Category / Sabbath School Lessons

by In Light Of The Cross

The Fruit of the Spirit, Lesson 2

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Holding onto a grudge does not protect your rights. It denies your right to forgive and live a happy life.

This morning I was reading this passage in the Bible, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27. Suddenly, a random thought hit me. When we hang onto a grudge and refuse to forgive, we are giving the devil his “right” to have a place in our hearts. It is God’s place to tell us to forgive. It is the devil’s right to tell us we don’t have to forgive. When Christ resurrected Moses, the devil was right there to say Moses could not be forgiven and resurrected. When Christ forgave the paralytic, the devil was right amongst the priests and Pharisees claiming Christ had no right to forgive. 1 John 2:1 tells us Jesus is our advocate. Jesus gives us the right to be forgiven and to forgive. However when we hang onto a grudge, and refuse to forgive, then we have just fired Jesus as our advocate and put the devil, the accuser of the brethren in His place! Not a good move.

Do you really want the accuser of the brethren telling you what your rights are? Consider our high Priest as He hung upon the cross and forgave the repentant thief; “Men may exercise power over His human body. They may pierce the holy temples with the crown of thorns. They may strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they cannot rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bears testimony to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His arm shortened that it cannot save. It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.” – Desire of Ages, p. 751. It is God’s right to forgive sin and He has also given that right to you! Don’t let the devil take away your rights!

When the devil tells you that the person who has hurt you has taken away your right to happiness, turn the tables on him! Tell him you have the right to forgive them and be happy, instead of taking his poison by holding onto the grudge that he wants to give you, as your supposed “right”.  Instead of  letting the devil give you his fruit, let God give you the fruit of the Spirit which is love. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32.  Holding onto a grudge is not a right, its a poison. Forgiveness is a divine right! Satan has no place or right in your relationships!

You may find more studies and devotionals on my website In Light Of The Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Fruit of the Spirit, Lesson 1

Guess Where I am writing from today? You guessed it! The beautiful Tampa Bay area.

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.  John 15:4-5

This week’s Sabbath School lesson speaks of abiding in Christ and bearing fruit. So what exactly is the fruit we bear?  “What is the fruit that we are to bear? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”. {2 Selected Messages p. 236} So Christ is more interested in the quality of fruit and not just the quantity. After all wouldn’t you rather have six really good apples rather than 60 rotten apples? So would Christ! “Ministers who labor in towns and cities to present the truth should not feel content, nor that their work is ended, until those who have accepted the theory of the truth realize indeed the effect of its sanctifying power, and are truly converted to God. God would be better pleased to have six truly converted to the truth as the result of their labors, than to have sixty make a nominal profession, and yet not be thoroughly converted. These ministers should devote less time to preaching sermons, and reserve a portion of their strength to visit and pray with those who are interested, giving them godly instruction, to the end that they may “present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”  {Evangelism p. 320.1}

When you look at a piece of fruit you should be able to tell what tree it came from. So people should be able to tell that we abide in Christ by looking at us. Problem is too many professed Christians have what is called a golf cart relationship with Christ instead of an abiding relationship. A golf cart charges its battery overnight and then runs all day on its own power. The golf cart does not have an abiding relationship with the battery charger. It’s an on and off relationship. That may work for golf carts but not for us. We need a continual abiding relationship with Christ like the relationship a trolley car has with the cable. It stays connected to the cable all day or it does not move a single inch. We must continually abide in Christ or as Christ says, we “can do nothing”. This year let’s remember we are trolley cars and not golf carts. We must continually abide in Christ and not think we can survive with an on again off again relationship similar to a golf cart and battery charger.

Let’s remember as well that as a branch receives nourishment from the vine so we must receive our nourishment from Christ. The branches do not receive nourishment from the other branches. They abide in the vine. Likewise we must not look to the pastor or elder, or grandma for our spiritual nourishment. Remember that is how the dark ages began. People stopped reading the Scriptures and let the church do all their thinking for them. This is not what Christ designed. In Psalms 23:1 David acknowledges the Lord as his Shepherd or pastor. Christ Himself wants to be our Pastor, our True Vine that we may abide in and produce quality fruit which will also influence many others to do the same!

Please also visit my website InLightOfThe Cross.com for more studies and devotionals.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lessons 11 and 12

Tampa 001

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Friday’s section of this week’s SS Lesson asks the question, “What do you do with the question of “calling sin by its right name”? How can we deal with wayward members without being judgmental or condemnatory? At the same time, are we not shirking our Christian duty if we don’t confront brothers or sisters in the church who are doing wrong? How do we deal with this difficult subject?”

