Can We Be Close to Jesus Like His Disciples Were? Matthew 12:49-50

Wouldn't it have been wonderful to walk with Jesus as he traveled over the Judean countryside, just to be intimate and close to the Lord and really know him? Too bad those days are gone, but according to the words of Christ it is possible to us today.

"And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:49-50

CONTEXT
Jesus said this after being told his mother and brothers were waiting to see him but they were unable to approach because of the crowds.

You would have thought the response would be for Christ to jump up and go to his family since scripture teaches we are to care for our family. But it was more important that he use the moment for teaching to his greater family, about a greater extended family of greater intimacy.

AND STRETCHING OUT HIS HAND
A strange and small detail but this gesture is recorded for a reason. It shows many things.

• He was personable. That gesture is one any of us might make.
• It was a powerful communication to those he gestured to; imagine how they must have felt to see the Lord pointing to them as he declared they were his family.
• It is a detail that an observant journalist would report; this detail proves the account believable.
• The gesture makes his meaning unmistakable.

TOWARD HIS DISCIPLES
At first one would think Jesus meant the twelve but he gestured to all. His statement was inclusive and not just the twelve. If it included the crowded house of that day it must also include the crowded world of today.

HERE ARE MY MOTHER AND MY BROTHERS
Did you ever want to be one of Christ's disciples, what about being his brother or sister? In this statement, our Lord says, "Yes you are my brother my sister...."

FOR WHOEVER
The whoever in this verse is you and me. Not just some super saint, or priest, or seminary graduate but any guy on the street can by obedience to the Father become accounted as a brother or sister.

DOES THE WILL
We use the word, does, as an action word it is a word of work, doing and moving. Doing the will of the father is not about sitting in church on Sunday but more. We have to know His will and that means knowing His Word then we have to be obedient to its teaching.

INVITATION
To declare the possibility of kinship with Jesus by obeying the father is an invitation, it is saying the door to intimacy with Jesus is open.  But do we do God's will? The Bible offers many verses about God's will.  Here are just a few for you to start with.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Give thanks.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Be sanctified.
• 1 Peter 2:15, Do good.
• 2 Peter 3:9, For none to perish.
• Micah 6:8, Walk Humbly.

If you want to learn more about having the light of Jesus in your life follow THIS LINK.

(c) Adron 12/25/17

Is There Something Dangerous About Jesus' Teaching?

Is there something that is dangerous about the teaching of Jesus? He himself warns that there is in John 12:35.

"Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going." John 12:35, NIV

JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER
This is a temporary world, and our lives here are temporary. Although the one who believes in Christ is eternally secure, which means that salvation cannot be lost, the opportunity to be the light in this world is only for a short time.

WALK WHILE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT
Jesus used the word walk to describe the totality of life. Walking is one of the most common activities of a healthy human being. It is a metaphor for the travel through our lives to the destination we all face at the end.

THE LIGHT
You may hear a powerful and convicting sermon, or go on a wonderful mountain-top retreat or participate in an eye-opening mission service but if the lessons you learned from God in those times are not lived out every day thereafter they will wither away inside you and instead of being a blessing become a weight holding you back in every area of your life.

The phrase, while you have the light, suggests these blessed truths will not always be there or that we are in danger of losing it at any time. In the context of John 12:35, the disciples must have thought that Jesus was referring to his death when His light would be taken then, but we must all take warning to live the truths we have been given.

WHOEVER WALKS IN THE DARK
Many people fail to be true to the light of Jesus' teaching. They have little understanding, mix it all up, and hurt people in the name of God. They wander in the dark and cause others to stumble after them.

Neglecting the teaching we have received is dangerous. If we fail to live out the light we have been given, that light will become darkness inside us. We must all be diligent about staying in the light of Christ's teaching and practically living that light.


If you want to learn more about having the light of Jesus in your life follow THIS LINK.

(c)Adron Dozat 8/31/17 

Did Jesus Teach More Than The Lord's Prayer? Mark 1:35

Let's think about how the Lord prayed.

Most of us are familiar with the Lord's Prayer and consider it the definitive word on prayer, but that is not all that we can learn from the Lord about prayer.

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."  Mark 1:35.

IN THE MORNING

At the start of his day, not in the middle of a busy day or the tired used up the end of a day but at the beginning- as if it was too important to wait. Prayer was one of the driving engines of his activities.

We must be willing to make prayer a priority.

HAVING RISEN

These are words of affirmation and are expressive of action. This is what he did; he must have been resolved and committed since he was willing to pay the price. His getting up early was deliberate; this was not Jesus saying to himself, "Well, I'm up early. I might as well pray."  It was intentional.

We must be resolved in our plans to pray.

WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK

This was a long time before daybreak. Not just a few minutes early, but he got up a long time before daybreak so he could spend a long time in prayer. He allowed himself time, and if there was no other time, he took it from sleep.

We must be willing to give time to pray.

