A reminder about what you are.

Sometimes a reminder of who we are really helps us get back on our feet. Hebrews 9:23 says, "Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."

As Christians, we are the heavenly things. As Heb 12 would say, "you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels." In Christ, we have received the best sacrifice and the best blessing. In Christ, we can accomplish far more than we ever thought possible. There's no reason to hold back from utter excellence, and to show up to others as something different than what the world has to offer—a truly heavenly thing. 

What will I give up to help one person I love make it to heaven?

I have no greater regret than hurting people in the past. People who were growing spiritually, but fell away after I put my emotions over their eternity, leading to a remembrance of despair instead of integrity.  The Kingdom of God is likened to a great pearl, so great that a merchant sold everything  to have it. In retrospect I wonder, "What would I have not given to see them in heaven?"

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) If you could ensure someone's eternity, what would you be willing to give to do that? What would I be willing to give up to give someone a good chance? What would I be willing to sacrifice?  How far would I be willing to love someone? 

How much is heaven worth?

What is heaven worth to you?  “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,  who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Mt 13:45-46)

The merchant wasn't content to just admire the pearl—he gave up everything in his life to get it. What sin would you not overcome to get it? What good would you choose not to do? How much is it worth? 

Your friends make a difference.

Your friends really do make a difference.  "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." (Pro 13:20)

I used to work 911 and was assigned the weekend shift to deal with the wild nights at the bars. It was very easy to witness the harm that people shared among themselves, from lasting sexual diseases to death. Some things don't change, but you can change who your friends are, and what habits you have. 

Maintaining Strong Bonds: How to Stop Satan from Dividing and Conquering

Maintaining Bonds

Philippians 2:1-7

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

BQ:  Would you kill your family members off one by one because of small differences? As a Christian family, we must never let the world drive us apart. We cannot let petty differences divide us. We must NEVER become embittered against a brother or sister in Christ, because,  “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls." (Mt 12:25)

Instead, at all times we must be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph 4:3)   Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Instead of looking for a reason to abandon your family, find a reason to cling to them. 

BQ:  Christians need to maintain relationships, because we're an army and a family.  Phil 2:1-2 says, "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."  How can you do that? How can you always be of the same mind or someone that perhaps you have little fondness for?

The easiest way is to realize that we all have the same commission from Jesus and the same purpose: to go and baptize people and teach them all that He commanded. That person you don't get along with because his sense of humor is weird? He is your battle buddy, and might save your skin one day. 

Apply this to romantic relationships, too. Realize that you MUST have the same mind and purpose, or you will never have complete joy, unity or spirit, encouragement of Christ, affection, compassion, or consolation of love.

BQ: Do you ever see a sister or brother in Christ and not feel like they're really someone you want to fellowship with? God says in Phil 2,  "if there is any fellowship of the Spirit...Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves."  That person that is a little rough around the edges, maybe, don't regard as not good enough yet, but rather as more important than yourself.  Do everything to serve them and help them grow. 

If you're married or going to be married, realize the same thing. You have to regard your spouse or future spouse as more important, and be willing to go the extra mile, serving them and showing sacrificial love. It's a lot easier when you both have the same focus and goal: serving Christ.  If that's true, you'll never feel conflict in being a servant, but rather joy in being a part of an effective team.

BQ: As Christians, we can't let Satan divide us. We MUST remain united. Often we take offense over the coarse actions of a brother or sister or spouse, but we need to take a step back and realize that stumbling does not mean that we have to fall. Philippians 2 says that if we want to be united in spirit, we must, "not merely look out for [our] own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."  
 

Did your spiritual family member hurt your feelings? Don't be bitter. Instead, talk to them and show them how you can look out for his or her interest. Do something kind. Show your love and grace not through mere words, but with actions. It'll reveal the character of Christ, which can do more than anything else to change a person. 

BQ: Philippians 2 tells us that, in order to remain united in spirit, romantically or not, we must, "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus: who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant.

