, that is, KEEPING THE OATH He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s love is tied to doing what is right.

The Devil And The World Will Demand
We Do As They Say

1 John 3:11-12 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

In our world today if we do not agree with whatever trend is currently fashionable, then we are despised as haters. But it is not loving to do that which God says NOT to do. God must be loved FIRST above all else. The Bible says:

Amos 5:15 Hate evil, love good

Psalm 97:10 You who love the LORD, hate evil

God does not look the other way on sin. Sin is anything that God has said is bad, and sin destroys God’s creation. The Scripture says:

Psalm 5:4-6 … You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man

God HATES those who reject Him, who pursue evil. Why? The Biblical story of Cain and Abel tells us why. Just before God sent a banished Adam and Eve from Eden, the Bible says:

Genesis 3:21 (ESV) … the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

God COVERED their sin – their nakedness – with the skins of animals. In order for this to happen, God had to kill some animals, and shedding their blood use what was the innocent’s flesh to cover them. The Bible says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). It was from this first sacrifice in the Garden that God showed mankind that sin is no trifle. Sin caused Adam and Eve to be cast from Eden. Sin caused pain to enter the world. Sin caused the death of animals.

Cast from the Garden, Adam and Eve knew that the shed blood of the innocent would cover sin. They taught this principle to their children. This brings us to Cain and Abel. Abel was a herder of animals, and Cain a farmer. We are told in:

Genesis 4:3-5 (ESV) In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Two brothers bring an offering – a sacrifice to God. Abel brings a sacrifice of “the firstborn of his flock”, but Cain brings to God “the fruit of the ground”. God rejects Cain’s offering, but receives Abel’s offering. And this makes Cain very angry at both God and his brother! Cain’s attitude is much like those in the world today who say,

“God, if YOU love ME, then YOU will change what YOU say in order to make ME happy!”

This s very prevalent in the world today. But God rejected Cain’s offering, though He received Abel’s. Why? There’s a few reasons why? First, God’s example in the Garden of Eden was that “without the shedding of blood, there is NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS” (Hebrews 9:22, ESV). God covered Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden by the shedding of blood. Cain as the firstborn child of Adam would know what was expected. God would establish this much clearer later on to the Priests of Israel, saying:

Leviticus 17:11 (ESV) For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement {a covering} by the life.

Sin is no trifle, but it is a bold act of lovelessness toward God. Sin is covered only by the shedding of blood. Abel shed the blood of a lamb but Cain did not. Therefore God would not receive Cain’s offering. But there’s another reason.

Genesis 4:3 (ESV) In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground…

The Bible tells us that God would accept an offering from the ground, but it had to be the FIRST FRUIT of the field (Deuteronomy 26:5-10). Cain did not bring God the FIRST FRUIT or First Harvest of his field. Cain satisfied his own needs and the needs of his family FIRST – then and only then did he bring God an offering. Charles Pope notes:

“Abel gives of the firstlings (first fruits) of his flock. There is no mention that Cain gave of the first fruits of his crop. In biblical legislation, God commanded that the tithe be given. But it was not any tenth that was to be given, rather it was the first tenth that was to be given (see Exodus 23:16,19; 34:26; Leviticus 23:10 to name just a few). Thus Cain erred by not presenting first fruits, and God did not regard his offering. We are not to give God leftovers.”

Cain brought God the leftovers. When Cain got angry, God spoke to him, saying:

Genesis 4:6-7 (ESV) …. Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.

If you DO WELL, that is DO RIGHTEOUSNESS, then God will accept it. But God does not want your leftovers. God does not want what YOU think is best. God wants you to love Him more than anyone or anything, and then He will receive you as sons and daughters.

Cain refused to DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Since Cain could not kill God, he killed his brother Abel. Why did Cain kill Abel, the first murder in human history?

1 John 3:12 …Because {Cain’s} own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous

The evil will always want to kill the good. Cain should have REPENTED, and turned from his error, doing what God said do. He would not, and bore the consequence of his sin.

Love Always Follows God

1 John 3:13-14 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

We love others – especially “the brethren”, that is, other believers. But we love all people. We love God first and foremost. But we love our brothers and sisters by DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS toward them. “we love the brethren” by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). God establishes what is or is not truth in his Word. We affirm His Word because we love Him. We share His Word with others – even when it is difficult.

As believers, we are commanded to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). When a brother or sister moves into worldliness and sinfulness, we are to do as the Scripture says:

James 5:19-20 (ESV) My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

If a brother or sister “wanders from the truth” as God has established it, we are not to support their wandering. We are love them enough to counsel them – privately – in what the Word of God says. We are to tell them what God has said:

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 … ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We who are saved by faith in Christ are saved to love God and do what God says. We are saved to hate sin and love righteousness AS GOD DEFINES IT. We are to be like Jesus! We are to share Jesus with the lost world. We are to share Jesus with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 John 3:15-16 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

As Jesus laid His life down for us, we are to lay our lives down for or brethren. We are not to compromise with sin and evil. We are to stand strong in the Word of our Lord, the Holy Scripture.

Jesus Christ is God! God laid down His life for us to save us from sin. If we would be saved, we must repent. If we would be blessed as His Children, we must love God with our all. God does not save us by the Blood of Christ so that we might follow after this world. We give no quarter to the world, but as Ambassadors of Christ tell the world to REPENT and TURN TO JESUS. We tell people that – once they are saved – they are no longer sons of Adam, but sons of God. You have His promise:

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

May God through His Spirit draw you into the arms of Christ. Amen and Amen!

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The Great Need Of Our Age

Posted on March 17, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Sunvani Hoàng: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-little-baby-lying-on-bed-in-morning-7973662/

John 3:1-2 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

We recently moved our clocks forward to observe “Daylight Saving Time”. It was NOT implemented to help the farmers (they have lobbied against it since its inception), but was started During World War I to conserve energy sources. In 1966 the Uniform Time Act standardized Daylight Saving Time. The same Act keeps states from going to a permanent Daylight Saving Time, though states are free to return to standard time. States cannot go to a permanent DST (which Tennessee wants to do) until the U.S. Congress passes the “Sunshine Protection Act”. The Senate passed this March 15, 2022, but it died in the House. Don’t hold your breath waiting for a change!

The ancient Jews and Gentiles didn’t move the clock around like we do. In Jewish tradition, the day began when night fell. When three stars could be seen in the night sky, this was the start of their day. The reason for this is that the Jews believed in the Genesis account of creation. In Genesis chapter 1 we are told that:

Genesis 1:3 (ESV) … there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

God’s day – it was believed – began with “evening”, and days were reckoned from evening to evening. It was considered “night” when there were three stars visible in the sky.

Nicodemus Came To See Jesus At Night

When the sun set for the Jews, it was a “new day”. Nicodemus meets Jesus, and this meeting will bring “a new day” to his life. We find out some things about Nicodemus. First of all, his name. The name Nicodemus (Greek nikodēmos) means “Conqueror, One Victorious among his people”. Nicodemus is a man who is successful, who pursues victory, and seeks excellence. He is not a run of the mill man. He wants to win, wants to succeed. We read that:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

There were around 6000 Pharisees, very devout keepers of God’s Law. We are told that Nicodemus is “a ruler of the Jews”. The Phrase “the Jews” used in the New Testament is usually a reference to THE Jews, that is THE Jews who were particular about keeping the Law. In short, “THE Jews” is another term for the “Pharisees”. Nicodemus has studied the Bible, and excelled in learning its truths. As a result he has risen to the top tier. He is a “ruler” of these people, people who called themselves “Pharisee” or “Separated unto God”.

John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night

Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus “by night”? Some have suggested that this was just when Nicodemus came, that there was nothing significant about him coming at night. I don’t believe this. Nicodemus is mentioned three times in the Book of John, in John 3 (where we are tonight), and again in John chapter 7 when the Pharisees plotted against Jesus. They sent men to take Jesus by force, but the men refused to grab Jesus when they met Him. They asked, “Why didn’t you bring Jesus to us?” The hired men replied,

John 7:46 … No one has ever spoken like this Man.

The Pharisees told them, “You have been deceived. The Pharisees do not believe on Jesus. Only those ignorant of the Law believe on Him”. It is then we read that Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus:

John 7:50-51 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Nicodemus, though a Ruler of the Pharisees, spoke up for Jesus by reminding them that the Law forbids judging a person without first hearing them out. The fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night is mentioned once more, and again in John 19:39. The Law required that an accused man be given an opportunity to speak and clear His name. The Law required that the man’s accusers – in this case those who accused Jesus – hear him out before passing judgment.

Three times in Scripture it notes that Nicodemus comes to Jesus BY NIGHT. This is because – of all the Pharisees – the only one who ever heard Jesus’ was Nicodemus!

Nicodemus wanted to hear Jesus explain Himself. During the daylight hours Jesus was busy healing, blessing, resurrecting, teaching. Jesus had crowds around Him during the day – and Nicodemus wanted a quiet time to sit down and access Who Jesus is. When do not exactly know where Jesus is. We know that Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and has cast the money changers and sellers of sacrifices out of the Temple. The Chief Priests and Pharisees were in partnership with these people. Perhaps this is part of the reason Nicodemus is here. But the greatest reason why Nicodemus is here because he has been watching Jesus

John 3:2 … Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Jesus Is More Than A Rabbi

Nicodemus has seen Jesus doing miracles, and believes that God was with Him. Nicodemus is like many people. They think that God is WITH Jesus – but that Jesus is just a mere mortal man. Nicodemus calls Jesus “Rabbi” or rhabbi, which means “Teacher” or “honorable One”. The Pharisees called one another Rhabbi, but Jesus condemned them for that. He said:

Matthew 23:8-10 be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

The only One Who can truly be called “Rabbi” or “Honorable One” is The Christ sent from God, just as the only One Who can truly be called “Father” is God the Father. The Only “Master” (Greek kathēgētēs) or Superior Teacher is THE Christ. As humans, we all fall short.

Nicodemus is calling Jesus “Rabbi” to tell the Lord “You’re just as good as we Pharisees are”. He was sadly mistaken. Those who are lost think themselves good. They classify themselves by comparing their own self made rules, and how they live in comparison with others. They are like many of the “woke” crowd today who believe themselves to be morally superior because their color is more acceptable, or because they have the elite stamp of approval from some liberal arts college.

We are all fallen creatures. Nicodemus, Jesus isn’t as good as we are. We aren’t worthy to tie His shoe laces!

People who are spiritually blind cannot see this. Jesus, Who is THE Christ, now speaks to Nicodemus, one of THE Jews, and says:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Word Study: Jesus begins with “Verily, verily” which is literally “amēn amēn”. The word means “this is absolute truth”. As Jesus speaks, He ties what He says to Himself. He doesn’t say “This is absolute truth per the Scripture”, though Jesus often quoted Scripture and said “It is written”. Nicodemus has already said that God was WITH Jesus. Based on his own words, Jesus is going to make a judgment on Nicodemus. His judgment is “Nicodemus, you are spiritually blind. You have come to Me in darkness, and I am now going to open your spiritual eyes. You must be born again!”

The Bible teaches us that people are all born into this world separated from God both physically as well as spiritually. Those who are without Christ walk through this life …

Ephesians 4:17-19 (ESV) … in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

The Bible does not tell us that all people are born basically GOOD, and then over time they drift toward evil. The Bible tells us that when Adam sinned, he brought spiritual death on all his progeny. The Scripture declares:

Romans 3:9-18 … (ESV) … all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

People are not good until they are bad. People enter this life physically bereft of God. The Prophet said:

Micah 7:2-4 … there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge.