DEPARTED

He separated himself from distractions, even leaving the house and the people behind. He got away from the crowd. He eliminated the surprise interruption.

We must be willing to leave comfort to pray.

SOLITARY PLACE
He found a place where he could be alone with God, a place where he could focus on God, listen, and talk to his father in prayer.

We must be willing to be alone to pray.

HE PRAYED
These words are like the grand finale. This is like the end of it all, even though it is the beginning of his day. Prayer is what he did.

JESUS A LIVING PARABLE
A parable is a teaching story; it has a moral or a point. We should look at Jesus' example of dedication and sacrifice in prayer and read it like a parable.  We should be inspired by his life and seek to copy it in any way we could. His prayer life is a discipline we all must aim for. If he prayed like this, what about us?

Prayer has little or no meaning if you do not know Jesus as your Savior.  To learn more, see my blog on the Gospel, click here.

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and encouraging.  For more like this, see the most popular post in the left sidebar.

© Adron 7/3/15

Here is a link to an inspirational art by Castarillo. It shows Jesus up close in the passion of prayer.  CLICK HERE to see this dramatic art. 

How Can God Make Promises to Sinners?

The Bible is full of promises from God to man, but how can that work since God is holy and man is sinful?

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." 2 Corinthians 1:20.

PROMISES
A promise implies a relationship, it may be a relationship of a friend or of someone who is subject to authority, or of a passing acknowledgment of one another, but there has to be a relationship that allows communication before you can have a promise.

BUT
God is pure and holy He does not associate with sin and He will not have a relationship with sinners.

HOPE
In the Bible, God has given many promises to those who love and obey him. The greatest promise is that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son so that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life" John 3:16. That promise is the guarantee of eternal life. God can fulfill that promise to us because Christ fulfilled the demands of judgment for sin. Through that promise, we can enter into a relationship with The Father in Heaven.

AND
Because Jesus' death paid for our sin we have salvation and all the other promises of God's goodness are available. Without Christ's death, none of The Lord's promises would be available to us for we would have no standing before The Almighty, instead of the promises of good we would have the prospect of judgment.

GOD SAYS YES
More than a yes the sacrifice of the Lord is a seal of approval or ratification. God gives his affirmation that the work of Jesus is satisfactory to meet the requirements of Justice. The ultimate demonstration of the Yes of God for the work of Jesus is the resurrection.

WE SAY AMEN
Amen, can mean mutual agreement. To say amen is to say I agree.
     * We agree Christ is the fulfillment of the promises of God,
     * It is an agreement to a partnership with Christ.
     * It is an agreement of the worth of Christ,
     * It is an agreement that we are sinners in need of his saving.
     * It is an agreement that Christ is our savior.
You could say the Christian life is all about the Amen.

You could say Christianity is all about Jesus.

If you want to know more about having a relationship with God see my other blog.

(c)Adron Dozat

Where Can I Find Peace From Suffering?

We suffer in many ways, some of us suffer deeply, even after years of trying to get relief.  Some of us even carry painful scars through our lives.  The Bible gives a story of a woman who had suffered deeply for years and what she did to find great peace.

"At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'"  Mark 5:30

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."Mark 5:34*.

This is from the story of the woman who had an incurable flow of blood. For twelve years, she spent her money on doctors who failed to heal her. Finding Jesus in the crowd she touches his cloak thinking just touching Jesus' garment will transfer healing to her.

Having a flow of blood made her culturally unclean, an outcast, and if she was open about her condition she might have been stoned by the crowd. Her touch according to their views transferred uncleanness to whatever she touched, and touching a teacher would be a very bad thing.

In response to her touch, she is immediately healed. Jesus perceives the healing and asked the crowd who it was that touched him. She comes forward and tells all about the miracle. Then Jesus said those wonderful words. "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

There are so many encouragements in this passage. Read the passage in your Bible, (see link below) and look for these encouragements:

1. Jesus is accessible. When she pressed through the crowd she was able to touch him. So don't give up, keep trying to come. He is there waiting for you.
2. Jesus knows. He knew the woman had been to him, he knew she touched him, he knew she was healed, and he knows your hurt.
3. Miracles are rarely secret and when they are it is only for a time. We are given blessings to qualify us to testify to the glory of God. He looked for her so she could testify.
4. Faith in Jesus brought her healing, and faith in him can bring healing to us.
5. Jesus wants to bring us peace. He blessed this woman with "Go in peace." He wants to say the same to us.
6. He wanted her to be free on all levels, He said, "be freed from your suffering." It is freedom not only of the physical illness, but the emotional pain, and psychological, and even socially, since a flow of blood made one "unclean." socially. 
7. Jesus' power is awesome. He could bring complete healing to one who had an illness for so long a time. No matter how long we have suffered he can bring peace and freedom.
8. Her faith had action. She had to take the risk of being discovered as an unclean woman in a crowd, and of touching a teacher. Though she was trying to "get away with it" when the call came she came before him and fell down and told all that happened. My faith has to have action.

