Redeemed: How I Love To Proclaim It

Ephesians 1:7

Paul opens this wonderful letter to the church at Ephesus with a most blessed description of what Jesus means to the believer. He tells us in verse 5 that God has adopted us to himself by Jesus Christ, showing forth the mighty power of His grace, accepting us in His beloved Son (verse 6). This means that as believers, we are as accepted in the eyes of God as is Jesus, His beloved one. This is great news!

Through the shed blood of Jesus, we have redemption, meaning that we have been bought off of the slave block of sin. This doctrine of redemption is the New Testament doctrine, and literally means, “to deliver by paying a price”. Actually, there are three Greek words used in the New Testament which all mean “redemption”.

The first word is “agorazo” which means, “to purchase in the market”. This is why I stated that redemption bought us off of the slave block of sin. Christ’s blood took us off the market, as we were “sold under sin” (Romans 7:14).

The second word is “exagorazo”, “to buy out of the market”. This denotes that not only did Jesus buy us from the slavery of sin with His blood, but we have been removed from circulation, assuring us that we will not be slaves to sin ever again.

Finally, the word redemption is rendered “lutroo”, meaning, “to loose”, or “to set free by paying a price”. This shows us that we are purchased from sin, with no chance of being sold back and then we are set free to live our lives in total liberty. This final step is what makes the Christian walk one of absolute beauty. The Holy Spirit in our life brings liberty to live in abundance.

Redemption provides “forgiveness of sins”. All of your sins, past, present and future have been taken care of in the body of Jesus at Calvary. You are no longer viewed as guilty, and you never again can be. Only God’s rich grace can provide such a promise, for only with grace can great things be granted with no payment expected in return.

Consequently, did you notice the term “accepted in the beloved” in the previous verse (Ephesians 1:6)? That is one of two times that the Greek word ‘kharetoo’ is used, which means “highly favored”. The other time is when the angel Gabriel tells the virgin Mary that she is “highly favored among women” (Luke 1:28). This promise is for all who have accepted Jesus as Savior; you are “highly favored” by God!

Do not feel that you owe God today, for Jesus has already paid your debt for sin and righteousness. This gift of abundant grace is yours for the taking. Allow that grace to minister to you of who Christ is and how He wants to live through you. Don’t worry about sin anymore, as the Holy Spirit in you will render sin and its dominion, obsolete (Romans 6:14).

Go in God’s rich grace today, knowing that you are free in Jesus.

Lay Hold on Eternal Life

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Jesus promised each one of us life more abundant (John 10:10), which means that we are to have a glorious experience in this life, happy and free in His finished work. His promise was not referring to our life to come, though that will be wonderful as well, for the New Testament makes it clear that we are to be living a great life in this present world (Romans 5:17; 1 Peter 3:10).

There are things that we can do in this present life that allow us to apprehend the glory that is found in the next life. Paul refers to this as laying hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:19). There are no works that we can do that can qualify us for heaven, but there are some actions that we can take while on this earth that will lead to days of heaven on earth. It is the simple principle of sowing and reaping that is a recurring theme of the New Covenant, and if the believer follows its pattern, they will reap if they faint not (Galatians 6:9).

Paul addresses young Timothy in two letters that bear Timothy’s name. Near the close of the first letter, he tells Timothy to give a charge to the wealthy members of his congregation that they not trust in their “uncertain riches, but in the living God” (1 Tim. 6:17). All wealth that we accumulate on this earth is uncertain riches, for the economies can shake and crumble, as we have well seen! The living God is unshakeable, thus He is a firm foundation. When we trust in Him we see that He “giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

The word “communicate” in verse 18 is an unfortunate translation. The original Greek word is ‘koinonikos’ which means “inclined to share with others; a free or liberal giver”. Paul uses this word 4 times in the New Testament and each time he is referring to giving financially or in any other way in which you are contributing to someone else. This is the heart of sowing into good ground, where you believe that your giving makes a difference in a church, a ministry or a life. Paul encouraged those that could spare the money to give it, for it would lay up a store for themselves against bad times to come (1 Timothy 6:19). Where the world’s system says “save your money for a rainy day”, Paul said “Give to others and you are prepared for the rainy day”.
When you learn the concept of sowing and reaping, you lay hold on a piece of eternity. The glory and the joy that permeates the next life will become yours on this earth and in this life. Days of heaven on earth are possible, but only if the redeemed become less attached to the system of this earth and more in tune with the music of heaven.

