November 30, 2016                                HEARTS  BEING  ESTABLISHED
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13: “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”
Some may see the scriptures as a book of laws, or principles that one must one by one ‘work on,’ or strive to keep, but in reality they feel they are never quite able to measure up to the task. It is certainly true that the scriptures contain many instructions for life, and one is wise to see the bible as a guide for life. As we consider how we are to live according to all the commands of scripture, we may feel overwhelmed with the challenge; however, there is an amazing truth that reveals the path, and enables us to live according to the gospel. Because we hear so often that “God is love,” we may lose the far-reaching impact and the power of the love of God. One of the fundamental verses, and truth of the scriptures, is expressed in the familiar passage, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  In 1 John 4:8 we see that God is love: “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Human love is based on selfish motives and desires, whereas God’s loved is based on pure motives and a desire to bless others, whether they deserve it or not, and with no strings attached. As believers, we can experience His love personally, and we can be expressions of His love to others, as we see in Romans 5:5: “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” When we know and experience the love of God, to follow His commands and teachings is our delight, and it becomes natural for us to walk in His ways.  Seeing His commands as a list of things we must do to please Him, and feeling that it is impossible to keep them, is a sure sign that one does not know the love of God. The love of God at work in us leads to peace, hope, righteousness, unity, and words and actions that build up. Galatians 5:14 reveals an amazing truth: “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the love of God in our hearts, and when live by the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, we then find ourselves being expressions of His love and we find ourselves naturally keeping and honoring His commands and teachings. Finally, note that we are to “increase and abound in love for one another.” Our love for others is not to plateau, but is to be increasing, and even abounding! Yes, God IS LOVE, and His love enables us to live according to the gospel. His love sets us free to be who He designed us to be! Rather than seeing the scriptures as laws to keep, may we see the scriptures as being a description, or revelation of who we are in Him.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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November 27, 2016                            RELIEF  IS  ON  THE  WAY
2 Thessalonians 1:6-8: “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
What a sobering verse! Our culture has come to a place where the focus is on living for the present with little or no regard for the future, and the idea that there will be a ‘retribution’ some day for those who do not know God and for those who do not obey the gospel, is considered archaic.  It must be pointed out that the afflictions that Paul is addressing are the afflictions that come as a result of faith in Christ and obedience to the gospel. Believers who obey the gospel will experience afflictions-some more than others-because those who do not know God do not understand the things of God and what they do not understand, they reject, and those living in darkness react when their deeds are exposed by the light. (John 3:19-20)  Believers are to live in the world, but not be of the world, and this not being of the world, sets the stage for rejection and affliction for those who are not of the world. Paul’s message in Thessalonians is that God is well aware of the afflictions that Christians endure, and that He is taking note, and He will one day afflict those who have afflicted His people and He will give relief to those wo belong to Him. God is not a distant God who ignores the plight of His people, but is a God who is near and a God who will right the wrongs suffered by His own. Also, note that God is not going to give just a ‘slap on the wrist’ to those who afflict believers, but He will appear with “mighty angels in flaming fire,” “dealing out retribution.” One day, God will declare that enough is enough, and He will come with relief for His people! In the meantime, we are to remain strong in the faith, and live in obedience to the gospel in the midst of affliction. In verses eleven and twelve, we read: “To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Let us not become dull in spirit, but let us live in obedience to the gospel, looking forward to His return and the relief that He will give to those He finds faithful.
Titus 2:12-13: “instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;”
Blessings, Buddy
PS: Though a believer’s salvation is eternally secure, there will be consequences for believers who do not live in obedience to the gospel. It’s not about sinless perfection, but about living according to the gospel; when we sin, we confess it and then continue living in fellowship with God and according to His ways. Our focus is to be living according to our new identity in Christ.

 
November 24, 2016                                NO  ROOM  FOR  BOASTING
1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world, and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.”
