The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13

¹ “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. ³ Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. ⁵ But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
⁶ “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
¹¹ “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹² But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

I have been pondering this topic of the race for many months now and I see how many things in the Bible tie into it. If you want to read my post on The Race, click the link. Paul compared our Christian life to a race. He said he was pressing on to win the race and receive the prize. Later in his life, he said he had fought the good fight, he had finished the race, and he knew the prize was awaiting him. He told us in Hebrews 12 how to run that race, how not to get tripped up.

This is important because I know that a lot of Christians don't view their lives as a race. Rather they view Christianity as a ticket to heaven, a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, and that is the extent of their relationship with God. They hear about God's saving grace and sit back and don't ever find out anything else about Him and His plan. They sit around and don't ever do anything, telling themselves and others that they aren't saved by works (which is true). They don't ever take the time to enter into relationship with God, they don't even know him. They are like a bride that had a wedding, but doesn't want to live with the groom.

I heard something recently that was great -

"Between conversion and resurrection is discipleship."

Salvation is not the end, it is the beginning. How is your race going? Are you a disciple or a convert? Are you moving forward or regressing? I don't believe you can remain stationary in this race.

That is why I want to bring up this parable of the virgins. This story tells us of the consequences of running the race well, or not running well.

The general belief is that the wise virgins are Christians, but the foolish are not. I don't agree. Another view is that they are all Christians, but the wise virgins are the ones that get raptured, the foolish ones do not. Again, I don't agree. There are just too many things in the Bible that indicate that the WHOLE church is raptured. And that is a topic for another post.

I believe that all 10 are Christians. First, because they are virgins, they are pure. When we get saved, we are made new, pure, clean. We are made the righteousness of Christ (II Corinthians 5:21). We didn't deserve or earn our salvation (Ephesians 2:8).

Next, notice that all 10 virgins have oil in their lamps. Oil in the Bible represents the Holy Spirit. They would not have the Holy Spirit if they were not saved. Now most who read this (and I did before, too) assume that the foolish virgins didn't have any oil (because of verse 3), but notice in verse 4 that the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. The vessel was apparently a separate container, so that they could keep their lamp full. And this is confirmed in verse 8 when the foolish say their lamps are going out. This tells me they did have oil at one time, but no reserves. Their lamps were lit, but they were going out. So they all started out with oil. They are all Christians that started out filled with the Holy Spirit.

Why did 5 of them get into the wedding and 5 did not? And what is the wedding? Revelation 19 tells of the marriage supper of the Lamb and the wife that has made herself ready. Verse 9 says, "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" I take this to mean there is really a literal wedding and marriage feast. And so only those that have made themselves ready get to enter. How do we make ourselves ready?

By keeping our lamps full of oil. This is walking in the Spirit (Romans 8:6, Galatians 5:16-26). Obeying the voice of the Spirit. Yielding in everything to the Spirit. Less of me, more of Him. This is a day-by-day, moment-by-moment decision. We don't just decide one day and then every day after that we are set. Again, it's not about starting, it's about finishing. There are many, many examples in the Bible of people that didn't finish well--Samson, Gideon, King Saul, Solomon, to name a few. These are to show us how NOT to live. (Romans 15:4)

Revelation 19:8 tells us that the bride is dressed in fine linen, clean and bright, and that linen is the righteous acts of the saints. So, you can't just sit still, you have to act! That is the only way you move forward in this race.

But...

You cannot just make up your own acts. This is what got Abraham in trouble. He had a son of his own will, Ishmael. That was not God's plan. Romans 14:23--whatever is not from faith is sin. What is faith? Faith is responding to God's grace. Is your action a response to God's grace, or is it an action to gain something from God, to get God to move? This is how you determine if it is of the flesh or of the Spirit. If it's in response, it's of the Spirit. If it is to gain, to make God pity you and do something for you, it is of the flesh. These works of the flesh will be burned up (I Corinthians 3:5-17). To obey is better than sacrifice (I Samuel. 15:22). You must be filling up with God's Word in order to know what His Spirit is asking of you. Remember my post on fruit? It fits perfectly with this post, click here to read.