Jesus warned us about laying up treasure here, which was not His way of saying “Don’t save your money”. Instead, He wants us to focus our investments in the spirit realm, confident that our heavenly Father is a firm foundation, unshakeable in a world of uncertain riches. Invest wisely in ministry and the work of the Lord and you too will “lay hold on eternal life”.

The Down-Payment on Your Inheritance

2 Corinthians 1:21, 22

Jesus promised that He was going away to prepare a place for us to dwell, and that when He was finished, He would return again and take us home (John 14:1-3). The Bible calls this place, heaven; a place where Jesus is the light and we will never die. Heaven is the final piece of our inheritance, one which is due to us as adopted sons of the Father (Galatians 4:7).

When you buy a home, the bank often requires that you make some form of down-payment on the property. This assures that your collateral has value from the first day of your loan, and it provides the bank with security, that you have a vested interest in repaying the note. Your down-payment can also be used to hold a property, allowing you to secure the remainder of the funds.

Christ has paid for all of our inheritance. His payment was not only adequate in the eyes of God, but was actually an overpayment for our sins. So great was the finished work of Christ, that God sees no more sin in the life of the believer, and He provides all abounding grace every time we fail (Romans 5:20).

We cannot take possession of all of our inheritance yet, as much of it is not of this world. But God has established us in Christ and anointed us as His vessels (2 Corinthians 1:21). Furthermore, He has sealed us and given us the earnest of His Spirit in our hearts (1:22). The seal of the Spirit is not to bind us with unbreakable cords to a life of slavery and hardship, but rather, the seal is to keep us secure in the Father, with no fear of contamination from a world of sin and pain.

The word “earnest” in the King James Version of the Bible is “arrabon” in Greek, meaning “money given as down-payment; or earnest money”. Paul uses it again in 2 Corinthians 5:5: “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit”. Again, in Ephesians 1:14, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”. Every time, it is referring to the Holy Spirit in us as a down-payment by God, assuring us that the inheritance is ours.

Don’t view the Holy Spirit inside of you as a traffic cop, blowing His whistle to tell you when to go, and staring you down when you disobey. He is your Comforter, and He loves you unconditionally. He has been placed in you by the Father to remind you of your right standing, regardless of how bad things might get (John 16:10). He is the guarantee in all believers that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, and that we will make heaven as our eternal home.

Rejoice in the Lord today for the seal of the Spirit in your heart. You are guarded by the Spirit from every harmful attack of the enemy, and nothing can penetrate your heart, to take away what is rightfully yours by Jesus’ blood. Praise the Lord!

The Stumbling Block and the Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:23

It seems that the world has nothing but good things to say about the life and statements of Jesus. They frequently quote Him in everything from motivational books to Hollywood movies. His birth is celebrated the world over, and His life is viewed as a model of virtue and peace. The cross of Christ, however, has never enjoyed the universal appeal that is so often associated with the man, Christ Jesus. The finished work, where Jesus paid the sin debt for the world, is not only ignored, but is often in dispute as to whether or not it even happened.

Paul was unashamed to declare that he preached Christ as crucified. The emphasis placed on “crucified” shows us that there are more ways to preach Jesus. There is certainly nothing wrong with preaching of the birth, life or principles of Jesus, but it is His death that changed the world. His finished work brought peace between God and men, ending the war against sin that had waged for nearly four thousand years.

