Morning Musings-Life and Health Through Repentance

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...





"A more excellent way" to live, according to a fellow named Henry W. Wright, is when we are willing to confess and repent of sins such as unforgiveness; bitterness and/or fears (cuz this thing you fear has become an idol [god]; people will fear many and various things and that fear controls them--fearing the things instead of having a proper fear of God).  These confessions can then bring life, and health.  Just don't make 'good health' your idol either.

The focus here is not so much on the good health but on trust in God.  Make sure it is to God and His Son Jesus Christ that we live our lives.  Use our good health to show and tell others of God's message of love through Jesus Christ.

Be In Health (by Henry W. Wright), God's way, as opposed to just "disease management" by getting docs' diagnosis based on symptoms and tests and filling out of prescriptions to take.  Look to God in Jesus's name.  

Don't get me wrong, I still believe that God does provide doctors with great knowledge and ways in which we can help our health, but let the first move towards good health be towards God.  James 5:13-16 asks the sick person to call the elders, confess any sin (confessions that either the sick or the elders may have, repenting of their respective sins), and have the elders anoint and pray for the sick person.

But, and that is a big BUT, the "more excellent way," according to Henry W. Wright in his book Be In Health that deals with spiritual roots of disease, would be to be obedient to God and His Word in the first place and so avoid getting sick at all.  This is a radical idea to many, I suppose.
  
According to Henry's research, there are many diseases that spring from unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, anxiety and etc.  These sins, more often than not, can bring slow, debilitating sicknesses and diseases.   BUT, these diseases do not have to be if only we would follow God's simple commands.

In our main portion of Scripture today, 1 John 5:16-17 we see there is sin, that when a person confesses it, that leads to repentance, prayer and life.  On the other hand, when there is NO repentance and no prayer, there is death.

Growing up I'd often hear my father and other preachers repeat, "Keep short accounts with God".  This is good advice.  Let God search your heart and mind for that which is not of Christ nor Christ-like:  the bitterness, slander; phobias, etc that rule your life.  Yes, you may think I am oblivious to severe abuse many folks suffer from young or experience, through no fault of their own, even as adults; I'd like to beg to differ.  I know that people suffer so much in this life.  God knows it more.  He cares more.  That's why He offers His all encompassing antidote for you.  I just want to pass on this information.  May you find rest for your spirit, soul and body.

When we repent of our own sins, seeking forgiveness from God through our repentance, God does forgive and purifies (1 John 1:9).  God brings healing to us as individuals, in our hearts and minds and to our relationships and He may even bring health to our bodies as He sees fit.  

If you can get a copy of Henry W. Wright's book, he explains this much better than I and you will see amazing testimonies to this.  As we clear up our spiritual problems, our health problems often clear as well.  You will see.  God gives life through repentance.  Will you believe it?

Sin  > repentance  >  prayer  >  life

Sin  > no repentance  >  no prayer  >  death

 Father, God, may we each come to you and humbly confess the cares and sin of our lives which are burdening and controlling us.  May we each allow You, oh Father, to be in control and to bring Your healing into our lives.  I thank You in Jesus' Name. 

                                                                ~ERC  2016~

Moring Musings-Confidence to Approach

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




Grab your Bible and read 1 John 5:13-15.   Who is John writing this epistle to?  To those who believe in the name of the Son of God.  Why is John writing to them?  So the believers will know that they have eternal life.

The believers belief and knowledge then filter along to having "confidence to approach God".   We can have the confidence to approach, and the confidence to then ask God for anything according to certain criteria...that is, "according to His will".  He hears us and we will "have what we ask for".  This is assurance of prayers being answered. 

This "according to His will" begs the questions...What is His will?  How do we get to know His will?

Reading and reading and reading God's Word to know what His will and ways are, is a start towards that knowledge of what  His will is.   Remaining in Jesus by obeying/following/doing God's will and ways is how we get to solidify that knowledge not only in our minds but in our hearts and will lead us into an ever closer relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

As we do this, we develop a better understanding of what pleases God, what His passions are, what He wants us to do for Him as we also become more sensitive to His Holy Spirit guidance and counsel.  Therefore we are more able to ask "according to His will" with greater wisdom and confidence of approach.


    You belong to God  >  He's your Heavenly Father

Jesus is Your Savior  >  He has become your Friend

The Holy Spirit indwells you  >  He's your Comforter, Counselor and Guide who leads you into all truth.  He also empowers you to obey God's will and ways and to serve Him.

Let us go forth then with confidence to approach Him, our Father, Savior, Friend and  Guide.  Praise Him and thank Him.

                                                    ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Do You Get It?

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...





"Did you get it?" pleads John.  If you missed it from the beginning of John's first letter, then perhaps in these closing remarks of 1 John 5:1-5, you will catch it.  John is making sure his readers really get his point.  He repeats it and refreshes this emphasis several times.  He  wants them all to know, and know for sure, how to detect a true child of God for there are so many deceivers milling about ready to pounce on their mind and heart and sway them away.  A true child of God "believes Jesus is the Son of God".