Now, this does not mean that some of us attain perfection. Remember what Paul said in Philippians 3:12, "I have not achieved perfection." This is THE apostle Paul talking here. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, but he said he had not achieved perfection?!? None of us ever will. But notice his next statement, "I press on to possess that perfection." None of us will be complete and perfect until Christ comes back (Philippians 1:6). But we press on. This includes repenting when we fail (I John 1:9).

This is where it is helpful to know the difference between spirit, soul, and body. Our spirits are complete, they are made perfect. It is our soul that takes a lifetime to be regenerated, transformed, and sanctified. Our bodies on the other hand will be made perfect, in an instant, when Christ returns.

So those that sit around and say you're not saved by works, you are right. But that is justification and that is your ticket to heaven. However, your sanctification takes an effort on your part. It is the Holy Spirit that does the work, but you have to yield to it. This seems to determine whether you get in to that wedding feast or not.

Now is your chance. It's never too late. You can start moving forward in this race. You can fill up with oil. You can be ready for when the bridegroom comes!

So then, is this wedding one of the prizes that Paul referred to? Could it be one of the rewards? I don't know. This brings up an interesting question that may rattle you a bit. If you are like me, you have been taught your whole life that if you are a Christian you are part of the Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ. But Revelation 19 and this Parable of the Virgins seems to indicate otherwise. But don't listen to me, dig in and be like a Berean--search the scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11).

A Running Theme (Pun Intended)

II Timothy 4:7-8 (NLT)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And the prize awaits me--the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing.

Paul is at the end of his life. He knows this is the end, he is about to be executed. He is confident that he has fought the good fight, finished the race, and remained faithful. Do you want to be able to say that at the end of your life? That you fought the good fight? That you finished the race, you didn't quit? That you remained faithful?

In another translation the part about remaining faithful is translated kept the faith. So if Paul is saying he kept the faith, is it possible to lose it? This brings up many questions, such as, can you lose your salvation? Can we become disqualified in any way? Paul was concerned about that in I Cor. 9:27.

I Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

If there is a way to run to obtain the prize (and what is that anyway?), then there must be a way to run to hinder yourself from obtaining the prize.

This verse gives us a clue:

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off and throw aside every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author, source, and finisher of our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, ignoring the shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Just think of Him who endured such grievous and bitter hostility from sinners, so that you may not grow weary and give up.

This one, too:

Acts 20:24
Nothing moves me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news of God's grace.

And this one:

Philippians 2:16
I will hold fast the Word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run the race in vain or labored in vain.

Throw aside sin, it trips you up, you can only do that by keeping your eyes on Jesus; don't let anything move you, or count your life dear; and hold fast the Word of life!

Now, this is not about achieving perfection:

Philippians 3:12-14
I have not achieved or reached perfection, but I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me and made me His own. I have not grasped it yet, but one thing I do, I forget what lies behind and look forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

This is about pressing on, forgetting what lies behind, and looking forward to what lies ahead.

Notice every one of these verses mentions a race. How is your race going? Are you running? Are you moving forward? I don't think you can sit still in this race. I think you are either going forward or backward. As a Christian, does your behavior matter? Didn't God forgive all your sin when Christ died on the cross? And what about the prize mentioned in so many of these verses? Stay tuned...

(Note: Some of these verses may be a combination of translations.)

Christmas Prophecy 21

The Messiah would have no bones broken.

Prophecy -

Psalm 34:20

He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.

Fulfillment -

John 19:33

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

It may be an odd detail to say that none of the Messiah's bones would be broken, until we look at the law for choosing a Passover lamb. We see in Exodus 12:5 that the people were to select a lamb without blemish, meaning perfect, no spot or oddity (Jesus fulfilled this by being sinless), and in verse 46 that no bone could be broken. John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:29).

Jesus is our Passover Lamb. He was even crucified on Passover!

Jewish law dictated that the bodies of the executed criminals be removed from sight before sunset (Deuteronomy 21:23). The Jews asked Pilate to break the legs of the three men being crucified (one of whom was Christ), so that they would die quicker and they could have them down before sunset. The crucifixion victim would push up on his feet to ease the constriction of the chest and draw breath. If the legs were broken they would suffocate to death. When the soldier came to Jesus, though, He was already dead. We see in John 19:30 that He gave up His spirit. It was Jesus' choice to give Himself as a sacrifice, He willingly did it. The Jewish leaders were only able to arrest Him when He chose, and He even died when He chose. It was all according to plan, every detail.