To the Jew, Paul called the cross a “stumbling block”; to the Gentile, “foolishness”. The Jews had received the Law at the hands of Moses and they felt that the keeping of that Law entitled them to eternal life. The Law demanded works, and the cross declared that the work was finished. Many Jews “stumbled” at the prospect of righteousness apart from works.

Gentiles then and now, often view that finished work as foolish. While the Jew stumbles at the cross because they feel righteous through the Law, the Gentile feels that they need no redeemer. Thus, the prospect of someone dying for them is a foolish one. I have actually had some say to me that they didn’t see the need for Jesus to die for them. Well, I’m glad He died for me!

Both Jew and Gentile share a common problem; both trust in their ability to save them. The Jew trusts the Law while the Gentile trusts their wisdom and intellect. Only when one comes to the saving knowledge of Christ do they see that the cross is the apex of power and wisdom. Paul says that, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

When you hear the cross of Christ preached, you are hearing the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). It is power to us, because we have had its effects at work in our heart. We know what we used to be, but the death of Christ brought death to our old nature, and a new start to our lives. Thanks be to God for that Old Rugged Cross!

See His finished work today as having been done on your behalf. He was cursed so that you could be blessed. He was rejected so that you would always be accepted. He finished it all, so that you could have it all. God bless.

I Am Not Ashamed of Good News

Romans 1:16, 17

The word “gospel” means, “good news”. When Paul speaks of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he is speaking of the good news of Jesus’ finished work at the cross. What Christ did at Calvary was so awesome, so wonderful, so complete, that it must be considered not only good news, but the best news that the world could ever hear.

Paul was beginning to take criticism and false accusations because he was preaching so much good news (Romans 3:8), but he had become convinced that there was no other way of salvation for Gentile or Jew. Because of that he decides that he will not be ashamed to speak this truth again (Romans 1:16). If the great Apostle Paul was not ashamed to preach of a good God, who loves you unconditionally, then why would we fear this message?

The good news is the power of God to see people saved. Paul writes one chapter later, “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (Romans 2:4). His goodness leads men to change their minds about God. When Peter falls on his face at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8), do you think this admission came after a hell, fire and brimstone message on the sinful condition of Peter’s heart? No! It came after Jesus blessed Peter’s fishing party with so many fish that their nets broke from the load. It was Jesus’ goodness that caused Peter to repent.

The word “salvation” implies “deliverance, safety, preservation, healing and wholeness”. The good news not only saves you from an eternity in hell, but it makes you whole while you are here. Jesus promised us not only eternal life but abundant life (John 10:10). We are to reign in this life, now! (Romans 5:17)

Some people fear the message of pure grace because they worry that grace preaching will not teach people to live right. Paul says in Romans 1:17 that when we are saved, God’s righteousness is revealed in us “from faith to faith”. As we continue our faith walk, He brings His holiness out of us. Holiness cannot be added on the outside, it must come out of the heart, and the grace that is in us will teach us how to produce the results that we have always wanted.

Paul concludes these two verses by quoting from Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by faith”. As Christians, we are not living to pile up good marks with God, so that we can get into the pearly gates. Nor are we shunning the evil so that we are not tainted by the sin of the world. Our lives are wrapped up in Jesus Christ and His finished work. In Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28), and we live our lives through Him (1 John 4:9). This is only possible by simple faith in Jesus, because we are near sin, and sometimes we commit it. We do not always do the good and shun the evil, though we desire to so fervently. It is for these reasons that our lives must be lived out through faith in Jesus.

Let grace bring wholeness and rest to your life today. Realize that as your faith continues in Christ, His righteousness will come out in the way that you live that life. Relax in Jesus, for He has saved your soul. Peace go with you today.

