Salvation – Page 4 – Missionary Sojourn

Wind and Fire

“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock;and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Matthew 7:24-27

I was a little behind and I am grateful for a good night’s rest!

Me: Good afternoon, Father!

Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!

Me: I read a blog post from Nicola in the UK this morning that contained a prophecy of a mighty wind of Your holiness coming, that it would blow also against every house that has Your name associated with it. With that, You caused me to think of the passage above in Matthew seven.

Abba: Here is another passage on purging:

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13

There is a picture of surviving this fire in Daniel, chapter three. Here is another passage from Jesus about purging:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15: 1-14

I Am holy. I made you to be holy, as I Am holy. (Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:26; 1 Peter 1:15-16) My purging work in the lives of My children is an expression of My deep love. My pruning results in bearing the fruit of righteousness: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These traits are the expression of My rock-solid nature in you. If you permit My Spirit to do this work, you will be transformed as Jesus, the exact representation of My nature.

Standing on the Rock, here is a description of the needed change:

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4

Jesus spoke of this move from earthly tent to spiritual house in this way:

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
John 14:2-4

Clothed in My righteousness, standing upon the Rock of My Son, you will fear neither wind nor fire when they come, as they surely will.

Contradiction

I am grateful You have adopted us!

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards [“illegitimate” sons, cruelly ignored by their shirking father], and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Hebrews 12

Me: Good afternoon, Father!

Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!

Me: It is humbling to admit the truth of Hebrews 12:2 while at the same time an incalculable blessing to receive as a gift the faith in which we are now called to walk. Oh, the price paid to secure that gift for us! We have neither initiated it, nor are we capable of finishing the journey.

Why does the third verse speak of enduring the “contradiction of sinners against Himself”?

Abba: The word is ἀντιλογίαν (antilogian). It conveys opposition to His word, His message. This opposition persists today, even escalating as the end of the age draws neigh. Do not miss that Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf – on behalf of all men – is timeless. He bore your sin, which at the time of the cross was yet future. He bears the opposition to His message in every time. Yet I am not willing that any should perish, but desire that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3) by accepting Our message. I want you to grow up into the fullness of what I designed you to be.

Isaiah saw and wondered, who would believe?

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. 4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. 9 And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see his seed, He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53

Jesus reinforced the importance of believing and explained the inoculation of the “world” against the truth. Only the ones who desire to see, will see.

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
John 14:6, 12-20

Me: Amazing, Father, how from the before Jesus’ incarnation, You were bearing witness to the message of Your love, demonstrated in Him! More remarkable still that you have given the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the truth in us! I love You!

Abba: I love you! Whatever you ask to convey the Truth I desire to convey, I will do. In fact, I Am doing. No matter the level of contradiction.

Truth + Love

But speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Ephesians 4:15

Truth without love is harsh and grating. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

Love without truth is at least misdirected and without power. Many serious errors are, even now, being promulgated under the banner of “love”. Thus, “love”, absent guiding truth, is not really love but merely fallible human sentiment. (1 Timothy 4:1)

But together! Truth wrapped in love, that is a different matter!

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins
James 5:19-20

Health and Healing #13

Thirteenth in a series demonstrating how much the Bible has to say about the healing purchased for us by Jesus at the cross along with salvation.

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5

It is striking how varied are the ways that healing comes. I believe Jesus took care to make it plain to us that God is Jehovah Rapha (our Healer) lest we get the idea that there is some formula for healing that doesn’t require our vital relationship with Him who IS the Life. (John 17:11 tells us the Father and Son are One.) Did you see what I did there? Vital (adj.) late 14c., “of or manifesting life,” from Latin vitalis “of or belonging to life”. Now there is a subject for meditation! We are in right relationship with Him when we “belong”, by our choice, to Jesus, who is the Life. If we become disconnected from the Life, through inattention because our focus is diverted to the things of earth, we cease walking with Him in the upward way (I Am the Way, John 14:6).