Jesus looked at Nicodemus and said, “Unless you are BORN AGAIN – born not just of flesh but spiritually born – you CANNOT SEE the Kingdom of God”. The Pharisees relied on their schooling, on their position in society, in their elitism to make themselves right with God. And yet Jesus would later tell the Pharisees:

Matthew 23:27-28 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

The Pharisees – as do we all – needed to be “born again”. Nicodemus is blind to his spiritual need. He asks:

John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Nicodemus response is like the rich young ruler who asked Jesus, “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17, ESV). Jesus told the young man to keep the Law of God. Affirming that he had done this “from my youth upward”, Jesus told him, “Sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and follow Me”. The man refused to do that …. and yet, this is the only way to eternal life. You must receive eternal life through Jesus. It is a free gift that He grants to those who REPENT and GIVE THEMSELVES TO HIM. Jesus tells us:

John 3:5-7 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Who can enter into the Kingdom of God? Not the fallen angels. There is no provision made for their salvation. Then who? Only the sons of men. Only those who have been “born of water”, that is, born as a son of Adam, can enter Heaven. But those born of water must ALSO be born of the Spirit. The Bible says:

1 Peter 1:22-23 (ESV) Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God

When a person hears the Gospel and God opens their spiritual eyes to its truth, they are given the opportunity to receive or reject that Gospel. If they receive that Gospel truth the Holy Spirit moves upon them, and they are spiritually washed, born into the Kingdom of God.

Some believe that the washing of the “water” is a reference to the Prophecy of

Ezekiel 36:25-28 (ESV) I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

God cleanses His people with the Word of God rightly applied (see Ephesians 5:25-27). Salvation is a gift of God – not of works, lest any boast. When we come to Christ He and He alone has the power to save us. Believing on Him, the Spirit of God is sent to our lives – and we are “born again”.

John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jesus compares the New Birth (you must be born again) of the Spirit with the wind or the breeze. The word translated “wind” is the Greek pneuma, whereas the word for the “Spirit” is the Greek πνεύματος, pneumatos. The words are very similar to one another. Why did Jesus compare the Holy Spirit to the wind? Is the Holy Spirit just a force of God, as the wind is?

The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is not a power, but a Person. A Person has their own identity or individuality, and are able to make conscious decisions. The Bible tells us that God the Spirit knows God’s thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:10). No human is able to do this, but God the Spirit does. The Holy Spirit has a mind:

Romans 8:27 (ESV) He who searches hearts {God} knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God the Holy Spirit intercedes for the believer, praying for us as we live within God’s Kingdom. The Holy Spirit has a mind, and volition, the ability to choose. The Spirit not only has a mind, but the Spirit has feelings like a Person. We are warned,

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV) … do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

You cannot “grieve” a power or a force. You cannot grieve electricity or the wind. You grieve God when you as believers live in sin. Kurt Selles, the Director of Reframe Ministries, stated:

“Paul reminds his readers—and that includes us—that they should no longer live like unbelievers in the darkness and “futility of their thinking.” All who believe have been purchased with the precious blood of Jesus, and now they are called to live in his light. Living in Jesus’ light means following him in our thoughts, words, and deeds.”

The Holy Spirit is a Person – the Holy Spirit is actually God. In the early Church the Apostle Peter told Ananias and Sapphira:

Acts 5:3-4 (NASB) “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

You cannot “lie” to a power or a force – but Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit, they lied to God. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is God.

The Holy Spirit is the One Who causes a person to become “born again”. When the Gospel is shared, the Scripture is quoted, God the Holy Spirit will move to open eyes and, if that person is willing, the Spirit will cause him or her to be “born again”. The Spirit is lie the wind in that:

1 Both the Spirit and the Wind are INVISIBLE. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

2 Though both the Spirit and the Wind are invisible, their WORK can be seen. When the Spirit moves on a person’s life, the change is very visible.

3 The work of the Holy Spirit and Wind are both POWERFUL. When the Holy Spirit “moved over the face of the water” (Genesis 1:2) during creation, He brought order to chaos. Where the Spirit is, order is brought from chaos.

4 The work of the Holy Spirit and the Wind is AMAZING. Why would God love us so? The Bible says, “Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed Him as His counselor?” (Isaiah 40:13).

5 Just as the Wind blows where it blows, the Spirit moves where He wishes. The Scripture tells us that “all the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11) … God sets the members in the Body of Christ {the Church} as it pleases Him (1 Corinthians 12:18)” {author’s paraphrase}. We are warned not to

1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit …

When you hear the Gospel of salvation, and hear that Jesus Christ is God’s Messiah, the Only Way to salvation (John 14:6), you have a choice. You can heed the call of the Spirit and turn your life over to Jesus. Or you can reject Him. Yet I would warn all, reject the Gospel call with caution. Quenching the Spirit may cause Him to depart – and none can come to Jesus except the Father which sent Him draw him (John 6:44). It is the “Spirit that makes alive” (John 6:63). It is the Spirit that bids the lost come to Christ.

Revelation 22:16-17 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Do you know Jesus? Have you believed on Him Who gave His life for you? Have you received Him as lord and Savior of your life? If not, today is a great day to do so. My prayer is that God would reach out to everyone who reads these words. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Romans 10:10, 13 – ESV). Amen and Amen!

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God Uses Both Men And Women

Posted on March 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Ali Arapoğlu: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-inside-dome-tent-on-cliff-2193527/

Judges 3:30 {Because of Ehud} … Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. 31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel. Judges 4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.

Last week we studied about Ehud, the left handed Judge who saved Israel from the fat king of Moab. We also talked about Shamgar, a man who’s name meant “sword”, but who had no sword. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad, what is a hardened pointy stick. The similarity between Ehud and Shamgar is that both Judges lived at the same time, and both killed the enemy with something pointy and sharp. The Book of Judges has been known as a bloody book, for it shows in graphic detail the horrifying effects of sin. One commentary notes:

“Altogether, roughly a quarter of a million people perish in Judges!”

Both Shamgar and Ehud were Judges at the same time. Shamgar’s death is not mentioned in Scripture, but as Ehud dies, Israel returns to their apostasy.

Judges 4:2-3 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Israel began to worship the fertility gods of Canaan, and to move into sexual sin. Since they chose to walk away from God the Lord “gave them over” to what they wanted. The same language is used in the New Testament to describe how idolatry leads into destructive sexual sin. The Scripture says:

Romans 1:24-28 (ESV) Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

God is the REDEEMER of His people. When Israel rejected His rightful leadership, God “sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan”. Jabin worked from the capital city of “Hazor”, a chief Canaanite stronghold of the north. Though Joshua destroyed this city in Joshua 11, it was repopulated, probably because of Israel’s sin. We lose ground when we do not follow our God!

4:3 {Jabin} had nine hundred chariots of iron

The Israelites did not possess the skill to work iron as did the Canaanites and the Philistines. For “twenty years” Jabin oppressed Israel, until they cried out to God for relief. Again, we see Israel becoming harder and harder in their hearts. God does something different.

Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

God raises up “Deborah, a prophetess” to be a Judge of Israel.

God Uses Both Men And Women To Bless Nations

In Scripture wives are commanded by God to follow the leadership of their husbands:

Ephesians 5:22-24 (ESV) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

This does not mean that God cannot use a wife to lead and deliver a nation. There are many women in places of leadership in the Bible. When God used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, he did so with his elder brother Aaron and younger sister Miriam by his side (Numbers 26:59). Miriam is a prophetess (Exodus 15:20).

When the boy-King Josiah reigned in Israel, in his 18th year of ruling (he would have been 26 years old) the Book of the Law was discovered in the Temple. When Josiah read the Book, he grieved, for he knew that he and his people were not following the Lord. Josiah sent Hilkiah the Priest to find “Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah” (2 Kings 22:14) to find out what God thought of all this. God spoke to the King through Huldah, and said, “Thus says the Lord: Because Israel turned away from My Command and followed other gods, I will punish her – and My wrath will not be quenched. But because Josiah humbled himself, because he repented and turned to Me, he will never see Israel’s desolation” (paraphrase of 2 Kings 22:17-20).

On the day that Jesus was circumcised, Anna the prophetess (Luke 2:36-38) was waiting to see Him in His mother’s arms. In the early Church one of the Deacons named Philip (the evangelist) had four unmarried daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-09). God uses women throughout Scripture. God used Deborah as a Judge of Israel.

Judges 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Word Study: The name “Deborah” (Hebrew dᵊḇôrâ) means “a bee”. Bees collect what God gives, and hovering over it, provide sweet honey. God’s Word is sweeter than honey! The Psalmist said:

Psalm 119:102-103 I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Deborah is open to the Word of God – and God speaks to her.

Though Men And Women Are Of Equal Priesthood And Equal Value, We Are Designed By God
With Different Roles In Mind

Let’s pause and discuss Divine Design. When God created the earth and put humanity on it, God put Adam into the Garden first. It was Adam that God “put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. It was Adam’s job to “dress” (Hebrew ʿāḇaḏ) and “keep” (šāmar)the Garden (Genesis 2:15). The word ʿāḇaḏ means to “labor over, to work in, to till, to serve as a servant to”. God gave Adam the muscle structure to work the soil, to lift burdens, and the bone structure to endure heavy loads. He was given a methodical mind, one that paid attention to detail, and had focus. Adam was also created to šāmar or to act as a watchman over, to guard and preserve the Garden. It was to Adam God said:

Genesis 2:16-17 … Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam was the direct representative of God, entrusted with the care and preservation of the Garden of Eden.

After this commission, we read:

Genesis 2:18 … the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

God made a “help meet” (Hebrew ʿēzer) for Adam, which literally means “One Who helps or assists, one who lifts up”. The woman, unlike man, was made from the rib of Adam, NOT from the dust of the ground. Adam was made from what he was to serve. Eve was made from what she was to help. Her muscle structure is lighter, as is her bone structure. Eve was not designed for the heavy lifting and for war, but to assist Adam. This has not changed from the beginning of time. Though in the New Testament we are told:

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Women as well as men are equally believer-priests through faith in Christ Jesus.

God speaks to women, through women, and uses women. However, the same Apostle Who wrote what I just quoted – that women and men are of equal spiritual value in the eyes of God – this same Apostle wrote:

1 Timothy 2:11-14 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Word Study: Does this mean that women cannot teach men? No, it doesn’t. But it does mean that women are not to “usurp authority over the man”. The phrase “usurp authority” is the Hebrewauthenteō, which means “to act on your own authority, to exercise dominion over”. Neither man nor woman has leave to violate God’s design.

Once we begin to modify what we believe to be true based on feelings or what culture says apart from what God has written in His Bible, we begin to lose our walk with God.

Illustrate: February of this year the Southern Baptist Convention withdrew fellowship from Saddleback Church in Southern California. Why? Because Pastor Rick Warren and the leadership of that Church decided to ordain women as pastors. The Southern Baptist Faith and Message states in section VI. The Church”:

“While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture”.

This is based on what the Scripture says is the qualification of a Pastor:

1 Timothy 3:1-2 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife

The man is called to be the leader of the Church. This is according to the Scripture. God has a design in creation, and has directed the man to lead. So the question before us now is,

If This Is True, Then What About Deborah?

Let’s go back to Deborah, the “Bee” of God.

Judges 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

Deborah did not “USURP AUTHORITY” from anyone. God spoke to Deborah as a Judge, but her leadership was distinctly different from all the other Judges we’ll see in this Book. The Bible says: “the children of Israel came up to her for judgment”. It is God Who “raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them” (Judges 2:16). God raised up Deborah. But instead of sending Deborah out, God allowed the people to come to Deborah.

God used Deborah within her divine design.

When God raised up OTHNIEL (Judges 3:10),
Othniel went out to war.
When God raised up EHUD (Judges 3:15),
Ehud went to kill the evil king of Moab.
When God raised up SHAMGAR (Judges 3:31),
Shamgar went after and killed 600 Philistines.

But Deborah judged from the “palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim” (Judges 4:5). Deborah acted as a mother and a helper to Israel. Deborah’s heart was open to God, and she served Him without denying His design for her life.