John lists it all out, adding little tidbits more of discernment "tools".  So far he's said if a "person is born of God, they believe in Jesus Christ and His Father (God); they will love His child (Jesus); they will love His children (believers in Jesus Christ); they will carry out/obey His commands and not feel that the commands are  burdensome.

John adds:  when we are born of God, out of faith in Jesus and His salvation, we overcome the world.  I believe that part of that means we have the potential to resist temptations and not get ensnared in a worldly life.  Our desires will, instead, be for God and following His will and way as we live life.  And just so we don't forget it, he reminds again, "he who believes Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world".  That is the natural character of a believer.  Do you believe it?  Do you get it?

This too is a test to detect the spirit of truth in a person.  This is what characterizes a child of God.  may we show our true colors for the glory, honor, and praise of our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.

Be an overcomer.

Read John 1:1-15; John 5:31-32, 36-47 in conjunction with 1 John 5:6-12.

These are four testimonies that Jesus is who He says He is.

John drives home his point of Jesus being the Son of God.  When we have Jesus in our life, we have Him through the Holy Spirit's indwelling.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth.  The Holy Spirit of Truth "testifies" that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

If, as human beings, we will accept testimonies from other human beings then we should be willing and able to accept God's testimony which is infinitely, immeasurably greater than anything a man, woman or child could testify to. 

When we believe God, when we believe in the Son of God, even our heart will be able to attest to the truth.  When we believe, when we accept, God gives us eternal life which is only found in His Son, Jesus.  When we have Him (Jesus) "we have life".  When we "don't have Him (the Son of God), then we don't have that eternal". People crave longevity and immortality so they can avoid death and horrors of the unknown afterlife in Hell.  Not believing is not the way of avoidance.

What is there after life on earth?  Either eternal life with Christ in Heaven or an eternal death with Satan and his minions in Hell.

I choose to believe that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God, exactly whom He said He was --and whom He still is!  Which will you choose to believe?

Believe in Jesus Christ             >  Born of God

Believe in the Father (God)     >  Love His Child  (Jesus) too

Love God                                   >  Love His children (believers in Jesus Christ)

Love God                                   >  Carry out His commands

Love God                                   >  Obeying His commands won't be burdensome

Born of God                               >  Overcome the world

In faith                                        >  Overcome the world

Whoever overcomes the world  >  He who believes Jesus is the Son of God


                                                        ~ERC~

Morning Musings-Confidence on the Day of Judgment

   

 Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...







Proof of our belonging to God, of being on God's side, is that we have His Holy Spirit in us.  When we acknowledge what John writes about in 1 John 4:13-18, that "Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in us and we in Him."  We will "know and rely on the love God has for us" (vs 15, 16).

In turn, we can have confidence on the day of judgment.  Confidence to know we don't have to fear that day since we are "made complete" by God's love in us; by our acknowledging Jesus is the Son of God and that the Holy Spirit is in us.

This love that comes from God drives out any fear we may have of that day.  Fear of punishment and of many other things, no doubt.  If we do have any fear that means the love is not yet perfected.  So let's learn to appropriate God's love more fully.  There's no lack of love on God's part; only on our degree of trust in Him and our understanding of how great God and His love is and of what that love has accomplished for us.

Let's get this information into our being....we do not have to fear judgment nor punishment because we belong to God now through Jesus our Savior and the proof or seal or guarantee is His Holy Spirit indwelling each and every believer in Jesus Christ.  Get this into your minds and hearts.  Trust in Him.  Revel in His love.  Know you are loved by him.  Have that confidence in God and His love, and be at peace; perfect peace perfected in and by God's love for us.  We can rely on Him and His Word.

When we have the confidence to have confidence in God and His Word; to rely on His love; and gain that peace and assurance that God is in us, we, in turn, can, and should, then show this love to others.  As we see in 1 John 4:19-21, we need to show this love to our brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  If we do not, we are called "liars".  How is it a person could love someone, in this case, God, whom he can't see, yet hate someone he can see?  Even in natural human connections this would seem crazy.  However, this is a good test of which 'spirit' we have; that spirit of falsehood, or our loving heavenly Father, God's Spirit whom we call the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit of Love and Grace

There are many difficult people, even among our own brothers and sisters-in-Christ, I can assure you and agree with you.  Yet, when we love as our heavenly Father loves and follow His example to love "whosoever" (John 3:16), it will stretch us to show God's love, even to them.  This is how God's love works to activate His grace going out beyond ourselves and our own desires.  May we be stretched and grown in our God-like love and grow to be ever more like Him as our confidence in Him increases in ever increasing measure.  In this we will gain greater "perfection" of God's love within us and when the Day of Judgment arrives, we will have nothing to fear.