We hear it all the time, and it is still true even if old; come to Jesus, bring him your hurt, pain, and suffering. He is waiting to say, "Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

*To read the entire passage click here, Mark 5:27-34.

(c) Adron 6/3/13

How Did Jesus Handle Rejection?

This short post gives a perspective on being rejected from the example of Jesus who experienced tremendous rejection and misunderstanding.

***

When we experience rejection we are sometimes angry and hurt, we lash back or pout.  What did Jesus do when he was rejected?

How did Jesus handle with Rejection

"But when the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, 'Hosanna to the Son of David,' they were indignant. 'Do you hear what these children are saying?' 'Yes,' replied Jesus, 'Have you never read, from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise. 'And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night." Matthew 21:16-17, NIV.

SO SAD
This is the sorry end of what should have been the greatest day in history.  The people were ready to receive him as king, he came riding humbly on a donkey to fulfill prophecy, (Zechariah 9:9), he cleansed the temple, the children were praising him, and he healed the sick, all are actions demonstrating that he was the rightful king- but, the leaders out of jealousy rejected him.

JESUS' REACTION TO REJECTION
     * Jesus did not argue further with them.
     * He did not demand they accept the evidence of his authority and Kingship.
     * He did not force himself upon them.
     * He did not use power to overcome the rejection.
     * He did not command angel armies or followers to support of His Kingship.

He does not force himself on anybody, Jesus offers himself.

REJECTING JESUS TODAY
The offer was rejected, "and he left them and went out of the city..."  Though he is Savior forever; there are times when we may reject his influence in our lives.  There may be an area of thought, family, job, friendships, or time management where he is waiting to be the king, but we reject his kingship.  When we reject him he withdraws, he won't force himself where he is not invited.

When the leaders rejected Jesus they rejected blessing, glory, and salvation for themselves and Israel.  When a person today rejects Jesus as king of family, thoughts, money, or some other area then they may be rejecting blessings.

A day is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord, and a time when he will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords; but we seem to be living in a time of grace and choice.

WARNING TO US
These are frighting words which say, "and went out of the city."  When rejected Jesus completely removed himself from them.  His influence was gone.  No more healing, miracles or teaching in the city that day.  Jesus promises to never leave nor forsake his own, he said that no one can snatch those who come to him out of his hand,  ( John 10:28); but the Christian life is a living, and growing relationship with Christ and relationships are work.  We must be open to Jesus and careful to not reject him in any area of our lives.

May our response to Jesus be not a cause for him to withdraw his blessings and influence in our lives.


If you are interested in receiving Jesus follow this link: Click Here.

Philippians 2:11  Revelation 19:16

(c)Adron Dozat

Where Can You Go To Meet With God? Psalm 42:1-2

Where can you go to meet with God? If he is all-present then He should be here right now, but somehow we do not sense He is with us.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:1-2. NIV.

THIRST
We all have a thirst for something. We keep trying to satisfy our thirst for meaning in our lives; we try with material possessions, relationships status, or something else. It may be we are looking at the wrong thing.

PASSION
The word picture of the deer panting for the streams of water expresses passion and desire to the point of death since water is essential for life. The deer is a picture of desperation, and in the same way, we should be desperate for God. We need to seek God with longing and thirst.

• Do we have such passion?
• Do we thirst for God?
• Are we willing to know the living and true God?
• Do we desire to meet with God?

BARRIER
There is a barrier between us and God. It is an ugly barrier and it is known by an ugly word, sin. But God sent his son to break down the barrier and make it possible to encounter God. When Jesus died on the cross he paid the price for our sins and satisfied the judgment of holy God. The resurrection makes clear the judgment is complete and eternal life is available in Christ.

WHERE
God makes the way to us and invites us to come to him. The where is not a place but a person, Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6. The Gospel of John says, "To as many as received him who believe on his name he gave the right to become the sons of God." John 1:12.

Jesus invites us to come to him; in him, we find the fulfillment of all our thirst.

To learn more about coming to God follow this link: click here.

(c)Adron Dozat 4/28/13

How To Find Out About Jesus

How can we understand who Jesus is?  Who is he in history, and human affairs? The correct view of Jesus is possibly the most important understanding we can have- all eternity may depend on it

"Simon Peter answered, ' You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man but by my Father in heaven.'"Matthew 16:17, NIV.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
The words quoted are the conclusion of a conversation where Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Who do people say I am?" Peter replied that people thought he was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or some other prophet. Then Jesus asked, "Who do you say I am?"

People have many ideas about Jesus; some say he was a teacher, mystic or just a man, and some deny his irrefutable existence but a few embrace his Deity.

So, who is Jesus? Peter declared he was the, "Christ the son of the living God,"

CHRIST
Christ is the one who is the Savior, chosen of God to rescue mankind from their sins, give peace to men's hearts, and bring them to a relationship with the Father.

SON
This not to say God gave birth in the physical sense but that God without giving up his deity took on the lower form of humanity, being both fully God and fully man.

