Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Eight

"Right Relationship"

Romans 4:1-12 (NLT) Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
   When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
   “Oh, what joy for those
      whose disobedience is forgiven,
      whose sins are put out of sight.
   Yes, what joy for those
      whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

   Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
   Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Why do we have to keep studying about circumcision versus uncircumcision? It is very important that we learn that doing "religious things"and/or "good things" is not what makes a right relationship with God. It is by faith, and faith alone, that makes the right relationship possible at all.

Look at it this way: Faith in Jesus = Righteousness (right relationship) with God.

There is no other way. Faith in Christ Jesus is God's plan for us to speak to Him on a personal basis. That is not to say we shouldn't avoid behavior that causes us to turn away from Him. Or, that we shouldn't do good things. Being in a right relationship with God means that we behave just like Jesus did when He walked on the earth. We must love God and love others.

Romans 4:13-18 (NLT) Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
   So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

All that the Law does is to point out our transgression against God. It tells us what is and isn't appropriate behavior. It doesn't save us. Think of it as a fence around a playground that keeps the young children playing safe. Outside the fence there is harm. Inside the fence there is safety. The fence doesn't save the children, the person who put the fence in place is the one who saves them.

When we place our faith in God, we trust that He has our best interests in mind and that the boundaries He has placed around, us through right behavior, is good and perfect. His plan is to have a relationship with His creation (us) through our faith in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT) He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are partners with Jesus. He is the most faithful partner a person can have. Through faith in Him, we have fellowship with the God of the Universe. Think about what faith in Jesus really means. We will not die an eternal death. Rather, we will live eternal life in perfect union with our Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

What is this test we read about in 2 Corinthians 13:5? It is simply believing that Christ Jesus lives within those who have placed their lives in His hands through His Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:9-11 (NLT) But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

"those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all." That is the test. Those who have the Spirit of the Living God know that they have Him dwelling within them. He isn't silent or inactive. He moves and breathes within those who love and trust Jesus. He is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. Let's live, by faith, the Spirit-filled life God intended. This is true relationship with our God; to trust that Jesus has made the way for everyone. Its up to each person to choose Him to be their Lord and Savior.

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Seven

"Beyond All Reason"


Romans 3:21-31 (NLT) But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
   For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
   Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
   After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn’t he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well, then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.


Perhaps this is old hat to you because you have been a follower of Jesus for a long time. Or, maybe this is completely new to you because you are just now exploring who Jesus really is. Whatever the position of you faith, it is important to know that salvation through Christ Jesus is not from believing hard enough or doing all the right things. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Believing in something doesn't make it real. Actively living your belief in Jesus is the key.

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First, lets describe faith. First, faith is not passive. It's active. It doesn't stand still, it moves and breathes and has life. In verse 22 it says, "We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are." Being made right with God is like a runner placing their foot on the starting line and taking the first step that leads to the goal at the end of the race.

Hebrews 11:1(NLT) Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Everyone believes in something. Even atheist believe or put their faith in thinking there is no God. The Christian places their faith in the belief that Jesus is Savior and is the only way to a right relationship with God. It all takes faith. All of us have to choose what we will place our proverbial foot into life's race.

What do you have confidence in?
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God has made the playing ground level. You see, all of us fail. All of us sin. We all miss the mark. Its like an archer aiming at the moon and hoping to hit it. It would be impossible to reach the moon from earth with a mere bow and arrow. The strength behind the bow isn't enough power to reach the target. It's the same idea with reaching God. Jesus is the only power strong enough to reach God.

Ephesians 1:18-19 (NLT) I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
   I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

The power behind the faith we have in Jesus, is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. That power is the Holy Spirit. Those who love and serve Jesus are filled with this power. The only way to be filled with this power is to place your faith, your belief, the direction of your thoughts and life into Jesus' capable hands.

For years and years and years God provided a temporary solution to the sin factor. Millions and millions of animals were sacrificed to allow man to have a relationship with Him. It was only through the acting priests that God made His will known. When Christ came, He became the final and perfect sacrifice that paid the death penalty for our sins. It's a horrifying requirement when a sacrifice is made. Blood is spilt and a price is paid. Sin against God is that deadly. Jesus was the Only One who could and did fulfill the requirement to have a relationship with God. Now everyone who places their faith, belief and actions, in Jesus is made right with God.

Psalm 65:3 (Message) We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt, our sins too much for us—but you get rid of them once and for all. 

I love how the Message Bible puts it, "We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later..." It's a fact, we will all face death, the ending of this temporary life, and will face what's next. I believe that we will face our Maker. It's our choice, while here on earth, how we will meet Him. Without Jesus we face eternity without God and that's no picnic. It's a living death. It's total aloneness. There's no party with other sinners to compare notes with.

Matthew 10:27-29 (CEV) Whatever I say to you in the dark, you must tell in the light. And you must announce from the housetops whatever I have whispered to you. Don't be afraid of people. They can kill you, but they cannot harm your soul. Instead, you should fear God who can destroy both your body and your soul in hell. Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground.

God cared so much about people that He made a way to Himself. He is so holy that He can't be with unholiness. By this I mean that He's clean and we aren't. Jesus has the power to scrub away the filth and make us presentable to God. It's not anything we can do to make ourselves presentable. Everything we do falls short. Everything Jesus does accomplishes a right relationship between God and us.

Where are you in this continuum? How do you respond to God and Jesus? Its time to answer these questions. I would love to hear from you. God loves you beyond all reason. Give Him a chance.

