Wonderful Jesus!

Angelic Encounter!

Psalm 91:11-12 – “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.” NKJV

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I wanted a picture of an angel, but since they are depicted as a baby, or a female, I decided to forego the image. I’ve never heard of anyone seeing an angel in either form.

Have you ever seen an angel? Or do you know someone who has had an encounter with an angelic being? Not someone who is so wonderful to you that you call them an angel, but a divine messenger of the Lord! I have, and I’ll never forget it!

One Saturday evening, I made a spur of the moment trip to the mall to pick up something. It was in the summer, so the evenings were longer, and it was still light outside when I went. I ran into the store, got what I needed, and walked out into the parking lot.

For some reason, when I stepped out of the door, I noticed that there were no other people around. I wasn’t worried at first, because I had parked close to the door, but then I got a sense that something wasn’t right. It’s amazing how time can stand still and much can happen in a few seconds, but as soon as I noticed that the place was unusually empty and quiet, I saw a white car with four men in it.

I don’t know what drew my attention to them, but I realized that they were just sitting in the car. When they saw me looking at them, all four doors opened and the men begin to get out of the car. My first thought was, O God! I just knew in an instant that they were up to no good, and that I was their target. Then I thought, maybe I could run back into the store and ask for security. Before I could complete the thought or take action, a man appeared at my side. He was a large man in a security uniform, and because of his sudden appearance, I jumped. My family says I jump at everything, but I think even they would concur that this was a time to be on edge.

The man asked me if I would like for him to walk me to my car. Of course I said yes! I turned back towards the car, just in time to see all four men had gotten back into their car, closed their doors, and the car sped off. That was my proof that they were sitting there waiting for someone they could grab or rob. I can’t even begin to explain the relief that flooded my soul! Seeing that the danger had passed, I turned to thank the security guard and to tell him that I would be okay. But he was gone!

At that point, I was more concerned about getting to my car and getting home, than about what happened to the security guard! I rushed to the car, jumped in, locked the door, and thanked God for saving me from the plans of the enemy! As I drove home, I began to wonder what had happened to the security guard, and why had he left without saying anything? It was at that moment that I realized that it had been an angel! God sent Him, as my heart cried, O God! And I was delivered from the hand of the enemy. Just thinking about it, gladdens my heart today!

The Bible has a lot to say about angels, but few people have ever had an encounter with an angel. We are told in the New Testament to be careful of how we respond to strangers for some have entertained angels unaware. And still, most of us don’t know if we have ever seen an angel. Years earlier, I was sitting in a waiting room. An old lady, with an odor, came to sit by me. My first thought was to move, then I remembered this verse about strangers and angels. We struck up a conversation, and then my name was called so that I could take care of my business. I got up to leave, but then I decided to say good bye to her, so I turned and she was not there. I figured, it was an angel!

Angels are a part of the creation of God. He has given them charge over us to keep us. Therefore, we should have times in our lives when we sense, if not see, their involvement. Jacob wrestled with an angel. Joshua encountered an angel as he entered Jericho. Gideon spoke with an angel when he was in the wine press hiding from the Midianites. Samson’s parents had a visit from an angel, twice, to tell of his birth. An angel released Peter from prison. An angel visited Paul on the ship that was caught in a major storm, and told him they would survive. On more than one occasion, angels fought battles for the people of God.

What’s the point? Angels are real! They are assigned to us to help us. They stay in the background of life, but occasionally we get to see one. They are supernatural beings with a lot of power. One former satanist recalled that he tried to curse some Christians, but their angels showed up (he was able to see the angels) and he was unable to curse those Christians. Although we may not see them, we are their assignment and they are on it!

I’m not sure why I felt so impressed to share this incident in my life about my angelic encounter. Maybe you’ve had one, and wasn’t really sure that it was an angel; or that anyone would believe it. Well, I for one, believe. God is an amazing, supernatural God, and so is His army! And maybe, that’s the point!

Should you pray for an angelic encounter? That’s an interesting question. I think more accurately you should pray that you are able to discern angelic activity in your life. This is a spiritual gift! The gift of discerning of spirits. The important thing is to just acknowledge the doctrinal truth of angels, and to be aware of them. You just may get a chance to entertain one! Wonderful Jesus!

Is Lying Ever Okay?

Joshua 2:3-4 – “So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from.” NIV

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I was reading today in the book of Joshua, and as I read this verse, it made me think about the commandment about not lying. As a matter of fact, it says quite strongly, “Thou shalt not lie!” Don’t do it! And yet, Rahab lies and becomes a part of the genealogy of Jesus. So, is it ever okay with God for us to lie? The Bible tells us that He hates lying lips, and lying is an abomination to Him, so how do we reconcile these situations with what we know about the commandments?

Rahab told her countrymen that she didn’t know where the two spies had come from. She also told them that the spies had left, and if they pursued them quickly, that they could overtake them. That was an outright lie. She knew exactly who they were, and she had them hidden on her roof!