LIVING GOD
This is referring to the true God, the only One, the Eternal One, who is active, Lord of life, a far cry for the gods the world then or today.

ENDORSED
Jesus replied, "This was not revealed by man but by my Father in heaven." Jesus did not say, "Peter, you got it wrong. I am not God," instead with the highest endorsement he reaffirms Peter's declaration.

The true person of Christ is something we must get right. We need the Father to reveal to us who he really is.

Pray...
     * For the Father to reveal who Jesus is.
     * To be willing to abandon preconceived ideas.
     * To be willing to change in response to what we learn.
     * As you read the Bible pray for God to show Jesus in its pages.

BLESSED
Christ said Peter was blessed because God revealed the truth to him. We will be blessed when we come to understand who Jesus is. Understanding Jesus will make all the difference in your life because no one who has a genuine encounter with Jesus remains the same.

To learn more about what Jesus means for your eternal salvation follow this link: Click Here.

____________________________

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above.  

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(c)Adron Dozat

Is Who Jesus Is Important?

We may think we know who Jesus is and feel comfortable or complacent about his identity. What if not knowing who Jesus really is makes a difference? What if missing out on who Jesus is means we miss out on something really important?

"And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, 'Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.'And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. " Matthew 13: 57-58. NIV.

THE NEIGHBOR KID
In this passage, Jesus was in his hometown and the people took offense at him. The people were basically saying, "We know this guy, don't we? He grew up here. It's just Jesus, Mary's kid." They were so familiar with Jesus they thought they knew that they missed out on who he really is.

We do that with all our relationships. We get comfortable and begin to take a friendship, a family member, or even a spouse for granted; we assume we know all there is and nothing more is there.

FAITH IN WHOM
The problem becomes the words, "And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." They were too familiar with a Jesus they thought they knew and that translated into a lack of faith. It is as if Jesus became common so they failed to see past the usual. The commonness of Jesus became an obstacle that diminished their faith. Because they misunderstood who he was they were not able to have faith in who he was.

Today we might say, "Isn't this just the Baby Jesus we sing about at Christmas? Don't we take about him in Sunday School every week? Isn't he in the songs on my Gospel music collection? Isn't he the topic of the book I bought at the Bible Book Store?" It is just the same as the people in Jesus' hometown.

MIRACLES
If Jesus does not bless us with miraculous it may not be because we lack faith, but that we have a wrong idea about him and who he is. We must pray that he reveals himself to us clearly, and be open to having our ideas corrected by him. We must not neglect our relationship with Jesus; we may need to repent of doing so and seek his forgiveness.

Jesus is knowable. He is revealed in the Holy Scripture. If you want to know how to have Jesus in your life follow this link to my other blog: Click Here.

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(c)Adron Dozat

What Does Jesus Call Us To Do?

There is much confusion about what Jesus is asking of people. People say one thing and another, but few look at what Jesus himself said.

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, NIV.

COME
If Jesus had a catch-phrase it would be the word, "Come." Over and over he says to persons and groups, Come to me..." His life was an open invitation to all. This invitation is to come to a person, Jesus, not a series of rules and regulations.  We come to the Man of Galilee not a creed or system of philosophy. Many find this to be difficult, because it is a relationship and relationships take work, unlike a cold impersonal set of rules to live by.

ALL
Christ invites all to come, all who are weary and burdened. No matter who we are, what we have done, or have experienced, Jesus welcomes us. No one is too bad or too wicked; there is not exception clause, he says all may come.

REST
Jesus offers something no one else ever does, or can, and if they did it would be insane. He offers rest. He says, "I will give you rest," this is a strange use of the word rest.  We would say, "Take some rest or get some rest;" but Jesus is saying something new and different here- he is the source of rest.

Christ offers the end of the struggle with guilt, victory over pain, and the finish of shame. If we rest in a chair it is temporary but Jesus offers a new, unending, and fully complete rest because in his next sentence, recorded in verse 29, he defines it as rest for your souls, this has to be a deeper, more complete, and more fulfilling rest than any other we could ever find.

WHAT AN OFFER
If we are weary of the struggle of our pain and burden he invites us to bring it to him. If we are tired of trying to solve our problems, and if the burdens of our hearts are too heavy to bear then Jesus is calling each of us. No matter what guilt, or shame, or pain we carry he says, "Come."

(c)Adron Dozat

Who is Too Dirty For Jesus? Matthew 8:3

We might feel like we have done the unforgivable and we will never be acceptable again. We may ask, "Will we ever feel the loving touch again?"

"Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing.' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately he was cured of his leprosy." Matthew 8:3, NIV.

LEPROSY
In this passage, a man with leprosy kneels before Jesus and says, "Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean." Everyone knows what horrible disease leprosy is; it is highly contagious, and the afflicted were outcasts who were pelted with stones if they approached another person. Leprosy was often used to typify sin and sin's punishment, this symbolism was an additional stigma carried by the afflicted persons.