                                                       ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-The Measure of the Spirit of God

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




Speaking of measures...how must we measure whether a spirit is the Spirit of God or not?  There are many spirits out there and in 1 John 4:1-6, we are warned to "test the spirits" and to "not believe every spirit".

There are many different kinds of spirits.  There is the holy Spirit of God; the spirit of man; angels who are "ministering spirits" (Hebrews 11:14); demons which are unclean, evil spirits with the spirit of fear being one of them; there is the spirit of truth vs the spirit of error (1 John 4:6); there's a spirit of grace; an excellent spirit as seen in the book of Daniel; a contrite and humble spirit (Psalm 51); there's the spirit of Tilgath-pileser; and  the spirit of wisdom, to name a few. 

From this short list above you can get indications of the spirits that are of God and those which are not.  But due to Satan often masquerading as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), John is inspired by God through the Holy Spirit to give us a way of discerning the truth about a spirit.  He tells his readers that the Spirit of God, the True Spirit, will be known when we test the spirits.  When the spirit being tested "acknowledges that Jesus Christ [who] is come in the flesh is from God", then this spirit is truly from God and a true spirit--one to be trusted.  Whoever listens to God can be recognized as being from the true Spirit of God; the Spirit of truth.  Those who don't listen are from the spirit of falsehood.

These two points give us wondrous tools of detecting a true spirit:  acknowledge Jesus come in the flesh and is from God, and the one who listens to God.  This is how we "test the spirits" to see if they be of God.  Satan is a big liar and full of deceit but he will not acknowledge Jesus Christ as being God, no siree!  That is one thing he will not lie about.  He wants to claim the title of God for himself!  

Praise the Lord we do not have to be overcome by Satan.  Our Spirit of Truth Who indwells each believer in Jesus Christ, came to us as we received God's offer of salvation through Jesus's death and resurrection.  He indwells us and is greater than any other spirit; especially greater than Satan and any one of his demon minions included! 

Keep this always in mind, "our enemy [Satan], who is God's enemy first, has been defeated by Jesus's death and resurrection.  Jesus, therefore, is, and always has been, the greater power.  We, as His children, have also overcome this enemy.  Remember with God's Spirit, the Spirit of Truth in us, we can recognize this and discern that which is true and that which is not.

We are given a further measure of recognizing the Spirit of Truth as opposed to the spirit of falsehood (Read 1 John 4:7-12).  This has to do with love; God's love.  When we have "love one for another" it shows "God lives in us" and because of this our "love is made complete".  Why is this?  God is our source of love.  "Love comes from God" (vs7).  So whoever "has been born of God", loves.  And as that famous verse we often hear quoted says, "God is love" (vs 8).  This then is another way to "test the spirits" (4:1).  This is also a proof that when we "love one another" "God lives in us" through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit of God who indwells each believer who has accepted God's gift of salvation.   Let us be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit; He is with us to help us and guide us and alert us to what is truth.

                                                           ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-A Measure of a Christian

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




Lavish Love introduced us to a gauge of observing who belongs to Christ.  We learned that those who deliberately  continued to sin are likely not of Christ.  Following, based on 1 John 3:11-15, we will be shown another measure of a Christian.

John appears to have recalled Jesus's words which seem to be a very natural part of him, so much so, that they just roll off his tongue; so to speak.  Jesus said, "This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:35).  In 1 John 3:11, John reiterates it by saying, "We should love one another."

John says, "NOT like Cain who killed his brother".  He said Cain "belonged to the evil one and his actions were "evil".  The brother Abel's actions were "righteous". 

The true mark of being "brothers in Christ" will be that we love one another.  This is how we ourselves will know it and how others will know it.

That which characterizes the non-believer is that the action will be evil, hate, murder (even in the thoughts) will be manifested and these people "remain in death".  There will not be eternal life for such a person.  This is grievous and sad.

Verse 15 of 1 John 3:11-15, says that "no murderer has eternal life".  This is true whether a person murders another or themselves.  Committing suicide is still a felony. (I do not say this to judge anyone, more of a warning.  Know that God loves you very much.  He wants to give you eternal life and an abundant life in Him through Jesus.  Live.)

One of Jesus's commandments is "to love your neighbor as yourself" (Deuteronomy 10:12; Mark 12:31).

If you love yourself then you will love others so if you would kill yourself you would shew you do not love yourself.  This would also say you "hate your brother".  Even hating your brother is equated to murder, according to these verses.

It is noted that many shootings, such as in the case of Columbine School and similar other tragedies, the shooter (s) shot several others and ended up shooting themselves as well.

Could this not stem from hating themselves?  They did not know and/or understand God's love for them.  Conversely, when we love ourselves then we will love others and show we have God's love in us, be able to accept and love ourselves, not in a selfish way, and be able to then love others.  The contrast is startling. 

Someone by the name of Amy Carmichael, loved so much that she gave her life for many years to India and her peoples.  Many a girl child was rescued and cared for and brought to Christ. This was God's love shining out through Amy motivating her actions for the good and betterment of others.