Judges 4:6 And {Deborah} sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

Word Study: Some versions mistranslate this. The word translated “commanded” is the Piel Perfect 3rd Person of the Hebrew ṣāvâ, which refers to a completed action. God had already commanded “Barak” to move ten thousand warriors from Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor. What is interesting is that “Barak” (whose name means “a flash of lightening”) is dragging his feet! Why? I suspect fear had much to do with it. Israel had been in bondage 20 years, and Barak has lost hope. Since Barak would not listen to God, God used Deborah to speak to him. Deborah acted as a helper – a help meet! God through Deborah told Barak:

Judges 4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

God tells Barak that when he does as he is commanded (by God, not by Deborah), that God will draw the enemy forces led by “Sisera” the Captain of the Canaanite Army, and God would defeat them. God said, “I will deliver him into thine hand”.

Barak is willing to go, but tells Deborah:

Judges 4:8-9 … If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. 9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

God is speaking through Deborah, so Barak asks her to go with him. There is no usurption of authority when the man asks you to accompany him!

But because Barak will not go forward on his own faith, he will not gain honor for what happens. Since he is dependent upon the faith of Deborah, God said,

“the Lord shall sell Sisera
into the hand of a woman”

The “woman” God is speaking of is not Deborah, as we will soon find out. Let’s continue.

Judges 4:10-15 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. 12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

God did exactly what He said He would do. When Barak led his troops to Tabor, he met with Sisera and his 900 iron chariots – and cleaned their clock! We read that the battle went so badly that “{General} Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet”. Barak and his troops won the battle, but Sisera got away. Or did he? Here’s what Paul Harvey used to call “The Rest Of The Story”.

We read in verse 11 “Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh”. So Sisera leaves the battle, and begins to run. Where do you think he runs?

Judges 4:16-17 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left. 17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Sisera knew that the Canaanite King Jabin and Heber the Kenite were friendly. So General Sisera ran to “the tent of Jael the wife of Heber”, thinking it a place to hide.

Judges 4:18-20 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. 19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. 20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

“Jael the wife of Heber” tells Sisera to come in and rest. He lays down, and she “covered him with a mantle”, and gave him milk to drink. Sisera asked her to stand guard, to protect him while he slept.

In the ancient world, it was the WOMEN who put up the tents each time a caravan would stop.
The women had no swords – but they had tent pegs.

Judge 4:21-22 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. 22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

Sisera was given an “Excedrin™ Headache”! Barak gained no honor for his weak faith, though God used him to defeat the enemy that day. It was “Jael Heber’s wife” who killed Sisera. But Who ultimately gets the glory? We read:

Judges 4:23-24 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel. 24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

We serve an awesome God! Let us serve Him, and honor Him by living according to His Word, within His design, for His glory. May God the Holy Spirit bless and keep you. Next week, praising God for His goodness.

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Why Did Jesus Come?

Posted on March 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Noe De Angelis : https://www.pexels.com/photo/wave-on-sea-coast-at-sunset-15784095/

1 John 3:4-6 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

The world has always demanded that Christians do what it says. This has never changed. Sometimes the world creeps into the Church. When the world infiltrates the Church, it twists what believers should do.

You’ve probably never heard of Thomas von Imbroek. Thomas was a Christian who believed in his Bible. The “Established Church” at that time was the Catholic Church. Backed by the German state, the Catholic Church began what they called “The Inquisition”, a religious court that examined and executed those they deemed “heretics”. Thomas was considered a “heretic” What was his crime? He refused to have his young infant children baptized. Thomas rightly believed that only believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should be baptized, and he cited Scripture as his proof texts. Catholics teach that water baptism is a SACRAMENT that frees a person (even an infant) from original sin, and brings the child into the Catholic Church to be saved. Catholics equate water baptism to the Old Testament practice of circumcision. The Catholic Catechism states, “1250. … The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth”.

Though there is no instance in Scripture that infants were ever baptized in water, Thomas was brought before the Inquisition. Thomas was tortured for days, and pressured to have his children baptized. While imprisoned, his wife wrote him letters, encouraging him to stand firm in his faith. Thomas replied, “the Lord refreshes the afflicted souls that thirst for Him. He is a shadow from the heat of the sun. Tell the brethren to take care of the novices (young believers) and to pray earnestly for me. I will also pray for them, as much as is in my power. Remember my bonds. The Lord be with your spirit. Amen.” Thomas told his persecutors,

““I am willing and ready, both to live or to die. I do not care what happens to me. God will not let me down. I am comforted and in good spirits while yet on the earth. God gives me friendly assurance, and my heart is encouraged through my brothers. Sword, water, fire…cannot frighten me…All the persecution in this world shall not be able to separate me from God.”

At just 25 years old Thomas was sent to the execution for the crime of being “Anabaptist”. His head was chopped off on March 5, 1558 – about 465 years ago.

Thank God that we have religious freedom in America. However, if we as Christians don’t stand up for the Lord, and stand up for righteousness, we will lose our freedoms. A virulent form of religion has taken over in America – and we as believers need to stand up against it. This secularized religion called “Humanism” has taken over state governments. Recently Governor Gavin Newsom has canceled the renewal of Walgreens Contract because Walgreens will not dispense the abortion medication Mifepristone in 21 states that restrict its use. Humanism in California believes that women should be allowed to abort the child within them – period.

Another Governor Ron DeSantis is battling Humanism in Florida. The Governor said “In Florida, pornographic and inappropriate materials that have been snuck into our classrooms and libraries to sexualize our students violate our state education standards. Florida is the education state and that means providing students with a quality education free from sexualization and harmful materials that are not age appropriate”. Some material that was found in school libraries was so pornographic, that it was not even allowed on television. Of the 175 books removed from libraries across the state, “153 (87%) were clearly pornographic, violent, or inappropriate for their grade level”.

Humanism is the great secular religion in America today. And Christians, we need to lovingly call out the heresy – and stand with our God!

Sin Is The Transgression Of The Law

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

What is “SIN” and what does God think about “SIN”? To put it in Southern terms,

God is agin sin! He ain’t fer it!

God hates sin so much that He has LAWS against it. When Israel went into the Promised Land God told them:

Deuteronomy 12:31 (ESV) You shall NOT WORSHIP the Lord your God as {the Canaanites do}, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for THEY EVEN BURN THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FIRE TO THEIR GODS …

God hates sin because sin always leads to DEATH. Sincere and well meaning people ignore the Word of God in order to pursue Humanism. Yet in the end result, they BURN THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN THE FIRE. Some children are never born, forcibly aborted through chemical burning or drug induced horrors. Some children are raised without the love of father AND mother. A little girl told me the other day “Mama has a new boyfriend”. Years ago a little girl I know was raped by one of her mother’s special friends. Sin is a horror!

Sin is contrary to the nature of God. Humanism and Christianity are absolutely NOT compatible. God is HOLY (Isaiah 6:3). All three Members of the Godhead are holy. The Bible tells us that (1 John 1:5) “God is LIGHT; in Him there is NO DARKNESS at all”. The Bible speaks of those who …

Proverbs 30:12 (NIV) … are PURE IN THEIR OWN EYES, and yet are NOT CLEANED OF THEIR FILTH (see also Ezekiel 24:13)

The stepbrother of Jesus warned the Children of God to (James 1:21, ESV)

“Put away ALL FILTHINESS and RAMPANT WICKEDNESS and receive with meekness the IMPLANTED WORD (of God), which is able to save your souls …

Sin is a killer. It kills children, it kills families, and it kills YOU. Sin is subtle. The Pharisees rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior because Humanism told them they were good enough. Jesus told them:

Matthew 23:27 (ESV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

What a horrible statement that is! God looks at the heart of a person. Are you loving HIM, or are you loving YOURSELF? Humanism promotes love of self regardless as to what God’s Word says.

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Word Study: Sin is something you have to “commit”, the Greek poieō which means “to do, to act out, to produce or cause”. It starts in the heart. Jesus said,

Matthew 5:28 (ESV) … I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This is why Humanism is pushing pornography among our schoolchildren. If you can get a child to look at a woman or a man with “lustful intent”, this is the seed planted that will bring about the violation of the Law called “adultery”. What is it Jesus said?

Mark 7:20-23 (ESV) … What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.

Why are there school shootings? Is it the guns? No, the source goes back to the heart. The child raised on violent television shows, bloody movies, vicious killer video games, that child begins to devalue life.

Humanism elevates self love and minimizes respect for others. Humanism shouts down the Law of God and the Laws of Nature.

Sin Is Transgression Of The Law.
What Is Sin’s Solution?

1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Why did God send His Son Jesus to this world? John tells us that Jesus was “manifested” to “take away our sins”. Let’s look at “manifested”, the Greek phaneroō which means “to make visible, to become known”. The Bible tells us that “God was MANIFEST in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16) in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was “MANIFEST as our Savior” (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus Christ came to be our Savior. Does the text say that …

This is what some would have us believe. Some say that they can be a practicing _____ (you fill in the blank) and be a Christian. The Bible doesn’t say that. You cannot be comfortable with what God calls sin – the transgression of the Law – and be saved. The Scripture is quite clear:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (ESV) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Jesus Christ was MANIFEST not to enable sin, but to eradicate it. Jesus Christ died for our sins so that He can FREE us from our sins, and bring us into a right relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21 (ESV) …. in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

When a person comes to Christ, calling on Him as both Lord and Savior, God enters that person’s life. God made Jesus Christ to be SIN on our behalf, so that we might “become the righteousness of God”.

Jesus did not come to this earth to ERASE or ERADICATE the Law – but to “FULFILL IT”
(Matthew 5:17-20)

As “the Lamb of God” Jesus took the penalty for our failures before God (John 1:29). As the “Good Shepherd” Jesus daily walks with His people, guiding them away from sin and into a right relationship with God (John 10:11-14). The Scripture says:

1 Peter 2:24-25 (ESV) {Jesus} himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

No Christian is saved to follow Humanism’s god. We are saved FROM sin to follow Jesus. We are saved FROM death to follow life. We are saved FROM darkness to follow God’s light.

1 John 3:6-7 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

The proof of your salvation is in the life you live. If you live following Humanism, making light of sin, then Beloved you have neither “seen him, neither known him”. Your faith is a pretense! You who are Christians indeed are called to “do righteousness”. Now what does that mean? Are you to “do righteousness” as I or someone like me defines it? No! You are to “do righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous”. You are called to imitate Christ. You are called to DO as Jesus said.

The world will call on you to compromise, to go along to get along. But God tells us:

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those who lightly sin are not of Christ, but of the Devil. The Scripture commands us to “be IMITATORS OF GOD, as Beloved Children” (Ephesians 5:1). We are to be “IMITATORS OF THOSE who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:12). Our Lord Jesus “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

Jesus Christ came to destroy the works
of the devil – not to enable them.

The Pharisees were religious, but not saved. The Romans were militant, but not saved. What saves a person? The Holy Spirit of God. You must hear the Gospel of salvation. You must hear that Jesus Christ came to give Himself for your sins. You must hear that sin is no trifle, but a horrible thing that enslaves, keeping you from the life of God through Christ.

But God so loved YOU, that He gave His Only Begotten Son for YOU. If you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God will literally change your life!

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Those who are “born of God” have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God within them. Those people will not long live in sin. God despises sin! Other versions render verse 9 as:

1 John 3:9 (ESV) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:9 (NLT) Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

There is a Governor on the life of each and every Christian, and that Governor is the Holy Spirit of God. Is it possible for a Christian to fall into sin? Yes. The Scripture says,

Romans 6:11-18 (ESV) So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Christian, you do not belong to Humanism, the Devil, or this Dark World. You belong to God! Your works are to reflect to allegiance.

1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

The Christian DOES RIGHTEOUSNESS, and the Christian LOVES HIS BROTHER. These are the twin marks of the genuine Christian. The Christian does not behead a brother or sister because we do not agree. But a Christian DOES righteousness, and LOVES – even our enemies.