The propensity for man to become prideful is ever-present.  Pride becomes a problem and a stumbling block when we take credit for whatever ‘good’ thing we have done. Pride is indeed subtle; we can even become prideful about how many scriptures we have committed to memory, or about how much we help the poor, etc.  God created mankind with great minds and abilities, and man apart from God can accomplish much, but because He does not acknowledge God, man’s best efforts will prove fruitless and he will suffer great loss. The realization that apart from God we are nothing, is the antidote for pride. Romans 5:8 reminds us that before we came to know God we were without hope: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, died for us.”  For man to think that he lives and exist and succeeds apart from God, reveals the depth of his depravity.  One would do well to remember the words of 1 Corinthians 1:25: “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” God displays His power and wisdom by using what the world considers weak and foolish to make the point that no man can boast before Him. God is not on an ego trip and He does not need the approval of man, nor is He in competition with man. It is God’s heart that we recognize that He is our creator and that He is our Father who redeemed us from our fallen state. If we are to have any wisdom, it begins when we recognize our utter dependence on Him. James 4:10 is a wonderful promise for each of us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Rather than being a power-hungry God who demands our obedience, He is a God who loves us and gave Himself for us that we might come to know Him as our loving Father. It is a privilege to humble ourselves before Him and to acknowledge that we live and exist only because of His love and grace. We may view ourselves as insignificant on the grand scheme of things, but be reminded that God chooses to work through those who recognize their dependence on Him. Remember the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Psalms 97:1-2: “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”
Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O LORD, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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November 21, 2016                             UNITED  IN  SPIRIT
Philippians 2:2-4: “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each one of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others.”
If the instructions given in these three verses were put into practice, there would be peace throughout the world. Can you even imagine living in a world where everyone considered others more important than themselves? Of course, that is not the case, but it should be, and can be the case within the body of believers, and it can start with us as individuals. Throughout time, selfishness in the heart of man has been the root cause of conflicts that have destroyed families, businesses, churches, and has led to warfare between nations. In the Garden of Eden, selfishness first entered the heart of man, and was expressed when Eve yielded to the lie that she could be like God, and subsequently, all of mankind was born with this selfish nature.  In contrast to the ways of the world, Jesus demonstrated a pure, unselfish love as He came to give His life for those who would believe in Him. Because we are now a part of His family and have been redeemed from our old way of life, we can live unselfish lives and enjoy true unity as the body of Christ. In Christ, we now have new desires and new natures and we have the ability to live with our selfish nature being dethroned and the Spirit of God enthroned in our hearts and minds. The evidence of living under the influence and work of the Holy Spirit is unity and love, along with a desire to bless others. In the body of Christ, it is our joy as well as our privilege to be “united in spirit,” to have genuine love for each other, to regard others as more important than ourselves, and to look out for the interest of others as we look out for our own interest. (Note that looking out for the interest of others does not negate the fact that we are to also look for our personal interest.)  This unity and love that is the subject of these verses does not become a reality automatically; it is possible for believers to live contrary to what is presented in these verses. In this passage of scripture, Paul is instructing and encouraging believers to walk and to live out of their new nature-and that is the key point. If we do not live out of our new nature, then we will continue to be plagued with the selfishness that is resident in the old nature. We do not have to wait until we get to heaven to experience life as presented in these verses, but because we are in Christ and Christ is in us, we can experience life in the kingdom of God here on earth! Our salvation is much more than a ticket to heaven; our salvation brings with it the opportunity to live a life that is truly, ‘out of this world!’ In spite of all the ever-present strife and discord  around us brought on by the selfish nature of the unregenerate man, as believers, we can now lay aside “selfishness and empty conceit” and be a people who are intent on one purpose-being reflectors of the unselfish love that our Father has for us. What could be greater or better than living a life where love, unselfishness, unity, agreement, and preferring others first is the norm? Let us, this very day, lay aside any selfishness that remains, and let us make the choice to put on the new us that enables us to be living, walking examples of the life that God has made possible.
Blessings,
Buddy  

 
November 21, 2016                            SORRY
I apologize for this web being ‘out of order for’ for approximately four weeks. When I would post blogs, it appeared that the blogs were being posted as usual. Once I found that there was a problem with the host site, it took them 4 days to correct.
Now that the site is up and running, you can scroll down and get the blogs that were written during the time the site was down.
I pray that the Lord is blessing you and I encourage you to join me as we continue to discover our true identity in Christ.