The main thrust is the love of God needs to shine in our hearts first, then radiate out to others; to love them and to show it by our actions towards them.  do NOT  harbor hate against anyone as it is considered murder.  Love for our brother and sister-in-Christ is what should characterize us, and so show we have eternal life.

What is the quality or standard of our love for one another to be?  1 John 3:16-31 gives us the answer.  We are to love as Christ loved us.  How much did He love us?  He loved us enough to die for us.  That is to be the quality of our love for our brother and sister-in-Christ too.  Love them enough to die for them if need be; to go that extra mile for them; to help each other in whatever need we may have.  Have pity on each other, for pity's sake! 

We must learn to love with our actions as well as with our words and tongue.  In actions and in truth.  Genuine help to give not to get.  Pure motive behind the helping.  If we have the material possessions then have pity on that person in need and give the help needed.

We will know if we are loving with good action when our hearts don't condemn us; when they don't tell us something in the 'doing' is amiss.  God will know that degree of quality.  The rest of us looking on will be able to take measure of others but most importantly, to examine our own hearts and thoughts and actions whether or not they measure up to God's standard of Christian living.  Whether or not we belong to Christ in the first place.  God is our Judge.  Do you belong to Christ?  Let us show that we do.

                                                               ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Lavish Love

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...





You want proof?  God proved His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, His Son, Jesus Christ, died for us (Romans 5:8).  We see in 1 John 3:1-3 that God's love was lavished upon us.  That means full and overflowing, like more than was actually necessary, so to speak.  He gave and gave and gave, and still gives His love to those of us who are also now His children.

We will one day "appear with Him" (Revelation 21:1-4).  The euphoria of that day to come can only be imagined in an earthly example which, of course, could never really measure up...

The Sultan of B, when he makes official public appearances often has, besides the crown prince and the crown prince's brother, and the Sultan's many nobles, two of his youngest children, a very young son and daughter.  They 'appear' with him and this is an honor.

There is a certain demeanor and decorum for these distinguished people to acquire if they expect to appear with His Majesty the Sultan.  So too, we who are the children of God, need to be circumspect.  If we have "this hope" of appearing with Jesus some day, we have to behave.  More than that, we must "purify ourselves as Jesus is pure" (see 1 John 5:18).

Our privilege of appearing with Jesus in all His glory in time to come, is all because of God's lavish love on us in the first place.  When we become God's child through faith in Jesus Christ and because of His love to us, He gave Jesus so that "whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  This is what God's lavish love did for us!  Forgiveness of sins and everlasting life!!

Because of that lavish love, and our imminent appearance with Him in due time, we too have a "code of behavior" to be responsible to adhere to.  In Jesus is no sin.  If we are God's children we are to follow Jesus's example to be "holy as He is holy" and to stop sinning.  

We have the Holy Spirit to help convict us when and where necessary and have the power to overcome our sin bent nature (1 John 3:4-6).  Ask for such help to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's convictions of sin in our life and then repent, renounce and confess to God in Jesus's name.

When we deliberately keep on sinning it will show that we are not "living in Him".  Let us do what is right and be righteous as God our Heavenly Father is.  Those who keep on sinning are said to be from the devil who sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:7-10).  The Son of Man, Jesus, appeared to destroy the devil's work.  If a person is born of God, he or she will NOT continue to sin (vs 6).  We've been born again of God's seed, we cannot go on sinning (eg.  apple seeds produce apples, similarly God's righteous seed produces righteousness). 

The way to gauge if someone is born of God or born of the devil is if they keep on sinning or not.  (Of course God is the ultimate Judge of who is and isn't His child but we can get an idea of it.)  The devil's work is to cause us all to sin and to turn away from God and His holy standards.  As children of God, who have God's divine power and nature indwelling us, we are potentially enabled to choose to make every effort to live for God and to "be holy as He is holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16).  When we are busy with these endeavors we can forestall Satan's wiles and so live for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Thank Him and God, your Heavenly Father, then, for His lavish love which empowers and triggers all this to happen from the 'get go'.

                                                           ~ERC  2016~


  

Morning Musings-All Kinds of Idols

 Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...





When we walk as Jesus walked we will conduct ourselves in a manner that is pleasing to God.  We will be able to overcome the evil one due to Jesus's victory over death, sin and Satan.  We will have strength for overcoming because of the word of God that lives in us.  There is much in this world to overcome.

Idols, the love of them, will attempt to crowd out our love for our Heavenly Father.  They will jockey for position on our hearts and minds so says John in 1 John 2:15-17.  Idols will have many different shapes, sizes and forms.  This is not referring to those made of wood, gold, silver or bronze, per se but does include them, definitely.  I'm referring more to the love of the world and anything in the world, such as the "cravings of sinful man; the lust of the eyes, the boasting of what a person has or does".  