Friday, November 26, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Six



"Level Playing Ground"


Romans 3:1-8 (NLT) Then what’s the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision? Yes, there are great benefits! First of all, the Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God.
   True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him,
“You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”
   “But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?” (This is merely a human point of view.) Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world? “But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?” And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

First, some folks think that the Jews lost their "Chosen" status when they didn't believe in Jesus as Messiah. That is NOT true. God remains faithful to His covenant with them. We, Gentiles, are grafted in because of our belief in His Son. We will look at this more later, but for right now look at the following promise made to Abram (later known as Abraham):

Genesis 12:1-3 (NLT) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”


So, we must respect their position as the "Chosen" people of God. He entrusted them with His Word and they have faithfully passed it down to us now. Our Savior was also Jewish and came from Abraham's seed. We leave the redemption plan of the Jews up to God. Our role is to support them and pray for them.

Paul then addresses another topic. People say and do the craziest things. We all try and justify our actions. All of us. In this portion of Romans Paul is answering the notion that sinful behavior and lies bring out God's righteousness better. They thought that it was ok to keep on sinning because God's glory would be shown better in the forgiveness. Wow, now that's crazy!

What's crazy is I've justified my behavior with, "I can ask God for forgiveness later..." How about you? 

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT) So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

We only get one shot at this thing called life. There are no do-overs.  It should make sense that we would want to be careful with our decisions but so often we don't. How can we make wise and thoughtful decisions? As believers we must totally seek God on everything we do. It may sound stifling but it is actually freeing. Let's move on to the next portion of Romans 3.

Romans 3:9-20 (NLT) Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “They rush to commit murder. Destruction and misery always follow them.  They don’t know where to find peace.” “They have no fear of God at all.”
   Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

God has made the playing ground level. The Law, or the commandments for behavior, was put into place to show people what it means to go against God and sin. No one has an excuse. The only Righteous One is Jesus and He has made a way for us to come to God through forgiveness of sins. Just knowing right from wrong isn't enough because we all mess up and we need a Savior. Jesus is that Savior, He completes the Law by bridging the gap between us and God.

Look at the illustration. It really allows us to see the chasm that separates us from God. We live in death without Jesus. He is our Hope. Once we come to Him we have life and the gap is bridged to God through Him. He is a wonderful Savior. He loves us beyond what we deserve. He's astounded by us and wants to be part of all we do. We don't have an impersonal God who likes to watch us jump through hoops. He walks with us and lives life among us.

"But to all who believed him and accepted him, 
he gave the right to become children of God." 
John 1:12 (NLT)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Five

"Forever Marked"


Romans 2:17-29 (NLT) You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
   Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
   The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
   For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

The religious Jews held on to the letter of the Law and outwardly followed it. When we read of the Law within the Bible or the "religious" Jews in the Bible we tend to think that the Law was bad or in some way evil. It was not and is not. The Law was the way God could associate with people because their sin separated them from Him. What was bad was the "religious" finger-pointing, life-comparing, self-righteous, accusatory attitude of those who thought they had it all together.

Let's have a little history on what "circumcision" meant to the Jew. It was a "covenant" or "agreement" between God and man. A blood seal, symbolizing the "cutting" away of "sin." It was binding and it changed the appearance of being a man. To say the least, it was a precious, vital part of the man who committed himself to God. Through the years the religious distorted it's meaning and held it out as a symbol of superiority. It was anything but that. It was a humbling process to allow the "cutting away" of something so tender. Males are circumcised close to birth now. But Abraham, his sons, slaves, etc were circumcised in manhood and boyhood. I guarantee you they remembered.

Genesis 17:1-2; 10-12 (NIV) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty[a]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” ...This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.

The definition for "circumcision" means, "a cutting around." Paul knew that the Jewish Law required circumcision of all males dedicated to God. Now he knew that Jesus had come and fulfilled the requirement of the Law by dying on the cross for sin and now required a new type of "circumcision" for all who call Him Lord. God, through Christ, requires a "circumcision of the heart."

Romans 2:28-29 (Message) Circumcision, the surgical ritual that marks you as a Jew, is great if you live in accord with God's law. But if you don't, it's worse than not being circumcised. The reverse is also true: The uncircumcised who keep God's ways are as good as the circumcised—in fact, better. Better to keep God's law uncircumcised than break it circumcised. Don't you see: It's not the cut of a knife that makes a Jew. You become a Jew by who you are. It's the mark of God on your heart, not of a knife on your skin, that makes a Jew. And recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.

You see its not the outward appearances that make us who we are. It's what written on a person's heart and reflected in their actions. We can pretend to be anything, but the heart never lies. If we serve Jesus only outwardly and hold back inwardly then are we really His?

Jeremiah 4:4 (NIRV) Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts,  you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah said it well. Circumcise hearts. Cut away what holds you back from a relationship with God. Jesus completed the process on the cross and pointed us to a final circumcision, which is to cut away the hold this life and it sin has on us. Not only does it do this, it places a mark on our hearts and lives that shows the world and the evil one who we belong to.

Ephesians 1:12-14 (CEV) We are the first people who hoped in Christ, and we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God's glory.So it is with you. When you heard the true teaching—the Good News about your salvation—you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised.That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are his—to bring praise to God's glory.

"And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you..." What is this special mark of ownership  given to all who accept Jesus as their Leader and Rescuer? It's the indwelling Holy Spirit. Its God's supernatural mark that we bear to the world and the evil one. We are His. We have been bought with a price.

Do you bear this mark? Do you realize that you have it? Please realize the significance of being marked for eternity for Jesus. The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident in the lives of those who have given up their right to self-redemption, which holds no eternal power of life, but of death. We are passed over by the angel of death and given new life because we belong to God through His Son Jesus.

