Not According to the Flesh

2Corinthians‬ ‭10:3-6‬ ‭- For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

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Just as I have learned that we cannot totally rely in any man, nor government, to bring about anything this world is in need of...like peace, provision or safety...we cannot rely on our own knowledge when sharing Christ. It must be Spirit-led, as the scripture states. 

Not according to the flesh...not carnal but mighty in God...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 

In Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to this Spirit, we are called to preach the Gospel, the good news, of Jesus Christ.

In Christ, we are are told, we are:

*new creatures

*one in spirit with God

*children of light, delivered from darkness

*a holy priesthood 

*ambassadors of Christ

*a people called out of darkness, ready to proclaim His excellence

*the aroma of Christ to God

*are led through Christ to diffuse the fragrance of His knowledge

We will not always be received but we are to be obedient, being the salt and light in a fallen world. Do we look at circumstances of life through our eyes, or political eyes, or through God's eyes? Do we share what is the hope of our calling? 

When we see disasters in this world and people can't understand why they are all happening, do we share we live in a fallen world? Do we 

share that these things were predicted in the Bible? That just maybe we are looking at days when it would be wise to know God before it's too late? This recent shooting in the very small Texas church should be a clue that we never know when our last day will be. Who would have expected this...on a Sunday...in a church...in a very small town?

I share about Christ and the Bible because I know what it means to have been changed on the inside. I'm certainly not perfect and never will be, but I have heard the truth, have experienced a change in my way of thinking and seeing in the world. 

We do not war against the flesh. It's a spiritual war, people. This is what we need to understand. All God has ever wanted from us is acknowledgment of who He is, devotion and obedience to Him. Without these we have no hope for the future and any hope we have in man and his government, policies, laws, are meaningless. Man is not perfect. But God...is! 

Ask Him to reveal Himself to you today. I will ask Him to open the hearts of men to receive this valuable, life-saving knowledge. I will ask Him to show you what the hope is in Him. Just knowing who He is is not enough. Going deeper is the answer. Hearing Him, responding to Him. Being touched by Him. That's where it's at. A relationship...with God...not the church, not rituals...but the Man, Jesus Christ. A life-changing encounter.

Philippians‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

What Shall I Render to the Lord?

Psalm 116:12-17 - What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? 

   I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 

   I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people. 

Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints. 

   O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. 

   I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

What does all this mean? As I read this this morning I thought of all the people who have gone before the Lord and received their salvation. They have met with God, recognized Him, called upon Him, chosen His free gift of salvation and now serve Him.

What happens when this free gift is received? The main thing is outright acknowledgement of God our Father, Creator, Redeemer. We recognize Him as sovereign over all. We see His hand in all things. Our hearts and minds change through Him. We grow in the knowledge of our Lord. We begin to know truth. Yesssss. We recognize how flawed our thoughts and hearts once were. And this is all good.

We will pay our vows...we will bring to Him a heart of thankfulness for what He has done in us. We will rejoice in our salvation, which only comes from Him. In this world we can be successful, but it ends when our lives end. Salvation through Christ brings a different, lasting type of success. Wise Solomon came to this conclusion:  “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?” Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3,13-14)

There truly is nothing more important in this life than to walk with God. Only one who has chosen this course can understand this. 

At first it seemed curious the statement: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. In the context of the other verses, I see this as the rejoicing that God and the angels do when one comes to Christ. We are now His saints and we have given up our old lives, the old man has now become new. We have died to ourselves and have become alive in Christ. This is precious to Him. 

I am reminded of the one stray sheep Jesus referred to:

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!" I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)

I imagine He leaves that sheepfold daily for that one lost sheep. That prodigal son or daughter. That one Saul who would be made Paul. He knows them all by name. 

When we give in to His calls, His outstretched hand, He loosens the bonds of this world and its lies and death. As the song goes: 

All I once held dear, built my life upon

All this world reveres and wars to own

All I once thought gain I have counted loss

Spent and worthless now compared to this...

