Holy and Blameless

Ephesians 1:4 ... we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.
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HOLY and BLAMELESS

Months ago I noticed a vacation magazine in America mentioning something about 'Hornbill Festival' in Nagaland.  For many that is all they know of Nagaland.  Even if a tourist come and experience the Hornbill Festival, he or she still has not seen most of Nagaland and knows very little about the State. 

The above can be an illustration of how many people read (or understand) a few selected passages in the Bible and stop from there.  Or say, let us narrow it down to the book of Ephesians.  Many people are aware of chapter 2:8-9, the salvation by grace passage.  The sad part is that their understanding is incomplete and that is why they go back to the world and live worldly and still think they have been 'saved by grace'. 

Yes, Ephesians 2:8-9 is a wonderful passage, but if we study the book of Ephesians in its entirety (instead of just a few favorite verses), we will discover that a truly 'saved person' cannot and should not live worldly.  For example, if someone claiming 'grace' is still filled with 'foul language', he may still be in darkness (Ephesians 5:3-8).  Jesus warns us not to judge (Matthew 7:1), but we are admonished to check for fruit in a person's life (Matthew 7:15-20). 

One solid sign of a truly 'saved by grace' person is that he/she tries to live 'holy and blameless' (Ephesians 1:4).  God has commanded that we should be holy and without it no one will see God (1 Peter 1:16; Hebrews 12:14).  Here I would like to touch on the background idea of 'blameless' a bit more.

As the Lamb of God (John 1:29), because Jesus was blameless, His sacrifice on our behalf was a sweet-smelling aroma to God (Ephesians 5:2).  (The opposite is a stench in the nostril of God, defective worship, Isaiah 65:5).  A person saved by grace is called to be a 'living sacrifice' that is sweet-smelling (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 2:14-15).  When the Temple was standing, God will not accept an animal offering that is blind, diseased, or crippled.  The lamb or sheep for sacrifice must be 'blameless'. 

Remember in the book of Malachi, the people were worshiping God in vain because they were offering defective animals, because of which, instead of blessings God cursed them (Malachi 1:6-14).  Scary, isn't it?  When you come to worship God in Church, make sure you are striving to be 'blameless' before the Father.  From your heart, praise Him and thank Him, and go out to do good works (Hebrews 13:15-16; Acts 11:29).  The desire of Jesus Christ is to present you 'blameless' before the Father (Jude 24-25).  Amen!

The Wedding Garment

The Wedding Garment

(my devotion this morning)...

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Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Kehilah (believers' assembly, church). He is loving, kind and considerate to sinners, but at the same time uncompromising against sin, and He demonstrated it by dying on behalf of sinners on the cross.

If we can put it this way for the sake of compassionate understanding, God has a problem, a dilemma: God is holy and cannot coexist with sin. God loves us but will not accept us unless we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus), via repentance and forgiveness of sins (Acts 11:17-18).

In light of the above, read the parable of the wedding garment in Matthew 22:8-14. (verse 14 can also be interpreted this way: 'For many are called, but few choose to respond properly ... thus disqualifying themselves).

Sadly, some preachers also preach a defective gospel, and fail to prepare hearers to respond properly ....

For the sake of inclusiveness, some preachers/teachers are telling others they don't need the 'wedding garment' to partake in the Kingdom of God; they emphasize on God's love but ignore His Holiness and justice; they inflate God's grace but ignore 'repentance' and forgiveness of sins.

One hot issue in some American churches is to brainwash people to view 'practicing homosexuals' as acceptable before God, while painting the uncompromising ones on this matter as intolerant, unloving and unspiritual --- in America the secular media ridicules the Christian position of one man one woman in marriage. Not two men or two women.

The question is: in the name of love, grace and tolerance, should the church endeavor to make all comers comfortable and refrain from telling them the King's demand for 'wedding garment' to partake in His Kingdom?

The garment of holiness (Ephesians 1:4... holy and blameless). (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:16; Jude 20-21). (Connecting the dots: People saved by grace are to live holy, Ephesians 1:4; 2:8).



Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty!


Amen!

THE 'ROCK'

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1. Doctrine of Christ... (2 John 9)
   
   Are you building your life and Church on Christ and His Word? When faced with conflict between human philosophies, opinions, theologies and the PLAIN WORDS OF CHRIST, where do you gravitate?
   