THE LEPER
He was a lonely, outcast, and estranged from society, but he comes and kneels before Jesus and expresses his faith in the Lord to have the ability to heal him. One wonders, did he intend to question Jesus' willingness to heal him? His words, "If you are willing." almost sounds sarcastic- or was he referring to the teaching that leprosy implied sin's punishment, which meant he was a sinner.

It was more, it was an act of faith; he believed in Jesus' power to heal, so he says, "If you are willing."

JESUS
Jesus is willing. "Jesus reached out his hand," and touched him on purpose; he did not accidentally brush him, but really reached out and touched the man. This man had not been touched by another person in who knows how long, and now he is touched by Jesus.

You can almost hear the crowd gasp today. A rabbi would never touch a person who was unclean, and a sensible person would never touch a leper. Yet in love, Jesus tosses that aside.

WE NEED HIS TOUCH
How much did that touch communicate to the leprous man? Love, acceptance, validation, worth, and emotional healing were all in that gentle touch. We all have pain and affliction, we have sorrow and hurt, many of us face dreadful situations that have scarred us, but Jesus is willing to heal, comfort, and love. We do not fully understand why we suffer but we know he is as grieved by our sorrows as we are. In the darkest depths of our woes, we find how high are the heights of His Love. We need to come to Jesus, kneel, and say, "Lord, I know you can perform a miracle in this situation." Jesus is willing.

(c)Adron Dozat

What Is It To deny The Lord? Luke 22:62

We all want to think that we are true to the Lord. We think that it is other people in tough situations who give in to denying their Savior.

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him, "Before the rooster crows today you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly."  Luke 22:61-62, NIV.

PETER
Peter was the vocal and leading disciple, a zealot who was quick to say the others may deny the Lord but not him.

He denied the Lord to a servant girl, not a strong armored roman guard with a sword.  It was a small thing and a person who was little in society- just a servant girl. The next person was a nameless person in the Bible and so is the one after that; people who are forgotten, but to them, Peter denies knowing the Lord.

The thing is not who he denied it to but who it was he denied. He only thought about who was in front of him, he thought more about his situation than about his Savior.

THREE
There were three opportunities to stand with Christ, but they became three defeats for the disciple. After denying the Lord to the servant girl Peter was less able to declare his loyalty to the stranger and in the case of the third "called curses down upon himself." The depth denial increased with each incident.

THE FOURTH DENIAL
At the third denial, the rooster crows and Jesus looks at Peter. Was it the last chance for Peter? Was this an opportunity to set things right? Could Peter have then declared that he took it all back and then owned Jesus as friend and master? We do not know if it was the last opportunity to stand with Jesus but we know he goes outside.

Peter does not find himself in a better place; he did not win new friends, status, fame or fortune. He found himself "outside." Each small step led to a place outside. We think little compromises give comfort or aid us in some way but we find ourselves weeping outside.

A BIG TRUTH ABOUT DENIAL
Peter runs outside the courtyard and weeps bitterly. Each step leads to this scene of regret and remorse. Each action led to the next, and each denial was worse than the one before. We must beware of the little compromises. The heart of denial starts in the little steps, they are small but the consequences are great. We must beware of the little compromises, that is where denying the Lord starts and where the unfaithfulness to him begins.

To learn more about finding Jesus as your Savior follow this link: Click Here.

© Adron 3/21/13

Who Can Come To God?

There are many things that keep us from God. Yet we need God and look for him. Much of the activity in our lives may be a subconscious cry for God.

"Open to me the gates of righteousness I will enter and give thanks to the Lord." Psalm 118:19, NIV.

OPEN...
We cannot of ourselves open up the way of righteousness. We need another to do it for us. We look for one who is able to make the way of righteousness open to us and we find it in the person and work of Jesus. Jesus opens the way of righteousness by living a holy and perfect life which he gives as an atoning sacrifice on our behalf to pay for our sins. The empty tomb is a testimony that the work of Jesus satisfies the requirement of justice and the need in our lives.  He makes it clear that this is his purpose when Jesus said, "I am the gate to the sheepfold." We cannot open the gate so Jesus became the opening for us.

GATES...
Gates are in walls and walls keep things either in or out. There is a wall between man and God, the sin of man cannot approach God and the holiness of God forbids sin's admission. The picture of a gate is a picture of hope since a gate is the place of admission. Jesus said, "strive to enter by the narrow gate." He offers one way of salvation.

I WILL ENTER...
Entry is not automatic, but entry is available to any who will come.  The death of Jesus paid for all sin and all sinners may come, but they must each decide to come. We must admit our need and call on his offer of salvation. We must decide, we each must say I will accept the gift of salvation. I will accept the gift of this new life of worship and service. God established that salvation comes through a personal act of faith and this makes it possible for any to come.

THANKS...
We who come have much to be thankful for. We have salvation, new life, sonship, fellowship blessings eternal life, and no fear of judgment. Giving thanks is the logical and moral responsibility for the gift of admittance into the blessings of God's promise, it is also a foundation of worship, service, and obedience.