The Rest and the Refreshing

Acts 2:4, 11

Many things have been said against the biblical practice of speaking in tongues. It is often chided as having passed with the apostles, linked with cultic activities or even as being from the devil himself. Religion often links things that it does not want or understand, as being from the devil. John the Baptist was said to have a devil in him (Matthew 11:18), and Jesus’ miracles were attributed, by the church of that day, as being from the devil as well (Matthew 12:24).

Isaiah first prophesied that God would use tongues as a means of speaking to His people (Isaiah 28:11), and that they would deem speaking with other tongues as a “rest” and a “refreshing” (Isaiah 28:12). On the Day of Pentecost, when the church was empowered by the Holy Spirit, all 120 that were present, “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). This is not to insinuate that one must speak in tongues to call themselves a Christian, but it does show us that this wonderful gift is available to believers because of the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

A frequently used criticism of speaking in tongues is the argument that tongues were only necessary to minister the gospel to the many people who spoke various languages. I have even heard it argued that tongues should only be used when the Holy Spirit overtakes the tongue of a missionary in a foreign land, who has no interpreter, so that he can preach the gospel in the native tongue of the land. This attack against the biblical gift of tongues is from no other source but Satan! He does not want God’s people experiencing the rest and the refreshing.

In Acts 2:11, the Bible records that all of the nationalities represented on the Day of Pentecost could hear their own tongue being spoken by the 120. They do not say that they hear the gospel, only the “wonderful works of God”. It is not until verse 14 that Peter stands up and preaches to them of Jesus Christ and His finished work, and there is no indication that he preaches this message in tongues. To argue that tongues are for the presentation of the gospel in any form is outside of the Word of God. This gift is not for gospel preaching, but for saint edification!

Paul wrote that when you speak in tongues you are not speaking to men, but to God (1 Corinthians 14:2). He further wrote that when you speak in tongues you edify, or build up, or repair yourself (14:4). He said that it is your choice, as a Spirit-filled believer, to pray in tongues or not. It is also your choice to sing in tongues, or not (14:15). He told young Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him (1 Timothy 1:6), and Jude told the church to build themselves up on their most holy faith. How? By, “praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).

Ask God today for a fresh revelation of this truth. He will freely give His children all things (Romans 8:32), and, as a good Father, He wishes to give you liberally of His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). A beautiful part of God’s abundant grace is how the Holy Spirit ministers in you and through you, helping your sicknesses of body and soul, and interceding for you in areas that you have no direction (Romans 8:26).

Live free in His love today!

Grace Is Not a Doctrine; It Is a Person!

John 1:17

The grace of God is the great separation of Christianity from all other religions of the world. Religion, in general, requires the adherent to work hard and hope that they can earn a place in eternity. Followers of Christ do nothing to achieve eternal life, except believe and accept the price paid by Jesus. Only Christianity has God becoming man, to die for man, and then giving the world the gift of resurrected life. In a nutshell, this is the grace of God.

However, grace is not a doctrine, or a belief. It is not just a “thing”, which exists only in practice, like prayer or faith. Grace has been available for mankind from the very beginning, but it was not always accessible. Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8), but when Jesus came, grace found man.

John tells us that “the law was given by Moses”. This denotes distance, with the Law being cast down at man from Mount Sinai. “Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”, tells us that Jesus brought us grace and truth. He did not cast it down like the Law from the mountain, but walked it to us, as He still does today. This is why you don’t find grace now, as Noah did, but rather grace finds you, for Jesus is always journeying your way.

There is no truth to be found on the side of the law, for grace and truth come together. Jesus told us that He is, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). If Jesus is “truth”, and grace and truth are a package deal, then grace is not a doctrine, it is a person, and that person is Jesus. He is the embodiment of what the grace of God is and what that grace will accomplish.

Jesus loved people. He listened to their needs. He laughed with their children. He wept at their funerals. His hands of compassion would write words of freedom on the ground for a woman caught in the act of adultery, and feed 5,000 strangers with a miracle of multiplication. His love and mercy knew no boundary. He forgave a thief on the cross, who had previously mocked Him, and He cried out for His Father to forgive His murderers, for they knew not what they did. Jesus does not give grace; Jesus is grace.