Did you know Jesus could have chosen not to go to the cross? His story is not a tragedy, it is not a story of martyrdom either. He did not die to stand up for something He believed in. He was not fighting against the establishment. He was giving Himself. Philippians 2:5-11 tells us that Jesus was obedient, this tells me He had a choice. In the Garden of Gethsemane, before the crucifixion, He was very distraught, and prayed to the Father and asked if there could be any other way. But there wasn't. So He willingly obeyed. He died for YOU.

But, GET THIS! Jesus is fully man AND fully God...

SO...

God really died for you.

God died in YOUR place!

God took YOUR sins on Himself.

Isn't that GOOD NEWS?!?

This is a continuation of our Christmas Prophecy series. To read part one and two, click here:
Christmas Prophecy 1
Christmas Prophecy 2
Christmas Prophecy 3
Christmas Prophecy 4

Christmas Prophecy 5

Christmas Prophecy 6

Christmas Prophecy 7

Christmas Prophecy 8

Christmas Prophecy 9

Christmas Prophecy 10

Christmas Prophecy 11

Christmas Prophecy 12

Christmas Prophecy 13

Christmas Prophecy 14

Christmas Prophecy 15

Christmas Prophecy 16

Christmas Prophecy 17

Christmas Prophecy 18

Christmas Prophecy 19

Christmas Prophecy 20

Chewing Gum

Would you give up gum for God?

But wait, we're not under the law!

We try to pull so far away from the Mosaic law, that the attitude ends up being, "Hey! I can do such and such, the Bible doesn't say I can't!" People ask the common question of how far is too far. How much can I get away with and still be a Christian. How much can I do and still get into heaven.

First things first, we are NOT justified (saved) by ANY work that we do, it was entirely paid for by Christ AND we do not keep our salvation by ANY work that we do, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. However, that does not mean there is nothing to obey. Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to the Father, to the point of death, on the cross. (Philippians 2:8) Did you know that He didn't have to do it, He had a choice to obey or not? I'm so glad He did obey.

This falls under the category of sanctification. That is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ. This is about your soul. Your spirit was recreated brand-new at the new birth, but your soul was not. Your soul takes a lifetime to be changed (Philippians 1:6). Some submit to this change more readily than others, and as such, we have some Christians that are matured and are walking in victory and are able to minister to others, and then we have some that the world can't really tell are saved.

This sanctification process is purely done by the Holy Spirit, we take no credit whatsoever, but we are involved in submitting to it. Submission--that is a word many people don't like to hear. It has negative connotations. We don't like being told what to do. My own five-year-old told us a few months ago that she couldn't wait to grow up, because then no one could tell her what to do. This was said very matter-of-fact, and not in a rebellious, reactive tone. It was funny to us, but we explained to her that every single one of us is under authority at all times. We don't reach a place in life where we are free from that. You may be under the authority of a husband, a boss, a pastor, the law/government of your country, and always God.

So when I ask if you would give up gum for God, I really mean, are you fully, whole-heartedly submitted to Him, to do His will, in all things, whether it is specifically spelled out in scripture or not.

So many want to question the alcohol issue. Rather than thinking of yourself, think of others. Will it ruin your witness if you have a drink? Will it cause someone around you to stumble? (Romans 14:21) Will it lead you to temptation, perhaps to overindulge, or fall in another area? You are more likely to give in to things when your senses are dulled.

What about movies? It seems we all have our standard and those that watch worse than us, we judge, those that don't watch what we watch are prudes. Our standard should be the Bible, not our own made-up rule. See Philippians 4:8 and Proverbs 13:20 fits, too. What are you filling your mind with? The mind is transformed by whatever it is filled with, good or bad. (Romans 12:2 is an example of the good.) We felt convicted a few years ago to cut way, way back on movies. We don't go around telling everyone they are sinning for watching movies. That is called legalism. If it comes up in conversation I will tell a friend what we have decided. Sometimes it makes an impact, other times not. That is between them and God, not them and me.