   We build on Christ when we make a right confession on Christ. Jesus said that to Peter in Matthew 16:17-18. Well, this is what Peter (Petros, masculine noun) confessed to Jesus: "You are the MESSIAH, the Son of the living God" (v.16).
   
   [Jesus never established a position called "the chair of Peter" (pope). Peter is only a pebble (petros). Jesus gave five-fold services to the Church, in Ephesians 4:10-13 ... and Peter was an apostle in it ]
   
   [ In the first century in the epicenter of Christianity that is Jerusalem, the first Bishop was Apostle James (the step brother of Jesus). Peter was not. James was Bishop and undisputed acknowledged leader until he died around 64 AD, about the same time Peter died. ]
   
   Jesus used the confession of Peter into a 'ROCK' metaphor (petra, feminine noun) and promised to build His (Jesus') Church on the foundation of Himself: the Christ the Son of the living God.
   
   Jesus is the ROCK (petra) : 1 Corinthians 10:4.
   
   Every word of Jesus is the Rock (petra) : Matthew 7:24-25.
   
   If you are a pastor, periodically ask Jesus Christ to evaluate your church as He did the Seven Churches in Revelation 2-3. Ask and you shall receive. Fast and pray for Almighty God to open your eyes. Make time to listen to the Holy Spirit (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
   
   (This is a good way to stop playing church and drifting along whatever makes people happy theology, Ephesians 4:14).
   
   (Many modern churches are exposed to a compromised Gospel and in danger of Matthew 7:21-23 --- preachers and congregations alike).
   
   The ROCK is the answer.

ESAU TAKING OVER CHURCHES

    Our allegiance is very important in all matters relating to God.  From beginning to end, the Bible reveals that the spiritual life is simply not becoming a part of religion but in the context of personally entering into a meaningful relationship with our creator.  God has hated and denounced religious shenanigans that has no sincere heart involved.  It is the individual response in sincerity and truth that always finds God making His ways known and providing guidance and sustenance.  For example, Psalm 23 is a very relational poem.  "Yahweh is my Shepherd."

     Under divine guidance Moses wrote down in the Torah that followers of Yahweh are to love Him as priority (Deuteronomy 6:4-6).  He must be first in all things.  Jesus (Yahshua) reaffirmed the same as the great commandment:  "You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart..." (Matthew 22:37).

     God has created mankind to be strong in the family bond.  But even here Jesus said that a true follower must love God more than one's own family members.  Of course He is talking about priority in allegiance.  In comparison, our love for Jesus must be passionate to the point of hating our own family members;  it does not mean hate in the apparent sense, but when it comes down to choosing Christ Jesus above others, our loyalty to Him must be first and firm.  No slackness here.  In reality, it is Christ that makes us love our dear ones better in every way.  The obvious paradox revealed here is that by loving Christ we are able to love our fellow mankind sincerely and meaningfully.  Jesus Himself is the epitome of love (John 3:16; 13:1).  "Love one another," says our Lord (John 13:34).

     The Bible records that Jacob loved Rachel and hated Leah.  Really?  Well, it is simply a semitic expression to say that Jacob finds Rachel more attractive than Leah.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Using similar language, God says in Malachi 1 (vs. 1-3) that He loves Jacob and hates his brother Esau.  Did God maliciously hate Esau? No.  It is Esau who never truly loved God but simply used God to advance his material gain, and this is what God can see and exposes.  Esau never pursued God, never built an altar to God, loved materialism and indulgence of the flesh, and married heathen wives to antagonize his parents (Genesis 28:8-9; Isaac and Rebekah).  It is Jacob who desired God's blessings and built altars to worship God (Genesis 35).

(Tornado rips steeple of Church where leaders gathered to vote on gay marriage)

       Were you perfect when you responded to the the grace of God?  No.  But God saw the spark of divine desire and sincerity in your heart and took you in, and from there you were admonished to grow in grace --- maturing process through trials, prayers and study of the Word.  Likewise, there existed impurities and dishonesty in the heart of Jacob, but compared to his brother Esau, Jacob had the deep desire to inherit the blessings promised to his grandfather Abraham.  To Esau this blessing was no big deal so long as he become filthy rich materially, as this will be played out in his life.  So he sold his birthright on this: for a delicious meal (Genesis 25:34).


(will continue...)