When we fix our eyes on those things wanting to "fit in" to society and with our peer groups, to feel accepted or for one hundred other reasons; that becomes our god.  It is necessary to remember that the "world and its desires pass away".  What will be left in it's place for you?  

There's nothing wrong with achieving certain goals in life but when they become our 'be all and end all' without regard to God, the love of the Father is not in that person.  It is displaced by that object and becomes an idol to that person.  

But praise the Lord, the man "who does the will of God lives forever"; he is an over comer.  He has made God his god; or rather, his God; capital 'G'.  Put Him first in your lives.  

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness..."  
                      Matthew 6:33

"Those who honor God, God will honor."
              1 Samuel  2:30

1 John 2:18-19 are very similar in thought to 2 Peter 2:19-22.  Some of the people who gathered together with the believers, know about the truth but they really hadn't accepted it personally, for themselves.  That is why verse 19 of 1 John 2 asserts, "...they did not really belong to us" therefore, "they went out from us."

The 2nd Peter verses use the terms "dog" and "pig".  In the Old Testament Jewish laws (Leviticus 11:2, 7, 26 and Deuteronomy 14:8), these two animals are listed among the unclean animals which they were not to eat.  Emphasis here in 2 Peter is on the idea of their 'uncleanness'.  This indicates that these people were not genuine children of God.  They 'knew their stuff' so they could act like one on the surface and even be good at the acting.  However, when the rubber hit the road, their true colors became evident; they are actually "anti-Christs" (1 John 2:18).  False teachers.  False preachers.  People posing as children of God.  They do not belong among God's people.

God graciously allows John to warn us all to beware of such people.  Ask your Heavenly Father for wisdom and discernment to ferret these people out.  Be on your guard.

Those of us who are children of God "have an anointing from the Holy One".  (Read 1 John 2:20-27).  This Holy One can help us remain true to God, and to the gospel as we first heard it.  He also teaches us to discern the true and the false.  We therefore have a responsibility towards God our Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ, to remain in Him,  to follow the Way, the Truth and the Life; life that is eternal. 

A way to detect who the "liar...and antichrist" is, is, according to verse 22, the one "who denies the Father and the Son".  Those who are true acknowledge the "Son and therefore have the Father also".  Let us remain "in Him" and not be turned aside to the "counterfeit".

Having gotten that straightened out in our minds and hearts, take a look at the next two verses (1 John 2:28-29) where John encourages his readers to "continue in Him."  To continue all the way until Jesus's coming.  When Jesus comes we will not be "ashamed to meet Him".  We will meet Him boldly, confidently.  We will not have to hide, not that you really could, as Adam and Eve and Jonah of the Old Testament times attempted to do to no avail.

A big part of this "continuing in Him" is to do what is right.  As followers of Jesus Christ the righteous, we too need that characterization.  Remove idols from our lives, be overcomers,  and remain in Him.  Let us continue in Him.  Let us do what is right according to Jesus's righteousness and so be found faithful to God's truth all the days of our life.  Jesus is coming soon.  Press on.

                                                          ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Walk As Jesus Did

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




The theme from Fellowship With Father and Son as seen  in the first chapter of 1 John about sinning and confessing those sins so we can have God's forgiveness of sins and purification therefrom resulting in fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, continues here in 1 John 2:1-6.  John writes that he writes so that we will be made aware and  NOT sin.  However, if we do, then Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, is our Advocate with His Father.  

"Father, these are the ones who have been made righteous in Your sight (2 Corinthians 5:21) through My "atoning sacrifice for sins" (vs 2).

John goes on to say that #1, he encourages his readers not to sin; and #2 we need to obey God's Word.  These two aspects will show that we are truly in God's family.  We "must walk as Jesus did".

Ever hear of the acronym 'WWJD', meaning "What would Jesus do?"  It sounds quite like walking as Jesus did.  It is a good question to ask ourselves daily--multiple times daily, if necessary.  In so doing we can show our love for  God by walking obediently according to His Word and not according to our own or society's definition and interpretation of God's ways.  Jesus is our Supreme Example of how to please God and as we imitate Him  we make "God's love truly complete" through the process of sanctification within us as part of our spiritual DNA.

The light of Jesus needs to shine from us (1 John 2:7-14).  When we walk with Jesus (vs 6), walking as He did, then we can shine out to those around us.  Shine as individuals in our particular sphere at school, university or on the job.  We need to shine collectively too, when together with our brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  This creates a mighty force for God.  Praise the Lord!  We can work more effectively for Him and transform our sphere of life whether in our own neighborhood, at the office or even out shopping.  Collectively or as individuals, let us show our precious faith to others and shine for Jesus.

When we obey God's Word, His love is complete in us, triggering our 'light' to shine.  A big step forward is to love our brother and/or sister-in-Christ unconditionally (none of this malice or slander stuff against them).  If  and when  we do not show God's love to each other John says we're going to stumble in the darkness and not know where we are going because we are blinded by it (vs 9-11).  These things definitely dim the light of Jesus in us.  Let us walk blameless in His sight and continue to be His light; show God's love and light clearly for Him.