When Moses was born, the midwives lied to Pharaoh. They were supposed to kill the baby boys as they left the womb. The women refused to do it, and when Pharaoh asked them about it, they lied. They told Pharaoh that the Hebrew women delivered before they got to them! That was most definitely a lie.

Obadiah, the palace administrator to Ahab, and one who loved God, hid one hundred prophets of God in a cave and fed them; at a time when their lives were of little value to the king, and his hateful wife, Jezebel. In doing so, Obadiah was being unfaithful to the king, and was actually deceiving the king. He was also probably providing food for the prophets from the storehouse of the king. Was this honorable? Was God pleased?

I got to thinking about this and it reminded me of some dark times in world history. For one, the Holocaust. Many people lied to friends, family, and authorities to protect the lives of Jewish individuals. From Corrie Ten Boom to Schindler, and names unknown, individuals harbored Jewish people, fed them, helped them to escape, and some died in the process. They knew they were lying, but they were okay with that. Were they liars?

Abolitionists did the same thing. They helped with the Underground Railroad. And in doing so, they hid runaway slaves, lying to authority figures, bounty hunters, and even people they knew. But they helped people to escape to freedom; hiding them, feeding them, transporting them, and clothing them. They were lying, the Bible states that we shouldn’t lie, and clearly people have done so without remorse. Again, I ask, how does this lying look to the Father, who stated clearly, that we are not to lie? What does that teach us today?

Well, I have no revelation on the subject! God hasn’t told me that He is okay with some lies and not other lies. I know that’s not true. But I do believe that our first allegiance is to the Father. And in each of these cases, the lying was done to preserve life, to fulfill His plans.

In the case with the midwives, it was necessary that Moses be born. If the midwives had obeyed Pharaoh and killed the babies, they would have disobeyed God with another commandment about not killing. And God’s plan for the deliverer had to come to pass, so they couldn’t kill the baby boys. They lied to keep from being involved in something even worst. The Lord blessed them, thereby sealing the truth that He was pleased with their choice. And this technically was before the commandments were given.

Rahab didn’t live by the commandments. However, her lie preserved the life of the two spies. And in lying to her countrymen, she pushed God’s agenda. She also displayed her allegiance to Him, when she shared that she was confident that Jericho would be defeated and she wanted to change her citizenship. Again, this was before the Law. We know that God was pleased because she married a leader of the Jewish people and is found in the ancestry of the Savior.

And Obadiah was deceiving the king, but protecting the prophets of God. Maybe he didn’t tell an outright lie, but he definitely didn’t let the king know that he had the prophets hidden and were feeding them. Yet, what he did was really an honorable thing!

What about us today? I don’t agree with lying. I don’t think the commandments change because of situations. But I do think the situations with the Holocaust and slavery were so inhumane, that God’s people got involved to do what was necessary to preserve life. I think that they probably would have preferred to do it another way, but was left with little choice in how to help save these lives. And today, they are heroes!

Lying to protect ourselves from the consequences of our self-serving actions is wrong. We should not lie. But in response to persecution and tribulation, you have to ask yourself, what can you live with? The midwives couldn’t live with the act of murdering babies, so they chose to lie instead. Rahab couldn’t ignore the fact that God was on the move, and she was drawn to Him, so she refused to allow her countrymen to kill His people. Those who helped in the Holocaust, and the abolitionists with freedom for the slaves, couldn’t live with the injustices of seeing a person destroyed just because of their heritage or skin color.

I actually admire these individuals. They weren’t looking to escape the consequences of man, they were looking to escape the consequences of God. I guess that’s the answer to lying, if it’s to get out of what man can do to you, it’s probably not going to be acceptable before God. However, if in your heart, if you lied to honor God, truly honor God, then…. I’ll not encourage you to lie! I will just say that it’s a question that I was thinking about. I asked a lot of questions I didn’t answer, but I am sure that their lies were forgiven them. I am equally as sure that while they lied, they did not become liars, and that is the greater truth! What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment! Wonderful Jesus!

Happy Are the People!

Psalm 144:15 – “Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!” NKJV

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Happy people are blessed people, and blessed people are happy people! I woke up with this passage of scripture on my heart and just thought I would share it!

We are happy when our children are doing well! David wrote the following about children:

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth! In today’s vernacular this means, that our sons are doing well. They are physically healthy, they are growing into fine young men. They are morally upright and are demonstrating a sense of responsibility.
That our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in palace style. No figure heads for our daughters. But still applicable in the sense that we want daughters of grace and inner beauty. Young women who are confident, vibrant, and of course, morally upright and responsible.

We are happy when we have money in the bank, the bills are paid, and we can enjoy life and giving:

That our barns may be full, supplying all kinds of produce.
That our sheep may bring forth thousands in our fields. Increase in our labors. Much fruit in our jobs!
That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no breaking in our going out- I left all of these together because they speak of prosperity. Yes, prosperity. Our finances, our business, our homes, our possessions, growing, flourishing, and overflowing to the point of being a blessing to others. That they are protected from the thief and from waste.