Many of us are driven by various measures of performance and keep mental checklists on how we are doing:

Remembered anniversary -Check.
Made it to church – Check.
Put something in the basket – Check.
Sang on Key – Check.
Volunteered to work in the nursery – Check.
Stayed mostly awake during the sermon – Check.
Encouraged the pastor on a wonderful message – Check.

However admirable any of the things we do may be, they are no substitute for a consistent relationship with Jesus. Even if that sermon contained the very words of God and was ever so helpful, as I hope it did and was, the message came to you secondhand.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death.
Proverbs 14:12

There are processes in our physical life that will put an end to us if they stop; heartbeat, respiration, neural transmission would be ultraquick, were they to fail suddenly. Other cessations take longer to produce the terminal result, digestion, hydration, immune functions and sleep come to mind. As His children, God gives us grace that we might choose to turn back to Him from our distractions. Make no mistake, though. He intends we converse with Him like we breathe.

Though manifestation of healing does not adhere to a formula, there are some things always necessary. Faith, overcoming unbelief, recognizing and using our authority in Jesus, and speaking our faith out loud are needful. These flow out of our relationship with Him as we wholeheartedly lean into the Word of Truth. Another word about prayer assistance by the elders mentioned in James 5 – prayer doesn’t save the sick. The prayer of faith saves the sick. Choose your elders wisely.

If you have read at Missionary Sojourn any time at all, you will know that I believe that Jesus bore our sin (and sickness) at the cross and that is a once-and-for-all transaction. That obviously doesn’t mean we can’t or don’t sin or get sick. It means that the state of the believer’s redeemed spirit is unaltered by transgressions of the law which Jesus fulfilled.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13–14

We are not “sealed” by our behavior, but by His limitless, omnipotent Holy Spirit! His sealing is incomparably better than my kitchen vacuum sealer (refer to need for breath, above). BTW- This is not a random silly comment. The word for the Spirit in Ephesians 1:13 is Πνεύματι (Pneumati, the breath of God). We think of breath as a mere vapor, but the breath of God is infinitely substantive protection.

The word “sin” in verse 15 of James 5 is the same Greek word (ἁμαρτίας, pronounced ham-ar-tee’-ahs) translated as “faults” in verse 16.

I know many voices endeavor to help us rationalize otherwise, but one thing sin does in the life of a believer, is give Satan access. You know him. He is the one who comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10). A Bible teacher that I am fond of is known for saying that sin gives Satan permission to “eat your lunch and pop the bag”. It’s a cute way to drive home this point and help us remember this consequence of our sin. The good news is James 5:16 is telling us how to break that stronghold. I can tell you from hard experience that believing the lie that “keeping habitual sin under wraps is best for all concerned” will ensure that bully Satan comes by for your lunch tomorrow and for as many days following as you protect your sin from the light.

P.S. Romans 6 is a good place to do more study on the subject of sin and believers.]

Abundantly Above

¹⁴For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; ¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; ¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. ²⁰Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, ²¹Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3

First things first. Paul is speaking to those who have joined God’s family by accepting the sacrifice Jesus made for us at the cross as efficacious for bringing us in. The world refers to us as Christians. Jesus knows us as family. We know Him as awesome! If that doesn’t describe you, just ask Him to help you begin that journey. If I have learned anything of Him, it is that He is faithful and that His offering of Himself to pay the sin-debt that we have accrued is a finished work.

When this passage speaks of the riches of His glory, does that resonate? Have you considered the endless expanse of the heavens on a cold winter night when untold suns twinkle from unimaginable distances? Have you considered that by His breath, He uttered “let there be”, and they were? Have you seen the reflection of the moon on the sea, shattered in sight into a thousand shards by the waves? Have you watched the tides progress by their lunar timetable? Have you listened and wondered at the whisper of wind carrying the sent of pines? Seen the glint of trout in clear mountain stream? Have you ever peered into a microscope at any of the universe too small for unaided human eyes to behold? Do you feel the tug of gravity? Have you considered the pull of every particle of creation on every other? Have you marveled that no corpuscle of matter exists alone? Do you note that it is by His power that all these things hold together (Colossians 1:17)? Have you comprehended that a lifetime of contemplating His majesty will not scratch the surface?