Knowing You, Jesus

We become His! The price of His death was paid for us. Can we even fully understand this? God Himself came down from the throne of heaven to live on this earth that He might die for all mankind...all who would seek and serve Him. Who does that? This is hard: He is God to those who do seek Him. If one does not, He is not their God and we are not His child. He died for all, but not all will receive. Not all will give up that old life for a new, sure, everlasting life. 

So, He continues daily to call. Daily He reveals Himself. He works to break hard hearts, that none would perish. He longs to hear the call of the seeking heart and the final words of joyful thanksgiving for the free gift, His salvation. Will you render your life to the Lord? To render means to give up and yield, break down. Will you render to the Lord for the benefits He offers you? His gift. His life. Freedom in Christ. Everlasting life.

Psalm 107:8-11 - Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons—because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High...

He Alone is Able

John‬ ‭2:7-8‬ ‭- Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.

We've all heard the story of Jesus turning water into wine when the wine ran out at a wedding. This was His first miracle. I am studying the Gospel of John. One of the questions caused us to think more deeply into all the points of this account. I knew this story related to things new and better. Even before I started answering the questions there was a stirring in my spirit. 

Jesus' mother, whom He called "woman," was something that has always stood out. It was not meant disrespectfully. It shows that she was no different than any other person, a sinner like anyone else. She too needed a Savior, and it just so happened that her Savior would be her own son. Just like the rest of us. No one is greater or on the same level as He. 

He did, however, reprimand her! What does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come, He told her. She didn't balk at His answer. She probably realized her presumptuousness and she only told the servants to do as He would say. She knew... 

Jesus turned water into wine. A common, everyday element. It was turned into very good wine. It was common practice at weddings to serve the best wine first, then when all had had plenty of it, begin to serve cheap wine. Who would know? But the wine that Jesus made, out of water, was better than the first and it was recognized. 

God is not going to take the best person first and use him. He reaches out for those in the saddest, weakest, lowliest and humblest state. This is what we all are when we realize a need for a Savior. No matter how good we think we are, it's often our pride which keeps us from knowing God. In our humblest state He removes the impurities creating a new person. That person is much better than before. We must be made new through Jesus for His work in us to be successful. Like His mother, we should not balk at this either. We humble ourselves like His mother and being obedient, do whatever He says. (Verse 5) Allow His work in us.

The host of the wedding said this: Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now! (John‬ ‭2:10‬) Jesus caused a miracle. His glory was revealed in this miracle, not so much for the bridegroom and the host, but for those behind the scenes who saw and heard Him speak to His mother and what she spoke to the servants. He quietly performed this miracle. Some, but not all, saw and heard...and believed. But imagine the chatter later on...oh to have been a fly on the wall. 

Isn't this what happened to those of us who received Christ, who were touched in some miraculous way, who came away from our own personal miracle knowing without a shadow of a doubt we'd been touched by the power of God?! We realized we were not the same, our thoughts and hearts changed, our knowledge was different. We saw things through the eyes of God now. We were made new. Others might have seen a great transformation. Sometimes it's a gradual change.

Only Jesus was able to turn that water into wine. Only He is able to change us, to turn us from sinners to saints and children of God. We are not made new by knowing someone who is, or going to church, or being good. We must "run out" of ourselves. We must call on the Lord to fill us and create a new, better person, like that wine. Then we can be taken to the Master of the feast! We can be reconciled with Him. He can receive that new man to Himself. 

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

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God of Both Testaments

Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭16-17 - And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” 

There are many who question how God could be so judgmental in the Old Testament and in the New Testament loving.

I've heard many times in order to know evil you must see good. A precedent has to be made, a foundation laid. God did that. Life in the beginning was good, peaceful, the way it was meant to be, free from labor, hardship, tears, sorrow.  If Adam and Eve obeyed His command not to touch one particular tree, the life they first lived would be like that. One tree. But once we are told not to do, not to touch, not to taste, not to peek, aren't we tempted all the more to do it?!