TO THE LORD...
When we come to God we come to one who is Lord. We must understand he is not just Jesus the baby in a manger but he is the one St. John calls the beginning and the end. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. St. Paul said before him every knee will bow and every tongue confesses that he is Lord.

We give thanks to the Lord not as an exercise or ritual but as worship; as an act of praise and adoration to the one who is the King and Ruler Of All who pardons sin and give eternal life. But to call him Lord is also to call him one who we will obey and serve.


John 10:7
Luke 13:23,24
Revelation 19:16
Philippians 2:10

(c)Adron Dozat

What Does It Mean That Jesus Is Coming Back?

The Bible tells us that Jesus is going to come back soon.  During Roman persecution, this was great hope for deliverance. What does it mean to us today?

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come soon, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20, NIV.

The first part of the Bible verse above are the words of Jesus, the last part is the apostle's response.

AFFIRMATION
This verse has several affirmative words, "Testifies, yes and amen." The combined tone of these words is to say this is for certain, agreed upon, and wanted. That "yes" is like Jesus is saying, "This is set in stone and can't change, it will happen- I am coming soon."

AMEN
The Apostle John responds to the promise of Jesus return with "Amen, come soon..."  It like a prayer, and he says it with hope.  This was the same Apostle John who walked with Jesus and rested his head on Jesus' bosom at the last supper; he loved Jesus and longed for his return.

Can we say, "Amen, come soon Lord Jesus?" It appears today we are not as passionate about the Lord's return as the Apostle.  Jesus's return is one of our faith's great hopes, but we are too caught up in this world to want to serve the next one.  We must acknowledge the Bible teaches as fact that Jesus is coming soon, maybe today. We are caught up too much with family, job, hobbies, and amusements, to give his return the proper place in our hearts. What would life be like if we did?

     * Would we treat people differently?
     * Would we spend time different?
     * Would we work more for Jesus and less for self?
     * Would our thoughts be about self or about Jesus and his Glory?
     * Would we be more forgiving and compassionate?
     * Would we see slights and offenses as trivial?
     * Would we find purpose in trials?

LORD
He is coming not as the lowly carpenter but to be Lord of everything.  Scripture pictures his return with a sword, not a shepherd's crook.  He is the righteous and divinely appointed ruler who alone is worthy to rule mankind.  He will take away the sorrows of this world and bring peace, love, and joy.

Jesus' coming does not only affect us but it changes everything for everyone we love.  For some who love Jesus, his coming will be wondrous, but for those who have not trusted him as Savior they will be far from hope.

He is coming soon.  May we be challenged and encouraged by this hope.

If you are not ready for Jesus, or if you want to learn more about coming to Jesus follow this link to my other post: click here.

© Adron 1/16/13

How To Love. Ephesians 5:2

Jesus gives the ultimate example of love. What would sum up his example of how to love? The Bible suggests an answer to this question.

"And live a life of love, just as Christ has loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:2, NIV*.

A LIFE OF LOVE
To live a life of love is a wonderful idea but what is it? Today love has become polluted and is associated with what one can get; love has become all about me and my feelings. It has become cheap, common, and little.

THE LOVE OF JESUS
The Lord did not live a life of seeking gratification, he lived a life of service and sacrifice; this defines Jesus' love. The verse above refers to his love as a past tense. The past tense points out that his love is proved and evidenced by the history of actions. There are things to look at in the life of Jesus which say this action is love.

HE GAVE HIMSELF
His life was not taken it was given; the death of Jesus on the cross was not an accident, but he gave himself freely. It was on purpose that the Lord left heaven to take on human flesh as a baby to become a man that would die as a substitute for our sins.

WHAT IS SO FRAGRANT?
A fragrant offering is one that is acceptable and pleasing to God. It is one that fully satisfies the requirements of holiness, meaning when Jesus died for our sins it was enough- no more is needed to answer the judgment of God.

Jesus' love compelled him to become a servant and he did what no other servant could do, he paid for the sins of mankind. We will never fully appreciate the depth and awesomeness of that act. All of God's judgment against each man's sin entirely came upon Jesus as he hung on the cross.

OUR PART
For salvation there is no "our part," he did it all, we cannot add to it improve it or make it better. We simply accept by faith what Jesus did on our behalf as our savior. When we trust Jesus as savor he comes into our lives and gives us the power to love as he did.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING
"And live a life of love..." These words are words of commitment, not an accident. We must partner with God's Spirit in us by resolving to live a life of love. We must decide to love and seek sacrificial acts of love to perform.

If you are interested in learning more about how to have Jesus' love in your life follow this link: Click Here.

To read this verse in other translations follow this link: Online Parallel Bible.

© Adron 12/25/12

How To Recognize Wisdom. James 3:17

How can we recognize wisdom? It is a valuable asset in a person's character. If you can identify this person they would be the person of choice.