Ephesians 2:11-13 (Message) But don't take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God's ways had no idea of any of this, didn't know the first thing about the way God works, hadn't the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God's covenants and promises in Israel, hadn't a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything.

We were once out of God's grace and now because of Jesus we are in all the way. If you have given your heart over to the "circumcision" through Christ, by the cutting away of sin and death, then you are permanently marked as His. If you have just been living as a "church-goer" and not a forgiven person then you are not marked. Please humble yourself and give up the "religion" and go under His knife of redemption. If you don't know Him, I plead with you to get to know Him and lay down your life and allow His scalpel take care of the deadness in your heart. He wants you and is ready to mark you with His seal forever.



Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Four

"Stop and Turn"


Romans 2:1-16 (NLT) You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
   But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.
   When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

Everyone has secrets. Everyone sins. Everyone fails. EVERYONE! There is no one who can get it right on their own. There is an innate sense of right and wrong in every person. Some choose to ignore it while still some make up their own rules. I'm no different. I can always come up with some reason for my actions whether good or bad.

The truth is that God gave us ten guidelines that reflect who He is. They are part of His personality and character. If you want to know God, read these and see. I'm going to attempt to make the ten commandments describe His qualities in my own words. Here goes:

1. God is great and there is no one greater.
2. He's authentic. No one can be created to be like Him.
3. He's pure and only holy can describe Him.
4. In Him we find rest. He wants His creation to fin rest in Him.
5. He's the perfect parent and holds parenthood in high regard.
6. He doesn't murder. He loves life because He created it.
7. He's committed to those He loves. He detests adultery knowing it tears down the family.
8. He's honest. Everything He says is truth.
9. He doesn't lie ~ EVER! He doesn't need to. (Really no one does!)
10. He doesn't want what anyone else has. He is Creator God and doesn't need anything.

How can we base our lives on His life? He sent His Son Jesus, who is the exact representation of Him, to this world to be an example for us. Jesus never sinned. When He confronted sin, He didn't dwell on the sin but on the turning from it. Read the story of the woman who was in adultery and was about to be stoned. Jesus stopped the stoning, but left her with the instructions to stop sinning.

Here are some examples of what Jesus said to some people who He had healed:
John 5: 14 (NLT)But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 


John 8:10-12 (NLT) Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
   “No, Lord,” she said.
    And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.

Just stop and turn. Stop judging. Start loving. Stop sinning and follow Jesus. It's so simple and yet so hard. Paul tells us in verse 5 that we keep on the way we always do because we are stubborn and unrepentant. We don't want to be wrong. We want to be justified in our actions. It's a battle as old as time and yet God has given us a way out. The way out is through faith in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NLT) If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

When you find yourself up against the wall, turn around and see that Jesus has made a way out of the situation. All you have to do is go to Him. Ask Him to help. If you think you don't need Him and can get out of the situation or don't think the situation is that bad of a sin, think again. If you listen, your spirit will tell you.

We all know what's right and wrong, especially if we have been raised in church or synagogue. Our hearts may have hardened and we believe our own press, but God knows the truth. If we choose to live according to the commandments without Jesus, then we will fail because He is the Only One who has conquered sin and death. If we live for and with Him He prompts us to live according to God's precepts.

Do you want to live a "right relationship" with God? It is only through Jesus we can. We all fall short and trip up, but because of Jesus' love and forgiveness, we can all be healed, brush ourselves off and live our lives for Him until He takes us home. His grace is sufficient to cover anything you or I have ever done. Trust Him.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Three

"Giving Up What's Best"

Acts 1:18-32 (Message) But God's angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand.
   So God said, in effect, "If that's what you want, that's what you get." It wasn't long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us. Oh, yes!
   Worse followed. Refusing to know God, they soon didn't know how to be human either—women didn't know how to be women, men didn't know how to be men. Sexually confused, they abused and defiled one another, women with women, men with men—all lust, no love. And then they paid for it, oh, how they paid for it—emptied of God and love, godless and loveless wretches.
   Since they didn't bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose. And then all hell broke loose: rampant evil, grabbing and grasping, vicious backstabbing. They made life hell on earth with their envy, wanton killing, bickering, and cheating. Look at them: mean-spirited, venomous, fork-tongued God-bashers. Bullies, swaggerers, insufferable windbags! They keep inventing new ways of wrecking lives. They ditch their parents when they get in the way. Stupid, slimy, cruel, cold-blooded. And it's not as if they don't know better. They know perfectly well they're spitting in God's face. And they don't care—worse, they hand out prizes to those who do the worst things best!

Whew!! What did I get myself into when I decided to study the Book of Romans? It starts out with a warm and encouraging greeting and BAM in your face!! I hope I can comment without having you stop reading because some of the issues this lesson brings up may offend you. The deal is this, do you want to know what God really says are do you want to hear the happy stuff? God is righteous. That means His way of relating to us comes from a love that wants nothing but the best for those who love Him. There is no compromise in His love. So why should there be compromise in ours? With that said let's dive in.

God's anger toward mankind began when we chose our self-made "gods" for the one true "God." We didn't like the limitation He puts on our relationship with Him so we made Him be what fit our desires. Admit it, its easier to do what you want to do than it is to follow someone. The problem with that is that we want Him to fix things when we can't. We want Him when we want Him and He can just "butt-out" the rest of the time.

John 3:31-36 (NLT) “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

Our viewpoint isn't from an eternal perspective. It is limited by our human-ness. God is from a higher perspective, one we cannot reach without Him. Because we don't understand that He can see infinitely. We rely on what we see, hear and experience. Because God knew this about us, He came down to earth in the form of man as Jesus and walked among us teaching us by His actions. He taught us what God's perspective on life really was.