This. This is the One, who by His Spirit strengthens the believer in his inner man, who places in the ones who will accept Him, the very Spirit of Christ! To dwell, no less; to be at home.

The passage makes it clear that we walk in this truth by faith in Him and in this promise. Though we are indwelt/born again in our spirit by His Spirit. Our minds are still full of doubt and in need of an extreme makeover. We are called to participate in a transformation, in a renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23). We need to immerse ourselves in His Word (John 1:1), recognizing its truth until we are liberated (John 8:32). We must be set free from that we have believed that is not true; about ourselves, about others, and primarily, about Him.

Does that seem like an insurmountable task? That is why this passage tells us whose power is at work. Not our power, but His. Once you get this, you will see that the length and breadth and height spoken of in verse 18 of Ephesians 3 dwarf the inestimable dimensions of the universe that we peer into on those clear nights.

In the beginning, in the garden, the temptation was to self-determination, rather than focus on the desire of our Maker. We have centuries of evidence of the results of that decision. If we know God for who He is, we can’t fail to recognize how that choice was made in the shadow of deception and how deluded one is to hold to it now. Praise be to God, in Jesus we have redemption and a way back (recovery)!

Mansions Above are not Real Estate

I am grateful, Jesus, for the place prepared!

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14

Me: Good morning, Jesus!

Jesus: Good morning, Jon!

Me: I thank you for Your prompting to investigate the Greek behind “mansions” in John 14:2! I have never lived in a mansion, and frankly, this passage has never resonated much with me, until now.

Jesus: Yes, many have not felt the desire to seek after a fancy place to call home. But as you found out, I was talking about the marvelous and unmatched privilege of you personally, permanently abiding in relationship with the Father, and with Me, and with the Holy Spirit; all the fullness of God. The culmination of my preparation occurred at the cross, as I told Thomas:

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14

In fact, all the rest of John 14 consists of my efforts to get the disciples to look past the impending terror of the cross to the fullness of the abiding life that I Am making possible.

You should look upon the translators with grace. Words fail any effort to describe the majestic panorama of the union I Am promising and is growing even now.

Me: Thank You Jesus! Thank You! I love You!

Jesus: You are welcome! Welcome home! I love you!

Photo by u0414u0438u0430u043du0430 u0414u0443u043du0430u0435u0432u0430 on Pexels.com

Love and War

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.
Exodus 15:3

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 17:14

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
Revelation 19:11-16

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8

Are these statements about the nature and character of God incongruous?

Many persons in the armed services, law enforcement personnel, fire and medical first-responders, even parents; any whom have stood in the gap to protect others against the onslaught of evil unleashed in the world has no problem answering that question. Love is, in fact, the most effective motivation. Love enables one to look malevolence in the eye and stand for what is right and true, whatever the personal cost. The cost may not be trivial:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13

Peter learned that it takes more than passion to walk the path of sacrifice.

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
John 13:37-38

We have to pick a side. This is war, after all.

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8

1 John 3:8 does not mean we do not sin or have lost the capacity to sin. Those who are in Jesus have been redeemed from the controlling power of sin (as long as we desire to be). Surely you can see that if I sin, I am not carrying out the mission of the One described in the passage above from Revelation 19. What am I doing then? Aiding the enemy, making myself less fit for service to the King. Remember? This is war. Such transgressions start to have the stench of treason.

What are we to do? One thing, is recognize we have been issued state-of-the-art equipment. Put it on.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6

A soldier needs to know his mission. Not just generally, but the details of it. Generally, we get the gist of the mission from the written word. Are you in it enough to know the mission outline? The details come through our relationship with the Living Word. We have cutting-edge communications. Are we listening?

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
John 15:14-15, 16:13

We have a Faultless Example; understanding the enemy, communicating constantly with the Commander, encouraging His troops, faithfully executing the mission through giving in the power of love, whatever the cost.

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
John 10

Your Eyes

I am grateful for the day!

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
Psalm 22:1-2

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:5-6, 8

Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!

Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!