Sin is incompatible with the Christian walk – as is lovelessness. Do you know Jesus? If not, today would be a wonderful day to call on Him. Humanism cannot fix what ails us. But Christ can. God’s Holy Spirit can. Believe on Him, and receive Him as Lord and Savior. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen and Amen.

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When Jesus Was Angry

Posted on March 10, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/human-fist-163431/

John 2:12-16 After this {Jesus} went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. 13 And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

The first two words we see in our text today is “After this”. Last week we saw Jesus turn dirty wash water into wine. The wine He made was the very best wine anyone had ever tasted. Just as Jesus can take a dirty water and make it clean wine, He can take a broken life and make it complete. Jesus loves to fix the broken. If you’re broken, you need Jesus!

The Jewish Passover Shows The Love Of God

Tonight we’re going to see one of the times in Scripture “when Jesus gets angry”. Jesus has just done His first miracle, and now He goes to Jerusalem for “the Jews’ Passover”. The “Passover” is a fantastic time in the life of the nation of Israel.

The first Passover was in Egypt in the Spring of 1446 BC.

Israel had been enslaved by Egypt for many years, and they cried out to God to be released. God raised up a man named Moses, a man from the Tribe of Levi, to stand up for Israel. Moses went to Pharaoh and said, as God told him, “Let My people go” (Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 8:1; 8:20-21; 9:1, 13; 10:3-4). Each time the evil King Pharaoh refused to let Israel go. It was then that God told Israel:

“I am coming to strike down the enemy. Take a lamb without spot or blemish, bring it in your home for 4 days, then kill that lamb. Put it’s blood on the house where you are. Where I see the blood, I will not destroy in that family, but will PASS OVER that home” (author’s summary of Exodus 12:1-14, 21-27)

The home that did not have the blood of the lamb would experience death – God would kill the first born in that family. That night, God did as He said. He passed through Egypt, and where He did not see the blood of the lamb, He took the life of the firstborn child (Exodus 12:29).

Egypt let Israel go. God told His people:

Exodus 12:24-27 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshiped.

Israel was supposed to keep the Passover every year, FOREVER. The Passover was used to teach God’s Israel to celebrate the salvation they had through Him. It was to be a time of worship. Every Jew was required to celebrate the Passover, to go to the Temple and make a sacrifice to God, to worship the Lord for His salvation.

As Jews were scattered throughout the land, many were far away from the Temple during the time of Passover. The Jews did not have cars and trucks and planes like we have. They had to walk to Jerusalem, or else ride a donkey or a mule all that way. If you’re going a long way to the Temple, that makes it hard to bring a lamb with you. So over time those who worked in the Temple, the Priests, began to open up the courtyards to people who were selling animals for sacrifice.

John 2:12 … {Jesus} went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

Jesus lived in Nazareth, but once He started preaching those in Nazareth did not believe He was the Son of God.

Jesus moved to Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16), a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-3.

Capernaum became His home, which is why His “his mother, and his brethren” along with those who followed Him went to the same place. Capernaum is around a four day walk from Jerusalem, moving at normal speed and taking breaks as you go. Since Jesus is a Jew, He is required to go to the Passover, so He and His family take that trip.

When Jesus gets there, we read:

John 2:14 {Jesus} found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:

What has Jesus found? Since people had to sacrifice animals on the Passover, shrewd businesses sold “oxen and sheep and doves”. Rich people would sacrifice OXEN, middle class people SHEEP, and the poorest people DOVES. These merchants were not selling these sacrificial animals at cost, but were marking the prices up. On top of this there were changers of money there. The Jewish Businesses that were selling sacrifices would not accept Roman money. So the money changers would convert your money from non-Jewish to Jewish currency (of course, at a mark up).

Now some have said that God is against making money, against capitalism. I don’t think that is what made Jesus upset. What has upset Jesus is these three words:

found in the temple

In the ancient world, most businesses operated in the gates of the city. The city of Jerusalem had eight gates, and business was often conducted outside those gates. The Temple itself had twelve gates. The gates (1) controlled access and provided defense. The gates also (2) marked the boundary, from the secular to the holy. And finally, (3) the gates were economic centers. A scholarly paper written by Talitha Hart notes:

“Like the city, the temple seems to have had a market in or near its gates where those seeking to offer sacrifice to Jehovah could purchase the animals they needed to offer. (E.P.) Sanders (in his book Judaism: Practice and Belief”, page 87)finds serious problems with the idea of animals being sold actually within the temple{emphasis mine}precincts, based on the requirements of holiness described in both Leviticus and Philo’s On the Special Laws”.

The merchants could have sold their sacrifices in the gates of the Temple, but instead carried the sacrifices into the Outer Court of the Gentiles. Here they sold their goods. How did Jesus respond?

Jesus Was Angered Because God’s Love Was Hidden

John 2:15-16 And when {Jesus} had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

As animals were sold for sacrifice, their leads or ropes used to lead them into the Temple grounds were removed. I believe Jesus went toward the altar, where He found ropes and leads that had been removed and tossed on the ground. Using these ropes as a scourge or a small whip, the Bible says that Jesus:

Matthew 21:12 (ESV) Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Mark 11:15 (ESV) {Jesus} … entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Luke 19:45-46 {Jesus} entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Some have said that Jesus drove out only the animals from the market, but this isn’t what the Scripture says. Jesus drove out not just the sacrifices, but “those who sold and those who bought in the temple”. “Those who bought” probably refers to the money changers, as they were purchasing money for exchange rates. “Those who sold” refers to those who were selling sacrificial animals. Why was Jesus doing this?

Because they were at the Temple for the wrong reasons. Jesus said, “make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise”. The Temple existed to draw people closer to God. It was not there to make money on. Jesus said:

Luke 19:46 It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.

Our Lord was quoting from

Isaiah 56:5-7 (ESV) … I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. 6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Jesus was angry because the Israelites – and in particular the priests – had forgotten that the purpose of the Temple was to bring people into a right relationship with God. By their actions they were hiding the love of God. They were hiding the Gospel of God.

The Temple itself stood for God reaching out to the lost in love. It was in the Temple that God promised:

Isaiah 56:5 I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off…

It is within the Temple that God will first reveal His Son Jesus to those who would worship Him. It is Jesus Christ that …

Philippians 2:9-11 …. God also hath highly exalted {Jesus}, and given Him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus Christ is the “Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, 36). Jesus Christ is the “Good Shepherd Who gives His life for His sheep” (John 10:11). It is Jesus Who will “give His life for the world” (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus chased out those who would hide the love and mercy of God.

By What Right Do You Do This, Jesus?

After Jesus chases out the buyers and the sellers, we read:

John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

The followers of Christ remembered a Messianic Psalm, a prophecy of the Coming Messiah:

Psalm 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

The Messiah when He came would be zealous – almost fanatical about honoring the House of God. Jesus Christ, a lone Man, chased people away from their money! But not only would the Messiah be zealous of God’s House, but “the reproaches of those who reproached God would fall on Him”. The Messiah would take the penalty of our sin against God on Himself.

The Pharisees were upset with Jesus for breaking up their business! We read:

John 2:18-19 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

Word Study: They wanted to know what Jesus’ authority was in breaking up their little enterprise. This is not the first time the Pharisees and Priests asked for a “sign” (Greek sēmeion), meaning “a miraculous or God ordained event, something supernatural”. If Jesus were the Messiah, they expected Him to manifest some Messianic “sign” to prove Who He was. Jesus told them:

Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up

They heard this, and thought that Jesus was speaking of the Temple of Herod. Herod’s Temple took 46 years to build. The Jews said:

John 2:20-21 … Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

Jesus was foretelling His death and resurrection. At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus will be betrayed in to the hands of His enemies, crucified, and will die on the Cross of Calvary. Jesus will be buried in a borrowed Tomb – but will rise again on the third day. The death and resurrection of Christ are the only proofs He would give to the Pharisees and Priests that He is the Messiah. Though they repeatedly asked Jesus:

Matthew 12:38 … Master, we would see a SIGN {sēmeion} from Thee

Yet Jesus told them:

Matthew 12:39-40 … An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Luke 11:29-30 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah. the prophet. 30 For as Jonah. was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

Jesus Christ proved Himself by rising from the Grave. He died for our sins, and rose again for our salvation. We read:

John 2:22-25 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Though Jesus did many miracles in Jerusalem at this first Passover, the miracles themselves are not mentioned. Many believed Jesus to be a Prophet because of the miracles, but did not believe on Him unto salvation. Jesus knew their hearts – “he knew what was in man”. He did not trust those who followed Him, but knowing the human heart, placed all His trust in the Father.

May God draw us all closer to Jesus every day. Amen and Amen.

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A Left Handed Assassin And A Man With A Pointy Stick

Posted on March 7, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Bakr Magrabi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-portrait-of-a-soldier-holding-a-spear-5353141/

Last week we looked at the first Judge of Israel, Othniel. Othniel was a representative of the Tribe of Judah, and a man who was filled with faith for the Lord. As we turn to Judges 3:12-13, we’re going to see that Israel was obedient to God as long as Othniel ruled. Once he died, we see there is no godly leadership. Without godly leadership, Israel once more drifts away from the Lord. We read:

Judges 3:12-13 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

The Devil Destroys By Demolishing Divine Design

With all the weirdness and “wokeness” in America today – the Black Lives Matter movement, the Radical Left, the LGBTQ2S+ movements, the “Use My Preferred Pronoun” madness, the Radical Feminism and push for Abortion, the Transgender Modification of young children, and on and on – you might wonder what in the world is happening to our country. What is happening is that Satan has mounted an all out offensive against the Divine Design of Civilization. Satan is attacking the FAMILY.

When FAMILY as God designed it is attacked, modified, twisted, renamed, chaos ensues. When people pull away from God, God “gives them over to a reprobate {adokimos, a false or fake, a pretense, a counterfeit} mind, to do those things that are not convenient {kathēkō, fitting or proper}” (Romans 1:28). God says,

“I am your Father. I am your Savior. I gave you the gifts you have. You live in the land I gave you by grace. You want to reject Me, and my commanded Design. Fine! Then I will back up and let you do do.”

Now God has both a sense of humor as well as a sense of what is right. Israel backed away from the Fatherhood of God. So what did God do?

Judges 3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord…

Word Study: God could have used ANY nation to attack Israel. But He chose to use the Moabites, led by “Eglon”. The Hebrew ʿeḡlôn means “Calf Like”. When Israel first rejected God’s leadership at Mount Sinai (right after He had saved them from Egypt) they demanded that the High Priest Aaron make them a golden calf (Exodus 32:4) to worship. Israel refused to follow God, so they followed a golden calf. Now Israel refuses to follow God, and God causes a FAT CALF LIKE King lead them .

But here’s the other truth we see here. Eglon was the King of “Moab”. Where did the Moabites come from? Back when God called Abraham to follow Him, Abraham left his homeland with his nephew Lot. At one point Lot and Abraham had to separate because their flocks and herds had gotten so large that the land would not sustain them. Abraham allowed Lot to choose which direction he wanted to go with his family.

Lot chose Sodom.

The land of Sodom and Gomorrah had become so devoid of righteousness that the traditional Biblical family was no longer the norm. God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, but sent two angels down to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family from destruction. The angels took Lot, his two daughters, and his wife out of Sodom. Lot’s wife looked backward (Genesis 19:26), turning to a pillar of salt. Jesus warned His Church to stay true to Him, especially as His Coming is ever near. Jesus said:

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.

Lot found himself in a cave with his two daughters as God rained fire and brimstone from Heaven on Sodom (Luke 17:29). The Bible tells us that:

Genesis 19:35-37 … {Lot’s daughters} made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

The lie the devil tells us is that sin doesn’t matter, or sin matters so little that it is inconsequential. The truth is, sin is a horrible decision to walk away from God’s best for us. The Bible says “be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Lot’s sin with his eldest daughter – a violation of the Divine Design of the family – created a nation called Moab, and that nation would afflict Israel.

