Are we Truly Living for God? (John 8:28-30)

 I sometimes sit and wonder are we truly living for God in His church in the United States or are we living to please ourselves.  Or,  are we wanting to hear all you have to do is believe and say a prayer then you are saved?  It is simple to be a Christian you don’t have to really do much at all show up to Church on most Sundays and say that you are saved no need to change how we live or even think about allowing God change our view points on things, yeah it’s ok to keep living a life of sin.  But then we run across  John 8:28-30 “ So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.”  Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.”  What do we do with a piece of scripture like this?  When we see the first part Christ is talking about being hung on a cross, being the final sacrifice for our sins, saying that He lived His life to please God.   This is not a poplar thing to talk about but have you ever thought about what types of sacrifices you might have to make in order to please God?

I’m not talking about animal or ritualistic sacrifices, no I’m talking about life changing sacrifices.  You may say I already sacrifice sleeping in on Sunday’s to be here what more does God want?  We have to look no feather then to Matthew 16:24-26 where Christ says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow   Me. ^ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ^ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Christ who came from Heaven to earth tells us if we want to save our lives we must give up our lives.  What does that mean, it means that when we get real with God we begin to see that life on earth is not about us but about God.  It is about obeying God.  We must pick up our cross and ask what must die in my life in order to live for God,  We must get rid of the sin in our life.  We have to begin to see what  we are doing that is not bringing honor to God.  Maybe God wants us to spend our free time in more prayer, at the soup kitchen, working with the homeless, maybe giving our money away to those in need.

Christ hung and died on a cross He gave up Heaven to come to earth to be mocked beaten and spit on, took in all the sin of world as He hung dyeing. All because it pleased His Father God so that we could be saved from our sins, and come into a relationship with the living God.  We must no longer think what can God do for me, but think what do I need to sacrifice to God, what must I give up in order to please God?  But who really lives this life who really would give everything up to please God?  Paul did this in fact He told the Philippines this, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, ^ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ^ holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.  Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ^For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”(2:14-17)

Paul says his life is to be poured out like a drink offering the commentator tells us this. “Both Jews and Greeks sometimes poured wine out on an altar in connection with religious sacrifices (see Num. 15:1–10). Some have interpreted this figure of speech as depicting Paul’s own martyrdom for the cause of Christ. However the content of the letter reveals by contrast that Paul assumes he will live (see 1:25) and expects to be released from prison shortly (see v. 24). Thus Paul probably was saying that he was presently being poured out as a living offering on behalf of the faith of the Philippians. sacrifice: This means primarily the act of offering something to God. service: Paul chooses a Greek term that depicts a person who fulfills the duties of a public office at his or her own expense. In the Christian context, this word speaks of worship humbly offered to God.”  I ask you this simple question are you allowing your life to be poured out for Christ?

Marva J. Dawn:

 "Marva was born in Ohio in 1948. She is a lifelong scholar, having earned four masters degrees and a PhD. She is also a teaching fellow at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is involved with the organization Christians Equipped for Ministry. Marva has written many books, is a gifted musician, and speaks to clergy and at conferences all over the world. One of her books, Unfettered Hope: A Call to Faithful Living in an Affluent Society, specifically addresses what a faithful response looks like in our culture. Her life is a reflection of her belief that seemingly small acts of faithfulness can have a profound and significant impact on the world. All of the profits of her books go to support charities like Stand With Africa: A Campaign of Hope, which “supports African churches and communities as they withstand AIDS, banish hunger, and build peace.”2 Marva and her husband live off his teacher’s salary, which is not much. Despite Marva’s many medical problems, she still refuses to take more money for herself. She cannot imagine spending to make her life more comfortable when so many people are desperate and dying throughout our world. She says that her 1980 Volkswagen Bug with its broken heater helps her focus more on prayer and to better identify with those in need." (Crazy Love, Francis Chan)

Chan, Francis (2008-05-01). Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God (pp. 151-152). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.

Do We Really Know the Father? (John 8:13-19)

Many of us go around saying that we are saved, we know who God is.  But the reality is it is simple to say so, simple to get up on Sunday mornings and go to church, even read our bibles throughout the week, maybe read a quick devotional daily.  The problem is that doesn’t mean we really know God, you see the Temple Leaders did all these things they knew the law understood the law, but they did not truly know God, which gave them a false since of knowing God.  For as we read John 8:13-14 we see how Christ points out to them that they do not know His Father.  In fact in verse nineteen he just comes out and says to them, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know my Father, too.”  I fear how many of us are going around with a false since of security in thinking that we really know God, when we really know of God.  The difference in knowing God and knowing of God is huge, I know of the President, but I have never meet the President to talk to him and get to know him.  Many of us are that way with God, we hear His word, read His word but we leave unchanged, we decided to question some of the harder sayings, we decided that maybe He really didn’t mean that. 

Christ warns in Luke 6:46-49, “So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me?  I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me.  It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.”  How many of us are just pretending to really know God, fooling ourselves into thinking that I am ok I know God when really we know of God.  What Christ is saying here in Luke should be cause for us to stop and think, am I really building a sound relationship with God, doing what He commands and following His teachings?  Or am I like the Pharisees who knew of God, knew the old testament but didn’t know God,  Didn’t understand what it was that God really required of them.  We see also in Matthew 7:21 Christ saying, “Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.   On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.” 

We have a God that loves us and wants us to enter into His family, but many of us do not want to look at the reality.  The reality that we have to follow His rules, we may have to do things that we do not want to do.  But there is a great reward for following God Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:1-7.  Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins.  You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. 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 passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else.  But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, ⁵ that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus. ⁷ And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus.  The question is are you really following God, obeying His word focused on creating a sound relationship with Him, or are you just floating along saying I’m fine I go to church and do good things so God knows who I am?