We are happy when we feel safe and secure where we live:

That there be no outcry in our streets. We are living in such a way, that there are no protests in the streets over injustice, lack, or unfair treatment. We can go back and forth in the city without fear of being hurt, harmed, or in danger!

How can this be? David was praying that this would be the state of the people whose God is the Lord! When we are in the kingdom of God, we should expect that every area of our lives will be touched by His goodness, filled with His blessings! Our family, our livelihood, our cities! Nothing missing, nothing lacking! That’s actually what blessings are all about! And when we are blessed by God like this, aren’t we happy?

Somebody is saying, just one area Lord, and I’ll be happy! That may be true, but trust Him to move in all areas; expand your heart to receive more from God! He’s not having an economic crisis, and He’s not rationing out blessings!

I just thought I’d share what I woke up to! I pray blessings over your family, your home, your livelihood, your city, your country! As David did! So the next time someone say to you, “Be blessed,” think of all these ways in which David, and I prayed for you to be blessed! Because happy is the people whose God is the Lord! Wonderful Jesus!

Jesus, the Son of God!

Matthew 3:17 – And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” NKJV

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I’ve blogged about Jesus, our deliverer from sin; Jesus, our access to the kingdom, and Jesus, our access to the blessings. All of this helps us to understand the multi-faceted purpose of our Lord and Savior. Today, I will blog about Jesus, the Son of God.

Everything we can ever learn about Jesus is a truth we should hold dear to our heart; but the one truth we must make preeminent is, Jesus is, the Son of God! The foundation of our faith in Him, is wrapped up in the gift of God, His Son, who came in human flesh to die on the cross for us, then He rose from the dead, and presents us faultless before the throne!

Mark, Luke, and John starts their gospel account acknowledging Jesus as, the Son of God. John expounded on this truth that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. In verse thirty four of his first chapter he wrote, “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (Words attributed to John the Baptist). Then, at the closing of his writings in chapter twenty he stated, “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” When I was new in the studying of the word, I was told, and heard many people tell new believers, to start reading in the book of John. I wasn’t told why, just to do it. But I understand now, because John’s purpose in writing this gospel was to present Jesus as, the Son of God, and faith starts and end on this truth!

The devil started his attacks against Jesus with the phrase, “If You are the Son of God”. At this point, Jesus had not proclaimed anything about Himself; but the enemy knew it to be true, that He, Jesus, was indeed, the Son of God. Satan’s problem was that He didn’t understand why God sent His Son to the earth in the flesh. He had no idea the great plan of salvation that was carried in the bosom of the Son of God. He did however, know it was not a good thing for him. On several occasions, as demons were about to be cast out of individuals, they referred to Jesus as the Son of God; but He would silence them because He wanted no recognition or witness from the demonic world.

People, who came in contact with Him, recognized Jesus as the Son of God. As Jesus performed miracles, He was worshipped as the Son of God. When He walked on water, and told Peter to come out of the boat, and Peter also walked on water, the disciples proclaimed that “truly He is the Son of God.” When Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him under the tree, Nathanael declared that Jesus was the Son of God. When Jesus asked His disciples who did men say that He was, Peter said that he believed Jesus to be the Son of God. When He died on the cross and the earth responded with anguish, it was said by the centurion that He was, the Son of God.

More importantly, Jesus said He is the Son of God. After healing the man born blind, Jesus asked the man if he believed in the Son of God, and affirmed that He indeed was the Son. Jesus said that as the Son, He must complete the works of His Father. Jesus also said that He who did not honor the Son, did not honor the Father that sent Him. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He said it was done that He, the Son of God, might be glorified by it. He repeatedly called God, His Father. Before the Sanhedrin, with many accusers throwing lies around, He said nothing; but when asked if He was the Son of God, He assented.

And lastly, the most important witness is that of the Father. When God sent Michael to Mary, the angel told her that she would give birth to the Son of God. The Father said at His baptism that Jesus is His beloved Son, and He is well pleased with Him. And yet again, on the Mount of Transfiguration, God called Jesus, His beloved Son.

His birth was a miraculous birth, as He was placed in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit. He was sent by God to save His people from their sins and to give them eternal life. He was focused on obeying His Father and doing His will. He forgave sins, as His Father did. He performed mighty miracles, just like the Father. He raised the dead, just like God. His character was that of the Father: holy and without sin. He is equal with God, one with the Father. He is God!

All of this is in God’s word, regarding Jesus, His Son. The one truth that no other religion will admit to, is that Jesus is, the Son of God. They will call Him a prophet. They will admit that He was real and did some great things, but they fall short of acknowledging Him as, the Son of God. He is very much the Son of God, and because we believe, He has given us the right to become sons of God. What a privilege and honor to have God as our Father. If you have not recognized the Son of God before today, I trust that after reading this blog, you more fully see Him as He is: Jesus, the Beloved Son of God! And don’t forget, once you believe, you are now,______________, the beloved son of God! (Fill in the blank with your name! Wonderful Jesus!