The last three verses in this section (12-14) are talking to the children, fathers and young men.  I can see John's loving, caring heart in what he says to them.  The children are reminded that their forgiveness of sins was not achieved from their own merit but by Jesus's work which He accomplished on the cross.  Jesus took the punishment for their sins and saved them from God's wrath (Romans 5:9-11).  

 John tells the fathers to recall that they have known "Him who is from the beginning".  He tells them this twice.  Fathers, you do know, so you can have confidence in Him.  He is from the beginning--strong, and steady and true; you can rely on Him!

Young men...my sons, you are young men...because of Jesus's victory over death, sin and Satan, you can "overcome the evil one" with God's help.  John further prompts you that you "are strong, the Word of God lives in you" and note again, "you have overcome the evil one".  

My prayer for you my sons (and all who read this), is encapsulated in just that; overcome, walk as Jesus walked and so "let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God" (Matthew 5:16).  Amen.

                                                              ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Fellowship With Father and Son

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




In the opening verses of 1 John 1, the writer, the apostle John, uses the pronouns "we", "us" and "our" very often.  I take it that  he is referring to the other apostles as well as himself, that they are actually eyewitnesses to Jesus's humanity on earth.  They had seen Him with their eyes; their hands had touched Him;  they had heard Him with their very own ears; and they had had fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-4).  These are the 'credentials' then, that they have as eyewitnesses, to tell the readers about this Word of life, Jesus, to proclaim to us, boldly and confidently, about the eternal life we can have in Jesus Christ the Son of God.

 If someone has only heard about an accident from someone else, there is not as much reliability than if we hear about it directly from a person who has actually seen the accident happen, play by play.  So here, John the son of Zebedee is telling us he was directly in company with Jesus as He walked this earth.  These are his authorization and license; we can take his word for it, this message he wants to share.

This message which he's heard directly from Jesus, he "declares to" us...."God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."  This is important to John and he wants us to know it is important to each individual.  John wants us to be able to have this fellowship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  This fellowship we can have through the Holy Spirit who indwells all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior.

John writes to tell us as he wishes us to have the same joy as he and the other apostles had with such fellowship.  I feel so blessed by this.  Blessed that John wanted us to know and I do know now.  I have experienced it; granted, nowadays, it is a more spiritual experience with the Father and Son but we also share with other brothers and sisters in Christ in a collective manner when we meet together.  I too, wish to impart this knowledge to you too; sharing and telling you what John has reported.  'You', meaning my sons and anyone else reading this.

After establishing his credentials, John declares his message (1 John 1:5-10).  "God is light; in Him is no darkness at all."  As followers of Jesus Christ we must also live by the truth (Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth...").  We find out about the Truth by reading God's Word.

As said above, "God is Light".  We are to "live by the truth" and "walk in the light".   Live with good conscience; open and sincerely before God and man, but especially before God as He sees our minds and hearts anyway--you can't fool Him.   Let His light shine on our hearts and minds to illuminate the places that need attention.  When we do so then we can have fellowship with God and subsequently with those who are our brothers and sisters-in-Christ. 

Another benefit is that the "blood of Jesus, God's Son, purifies us from all sin".  How can this be done?  By realizing and admitting that we do have sin and repent of them.  That we confess those sins to God.  What is God's response?  Well, because He is "faithful and just" (vs 9), He will forgive us those sins and "purify us from all".   Jesus always works thoroughly.  He purifies, from "all" sin, not just a few of them, but "all", from "all unrighteousness".

In Psalm 139:23, 24, we find that David wanted to live openly and honestly before God.  He invited God to "search his heart and his thoughts" to test and examine him to see "if there was any offensive way in" him.  He also wanted God to "lead him in the way everlasting"

Imagine you go to the doctor and the doctor gets out his stethoscope, listens to your heart and lungs; then with his other equipment he looks in your ears, eyes, down your throat; checks your knees' reflexes; then further checks with X-rays, and MRI's etc to "search your body" for disease and any other possible anomalies.

This is what David asks God to do for him spiritually.  Many diseases, by the way, have a spiritual root but I won't get into that here other than to say, we need to look for root causes.  This, a pastor named Henry W. Wright, has written lengthily about  in his book Be In Health.

Ask God to do this for you too.  When God searches and finds something and brings it to our attention through our reading of His Word and/or the conviction of the Holy Spirit indwelling us, or even through one of our brothers or sisters-in-Christ confronting us with such, what will we do about it?  

1 John 1:9 gives us our recourse; "confess it".  In so doing we gain God's forgiveness and His cleansing.

How well does God cleanse or purify?  Try this little experiment.  Grab a clean piece of white paper and a pencil.  Scribble on the paper to make a patch of pencil blot.  Now take an eraser and rub off those scribbles as best you can.  Peer at the paper.  Can you still see some of the scribble marks?  Most likely you can.