The Glory of God: Sunday Night Live July 8, 2012 I

In many cases we really do not think about the Glory of God, it may be a passing thought but not one we ponder on.  In fact some may even picture the Glory of God being a cloud, but that is not the case.  Then cloud or mist only covered up the Glory of God, because man could not look upon and live.  Moses never saw God in His full glory for we read in Exodus 33:12-22 that when God did allow Moses to see His glory it was only from the Back.  For Moses could not see Gods face our His full Glory, for it would be too much and he would die.  We also read in Exodus 40:34, “³⁴ Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. ³⁵ Moses was no longer able to enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the Tabernacle was filled with the awesome glory of the Lord.”  So what about others that we read about seeing God, such as Isaiah and John the answer is simple they were in spirit.

For God’s glory is all-consuming and all powerful.  We read in second Chronicles chapter seven verses one through three, “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. ^ And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. ^ When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.” They had no other response but fall to the ground and worship the all-powerful God for His glory had entered into their presence. For Israel Had built the Tabernacle and the Temple to the Ark of the Convenient, which represented the Glory of God, as we read their where times that the Glory of God, filled the tabernacle and temple. 

If we look at this and realize that the temple was meant to not only glorify God but also house His Glory this has a huge impact in how we live our live.  For in second Corinthians 6:16 tells us “For we are the temple of the living God.”  Wow that small part of scripture says a lot, we are part of the temple of God now.  I suggest that you stop and read Second Corinthians 6:14-7:1.  The question now becomes are we truly allowing the Glory of God live in us, are we living lives that allow His light to shine?  For we are to share God’s glory with those around, we are to allow God to shine through us in all we do.  Paul describes God’s glory to Timothy saying, “For at the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him”(1^st Timothy 6:15-16).  The writer of Hebrews (verses 25-29) says, “See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, how terrible our danger if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!  When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.”^*This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.

 Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.”  Are we truly allowing God to consume us with His glory?  I find myself asking that very question about my on life, am I truly letting the all-powerful God take control, am I putting all my trust in Him?

It was through the Cross that God prepared us to be able to be a living temple, without the cross we would not be able to forgiven. In his book Fear Of The Lord John Bevere tells us, “It is because of the cross that the Holy Spirit is able to live in us.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, hung on the cross, shedding every drop of His innocent, royal blood for us. Once this was done, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Luke 23:45). God moved out! God's glory would never again be revealed in a building made with hands. Soon His glory would be revealed in the temple He had always longed to dwell in.”  Are we living as though the Glory of God is with us?

JOHN BEVERE. Fear Of The Lord (p. 8). Kindle Edition.

The trap that backfired (John 7:40-8:11)

We see the start of  the Pharisees getting more frustrated with the ministry of Christ and the following that He is attracting throughout the Gospel of John.  In chapter seven we see that while at the festival they are still mad about Christ healing a man on the Sabbath, this continues in verses 40 through 52.  We see that they sent the guards out to arrest Him, but they could not for they said “we have never heard anyone speak this way.”  The Pharisees insult them by saying have you been fooled as well?  Then go on to proclaim that He is not a prophet or the Messiah, for no prophet has ever come out of Galilee, therefore it cannot be.  The truth is though that several prophets came out Galilee.  It amazes me how blind people can become when they do not want to follow Christ, they begin to make up excuses that may or may not make sense.  When we encounter people today whom we want to see come to church and we invite them we get all kinds of excuses do we not? The same goes for those who know that we believe in Christ being the Son God, they want to trap us with questions or excuse of not being good Christians.   But we have to be ready to answer their excuses.   As we see what happens next, we see how Christ was prepared to answer those who did not want to believe in Him. 

The Pharisees had hoped to trap Christ in bringing a women who had been caught in the act of adultery, they had thought they had Him.  For if he had said go ahead and stone her he would have been telling them to go ahead and break Roman law, had He said not to He would have contradicted Jewish law.  Now one problem with their plan was the fact they only had the women and not the man.  For in Deuteronomy 22:22-24, ““Suppose a man meets a young woman, a virgin who is engaged to be married, and he has sexual intercourse with her. If this happens within a town,  you must take both of them to the gates of the town and stone them to death.”  Notice they only came with the women, if they truly cared about the law they would have brought both parties.  Christ could have pointed this out them but instead He went another route.  Instead He challenged them if you are with sin go ahead and throw that first stone.  Knowing that not a one of them was sinless, He instead trapped them, He was the one who made them look foolish.

How did this trap backfire, for one the Pharisees did not know their scripture well enough, which was the first mistake, second they were not prepared for an answer that would trap them.  You see what Christ did was make them realize that they themselves where sinners.  But He did not by coming out in a harsh and mean tone, He did not say to them that they should go back home and do their homework on the laws.  He made a simple yet powerful statement, they got the message and went home.  We do not see that this had any effect on them at all no in fact it made them madder.  But let us stop and look at the women, she is the one that was affected the most.  It was her life that was saved that day, then Christ told her that He too forgave her.  But it didn’t end there he added on these words at the end, “Go and sin no more.”(John 8:11)  The same words we hear Christ tell many of those that He healed.  Go and sin no more,  do you want to know how to make a difference in the lives of those around, first accept the forgiveness given to us by God the Father, our sins have been paid for in full through the blood of Christ on the cross.  Then take these words and let them be burned into your heart “go and sin no more.”  Realizing that if you study your bible along with prayer, and live a life that no longer involves sin, people are going to notice.   God will give us the strength we need to follow and obey Ephesians 1:3-14.