One question in these extra-biblical areas is dependence. Do you rely on, look to, and/or crave such and such more than God? This can apply to a lot of things, food, coffee, alcohol, music, video games, books, shopping, hanging out with certain friends, and on and on. This may sound really strange, but that's what music was for me, for a very, very long time. Music was my escape. I always reached for music when I was feeling down. I depended on it to bring peace and joy to my life. I don't so much anymore. It wasn't that I decided to use my willpower and break this in my life, I didn't make any rules for myself, but rather as I study God's Word more and more and learn His ways and learn of His character, it is easier and easier to trust Him, and I find myself less and less reaching for my music. I will put on music now simply for praise and worship, to focus on Him, no longer myself. Very occasionally I will put on some music just for fun. I don't go around telling others not to listen to music, this is just between me and God. It was my heart that was in the wrong.

I love what Mark Driscoll said once, that we have liberties, but some of us need to give up those liberties. It's not about nitpicking over whether the Bible allows it, the question really is, does God want you doing it. In order to be conformed to the image of Christ, you are going to have to shed some things. (Romans 8:29) The Bible says not to be conformed to this world. (Romans 12:2) Jesus is trying to prune you, so that you can bear more fruit. (John 15:2)

This brings me to my post the other day on John 15:5. We cannot do any of these things in our own power, it is only through Christ's power. So, I ask you again, would you give up gum for God? If He asks you to, He will give you the ability to.

Transformation

Swallowtail Caterpillar on Fennel in my garden.

Adult Swallowtail on Basil, in my garden, right after we released it.

My children and I like to bring Swallowtail Caterpillars in from the garden, so that we can watch them make a chrysalis and transform into a butterfly. It never ceases to amaze me, even after watching so many times.

One thing I have noticed is that they are voracious eaters! I'm not even sure they sleep. They just eat and eat and eat! I guess they need a lot of energy to transform.

Philippians 1:6 says that God began a good work in you, and it will not be complete until the day of Christ's return. God wants to transform you. This is one of the reason's He sent His Son.

Would you like more peace, more joy, more freedom from bondage, sickness, depression, fears, anxieties, strongholds? Do you sometimes wish you were a different person? That is what God's Word will do for you. When we eat it, it changes us. John 6:35 says that Jesus is the bread of life. Whoever eats of it will never hunger. John 1:1-14 tells us that Jesus is the Word made flesh. So if we are to eat of the bread of life, we are to ingest the Word of God.

If we want transformation, we need to be like that caterpillar, and eat and eat and eat.

The Bible doesn't use a picture of a butterfly, but it does speak of being like a baby. I Peter 2:2, "Desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby." Babies eat almost as much as caterpillars do! They eat all the time!

How often are you eating God's Word? How you change, transform, and grow will be in direct proportion to how much and how often you eat.

Your Testimony Part 2

This may seem like a really simple thing, but it came alive to me recently. If you recall, in Part 1, I explained how the devil wants to steal your testimony. Well, what better way to infuriate the devil, but with praise and thanksgiving to God.

This is what the devil originally wanted, was to be worshipped, to be higher than God. See Isaiah 14. He still wants your attention off of God. If he can't get you to outright worship him, he'll settle for distracting you, bringing you down, discouraging you, getting you to gripe and complain.

Praise and thanksgiving is a weapon and it brings our focus back to where it should be, on God, not on our problems, and not on ourselves. Praise removes pride from our life and it builds up our faith. Think of every possible thing, big and small, to praise and thank God for. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from Him. (James 1:17)

Philippians 4:4, 6-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Listen to this three-part series for more information.

Say the Same Thing

Hebrews 4:14-16

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Mixture of KJV & NKJV)

I want to focus on the word profession, in this passage. In the Greek, it is the word homologia, which comes from homologeo. It literally means same word (logeo is word, homo is same). It means to say the same thing.

You see, Jesus is our High Priest, that means He is our intercessor. An intercessor is someone that is a mediator. A mediator is a go-between. Jesus is between us and God. He is interceding on our behalf, to God the Father. Just like the priests of the Old Testament, would go to God on behalf of the people. The difference, now, in the New Covenant, is that we are actually in Christ, He is in us, we have a union with Him, and so we are able to go boldly before the throne, too. But He is there, praying for you. He is telling the Father what He has done on your behalf.

We need to hold fast our profession. We need to say the same thing about ourselves that Jesus is saying about us. What is Jesus saying about us? Well, John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word made flesh, so the Word of God is the Word of Jesus. Pick a scripture, any scripture, He is saying that about you.

