At the cross I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled. away. It was there by Faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day. At a bloody cross, Jesus died for my sins. He bare our sins in his own body on a tree. He had become sin, who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. God had laid on him the iniquity of us all. Surely he has borne our sorrow, and by his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53, 1Peter 2:24, 2Corinthians 5:21. Let’s enumerate some benefits of the Cross. First, Matthew teaches Christ became a substitute for us — A vicar, as in the word vicarious — a deputy who acts in the place of another. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to…
Tag: <span>reconciliation</span>
“Now all the tax-collectors and notorious sinners were crowding around Him to listen to Him. And so the Pharisees and scribes continually grumbled, and said, “This fellow is welcoming notorious sinners, and even eating with them.”” Luke 15:1-2 “This man receiveth sinners.” KJV “He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!” Weymouth translation Despised of the religious leaders, Jesus nevertheless persisted to company with those hated. Unintentionally, these uppity Scribes and Pharisees provided for current readers a precious commentary — “This man receives sinners.” Jesus invited sinners into His presence. The simplicity of Jesus’ actions provides definition to our application going forward. We are to tell how, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not charging men’s transgressions to their account, and that He has entrusted to us the Message of this reconciliation” .2Corinthians 5:19 Think about it: “Christ was the offended party,…
Psalm 85:10 teaches, “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. ” Here are some definitions from G. Campbell Morgan: Mercy — the tenderness which bends over in love. Truth — integrity and uprightness, that which is stable and builds Righteousness — a straight line without deviation. Peace — absolute safety. Because of man’s sin, a reconciliation becomes necessary. The nature of God’s reconciliation is “unto Himself.” Colossians 1:20 Reconciliation has this meaning: “an exchange; change in relationship; the bringing into fellowship things that have opposed.” “The reconciliation of things on earth is that of their restoration to the government of God, and the consequent restoration of a perfect order throughout the world, of man, and of all that is beneath him in the scale of being; “Healing of the wound. Closing of the breach. The gathering together into one of all things that have…
A part of our lives that requires humility comes when we must reconcile — with God, with our friend, our spouse, a neighbor. “I’m sorry”– that I took liberties in my self-righteousness. I’m sorry for hurtful words, for hurtful acts which broke your heart. Friends, the anti-Christ spirit of the age touts “big-boy” clothing, promotes the world of fighting rage, laughs at the “second-rate” people who dare to say, “I’m sorry.” These are labeled “weak” and despised. These weakened ones cannot play in “man” games of slander and character defamation without remorse — they surmise. These lack the courage to threaten others, to harass, to justify hatred, to blame — they decide. These cannot converse behind the backs of colleagues, separate friends, perfect the two-faced sagacity, conspire to maim — they figure. The “big adult people” view sincere love as an Achilles heal, a flaw to be exploited. They escalate…
So, not worthy, so unworthy, we are made worthy (…God the Father, who has enlightened us and made us worthy partakers of the inheritance of the saints…). Colossians 1:12. Lamsa translation. Unworthiness is defined, “ lacking in excellence or value, not meritorious, not deserved, inappropriate to one’s condition or station” – merriam-webster The problem of unworthiness has been tackled by many a well-meaning therapist, who offer a re-teaching, chipping away at, working through approach. However, even in visiting childhood’s ‘unfortunate but nonetheless forming events and words,’ presupposed in this visit is something not Biblical: that somehow we were seeing ourselves as worthy, but lost it, and not of our own fault, most of the time. Precious souls, our unworthiness is entrenched in the depths of an old sin nature, which has not just stigmatized us, falsely identified us, or named us wrongly, but has called us correctly; unworthy, unworthy, unworthy! Unworthy cannot morph into…
Not she with traitorous kiss her Master stung, Not she denied Him with unfaithful tongue; She, when Apostles fled, could dangers brave, Last at the Cross, and earliest at the grave. Author unknown …Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. …throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene… The bravest of all, Mary stayed, not caring for her life in garden, cross, and grave. THE RISEN ONE Until his final hour he had never refused her anything or turned away, lest she should turn their love to public praise. Now she sank down beside the cross, disguised, heavy with the largest stones of love like jewels in the cover of her pain. But later, when she came…
“So My people are bent on turning from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, none at all exalts Him. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled. I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath.” Hosea 11:7-9 Here in Hosea, bent to backsliding, God’s people still refuse to exalt Him, though often exhorted. God reveals His heart. “How can I give you up?” How can I treat you like the dirt or like a herd of gazelles? My heart is turning within, and My desire to console is…
I love the fields and streams and hills and valleys. On top, down below, in the water and in the grass. We revisit our childhood, perfumed memories, and the glory of it —a sense of awe and discovery, a sense of the mysterious, the secretive, the fantastic. What a gift God gave to us to take pleasure in! A small animal, a bird, a fish and a mushroom are enormous wonders, and so the more exotic frog, toad, bumble bee and spider. There is a time for it, a while, a season. I rode a horse in fear, (a pony really), a roller coaster in frantic. I drove a car, (stick shift notwithstanding), I manned a train, an airplane, and a floating boat. I saw the Grand Canyon and oceans too, I visited the granite dells, and Sedona, that new-age paradise. My curiosity stirred me to look and look further.…