Buddy
 
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November 16, 2016                                FIXING  OUR  EYES
Hebrews 12:2: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who far the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”
There is much today that would cause us take our eyes off of Jesus. We live in what seems to be a complex and complicated world that would demand our constant attention and our best effort in order to survive. The ‘here and now’, the pressures and demands of the day, can easily cause us to lose our focus on what is truly important-the things of God, or the Kingdom of God. Somehow, we may fail to make the connection of what’s taking place around us with the much bigger picture of the plans and purposes of God, and if we fail to make this connection, we will indeed “grow weary and lose heart.” Before the days of modern GPS navigation, the captain of the ship could not afford to be focused on the storm and the turbulent waters, but had to be focused on the lighthouse that would bring the ship to safety; as believers, if we are to live life the way God designed, we must be focused on Jesus and not on the world around us. We do live in the world and we are not excused from taking our place in the day to day affairs of living in the world, but by being focused on Jesus and His kingdom, we are overcomers in life instead of being overcome by life. If we see life as one thing and the kingdom of God as something else, and fail to see that the Kingdom of God in us is what empowers us to live as we are designed to live, our world view will become skewed. As the children of God who have been redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus, we should filter the events of life through the unchanging reality of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is real, and Jesus came in order to demonstrate the kingdom, and not only to demonstrate the kingdom, but to introduce the kingdom as a way of life to those who would believe in Him as the Son of God. Jesus knew that He must suffer death on the cross, but He endured the suffering because He could foresee the joy that would come as a result of His brothers and sisters being restored to the Father.  Just as Jesus knew that joy would come because of the suffering He must endure, we too can anticipate joy when we endure any suffering because of our faith in Christ. We can experience joy in this life, but what joy we experience now will not compare to the joy that will be ours when we are united with Him for all eternity. Jesus has already “set down at the right hand of the throne of God,” signifying that He has finished His work of redemption, and now, by “fixing our eyes on Jesus,” we can anticipate the joy that will be ours at His appearing.
Psalm 16:8: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
November 13, 2016                                THE  WILL  OF  GOD
1 Thessalonians 4:1-3: “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification:”
One definition of sanctification is: “To set a person apart for the use intended by its designer.” As believers, our sanctification is both a past event, and also an ongoing process. Our “sanctification” is a major tenet of the Christian faith and is something that should be understood and viewed as a call of God to all believers. It is an error to say that because we are in Christ, our sanctification is a ‘done deal.’ It is true that our sanctification is based on being in Christ and not because we somehow achieved our sanctification, but because God has redeemed us and set us apart for His purposes, we are sanctified. In the New Testament, we find many instructions and exhortations encouraging believers to walk in holiness, and to live as sanctified people of God. God has made it possible, and He does expect us to be holy, just as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). The central truth is that because He has sanctified us, we are now to live sanctified, holy lives, and we can only live holy by dying to our flesh and living according to the Spirit. Because we see our own failures and short-comings, it may be difficult for us to grasp the fact that we can be holy in thought, action and deed, like God is holy-we can share in His holiness. It may sound like legalism to some, (trying to obey the scriptures in our own strength) but because we are sanctified, we must make choices in life that are in keeping with our sanctification; our life is to resemble, or reflect the very character of God, who is holy. We must never misunderstand our freedom in Christ; our freedom in Christ means that we are free from the old man we use to be, and are now free to live according to who we are in Him. One of the major hurdles that we must overcome is understanding that we are not who we use to be, that we have been made new, and that we can now live ‘holy’ as unto the Lord. Our holiness is not just a concept or theory; our holiness takes on a very practical aspect in the here and now-it determines or influences how we relate to others, it affects how we think, it causes our attitude and view of life to be what God intended, and it produces in us godly character and integrity. Our holiness is not something we have to achieve; we are holy, and by living according to the Spirit and by living according to our new identity in Christ, we reflect the holiness of our Father.
2 Corinthians 7:1: “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
Hebrews 12:14: “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
 

 
November 10, 2016                                           THE  SAME  FATHER
Hebrews 2:11: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
The truths revealed in Hebrews 2:9-18 are absolutely amazing, and indeed these truths, when embraced, changes our identity and view of life. These scriptures clearly reveal why Jesus came and why He was willing to sacrifice Himself for us and what He accomplished by His death.  Understanding that Jesus and ourselves have the same Father is key to understanding why Jesus was willing to die for us; you can correctly say that Jesus came to rescue His brothers and sisters! Because we “share in flesh and blood,” Jesus came to earth and “partook of the same,” He became flesh and blood, and He became like us in all things that He might be our redeemer. The astounding truth is that even before Jesus came to earth, He knew us as His brothers and sisters, and as our brother, He came to redeem us. Ephesians 1:4 tells us that we were know by God long before our physical birth: “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” As His brothers and sisters, we were in need of redemption because of our sin against God; our sin alienated us from God and left us enslaved to sin. The grand news is that our Brother, Jesus, came to our aid and rendered powerless our enemy and set us free from slavery and restored our relationship with our Father! All other religions places on man the responsibility of working his way to ‘heaven,’ but what makes Christianity different from all other religions is that God, through His Son, came to where we were that we might be redeemed-God reached down to us because He loved us, even in our sin. Because Jesus took on ‘flesh and blood,’ and was “made like His brethren in all things,” He identified with man and was able to become our “merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.” (Hebrews 2:17)  Let us read and re-read the second chapter of Hebrews, asking the Holy Spirit to illuminate the truth that Jesus is our brother, that He came to restore us back to the Father, and that we have been set free from the slavery in which we once lived!