When we contradict what the Word says about us, we are contradicting Jesus, our High

Priest. It's like being in a courtroom as the defendant. Jesus is our defense attorney. God the Father is the judge. Satan is the accuser. Satan tries to accuse us of all sorts of things, he tries to accuse us of sin. Jesus says, "I have given them My righteousness." When we say anything different, we are disagreeing with our attorney. In our world, we know that is unwise. We need to use that wisdom in the spiritual world, as well. Get in agreement with your attorney. Find out what He is saying to the judge. Start saying those same things about yourself. That is the only way we can get the help we need, the mercy and grace mentioned in the latter part of the passage.

Here are some good references:

II Corinthians 5:17 - I have been created a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things have passed away, behold, all things are new.

Romans 3:22 - I have the righteousness of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:11 - The Holy Spirit dwells in me, and He gives life to my mortal body, just as He raised Christ from the dead.

I Peter 2:24 - By Jesus' stripes, I was healed.

Ephesians 4:24 - My spirit has been recreated in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 12:2 - I will not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but I will let God transform me (my soul/mind) into a new person, by changing the way I think. Then I will learn to know what God wants me to do. (taken from NLT)

Ephesians 2:8-10 - It is by grace that I have been saved, through faith, and that is not of myself; it is a gift of God, it is not by anything I have done, so that I cannot boast. I am God's workmanship, His special creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has already prepared for me.

Philippians 1:6 - I am confident of this, that God has begun a good work in me and will not stop working on me until Christ returns, then it will be complete (this is referring to your soul, it's called sanctification).

Philippians 4:11-13 - In whatever state I am in, I have learned to be content; I know how to live humbly and I know how to live in prosperity. I can do all things (everything God has called me to) through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:6-7 - I will be anxious for nothing, I will make my requests known to God, and His peace, that is so great I cannot even understand it, will guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 - My God supplies all my needs, according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus (this speaks not only to material needs, but help to avoid temptation, our need of redemption, healing, and more).

Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Romans 8:1 - I cannot be condemned because I am in Christ, He was condemned and paid the penalty for me.

I Corinthians 3:16 - My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, His Spirit dwells in me.

Romans 8:31 - God is on my side, no one can be against me.

Romans 8:28 - I know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:37 - I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me.

Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing can separate me from the love of God.

And there are so many more. These are coming to me almost faster than I can type them. That is what happens when you fill your heart with God's Word. His Holy Spirit will bring it back to your mind, when you need it most. So dig in and start filling your heart and mind. Find more of God's promises and add them to this list. Write these out, print them out. Post them where you will see them most, on the refrigerator, on the bathroom mirror, etc. Start to say these things about yourself, because that is what Jesus is saying about you, right now, up in heaven, before the throne of God!

License to Sin

This is a continuation of my post of The Consequences of Sin, which was part five in a series.

In the last post, I made a list of what I believe to be the consequences of sin. Those include 1) repercussions from this world, 2) opening up the door to the devil in your life, 3) strengthening your sinful nature (your flesh), and 4) tarnishing your soul. This last one is what I will explain more fully today. What I do not believe are the consequences of sin are 1) that God stops loving us, 2) God punishes us, 3) God is unable to bless or protect us, and 4) we lose our salvation.

This is where it would seem that I am giving you license to sin, since there is no fear of losing salvation or God's love. But, that is simply not the case. I also ended my last post with Romans 6:23a, "For the wages of sin is death." Does that verse contradict what I have presented?

I think the problem most of us have, is that we do not look at ourselves as a three-part person. We are spirit beings, we have souls, and we live in a body. This information is vital in understanding how salvation works, and how sin affects us. (I Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 4:12)

When you are saved (when you admit your sin and need for a Savior, accept Jesus as your Lord, believing that He died on a cross to pay for your sin, and rose from the grave three days later--see Romans 10:9-10), it is your spirit that gets recreated, in the likeness of Christ. It is made new, made perfect (II Corinthians 5:17). It is also sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). Your spirit now has been made righteous because of Jesus. God sees you as a spirit and sees you as righteous, in your spirit. He loved you before you were saved, and He will always love you, nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 5:8, Jeremiah 31:3, Romans 8:38-39). Knowing of this awesome love casts out all fear of torment and punishment (I John 4:18). Experiencing this love also enables us to love others (I John 4:11).