God loved His creation but when sin entered into His plan He could have nothing to do with it because of His holiness. This is a concept we must understand...He IS holy....He is good. He always has our best interest in mind, but He also judges. We cannot enter into His presence, nor eternal life, without His help...through Jesus' gift of salvation. His desire is for us to seek His Son and receive that good life back, and as is proclaimed to all who receive His Son, in the end: ..."God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭4‬)  Sounds like what it was like "in the beginning."

There was only one command when God created all things...it was directed to Adam and Eve in the verses above. Wonder where we got our pride? From thinking we could be as smart as God and falling for the lies of an evil serpent, a.k.a., the devil. So God had to switch gears, in time laying down more laws (commandments). He ushered those two, His created beings, out of a perfect world and ushered in His right to judge.

We are shown that if we disobey we will die...unless another requirement from the New Testament is met: 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

...that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (John‬ ‭1‬:‭29, John‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬, John‬ ‭3‬:‭15-16, 2Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17)

Old things will pass away. All things are new. New creatures, born again. God laid the good foundation in the Old Testament, it was transgressed. God showed His intolerance for disobedience. Later, after many years and examples of what God would do for those who were obedient and those who were not (blessings and curses), and in the New Testament He brought His Son, Himself, down from the throne and into the world to show Himself to the lost, to restore back to those who believed in Jesus, the good that was lost to evil sin.

Sin and disobedience has only escalated through time and has nearly gotten to the worst it can be, but not quite yet. It will get worse still. A sign that time is approaching quickly for the return of Christ. Each of us is guilty, no doubt daily. But if we confess our sins (to God, not man) He will forgive us. 

God of the Old Testament showed us His idea of a perfect life, the goodness He wishes upon people. He only has thoughts of good for us. When we, as a people, decided to disobey, we were given the judgment. The God of the New Testament made a way that we might be reconciled. Seek that Way. 

Romans 5:20-21 - ...the law (Old Testament) entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace (New Testament) abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

All Things Are New

Revelation 21:5 - Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true.

There's always a sense of encouragement, excitement and hope when a new year begins. As I awoke this morning to a chorus of "happy new year" by the nearby roosters in Puerto Rico, I thanked God for a new year. I thanked Him for an encouraging word for our church and for those who call our church their home. 

Christmas celebrations are over and in the wake of those festivities we have new things to put on or put away. I was told that at the candlelight service an offer to receive Christ touched the hearts of about ten people. Their lives were made new as well. Hopefully this new year they will choose to put on and not put away their new life in Christ.

There have been claims that December 21, 2012 could be the end of the world if the Mayan calendar is correct. There is an eerie similarity between the meaning of the word apocalypse and something we read when Jesus dies on the cross. An apocalypse is a lifting of the veil or revelation! When Jesus died the curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The veil had been lifted giving man access once again to God, through the death of His Son, Jesus. 

It sounds more like a beginning to me. Some scientists believe the world won't end but instead it will take a different course...a new one, a new course filled with peace, wisdom, love and understanding. Isn't that what Jesus has been trying to say for more than 2,000 years? 

Put on the new man and a new life, in Him. Don't put it away. It would be the greatest and most satisfying new life one could ever hope for. And each new day is filled with the same hope. A hope that never changes because if our hope is in Jesus, we have hope in One who never changes!

We will go through some difficult days ahead. Jesus will return. Those who are in Christ know this. We have peace already in a world of turmoil. We have our hope too, that He will return for those whom He calls His own. The world will not end but it will change in a twinkling of an eye and the loud sound of a trumpet.

For those who cling to Him now, who have found their new life, this will be a glorious day. We understand what today's life events are leading up to. We already have the peace, wisdom, understanding and love. 

Jesus does make all things new. It's a new year. Start the new year out with a new life in Christ. Receive Him and have the hope, the revelation, of this life in Him. Let this truly be a Happy New Year!