Israel walks away from God’s design – and is punished by an aberration of that hideous sin!

But not only this, we read:

Judges 3:13 And {Eglon the king of Moab} gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

Eglon is descended from Lot’s bad decision with his elder daughter. Eglon gathers “the children of Ammon” or the Ammonites to help him afflict Israel. Where did the Ammonites come from? Return back to Lot’s two daughters. We read:

Genesis 19:38 The younger {daughter} also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

The Ammonites came from the dysfunctional family of Lot, just as the Moabites did. From these two roots great and mighty trees were formed, trees that would rain down poisoned fruit on Israel. Then there is yet one more nation mentioned, “the children of Amalek” or the Amalekites. Where did these these people come from?

Abraham’s son Isaac had two children, Esau the older and Jacob the younger. It was God’s will that the younger Jacob receive the blessing of the elder (Romans 9:13). Rather than wait for God to resolve what God Himself desired, the mother of the children (Rebekah) conspired with Jacob to deceive Isaac and Esau, thus securing the blessing. The fallout from this deception made Esau an enemy of his brother Jacob.

When Esau moved into manhood, he became the father of a mountain people called the Edomites. Esau had a son Eliphaz (Genesis 36:4) who had a concubine Timna who bore him a son named Amalek. None of these things I just mentioned are part of God’s design for the family.

God does not want family internally plotting against one another.
God does not want wives dishonoring husbands.
God does not want husbands keeping concubines.
God does want children dishonored.

Out of this dysfunction came the Amalekites. The Amalekites, the Ammonites, and the Moabites were all dysfunctional families that departed from God’s Divine Design. God used these aberrations to punish Israel. Do not believe that anyone – and I’m speaking to YOU, AMERICAN CHURCH – can depart from God’s Design and go unsullied.

Judges 3:13 {the Amalekites, Moabites, and Ammonites} went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

The “city of palm trees” is another name for Jericho, the place where Israel fought her first battle under the leadership of Joshua. Jericho was:

“a heavily fortified city that stood between God’s people, the Israelites, and the “Promised Land.” Jericho had a massive, impenetrable wall around it that the Israelite army had no hope of getting past, and even if they did, they would have to face an enemy army.”

God knocked down the walls of Jericho when Israel did as He said (Joshua 6:15-20), and the city was easily defeated. “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days (Hebrews 11:30, ESV)”. Faith in God tore down walls and defeated the enemy. Faithlessness in God caused Israel to lose that which she was given.

You cannot expect to retain God’s blessing if you will not follow God’s commandment.

Sin Is Like A Cancer That Grows And Hardens

Judges 3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

The Bible says:

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

And our Lord Jesus said:

John 8:34-36 … Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

You will serve either sin or the Sovereign Savior. When you serve sin, it becomes your master, and will draw you into death. Sin is sneaky. But notice also this:

When Israel sinned against God in Judges the first time, they were in bondage 8 years until they repented and God raised up Othniel (Judges 3:8). When Israel sins against God the second time, they are in bondage 18 years – over twice as long – until they repent and God raises up a second Judge.

Over time, sin hardens the conscience (Titus 1:15; 2 Peter 1:9).

Judges 3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man left handed: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

Word Study: As soon as God’s people repented, God raised up a “deliverer” (Hebrew yāšaʿ, Savior) named “Ehud”. His name is interesting, for it means “I will be praised”. I do not think that Ehud wants to be praised. I think that God uses him because GOD wants to be praised, to be glorified. Ehud is a “Benjamite”, from the Tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel. Judge Ehud, the Prophet Jeremiah, and Paul the Apostle are all from the Tribe of Benjamin. What else do we see about Ehud? He is “a man left handed”. Why is this significant?

Among humans, less than 10% of us are left handed. When we meet one another, we shake hands with the right hand. Why? Because the right hand is where most people would hold are a sword or spear. You shake your right hand to show no weapons are hidden in the sleeves. If people wore a sword, it was worn on the LEFT side of the body to facilitate easy drawing. During the middle ages, knights on greeting one another would raise their right hand, and open their helmet face shield to show they meant no harm. I am told that this is where the original salute came from.

Ehud was left handed. We are told “by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon”. Now Eglon’s body guards would not have allowed Ehud to enter into his presence without first searching him.

Judges 3:16-17 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

Ehud made a dagger – pointy and sharp on both edges – about 18 inches long (the length of a standard cubit). When Ehud came in, the guards searched his left side, the side that a right hand person would conceal a sword. But since Ehud was left handed, the sword was under his clothes on his right side. They just didn’t see a sword here!

Judges 3:18-20 And when {Ehud} had made an end to offer the present, {Eglon} sent away the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlor, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

After delivering the tribute money, Ehud and those who were with him headed out of the King’s Palace. They all got to Gilgal (Joshua 4:19-24) where Joshua had Israel set up twelve memorial stones commemorating their passage through the Jordan on dry land. At Gilgal, Ehud returned to King Eglon’s Summer Palace, telling him “I have a secret message for your ears alone!” King Eglon sends all his people out. Ehud says:

I have a message from God unto thee

King Eglon rises from his throne, and Ehud strikes. He pulls the double edged dagger – 18 inches long – from under his clothes, and strikes with his left hand.

Judges 3:21-23 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked them.

Driving the blade into Eglon, he was so fat that the rolls of his flesh encompassed the handle and the haft of the blade. The Bible says “the dirt came out”, that is, it penetrated his bowels and that which was in the bowels gushed out. The length of the blade would have made it come out his back – a horrible death! One commentary notes:

“Although God will often use other nations to discipline His people, after the discipline is over, God has a tendency to destroy the nation that was used to oppress His people. Even though they had been chosen by God as a rod of discipline, God keeps His Word – those that bless Israel are blessed, and those that curse Israel are cursed.”

Judges 3:24-26 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlor were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

Locking the doors behind him, Ehud uses this time to escape. The smell of Eglon’s “dirt” causes the servants to believe their King is relieving himself. The phrase “covereth his feet” is an idiom for going to the restroom.

Judges 3:27-30 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valor; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

Following Ehud, Israel destroyed the enemy that had afflicted them for 18 years. God was in the battle, and Ehud was careful not to take credit for killing the King, or defeating the enemy. Ehud said “the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand”. This was proven when Israel went against the Moabite Army, battle hardened men – and destroyed the entire army.

Our God is an awesome God!

God Used A Left Handed Man –
And A Man With A Pointy Stick

Judges 3:31 And after {Ehud} was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

The third Judge of Israel has very little said about him, a man named “Shamgar”. His name means “a Sword”, but Shamgar did not use a sword. Shamgar battles the Philistines – ancient enemies of Israel – with an “ox goad”. What’s an “ox goad”? It’s a pointy stick that you use to poke an ox when it doesn’t want to move.

Shamgar used an ox goad to fight the Philistines. Why did he use an ox goad? Because he didn’t have a sword. Shamgar used what God allowed him to have. What else do we learn about Shamgar? He is,

Shamgar the son of Anath

Now “Anath” is the Canaanite goddess of war. Shamgar isn’t Jewish – he’s Gentile. Shamgar wasn’t born a follower of God, but came from an unbelieving family. We don’t know how Shamgar became a champion of Israel, nor do we know who led him to the Lord. But Shamgar met God and, believing in God, began to follow God. The Bible tells us later in:

Judges 5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,…. the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways.

The people were frightened of the Philistines, and avoided the highways and normal routes. They hid their travel for fear of being harmed. Not Shamgar. Shamgar took the highways. He went looking for Philistines, he and his pointy stick. He made no excuses as to why he couldn’t do what God called him to do. Shamgar trusted God, stepped out in faith, and started poking holes in Philistines.

Shamgar did what he could with what he had
where he was every day of his life.

It is time that we as Christians and we, the Church of Christ, follow the example of Shamgar. The late Dr. R.G. Lee said before he went to be with Jesus:

“The Church needs more action and less faction. More workers and fewer shirkers. More backers and fewer slackers. More praying and less straying. More burden bearers and fewer tale bearers. More tongues of fire and fewer fiery tongues. More zealous effort and less jealous thoughts. More love for the Word and less love for the world. More seeking for grace and less seeking for place.”

May God the Holy Spirit move on our hearts to do as Shamgar did while there is time. Let us let our light shine for God’s glory and Satan’s destruction. In Christ’s name I pray this. Amen and Amen!

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We Are Called Son Of God

Posted on March 5, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Alexey Makhinko: https://www.pexels.com/photo/baby-in-white-and-red-floral-pajama-929435/

1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

On May 12, 2022 the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University led by veteran researcher George Barna released the results from a nationwide survey called “The American Worldview Inventory 2022”. In that survey it was found that only 37% of Pastors held a Biblical worldview. I find that disturbing – maybe you don’t.

What Is A “Biblical Worldview”?

A “worldview” is a set of basic beliefs, assumptions, and values that arise from a narrative about the world. The worldview produces individual and group external action. “Truths” are defined based on your worldview.

A “Biblical worldview” is a worldview dependent on God’s Word, the Bible. Not all professing Christians believe the Bible is the Word of God. For instance, Andy Stanley, the son of Charles Stanley and pastor of North Point Ministries has said:

“The Christian faith does not rise and fall on the accuracy of 66 ancient documents. It rises and falls on the identity of a single individual: Jesus of Nazareth.”

At first glance that might sound fine. The reality is, all we know about Jesus of Nazareth is tied to the Scripture. Is Jesus the One and Only Messiah? It is the Bible that declares this. We read in:

1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

It is the Bible that tells us “Jesus is the Christ”. The word “CHRIST” is NOT Jesus’ last name, but the Greek Christos which means “Messiah” or “The One Sent from God”. There is but ONE Messiah, and the Bible declares it is Jesus.

People say, “There are many ways to God”. The Scripture says, “You are a LIAR if you believe this! There is only ONE WAY to the Fatherhood of God.”

Word Study: “Whosoever DENIETH the Son”. That word “DENIETH” is the Greek arneomai, which means “to refuse that which is offered, to disavow”. If you REFUSE Jesus, then God is NOT your Father. This is the clear sense of the text. One of the greatest passages on salvation is:

John 3:16 For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

God is the CREATOR of all, but He is not the FATHER of all. God remains “God” until you receive His Son as Lord and Savior. The Scripture goes on to say:

John 3:17-18 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on {Jesus as Christ} is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Word Study: If you DENY the Son {arneomai}, God is NOT your Father, and you are NOT God’s son. If you acknowledge {Greek homologeō, to say the same thing about the Son that the Scripture says}the Son then you HAVE THE FATHER.

The Father says – through the Scripture – “If you receive My Son as your Savior and Lord, I receive YOU as my Child. When I receive you as My Child, you get all the blessings that come with this high state of being.

HOW do we know Jesus is the One and Only Messiah. Because the BIBLE says so. It is the BIBLE that tells us He is the fulfillment of prophecy. For instance,

Matthew 1:22 {Mary will bring forth Jesus} THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED what was written by the Prophet {Isaiah 7:14}

Matthew 2:15 {Joseph took his family to Egypt} until the death of Herod, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of the Lord by the Prophet {Hosea 11:1}

Matthew 2:23 {Joseph took his family and} dwelt in a city called Nazareth, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of God spoken by the PROPHETS, {Messiah} shall be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 4:13 {Jesus departed into Galilee, and} dwelt in Capernaum … THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED the Word of God spoken by the Prophet {Isaiah 9:1-2}

Matthew 8:16-17 … {Jesus} cast out spirits with His Word, and healed all that were sick, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet {Isaiah 53:4}

Matthew 12:16-17 {Jesus} told them to tell no one {that He was Messiah}, THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED that which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet {Isaiah 42:1-4}

I could continue along this vein all day – but I won’t. The fact that Jesus is indeed the One and Only Messiah is that His ministry fulfilled every Scriptural prophecy that foretold His coming and manifestation. One of my commentaries notes:

“One scholar, J. Barton Payne, has found as many as 574 verses in the Old Testament that somehow point to or describe or reference the coming Messiah. Alfred Edersheim found 456 Old Testament verses referring to the Messiah or His times. Conservatively, Jesus fulfilled at least 300 prophecies in His earthly ministry.”