"But the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." James 3:17 NIV*.

THE SOURCE
From above, it is from God and learned in the study of his Word, the Bible, and the fellowship of prayer and devotion. It is not that the wise believe in God or religion- it is who his faith in God has made him into. It is gained through much time with the Creator.

PRIMARY
It is first pure, without malice or agendas. It is innocent of wrongdoing or wrong thinking. It is free from pride, vanity, lust, and vainglory. This purity is of the heart, and from it grows out all the other traits of wisdom.

PEACE-LOVING
We all want peace, but the wise not only wants peace; they love peace. Peace is its passion; this makes it patient and gentle, not causing strife but being a peacemaker.

OTHERS
It is others' focused, not about self. It is considerate; it takes the needs, feelings, and concerns of others and elevates those above itself.

SUBMISSIVE
It is not arrogant, but it is humble. It takes the role of the servant. It is willing to yield its own rights to others. It is not inflexible about opinions or views but will bow to the moral standard when a difference of opinion may occur.

FULL OF MERCY
It is merciful. It leaves justice to the hands of God and practices the character of God that forgives. It has the mercy of actions, not just goodwill.

GOOD FRUIT
One doesn't need to wait long to see the good fruit. This is the evidence of a life lived wisely.

IMPARTIAL
There is no favoritism but is the same for all who it encounters; each person is treated with grace no matter race, religion, social status, or any other consideration.

SINCERE
The actions that define it are true at all times and to the core of the being.

THE COMMON DENOMINATOR
These tests of wisdom are all tests of actions and not matters of intellect or learning. These actions all have to do with our treatment of those around us. We must not be content to think wise but to act wisely.

The Lord Jesus is the ideal example of one who lived out these standards of wisdom. It is when we come to him to invite him into our lives and walk with him that we grow into wisdom.

*To read this verse in other translations, follow this link: James 3:7

(c) Adron 12/20/12

Who Would Be the Perfect Choice for a Leader

What does the Bible say about the world's leaders? What would be the profile of the perfect leader?

"For to us a Child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time and on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6 7, NIV*.

This is a prophecy of Jesus as the Ruling Savior, but it speaks to us today not just for the future when he will be King.

These verses describe the perfect world ruler, he has everything; he is wise, mighty, enduring, peaceful, prosperous, just and righteous.

If Jesus will be the perfect world ruler what about Jesus as my ruler, is he my King? The prophecy quoted above starts with, "For us..." He is not the king of mythology, or of a distant future, or of a spiritual kingdom we must wait to partake of after we die- then it could not be "for us..." Many say, "Yes, Jesus is my king," if he is our king we must obey him and learn his commands and more. We must him see as our "Everything King." This is not too radical since the verses quoted describe a king who is everything the world needs, let's remember that Jesus is our Everything Savoir.

Jesus made some statements where He reveals he is the satisfaction of every need:
     * "I am the bread of life," John 6:35.
     * "I am the Resurrection," John 11:25.
     * "I am the good Shepherd," John 10:10."
     * "I am the way the truth and the life." John 14:6.
These are just a few.

We must put Jesus in our lives in our need places. We should say Jesus is the king of my job or Lord of my family, but the next step is to make Jesus the fulfillment of that need; to say Jesus is my job satisfaction, or Jesus is the rewarding family life.

One may say Jesus is the lord of the body and health but he is more; we need to learn to say, "Jesus, you are my good health; all the blessings I might have had in a healthy body, I find in you."

One may say I do not have a rewarding job but instead should say, "Jesus you are my rewarding job. The satisfaction I would find in my job I find in you.

One may say, "I wish I lived in a better house," but instead should say, "Jesus, you are my house, the joy I would have had in a lovely home I find in you."

Jesus will be the perfect king of the earth when he returns and he is the perfect king of each of us who choose him now.

To learn more about how to make Jesus your savior and king follow this link: Click Here.

* To read this verse in other translations click this link: Isaiah 9:6

(c)Adron Dozat

Will Jesus Be Worshiped in Heaven? Revelation 5:8

What does the Bible say about Heaven? There will be worship in heaven, but who will be worshiped and who will be doing the worshiping.

"And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb..." Revelation 5:8, NIV*.

WORSHIP IS HUMBLE
When Jesus, who is represented as the sacrificial lamb, takes the scroll (which some think is representing the title deed to the universe), the angelic creatures and elders fall down before him. You might say they lay down to lower themselves before Jesus. This speaks of an attitude of total commitment to worship. This reminds us of our need to be humble and even submissive in my worship.

There is a lot of singing in Revelation 5.

• The elders sing a new song, verse 9.
• The angels sing in loud voice, verse 11, 12.
• The creatures sing, verse 12.
• Every creature in heaven and earth sing, verse 13.

EXAMPLE
This example encourages us to participate in a worshiping community, there are no soloist in this chapter, it is congregational worship. Lets be thankful to be in a community that worships, and we must always participate in worship services.