When we are saved, we do not, however, get a new soul. Our soul is not made clean and new and perfect, but we can begin a process that makes it so (Philippians 1:6). This takes effort on our part, but as with everything in God's system, our part is so small, God's part is big (Philippians 2:12-13). Remember the post I did about Lazarus? If you haven't read it, you can click here. This is what the story of Lazarus illustrates for us. At salvation we are made alive, in our spirit, but we are still bound up with the graveclothes (sinful desires in our soul). We can be free of those if we want, but it takes a cleansing of the soul. We can also look at the story of the Israelites in slavery, in Egypt (Exodus). They were set free from slavery, but then wandered in the desert for 40 years. Being in Egypt is being dead in your sins. Crossing the Red Sea is salvation, but you can choose whether to wander in the dry desert or cross over into the Promised Land. The Promised Land is not heaven, as some suggest, but it is the victorious, abundant, Christian life. It cannot be heaven, because there are battles to be fought. We will have battles in the Christian walk, but God is on our side, so who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) But notice that God never sent any of them back to Egypt, because of their behavior and a lot of them had horrible behavior.

The Bible says in Philippians 1:6 that God begins a good work in us and will not complete it until the day Jesus returns. This good work is cleansing our soul. None of us has a perfect soul, none will until Jesus returns.

One of the evidences that you are saved is that you should want to become clean. You should not be content to live in your sins. (I John 3:3) It may seem impossible to break free, but if you are saved, you will feel a guilt over that sin and want a way to stop. You see there is a war between your spirit that wants to obey God and your soul that still wants to obey the sinful desires (I Peter 2:11, Romans 7:22-23). Remember the illustration I shared from Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris a couple weeks ago. You can read it here. We must realize that once we are saved we are no longer chained to our flesh (our sinful desires), we have a choice not to obey. But the more we feed our flesh the stronger it gets. Likewise the more we starve the flesh, the weaker it becomes.

So, you see, one of the consequences of sin is that it tarnishes our soul. Our soul doesn't become clean overnight, at salvation. Cleansing it is a process and it takes a lifetime. How clean it gets does depend, in part, on us. Remember Moses at the Red Sea. God told him to raise his staff up. Moses obeyed and God parted the water, so that the Israelites could cross on dry land. Our part is always small in comparison to the work that God does. God will change us from the inside out. He starts with our spirit and does a miraculous work, recreating it instantly, and then perfects our soul, over the course of our lifetime. We then get a perfect, new body when Jesus returns, completing our salvation. (I Corinthians 15:50-58)

So how do we cleanse our soul?

Wash it in the water of God's Word. Ephesians 5:24 tells us that God's Word is like water that washes us. John 17:17 tells us that God's Word is truth and it will sanctify (cleanse, make holy) us (that has to be our soul, since our spirit is recreated perfect at the new birth). The Word will transform your mind (soul) (Romans 12:2), so that you won't want to sin anymore.

The best place to start is to study how much God loves you. When you get a full revelation of His love for you, your fears will be cast out (I John 4:18). You will be able to love others and will feel so grateful, you will want to do anything God asks of you. (I John 3:16, 4:7-12, 18, 5:3)

Now, what about Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death..."?

There are two ways I interpret this verse.

1) The wages of sin, under the Old Testament law, is death. But Jesus paid that penalty for us. We no longer have to pay that penalty.

2) There are different types of death. Living in sin, after salvation, won't cause spiritual death (which is eternal separation from God), but will bring death to the soul and body. Our soul is the area where our emotions, feelings, and will are. The dirtier the soul, the more depression, anxiety, fearfulness, worry, lack of peace and joy you will have. This will manifest in your body through sickness, pain, and fatigue. Plus, like I mentioned before, the more you feed that desire to sin, the stronger that desire will be. You are supposed to count your flesh as dead. Why would you feed a dead man?