God Gave Us His Spirit To Teach Us The Bible

If you are saved and a child of God, this is only possible because you have believed what the Bible has said. It is the writings of the Bible that are the FOUNDATION of the Church. We are told in:

Ephesians 2:19-20 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone…

The writings of the Apostles and Prophets, that which we call the Holy Bible, is the foundation of the Church that our Lord Jesus died for. We are saved by faith in what we have presented to us from the Bible. We live our lives by what the Scripture has said. We read:

John 2:24-27 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Are you saved? We are told “IF”. We read, “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father”. I was saved by the preaching of the Word of God, the Bible. I dare not walk away from that Word. IF that Word by which I was called “shall remain in” me, then I “shall continue in the Son, and in the Father”. What is this saying? I believe it’s saying this:

You cannot CHERRY PICK what you want to believe out of this Bible. You believe it as God’s Word, or you believe it as something else.

A lot of people today come in – like the serpent in Eden – and say “has God really said”? The proper response to the serpent is, “it is WRITTEN”. The Apostle speaks of the Son of God, the Christian, saying:

the anointing which ye have received
of him abideth in you

What is this “anointing” John is speaking of? The “anointing” is God the Holy Spirit. The day that you received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to you, just as He promised. Jesus said:

John 16:7, 13-15 (ESV) 7 I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you … 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

When you call on the name of Jesus for salvation, the Holy Spirit comes and causes you to be “born again” (John 3:3, 7; 1 Peter 1:3). You become a “Child of God by faith in Christ”,

1 John 3:1 … Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God …

It is the Holy Spirit that causes your “new birth”. But this Same Spirit comes to live within the framework of your life. Jesus told His disciples, “The Spirit lives WITH you, and WILL BE IN YOU” (John 14:17). If you are a Child of God, your very Body “is the TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit Who lives in you” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Holy Spirit indwells you so that He can teach you the Word of God, the Holy Scripture. The Bible says of itself:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

It is the WORD of God that shows us the WILL of God, and teaches us how to do the WORK of God.

When the Chief Apostle spoke of the Old Testament Scripture, he wrote:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit wrote the Scripture through holy men dedicated to God. The Spirit gives us understanding of the Scripture, so that we can understand the mind of Christ. The Spirit indwells us, and draws us closer and closer to the image of Christ in our own lives.

The devil hates that.
The world hates that.
The false preacher hates that.

While you are alive, dear one, Satan and the world will do all it can to draw you away from the image of Christ. The Bible warns us:

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The world will demand your conformity, but God the Holy Spirit will demand you be a Child of God.

The Spirit Through The Scripture Makes Us
More Like The Son Of God

People are fond today of appropriating Christianity, and then twisting it into their own image. The devil has done this from the beginning.

The Christian – a Child of God by faith in Jesus, a born again Child of God by the empowerment of the Spirit – is called to ABIDE. We ABIDE in the Scripture.

When someone comes to me with some “alternate theory” as opposed to what the Bible says, the Spirit whispers … ABIDE. We are to ABIDE in His Word. When God spoke of creation, we read these truths:

Genesis 3:1-3 (ESV) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

It was GOD Who CREATED all things. It was the SPIRIT OF GOD Who worked order from chaos. Each day of creation was a 24 hour day, as is clearly presented in the Scripture. “The evening and the morning was a day” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Who was it that made all things “very good” (Genesis 1:31)? It was GOD, not man. It was GOD, not the angels. What did MAN contribute to the Creation? The Bible says:

Romans 5:12 (ESV) … as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned …

We messed it up – but God fixed it in Christ. We as humans are always trying to mess it up. But praise God, our God is MERCIFUL. Again we read:

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us

Word Study: God in Love with His fallen creation BESTOWED something on us. The word BESTOWED is the Greek didōmi, which means “to grant, to give as a present, to pass over to stewardship of something to another”. What did God BESTOW on us? Jesus. Jesus went to that Cross to die for our sins. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus did not die on the Cross of Calvary to save us from our sins so that we might continue to sin. Children of God follow after righteousness. We are told:

1 John 2:29 If ye know that He (God) is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

You cannot be a Child of God and DO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. Sin and the Child of God are incompatible. The Christian does not pursue after sin. We pursue the will of God. We pursue the image of Christ. Let me use big word: oxymoron. Do you know what an oxymoron is?

Sin Loving Christian

If you are a Child of God, you are to DO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now, what is “righteousness”? It is what God has said is righteous in His Word. It is what God has clearly defined as right. If you are saved, we read:

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

As “now … sons of God” we work along with the Scripture and the Spirit to “put off” the old man, and “put on” the new man. We are told in:

Ephesians 4:22-25 put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

What does this mean? When you are saved, you put away everything that God says is abnormal and put on everything that God says is acceptable. You heed the scripture, the Word of God. You “cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12). You “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make NO PROVISION FOR THE FLESH, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14).

In short, if the Bible condemns it, you walk away from it because you are a Child of God. Salvation is by Grace, through faith in Christ. But once saved, you are to be like Jesus.

You cannot be a Christian, and practice racism.
You cannot be a Christian, and practice sexual sin.
You cannot be a Christian, and deny the Word of God.

So are you a Christian? If you are, the Spirit of God indwells you, and guides you to God’s Word to determine how to live your life so as to please the Father. You live to please the Father. You live to glorify the Son. You live not for yourself, but for Him Who …

2 Corinthians 5:15 … died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

May God the Holy Spirit move through this Word, and draw many to Him this very day. Amen and amen.

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Whatsoever He Saith Unto You, Do It

Posted on March 3, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash

Please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 2.

In the Book of John we will see seven miracles that reveal the goodness and Godness of Jesus. We will see Jesus:

Heal a dying boy (John 4:46-54)
Cause a crippled man to walk (John 5:1-18)
Feeding a the multitude with little (John 6:1-15)
Walk on water (John 6:16-21)
Restore sight to a blind man (John 9:1-41)
Raise a friend from the dead (John 11:1-57)

Today we see Jesus turn water into wine.

John 2:1-11 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

Back when Jesus walked the earth, the Jews celebrated marriages much differently than we do today. In a Jewish Wedding Feast the Bride and Groom would come together, and usually the whole village would turn out for the event. It was the responsibility of the Groom’s family to provide the food and drink for the celebration. Back then there was no Coca Cola, Mountain Dew, Pepsi Cola, coffee – all things served at our weddings today. It goes without saying there was no southern sweet tea, either. The Jews used wine – a very mild form of wine – at their celebrations. People did not drink wine at weddings to get drunk, but to celebrate. God never gives us anything that we are supposed to abuse or take too much of. The Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 104:1, 14-15 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. … 14-15 {The Lord} causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15 and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

The Bible forbids drunkenness – and the wine that was used at Jewish weddings had very little alcoholic content. Christians are never to get drunk. The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 5:11 (ESV) {Do not} associate with anyone who bears the name of “brother” if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

Christians are priests before God. We are God’s Children. The lost person “walks in EXCESS OF WINE” (1 Peter 4:3), and often engages in “rioting and DRUNKENNESS” (Romans 13:13). The Lord tells the Christian to:

Ephesians 5:18 (ESV) … do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

The Jews used a very mild wine in their celebrations.

If the Groom’s family allowed the food and beverage to run out, it was a stain on the marriage!

On The Third Day

John 2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee

It’s very important to read EVERY word of the Bible, for it is GOD’S WORD. Look at the words “And the third day”. What does this refer to? Well, here’s another thing about the ancient Jewish Wedding Feast. IT WASN’T JUST ONE DAY. The Groom’s parents were to supply the food and drink for up to 1 week of celebration. The Wedding Feast is now in “the third day”.

The “third day” is a very significant number in the Scripture. When God led Israel to Mount Sinai, He told the people through Moses:

Exodus 19:10-11 (ESV) … “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments 11 and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.”

“on the third day” God would come down from His Holy Mountain, and let Israel see Him. When they saw God in all His holiness “there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled” (Exodus 19:16). The people were not glad to see God, for the God of Sinai is the God of the Law. The “people in the camp trembled” because they realized they were so far from God’s holiness and righteousness.

“on the third day” has another significance in the New Testament. Jesus told us that,

Matthew 12:40 (ESV) For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus Christ would go up a mountain called Calvary, and be executed, crucified for our sins. Jesus would be laid in a borrowed Grave, and would stay there for three days and three nights. Jesus said:

Luke 24:7 (ESV) the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.

(see also Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:21; 24:46)

Our Jesus would die for our sins, and rise from the grave “on the third day”. He would descend from the Mountain of God and walk among us – and we no longer tremble, because Jesus makes us right and righteous with God.

Family Matters

Let’s get back to our text.

John 2:1-3 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

We are in the “third day” of this Wedding Feast. The earthly “mother of Jesus was there”. His mother is Mary, and she is related to the Groom’s side of the family. We are told that “Jesus was called” because, related to Mary, He is also related by blood to the Groom’s side of the family.

Family matters to God. When God came to an old man named Abraham in the Old Testament, Abraham and Sarah his wife were without children. God told Abraham:

Genesis 12:1-3 (Author’s paraphrase) “Follow Me. Go where I tell you, put Me first, and I will change you from a childless couple to a GREAT NATION. I will bless those who bless you, and punish those who harm you. And Abraham, through your children I will bring the GREATEST BLESSING on the earth.”

It was God’s intention to one day through the family to bring the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to this earth. This is why the devil in our day attacks the family. It is through family – the family of Abraham – that God sent Jesus to be with us. It is through Jesus that we are invited into the Family of God.

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Family matters to God. God designed the family male and female. The Bible says that when God created Adam,He said:

Genesis 2:18 It is NOT GOOD that man should be alone

God made the family. God commands “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). God commands “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). God commands “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right”(Ephesians 6:1). Anytime we see an attack against the family, whether it be “I have two mommies” or “men aren’t necessary”, you are seeing a Satanic attack on the stability of civilization. Family matters. This is why Mary is at this wedding, and why Jesus came to the wedding feast. When they run out of wine, Mary tells Jesus:

John 2:3 … They have no wine

There were no stores where you can get wine. Wine was made through natural fermentation. Grapes were picked, crushed, and put in leather wine sacks so it could naturally ferment. The Groom’s parents are out of wine – and will be shamed if they do not get some quickly. The Soniclight Commentary notes:

“To fail to provide adequately for the guests would involve social disgrace. In the closely knit communities of Jesus’ day, such an error would never be forgotten and would haunt the newly married couple all their lives.”

So Mary turns to Jesus. Jesus Christ is …

Luke 1:32-33 … the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Jesus is the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. Mary knew that Jesus – her Savior and Lord – could fix the problem. Beloved, Jesus can fix your problems. So often we say, “I’ll not take that to the Lord – it is so petty, so small, that I’ll just try to fix it myself”. Oh no, Beloved. Jesus wants us to take our burdens to Him. THE POWER IS NOT IN ME, BUT IT IS IN JESUS. When Mary asked Jesus to handle the problem, our Lord replied:

John 2:4 … Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

When Jesus says “Woman” to His mother, He is not being disrespectful. Jesus came to this earth to “be about His Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Jesus said,

John 14:9 … he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father

The Catholics believe that, if you pray to Mother Mary, the Virgin, that she will command Jesus for you. I believe Jesus used the word “Woman” instead of “mother” because Jesus does not follow the whim of anyone – not even His earthly mother. Jesus came representing the Father. When Jesus said:

what have I to do with thee?

