Foolish Redemption

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

     Many Jews thought the good news of Jesus Christ was foolish, because they thought he would be a conquering King, bringing signs and miracles. Jesus had not restored David’s throne as they expected. Also, he was executed as a common criminal, and how could a common criminal be a savior? Greeks also considered the gospel foolish, and did not believe in a bodily resurrection. They did not see in Jesus the powerful characteristics of their mythological gods, and they thought no reputable person would be crucified. To them, death was defeat, not victory.
     The good news of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many people today. Our society worships power, influence, wealth, and other futile things. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and he offers his Kingdom to those with faith, not works. This looks foolish to the world.
     The message of Christ’s death for sins also sounds foolish to those who don’t believe. Death seems to be the end of the road, the ultimate weakness, but Jesus did not stay dead. His resurrection shows his power even over death. He will save us from eternal death, and give us everlasting life, if we trust him as our savior and Lord. This sounds so simple that many people won’t accept it. They try other ways to obtain eternal life, but their attempts will not work. The foolish people, who simply accept Christ’s offer, are actually the wisest of all, because they alone will live eternally with God.

– Life Application Study Bible (pg. 1997-1998)

Promises Fulfilled

Luke 5:12-13

“Lord, if thou wilt…
… make me clean
… remove my burden
… heal my blood issue
… revive my daughter
… heal my leprosy
… make me whole
… restore my soul
… avenge me of my adversary
… blot out my transgressions
… purge me with hyssop
… help my unbelief
… keep me safe
… guard my heart
… bless my soul
… grant me favor in thy sight
… give me a sign
… prove your love
… be my strong rock
… hear my prayer
… lift up my head
… fight for me
… shield me from mine enemies
… give me wisdom
… preserve my future
… lead me
… guide me
… direct my path
… teach me your ways
… bless my children
… guide the works of my hand
… humble me
… keep me as the apple of your eye
… hide me under the shadow of your wings
“…I will.”

Vive Un Poco

Eclesiastés 2:24-26

La vida es corta, y el tiempo con el que estamos bendecidos en la tierra es finito, así que en lugar de cargar con una cadena de errores y errores del pasado, deberíamos intentar vivir un poco antes de seguir adelante. de la muerte a la vida. Dios nos da fuerza para trabajar y ganarnos la vida honestamente, y aunque estamos destinados a estar atados a algún tipo de factura o gasto, deberíamos tratar de usar algunas de nuestras ganancias para disfrutar de este hermoso planeta que Dios creó. Nunca he sido de los que viven lujosamente o gastan demasiado para pasar un “buen rato”, pero hay cosas que hacer que no requieren mucho dinero. Por ejemplo, un gran lugar para disfrutar a cualquier hora del día (prefiero las noches) es la playa. Sentarse en la arena mientras disfruta del sonido de las olas batiendo en la playa es una experiencia impresionante. Otros lugares que aún no he visitado son los zoológicos, para ver todos los animales asombrosos que Dios creó, y los parques nacionales, donde las familias pueden ir a disfrutar de reuniones y buena comida. El tiempo en el que vivimos hoy está lejos de ser color de rosa. De hecho, se están gestando muchas cosas que pronto se manifestarán y cambiarán la forma en que vivimos para siempre. Pero, hasta que llegue ese momento, hagamos todo lo posible para amar a Dios, amar a los demás y encontrar algo en esta vida para disfrutar y estar agradecido.

Make It Rain

1 Kings 18

Many days had passed from the time God sent the prophet Elijah to confront the evil king Ahab, until He was ready to reveal His omnipotence to the nation that had turned against Him. During these times, a severe famine overtook Samaria, but the king and those he ruled were still unconvinced of the sovereignty of the true and living God. After an eventful three years of miraculous signs and provision, God spoke to the prophet Elijah, and instructed him to return to the king with another important message. The Lord said to Elijah, “Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.” Could you imagine not having rain for three years? Without rainfall on the earth, there would be catastrophic damage all over the world. But, God allows things to happen so others can witness for themselves, all power belongs to Him, and He alone is deserving of worship, honor, and glory. Unfortunately, men are too consumed in their own beliefs, that they totally disregard the obvious workings of the living God, in favor of their futile idolatry.

As you read further into chapter 18, you’ll discover the very unique and elaborate plan God commanded Elijah to follow, which revealed the falsehoods and foolishness of Baal worship, and brought to light the mighty power of the God of Heaven and earth. 450 prophets who worshiped Baal were left without an answer from their “god of rain and plenty”, yet they witnessed the power of the true God with their own eyes.

Nothing compares to the power of the almighty God. Men and women are drawn away daily into deception, and allow falsehoods to overtake their sensibility, but every idol worshipped by men, has no power to do anything, except distract them from the truth. Have you pledged your allegiance to serve weak and powerless idols, or are you aligned with the God who created all things?

