"Having an High Priest over the house of God" Hebrews 10:21
The faith of the Hebrew and Israelite looked forward to the future work of Christ. All of the Levitical laws, the commandments, the ritual in the tabernacle and even the furnishings in the tabernacle all represent Christ or His redemptive work to come. The faith of a true believer looks back and is founded upon the finished work of Christ. Without the work of Christ our faith looking back and the Hebrew faith that was looking forward is in vain. Faith in and of itself cannot save us.
I. Our Great High Priest the Mediator
II. Our Great High Priest the Sacrifice
III. Our Great High Priest over the house of God
I pray the Lord will bless you as you listen to the podcast message to the right.
A Voice Crying
"Be Ye Separate Saith the Lord" 2 Corinthians 6:17
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Dying Dog
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
2 Peter 2:19-22
Often I have read this verse and wondered if this meant that backsliders have no hope. If we accept this notion then we limit the grace of God and His power to redeem the vilest of sinners. We would have to view David and Peter as irredeemable.
For the backslider the question may haunt them, “can God truly restore me”? For the backslider who is seeking repentance and restoration with the Lord the slightest infraction can plunge them into an abyss of guilt and shame that seems inescapable. Too often the backslider may just give up. This is an indication they are trusting in their own works and not the Lords mercy and grace. Don't give up. Keep pursuing the Lord. Many times during my 20 years of wilderness wanderings in sin I sought the Lord only to stumble in despair and resign myself to the bondage of sin. Yet, the Holy Spirit kept wooing my soul and never gave up on me. My latter life of sin was truly worse than the first. Not until I literally left family and friends, entering into a desert of solitude,seeking God, did I eventually find restoration with God. It took a radical decision on my part but even in my backslidden state God was giving grace. When God saved me in 1980 at the age of 19 I did not have many years of sin and sinful habits to contend with. Salvation at such a young age is a wonderful thing because it can spare the Christian of so much pain and turmoil years down the road. When I backslid I developed 20 years of sinful habits and behaviors making the latter far worse to overcome than the first. And its here where the nature of man fails and the empowering of the indwelling Holy Spirit prevails. We cannot overcome sinful habits and behaviors in our own strength. It takes the cross of Christ to deliver us from the penalty and power of sin.
The backslider may struggle with sin and fight temptation but only when we surrender to the Holy Spirit on a daily basis is there victory in our lives. The victory is the Lord's, not ours. We are simply the recipients of God's gracious reward. When Christ said to forgive your brother 70 x 7 how much more patient is God with us, backslider? Should we sin that the grace of God may abound? God forbid. People use that 70 X 7 as a license to sin. They practice lawlessness and that's not what I'm suggesting here. Paul said, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. God desires us to pursue holiness. When we have done all that we can and come to the end of ourselves then we will trust in His grace to restore us.
Yesterday I found myself entertaining lustful thoughts of past memories. I became deeply disturbed and troubled under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Even the waitress at the pizza shop where I frequently dine asked if I was OK saying I looked very down in my spirit. I began to question, “Lord, have I not truly been in fellowship with you”? “Is my relationship with you not real but just a form of ritual I'm going through. Please show me Lord that I am not controlled by my old desires and passions.”
Last night I had a dream. In the dream were people I worked with back in the mid to late 90's when I was at the height of my willful debauchery. Suddenly a beautiful mixed breed border collie appeared in the dream. The dog vomited. I inspected the vomit and discovered he ate something I had made the day before. In the dream ,the day before I was in Florida. In reality when I left family and friends to get my life right with God I moved to Florida in 2008. In the dream I was concerned that what the dog ate may be killing him. The dog looked horrible. Moping along with drool coming out of its mouth and laying down with a whine. The dog was dying. I did not give the dog the food he ate though it was something I made. My dreams are really strange and usually don't amount to anything but are the result of eating spicy food too late in the evening. This dream appeared significant. In the dream the dog did not return to his vomit and the dog was dying.
The vomit is sin and the dog is the carnal nature. God answered my prayer to show me that what I am doing is not behavioral but spiritual. When I first heard the gospel in 1980 it was a dramatic Damascus road experience for me. God saved me and put His love in my heart instantly. God's reclamation of me from my backsliding has been a different process. There have been times that God has witnessed to me in a clear and scriptural manner such as this dream. Twenty years of habits and thought patterns may not be swept away in an instant. Remember, Paul spent 3 years in the desert immediately after his conversion. He probably wrestled with his Pharisaic ideas until he was able to define his doctrinal positions. His theology in the book of Romans was not formulated overnight. He may have also wrestled with guilt from murdering Christians. People who have been brainwashed by cults often need to go through a period of deprogramming to correct their thinking about life in general. So the sinner may need significant time for their minds to be cleansed by God's word.