This is an idiom that means “Your concern and Mine are not the same”. Jesus was not dishonoring Mary, but they weren’t on the same page. She wanted to help her family avoid embarrassment. Jesus came to earth not to enable a smooth human wedding feast, but to bring those who believe in Him into the Family of God.

Throughout the Gospels there is NO PLACE where Jesus refers to Mary as His mother.

Do What Jesus Says!

Mary says nothing else to Jesus, but turns to the servants or waiters at the Wedding Feast:

John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Notice that Mary “saith unto the servants”. The words translated “the servants” is the Greek διάκονος diákonos, {pronounced dee-ak’-on-os}, which means “those who wait on others, deacons, ministers, attendants”. Those who were waiting on the guests of the Wedding Feast had a need. Mary told them, “You have a need you can not fix. Whatsoever Jesus says unto you, DO IT”.

Jesus can do anything He wants to do!
Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, God in the flesh.

Colossians 1:15-17 {Jesus} is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Only God can turn nothing into something. Only God can do what Jesus does. Only Jesus can do what God does.

Mary tells the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”. Just DO what Jesus says. WHATSOEVER. What ever He asks, do it. Only by this can Jesus bring a blessing to those at the Feast.

John 2:6 And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.…”

There are “six water pots of stone” at the Feast, and the purpose of these water pots is for the “purifying of the Jews”. What are these water pots and their significance?

First, there are “six water pots”. Not seven, not five, but six. God created the Heaven and the earth and all that is in it in six days, and rested on the seventh day. When God created everything – humans and animals included – God said it was all “very good” (Genesis 1:31). It was man that brought sin into the world, and death by sin. Not God, but man.

Romans 5:12 by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned

These six water pots were made “of stone”. Clay pots absorbed water, and could hold bacteria. So these water pots were “of stone” to make them more sanitary. These pots – each holding about 20 gallons of water – were used by the Jews attending the Feast. The Jewish tradition was that People were to wash their hands before eating (Mark 7:3; Luke 11:37–38). These water pots held the water that was used for washing the hands. Though people did not wash their hands directly in the pots, water was dipped out, and this water was certainly not sterile!

Jesus tells the servants in charge of this (suspect) water:

John 2:7 … Fill the water pots with water.

Jesus did not tell them to rinse out the pots, but merely to top them off. The water in those pots would not have been clean or fresh. Jesus did not ask the servants the scour the pots before filling them.

John 2:7 … Fill the water pots with water.

Beloved, Jesus does not ask us to clean up our lives when we come to Him. He asks us – commands us – to REPENT, to stop following our own way, and to follow Him.

God asks us to do the possible, and He will do the impossible. “Top off the pots”. Obey Christ’s command. He will do the rest!

In an article I read on this event, published by Revival Ministries International, I read …

“Many Christians want God to use them in a mighty way, but they are too full of opinions, questions, reasonings, and arguments! They say that they have faith, but they really don’t because they will not make a move without an explanation. They want to understand everything before they do what God is telling them to do.”

Murmuring or complaining against God stays His hand of blessing, and can bring His punishment down on us. The first generation of Israel murmured and delayed in doing God’s will, and lost the Promised Land. The Jews often murmured at Jesus as He ministered to the sinners. The Bible says:

Philippians 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world …

If you would be blessed by Jesus, do what Jesus says without argumentation. The Bible commands us …

Colossians 3:17 … whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Do not do what Jesus asks you to do halfheartedly. Do it with relish. Do it fully, completely. The servants heard Jesus say “Fill the water pots with water”. That’s what they did. We are told …

John 2:7 … And they filled them up to the brim.

Do not do things halfway when doing what Jesus says. Do it all the way. Excel in obedience to your God. We have studied these words before, but it bears repeating. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock…

When you both HEAR and DO what Jesus says, THEN you are blessed. Trials will come your way – trials come to all of us – but if you are in the habit of HEARING and DOING what Jesus said, your house will stand. Jesus said:

Matthew 7: 26-27 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

There Is NO Blessing Without Obedience

John 2:8-10 And {Jesus} saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

That which you receive from Jesus is the very best. Christ established a pattern throughout His earthly ministry of command – obedience – blessing. Though Jesus could have created wine – and the water pots – out of thin air, He came to this earth to be the Bridge between God and man. Jesus came to establish a relationship between fallen man and infallible God. Jesus came to give us a purpose filled life through faith in Him. Let us trust and obey Him. Let us take our problems – all our problems – to Jesus.

For He is able – and we are not. May God touch your hearts with His Spirit and His Word. Amen and Amen!

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Othniel And The Spirit of God

Posted on February 27, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/masquerade-masks-on-gray-surface-9393609/

Judges 3:1-4 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

One of the prayers that Christians have prayed for years is:

Psalm 2:1-3 (ESV) Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

Every preacher of the Gospel has wrestled with this. The Prophet prayed:

Jeremiah 12:1-2 (ESV) “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts”

How is it possible that a pervert named Hugh Hefner entice and deceive young women, and build a Playboy Empire worth $412 million? How can God allow Pablo Escobar – the King of Cocaine – to amass over 33 billion dollars of wealth? How many people did his drugs enslave, how many lives ruined? How is it that actors like Alec Baldwin can kill an innocent person, and get only a slap on the wrist? That ancient preacher Job asked:

Job 21:7 “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?”

God answers His people. The wicked have not escaped judgment, but a judgment day is coming. We who are mortal want this to come today. Our God tells us:

Psalm 37:1-7 (ESV) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes”

There Are Two Reasons The Wicked Are Blessed

The Bible tells us that God allows the wicked to prosper for two reasons. The Apostle said:

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God allows the wicked to live and even be blessed in their wickedness because HELL is FOREVER.

Those who leave this life without faith in Christ will find themselves in a place of “everlasting burnings” (Isaiah 33:14). God did not prepare hell for humans. It was made for the fallen angel. Jesus says to the unbeliever, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:14). Hell is a place of unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The believer in Christ will:

Daniel 12:2 (ESV) … awake … to everlasting life, (but the lost) to shame and everlasting contempt.

Hell is not a place of destruction – but of eternal punishment. If it were a place where you just burn up, our Lord Jesus would have never said:

Mark 9:45-48 (ESV) … if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

When Jesus pictured hell (like in Luke 16:23-24), it is a place of torment, not destruction. It is a place of suffering and sadness. God wants no one to go to hell – He sent His Son to provide a way out of eternal damnation. So God allows the wicked to prosper – for a time – which is nothing compared to the length of eternity. But there is another reason God allows the wicked to prosper, and our enemy to be among us.

Judges 3:1-2 Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know

Word Study: God leaves us in the midst of the wicked to “prove” us. The word translated “prove” is the Hebrew nāsâ (pronounced naw-saw’), which means “to assay as to the quality of, to test, to try”. Back during the California Gold Rush in the 1800’s, around 300,000 people flooded that state looking for riches. The way that gold was assayed was by fire (called cupellation). That which is NOT gold will burn off or float to the top, and gold will be left behind. God uses trials to test our faith so that WE will know where we are on faith’s spectrum. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When you walk with Jesus, you will be persecuted. Why? Because the darkness will bid you to join with it. “Let’s just go along to get along”. If you belong to the Lord, you are to walk so as to please the Lord, not the world.

God tests INDIVIDUAL believers, but also tests His KINGDOM.

God left the unbelieving nations in Canaan because He wanted …

the children of Israel {to} know

God’s people need to know when to war, and when to walk. We need to understand NOT to compromise with anyone that will effect our walk with our Savior and King. The enemies that God left were the

Judges 3:3 … five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites

The Philistines were ancient enemies of Israel, much like land based Pirates or Vikings. The Philistines were very skilled blacksmiths, and were experts in forging swords, spears, and arrow heads, as well as making plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles (1 Samuel 13:19-21). The Sidonians (inhabitants of Sidon) were sea faring Phoenicians who relocated around the Mediterranean Sea. The Hivites or Horites (Genesis 36:2, 20, 29) were a warrior class of people. Together these enemies ruled the land and the water of the Promised Land. They were – together – undefeatable. We are told:

Judges 3:4 … they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

Surrounded by the enemy, would Israel cling to the Word of God, or would Israel compromise with the lost in order to live more comfortably?

Judges 3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

You cannot control who is around you. You cannot control how other people behave. God never expects His people to move off into monasteries and hide behind walls. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV) You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

God’s people are to reflect the Light of God into the world. We are a “city set on a hill”. We are not to hide, but to stand up. The Bible says that the “children of Israel dwelt among” the unbelievers. That is not a sin. What is a sin is to allow the practices of the lost world to come into your life. Israel compromised.

Judges 3:6-7 And they {the Israelites} took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

Israel allowed themselves to be intimately connected to the lost. They intermarried with unbelievers. It is fine to eat with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 10:25-33). It is fine to work with unbelievers. But we are to be very careful not to get intimate with unbelievers. We are told in:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

When you get into an intimate relationship with an unbeliever – especially if that relationship is sexual in nature – that unbeliever will cause you to drift into their way of thinking. King Solomon found this out when he married numerous women outside of our faith. He said,

“Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART,
for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23)

I was asked the other day if I would consider binding with another mainline denomination in order to work together for the Lord. When I was told the name of that denomination I said, politely, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that”. I cannot compromise with any denomination or any people who do not believe the Bible as God’s Word establishes right behavior and life. I have decided I will not compromise with the “Woke Churches” of this age. I’ll love you – but I can’t walk with you, for you are walking in darkness.

Once Israel compromise with the lost world, they forgot Who God was. They forgot what God told them, and commanded them. Then they began to worship other gods.

Judges 3:8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

God is generally known as the “Redeemer” of His people. The Prophet Isaiah (47:4) said, “Our REDEEMER, the Lord of Hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel”. It was God Who “REDEEMED Israel from the house of slavery” (Deuteronomy 13:5). It is God Who “REDEEMS our life from the pit” (Psalm 103:4). God has …

Colossians 1:13-14 … rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Oh Redeeming Love, how can it be, You lived and died for me? Though “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). God had redeemed Israel – but now He is selling her back to her chosen master. She chose to follow the false gods of those around her, so God turned her over to the one she served. We are told:

the children of Israel served
Chushan-rishathaim eight years

This Mesopotamian King is called “Chushan-rishathaim”, which means “Cushan of the double wickedness”. Israel served this wicked unbelieving king for 8 years. Why eight years? Because it took that long for them to REPENT.

Judges 3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

I suspect that, over the eight years “Chushan-rishathaim” ruled Israel, that the Israelites used various methods to free themselves from their predicament. This is what we all do. We wander away from God, and get into a worst and worst state, much like the prodigal son that Jesus spoke of in Luke 15. After it becomes unbearable, the prodigal stopped eating out of the pig trough, and said “I’ll return to my Father – even if I’m no more than a servant”. Israel had gotten tired of eating at the pig trough.

Word Study: “when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord” I want you to notice that God does not delay. When they cried out, “the Lord raised up a deliverer”. The word “deliverer” is the Hebrew yāšaʿ (pronounced yaw-shah’) which means “A Savior” or “A Avenger”. The idea that “The Lord raised up” this Savior tells us that this is not a human solution to Israel’s problem. God RAISED UP Othniel, the nephew to Caleb. What did OTHNIEL do? God raised him up to be a Savior to Israel, and Othniel SAVED (yāšaʿ) them. But Othniel didn’t do this because he was particularly good or powerful.

Othniel was of the tribe of Judah, a nephew of Caleb, but just as we all are subject to failure. God raised him up … and God EQUIPPED him to do what he was called to do.