Me: I have read, Holy Spirit, that Jesus was quoting Psalm 22 from the cross, to make it plain to his followers and the others around that they were seeing the prophecy detailed in that Psalm fulfilled. That seems to make some sense. I am unclear whether Jesus was truly wrestling with feeling forsaken, in the throes of unimaginable suffering and on the heels of his struggle to submit His 100% human will in the garden of Gethsemane not that long before.

Holy Spirit: He was tempted in like manner as all men. (Hebrews 2:18, 4:15)

Me: I recall from my reading of the prophet Habakkuk (chapter 1), a similar sense of dismay as to whether God would hear or look away because of sin:

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Then the charge comes from God for the prophet to consider the Chaldeans through He would send judgment on Israel for their sin. He speaks of the terribleness of the judgment in great detail
Habakkuk 1:5-11

Finally, Habakkuk gets back to considering You; that You are pure and holy and the instrument of Your judgment is not:

Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
Habakkuk 1:12-17

Holy Spirit: And the object of judgment was not righteous either. Hence My judgment. Do not neglect that Jesus has borne all the judgment due you. You are under a new covenant. Jesus is your redeemer. Your part is to give your heart to Him and to allow Him to make it new. The choice is still yours. The power is God’s

Me: I am grateful for Your grace! I am grateful for Your provision! Thank You! I love You!

Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!

Am I? Are You? #15

I Am… at peace with God. (Romans 5:1) And I am grateful for it.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Me: Good afternoon Father!

ABBA: Good afternoon Jon!

Me: This passage in Romans is one of those where You are obviously active in all of Your aspects, Father, Son, and Spirit.

ABBA: That is always so, for I Am One. Have you considered My wrath in verse nine? Let me tell you about that, as well. It is in light of my wrath that peace with Me is even worth mentioning.

My wrath speaks of My settled opposition to evil and all its out-workings. What does my word say Jesus’ mission was, as far as the devil?

Me: In 1 John 3:8, it says, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

ABBA: That is right, starting with death that is earned through sin.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

You are called to that same purpose.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

You see, many recognize their sinfulness and assume that mention of My wrath means I Am mad at them over it. I am not. Toward them, I am compassionate. My wrath is directed toward the evil that enslaves them and had doomed them to destruction. I sent My Son to bear their death-wage in their place, if only they will turn and accept the gift of peace with Me, purchased by His blood.

Me: Thank You for that explanation of Your wrath, Father! And thank You for Your unimaginable Gift! I love you!

ABBA: You are welcome! I love you!

Delegated Authority – What will I do with it?

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government_[a] will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government_[a] and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. [Isaiah 9; [a] rule, dominion]

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. [Ephesians 1]

Me:

Good morning Father!

ABBA:

Good morning Jon!

Me:

I look forward to the fulfillment of Your plan! In our current governmental systems, we have nothing like unity or unending peace.

ABBA:

I have given among men the freedom to choose. When the times reach their fulfillment, all things will be brought into unity. In the mean time, you have the freedom to choose. All the things that are under your authority can, even today, be brought into unity under the Son.

Me:

What things are under my authority?

ABBA:

What you will believe. What you will do with the time alloted to you. What you will speak. What you will give. Whether you will follow My Word and heed My Spirit, and love my Son. Will you love others? Will you show compassion? Will you trust Me when others deny Me? The matters of your own heart and of your own mind, these are under your authority. Will you stand on the Truth or compromise for safety or convenience? In My Son, I have freely given you life in place of the wage of death that you had earned in sin. No one can take you out of My hand. Therefore, no one can take away the choices of what you decide to do under the authority that I have given you. In these things, under Jesus, in the Spirit, by My zeal for this plan of redemption, let your mind be transformed and let your spirit be renewed. In the world, lies abound, but they will be shown for what they are and will go the way of death to which they lead. My Word is Truth and it will never pass away. Stand on that foundation and you will never be shaken.

Me:

Thank You Father! When I consider Your Word and Your mighty promises, my confidence is renewed and joy rises in my heart! I love You!

ABBA:

You’re welcome! The joy is a gift for you to enjoy and to share. I love you!

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