Some will read the list of depravities in these verses and think they are what keeps us from eternity. The truth is what keeps us from an eternal relationionship with God, through Christ, is that we have abandoned Him for the little "gods" in our lives that allow us to feel justified in our actions. It's not about homosexuality, lusts, indecent acts, lying, stealing, cheating, etc. ~its all about giving up our relationship with Jesus to do what we want. We exchange the best and perfect for what doesn't cause ripples in our world. We don't want anyone to tell us what's right or wrong. We refuse His will for us and forfeit relationship with Him and that is what keeps us from eternity. We don't get eternity without Jesus and Jesus won't come into our lives unless we lay down ours.

Ephesians 5:1-14 (NLT) Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
   Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
   Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
   Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, or the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Let me break these verses from Ephesians down:
To Imitate God:
   * Live a life filled with love.
   * Follow the example of Christ.
   * Offer your life as a pleasing aroma to God.
Don't live your lives like this:
   * No sexual immorality.
   * No impurity.
   * No greed.
   * Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes.
 Instead live like this:
   * Don't be deceived by empty words.
   * Be obedient to God.
   * Live in God's light and not in darkness.
   * Find out what pleases God and do it.
   * Wake up from the world's lullaby.

The deal is that Christians have blasted those who don't know Jesus for living "sinful" lives. But, we sin by pointing to the sin and not directing them to Jesus. What keeps a person from forgiveness and full restoration to God is refusing the Son and what He has done for them.

I fail so often and get caught up in the actions of a person and not the heart of the person. God changes lives when He is allowed to enter a heart. His Spirit is the power of salvation that prompts a person to change and accept God's best. We ALL need to ask ourselves if we are truly following the One True God or have we molded and shaped our own "god" to fit the way we want to worship Him?

The decision rests with each individual. Who will you serve? Those of us who do believe that Jesus is God and has rescued us from a life without a relationship with Him, are required to love as Jesus loves and to leave His judgment to Him. Let's examine our hearts and live lives that He desires as best for us. Along the way, let's love others to Him and He will change hearts and minds.

Psalm 11:4-7 (NIVRV) The Lord is in his holy temple. The Lord is on his throne in heaven. He watches all people. His eyes study them. The Lord watches over those who do what is right. But he hates sinful people and those who love to hurt others. He will pour out flaming coals and burning sulfur on those who do what is wrong. A hot and dry wind will destroy them. The Lord always does what is right.  So he loves it when people do what is fair. Those who are honest will enjoy his blessing.

Honestly, those who truly seek God through Jesus will receive His best and all eternity with Him. He is with them throughout this life that bumps and bruises our hearts. Fleeting desires only keep us from true delight. Jesus is the real thing, all other things are just smoke and mirrors. God allows us to choose. Let's choose Him, the real thing, not something that is a decoy and leads to more and more hurt.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson Two

"Mutual Encouragement"

Romans 1:8-17 (NLT) Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
   One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
   I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
   For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Paul thanks God through Jesus for this church in Rome. Their faith is not silent. They let people know about Jesus. He lets them know he's got them on his prayer list and is faithful praying for them. It not just a passing remark. Prayer and support is so important. It helps encourage other believers and builds up the church.

Romans 12:11-12 (NLT) Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. 

Our role is to work for the cause of the spreading the Good News of Jesus. That is, that Jesus had made a way, the only way to a complete and reconciled relationship with God. Another element of our role as a Christian is to pray for each other and support efforts that positively affect the world for Christ.

It's interesting to think about what Paul expressed in the phrase, "with all my heart." The Greek word  is "pneuma" and means "breath." In this instance, every breath that flows in and out of Paul is focused on God. The eternal breath that resides in each believer is directed to Him and for Him.

Job 33:3-4 (NLT) I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

The life of each person that has lived, is living or will ever live, depends on God's hand. The difference between those who call Him their God is that their spiritual breath is in-tune with His. We breathe in His spirit and exhale through our actions toward others.

Paul goal is to "mutually encourage" those in Rome. What does that mean? Again, let's look at the Greek definition: "symparakaleo" and means, "To call upon, invite, exhort at the same time together, to strengthen." 


I find that I lack in this area and I think that it is a big problem. How are we to live fulfilling Christian lives when we don't give to one another? We need to encourage other believers when they are promoting the Good News and working where God wants them to work. That is not to say we are not to confront one another when we are living our lives against what is good for the spreading of the Good News.

Colossian 2:2-4 (MSG) I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we've been shown the mystery! I'm telling you this because I don't want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or "the Secret."

Mutual God-given encouragement leads to truth and not some rabbit trail message. In order to keep our churches strong we must keep our eyes on what the Gospel truly is. Often churches bring in other sources that lead to "self-fulfillment" and "what's-in-it-for-me" philosophies. The Bible warns us about this. We must remain focused on His will, His way.

Paul isn't ashamed of how he has worked hard to clearly present the case for Christ to both Jew and Gentile alike. He doesn't water it down or try and build it up with "feel-good" quips to make it "relevant" to the crowd he's preaching to. "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life.' ” (verses 16-17).

Let me break it down:
1. Paul's not ashamed of Jesus and the freedom found in Him alone.
2. Paul truly believes that power is in the Gospel.
3. Salvation is for everyone who chooses to believe in Jesus.
4. The Good News is that we can have a "right relationship" with God through faith in Jesus.

These are the things we need to encourage one another with. When one of us is down there is always someone to bridge the gap in prayer, actions and faith. We are not alone. We are all to be active participants in the family of God. Will you make that commitment with me?

Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Book of Romans ~ Lesson One

"Greetings"


Romans 1:1-7 (NLT) This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
   And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
   May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

I want to start off writing this study on Romans by saying this; it is one of the most quoted books in the New Testament and yet it is also one of the hardest to understand. Before I began writing this morning I bowed my head and asked Jesus to make it plain to someone like me who just wants to know more about Him. So, if you are reading this, you are reading words from someone who just wants to know Jesus more. You are not reading the words of a learned theologian, but words that come from sitting at Rabbi Jeshua's feet. I hope that I can express to you what I learn from Him. Pull up a pillow and sit with me as we soak in what He has to say.

Here's a little FYI about the Book of Romans: It was written around 56 A.D. when Paul had arrived on his last visit to Jerusalem and was brought up on charges by the Jerusalem high priest and his cronies. Paul had been transferred by a Roman Centurion named Claudius Lysias, to Caesarea by the sea, to Governor Felix who would hear the charges against him. Paul spend two years in custody there before he plead his case to King Festus and his evil sister Bernice. They would have let him go, but Paul appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome. After a grueling winter, full of shipwrecks, snake bites and such, Paul finally ended up in Roman around 58 A.D.

We open the book with a greeting from Paul to the believers in Rome. (The Book of Romans is actually a letter to the church there.) Paul begins his letter with this: "This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News."

What does it mean to be a slave to Jesus if in Him we are free? Paul was indeed a prisoner of the Romans physically, but spiritually he claimed that he was a slave or servant of Jesus. Where is the freedom in that? Let's see...

The Greek word for "slave" is "doulos" and means, "one owned as property of another, a servant whose rights and services have been obtained by his master." A slave lived totally dependent on their master. Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and there he became dependent on his true Master, Jesus. In the world's eyes this isn't freedom. But, through spiritual eyes, there is not only freedom, there is eternal hope. Paul knew this and was grateful for it.

Galatians 5:1 (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Jesus paid the price for our freedom from sin's death grip on us. Our loyalty belongs to Jesus when we accept this freedom from His hand. He paid the price on the cross to redeem us, to purchase us and we are His. There is true freedom when we come under His leadership and protection. Paul knew this very well and was proud to proclaim it right off the bat in his greetings to the Roman church.

Paul goes on to say this about himself, " I am called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God." (NIV) He had seen Jesus and got his marching orders. God gave him a role to play telling others about the Gospel (Good News) of Christ Jesus. This message wasn't new, it was planned before the beginning of time. Redemption is found in Christ alone and now the time had come to reveal it to all mankind. Paul took this very seriously.

Acts 13:38-39 (NLT) “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do."

The Good New is this: Jesus is the only One who can fully offer forgiveness and reconciliation to God. Now the offer is given for everyone. It's free. He paid the price. All we have to do is accept it.

Paul's aim was to preach this life-giving message to everyone, both Jew and Gentile. God took him to places that reached people that may not have heard the Good News. Paul knew that by being a servant to the Most High, he would be taken to places and see things that would blow anyone's mind.

Are you willing to go where God leads you? I say,"yes" and at the same time, I tremble when I think that He may take me somewhere I don't want to go. (For right now I write from my dining room on my computer and teach women the Bible.) The day I gave my life to Him, is the day my future became His.

I leave you on this first lesson with Paul's greeting found in the last part of verse seven. "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."

I can't wait to see what Jesus will teach us. Thanks for studying with me. I would love to hear from you and what He has shown you. Shalom chaverim! (Peace friend!)

Friday, November 19, 2010

The Book of Acts ~ Study Seventy-Eight

The Pain of Turning

Acts 28:17-31
(NLT) Three days after Paul’s arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders. He said to them, “Brothers, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Roman government, even though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors. The Romans tried me and wanted to release me, because they found no cause for the death sentence. But when the Jewish leaders protested the decision, I felt it necessary to appeal to Caesar, even though I had no desire to press charges against my own people. I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.”
   They replied, “We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you from anyone who has come here. But we want to hear what you believe, for the only thing we know about this movement is that it is denounced everywhere.”
   So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: “The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,
  " 'Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’
   So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it.”
   For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

Paul didn't waste much time after getting settled in his little house to contact the Jewish leaders in Rome. I guess he wanted to lay his case before them and to have time to talk about Jesus. They came willingly and said they didn't know about the charges against him by the high priest and the others in Jerusalem. Paul was able to plead his case and they in turn listened to Paul explain why he believed that the Messiah had already come. Some believed and some didn't.

Paul left them with a passage of scripture they would all know. It was from Isaiah the prophet. I want to break this passage down and see what it means:

Verse 26Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend
                When you hear:  The Greek word for "hear" is "akoe" and means "to have ears that can hear            functionally."
                Not understand/not comprehend: The Greek word for "understand" is "syniemi" and means "a moral or religious conduct and is contributed to the heart."

Verse 27: 'For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’
                 The hearts: The Greek word for "heart" is "kardia" and means "the seat of emotions, to think"
                 Become calloused:  Having a thick skin that becomes hard through wear.
                 Turn: The Greek word for "turn" is "epistrepho" and means "to turn toward."
                 Let me heal them: the Greek word for "heal" is "iaomai" and means "to be restored mentally, physically and spiritually."

The Jews that met with Paul all listened but not all heard. They didn't comprehend what he was telling them about the Messiah because their hearts were calloused and worn through years of being "religious." Some of them did hear and believe. They were the ones whose position with God involved Him and not religious acts. 

What do you think hardens people's hearts today? What can soften them? I believe that the Holy Spirit is the Only One to have the power to do so, even then, a person can choose to ignore the call from Him. It all lies in the person's desire to know God's truth more. If they don't choose to turn and explore Jesus, then their hearts will remain hard. 