 The word of God says, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isaiah 58:1 However please notice He says show my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins. God is not telling us to rebuke those who don’t know better, but those who are in the church, who have a knowledge of the truth. For example, in Exodus 25 and 1 Chronicles 15 we see that only the priests were to carry the ark and that it was to be carried on the poles. When the philistines raided the temple they took the ark back to their own temple. One of the funniest things I have read in the Bible is when their god Dagon kept falling over in front of the ark. Well the philistines decide they don’t want the ark and that they should send it back. How did they do it? Not at all like God had instructed. They handled it and put it on a cart drawn by oxen and sent it back. None of the philistines received any harm even though they did not follow God’s plan in moving the ark. They did not know any better. Years later though David is moving the ark and instead of moving it the way God had said he put in on a cart of oxen like the philistines had done. Uzza touches the ark and is struck dead. Why? Uzza knew better! David gets mad at God when he really should have been mad at himself, because if David had moved the ark the way God had said no harm would have come to Uzza, but no, David did not want to pattern himself after God on this but after the world instead. So God does not reprove those who don’t know better but he does require obedience from those who do. See 1 Chronicles 13

 It is not our mission to tell the world all that they are doing wrong. It is our mission to tell them about a God who loves them. As they form a relationship with Jesus we can teach them here and there as it becomes appropriate more and more about God’s love and His truth. (Isaiah 28:10, Matthew 28:19-20)

 A wise pastor told me a long time ago we are to be conservative towards ourselves and liberal towards others. We can show our wayward brother his error by just living a Christian life! Also I have found that when you pray God will open doors and actually have these “wayward” people ask you what is right and wrong. Wait for God to create opportunities instead of making them ourselves. Jesus says in John 5:17, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Jesus is saying He works where He sees His Father working and where His Father is creating opportunities to share the truth. Jesus shared the truth only when He knew it could be understood and appreciated. Often times He rebuked people not with His words but with His life which is a much more gentle and valid rebuke than words.

Sure He often rebuked with His words, but please read this from The Desire of Ages, P. 353    “Behold,” said Jesus, “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Christ Himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes. He wept over Jerusalem, the city He loved, that refused to receive Him, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They rejected Him, the Saviour, but He regarded them with pitying tenderness, and sorrow so deep that it broke His heart. Every soul was precious in His eyes. While He always bore Himself with divine dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the family of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission to save.  

Please check out more of my studies and devotionals at InLightOfTheCross.com

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lesson 10

St.PeteI am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

In Sabbath’s section of this week’s SS lesson we read, ““And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 John 5:14, ESV).”

 

 

 To me the most thrilling part of prayer is, just knowing that God hears me. I am just a grain of dirt in this magnificent universe and yet He cares for me!

 

Last year my apartment lease was up and I singed a new lease. I asked about a free months rent for re-signing and they said no way definitely not. I singed any way. Meanwhile I had a burden on my heart and was sharing it with God. On the first day of my new lease I was walking to the apartment office to pay my rent. I was praying about my burden as I walked. All of a sudden I found myself telling God, “if You want me to do such and such have them give me a free months rent when I get to the office”.  I thought, there is no way that can happen. They have already told me no.”  I got to the office and gave them the check. The lady looked to enter it on the computer but then paused and said, “wait a minute, it is showing no rent is due this month from you.” She went into her boss’ office to confirm and then came back and said, “You owe no rent this month.” I can not explain this. I was told more than once when signing my lease there was no free rent. When I went in I did not ask but just gave them the check and they handed it back to me. What is more thrilling then a month’s free rent is that God heard my prayer!

 

 

Many moons ago I was a Literature Evangelist selling Christian books in Oklahoma. I was leading my division in sales. However in the summer I ran into a dry spell. Three weeks with no sales. I began to doubt my calling. I had been told before what a wonderful work being and LE was, but as I continued to go with no sales I could not help but doubt. I thought maybe it was a great work a hundred years ago when they did not have radio and television to spread the Good news. One day I was driving to Tahlequah Oklahoma to show a Baptist school principal the books. As I drove I prayed to God, “If I am still doing an important work for this time please let me know.” I drove on and got to the school and showed the man the books. He bought them! As he was writing out the check I was writing out the order. He paused as he wrote and said, “you know this is a very important work you are doing”. I thanked him but it did not really hit me as a direct answer to prayer until he paused again and said, “and especially for this time.” Chills went down my spine as I realized that this man was repeating the exact words I had used in my prayer! I went on and led my division in sales by the end of the year. What is more thrilling though is that God heard my prayer!