Stick together with those who have the same goals as you. Empty yourself of selfishness and be willing to take on the attitude of a servant. It's one of the hardest things for us to do, and because of that, being a servant is one of the most memorable things, and the most inspiring to others. Lastly, don't think of servants as just those who clean up counters and do dishes. Soldiers serve their country, and are thus servants.  Be a solider in a great army, and never let anyone divide you to wreck your ability to serve God. 

As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons.

With thanks to Rio and Miriam, about something that has been on my mind.

I have personally watched Christian friends slip into the world, committing both spiritual suicide with themselves, and spiritual murder with the things they did with others, and encouraged others to do. And those times have been the most painful of my life, bar none.  And those times have been the most painful of my life, bar none. A lot of that pain comes from the pain of knowing what I've been, and the damage I've caused in the past.

Even if you don't personally like the person that much, the pain is devastating, because there is nothing you can do.  You cannot be the conscience for someone who wants his or her conscience to be seared.  Often, these people will apply a veneer of godliness, so that they can look at their fake reality and call it real, but the poison runs deep and is killing them.

What do you do? Do you delete such a person from your life? Do you utterly abandon them?  

I have often done that. I don't think it's right. It was my selfish way of protecting myself from pain. I once encouraged my mother and sister to abandon someone who caused them great pain and tears. They refused.  Instead of letting the person simply get off easy, they were loving but also truthful.  Their efforts were met seemingly forever with rejection and cruelty.

And yet God says, "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!" (Psalms 126:5)

Who wants to sow a field with such effort that it causes them to cry? Isn't it easier to just abandon that plot and more on to easier territory? 

My sister and mom didn't. They sowed in tears. Eventually, the person they loved changed. Hard times came. Rock bottom was hit. This person was abandoned. And suddenly, the person realized that through everything she had done, despite the evil of it, two people were still compassionate. Compassionate despite the way they'd been treated. And indeed, none of the person's actions had been more than passing pleasure.  And in the end, my mother and sister reaped with joyful shouting.

Compare that with two of my own examples. Both times, I saw someone reverting back to their old friends and old ways, including drinking. Both times, I said, "That hurts me and is repulsive behavior. You're otta' my life."  And both these people, now, are fully surrounded by the world, molded into it as a part of it, horrifically deep.  Attempts by me now to say, "Hey, I care about you," have no weight behind them. Because I gave up. Instead of being loving but correcting, I threw away anything, including hope, no matter how small.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." 

Are you like that? If you persist in love, will you not remain green? Are you afraid of the pain, and willing to wilt away from hope and caring? There is only one way to bear fruit, and it is through persistence. 

Sometimes, however, when you are persistent, people will reject you. It happens. As my friend Rio once told me as a wake-up call, and this is paraphrased "Sometimes nothing you do can reach people, and you'll be consumed."  You have to know when that point is, but you can also make the conscious decision to not simply and utterly reject them.

The truth with the person struggling is that we do not know if they will be overcome, or shall overcome.  We cannot make the call with their struggles, or with their future.  We cannot condemn their hearts, but can see their difficulties. 

And more importantly, sometimes people have to hit utter rock bottom. They have to be at the lowest, where the sun does not shine, before they decide they don't want to be in the pit. 

God tells us that a struggle is present, and that it shall not come without weeping. For our struggles, for our help, and for the struggles of others, it is often true that much pain must be endured before we conquer. 

In Isaiah 66:8, God confirms this and says, "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons."

New birth does not come without pain and persistence, but we have to maintain the hope of beautiful things to come. We must have the attitude that we would, "could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (Romans 9:3)

And if you're sad, hurt, and damaged, remember, "Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD." (Proverbs 16:20)  When you're feeling darkest and down in the dumps, dwell even stronger in the Word.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Baptism and the Old Testament: Is It Important?

BQ: The correlations between the Old Testament and New Testament are incredibly beautiful: prophecies became realities, and physical laws became spiritual ones. The Old Testament is chock-full of physical examples that are "our tutor to lead us to Christ." (Gal 3:24) One thing that I find interesting to explore is baptism and circumcision. Lots of people overlook the importance of immersion, but I'd like to look at an interesting correlation between the Old and New Covenants. 