SONGS
The songs they sing contains a declaration or proclamation, "You are worthy..." verses 9 12; To him...be praise honor and glory and power..." verse 13. I must remember that in my prayers to declare the worth or value that Jesus is to me.

REASON
The songs contain a because. The reason Jesus is worthy is, "Because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation," verse 9b. Because Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross to pay for our sins and deliver us from the wrath of eternal judgment He is so worthy of our praise and worship and service.

THE CENTER OF WORSHIP
This worship is centered on, "Him who sits on the throne and the lamb..." We may be blessed by the acts of worship, but the purpose and point of it all it to bless Jesus.

We need to make a renewed effort to daily worship the Savior.To learn more about how to find Jesus as your Savior follow this link; Click Here.

*To read this verse in other versions follow this link: Online Parallel Bible.

(c)Adron Dozat

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Adron

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Can I Lose Salvation? John 10:28

Is eternal life really eternal, or is it only good so long as I hold on?

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one shall snatch them out of my hand," John 10:28, NIV*.

WHAT IS ETERNAL LIFE?
The idea of eternal life is the hope of all mankind. Eternal life is more than eternal existence. A living thing is moving, growing, interacting, experiencing, and in the case of eternal life, it is aware. Eternal existence may imply eternal darkness or eternal sleep or something worse.

Eternal life must be a life of thrilling fulfillment and abundance that is completely gratifying. In this world, we can only conceive of it in vague generalities.

JESUS SAID
Jesus said I give them eternal life. Eternal life is not earned or merited by good deeds but is clearly a gift, and the surprise is that it comes from Jesus, not our efforts. A gift must be received; we must take the gift, or else it is just an offer.

Only God can give eternal life. Since God is the Eternal One and the Author of life, the logic of Jesus's statement is that he is claiming to do something only God can do—therefore, he is making another claim to be God.

NEVER
It is not only eternal life but also that those who have it will never perish; this double statement is very reinforcing. There is no doubt that Jesus is talking about life unending without the fear of annihilation or death. The possibility of death is removed for those who have eternal life.

NO ONE
When Jesus says, "No one shall snatch them..." he claims superiority over all powers, human and demonic. He says no one- no leader of any religion, devil, or even our own actions can remove us from salvation.

SNATCH
Some translations say snatch; others say pluck, take or seize. The idea is the same; neither speed, power, subterfuge, nor barter can overpower the grasp Jesus has on us.

THE HAND
Hands hold, and it is Jesus' hand that holds us, not our own. We have eternal life secured by Jesus, not by us; he holds us; we don't hold him. He says, "My hand..." We are not held by the hand of a religion, a church, or a creed but by the hand of a person: Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

There is no doubt that eternal life in Jesus is eternal!

To learn more about how to have eternal life in Jesus, follow this link. Salvation.
To read this verse in other translations, use this link: John 10:28.

(c)Adron Dozat 8/26/12

How to Find the Path of Life. Psalm 16:11

We need to know the way of life, one that leads to peace with God, others, and ourselves. How do we find the Way?

"You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."  Psalm 16:11, NIV*.

BACKGROUND:
This verse is like a prayer of praise.  It is from one of the messianic psalms that speaks of the coming savior, but like many scriptures, this has more than one application.  We can use this verse to inspire worship, and yet we find instruction.

LIFE
The path of life is described as eternal, full of joy and pleasure, forever. It is a life in the presence of God, which must mean life in acceptance with and in accord with God. This life is associated with the image of a path; it is not a life of self-indulgence.
While we rest and do nothing. A path is a road we travel upon and make progress toward a destination; the destination of the path of life is itself life.

Path of Life Illustration.

Often, we hear the metaphor of the path of life used to illustrate a final end at the grave, but the opposite is the truth; the path of life here is eternal and ends with an unending beginning.

MAKE KNOWN
We often think the way of life is a thing to be earned or merited, but it is something that God makes known. We cannot find the way of life without God. This knowing is a knowing of experiencing something, different from head knowledge. Knowing something in the head is one thing, but truly understanding the path of life must be felt in the heart.

JOY
This joy is fullness of joy, not just the transitory and shallow happiness of this world dependent on external sources. This joy is unique —it fills us, but it is caused by God, not ourselves. This joy is associated with being in the presence of God; he is the source, he makes joy known, and he is the one who fills us with joy.  It seems God is not a cosmic killjoy who commands all kinds of 'don't have fun' rules, but instead is the very essence of joy.

PLEASURES
The pleasures of life are eternal; heaven will not be a boring place where we just sit on clouds, wear white, and play dumb harps, but it seems to have a sensual aspect of tactile pleasure. These pleasures are from the very hand of God, so they must be holy and yet be awesome.

THE REVELATION OF THE WAY
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me." John 14:6. And "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10. To come to Jesus is to come the way of life; he is the revelation of life.

To read this verse in other translations, visit this link: Online Parallel Bible.

(c)Adron Dozat 8/15/12