Jesus, Son of David!

Matthew 1:1 – “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” NKJV

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Whenever I read the word of God I am amazed at how God sets things in order. Nothing happened, just because. It was all part of His plan for redeeming mankind, displaying His love, developing us as His own peculiar treasure, revealing Himself. Just amazing!

Such was the case of each leader in the Old Testament. They not only were a part of the grand scheme of God, but they point us to Jesus! Abraham was a prophetic demonstration of God’s love for us as the one who would offer up His only Son for us, Jesus, the Seed of Abraham. Moses was a prophetic picture of Jesus, the deliverer. And King David revealed Jesus as King of kings. Let’s look at King David.

Although, Abraham was before David, in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is mentioned first as the Son of David, and then as the son of Abraham. That’s because the Jewish nation understood that the Son of David, was their title for the Messiah to come, and Matthew purposefully declares Jesus to be, the Son of David, and then gives His genealogy to prove it.

This was intentional on Matthew’s part because he understood that Jewish people placed a high value on a person’s ancestry. We know this to be true because of the long records in the Pentateuch, which give us great details of who fathered whom. When Ezra reorganized the temple worship, the Jews had to prove their family tree with records and those who could not, of the tribe of Levi, were not allowed to serve as priests. So lineage was extremely important and this is why Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus in this manner.

In 2 Samuel 7:13, God said to David, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God established the Davidic covenant with these verses. He promised David that his seed would be the one that would have a forever kingdom. Several of the promises made to David at this time were in fact related to Solomon, heir to the throne. But verse 13, was in reference to the Messiah, Jesus, who was yet to come! The forever King!

Luke confirms that Jesus, the Son of David, was indeed the one who would have a forever kingdom. In chapter 1, verses 32-33, we read- “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Many prophecies in the Old Testament foretold of a kingdom that would have no end. We know that to be true today, and we know it to be fulfilled in Jesus!

There are two important ways that David and Jesus are mirrored. David was a shepherd. As a shepherd he cared for the sheep and protected them when necessary. Jesus, Himself, declared that He was, and is, the Good Shepherd and He refers to His people as His sheep. He takes care of us, protects us, and provides for us, just as David did with his sheep. They are both kings. David’s kingship ended with his death, but he is known to be Israel’s greatest king. His kingdom was taken by force, and he ruled as one who loved the Lord. Jesus’ kingdom is taken by force. He rules as one who is God. He has established a forever kingdom and it is still in operation. He is Jesus, King of kings. From His birth, when the wise men came looking for the King who was born, to His death on the cross, where they nailed a sign King of the Jews, to today, He has been king! And guess what, He will still be King when we leave here, and when we meet Him in heaven.

The Old Testament tells us some very important things concerning the Messiah, the Son of David:

He would reign forever
He would rule over all the people of the earth
He would be both King and Priest
He would bring a new covenant
He would provide forgiveness of sins

Jesus fulfilled all of this and so much more!

In the New Testament, Jesus was referred to as the Son of David on several occasions:

Matthew 12:23- It was written, “Could this be the Son of David?” – After Jesus healed the man who was demon-possessed, and was both blind and mute
Matthew 15: 22- Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! – The Syro-Phoenician woman who wanted the crumbs from the under the table for her daughter’s healing cried to Jesus.
Matthew 20:30- “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David”- two blind men cried for their sight!
Matthew 21-15- “Hosanna to the Son of David!” – the children cried in the temple when they saw Jesus during His triumphant entry!
Matthew 22:42- Jesus asks the Pharisees how could David call his descendant, his Lord? They responded that he was the Son of David, basically the Messiah!

Why did they call Jesus the Son of David after these miracles? Because the Old Testament references to the Messiah declared that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.” Isaiah 35:5 NKJV

There are so many wonderful truths about Jesus, the Son of David, and how their lives were mirror images, but can I share some that are dropped in my heart?

David, was the first Old Testament person who had the Spirit of God with him always. Jesus also had the Spirit of God with Him always, although, without sin. David also brought in the realization of a personal relationship with God, and Jesus was and is the fulfillment of that personal relationship with God. David was a man who sought the face of God, and Jesus was always praying. David was a great servant-leader, and Jesus was a greater servant-leader. David cared deeply for his people, and Jesus demonstrated great compassion for His people. And the list can go on!

I will return to my first observation in this post. God is so intentional. Every detail has been well thought out! As I have been working on this post and thinking about these things, it has caused me to realize that He didn’t stop being intentional after Jesus. He is still just as intentional in our lives. I can’t explain delays, or disappointments, or how they fit in the whole tapestry of life; but I am confident that He misses nothing, and He is working out His own plan; for my life, for your life, for the sake of the kingdom, for the return of Jesus! Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!

Jesus, The Prophet Like Moses

Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” NIV

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Moses was quite the prophet. He is still held high in the esteem of both the Jewish and Christian faith. He was most definitely one to love and hate, loved by the Israelites and hated by the Egyptians! As the new Moses, Jesus is loved by those who believe in Him, and hated by those who feel threatened by Him!