 

 

I have had many other direct answers to prayer. Many of them I cannot share because they involve other people who may not want them shared. Still, what is more important than getting what I ask for, is knowing there is a God who loves and cares for me, and even takes time to listen and care about what is on my heart, even though I am just a tiny speck of dust in His great universe! Of course He loves you just as much!

 

 

“Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.”  {Steps to Christ p. 100.1}

 

You can find more studies and devotionals at my personal Website: InLightOfTheCross.com

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lesson 9

Adam's Birthday 018

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area. (notice alligator by the river bridge)

Thursday’s section of this week’s SS lesson asks the question, “What about folk who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel presented in a clear manner? Are they all automatically lost? As you think about your answer, don’t forget to take into account God’s universal love for all humanity. How can you learn to better trust the Lord on this difficult question?”

 Sometimes I don’t think we realize how legalistic we are even when we think we aren’t. We just can’t imagine salvation being as easy as the Bible says. We dwell on the thousands who were lost at the flood while only eight were saved, forgetting that dumb animals were saved who simply did not resist the draw to the ark. The Bible never told us salvation was hard or is suppose to be hard. It is the way of the transgressor that is hard. Proverbs 13:15. 

We think we have left legalism and the works of the flesh when we tell people they can be saved if they understand and believe the steps to salvation. However in that case all we have done is transferred the legalism from the works of the flesh to the works of the brain. We quote Ephesians 2:8 and tell people we are saved by our faith, but that is not what that verse says. It says we are saved by grace. So many of us have things backwards. We look at Ephesians 2:8 and think that if we have faith God will recognize it and then give us grace. “Oh they believe in me so I will be graceful and save them.” Wrong! Our faith is in response to God’s grace, NOT God’s grace in response to my faith! At the cross Jesus saved us and gave us our free choice back. 

A few weeks ago I was sharing a verse in my Revelation Seminar from Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” A beautiful verse for sure but so many of us read that verse with a legalistic slant. We think that we must know that name and if we know it then we can be saved. That is not what the verse is saying. The verse is not saying that our salvation depends upon us knowing that name. We are saved by that name knowing us! There is no other name that knows or will save us other than Jesus Christ. I have had people lament to me that their wife or brother doesn’t believe in God. I tell them don’t worry, God believes in your wife and brother! 

In closing consider this passage from The Desire of Ages p. 638 “ Those whom Christ commends in the judgment may have known little of theology, but they have cherished His principles. Through the influence of the divine Spirit they have been a blessing to those about them. Even among the heathen are those who have cherished the spirit of kindness; before the words of life had fallen upon their ears, they have befriended the missionaries, even ministering to them at the peril of their own lives. Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God. How surprised and gladdened will be the lowly among the nations, and among the heathen, to hear from the lips of the Saviour, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me”! How glad will be the heart of Infinite Love as His followers look up with surprise and joy at His words of approval!”

You can find more studies and devotionals on my personal website at http://www.InLightOfTheCross.com

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lesson 7

Tampa Skyline

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

This week’s SS lesson asks the question, “Some people are afraid of the idea that we are saved only by what Jesus has done for us. They say, if our salvation rests in Christ’s righteousness and not in our own, what’s to stop us from continuing in sin? How would you respond to that concern?”  

The solution is to find what it is that Jesus has saved us from. In other words, the Bible makes it clear we are saved by God’s grace alone, but what is it we are saved from? While it is true that God’s grace saves us from the grave it also saves us from a sinful lifestyle. However many times people only refer to God’s grace saving us from the grave even in cases where the context is not about the grave but plainly about a sinful lifestyle. Please allow me to share three examples.

 The first verse that is often used for this subject is Ephesians 28-9 which beautifully reads, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” There you have it. Now works but God’s grace. Yet this does not mean that we can continue in sin without a changed life. The very next verse reads, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” So it is by God’s work, in other words borrowing from the question in the SS lesson it is “Only by what Jesus has done for us” that we now have good works. Also let’s examine the context of what Paul is talking about. Here is Ephesians 2:1-10 in its entire context:

 “And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.     But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

 The context is very clear that Jesus has saved us from a sinful lifestyle by grace and not by works, but too many times we take the “saved by grace” and apply it only to being saved from hell when that is not even a part of the subject at all.

