Nations of Faith

Nations of Faith

Israel was the first nation of faith! The point of the Law and the Tabernacle in the wilderness as GOD revealed them to Moses was so that the descendants of Abraham, the first man of faith after the flood would walk in like faith as GOD established them as the people of His promise to Abraham. Abraham was a man of great faith in GOD whom GOD called His friend.

The fact that the descendants of Abraham could not or would not walk in faith after 430 years of living in Egypt, most of them as slaves, was not because they did not know who GOD was but because they did not know GOD. They did not have a faith relationship with Him, they had a crying out for help relationship.

The 40 years of wilderness allowed the unbelieving generation to die off and prepared the generation of faith to enter the promised land. But, the years of war caused some to lose faith and they desired peace so they stopped serving the will of GOD for them as a nation. This was the result of faithless and unfaithful persons, families and tribes which began with Achan at Ai, their second battle, and it continued until their destruction by the Romans in 90AD.

A large part of Jesus’ earthly ministry to Israel was to restore their faith in GOD as their Heavenly Father, knowing that for the most part they would not and that they would be destroyed as a nation and remain scattered for 1,858 years.

The United States of America is the second nation of faith! GOD gave Christopher Columbus a vision of the world being round and that he could sale west and not fall off the edge of the earth. In 1492 he followed the vision that GOD gave him and discovered the New World. Less than 284 years later the English colonies in America declared their independence from the oppressive rule of England.

This followed almost 200 years of colonization by both secularist and Christians, many of those who rebelled under the oppressive rule of the English government did so because of their faith in GOD and their belief in the right to live according to the teachings of the Bible. The new United States of America formed their government and rules of law based on the teachings of the Bible making it the second and at that time the only nation of faith.

In the last 70 years, the length of time since Israel became a nation the United States of America has declined as a nation of faith.

There are now two nations of faith, Israel and the USA, both of which are as much secular as they are of faith based. While there are other nations that have a Christian faith based government and/or society their world wide influence remains small. But both Israel and the USA are under attack from the universalist nations that dominate the earth today. These nations want a single or one world government, thought most do not understand that this will be the government of the anti-christ. Only the elite of the one world movement understand the truth and believe that they can prevent the return of Christ by ruling the world. This is the deception that the devil whispers in the ears of those who are vain, greedy and self-appointed.

As believers in Jesus Christ as the messiah or savior of humanity it is our responsibility to be light and salt and to bring the truth of GOD’s eternal Kingdom to those who live in the darkness of the deception that will destroy them. We are not saved to wait and go to Heaven someday, we are saved to do the will of GOD in the earth as it is in Heaven. The will of GOD is the preparing of the Bride of Christ to reign with Jesus for eternity from the new Heaven and new Earth in the new Jerusalem. Not everyone will be part of GOD’s eternal Kingdom, most in fact will reject salvation and end up in eternal damnation.

So what is the point? The point is to share and teach as many people as possible the truth of salvation in Christ Jesus to deny satan as many souls as possible by bringing them out of the darkness of death in to the light of life.

Jesus is the Light, the Life and the Love that redeems from death to life. The great commission is to take the truth of the Gospel to the whole world and Jesus is the Truth. The Gospel is the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Fruit

Fruit

We are to produce the fruit of GOD’s Kingdom by abiding in Christ Jesus! “I Am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

We can have useless fruit in our lives; fruit that is not resulting in treasures being built up in Heaven. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Either make the tree good and its fruit good or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” (Matthew 7:18, 12:33)

We can have wheat and tares growing in our life. “Let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:30)

We can produce fruit in our life that is a blessing to ourself and our family but has no spiritual or eternal value; tastee and satisfying but not nourishing.

Abiding and being fruitful is the work of Holy Spirit in our life but we must participate; being fruitful is not a spectator sport. We have to not just ask for forgiveness, but we have to get the bad habits out of our life and incorporate the good habits of GOD’s Kingdom into our life; this is repentance.

“Father, dig up the soil around me, fertilize and water me so that I will produce the fruit of Your Kingdom. Father, forgive me for producing fruit that is under developed, that is not nourishing or good for seed for me, my family, the Church or the world. If it is not the fruit of Your Spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance – cut it from my life. Father, cut down the trees in my life that produce false good fruit (fruit that meets the world’s standard of success) and cut down the trees in my life that produce bad fruit. Father, prune the good but weak fruit in my life to bring good, healthy fruit to harvest and produce in me the humility of wheat so the tares can be reaped and burned.”

Study Matthew 3:4-12, 6:18-21 & 24, 7:15-23, 12:33-37, 13:24-30 & 36-43, 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14 & 20-24; Luke 3:7-14, 13:6-9; John 15:1-17; Galatians 5:18-26

Faith Is Works

Faith Equals Works

Works Require Faith

We all understand the principle of faith and works it is well taught by James and expressed by Paul. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (James 2:14, 26; Hebrews 11:1) Paul defines faith and James defines the relationship between works and faith; that is the way we generally view these passages.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD, not of works lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) This seems to contradict the previous scriptures, but it does not when you read the whole section of this letter to the Ephesians (in context).