This is like us trying to hide our own sins.  Inevitably it can't be done; indications of those sins will pop up sooner of later.  This is why we need to confess those sins to God and gain His forgiveness and purification.  He says He'll "purify us from all unrighteousness".  There will NOT be a single jot of incriminating evidence to be detected in His sight.

The whole point of mentioning all this is so we can then, with a pure heart and mind, have fellowship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, and with other members of His family; our very own brothers and sisters-in-Christ.  God has always wanted to commune with us.  Let's give Him the desire of His heart as we live by His Spirit Who indwells us.

Father God, thank You for your Word and your Holy Spirit who helps us, your children, to live openly and honestly before you so we may have fellowship with You and each other.  I praise You in Jesus' Name.

                                                     ~ERC 2016~

Morning Musings-Future Home

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...






Peter says that since we look forward to being in the future "home of righteousness", that new Heaven and new Earth God is going to create, we need to be "making every effort" to prepare ourselves to live there.  

Just how does Peter purport for us to do this?  He enjoins us in 2 Peter 3:11-18, "to be found spotless and blameless and at peace" with God.  This is Christian living.

As we read God's Word and find out what He wants or doesn't want His children to do, say or think, then, by God's grace, we submit our desires to His will and obey.  Granted this is easier said than done as our human desires are often so strong.  BUT, and this is a BIG but, when we refer back to 2 Peter 2:3-4, we refresh our memories that we have God's "divine power and all we need to live this Christian life and participate in God's divine nature!"  Isn't that just so awesome!?

Further down in 2 Peter 3 we see that verse 17 asks us "to be on our guard".  Yes.  We need to be alert to the Holy Spirit's leading and His detecting areas in our thoughts and hearts of:  slander, greed, sinful anger and more that can creep into us and take us out for the count.  If we are "on guard" then we will be able to counterstrike with God's grace and make the effort to conduct ourselves in God's way.

Notice the word "effort".  This is a struggle.  Our human nature is opposed to God's nature.  However, and here we see God is so good to us, He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us be victorious overcomers in our efforts to live for Him.

Our alertness has to flow over to being aware of the false teachers that would come among God's people causing much UNrighteousness.  How would we know whether or not the teachings are false?  By our own measure of knowledge of God and His Word.  Saturate yourself in it. The importance of faithfully reading, meditating upon, memorizing and obeying God's Word aids and abets our donning God's righteous character and conduct to live a more sanctified life.  As we "aim for that perfection" (2 Corinthians 13:11), we garner more appropriate behavior for living in that home of righteousness some day.

Don't get me wrong, though, we can only have the ability to do this only after we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives.   There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn our "booking" in God's eternal home of righteousness.   So why the fuss then afterwards?  

A saying "God loves us as we are but loves us too much to leave us that way"; so He accepts us sinners as we are to receive His gift of salvation but then after that we are to live in such a way as to please Him and not ourselves.  Otherwise, we are still 'god' and not God our God.  We must live so that we do not give God, nor any of His family, a bad reputation.  He wants us to become more like Christ.  You see, God has given us His righteousness at time of salvation and expects us to live in a righteous manner thereafter.  How else will we know how to behave in our new home to come?

 

I feel peace when I think of that home of righteousness too (Revelation 21:1-4 and 22:1-6).  Just think, we do not have to worry that we will 'blow it'; so we can be relieved of failure or thoughts of failure once we get there.  God is ever gracious to us.

May you all grow in, and utilize, the abundant grace God gives each of His children and be "found blameless" as we look forward to life in the "home of righteousness" with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.  Can you imagine it, even a little?

                                    ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Scoffers' Shrapnel

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




Scoffers scoff but to those who have received the "precious faith" through the "righteousness" of Jesus Christ, their Savior, Peter writes many things to counter the attack.  He's written about their "participating in God's divine nature" by living a Christian life; making "every effort" to know and remember, obey and teach God's truth; he's enlightened them about false teachers and the false teaching that goes with them as well as the false teachers' very ungodly behavior and insolent, slanderous accusations and now he wishes to appraise them of 'scoffers', as we have arrived at 2 Peter 3:3-9.

Peter details scoffer character and work as:  "putting doubts into their minds; mocking and knocking at the truth the believers believe about our Lord Jesus Christ, creation, and is He really coming back for you?!  It's been soooooooooo long; you still want to believe that?  Isn't everything in the Bible just fairy tales, myths or legends?"

When scoffers keep up their tirade and agenda against believers, going on and on, continuously  desecrating our beliefs, and asking us if our beliefs are really true; are God and His Word really, the truth?  This barrage may well sway our thinking.  However earlier in this second chapter of 2 Peter, Peter admonishes his readers to "wholesome thinking" (vs 1).  They were to set their compass on God and His Word and constantly refer to Him; this would keep them, and us, nowadays, allowing them to be victorious over-comers in their thoughts.  God and His Word would be their bulwark and powerful 'weapon' against all incoming scoffer shrapnel.