    

Yahshua is the New Testament

   

    By the first century, some Jews became bilingual specially in Hebrew and Greek, and some spoke more Greek than Hebrew (Acts 6:1).  Centuries earlier many Jews settled in Alexandria (city in Egypt founded by Alexander, Acts 2:10; 18:24) and over time many of their descendants came to the point of being unable to read or write Hebrew, so this was partly a reason to translate the Tanak (Hebrew Bible) into Greek known as the Septuagint (LXX).

   Miriam (Mary), mother of Jesus was a pure blood Hebrew of the lineage of King David (Romans 1:3) and perhaps spoke only Hebrew because she lived in a Jewish community.  So when angel Gabriel appeared to announce the name of Jesus (Matthew 1:21) she must have heard it in the Hebrew tongue.  Since neither Hebrew nor Greek has the letter "J", she must have called His name Yahshua (Yah saves, or God is Savior, Isaiah 12:2).  (or Yahushua).  Remember when we exclaim "halleluyah" we are praising God --- hallel (praise) Yah (God), says Psalm 102:18.  HalleluYAH!

    Please do not be confused or sucked into debate with people who wish to imply error into those wishing to call Jesus by His Hebrew name: Yahshua.  Whether one wish to say Burma or Myanmar, it is referring to the same country --- likewise, Jesus or Yahshua is referring to the same Son of God in the Bible.  As for the name of our Savior, biblically, not translated version, Yahshua should be preferred.  Yah is the shortened or poetic name of God (Isaiah 12:2; Psalm 68:4), and it is only right that our Lord bear the name of His Father (John 5:43):  Yahshua! (But if you wish to continue by the nickname "Jesus" it is alright.  God will look at the heart, not the spelling or pronunciation).

   Yahshua lived and preached the Torah (first five books of the Bible).  Paul wrote to Timothy that studying the Tanak (Old Testament) will make one wise unto "salvation" in Christ (2 Timothy 3:15-17).  For example, in the Tabernacle the only way to the presence of the Holy God is through one door (John 10:9) by way of animal sacrifice (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

   See, if you knew the Torah it deepens your understanding and strengthen the faith.  No wonder as the Lamb of God (Revelation 5) Yahshua can claim to be the only way to God the Father:  "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).  This rules out any other way.  This will keep you from thinking like the New Agers that there are many ways to God (deception of Oprah and others).  Please study the Torah to strengthen your foundation (Matthew 7:24-27) and practice what you learn.

     Upon entering the Tabernacle, the first service consist of burning the offering at the bronze altar, where the fire never goes out.  This is a picture of  Yahshua taking away our judgment and hell; because in Christ we find eternal life, passing from death to life (John 5:24).  No turning back (Backsliders, Hebrews 10:26-39).  The journey continues on to the presence of God (holy of holies) who says: Be holy for I am holy! (1 Peter 1:15-16; Hebrews 12:14).

   In the Tabernacle, worship commences only inside the tent where the 'shewbread' (presence of Yahshua, Word of God) and the  Golden Lampstand (Menorah... Holy Spirit, Revelation 1:12-13) are.  If you stop after the brazen altar, you are not growing in faith and your worship is insincere and unacceptable.  You must wash yourself with water from the laver and enter the tent (presence/fellowship of Jesus and the Holy Spirit) to offer acceptable worship in 'spirit and truth' (John 4:24).  It is here that the incense (praise and worship) is burnt.  It is here that the Holy God (Isaiah 6; Revelation 4; etc) will receive true worship and bless/answer prayers.

   (Understanding the Tabernacle will enrich your prayer life.  Someone has written about prayer following this pattern.  Ask Father wisdom to understand and your spiritual eyes will begin to open, Ephesians 1:18; Colossians 1:9-10).  (Under the Old Covenant only the High Priest is allowed to enter the tent to burn incense at the altar (no strange fire allowed, Lev 10:1-2) --- no windows and the sweet fragrance fills the whole room --- but now in Christ true believers are made priests and are allowed to come to the throne of grace in His Name: 1 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 4:14-16).

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NATURAL DISASTER (Written in 2005)

(A devastating hurricane with a female name: KATRINA)
(Picture of flooded New Orleans)

The Hurricane Katrina has thoroughly devastated
Alabama/Mississippi/New Orleans. These three States comprises of
less than 3% of the US economy (12 trillion a year). This event
might slow down about 1% of economic growth in the country for
several months --- still better than Europe. A significant blow, but
recoverable. The insurance companies are looking at about $20
billions plus payments. In the currency market, the US dollar is
down by a penny or two among the majors (rich countries).