Easy Peasy!

John 1:43-51

Spreading the goodness of the Gospel of Christ is what all who live for God are commanded to do, but in order to be effective witnesses, believers must first have an understanding of the Word for themselves. In the same way it’s hard for a salesman to convince someone to buy something they have little to no knowledge of, it’s even more challenging for a Christian to influence a non-believer to accept Jesus, if their knowledge of the Word and approach aren’t on point.

Those who are of the world, have a strong grasp on its ideals and belief systems, so trying to sway them to believing in the true and living God isn’t always easy. Surprisingly, there are some who can be convinced without struggle or strain, if the right approach is taken. I’ve witnessed many who could care less about God when their lives were seemingly great, but as soon as trouble hit, they were quick to call on the name of Jesus, and actually committed their lives to Him. Things don’t always work out this way, but whether it takes great effort, or it’s easy peasy, we should strive to win souls for God’s kingdom daily.

In our text, Jesus was continuing to add to His discipleship, which already included Andrew and Peter. Jesus then found Philip and said to him, “Follow me”. Well, that wasn’t so hard. Philip immediately subjected himself to Jesus, then ran to find his friend Nathanael, who also knew the prophecy of the coming Savior. Unfortunately, Nathanael wasn’t so easily convinced, at first, that anything good could come from Nazareth, but he would soon change his tune upon finally meeting Jesus.

When Philip had left to find Nathanael, Jesus had already used His super powers to see where the eventual disciple was, and what he was doing, without being anywhere near him. Jesus was a man, and subject to the laws of physics and other earthly boundaries, but He was also all God, and could defy earth’s laws at His convenience. That’s so awesome! We yell and rave when the mighty Thor or Hulk show their powers on the movie screen, but Jesus was doing greater things in real life, on a daily basis. I’m just saying… Anyhoo, when the two men made their way back to Jesus, He saw Nathanael coming to Him and said, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!” Say what?! Those super powers were on full display again. Jesus could discern (in the same way with Peter) the type of man Nathanael was, without ever meeting him. This undoubtedly piqued the hesitant man’s interest, as he was struck with amazement at Jesus’ words. What made the situation even more awesome was, Jesus told the man, “before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” Well, that’s all it took for Nathanael to fully surrender himself to the Son of God. I can almost guarantee, Nathanael’s eyes were as wide as the north is from the south, and his jaw on the floor, while gazing at the prophesied man, all were awaiting to see.

Everyone who’s come to the Lord has their own story, and some are more interesting than others, but no matter how hard or easy it was to be convinced, it’s good that we have accepted the truth, that Jesus is the Son of God, and Savior of the world. Now we must go out and compel as many as we can, to come.

Anguish And Agony

Luke 22:39-46

As Jesus neared the end of His ministry, the thoughts that clouded His mind caused Him much anguish and agony. How could the Son of the living God reach a point where His emotions were as those of normal men, and He experienced mental struggles? Jesus was God in the flesh, so how could He feel what normal people feel, while being all God, and all man? Being all God, Jesus understood His place in the holy trinity, and carried out His role as the Father commanded. The Son of God indeed was directly connected to the source of the greatest power that ever existed, but the human nature He was housed in felt all things just as man does. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). In other words, Jesus experienced life on earth as any human would, except He did not give in to temptation, nor sin.

As He went to the mount of Olives to pray, Jesus held in His mind literally all He had experienced, and all He would soon face. The thoughts of torture, beatings, persecution, and other wicked schemes against Him, were all playing in His mind, as He knelt to pray. The Bible mentions He was in agony, then began to pray more earnestly. Luke continues to mention how the sweat that fell from Jesus was as great drops of blood. My mercy! I often allow myself to go into a “sunken place” when I’ve sinned, or fallen into temptation, because I realize that I not only bring harm and shame to myself and loved ones, but most importantly to God. But, Jesus did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong, yet He prepared His mind and body to take on all the sins of the mankind, along with unprecedented physical and mental abuse.

Although Jesus was empowered with God’s characteristics and abilities, He willingly restrained Himself, so that you and I could have a better future in the life to come. Do you agonize over past mistakes or errors you could have avoided with consistent prayer and godly meditation, or are you preparing yourself to endure the suffering that comes with proclaiming the truth of God’s Word, and the attacks that come from covering and protecting those you love? Most of the suffering we experience comes by our own doing, but the suffering that follows a godly lifestyle, will be rewarded by the Father in this life, and the next. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (vs. 42).

“Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” – Jesus

The Blood

Matthew 1:1-6, 16-17; Hebrews 1:1-5

What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can purge us from all iniquity? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What has the power to cover a multitude of faults? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can take away the sting from death, and victory from the grave? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can we depend on, when we need deliverance from struggles? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can give us eternal redemption? The blood of goats, calves, or rams? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can keep us covered, and protected when the death angel passes by? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What gives us the power to overcome the evil one, and his devices? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

“The blood of Jesus is the life and redemption of the Saints.” – Ell

For The Sake Of The Gospel

1 Thessalonians 2:1-10

For the sake of the Gospel, the apostle Paul endured many things from ungodly men, most of which were unfavorable and unsympathetic. While establishing churches in different cities, the apostle Paul, along with other apostles, were met with challenges purposed only to stop their progress. Of all the sufferings (beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, and many more) Paul and his brethren faced, they allowed nothing to hinder them from establishing foundational Gospel teaching in various lands.

Paul knew the importance of spreading the Gospel, and made it his top priority to see it through. Paul admitted himself, that even through the suffering, he and his companions were bold in their God, to speak the Gospel to the church at Thessalonica, despite the great contention against them. When times get rough, average men usually turn tail and gallop away, but real men and women of God stand strong, even in the midst of major conflict.

Standing for the truth isn’t as simple as it sounds, but requires a certain character and behavior, in order to be bold as the apostles were. The apostle Paul was able to stand during times of suffering and intense persecution because, he modeled his life after the life of Christ. Jesus portrayed all characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit in all His encounters, thus allowing Him to always please the Father with his words and actions. In the same sense, Paul and the other apostles were consistent in being honest, pure, faithful to God’s purpose, humble and considerate with others, gentle and kind, and selfless in all their doings. Not only did Paul preach the Word, but he lived his life according to that same Word, on a consistent basis.

When we read the scriptures, we easily become fascinated with the lives of God’s great men and women, but we too can live great lives for the kingdom of God as well. If we love God, keep His commandments, study and meditate on His Word, then live every day rendering selfless acts to our fellow man, our names will someday be listed in the heavenly hall of fame, along with Paul and others also.

By Who’s Authority

John 15:4-17

By who’s authority do you pray? By who’s authority do you believe? By who’s authority do you preach, teach, and perform works in the earth? When we abide in the Father, and His words abide in us, we are granted access to do things in the earth, with His full authority and permission. By God’s authority, we are privileged to love each other, as He showed love to the Son. All the words God spoke to Jesus, He in turn, gave them to His disciples. Doing this left the disciples in a position to keep His words, live by them, and love each other through them.

God’s authority trumps all other influences in the earth, that fight hard to take man’s attention away from holiness, but if we fall weak and give in to tempting influences, the works we do will be supported by another authority. The devil is powerless against the forces of good, but his wicked devices can have a real effect on God’s people, but only if they submit to his advances. Thanks be to God, for the fellowship of the Saints! The church, or body of believers, is a strong, single unit, that when all members work together, the devil can do nothing to stop their progress.

We are friends with Christ, and no more servants, because a servant knows not the things his lord does. But, Jesus called us friends, and has chosen and ordained us to perform continuous good works in the earth. As long as we stay connected to God, and show real love to one another, our prayers and requests will be manifested in our lives, and God will be pleased with our unyielding obedience.

“It’s easier to deliver the Gospel of Christ to others when your life pleases God.” – Ell

Pruning Season

John 15:1-3

Is it possible for someone to be connected to God, the source of life, and still be dead? I can answer that question with an experience I had during my early years in college. One of the stores closest to the University of Central Florida was, Walmart Supercenter, so I would usually do my shopping there for school supplies, groceries, and personal items. One of the most important items on my shopping list when I went off to college was, a clothing iron. Walking around that huge campus in wrinkly clothes would have been embarrassing, so I knew to keep a good iron on hand, in order to have my clothes pressed to impress.

While ironing a shirt one morning, I accidentally tripped over the power cord, causing the iron to fall on the floor. I quickly picked up the iron, so it wouldn’t burn the carpet, then placed it back on the ironing board. After the plug was yanked from the wall, I reinserted it and waited for the iron to heat up again. Unfortunately, after it hit the floor, the iron became good for nothing except the garbage can. Even though the plug was connected to a live power source, the iron itself was dead.

Our text tells us, all who are in God, but aren’t producing fruit, will be taken away, but those who bring forth fruit, will be purged, so they can continue producing. God is the only one who can remove a person from His hand, and no man can pluck anyone from Him. It’s sad to be in God, yet spiritually dead, because in God we have all the necessary resources required to bring forth fruit meet for repentance.

Even when we fall, and feel disconnected from the source, forgiveness is readily available upon our request. God is merciful, and gives grace to the humble, so all who are in Him must seek only to use His power for good, and not evil. Connect to God’s source of power, so you can be equipped to produce good fruit, but remain faithful to God’s commands, so that your spirit may live, and you’ll never be plucked from the true vine.

“It’s easier to deliver the Gospel of Christ to others when your life pleases God.” – Ell