In spite of my sinful thoughts yesterday my time with the Lord has been very real and very sweet lately. The more time I spend in communion with the Lord the sweeter He grows to me. God assured me in my soul that the devil took advantage of a weak moment and I am not returning to the vomit and the old dog is dying, Hallelujah! Backslider, our hope is in Christ not in our behavior.
Backslider, what is keeping you from returning to Jesus Christ? You may need to make a radical decision for Christ. Perhaps there is some activity that has become your god. It could be hunting, fishing, sports or cars. Oh that men had as much passion for Christ as they do for their sports teams. We could have a third great awakening. What consumes your time? Maybe you have friends or associates who drag you down into sinful behaviors. Getting rid of these things will not make you holy. Turning to Christ and leaving anything that may hinder you from Christ will lead you on to holiness in Christ. Holiness is being set apart, separated unto God. Only Christ can make you holy but there must be some desire in your heart for this to happen. There is no temptation that comes upon you that is not common to man but God will make a way for you to escape. That way is the cross. Die out to sin and self. Put that carnal dog to death and let Christ arise in your heart.
2 Peter 2:19-22
Often I have read this verse and wondered if this meant that backsliders have no hope. If we accept this notion then we limit the grace of God and His power to redeem the vilest of sinners. We would have to view David and Peter as irredeemable.
For the backslider the question may haunt them, “can God truly restore me”? For the backslider who is seeking repentance and restoration with the Lord the slightest infraction can plunge them into an abyss of guilt and shame that seems inescapable. Too often the backslider may just give up. This is an indication they are trusting in their own works and not the Lords mercy and grace. Don't give up. Keep pursuing the Lord. Many times during my 20 years of wilderness wanderings in sin I sought the Lord only to stumble in despair and resign myself to the bondage of sin. Yet, the Holy Spirit kept wooing my soul and never gave up on me. My latter life of sin was truly worse than the first. Not until I literally left family and friends, entering into a desert of solitude,seeking God, did I eventually find restoration with God. It took a radical decision on my part but even in my backslidden state God was giving grace. When God saved me in 1980 at the age of 19 I did not have many years of sin and sinful habits to contend with. Salvation at such a young age is a wonderful thing because it can spare the Christian of so much pain and turmoil years down the road. When I backslid I developed 20 years of sinful habits and behaviors making the latter far worse to overcome than the first. And its here where the nature of man fails and the empowering of the indwelling Holy Spirit prevails. We cannot overcome sinful habits and behaviors in our own strength. It takes the cross of Christ to deliver us from the penalty and power of sin.
The backslider may struggle with sin and fight temptation but only when we surrender to the Holy Spirit on a daily basis is there victory in our lives. The victory is the Lord's, not ours. We are simply the recipients of God's gracious reward. When Christ said to forgive your brother 70 x 7 how much more patient is God with us, backslider? Should we sin that the grace of God may abound? God forbid. People use that 70 X 7 as a license to sin. They practice lawlessness and that's not what I'm suggesting here. Paul said, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. God desires us to pursue holiness. When we have done all that we can and come to the end of ourselves then we will trust in His grace to restore us.
Yesterday I found myself entertaining lustful thoughts of past memories. I became deeply disturbed and troubled under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Even the waitress at the pizza shop where I frequently dine asked if I was OK saying I looked very down in my spirit. I began to question, “Lord, have I not truly been in fellowship with you”? “Is my relationship with you not real but just a form of ritual I'm going through. Please show me Lord that I am not controlled by my old desires and passions.”
Last night I had a dream. In the dream were people I worked with back in the mid to late 90's when I was at the height of my willful debauchery. Suddenly a beautiful mixed breed border collie appeared in the dream. The dog vomited. I inspected the vomit and discovered he ate something I had made the day before. In the dream ,the day before I was in Florida. In reality when I left family and friends to get my life right with God I moved to Florida in 2008. In the dream I was concerned that what the dog ate may be killing him. The dog looked horrible. Moping along with drool coming out of its mouth and laying down with a whine. The dog was dying. I did not give the dog the food he ate though it was something I made. My dreams are really strange and usually don't amount to anything but are the result of eating spicy food too late in the evening. This dream appeared significant. In the dream the dog did not return to his vomit and the dog was dying.