  Paul uses the word ‘grace” in Romans 1:5 when he says, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.” The context here is grace giving us the power to obey. Nothing here about escaping death, Paul here is clearly talking about escaping a sinful lifestyle.

 In Titus 2:11-12 Paul writes, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Again Paul is not limiting grace to saving us from death. As a matter of fact he is not talking about death at all. He is talking about grace saving us from a sinful lifestyle and empowering us to live a victorious life in the here and now. 

I read just recently in The Great Controversy when Martin Luther became a priest it bothered him how so many of the other priests professed piety, while practicing the most basest of sins and conversation.  While Martin Luther recognized that works do not save a man, he recognized too that the grace of God which alone we rely for salvation is what saves us from the power of sin as well as the penalty of sin. In other words, while our works will not save us from a sinful lifestyle, the grace of God will. 

Here is a previous post with promises from the classic book The Desire of Ages guaranteeing us victory! I have posted this before but every time I do someone writes who sees and appreciates it for the first time. I invite you to take a look! I also invite you to check out my personal website with Christ centered studies and devotionals.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lesson 6

Small group Spring Break 033

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Friday’s section of this week’s SS lesson asks the question, “What are ways that we can manifest the spirit of antichrist toward others?”  

I think there are several ways, all of which boils down to pride. For example, many understand Paul is speaking of the anti Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”  

 Do we take God’s place in the temple when we sit in condemnation of our brother? Jesus Himself says in John 5:22, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” If we decide to condemn a brother are we not trying to sit in Christ’s judgment seat? Are we not making ourselves a “Christ”? 

 It is pride and the spirit of anti-christ that makes us think we can condemn a brother. It is the same foolish pride that makes us think we can save ourselves, or that others must be saved by our standards. In Revelation John writes about the anit-christ and Babylon. Many Adventists recognize the anti-christ as the leader of Babylon. We recognize Babylon as a false system of worship. This is true, but Babylon is more than a system of worship, it is an attitude. 

The attitude of Babylon and the anit-christ is, “I can save myself by my works.” It all started at the tower of Babel when man decided not to trust God anymore and relied on their own efforts to build a tower of salvation. They did not trust God to not destroy them and thought they could work their own way to heaven. Later in the book of Daniel we read where God gave the kingdom into the king of Babylon’s hands. Instead of recognizing this as a free gift, he looks out over his dominion and says, “is this not great Babylon that I have built.” The king of Babylon had to learn that all he had was a gift of grace and not the efforts of his works. In Revelation 14 we read about the fall of Babylon in the second angel’s message. The first angel tells us about the everlasting gospel of grace and uses language which reminds us of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a sign of rest. We rest our faith in God as our creator and redeemer. By giving our allegiance to the gospel and the Sabbath we humble ourselves in recognizing that we did not make ourselves nor redeem ourselves. The Sabbath truth destroys our pride, works, and anti-christ attitudes. Thus Babylon falls, as we realize no man made system of worship is going to save us. Nothing man made can save us whether it is a tower or a day of worship. 

Cain had the attitude of Babylon when he presented the works of his field as a sacrifice. God could not accept any form of worship that had the print of self on it. He could only accept the sacrifice and worship Abel presented which pointed to the Lamb of God, our only hope of salvation.  

 In Galatians 2:20 Paul shows us the pure gospel is “not I but Christ”. Anytime pride tries to make it a combination of our ideas with Christ’s ideas or our works with Christ’s works, we have the spirit of anit-christ and Babylon.

 

You can find more studies and devotionals on my personal website, In Light of The Cross.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles Lesson 5

Conner Baptism 002

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Matthew 5:13

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  John 17:5-17. 

In Friday’s section of this week’s SS lesson it states: “Some people, heeding the call against loving the world, isolate themselves from the world as much as they can, moving into monasteries or communities that are radically separate from the norm. Is this a good idea?” 

Some people try to take themselves out of the world to become “godly”. However Titus 2:11-12 promises us holiness in this present world. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”  

Fact is Jesus says we are the salt of the earth. In order for the salt to save or preserve the food it must be mixed with it. Here are some passages I have found in the Spirit of Prophecy that may help us be a blessing to the world without becoming “worldly”. 

Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God’s blessing flows. Were those who served God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan’s dominion. Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God’s people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.–The Desire of Ages, p. 306. 

 

  And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 2 Kings 2:21 

     In casting salt into the bitter spring, Elisha taught the same spiritual lesson imparted centuries later by the Saviour to His disciples when He declared, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” The salt mingling with the polluted spring purified its waters and brought life and blessing where before had been blighting and death. When God compares His children to salt, He would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others. . . . 

     Salt must be mingled with the substance to which it is added; it must penetrate, infuse it, that it may be preserved. So it is through personal contact and association that men are reached by the saving power of the gospel. They are not saved as masses, but as individuals. Personal influence is a power. It is to work with the influence of Christ, . . . and to stay the progress of the world’s corruption. . . . It is to uplift, to sweeten the lives and characters of others by the power of a pure example united with earnest faith and love. . . . 

     The polluted stream represents the soul that is separate from God. . . . Through sin, the whole human organism is deranged, the mind is perverted, the imagination corrupted; the faculties of the soul are degraded. There is an absence of pure religion, of heart holiness. The converting power of God has not wrought in transforming the character. . . .       The heart that receives the word of God is not as a pool that evaporates. . . . It is like a river constantly flowing and, as it advances, becoming deeper and wider, until its life-giving waters are spread over all the earth. . . . So it is with the true child of God. The religion of Christ reveals itself as a vitalizing, pervading principle, a living, working, spiritual energy. When the heart is opened to the heavenly influence of truth and love, these principles will flow forth again like streams in the desert, causing fruitfulness to appear where now are barrenness and dearth.  – Conflict and Courage, p. 224 

  “We as a people do not believe it our duty to go out of the world to be out of the fashion. If we have a neat, plain, modest, and comfortable plan of dress, and worldlings choose to dress as we do, shall we change this mode of dress in order to be different from the world? No, we should not be odd or singular in our dress for the sake of differing from the world, lest they despise us for so doing. Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. Their dress should be neat and modest, their conversation chaste and heavenly, and their deportment blameless.  – Testimonies for the Church Vol. 1, p.424 

Now I would just like to share a thought of my own. While serving as a lay pastor in Texas I was always troubled by the several dark counties that we had there. I often prayed for opportunities to enter those dark counties and evangelize them. However, I  had so much to do in my own county I could never do that. Then a thought occurred to me. Maybe it is not my responsibility. Maybe rather than having thousands of Adventists congregate into one little Adventist community like Keene or Collegedale, God would rather have those people move out into these dark counties and plant new churches. Just a thought I would like to throw out before I go back to minding my own business now.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on “Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles” Lesson 4

Venice 045I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.  2 John 1:5

 A while back a friend asked me, “What was the largest mountain in the world before Mt. Everest was discovered?” I don’t really know my mountains so I gave up. They said, “Mt. Everest.” Of course Mt. Everest was the largest mountain in the world even before it was discovered. The mountain was not new, it had been there the whole time before it was discovered. Likewise the command that we love one another is no new commandment even though it might be a new concept to some.

 Many believe that the Old Testament is all about “the law” while the New Testament is all about grace. Fact is in Genesis 3 we find Jesus giving Adam and Eve love and grace when He promised them a Savior hundreds of years before the Ten Commandments were given in Exodus 20. Love has been there all along. In Romans 13:10, Paul says, “therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law.” In Galatians 5:14 Paul says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  James says in James 2:8, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Friday’s section of this week’s SS lesson says, “It’s one thing to keep the Ten Commandments; it’s another thing to love other people. What’s the difference? Which is easier to do, and why?” 

Many  say we don’t need the Ten Commandments; we just need to love each other. Well what does it mean to love each other? The Ten Commandments define love for us. Love is honoring your parents and being true to your spouse. Love is being honest with your neighbor and not harming them or their character by slander. Love is simply putting others first, and the Ten Commandments tell us how to put God first in the first four commands and then how to put our neighbor first in the last six commands. In Ephesians 5 Paul tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. The principle here is others first. You don’t have to feel butterflies in your stomach and get all gooey and emotional when you see your spouse, but you do need to put their needs before your needs. Putting the needs of others first is what love is. Over the years I have had people ask me if it is okay to have sex on the Sabbath. I always tell them, if you are doing it to please your spouse then it is okay, if you are doing it to please yourself then it is wrong any day of the week. This has blown a couple of men away. But the only way to make love is put the other person first. When you are having relations with your spouse to please yourself, you are not making love, you are making lust! When Jesus says if you lust after a woman you have committed adultery that woman can be your own wife! Because when you lust after her you have just put yourself and your needs before her needs. You are not thinking about what you can do for her, but by lusting you are thinking of what she can do for you and you have just made yourself first. Love is others first. Lust is putting self first. Now here is something the world does not understand, including the two men who were blown away by my answer, lust is the same thing as hate. In 2 Samuel 13:15 Amnon forces a woman and the Bible says he hated her. Why? Because lust is self first, which means others last which is the opposite of love. 