If we believe that Hebrews 11:1 is the definition of faith and that James teaches the works of faith how do we answer his question in verse 14, Can faith save him? Yes, of course it does. We understand that the works referred to in Ephesians 2 are works that would prepare us for salvation; stopping our bad habits, start going to church, stuff that we do of our own accord so that GOD will like us and be pleased with us. The fact is that we cannot do anything that will make GOD love us more or want to save us more than He already does. 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. (John 3:16)

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven where neither moth not rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 7:19-21) So if we are saved by faith not by works and faith without works is dead and works without faith are dead how do we build up treasures in Heaven?

What then is the balance of faith and works? We know that we cannot do anything to save ourself, we must come to GOD as we are; a sinner who cannot or will not change and only the power of the Gospel of Christ can save us. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of GOD to salvation to everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of GOD is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17) So it is by faith that we do the works of salvation that will change us. Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is GOD who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13) What are the works of salvation?

This is where we have to know what Jesus said and taught, He taught us to pray for the will of GOD, “Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Seek first the Kingdom of GOD and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Not everyone who says to Me,’ LORD, LORD’, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. Truthfully, I say to you, he who believes in Me the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. If you keep My Commandments you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (Matthew 6:10, 33; 7:21; John 5:12, 38, 15:10)

So we are saved by faith through grace not by our own works or will, we are to do the will of the Father – the works of His Kingdom in the earth and not our own, and we are to keep Jesus’ commandments. Grace, faith, works (will) these work together not separately if we are going to work out our own salvation which is a gift from GOD through grace in fear and trembling then it must be done by keeping Jesus’ commandments which is to do the will (works) of GOD.

Why with fear and trembling? “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.’ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 7:23, 10:28)

What are the works of GOD that we are to do to build up treasure in Heaven? What did Jesus do? Only what He saw the Father doing. What did Jesus say? Only what He heard the Father saying. Why is this so hard for us? It is work sometimes hard, messy, painful work. It requires the surrender of our will (desires) to the Father’s will. It requires a public presence and statement of faith in Jesus by our obedience. It is scary!

In the 1960’s and 70’s during the Jesus and Charismatic movements many of the opponents and resisters of Christianity claimed Christianity was for weaklings, that it was like a crutch. That of course is not true, even in a country like the USA where Christianity is mostly excepted and persecution is minimal Christians are still ridiculed, mocked and treated with distain by many. But the hardest and messiest part is the personal changes we have to apply to our life (repentance). Repentance is not just asking for forgiveness but it is the process through testing, trials and persecutions of taking up our cross and following Jesus – dying to self to live for Jesus or be like those in Matthew 7:21-23

The cross was the will of the Father for Jesus and it is the will of the Father for us! When He had called the people to himself with His disciples He said, “Whoever desires to come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34)

Study Matthew 6, 7:21-23, 12:27-31, 13:24-30 & 36-43, 26:36-46, 28:16-20; Mark 8:34-38, 14:32-42, 16:14-18; Luke 12:4-7, 22:39-46, 24:44-49; John 3:14-21, 11:17-27, 14:7-18, 17:1-5; Acts 1:4-8; Romans 11:1-10; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Ephesians 2:1-10; Philippians 2:12-18; Hebrews 11:1-12:2; James 1:21-27, 2:14-26.

Psalm 87

Psalm 87

A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.

His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you O city of GOD! (Selah) “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me; Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’” And of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her; and the Most High Himself shall establish her.” The LORD will record when He registers the peoples: “This one was born there.” (Selah) Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.”

This was written to the Israelites but it also applies to the Church, those who are born again not by natural birth of the blood line of family; but those born of spirit and water by the blood line of Jesus into His family. This is exclusive: everyone is invited but not everyone is chosen.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from GOD; for no one can do these signs that You do unless GOD is with Him.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you, be very assured unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of GOD. …  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up 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. GOD did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of GOD.” (John 3:1-21)

Jesus said, “I saw satan fall like lightning from Heaven, listen carefully, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20) He made a point that our spiritual birth, being born again, was recorded in Heaven in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Before the foundation of the earth was laid, Jesus was crucified so that every person ever born and who will be born can be saved. Jesus did everything necessary for us to be saved but we have to except the invitation and fulfill the requirements. Requirements? Yes, requirements!

Jesus was clear that being saved is not just saying a prayer and then waiting to die and go to heaven, or saying a prayer and then doing whatever we want for the rest of our life. Jesus said such controversial things as, “If anyone loves Me he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My Words; and the Word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. … Most truthfully I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. … I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, 12, 23-24)

 “I am the true vine and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit. … As the Father loved Me I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:1-2, 10-12)

Study Psalm 91; Isaiah 54:1-17; Matthew 7:21-23, 22:1-14, 25:31-46; Luke 10:1-24; John 1:1-34, 3:1-21, 14, 15:1-17; Revelation 1, 2, 3, 13:1-10, 20:11-15, 21:22-27

Get a red letter edition of the Bible and study what Jesus said!