The Bible confirms for us through the words of Matthew, Peter, and even Stephen that Jesus was in fact, that prophet like Moses. When Stephen was defending his belief in Jesus, before the mob that stoned him, he quoted the verse in Deuteronomy, as a reference to Jesus. Acts 7:37 – “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’” After the lame man was healed at the temple in Jerusalem, Peter also used this verse to describe Jesus, as the promised Messiah, the Prophet like Moses.

Let’s look at ways that Moses’ life paralleled Jesus:

Moses was born when the male children were being killed by Pharaoh; the male children were slaughtered by Herod after Jesus’ birth.
Josephus wrote that Pharaoh was told of a Hebrew boy who would be born and who would bring down the Egyptian kingdom, while liberating the Israelites. Herod was told about the birth of the king of the Jews, whom Herod tried to annihilate for fear of losing his kingdom.
When God told Moses to return to Egypt, God told him that those who sought his life was dead. Similarly, when the angel spoke to Joseph, he told Joseph to return home because those who sought the life of Jesus was dead.
Moses went on the mount to receive the laws of God, and Jesus went on the mount to deliver the Sermon on the Mount.
Moses fasted for forty days and nights, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights.
Moses performed many miracles, Jesus performed many more miracles.
Moses provided manna in the wilderness, Jesus provided bread and fish in the wilderness-first to 5,000 and then to 4,000, and He is the spiritual manna.
Moses parted the Red Sea, Jesus walked on water.
Moses healed Miriam of leprosy, Jesus cleansed ten lepers at once, and healed many others.
When Moses left the presence of the Lord, his face shone and he hid it behind a veil, when Jesus left the Mount of Transfiguration, his face shone like the sun.
God made a covenant with the children of Israel called the Mosaic Covenant, and Jesus established a covenant with us, called the New Covenant!

The most powerful way that Moses was like Jesus, or that Jesus is the second Moses, is that they were both deliverers. God gave Moses the assignment of going to Egypt and telling Pharaoh to “let my people go”. Moses did this through a series of miracles, the last one saw the Egyptians drowning in the Red Sea.

Matthew 1:21, states that Jesus would save His people from their sins. That’s exactly what He does when He is believed upon, He delivers people from their sins. The natural Exodus, was a type and shadow of the spiritual Exodus; where we are translated out of darkness into light! The Passover feast pointed to the death of the Messiah. What Jesus did at Calvary was far more powerful than what Moses did during the Exodus. Moses’ deliverance was natural, Jesus’ deliverance is spiritual and is everlasting! Jesus died, then went to hell and made a public spectacle over our enemy, the devil, triumphing over him, as conqueror!

Moses delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, and God gave him the Law to give to them. Jesus came in fulfillment of that Law and gave grace and truth! Where the Law was binding under Moses, grace was freeing under Jesus! Where the Law was filled with blood sacrifices, Jesus shed His Blood, once and for all! Where the Law was a shadow of things to come, Jesus was the Word made flesh, a bodily fulfillment of that Law! Where the Law was a constant reminder of sins, Jesus brought a constant reminder of grace and mercy!

Jesus, the Prophet like Moses, was a far better Moses! These are the correlations that spoke to me, and I hope they help you to see that Moses, in all that he did, he did to point the children of Israel to the true Messiah, Jesus the Christ! Wonderful Jesus!

Jesus, the Seed of Abraham!

Galatians 3:16 – Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. NKJV

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Genesis is the book of beginnings! It is in this book that God begins His redemptive plan for mankind. Actually, it was begun before the foundations of the world, but it is in the first book of the Bible that we see the plan begin to unfold. I am going to do a series about Jesus and how He was the spiritual fulfillment of types and shadows in the Old Testament.

God told Abraham, when He called him out of Ur, that He was going to bless him. Abraham wanted a son more than anything else and God promises to deliver a son. Then when Isaac is deep in Abraham’s heart, God tells him to go and sacrifice Isaac, his only son, to the Lord. Abraham obeys the Lord and as he is about to take Isaac’s life, God stops him. The Lord then tells him:

Genesis 22:17-18 – “blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” NKJV

Now, we might say that this referred to Isaac. And you will be correct, because through Isaac, God multiplied Abraham’s seed and they now live all over the earth. But that wasn’t the only thing that God meant. Paul, being intentional, let us know that this seed God referred to was not “seeds” as in descendants, but to a particular seed, as in Jesus, singular.

When Matthew begins his record of the genealogy of Jesus, he begins with Abraham letting us know that Jesus was the seed of Abraham. This is important because Jesus was a natural descendant of the father of faith, or the patriarch of Israel, Abraham!

God’s promise, that the nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham’s Seed is therefore, not fulfilled in Isaac, but in Jesus! In the book of Revelation, John wrote, that we are called out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. All because of the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the salvation that He bestows to all those who believe. Paul also let’s us know that the promise came to Abraham when he had stepped out in faith and obeyed God and that through faith we receive Jesus and have access to the same favor and blessings that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the children of Israel had access to.