Judges 3:10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

Othniel is the first of twelve judges that God would raise up to save Israel. Over and over we see that these Judges or Saviors are not able to do what needs doing. God raises them up, then “The Spirit of the Lord comes upon them”. When God works through a human, it is the Holy Spirit Who does the work. Our Lord Jesus Christ – though Eternal God in human form – did the work that He did for the Father through the Holy Spirit. Jesus visited the Synagogue at Nazareth, His home town, and read from Isaiah 61:1-2:

Luke 4:18-21 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The Spirit of the Lord was on Jesus. Jesus said “If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, the Kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). It is the Spirit of God Who enabled Kings and Prophets to do the work of God. It is the Spirit of the Lord Who empowered the Apostles (Acts 5:9; 8:39) to do amazing things . It is the Spirit of the Lord Who enables us to be saved by convicting of sin (John 16:8-11). The Spirit of the Lord is on the Christian, making us more like Jesus through the intake of the Word of God and prayer (2 Corinthians 3:18).

With the other Judges, we will see God do amazing things. But with Othniel the emphasis is on the Holy Spirit of God. Othniel is open to God’s Spirit, and so God moves through him to defeat the enemy.

Judges 3:10-11 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. 11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Here are two key take-aways from the life of Othniel. First, If you serve God, you will find victory. But if you serve self, you will find slavery. Othniel focused on pleasing God. Though we know little about Othniel’s war, we know he was victorious. Second, Serving God, you will find rest. We read that while Othniel led Israel to follow God, “the land had rest forty years”. Contrast that the the first generation of Israel, who wandered in the wilderness 40 years. God says:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Let us find our rest in God. Let us let His Spirit come upon us. Let us surrender our souls to Jesus. May God touch your hearts with His Word. Amen and Amen!

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Love Not The World

Posted on February 27, 2023 by bibleteacherorg
Photo by Benjamin Suter: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photo-of-cityscape-at-night-2362004/

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Worldly Solutions Will Not Fix Worldly Hearts

So I was reading an article in our local paper “Main Street Maury”, a letter written to the editor entitled “USA 37,000, Japan 101: but it’s not a game” (sic). It was the standard opinion piece where – in comparison to other countries – the gun deaths in the United States are much higher. It was obvious the author had access to the Internet, and knew how to research. The conclusion of the article was, “I know the U.S. will not adopt Japan’s strict standards, but it’s time to consider adopting regulations to lower the number of gun deaths in the U.S.”. The author then quoted Jesus, though he did not give Jesus credit for the quote (which is in Matthew 26:52). Continue quote, “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword.” Many innocent people are dying because we are living by the sword in America’s obsessive gun culture”. There’s a few things I’d like to note in reference to this article.

First, Jesus not only said “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword”, He also said at the conclusion of the Communion, also called “The Lord’s Table”:

Luke 22:35-38 {Jesus} said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” 38 And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

When Jesus said “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword”, He was responding to Simon Peter’s rash attack against a Priest of Israel. Jesus did not tell us to use the sword offensively or aggressively. We are not to attack others (though, if part of the military, allowance is made for that in the Scripture). However Jesus never opposed use of the sword defensively, to protect yourself, your family, your community, and your country.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was hated, and lies were told about Him. Though His Judge Pilate could find no sin nor crime in Jesus, He was nonetheless executed. Why? Because the human heart is “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Jesus encouraged His disciples to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:38-48), but was not against the defense of life. Life is precious. Every life is precious. God does not expect you to allow the rapist into your home, then look the other way while he molests your loved ones. We who are Christ’s are allowed to defend ourselves and our loved ones.

Secondly, I thought it amusing that the author would compare the U.S. to Japan. In its history Japan has had a long history of weapons bans, going all the way back to 1429 under King Sho Hashi, beginning the first Sho Dynasty. In 1470 the new Sho Dynasty prohibited the carrying of weapons. In 1609, the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan permitted the Satsuma clan to invade the island of Okinawa. The Satsuma samurai renewed the ban on all weapons. As the Japanese were forbidden to carry arms, they developed a fighting system using their farming tools. The martial arts weapons such as the Bo, the Sai, the Kama, Tonfa, or Nunchaku were repurposed from the field to the battlefield. As a young boy I often went to Bruce Lee movies to watch him defeat the enemy with many of these weapons. Japan has less guns because of oppressive laws, but it is no paradise. An article entitled “Despite Japan’s low crime rates, it’s seen a number of mass stabbings in the past decade” cites a killing spree where a 51 year old man kills a 39 year old man, a 12 year old school girl, and injures 15 school children. He carried no guns, but two knives. In 2016, 19 disabled residents were stabbed to death by an employee of that home. The employee said, “It is better that disabled people disappear”. In 2008 a 24 year old man went on a stabbing spree, killing 2 people and injuring 7. That same year a 25 year old man stabbed and killed 7, and injured 10 in a shopping hub of Tokyo. I could go on and on, but I won’t. The data is there.

Until the human heart is changed, no amount of law enforcement is going to lessen our self inflicted hurts. No human law can fix what ails us. We need to get back to the Bible. We need to meet with and surrender ourselves to Christ’s leading. Only through Jesus will our hearts be calmed. Only through faith in Him will we stop tearing one another apart.

Do Not Love The World’s Ways, Dear Christian

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

When you read this text, your first thought might be, “Isn’t John contradicting what Jesus said in John 3:16?” You know the text:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Word Study: The Greek word for “world” is kosmos, which can simply refer to humanity as God’s creation, or it can refer to a godless mindset. When God created the world, the kosmos, He created Adam and Eve distinctly separate from the animals around them. God created Adam and Eve as His representatives on the earth. The Bible says:

Genesis 1:26-30 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.”

God made Adam and Eve to have dominion over the earth and all that is in it. They were to oversee the planet as stewards of God. In their stewardship they were to “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion”. They were to build the family of humanity, and to oversee all things, maintaining order in the Name of God. But they didn’t do that. What did Adam and Eve do? Well, in particular, what did ADAM do?

Adam became WORLDLY.
He stopped working for God.
He chose another employer – Satan.

The WORLDLY mindset is incompatible with a child of God. The Lord Jesus Christ – Eternal God the Son become the Only Begotten of the Father – was tempted just as Adam was tempted. The Bible tells us that while the Son of God was in the wilderness,

Matthew 4:8-9 (ESV) … the devil took {Jesus} to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

The devil was not lying to Jesus. The devil is called “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), and he “blinds the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, the image of God”. Satan as a serpent tried this with Adam and was successful. Adam allowed himself to become worldly in his thought process. Instead of referring to God and his Word, Adam used human resources and human reason to seek joy.

Adam lost – and we suffer because of it.
But Jesus wasn’t having any of it.

Jesus told the devil, “Go away Satan! The Bible says, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him ONLY shall you serve.” (author’s paraphrase). This is what a child of God should do.

If God’s Word does not support what is being said, then we need to reject the word we are hearing as inferior, a word from Satan and not God.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

We as Christians SHOULD love people – but we must not love the evil that people do. You can love someone, and yet hate their action … especially if their action is destructive and ungodly. Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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 do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We as believers are to love those around us – to DO GOOD toward them even if they do bad toward us. But this does not mean that we worship their gods and goddesses. This does not mean that we turn away from the Word of God for the highly inferior word of man. You are called as sons and daughters of God to uphold the truth of God’s Word.

We are to please God, not man. The Apostle Paul said:

Galatians 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

It is not the Christian’s duty to please others. It is the Christian’s duty to please God, and to share the Gospel of salvation. The Apostle said in another place:

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV) … just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

We cannot save the world by pleasing the world. We cannot reach the world by being like the world. We are to be like Jesus. We are to uphold the Word of God, for it is the Word of God that upholds us. The Apostle warns the Church:

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Sherry and I have been working with little children at Riverside School. Just this past Thursday Sherry was working with a little girl, helping her with her homework. The little girl had it wrong – and wouldn’t listen to Sherry. She just KNEW that she was right … and she wasn’t. But as long as she was CERTAIN her wrong answer was right, she would never get straight.

There are “many antichrists” in the world, people whose sole function is to draw people away from God and into hell. I watched a priest the other day, wearing a “stole” with rainbow colors on it, as he preached the way of godlessness. This so called priest said, in effect,

“God is gay. God is a lesbian.
God is trans. God is gender non-binary.
God is straight. God is Cisgender.
God is you, and you are God.”

This is utter nonsense, divorced from both Scripture and the Gospel. It is certain that God can understand where you are in life. But God does not endorse human philosophies – no matter how sincere you may be – so that you not be offended. God has a standard, and that standard is clearly presented in the Scripture. “God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son”. Why was Jesus “given”? He was “given” to pay the penalty for our sins.

Jesus did not come to enable our sins – but He came to save us from our sins. Sin is barrier between us and God. We are to walk in love with God and with one another. We are not to walk in sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake {God} made {Jesus} to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

We are not to walk in sin, but are to repent of sin and walk with Jesus. The other day I had an appointment to meet with the Principal at Riverside. Being escorted into his office, we talked for about 30 minutes before I had to go. I got up, opened the door to go out, and stepped right into the mop closet. As soon as I did, I immediately backed out – amusing the Principal – and went out the right door. This is an illustration of sin. I was sincere when I stepped into the mop closet. I was certain I was on the right path when I stepped into the mop closet. But I was wrong. I could have stubbornly insisted I was in the right place, and invite everybody else into the closet with me. Or I could REPENT, back out of the weird place, and go toward the light. The Apostle said:

1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) {Jesus} Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

And again, Romans 6:1-2, 6 (ESV) What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? … 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

The intent of the Cross of Christ is not just to GIVE LIFE, but to KILL DEATH. The Cross does not just COVER sin, it CHANGES the person. If you are comfortable in sin, you are not saved!

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

There were many in the first century Church that professed Christ as Savior, but were not saved. In fact, there were many who followed Jesus, but who abandoned Him when His teaching became hard. In John chapter 6 Jesus fed over 5000 people with five barley loaves and two fish, a child’s lunch. After this, Jesus went to Capernaum to preach. The crowd followed Jesus – not because they wanted Jesus, but because they wanted their bellies filled. Jesus told them:

John 6:26-27 (ESV) “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

The people then asked Jesus, “What must we do to work the works of God?” Jesus told them,

John 6:29 (ESV) “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Jesus told them that He was the Manna from Heaven, the Bread of Life. Jesus said, “everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40). Jesus went on to explain that faith in Him is MORE THAN JUST WORDS. Jesus said,

John 6:51 (ESV) I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.

What was Jesus saying? He was saying that saving faith is totally dependent on Jesus. The person saved receives Jesus, breathes in Jesus, puts his everything into Jesus. If you are saved, you are saved to be just like Jesus on this earth. Jesus even got more radical:

John 6:53-57 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.

Faith is feeding on Jesus. It is coming to Jesus hungry – and finding your hunger satisfied in Him. It is coming to Jesus thirsty – and finding your thirst satisfied in Him. That crowd of people thinned out that day. The Bible says,

John 6:66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

There were many who followed Jesus, and yet they were never born again. Those who were born again decided they would continue following Jesus – even if the whole world abandoned Him. Jesus has the words of truth!

Christians Are Called To Obedience

1 John 2:16-17 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Though salvation is a free gift from God, the PROOF of salvation is that we DO the WILL OF GOD.

You cannot be blessed in this life if you do not obey God. Before Israel went into the Promised Land, God told them:

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

God will not bless His people if we go to those “other gods”. We are expected to live FOR and WITH God once we have been saved. God tells us:

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 (ESV) God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

The things of this world are but temporary. God’s Kingdom is eternal. Let us live for Him, and in Him. Let us by our lives glorify Jesus Christ our Savior. Let us follow the leadership of our Lord. We will end with these words:

1 John 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

As believers together, we are to DO the right thing. The Gospel saves from the inside out. If you belong to Jesus, you are called to act like Jesus. If you belong to Him, you will live your lives so as to please Him in all you say and do. May God the Holy Spirit drive this truth deeply into our hearts. Amen and amen.

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