Study what the Apostles wrote to the first believers in the Epistles, remember they only had the Old Testament to study and quote. But, like them we also have Holy Spirit to remind us of everything Jesus said. That is why we have the New Testament, other than the Gospels and Revelation the writers did not know they were writing for us today so that we would know how to live and do the works of Jesus’ Kingdom in the earth as it is in Heaven.

Take Up Our Cross

Jesus told us to take up our cross and follow Him!

Not the cross of complaining and bitterness over our situation.

But the cross of yieldedness and obedience.

Not the cross of resentment or envy towards the success of others, whether good or bad.

But the cross of humility and servant hood.

Not the cross of desire and lust for success and peace.

But the cross of being conformed to the image of Christ!

Ain't No Skin Off My Back!

This afternoon while I was doing nothing in particular a phrase that I have not thought of for a very long time came into my head. Some of you may have heard it even though it is a very old saying. “Ain’t no skin off my back!”

As I remember its general meaning it has to do with not caring about, being bothered by, or affected by the words or actions of another person. Like, “Seth, I heard your brother robbed the bank.” Seth says, “Well, that ain’t no skin off my back, but if the cops are chasing him he better not come here.” My wife Charlene thought it was related to being whipped like a slave.

What I thought about was that it was literally the skin off Jesus’ back! When we read in Isaiah and Peter that “By His stripes we are healed.” do we really understand what that means? When we read in the gospels that the Romans scourged or chastised Him before He was crucified do we really understand what that means? I know that some have taught what those statements mean and I am not going into the gory details.

What I thought about was that His giving the skin off His back for us came in the middle of what he experienced that day. At about the time of the morning that He was scourged He had been up about 24 hours. He had been arrested during the night and all His disciples abandoned Him, He was taken to Annas the father-in-law of the High Priest where He was questioned and open handed slapped in the face. Then sent to Caiaphas the High Priest where He was questioned then mocked and blasphemously spoken of, He was beaten, blindfolded and struck in the face and asked, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?” While this was happening Peter denied Him three times. Then He was taken to Pilate where He was accused, questioned and sent to Herod. At Herod’s He was expected to perform miracles then He was accused, mocked and treated with contempt and sent back to Pilate. Then He was accused and rejected by the people for a murderer, he was mocked by the Romans who put a crown of thorns on His head and struck Him with their hands, they hit Him with a reed type rod. Then He was scourged, this is done by one or two Roman soldiers who had whips that had up to nine leather straps and each strap had a piece of broken glass, or a broken bone, or a piece of metal and He was beaten with them thirty nine times where the skin (flesh) was literally ripped off His back, from His shoulders to His buttocks and down both sides of His body. Then they put a purple robe on Him and paraded Him before the people who again rejected Him and cried out, “Crucify Him!” Then He was paraded through the streets of the city with a stranger carrying His cross to Golgotha where He was crucified. He was nailed to the cross then hung on the cross for 6 hours, from the 3^rd to the 9^th hour of the day. While He hung there He was mocked by the people passing by and the religious leaders. Then He felt abandoned by GOD because of our sins that were applied to His life in our place and then He died.

Psalm 81

Psalm 81

A Psalm of Asaph – A Prophecy

:1-4 Asaph is calling the nation of Israel to worship GOD according to the statute for Israel.

“Sing aloud to the GOD our strength; make a joyful shout to the GOD of Jacob. Raise a song and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the lute. Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the GOD of Jacob.”

:5 The transition from Asaph speaking to GOD speaking.

“This He established in Joseph as a testimony, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand.”

:6-16 The prophecy.

“I removed his shoulder from the burden; his hands were freed from the baskets. You called in trouble and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you in the waters of Meribah. (Selah) Hear, O My people and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. I Am the LORD your GOD who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels. Oh that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him but their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the Rock I would have satisfied you.”

First GOD reminds Israel what He did for them in Egypt, then admonishes them that He is their only GOD, reminds them that they rejected Him so He let them have their way, He reminds them that if they listen to Him and serve Him He sill defeat their enemies even though there are haters of GOD among them whose fate is sealed, yet He would provide for their needs.

Does this not sound like the Church today? We have many false gods that we serve (Selah) doctrines, worship, prosperity, denominations, non-denominations and others. There are haters in the Church who seek to undermine the faith of others by casting doubt and unbelief. Yet GOD’s mercy is for all humanity, His blessing is for the believer and the unbeliever.

Search your own heart (Selah).

Do you go to church because the music is great, they have cool activities for the kids, they have a great coffee – snack bar to sit around in after service and visit with your friends; because the pastor is really cool and they never talk about things like the blood of Jesus and bearing your own cross and other religious stuff?

Or do you go because it is a requirement to get GOD’s blessings and get into Heaven someday; it fills you with peace that you are doing the right thing even if it is not always pleasant or convenient?

Or do you go because you love GOD and what He is doing in your life and family, you love to join in worship of Jesus, you love to be taught from the Bible and you love to fellowship with other believers; you want to make a difference in your community and place of work for GOD’s Kingdom no matter that it cost your whole life?