Not only that, but the promise of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus said was the promise of the Father, was part of that promise made to Abraham. (Galatians 3:14) And Isaac was not capable of bestowing or being party to making that a reality. This promise to Abraham covered every aspect of our lives, natural blessings, salvation, the promise of the Holy Spirit, and access to the Father.

Jesus, is a fulfillment of the covenant that God made with Abraham. Through Jesus all the nations have an opportunity to be blessed. Through Jesus, Abraham’s Seed, there have been an innumerable, increase in the Body of Christ. Surely we have increased to the point that we are more numerous than the sand in the sea or the stars in the sky. And contrary to polls and naysayers, we are continually growing.

Also, we are possessing the gates of our enemy. Jesus has given us authority to trample over demons; authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out; and authority over all the works of the devil. Isaac was not able to bring us to the place where we could possess the gates of the enemy!

So let’s look at what we have in Jesus because He is the seed of Abraham:

If we are of faith, we are blessed with believing Abraham
Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law of sin and death
Abraham’s blessings are to come upon us through Christ Jesus
We will receive the promise of the Spirit through faith
We are justified by faith
We are sons of God through faith
We are heirs according to the promise
We’re all one in Christ Jesus

It was so important to our redemption, that Jesus fulfill the promise of God as the Seed of Abraham! When I read the Old Testament, I marvel at all God did for the children of Israel, but I don’t have to be jealous, for I also am an heir to the same blessings they experienced and so much more! I’m gonna get my blessings, right now! Wonderful Jesus!

A Loving Father!

Luke 15:11-13,17,20 – “To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. NLT

This parable is used a lot in sermons on Father’s Day, so I decided to do the same. In our Bible, the subtitle over this parable is “The Prodigal Son”, but most would say that this parable should be labeled, “The Loving Father” because it is more about the father’s love for his sons, then the sons themselves. You will have to read the entire parable on your own.

Jesus tells a parable about a father and his two sons. The youngest son asks the father for his inheritance. Under Jewish law, the elder son would inherit the largest portion of the wealth (two-thirds), and the other son would inherit the rest (one-third). The father gets the money together, gives it to his son, and his son leaves. The son spends all he had on living large, a famine hits, and he finds himself feeding pigs. When he comes to his senses, he decided to head home to be a servant in his father’s house. The father receives him warmly, the big brother isn’t happy, but the father says he was lost but now is found! That’s it in a nutshell!

The youngest son hurt his father in asking for his inheritance, which he wasn’t entitled to until the death of his father. What insult this must have been to the father! The son then leaves, with his money, and goes to enjoy his life and freedom. He spends everything quicker than he could have imagined, then a famine sets in. What a waste of money, time, and life! After he hits rock bottom, he decides going home as a servant is better than the life that he is living.

The elder son on the other hand is at home taking care of business. He and his brother may not have been close before he left, but he definitely isn’t feeling his brother after he leaves. When his brother was home, he may have had some help with the work, but now he has to manage things on his own. He is probably becoming angrier by the day.

The father loves both his sons. He is hurt that his youngest son has left, but instead of using manipulation or his authority to keep his son at home, he releases him. He continues life at home, but always with an eye on the road for his son to return home. He watches daily for him, probably with much concern and much prayer.

Then the son returns! Hallelujah! The father is so excited. He sees the son before he arrives and rushes out to greet him. He embraces his son as one who was lost and puts a robe on him, restoring his honor as a son. He gives him a ring, restoring his authority as a son. He gives him shoes, restoring his place of sonship. Then he gives him a party, restoring their relationship, for he deemed him as lost, but now found. Much love and much forgiveness was extended to this son.

The youngest son, has returned a broken young man. He is starving and humbled. He has realized the weight of all he has done and feel unworthy to be called a son. He has decided that his life is so bad off, even being a servant at home is better than what he has in the pig pen. He is probably embarrassed and ready to be attacked by his older brother, disowned by his father, and disrespected by the servants. But he returns to his father. Not his home, his father!

The elder son was not called from his work to join the party. So when he comes in for the evening a realizes a party is being given to celebrate the return of his brother, he is angry and refuses to join in. The father finds him outside and tries to talk some sense in him. The son says that he has never had a kid killed for him to make merry with his friends, even though he had served him faithfully. He was hurt that his brother, who he imagined to have done the vilest things in life while away, was being treated as if he had returned from a long journey, instead of leaving with his inheritance, leaving them all behind! Although he wasn’t called from work to join the party, he was expected to join in the festivities. The father tries to reassure the elder son that his place and inheritance was secure. This didn’t mean that he was loved less. But it was right to celebrate the return of his brother!