The vomit is sin and the dog is the carnal nature. God answered my prayer to show me that what I am doing is not behavioral but spiritual. When I first heard the gospel in 1980 it was a dramatic Damascus road experience for me. God saved me and put His love in my heart instantly. God's reclamation of me from my backsliding has been a different process. There have been times that God has witnessed to me in a clear and scriptural manner such as this dream. Twenty years of habits and thought patterns may not be swept away in an instant. Remember, Paul spent 3 years in the desert immediately after his conversion. He probably wrestled with his Pharisaic ideas until he was able to define his doctrinal positions. His theology in the book of Romans was not formulated overnight. He may have also wrestled with guilt from murdering Christians. People who have been brainwashed by cults often need to go through a period of deprogramming to correct their thinking about life in general. So the sinner may need significant time for their minds to be cleansed by God's word.
In spite of my sinful thoughts yesterday my time with the Lord has been very real and very sweet lately. The more time I spend in communion with the Lord the sweeter He grows to me. God assured me in my soul that the devil took advantage of a weak moment and I am not returning to the vomit and the old dog is dying, Hallelujah! Backslider, our hope is in Christ not in our behavior.
Backslider, what is keeping you from returning to Jesus Christ? You may need to make a radical decision for Christ. Perhaps there is some activity that has become your god. It could be hunting, fishing, sports or cars. Oh that men had as much passion for Christ as they do for their sports teams. We could have a third great awakening. What consumes your time? Maybe you have friends or associates who drag you down into sinful behaviors. Getting rid of these things will not make you holy. Turning to Christ and leaving anything that may hinder you from Christ will lead you on to holiness in Christ. Holiness is being set apart, separated unto God. Only Christ can make you holy but there must be some desire in your heart for this to happen. There is no temptation that comes upon you that is not common to man but God will make a way for you to escape. That way is the cross. Die out to sin and self. Put that carnal dog to death and let Christ arise in your heart.
Friday, October 9, 2015
An Act of God
There was a time when insurance forms and legal documents would refer to catastrophic events like hurricanes, tornadoes and floods as, "Acts of God". I'm not sure if they do this anymore. When we as a country acknowledged these events as Acts of God it inferred a sense of accountability to Holy God. Today, Americas neo-pantheistic culture could not even think of a pantheistic god as unleashing his fury upon "innocent" people. God is a God of love, right? Love is sometimes best expressed at the end of a paddle. And I'm not talking about the kind of paddle that rows a boat. The book of Hebrews tells us that God chastises those whom He loves.
For the Christian who may die during an "Act of God" it means they are now present with the Lord. For the unregenerate to die during an Act of God we can only interpret this to mean the wrath of God has been brought to bear upon this person. Like the death of a loved one, its during times of massive destruction and loss of material goods that we are forced to reflect upon spiritual things or those things of eternal value. The Act of God is an act of mercy. A blessing in disguise. Is there anything that God does that is not right? Is there any "Act of God" that is not pure but has for its end our eternal good?
The greatest things, the most noble things that we may experience or achieve almost always involve pain. Childbirth is the most perfect example of this most joyous event involving tremendous pain, not just for the mother but for the infant who fights and squirms his way to ultimately come screaming into the world. Jesus said that unless a corn of wheat, a seed, fall into the ground and die it cannot bring forth fruit. If you want to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ it will often involve very painful things in this life. For this reason we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We must set our affections on things above and not on things of this earth. The painful things we experience on this mortal coil are temporary. The joy of the Lord is eternal.
Too many Christians live their lives focused on what brings them pleasure or comfort. Pension plans and retirement funds take more of their energy than communion with Christ in the prayer closet. Your pleasures and pensions could be literally gone overnight. I've seen it happen to people. Then what do you have? Its all temporal my friends. Look to Jesus. If you don't enjoy bowing before Him in love and adoration now what will you do in heaven? The next time an "Act of God" may come your way embrace it. He is wanting your attention. He deserves and delights in all the attention we can give Him.
For the Christian who may die during an "Act of God" it means they are now present with the Lord. For the unregenerate to die during an Act of God we can only interpret this to mean the wrath of God has been brought to bear upon this person. Like the death of a loved one, its during times of massive destruction and loss of material goods that we are forced to reflect upon spiritual things or those things of eternal value. The Act of God is an act of mercy. A blessing in disguise. Is there anything that God does that is not right? Is there any "Act of God" that is not pure but has for its end our eternal good?
The greatest things, the most noble things that we may experience or achieve almost always involve pain. Childbirth is the most perfect example of this most joyous event involving tremendous pain, not just for the mother but for the infant who fights and squirms his way to ultimately come screaming into the world. Jesus said that unless a corn of wheat, a seed, fall into the ground and die it cannot bring forth fruit. If you want to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ it will often involve very painful things in this life. For this reason we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We must set our affections on things above and not on things of this earth. The painful things we experience on this mortal coil are temporary. The joy of the Lord is eternal.