Romans 2:4 (NLT) Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

God's kindness and patience is what beckons people to Him. Even then some hearts are so calloused by this world and religion that they can't or won't turn away from their beliefs. Its like a calcified joint that can't bend without being broken. Sometimes letting go and allowing God to break us seems too painful for some to consider. 

I know someone who needs double knee replacements. He knows the promised results of mobility and freedom with the surgery but doesn't want to take the time, face the pain or pay the price. If he would go through the surgery and all that it entails, he would be healed and would be walking pain free in no time.

Turning or repenting of our calloused hearts and minds is not unlike accepting the knee surgery. Sometimes the pain of admitting we've been wrong by holding onto our religious views and seeing God and His Christ in a new light, is too much. Maybe it's just easier to keep living the way we've always lived than to turn to God and accept Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 9:10 (NLT) For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

The pain of turning is a result of the sin we hold onto in our hearts. We don't want to admit that we need a Savior. We justify our actions and harden our hearts. As I close this study on Acts I beg you to turn if you haven't already. There is so much more to know about Jesus and His love for you. He paid the painful price for your life. Allow Him to heal you. Accept His love and enter into His grace that leads to a new heart and mind that will live forever in the perfect and never boring eternal life that He offers you.

I've been His for a long time, but there was a time not too many years ago, that I didn't live my life realizing that I could be closer to Him and know Him. Since I started writing about Him in these last six years I've gotten to know Him more and more. There is so much I need to know and really want to know about my sweet Savior. I was bound up by what I thought I knew about Him and how He wanted me to act. Now I'm learning that His love is enough and all I need to do is keep my eyes and heart on Him. I talk to Him all the time like I would a good friend. The only difference is that He is God. There is no other. 

Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Book of Acts ~ Study Seventy-Seven

"Just Provision"


Acts 28:1-16 (NLT) Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us.
   As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
   Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.
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Island of Malta today
   It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island—an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods as its figurehead. Our first stop was Syracuse,wh ere we stayed three days. From there we sailed across to Rhegium. A day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. There we found some believers, who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome.
   The brothers and sisters in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God.
   When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to have his own private lodging, though he was guarded by a soldier. 

On shore the men found that they were on the island of Malta. The locals met them there and helped them out with food and such. Paul began making a fire and a snake attached itself to his hand. The locals thought he would die because they believed that the snake bite was fate bringing justice. Paul just shook it off and was not affected by the bite. The locals began to think he was a "god."

God is the only one who can bring true justice to those who have sinned. Let's see what the Bible says about His justice in the following verses:

Revelation 15:2-4 (NLT)  I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”


Revelation 16:7 (NLT) And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

These verses from the Book of Revelation reveal to us that after all things are gone only God's justice will matter. Those who have sinned and not repented and turned to Jesus for forgiveness of their sins will face His Justice. Paul knew that fate had nothing to do with justice. He knew God's justice was the only true justice to him.

How do you view justice? Does it bother you that so many people get away with things on this earth? Maybe you were abused by someone and they seemed to have gotten away with it, be sure of this, God will deal justly with that person.

Luke 17:1-3 (CEV) Jesus said to his followers, "Things that cause people to sin will happen, but how terrible for the person who causes them to happen! It would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large stone around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to sin. So be careful!
    If another follower sins, warn him, and if he is sorry and stops sinning, forgive him."

Paul didn't correct them orally like he had before when people had called him and Barnabas "gods." Instead, by his actions he pointed them to the One True God. A man named Publius, who owned an estate nearby, invited Paul and his men to his home. Publius was the main official, something like a mayor, and his father was very sick. He had a fever and dysentery. Paul prayed for him and he was healed. Others heard of the miracle and many came to him for healing and were healed. Jesus was made known to these folks because God allowed the shipwreck to happen. It was no surprise to God. God uses seemingly dire circumstances to show His power.

2 Peter 2:9 (NLT) So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

We can rest assured that the trials we face do not go unnoticed by God. He knows everything. Paul rested in this knowledge. We see that God provided for him on Malta and His Name was glorified through the acts of healing there. God provided a way off the island through the generosity of the Publius and the people there. They lived there for three months and put out to sea on another ship. On various stops along the way to Rome, God provided His people to meet Paul's needs. Paul responded in great thanksgiving to God.

Psalm 9:9-10 (NLT) The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

What are your needs? What do you want God to provide for you? You will find shelter from the storm and proverbial "snake bites" of this world when you place your trust in God and His provision. He alone knows what is happening and He alone is just. Not only is He just, but He is faithful and true. So when you find yourself "shipwrecked" with seemingly no way out, turn your eyes upon God through Jesus and trust. He will provide.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Book of Acts ~ Study Seventy-Six

"Rescued"


Acts 27:27-44 (NLT) About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight.
   Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.
   Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat—all 276 of us who were on board.  After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard.
   When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.
   The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held onto planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

Wow! What a frightening time for those on this ship. Can you imagine the sound of the ship as ran aground on the rocks and the force of the waves being so strong they broke apart the ship. Many things were happening on the ship before this happened. The crew tried to escape on lifeboats, Paul caught them and told Julius the centurion that they would die if everyone didn't stay onboard, so he stopped them. The centurion had the lifeboats cut and set out to sea. Paul encouraged others to eat because they hadn't been eating for weeks. First Paul prayed and set the example by taking the first bite. As the ship ran aground and broke apart, the soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners for fear they would escape when they got to shore, but Julius stopped them for Paul's sake. Every man for himself. Some who could swim swam to shore and the others grabbed ahold of whatever they could and drifted into shore. What a nightmare.