The Ten Commandments teach us how to avoid lust and hate by following one simple rule, others first, which is love. Again when Jesus tells us to love our enemies He is not telling us we must have some emotional bond with them and go golfing or fishing with them every Sunday morning. We love our enemies by praying for their blessings and putting their welfare before our own. The Ten Commandments again define that love for us. The Commandments define how to put God, family and others first. 

So both the Ten Commandments and love have been around all along just like Mt. Everest. Now here is another parting thought that may blow you away. I heard it from Whitley Phipps, a famous singer. He said and I believe, “The love we have for God is no stronger than the love we have for the person we love the least.” Think about it.

by In Light Of The Cross

Thoughts on “Loved and Loving: John’s Epistles, Lesson 3

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I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Thursday’s section of this week’s SS lesson asks a very powerful question, “How can we learn to live with the tension of being sinners, and yet being admonished—very strongly in the Bible—not to sin?”

 

Many people will say the correct answer is to strive and try real hard knowing you still will never make it. Just do the best you can. That is pure legalism! At the same time victory can be ours.  The reality of God’s grace literally justifies us. Justification is our freedom from the penalty of sin which is death. It is my title to heaven. Justification is also, “me in Jesus”.  I was in Jesus when He lived a perfect life, so I am saved by His life. Romans 5;10. God also literally sanctifies us. Sanctification is my freedom from the power of sin, which is Christ in me. Colossians 1:26. This is my fitness for heaven.

 

Satan is full of lies on every side. He tells us if we sin too many times we cannot be forgiven. That is a lie! A broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not despise no matter how many times sin has broken that heart before. He also tells us that there will be no victory over sin this side of heaven. That too is a lie! Nothing is too hard for the Lord and with God all things are possible! Hebrews 4 is very clear that we have a Savior who can give us the grace in time of temptation so we can overcome. If we sin, we have a Savior who can give us mercy and forgiveness. This is why Paul in Hebrews exclaims, ‘How can we neglect so great a salvation!”

 

Many will say that legalism is trying to keep the law to very letter. That is not legalism, that is the gospel! Legalism is trying to keep the law in your own power for your own glory. The gospel is keeping God’s law by His power for His glory.

 

This is a lesson God has been trying to teach us from the very beginning. When Adam and Eve sinned they tried covering themselves by making their own clothes out of fig leaves. Notice in Genesis 3, after they made themselves fig leaves and aprons they still felt naked when God approached them. God then made coats of skin for them. This means a totally innocent animal had to die to truly cover their nakedness. Likewise our efforts will never cover our spiritual nakedness but the death of Jesus on the cross will literally cover our shame.

 

Later God tells Abraham I will make you the father of many nations. Even though God has promised, Abraham thinks he is the one who is going to make it happen. So he goes and takes Hagar as his wife. God says, no, that’s not what I was talking about Abraham. I promised and I am going to make it happen. God has Abraham circumcised. Now, to many, circumcision is nothing more than a barbaric ritual. That is because they don’t understand what God was telling Abraham by having him circumcised. God was basically telling Abraham, cast away your flesh. Your flesh and your strength and effort will never accomplish what I have promised to do Myself. By being circumcised Abraham was casting away his confidence in his own flesh and put his confidence in God. Abraham had to circumcise the part of his body he was putting his faith in. Philippians 3:3. God provided the child He had promised in the way He had promised.

 

Adam and Eve were not justified by their own works or even faith. Their faith did not save them. After all they were running from God when He justified them. Romans 5 tells us God justified us when we were still His enemies. Adam and Eve as well as everyone else has been justified by the faith of Jesus and not by their faith. We are justified not by our faithfulness to Him but by His faithfulness to us.