Genesis 17:10-14 describes the use of physical circumcision and its purpose, saying in part, "This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among...shall be circumcised in the flesh...And the uncircumcised male child...shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant" (Genesis 17:10-14)

So, under the New Testament, how does a person enter into the covenant of Christ? God explains circumcision was nothing more than a shadow of the spiritual reality of baptism. :) "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."  (Col 2:11-12)




BQ: Yesterday, we started looking at baptism and how it was foreshadowed as being unique and important in the The Old Testament, and we noted that the OT is "our tutor to lead us to Christ." (Gal 3:24)  It's also quite interesting to note that, just a few lines later, God identifies the important of immersion again, saying, "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27)

Under the Old Covenant, priests were required to wash themselves with water to be in God's presence.  "When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the Lord, they shall wash with water, lest they die." (Exodus 30:19-20)  Tomorrow we'll look more at being washed! 





BQ: Continuing the look at how washing with water was required in the Old Testament, and is a foreshadow God's implementation of immersion in water, I find it cool that David prayed that God would, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." (Psa 51:2)
 

God often uses the concept of "washing" to get rid of uncleanness and sin, and not just in the Old Testament with priests and a laver. In the NT, there is "the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5). Saul was commanded by God to, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16).

Why is baptism often disregarded? Tomorrow we'll look at more examples of how water was important in the OT, and how it's still considered important by God today.





BQ:  We've seen a lot on how the Old Testament indicated long ago how important water would be, and how God would use it. Today let's look at 1 Pet 3:20-21, where water is described as being important to God both then and now

"...while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

Notice that God saved through water with Noah, and uses immersion in water today as part of the mechanism of spiritual circumcision. 






BQ: Acts 2:38 tells us that, "Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Often Christians today dismiss baptism as being really not all that important, but we've seen that God used the Old Covenant to indicate that it would be vital.  

It is very interesting that Christians are said to receive the Holy Spirit through immersion in water. Although we're not told why, in the creation account, we see that once again the Spirit was associated with water. "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (Gen 1:2) Tomorrow we'll look at a way that this is illustrated in the NT.





BQ: Yesterday we saw an image of water being associated with the Spirit, and of contact with the Spirit being made through burial and subsequent resurrection, so to speak, from a watery grave. Imagine coming out of the waters and coming into contact with the Holy Spirit, much as the Spirit was over the water in Genesis. The same illustration exists in the New Testament:  "Most assuredly, I say unto you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) 

Although modern theologies have made this seem muddled and unnecessary, we can read the Bible and see that it made perfect sense to the original Christians.  In Acts 8:36, we see a person that says, "See here is water, what hinders me from being baptized?" Why would he want this so bad? The Bible answers this repeatedly, but consider the following:

 "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4).  It's to walk in the newness of life.





BQ: We've seen that God has always associated Himself with water, and has often chosen it to be an "operating table" of sorts to remove uncleanness; in our case, namely sin. Does it seem odd, though, to you? If so, you're not alone. In the old testament, we see an example of water being used by God to make someone clean, and the reaction of the person to be made clean was one of confusion and indignation. Let's look at a section of 2 Kings 5:9-14:

Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  But Naaman became furious, and went away and said..."Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 

Much like some Christians today, Naaman rejected that God would possibly use water to cure him of his uncleanness. Luckily for Naaman, he had some people to help him put things in perspective: 

And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 

Sometimes people will tell you, "That doesn't make any sense, that you'd need to be dunked in some water." Don't let the Naamans of the world discourage you, though. Be baptized and made clean. :)
 

Who will not inherit the Kingdom?

Who won’t inherit the kingdom?
BQ: Who will not inherit the Kingdom of God?

A: 1 Cor 6:9-10, 1 Pet 4: 1-5, Rom 13:4, Rev 21:27.

Look at all the practices there. Doctors practice medicine. That is, they do it habitually, repeatedly. If we think that we are Christians, yet we still allow ourselves to repeatedly go to drinking parties, or fornicate, or steal, etc., we're not remaining faithful to Christ, and we shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Let's not make excuses for practicing unrighteousness, because we don't fool the Spirit, even if we deceive ourselves.
(PN15)