Each of us is on a ship called "life."  I hope that's not too corny, but it fits doesn't it? Some seek their own way out of situations and others see God and His will. Paul kept drawing Julius the centurion back to staying on the ship instead of bailing. He set the example to pray first, then eat and then trust. This was a totally foreign concept to these Romans. They believed in one's own strength and finding it within. Paul was living his life totally dependent on God and His mercy. Look what happened. Julius listened to Paul instead of the sailors and soldiers and did what he told him to do. Everyone made it to shore safely.

How are you "making it to shore?" Are you depending on your own strength? Or are you depending on the strength of the One who can save you body, soul and mind?

Psalm 39:3-5 (NLT) The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words:
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.
   You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”

King David realized how short life is and that God has our days numbered. I don't really know how that works but its by faith that I trust that He does know how long I will be on this earth. If my days are numbered then why don't I trust in the One who numbered them? Both David and Paul, born centuries apart trusted in God to carry them through to their end on this earth.

Psalm 90:12 (NLT) Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Once we realize who holds the amount of time we have on earth in His hands then we can make the most of our time here. Life is too short to waste it on trying to figure life out on our own. God has a plan and purpose for each of us. He desires for us to choose Him and live this brief life fully and to be taken home to Him to live eternally fully fulfilled in every way possible.

What are some of your fears of life and death? Are you willing to let go and let God have full rule and reign?

Look at how Paul encouraged each person to eat. First he blessed the food, tore apart the bread and took a bite. Everyone was encouraged by this and followed suit. It's not unlike those of us who are already Christians. Our lives are examples to those seeking safety and rescue. When we openly trust God with everything, others will see and hopefully follow the example. Know this for certain ~ others are watching you. If they don't see you trusting in the God you profess then they will lose faith as well.

1 Corinthians 4:1-3 (CEV) Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways. And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, it doesn't matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don't judge myself.

In a letter Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth he stated what he felt his role as an apostle was. It is not any different from the role we, as Christ followers, should be like. We are servants of Christ and each of us is assigned work to be done on behalf of His Kingdom. Our "first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for." Are you faithful? Whenever we act or speak we must ask ourselves this question, "Am I faithful to Jesus?" When we live this way, it shouldn't matter what others' opinions are. This includes our opinion of ourselves. All that matters is what Christ thinks and His love, compassion and mercy never fails.

When the ship broke apart some people swam because they knew how. Others rode on planks and debris to shore. How do we get to freedom and safety in Christ? We don't do it alone, we ride on His strong shoulders. He carries us home. He lifts us out of the salty brine and lays us on the soft sand in warmth. He feeds us and heals us. He binds up our wounds and gives us eternal hope.

How do you plan to finish out your life? Are you swimming on your own, struggling just to keep your head above water? Or are you holding on to a flimsy piece of driftwood, hanging on for dear life? I encourage you to hold on the Master. He alone can get us to true safety in this life and into the next.

Colossians 1:11-14 (NLT) We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

I leave you with this passage from Colossians. It is my prayer for you as it was for Paul to the Colossian church. Be strengthened by Jesus. Allow Him to fill you with joy. Thank Him, because, if you belong to Him, He enables you to live the life you have inherited from Him. Friend, He has and will rescue those who place their trust in Him. We have been given freedom and forgiveness of sins because He paid the ultimate price for us. Praise Your Holy Name ~ Jesus.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Book of Acts ~ Study Seventy-Five

"Lead Me Out of the Storm"


Acts 27:1-12 (NLT) When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.
   The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.
   We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.
Sidon
Port of Sidon
   “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.
myra_island.JPG.jpg
Myra in Lycia

Paul was put on a ship to head to Rome. We learn that Luke and Aristarchus ( from Thessalonica) and others accompanied him. A centurion named Julius of the Imperial Regiment was in charge. He was kind to Paul and allowed him to go to his friends in Sidon so they could take care of him while the ship was harbored there. After they left Sidon they sailed against the wind and finally docked in Myra, a town in Lycia. Julius found a ship that was sailing for Italy and put Paul and his men on the ship.

229_FHavensMap031225.jpg
They made slow headway due to the winds and came to a place called Fair Havens near a town called Lasea. Time had been lost due to the incoming winter weather and Paul warned Julius that the trip would be disastrous and bring great loss to the ship and the cargo they were carrying. Julius the centurion chose to listen to the pilot of the ship to sail on to Phoenix (a harbor in Crete) and winter there. 

Who would take the advice of a prisoner? Julius the centurion didn't. Although he knew Paul and seem to respect him, he didn't think that Paul knew what would happen better than the pilot of the ship. By human reasoning this made sense. The pilot of the ship was experienced and thought that reaching Phoenix would be their best option to harbor for the winter.

In our lives there are times when God leads us opposite direction of what people who we respect advise us to go. It is so important that we communicate through prayer and study to know what God wants us to do. It is ok to ask advice from "experts" but we should always temper their advice with prayer.

2 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT) But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 

Paul was a prisoner held by Romans on his way to Rome to appeal to Caesar. However, he knew who was really in charge. He knew he belonged to God. God was leading him to Rome because Rome was considered to be the hub of the world. From Rome many, many more people would hear the Good News of Jesus. Nothing happened by mistake. God knew and allowed it to happen so His name would be glorified.

We too are lead in "triumphal Christ's procession" when we follow His will for our lives. He uses our lives to tell others about Him. Each step we take, as we are in tune with God's will, leads us to bring His name to those who don't know Him or are struggling with their faith.

How can God use you? Can you see where He has lead you and how He has used you? If you are struggling to know what to do in your life stop and ask Him. Wait for Him to lead you. Take steps of faith and keep your eyes on Him. He will see your acts of faith and lead you where He wants you to go.