When you accepted Christ as your Savior, He came into you with all grace and truth. You are growing into the knowledge of that grace and truth a bit more every day. Jesus told a group of new believers, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). You may not be there yet, but with His grace working in you, that freedom is coming through the knowledge of His truth.

As you go about your day today, remember that Jesus is in you with grace and truth. He is not standing afar off, casting the Law at you, but He walks with you ministering His wonderful grace into every area of your life. Allow Him to do the work, while you take the blessings, and never fear that you are dwelling on grace, “too much”. If one can have too much grace, then one can have too much Jesus, and I have yet to meet that person. Go in His grace!

No Fear

Luke 4:5-8

We looked at Jesus in the wilderness a couple of days ago, showing you how Christ overcame the devil with the knowledge that He was God’s beloved Son, and that the Father was well pleased with Him. Now we return to that story, this time from Luke’s gospel. Satan left something out when he tempted Jesus, choosing not to remind Jesus that He was “beloved”. Jesus does some revision of His own, changing the wording of a passage of scripture when overcoming the devil.

The scenario is the second temptation recorded from the wilderness. In it, Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him all of the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and offers Him the power and authority of the world. Satan has this right at that time, for the world had yet to be redeemed back to God through Christ’s finished work at the cross. His temptation was to give Jesus all that the cross would purchase, without the pain of going through with the sacrificial work. Whether Satan understood all of this or not is not completely clear, but Jesus overcame this in the same manner as before; by returning to the Word.

Jesus answers the devil, saying, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Luke 4:8). When the text says, “for it is written”, we know that Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament. In this case, it is from Deuteronomy 10:20:

“Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.”

When Moses writes it in Deuteronomy it says, “Thou shalt fear the Lord…”, but when Jesus quotes it in Luke, he says, “Thou shalt worship the Lord…”. Why the change? Does Jesus not know the text? I think we can agree that Jesus knows His scriptures, as does the devil, and Satan doesn’t call Him on this error either. This is because it is not an error. Jesus, as the author of the original text, reserves the right to change it when necessary!

Christ is introducing the manner with which New Covenant believers should think of God. Instead of seeing Him as distant and angry, one to be feared, He wants us to worship Him and feel His wonderful love for us. The Christian need not be afraid of their heavenly Father, for His entire wrath has been exhausted in the body of Jesus at the cross. You and I now worship Him in spirit and in truth, free from the fear of judgment.

This freedom to worship is in us because of the marvelous grace of God. Under Law, even Moses shook with fear when he heard from God (Hebrews 12:21), but “let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28). Only those who rest in His grace have true, godly, holy fear.

Let the grace of God change your unholy fear of a wrath-filled God into a reverential, godly fear of a Father whose good pleasure is to give to you the kingdom. God bless!

I’m Only Going to Say This Once

Mark 1:21-26

Most fathers have the ability to elicit response from their children simply by changing their tone of voice. Apparently, they also experience great pain when they have to repeat themselves, as I often heard my father say, “Son, I don’t want to have to say this again”. As a father, I have found myself using that phrase as well, and not because it hurts to talk, but because I expect results.

The reason that our fathers used that phrase was that it was an exercise in authority. By stating it once, and phrasing that he wasn’t going to say it again, the father is showing his position as the head. What he says should be heeded to, and that in a hurry.

Jesus encountered a centurion, whose servant was at home sick. The man asked for Jesus to heal the servant, and when Jesus made to go to the house, the centurion stated that he was not worthy for Jesus to come under his roof. If Jesus could but speak the word, his servant would be healed, and then he said, “For I also am a man set under authority” (Luke 7:8). The word “also” is most telling, because it is the centurion’s way of revealing to all who would hear that he knew that Jesus was not only able to give orders but also able to take them from His heavenly father. This man knew the chain of command.