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I Am New

2Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

I heard a song the other day called I Am New by Jason Gray. Yesterday I wrote about what some would say is a holier-than-thou attitude toward Christians...those who lay claim to having a relationship with Christ. In Christ we are new creations and we are in relationship with the Almighty God. The old man is gone and the new, in Christ, now lives. It does not make us perfect. Sadly, those who don't understand relationship over religion think we think we are better. We are not. I am not. There are some who do think this way, but they ought not to. It's all about understanding this relationship concept. On one hand it's difficult to understand, on the other it's so easy.

Lord, let ears hear, eyes see and minds be open to this concept.

I was of the same opinion once before I knew about this relationship thing with Christ. In fact, it wasn't until some time later that I understood I was in relationship with Him...and not until a time after that did I realize there's a difference between relationship and religion. Knowing Christ is not a Lutheran thing or a Catholic thing or a Baptist thing. It's a personal thing. I heard this one time: I know you call yourself a Christian, but I am a Roman Catholic. That does not make them any better than me either. Relationship, not religion. 

The title Christian has lost some significance as the years have gone on. It is about as watered down as the Church watering down the Word of God, not upholding God's standards like it used to...so as not to offend. Oh, Jesus is SO an offense... There's no getting around it. The Old Testament religious and political leaders took so much offense to Him they were part of a group determined to put Him to death. But let me add here, it was not any one group who ultimately killed Him...we are all guilty of that. Jesus came for the very purpose of dying. You can't kill someone whose purpose in life was to die for the sins of the world, including the religious and political leaders. Jesus came to this earth for that very purpose. 

Jesus came...not religion. I'd venture to say He hates religion. Religion is laws and rituals that cannot be upheld no matter how hard one tries; relationship bypasses that and deals directly with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We still need to adhere to the laws of the Commandments but it's our relationship in Christ that sets us free from condemnation and sin. The relationship, the acceptance of Christ, receiving Him into our lives is what makes us new.

So, Jesus is an offense. His truth is an offense. And part of that truth is we are not truly Christians until we have a personal relationship with Him. It's not knowing who He is and living as we always have. In the end one who only knows who Jesus is will realize they missed something somewhere in their life. They will realize they missed that relationship with Christ.

My whole view today on what a Christian is goes much deeper than just knowing Christ existed. It's knowing Him intimately. Anyone can do this. No one religion (including Judaism) has the corner on the Christ market. He came for all people, all races, all faiths. A Christian is one who knows that he knows that he knows Christ and is a follower. It's about putting trust and faith in what Jesus Christ did for us. It's not about our works but about His work done on the cross. 

What were the lyrics to that song (in case you didn't listen or didn't listen all the way through) that tell us the truth of who we are when we receive Christ? 

Forgiven, beloved, hidden in Christ.

Made in the image of the Giver of Life.

Righteous and holy, reborn and remade.

Accepted and worthy, is our new name.

You can look these words up in a Bible and find definitive words that tells us that in Christ we are these things. There is nothing holier-than-thou about this. It's the truth. We still cannot live perfect lives. We will fail others and other will fail us. The Church will fail too. But unless one questions their own religion and the teachings of their church, if a relationship with Christ is not considered because it is not part of the teaching of a church, they are missing the mark. In the Bible the phrase to miss the mark is the definition of the Greek word for sin. So that means there are many churches that are missing the mark in their teachings. I know this is a hard word.  

It's not about how good we think we are and all our good works. We cannot work our way to God and we cannot work our way to relationship with Christ. We receive Him. It's all about Jesus and no one else...no one. We go to Jesus and Jesus alone. HE is the one who intercedes on our behalf to the Father. No one else can do this. Jesus is the one who died on the cross...no one else. We need to realize this and accept this concept, so we can be made new, through Christ and Christ alone. No one else can make us all the things, and so many more, this song has shown us.

Listen to what the Bible has to say. Do you believe the Word of God is the truth? Do you believe Jesus can do this today? He is able...and so much more. It is that relationship with Christ that makes these statements true.

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him...But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God... And he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (Colossians 2:9-10, John 1:12, 1Corinthians 6:17)