 

Abraham was being sanctified not by his promises but by the promises God made with him. Abraham had to get rid of self so God could literally sanctify him. Abraham was not sanctified by his faith in God but by God’s faithfulness to him.

 

Now we go to Mount Sinai. What we call a lesson on the Ten Commandments is actually God’s biggest lesson on grace! In Exodus 19 God tells the Hebrews I delivered you from Egypt and bare you on eagle’s wings. God is telling them your salvation from bondage is real and literal but you did nothing to make it happen, I did it all! You were totally helpless and I came down and delivered you. It is the same today. Our salvation from the bondage of sin is real and literal but we do nothing to make it happen. God does all the work for us and in us!

 

Properly understanding Exodus 19:5 is the key. “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” That word “obey” in the Hebrew is the word “shawmah” which means to be attentive and listen. That makes more sense than just obey, as we don’t obey a voice, we listen to it. The word “keep” is the Hebrew word “shawmar” which means to cherish and tenderly regard. It is the same word in Geneses 2 when Adam is told to keep the garden. Now a covenant in the Bible is a one way promise. Today it may be a two party agreement, but in the Bible it was a promise. So what God is telling the Hebrews and the rest of us in verse 5 is this, “Listen carefully (obey) to my voice, and cherish (keep) my promises (covenant) so that I can make you something very special. Something you could never make for yourself.”  God then goes on and explains through chapter 20 that just as the Hebrews were saved from Egyptian bondage not by their efforts, but by the grace of God, likewise God promises that He will save them from the bondage of other gods, and from the bondage of false worship (commandments or ‘promises” 1-4). God promises them that just as he brought them out of the house of bondage (Exodus 20:2) that He will also free them from the bondage of unhealthy relationships in our homes and our communities (promises 6-10).

 

All of this is accomplished not by our works but by Christ working in and through us. See Romans 8:4, Colossians 1:26-29, Philippians 1:6, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:14-21.

 

Even in the Greek and New Testament the word “keep” means the same when speaking of the Commandments. In John 14:15 where Jesus says, “If you love me keep my Commandments”, and in Revelation 14:12 where John writes, “Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” the Greek word “keep” is “tereo” which means to cherish and regard. The grace we find in the New Testament was actually there all along in the Old Testament. Jesus is telling us again in the New Testament what He was telling us Adam and Eve, Abraham, the Hebrews and all the world, “Cherish My promises and I will set you free. And in Revelation 14:12 we see that it is those who cherish His commandments that also Cherish His faith! Those who are kept pure and not defiled by anything other than the pure gospel found in the first 11 verses of Revelation 14 are not even saved by their own faith. They are saved by cherishing Jesus’ promises to be faithful to them!

 

Please let me share a solution for striving against sin. Don’t argue with yourself or anyone else as to if it can be done or not. I don’t debate theology anymore. I am in love with God and my love life is not up for debate! Let’s cherish the promises of Jesus and cling to His faith and not our own. He who has promised is faithful! See Hebrews 10:23 and Hebrews 11:11. It is Jesus who promises and it is Jesus who is faithful to make us just what He wants us to be, whatever that is! All I need to do is look to the Cross and fall in love with Jesus!

 

So while many people want to debate if we can stop sinning or not, I just want to fall in love with Jesus! Instead of wondering if I can be perfect or not I just fall in love with Jesus and cherish His promises that He can make me literally into something very special. Even more special than I even imagine possible! Ephesians 3:14-21.

 

 

I also want to share a quote concerning 1 John 2:1-2 that I believe to be very inspired and encouraging to me personally.

 

“If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” How careful is the Lord Jesus to give no occasion for a soul to despair. How he fences about the soul from Satan’s fierce attacks. If through manifold temptations we are surprised or deceived into sin, he does not turn from us, and leave us to perish. No, no, that is not like our Saviour. Christ prays for us. He was tempted in all points like as we are; and having been tempted, he knows how to succor those who are tempted. Our crucified Lord is pleading for us in the presence of his Father at the throne of grace. His atoning sacrifice we may plead for our pardon, our justification, and our sanctification. The Lamb slain is our only hope. Our faith looks upon him, grasps him as the one who can save to the uttermost, and the fragrance of the all-sufficient offering is accepted of the Father. Unto Christ is committed all power in heaven and in earth, and all things are possible to him that believeth. Christ’s glory is concerned in our success. He has a common interest with all humanity. He is our sympathizing Saviour.  {RH, September 1, 1891 par. 2}