Hebrews 2:10: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.”
Hebrews 2:18: “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
November 6, 2016                                HEARTS  BEING  ESTABLISHED
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13: “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”
Some may see the scriptures as a book of laws, or principles that one must one by one ‘work on,’ or strive to keep, but in reality they feel they are never quite able to measure up to the task. It is certainly true that the scriptures contain many instructions for life, and one is wise to see the bible as a guide for life. As we consider how we are to live according to all the commands of scripture, we may feel overwhelmed with the challenge; however, there is an amazing truth that reveals the path, and enables us to live according to the gospel. Because we hear so often that “God is love,” we may lose the far-reaching impact and the power of the love of God. One of the fundamental verses, and truth of the scriptures, is expressed in the familiar passage, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  In 1 John 4:8 we see that God is love: “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Human love is based on selfish motives and desires, whereas God’s loved is based on pure motives and a desire to bless others, whether they deserve it or not, and with no strings attached. As believers, we can experience His love personally, and we can be expressions of His love to others, as we see in Romans 5:5: “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” When we know and experience the love of God, to follow His commands and teachings is our delight, and it becomes natural for us to walk in His ways.  Seeing His commands as a list of things we must do to please Him, and feeling that it is impossible to keep them, is a sure sign that one does not know the love of God. The love of God at work in us leads to peace, hope, righteousness, unity, and words and actions that build up. Galatians 5:14 reveals an amazing truth: “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the love of God in our hearts, and when live by the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, we then find ourselves being expressions of His love and we find ourselves naturally keeping and honoring His commands and teachings. Finally, note that we are to “increase and abound in love for one another.” Our love for others is not to plateau, but is to be increasing, and even abounding! Yes, God IS LOVE, and His love enables us to live according to the gospel. His love sets us free to be who He designed us to be! Rather than seeing the scriptures as laws to keep, may we see the scriptures as being a description, or revelation of who we are in Him.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
November 3, 2016                            RELIEF  IS  ON  THE  WAY
2 Thessalonians 1:6-8: “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
What a sobering verse! Our culture has come to a place where the focus is on living for the present with little or no regard for the future, and the idea that there will be a ‘retribution’ some day for those who do not know God and for those who do not obey the gospel, is considered archaic.  It must be pointed out that the afflictions that Paul is addressing are the afflictions that come as a result of faith in Christ and obedience to the gospel. Believers who obey the gospel will experience afflictions-some more than others-because those who do not know God do not understand the things of God and what they do not understand, they reject, and those living in darkness react when their deeds are exposed by the light. (John 3:19-20)  Believers are to live in the world, but not be of the world, and this not being of the world, sets the stage for rejection and affliction for those who are not of the world. Paul’s message in Thessalonians is that God is well aware of the afflictions that Christians endure, and that He is taking note, and He will one day afflict those who have afflicted His people and He will give relief to those wo belong to Him. God is not a distant God who ignores the plight of His people, but is a God who is near and a God who will right the wrongs suffered by His own. Also, note that God is not going to give just a ‘slap on the wrist’ to those who afflict believers, but He will appear with “mighty angels in flaming fire,” “dealing out retribution.” One day, God will declare that enough is enough, and He will come with relief for His people! In the meantime, we are to remain strong in the faith, and live in obedience to the gospel in the midst of affliction. In verses eleven and twelve, we read: “To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Let us not become dull in spirit, but let us live in obedience to the gospel, looking forward to His return and the relief that He will give to those He finds faithful.
Titus 2:12-13: “instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;”
Blessings, Buddy
PS: Though a believer’s salvation is eternally secure, there will be consequences for believers who do not live in obedience to the gospel. It’s not about sinless perfection, but about living according to the gospel; when we sin, we confess it and then continue living in fellowship with God and according to His ways. Our focus is to be living according to our new identity in Christ.