Too many Christians live their lives focused on what brings them pleasure or comfort. Pension plans and retirement funds take more of their energy than communion with Christ in the prayer closet. Your pleasures and pensions could be literally gone overnight. I've seen it happen to people. Then what do you have? Its all temporal my friends. Look to Jesus. If you don't enjoy bowing before Him in love and adoration now what will you do in heaven? The next time an "Act of God" may come your way embrace it. He is wanting your attention. He deserves and delights in all the attention we can give Him.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Shotgun Devotion
I live near Charleston, SC and currently am watching the flood waters rise behind my house. I live very near the Ashely river which is one of the two rivers that forms Charleston Harbor or as the locals say, "the Ashley and Cooper Rivers come together to form the Atlantic Ocean". The flood waters are creeping up the side of my house as I write this but I believe that God is in control and the waters will subside without damage to my home. My immediate area had 17.34 inches of rain in four days. Naturally I have been a bit anxious the past two days and have not slept much. I keep vigil to ensure a flash flood or surging water does not threaten me or my property.
This morning I had what I call a shotgun devotion. I usually have a biblical book that I read through and was recently reading through Nehemiah for my prayer time. This morning I asked the Lord to speak to me in His word. "Dear Lord, help me make some sense of this catastrophic event in SC". Its the worst flooding that South Carolina has had in its 345 year existence. When you shoot a shotgun you just point and shoot. I opened God's word at random and I let my eyes fall on a text. There isn't much aiming going on. I opened the word and my eyes fell on Isaiah 47:7 "And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever" Tell me that God does not have a sense of humor. I praise Him for His gentle love and comedic relief during such a stressful time. I laughed out loud and said, "OK Lord", I don't think this really applies to me. Then my eyes turned to the opposite page at Isaiah 48:1-2
"Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. 2For they call themselves of the holy city,"
When I saw the word "water" that got my attention. That is what I have seen around my home for 4 days now and its preoccupied my mind. I did not want to read something into the text that isn't there until I read the next verse, "for they call themselves of the holy city". Google or Bing, "Holy City" and up pops Charleston. The Holy City is THE nickname of Charleston because it is supposedly populated with the largest number of churches in any American city. Sadly though Charleston could easily be the people that Isaiah is writing to because they "make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth or righteousness".
Charleston is a beautiful city. Its charm is very seductive but not in a sleazy way like New Orleans. But it is seductive none the less. Charleston is repeatedly voted the friendliest city in America by different travel magazines. The ambiance of the town is very romantic. It's a foody town where one can enjoy fine dining at over 200 restaurants for an affordable price. Charleston history is American history with a vital role in the two most defining wars of American history, the Revolution and the War Between the States. I was drawn to her charm the first time I visited and decided right then I was moving here. I think charm is the perfect word to describe Charleston. Charm n. 1. The power or quality of pleasing, attracting or fascinating. 2. A particular quality or feature that fascinates or attracts. 3. Anything that is worn for its magical affect as in warding off evil.
The etymology of "charm" is found in witchcraft. Charleston is the birthplace of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Freemasonry is very big and very influential here for over 250 years. Freemasonry is not witchcraft but it finds its common origins in the mystery religions of Babylon. While there are many churches in Charleston the Masonic influence is pervasive. Add to that a cultured hedonistic spirit that includes widespread public acceptance and promotion of homosexuality and you have a "holy city" but not in "truth or righteousness".
Charleston is a beautiful town and I love her history but it is a wicked place. When the word "wicked" is used its often associated with mass murderers, sadistic psychopathic killers like Charles Manson or Hitler. Nice and kind people can be wicked. At the root of all sin, whether it be murder or telling a white lie, is pride and vanity. Exalting oneself and having a disregard of God is wickedness. Secular humanism is clearly wicked but one does not have to murder, steal or rape to be a secular humanist. Charleston can be described as the "anti-New Orleans". Charleston is clean, hospitable and you won't read of riots happening every other weekend. New Orleans is wicked for its sexual promiscuity and occult activity. Charleston is guilty of the same thing but in a more covert or refined manner.
I'm not sure if this is why God unleashed His fury upon South Carolina, but I can't help but think this may have something to do with it. It may also have something to do with the all out attack upon all things Confederate. I am not politicizing anything here. The reality is that the state opted to believe a lie rather than stand for the truth when it came to taking down the Confederate flag which was legally hoisted. Truth is truth whether its biblical, scientific or historic. The South Carolina government promoted a lie about history instead of standing for the truth. How can they be trusted with political matters. The ramifications of their actions will have far reaching effects. Every symbol of American freedom including the cross of Jesus Christ will be assaulted.