This is another parable that is full of meaning, and too hard to truly digest in a blog. The father’s great love represents, our heavenly Father’s great love for us. We can never do anything that will separate us from His love. He is always willing to forgive us, and to receive us back into the fold. This is what Jesus wanted us to know. The younger son’s attitude when he returned to the father, is the attitude that we should have when we sin. It’s against the father that we sin, and to the father we must return and ask forgiveness. The lowest place in the kingdom of God, is better than the highest place outside the kingdom. Then the attitude of the elder son is not the right attitude. All that he said was true, but to not be excited at the return of the brother, shows that the elder son had his own issues he needed to repent of.

I could’ve easily titled this, “How is This Even Fair, part 2”, because that was exactly the heart of the elder son. It is difficult for some people to understand the loving nature of the Father. The Jews had difficulty understanding the Father’s love for the Gentiles. Some have a hard time understanding “jailhouse” salvation. While others have difficulty understanding, deathbed salvations. But that is only because they have a hard time understanding the heart of a truly loving Father! He is always willing, ready, and waiting to embrace us and bring us back to Himself. This Father’s Day, return to the love of the Father! Don’t worry about what others think, when the Father is watching for your return!

A very happy and blessed Father’s Day to all of the dads who read this blog, and those whose loved ones read this blog! God bless you richly! Wonderful Jesus!

Who Did the Father’s Will?

Matthew 21:28-31 – “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. NKJV

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This is an interesting parable. We have two sons and a father. The father asks one of his sons to go to work in his vineyard. The son says that he will not go, but then he goes and work in it. Then the father goes to his second son and asks him to go and work in the vineyard, and he says that he will, but he doesn’t. Sounds like anyone you know?

Let’s look at the first son. He said that he wouldn’t go and work, but he changed his mind and went. Actually, the NKJV says that he regretted that he said no, and so he went. Most of us would admit, that we can get with this son. Whether it was respect for his father, or guilt that made him regret it, we don’t know! But at some point, he got up and went out into the vineyard. This son made the father feel better by doing what he was asked.

Then we have the other son. The one who said he would go, but didn’t go. This son is the one that makes you want to kick him out of the house! He basically told his father, what he wanted to hear, then did what he wanted to do. This son made the father’s heart heavy because he lied to his father, and let him down. Know anyone like that?

Then Jesus asked, which one did the father’s will? The answer was, the first! Can I stop here for a moment and say that although he did what the father asked, and I’m sure the father was glad that he went, he was still wrong! Notice Jesus didn’t applaud either son, nor did he agree with the answer that the first son had done the father’s will. He just continued on with His point!

Have you ever been in this situation? You asked someone, maybe your child, to do something and their first response is no? Do you remember how utterly frustrating it was for you to hear the word no? Especially if it was something as simple as the example above. It’s the family business, and everyone is needed to make it work. Why weren’t the sons already working? Why would he have to ask them to do that which they should already be doing? Nevertheless, he asks and the son says no. But then he has a change of heart and goes out to the vineyard. In a way, he did what was asked of him, but the fact that he said no doesn’t put him in the “son of the year” category.

The Father asks things of us all the time. Sometimes we say no, and later we come back and do what he asks. But to make it right, we have to fix it. That’s called repentance! And that first son may have regretted it, but Jesus doesn’t say that he went to his dad and repented. I’m not so sure that Jesus was as please with the first son, as I’ve been taught. I know that in a similar situation, my concern would be that my son had the nerves to tell me no. Then he went, thinking that just because he did, I should be happy. I’m not feeling generous towards him at all!

Then the second son said yes, and didn’t go! I’m even more upset with this kid. Lying is unacceptable! Did he forget? Did he know he wasn’t going when he said that he was? This is even more frustrating, to have someone say they will do something and they don’t! How about us, with the Father? Or even with one another? Do we say we are going to do something and then we just don’t do it? Have you ever been guilty? I won’t ask you to confess, if you don’t ask me to confess!

In both of these situations, if we are honest, both sons had a problem. If you had to decide who did what the father asked, it was the first one. If you ask, who did the will of his father, I have to say neither. What?? That’s right! Neither!

The first son went, but he didn’t want to go. He even said that he wouldn’t. Obedience is an attitude. Naturally and spiritually. As a parent, I would have been glad that my son finally went, but I would’ve been disappointed that he had said no in the first place. And if he didn’t come back and apologize, I would have wanted him to, to know that he understood what he did wrong.

I teach social and emotional learning and restorative practices. Sometimes you have to fix a thing, by addressing it, and realizing that you have hurt someone. I know this parable is about obeying God. And I know that in a sad way, the son showed obedience. But if in his heart, he struggled with obedience, then it will happen again because his first response wasn’t a yes! He felt bad, and went; but he should’ve gone to the vineyard immediately. Does that make sense?

Jesus was making a point that the Pharisees were the ones who said that they obeyed the Law, when in actuality they did not. They said they loved God, when they had no proof of that love by their actions. They rejected Him and wanted to get rid of Him, acting as if they didn’t know God at all. Then there were the sinners, who originally acted disinterested in the things of God, at least with what they had seen, but when they heard the truth, spoken by Jesus, they wanted to obey Him.