Psalm 33:4 (NLT) For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.

Do you trust Him? Are you confused about the next step to take? Know this, God is faithful and you can trust Him. Others may fail you, but God never will. Trust Him.

Psalm 146:5-7 (NLT) But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners.

Sometimes we feel as if we are prisoners of our circumstances and see nothing but a shipwreck ahead. All we see is tragedy. When we keep our thoughts on Him and focus on His faithfulness, then we are no longer prisoners but children of the King. That doesn't mean that we won't face hard times. It means that God will see us through.

Are you hurting right now? Do you trust that God will see you through this storm you are facing or are in the midst of? Friend, I pray that you and I will keep praying and seeking our faithful God for He alone loves us fully and completely. Pray with me.

Dear Lord,
I am afraid of what lies ahead. I feel I am in a storm that will never let up. Please Lord, lead me through this. Show me your light to lead me out to level land. I believe that you hear and answer me. You are faithful and true. Guide me in your will. I love you Lord. I ask this all in Jesus' Name. Amen!

Monday, November 15, 2010

The Book of Acts ~ Study Seventy-Four

"An Opportunity to Hear"


Acts 25:13-22 (NLT) A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves.
   “When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.”
   “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said.
   And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!”

Festus didn't get it. Even after two years of meeting with Paul frequently, he still didn't get it. All he wanted from Paul was to see if he would offer him a bribe. Festus' focus was on money and what he could get from Paul. He didn't realize that Paul was offering him something that can't be found in money or prestige. Paul was offering life through Jesus. Now Festus was telling King Agrippa and his sister all about Paul and that Paul claimed that Jesus was still alive even though He had been crucified. Be sure that King Agrippa and Bernice had already heard of Jesus and Paul. They were curious to see and hear this man. Now they had their opportunity.

Acts 25:23-27 (NLT) So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. “But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!”

Who is King Agrippa? He was the son of Herod the Great also known as King Herod Agrippa the first. He was relatively young and only ruled over a small part of his father's territory known as Chalcis, northeast of Judea. Bernice was his sister. According to Josephus, a Roman historian, she was an evil woman who lived an incestuous life. And now they were both about to hear the Gospel of Jesus.

Acts 26:1-32. (NLT) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”
   So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!
   “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
   “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
   “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
   “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
   “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
   “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”
   Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”
   But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”
   Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
   Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”
   Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.”
   And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”

Look closely at what Paul presented to King Agrippa, Festus, Bernice and the others present. First, he told them about his life before he encountered the Christ. He was everything that a learned man would want to be. His life consisted of being respected in the high council of the Jews. He was a Pharisee, respected by his peers, the same people who were wanted him dead now. Not only was he a Pharisee, he was a murderer and sought to destroy the Church of Jesus.

What was your life like before you came to know and serve Jesus? If you aren't a believer what is your life like without Him?

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NLT) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

Paul shared what his life was like without Jesus. We are all dead without Jesus. Our future after this life is not secure without Him. Festus, Agrippa and Bernice were living in sinful lives without the One who could bridge the gap between God and themselves. All three desparetely needed to hear the message of life through Christ that Paul gave them.

Secondly, Paul told them of his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was on his way to cause further pain and death to Christians. Jesus interupted his mission and set his life on a different path ~ one hundred and eigthy degrees different. That's what Jesus does when a person encounters Him and accepts Him into the position of Savior and Lord.

What was your conversion experience like? How did Christ interrupt the way you were living and set you on a different path that leads to life forever with Him?

Ephesians 2:4-10 (NLT) But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
   God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

When Jesus comes into your life and is a permanent resident in your heart, guiding and directing you in everything, you are no longer on the path that leads to death. You are on the road that leads to life. Being good isn't what saves you. God's grace through Christ saves you. Of course you want to live a life that is good because Jesus is good, but what Jesus did on the cross is what saves you.

Thirdly, Paul told them how his life was forever changed by Jesus. He was forever secure because Jesus gave him eternal life when Paul accepted Him. Instead of pursuing the death and destruction of Christians, Paul was spreading the Good News of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins that leads to eternal life. What an about face.

Lives that are changed by Jesus are lives that take on a new role and new meaning. All we are to do is to direct others to Jesus and bring Him into focus. You see the person without Jesus is blurred on matters of Jesus. The Holy Spirit pursues them and beckons them to Him. Sometimes people just flat out refuse Him, but when they accept Him, eternity is theirs. Their lives are His and are set on a new path.

What is your life like now since Jesus has come into your heart? If you haven't accepted Him, what keeps you from doing so?

2 Corinthians 6:16-17 (NLT) So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Do you want a fresh start? Christ Jesus is the only way to that fresh start. Nothing else works. He is the way to a new fulfilling life. If you are a believer and don't feel like your life is on the right path then you need to evaluate how you are living. Are you allowing Him to rule and reign in your life? Are you in Christian fellowship? Do you study the Bible? Do you pray?

Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” The world thinks that Christians are crazy. There's a puzzle piece missing when they try and understand us. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can put the pieces together. He woos the unbeliever. We see that these three people didn't accept Paul's words about Jesus. They heard the Good News but probably didn't receive it.

John 3: 31-36 (NLT)  “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

The Scriptures make it clear. Anyone who believes in Jesus has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't will never experience eternal life but eternal judgment, plain and simple. Its a scary thought to reject Jesus but many do. Pray that those in your life that don't know Him will come to know and believe Him. Touch your world like Paul touched those in His. Don't be afraid to speak of Jesus. He will give you the words to say. If you don't believe in Jesus, I encourage you to investigate His claims. You owe it to yourself.