16These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19
The satellite image of this storm of the millennia shows the storm clearly targeted South Carolina from its Northern coastal border to its Southern Coastal border. No matter where the hurricane moved the low pressure over Georgia sucked in the water vapor into South Carolina. The bands of rain that poured in off shore looked like the hand of God guiding them right up I-26 from Charleston to Columbia. I was on my computer nearly every hour watching this for four days.
God is trying to get somebodies attention down here. Seek the Lord while He may yet be found.
This morning I had what I call a shotgun devotion. I usually have a biblical book that I read through and was recently reading through Nehemiah for my prayer time. This morning I asked the Lord to speak to me in His word. "Dear Lord, help me make some sense of this catastrophic event in SC". Its the worst flooding that South Carolina has had in its 345 year existence. When you shoot a shotgun you just point and shoot. I opened God's word at random and I let my eyes fall on a text. There isn't much aiming going on. I opened the word and my eyes fell on Isaiah 47:7 "And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever" Tell me that God does not have a sense of humor. I praise Him for His gentle love and comedic relief during such a stressful time. I laughed out loud and said, "OK Lord", I don't think this really applies to me. Then my eyes turned to the opposite page at Isaiah 48:1-2
"Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. 2For they call themselves of the holy city,"
When I saw the word "water" that got my attention. That is what I have seen around my home for 4 days now and its preoccupied my mind. I did not want to read something into the text that isn't there until I read the next verse, "for they call themselves of the holy city". Google or Bing, "Holy City" and up pops Charleston. The Holy City is THE nickname of Charleston because it is supposedly populated with the largest number of churches in any American city. Sadly though Charleston could easily be the people that Isaiah is writing to because they "make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth or righteousness".
Charleston is a beautiful city. Its charm is very seductive but not in a sleazy way like New Orleans. But it is seductive none the less. Charleston is repeatedly voted the friendliest city in America by different travel magazines. The ambiance of the town is very romantic. It's a foody town where one can enjoy fine dining at over 200 restaurants for an affordable price. Charleston history is American history with a vital role in the two most defining wars of American history, the Revolution and the War Between the States. I was drawn to her charm the first time I visited and decided right then I was moving here. I think charm is the perfect word to describe Charleston. Charm n. 1. The power or quality of pleasing, attracting or fascinating. 2. A particular quality or feature that fascinates or attracts. 3. Anything that is worn for its magical affect as in warding off evil.
The etymology of "charm" is found in witchcraft. Charleston is the birthplace of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Freemasonry is very big and very influential here for over 250 years. Freemasonry is not witchcraft but it finds its common origins in the mystery religions of Babylon. While there are many churches in Charleston the Masonic influence is pervasive. Add to that a cultured hedonistic spirit that includes widespread public acceptance and promotion of homosexuality and you have a "holy city" but not in "truth or righteousness".
Charleston is a beautiful town and I love her history but it is a wicked place. When the word "wicked" is used its often associated with mass murderers, sadistic psychopathic killers like Charles Manson or Hitler. Nice and kind people can be wicked. At the root of all sin, whether it be murder or telling a white lie, is pride and vanity. Exalting oneself and having a disregard of God is wickedness. Secular humanism is clearly wicked but one does not have to murder, steal or rape to be a secular humanist. Charleston can be described as the "anti-New Orleans". Charleston is clean, hospitable and you won't read of riots happening every other weekend. New Orleans is wicked for its sexual promiscuity and occult activity. Charleston is guilty of the same thing but in a more covert or refined manner.
I'm not sure if this is why God unleashed His fury upon South Carolina, but I can't help but think this may have something to do with it. It may also have something to do with the all out attack upon all things Confederate. I am not politicizing anything here. The reality is that the state opted to believe a lie rather than stand for the truth when it came to taking down the Confederate flag which was legally hoisted. Truth is truth whether its biblical, scientific or historic. The South Carolina government promoted a lie about history instead of standing for the truth. How can they be trusted with political matters. The ramifications of their actions will have far reaching effects. Every symbol of American freedom including the cross of Jesus Christ will be assaulted.
16These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19
The satellite image of this storm of the millennia shows the storm clearly targeted South Carolina from its Northern coastal border to its Southern Coastal border. No matter where the hurricane moved the low pressure over Georgia sucked in the water vapor into South Carolina. The bands of rain that poured in off shore looked like the hand of God guiding them right up I-26 from Charleston to Columbia. I was on my computer nearly every hour watching this for four days.
God is trying to get somebodies attention down here. Seek the Lord while He may yet be found.
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