I may be overthinking this, but I am sure that God loves it when we “come around” to His way of thinking and do as He asks. It most definitely is better than saying that we obey Him, and then we don’t! But a better way, when we know He is speaking to us, is to simply say yes and do what He asks. I know firsthand it’s not always easy. I try to never ever say no. But sometimes I have to build up the courage, or pray a few more times about it, or even get counsel, because I’m not excited about it or sure it’s Him. Maybe I’m more like the first son then I care to admit. But when I know it’s God, I obey!

I don’t want to be like either of them. I want to learn the voice of God and then learn to obey Him. All of the time. I don’t ever want to say to Him that I won’t do something He asks. I say that I won’t go on the mission field, or become a pastor, but that’s because I can say He hasn’t asked. But if He does, I want to be able to say yes to His will, even if I want to say no! Just a thought! Wonderful Jesus!

How Is That Even Fair?

Matthew 20:1-7 – “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ ESV

This is another popular parable. If you recall, in the 19th chapter of Matthew, Peter has just been told that it will be difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. Peter then replies, that they have left all to follow Jesus and wants to know, “Therefore, what shall we have?” In the Message Bible his question is rendered, “What do we get out of it?”

The Lord tells the disciples of the rewards that they will receive: they will rule with Him, everything given up will be restored 100 fold, and of course, eternal life. Then He shares that the last will be first, and the first will be last. But He doesn’t stop there. He then shares with them what the kingdom will be like, using the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

The master goes out to find workers for his vineyard. He hires workers at 6 am, goes again and hires more at 9 am, then noon, and finally at the 11th hour, which is 5 pm. The work day ends at 6 pm. He agrees to pay the first workers a denarius for a full day’s work. Then, subsequently, he offers the same pay to the others, even those who work for only an hour.

When the day ends, the master has the foreman call over the workers, and since they start with the last one hired and gives him a denarius, those who worked all day, thought they would received more. When they also receive a denarius, they become angry with the owner. He replies that he can do what he wants with that which is his; and that they received the payment that was agreed upon. Basically, they were asking, “How is this even fair? We worked all day long in your vineyard, even at its hottest point; and you make them equal to us. That just isn’t fair!” Well, whether it was fair or not, it was right; because it was his money, and therefore his decision.

I have heard the phrase, “That isn’t fair,” more times than I can remember. As a matter of fact, I wish I could’ve placed a jar in my classroom to collect a dollar every time it was said! I got to the place where I stopped defending if something was fair or not, and started saying, “It may not seem fair to you, but it’s the right thing to do!” Then I’d keep it moving!

The situation in the vineyard is exactly like the kingdom, some people will get saved as kids, others as teens, and still others as young adults, and they will serve God faithfully all of their lives. They’ll start churches, go on mission fields, feed the poor, teach Sunday School, and a host of other things before they die. Then there will be those who get saved and not serve Him for any real length of time, or not at all. Well, when they get to heaven, all of them will receive the gift of eternal life. There are no degrees of eternal life. It’s the same for us all! Your works may determine your rewards in heaven, but we all get the same pay, eternal life!

Then there is the attitudes of the first workers, like some in the kingdom. Instead of them realizing the good heart of the one who hired them, they were complaining because they felt cheated. Most of us probably feel that it really wasn’t fair! None of us would “really” be happy to find out that we worked all day long and got the same pay that someone, who only worked an hour, received. Let’s keep it real! I can understand where they were at. However, they were more interested in how it wasn’t fair to them, and they couldn’t see the blessing that the master was to the last workers. In a very real sense, those families could have gone hungry that night had the master not shown compassion on them. If the first workers would’ve have been the last hired, it would have been the favor of God, and we all know that favor ain’t fair. But because they watched it happen to the other workers, the thought the master had treated them unfairly!

Can you relate? How many times have you complained to God because of something He did for someone else? Especially a new believer? Your marriage is going through and you’ve been praying for years. Someone gets saved, their marriage is a disaster, but within a few months, their marriage is restored. How is that even fair? Well, since I don’t know all of the details, I just have to say, God knows what He is doing. His compassion knows no limit! Maybe less complaining will get you the same results.

Another point is the character of the master. He had a heart of compassion for those workers who wanted to work but couldn’t find a means to provide for their families. They had been overlooked, maybe rejected, but the master of the vineyard hired them. Just like in the kingdom. All of us are important to God. It doesn’t matter when we cry out to and make ourselves available to Him, He accepts us! So how is that even fair? It is if you are the recipient! God says your heart is evil if you feel this way about how He runs the kingdom. I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to be right before the Master.

Lastly, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. The kingdom message was given first to the Jews and lastly to the Gentiles. But today, the Gentiles carry the message of the kingdom and the Jews are catching on. In which case, they are last! How’s that even fair? They did reject Him as a nation, and the Gentiles accepted Him. Now they have to get in line to receive their Messiah! There may be more to that, but that’s all I have for now. Wonderful Jesus!