Someone else that knows the chain of command is the forces of darkness. They were aware of who Jesus was from the beginning, though the Pharisees would never see it. When Jesus arrives in Capernaum in our text, they cry out, “Leave us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24). They knew that He was the Holy One of God; they recognized His authority.

When he speaks to the demon possessed man in verse 25, His words are simple and few, and are directed at the demons themselves. “Hold thy peace, and come out of him,” he says. Two commands are mixed into one sentence: Stop making noise, and get out of the man. However, verse 26 tells us that they do not immediately obey either command! They tear him and cry with a loud voice before finally coming out of him.

Jesus has spoken His victory, bought and paid for into your life, and there is no force of darkness that can stop it. “But Pastor Paul, I am still struggling with the same old sin that I thought I was over”, you might be saying. Don’t despair my friend. Jesus spoke and the demon kicked, but he did come out. Jesus has done the work and you may be seeing the manifestation of Satan attacking you, trying to convince you that you are not saved, but don’t worry, it is just his last gasp. Christ has spoken, and He is only going to say this once. He need not die again for Calvary was His statement against your problems (Hebrews 10:10).

This revelation that you are learning about your position in Christ is going to be so amazing, so stunning and so different that people are going to say of you what they did of Jesus in this passage, “What thing is this? What new doctrine is this?” (Verse 27). It is no new doctrine; it is the doctrine of Christ and His finished work. When He says “it is finished”, you can rest assured, regardless of the symptoms or the circumstances, “IT IS FINISHED”!

Know That You Are God’s Beloved

Matthew 3:17-4:1

Satan’s attacks against your place as a member of God’s family, is not unique. He attacked Jesus in the same way in the wilderness. God had just spoken from heaven, with Jesus standing in the Jordan River, and the Spirit like a dove, descended on Him. The proclamation that God made was the stamp of approval on all of the years that Jesus had lived in quiet, and it was the ammunition that Jesus would need to face the wilderness, the world and the cross. The knowledge that He was the “beloved Son” would guard him against everything.

The enemy went after Jesus’ place as Son immediately, tempting Him to turn the stones to bread, “If thou be the Son of God” (Matthew 4:3). When that didn’t work, he tried it again, telling Jesus to cast himself off of the cliff so that angels would catch him, “If thou be the Son of God” (verse 6). Again, Jesus overcame.

Finally, Satan offers Jesus the kingdoms of the world, if Jesus will bow down and worship him. While Satan makes no overt reference to the son ship of Jesus here, he knows that no Son of the Creator of the universe will bow down to get what is rightfully His, so this is also an attack on the Son. As you know, Jesus does not bow.

While these are important temptations to study, it is even more important to emphasize not only what Satan said, but what he did not say. God said that Jesus was His, “beloved Son”. The word “beloved” shows us that Jesus was not only Son by rights but He was greatly blessed and highly favored of His Father. Satan drops “beloved” because he wants to take no chance in reminding Jesus that He is beloved. It may be left out of the conversation, but it is deep within Jesus’ heart.

There is great power in the believer knowing just how loved that they are. The church culture often chides Christians for not loving the Lord enough, saying “You should love the Lord more”, and they point to doing things to show that love. No one can love the Lord more by simply trying to. Jesus said that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with “all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength…” (Mark 12:30). Honestly, do you love God that way? The truth is “No”, we do not love Him like this, at least not every moment of the day, but He DOES LOVE US that way. The Law tells us to do it, but doesn’t show us how. God’s grace shows us how:

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins…We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:10, 19).

Know that you are God’s beloved and you too will overcome the temptations of the enemy. Know that you are God’s beloved, and you will walk in His goodness and kindness. Know that you are God’s beloved my friend, and that He is well pleased, not because of you, but because of Jesus who has delivered you!