Some scoffers mock that "Hah!  Your Jesus said He's coming back "soon".  That was more than 2000 yrs ago!  Your Bible says in Revelation 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come' and supposedly, Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon! (Revelation 22:12, 13).  Do you really think 2000 years, is soon?!  Ha, ha, ha, ha!"  

That may indeed seem a long time ago but, God being God, is ever merciful and patient "not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance";  even those scoffers (vs 9).  The scoffers forget that to God the time isn't long: 1 day = 1000 years and 1000 years = 1 day.  People talk about "the patience of Job"; what about God?  He's got Job beat by a long shot!  What's His reason for seeming delay?  His love for His creatures.  He does not want any to "pass eternally ruined into hell".  Not even the scoffers, I repeat.

But God will send Jesus to bring us to be with Him.  Whether it is one day from now or another 2000 years from now; He will come and that when everyone lest expects it.  Read some more of the chapter; 2 Peter 3:10-13.  The earth will be melted and burned up.  

Because of this, how should we, as God's children, behave?  We ought to live "holy and godly lives"; look forward to being with Him; look forward to a new heaven and earth.  We should not embrace the present overly much.  That is, if the earth we are living on now will be destroyed, then we don't have to be so materialistic and clinging on to it as Lot's wife clung on to Sodom and Gomorrah.  She did that to her own destruction (Genesis 19:26).

Let our focus be with our heavenly Father in the coming new heaven and earth life (Revelation 21:1-4).  This is where "righteousness will live"!  We ourselves had better be living the righteous life too, here and now.  Yes, we have been made righteous in God's eyes through Jesus work on the cross and our subsequent acceptance of His gift of salvation.  It's our maturity in Christ, that process of sanctification as we align ourselves with Christ-like living that needs daily attention; this in the eyes of mankind (See the book of James: faith without works is dead).  

We ought to turn the evil desires of our human nature into willing hearts that submit those desires to God's good and perfect, holy and righteous desires, will and way.  This is to become "holy as God is holy" (1 Peter 1:16).  We ought to prepare for that life in that "home of righteousness".  I'm not suicidal and I'm willing to wait for God's timing for my call to go to Him, but....Ahhh-h-h!...I can't wait to get there.

All this I firmly believe and no scoffer is going to change my mind!  I pray that for you all too.

                                                        ~ERC  2016~

Morning Musings-Wholesome Thinking

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




The phrase that sticks out at me from what Peter has inscribed is to "stimulate [the readers] to wholesome thinking" (2 Peter 3:1-9).  In another verse this kind of thinking is described as "whatsoever things are honorable, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue and praise".  They were to think on such things (Philippians 4:8).  Often what people are thinking, will come out in their actions.

The backdrop of this wholesome thinking Peter is now encouraging the reader to think on was all that dishonorable behavior and character of the false teachers and their false teaching which we learned about in Slanderous Slander.  The contrast would be glaringly obvious.

The opposite of wholesome thinking is unhealthy thinking.  Worry is an emotion but when we dwell on our concerns, fretting and fretting without bringing our burdens to the Lord, it is negative thinking and therefore unhealthy.  If we are thinking of things to be praising about, we will not engage in worry.  To dwell on our worries creates stress and fears and those in turn, can turn into mega health issues as was noted another day:  stress related diseases will eventually manifest in our bodies.

If we are thinking of "good reports" we will not be thinking of slandering someone nor keeping "records of wrong" (1 Corinthians 13:5).    Unforgiveness, hate, and bitterness turn into slander and anger and rage.  Anger related diseases will show up.  Thinking on good reports is not only wholesome but healthy.

When we are "established in the truth" found in God's Word we will not be establishing ourselves in the falsehoods of the false teachers nor of their behavior.  When we are thinking on Jesus Christ and all He has done for us in giving us forgiveness of sins and eternal life and peace in our hearts; taking our punishment on Himself and saving us from the wrath of God,  we will be in praising mode.

When we are thinking on being "pure" and striving for "virtue", we will live to "be holy as God is holy" becoming more sanctified and Christ-like instead of ingraining the actions of evil:  greed, adultery and pornography and the like, which are NOT admirable at all.

Showing respect for authority will squelch the slander and dishonor.  Being hospitable and helping the widows, the fatherless, and the poor will also show just and admirable qualities that honor God and "stimulate others to more wholesome thinking" in turn; learning by good example.

Let us humbly seek after the better way; the wholesome way, and have good health in our minds, hearts, spirit, soul and body.  God wants what is best for us.  Let us honor Him, my sons, and so stimulate ourselves and others to feeding on God's Word to learn and obey His will and way in our lives; thus may you all ever inculcate wholesome thinking.

                                                                 ~ERC  2016~