America has been and continue to be the economic engine for the
world. So the world is nervously watching the developments with
different motives.

Some foreign papers are taking the opportunity to point out the
weaknesses of America. While the business world is hoping this event
won't reduce their earning power.

(During the third week of July 2005, there was a specific prophecy
directed at New Orleans : that God is fed up with too much bickering
 in the area, and that people have persistently mistreated one of His
servants. The people are admonished to stop their bickering  and
that God is going to remove the curse in their midst. Two years
earlier, a prophecy was in place concerning these States, that a
disaster was coming in the months of August, September, October. Now
it has.)  [Am not sure this prophecy is true or not, and the relation to the
hurricane... but just included it for readers to discern and think for themselves].

In a show to prove the faithfulness of Job, God removed His
protection and allowed Satan to harass him for a time. But Job stood firm
in faith (Hebrews 11:6) and in the end God restored Job with more than
what he previously lost.

When bad things happen to us, we question: "Why me?" When good
things are happening to others, we question: "Why not me?" This is a
universal human response.

I guess no matter what is happening to us, it would be an
improvement in the faith if we can move on with gratefulness. We
cannot fathom all things. We are unaware of many details/events that are
going on in and around us. Only God possesses complete and absolute
knowledge. Hence even if we cannot understand a lot of things, its
best to keep trusting the Lord. This is called faith.

In this time of trials and hardships for the people in the affected
areas, we all can offer prayers for them. May this experience draw
many to the Lord, closer to Him, and that all their emotional and
physical needs be met adequately.

9/11 was a man-made disaster perpetrated by terrorists. Parts of
Asia is still recovering from the tsunami effect. Some people are
calling hurricane Katrina as America's tsunami. All this goes to
show that life is like a puff of the air -- here today, gone
tomorrow. When is your/my time to die, no one knows. It could be
anytime.

As a prophet of old has uttered: "Prepare to meet thy God" (Amos 4:12). Live
each day for the Lord.

"For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little
time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14).

THE SPIRIT SPEAKS

John the Baptist:   "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him"  [Yahshua : God saves --- Hebrew name of Jesus] (John 1:32)

Let's face it, we humans have different opinions and we disagree
in many ways. Even members of the same household think
differently. Assuming there are nearly three billion adults today,
we have three billion opinions.

That is why human opinions are not the measure of truth. Only God
can determine what is truth. This may appear simple, but the
implications are deep and far reaching. In other words, either we
agree with what God says, or we are on the wrong side of truth.
Only God can say, "If you are not with me, you are missing the
truth."  One can quote the right scripture in the wrong human spirit.
The Holy Spirit must sift motives to apply right scripture for the
right occasion.  This is a balance many miss or fail to understand
its significance.  "Be not wise in thine own eyes..." (Proverbs 3:7).

This is the reason Jesus asserts that true worship of God must be done in
truth and in spirit (John 4:24). In truth, to be sure we are on the right
premise; in spirit, so we are in tune with the Divine Spirit.

Have you heard from the Spirit lately? Or did you know that you
can indeed hear from the Spirit?

I am not talking theories here. I am not talking religious
activities here.

The Spirit has a mind and can speak. Examples from scripture:

1. 'Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will
depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits [other
spirits can influence your spirit too] and doctrines of demons' (1
Timothy 4:1).

2. 'For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us...' (Acts
15:28) --- agreeing with the Spirit.

3.  "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted,
the Holy Spirit said, 'Separate to Me Barnabas and Saul
 for the work which I have called them'" (Acts 13:2).

4. "He who has an ear [spiritual ear], let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:29).

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WARNING:  "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).   TWO TESTS:  (1) Must acknowledge: Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose again.   (2) Another group of false teachers will acknowledge Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:5), but under this cover will deceive many and make themselves filthy rich by extracting money from gullible believers --- such as Kenneth Copeland, Mike Murdock, Todd Coontz, Benny Hinn, Paula White, etc.  (Let this not dissuade you from giving to the Lord's work; but prayerfully ask God whom/where to give, and let your contributions reach truly needy souls.)

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