So, by no means am I preaching liberty to sin (just like Paul in Romans 6:1-3). You have a choice. You can live an abundant, joy-filled, peaceful life, here on earth, or you can life a horrible, depressed, hell-on-earth life. God loves you just the same. He wants you to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). He sent His Son to die for all your sins--past, present, and future. They have been paid for. He sent His Holy Spirit to empower you to overcome your temptations and sin. You cannot do it in your own willpower. Put your trust in your Heavenly Father, He will show you the way of escape. (I Corinthians 10:13)

I want you to truly be free of sin, but I want you to know the truth. I will not use fear to motivate you, fear of punishment, fear of wrath, fear of losing God's love, fear of losing salvation. God does not use fear. (II Timothy 1:7) He gave us His truth, in order to set us free. (John 17:17, 8:32)You may say it doesn't matter, but our motives for our actions matter very much. That is a post for a later date. Until then...study to show yourself approved, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. (II Timothy 2:15) Check out the things I have presented here and decide for yourself.

Socialism in the Bible?

I was reading in Daniel 11 today.  It is clearly giving details of Antiochus Epiphanes (Syrian king who defiled the Jewish temple in 166BC, by placing an idol inside, leading to the Maccabean revolt), but more broadly it is describing the antichrist, or coming world leader.

I thought verse 24 was very interesting.  It says, "he will enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers; he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil and riches..."

Does this sound like socialism to you?  Does it sound like the redistribution of wealth we've been hearing about?

I know a lot of Christians are getting really upset about the current path our government is taking, but truthfully, folks, it's been on this path for a VERY long time.

Don't get caught up in the fear and worry that the media would like to feed us.  Find out what your Bible says about government.

If we are truly living in the end times, we are going to start seeing a lot of things we don't like.  But we can rest in the fact that God told us ahead of time it would be like this.  I will rest in the fact that my God will supply all the money I need to pay any tax my government imposes upon me (Philippians 4:19).  I will rest in the fact that He has given His angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways (Psalm 91).  I will rest in the fact that no evil will befall me, nor shall any plague come near my dwelling (Psalm 91).  What promises are you resting on?

If you don't make a regular habit of it, NOW is the time to start a consistent time of study in God's Word.  This is the only way you can have peace in these times we are entering.

Read II Timothy 3, I Thessalonians 4 & 5, Romans 13, I Peter 2:13-17, & I Timothy 2:1-3

See also this great article about the fall of capitalism.

Verse For Today

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

All this talk of the Cap & Trade Bill has me thinking of the above verse.  I could feel any number of emotions--anger, fear, anxiety, worry, urgency, disgust--over this bill, but I choose, instead, to trust in God's Word.  It says, in the above verse, that God will provide all my needs.  I will pray for my government and leaders, as commanded in I Timothy 2:1-2, but if this bill passes, I know that my God will provide the extra income to pay this tax.

Why Am I Here?

Do you ever get that feeling?  Do you know what your purpose is?  Unfortunately, most people don't have a sense of purpose and without it, we flounder through life.  You will find true joy when you find your purpose.

You will remember that I did a study with my son on what the Bible says about who we are, this spring.  After we finished that study we jumped into a study of what the Bible says about WHY we are here, why we were created.  This is what I came up with.

Why Am I Here?

First we realize that it's not all about us!

::We were created for God's glory.

Isaiah 43:7, I Corinthians 10:31, I Corinthians 6:20, Proverbs 16:4

::To love God

Mark 12:28-30

::For God's pleasure

Psalm 149:4, Psalm 147:11

::To worship God

John 4:23, Psalm 105:4, Psalm 113:3, Psalm 34:1

::To understand and know God

Jeremiah 9:24

Now, God wants to work in us and through us...

::To make us like Christ

Romans 8:29, Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 13:14, I John 3:2, II Peter 3:14 (NIV), Hebrews 4:11

::To develop character in us

Romans 5:3-4, II Peter 1:5-8, Colossians 3:12-17, Galatians 5:22-23

BUT, we must never forget that it is God developing that character in us and changing us into the image of His Son!

Philippians 2:13

Why is character so important?

So we can fulfill the next part of purpose...

::To be the light of the world

John 8:12, Matthew 5:14-16, Ephesians 5:8-10

::To love one another

John 13:34-35, I John 4:7, I Corinthians 13

::To serve one another

Mark 10:35-45

::To bear good fruit

Genesis 1:28, John 15:16. Galatians 5:22-23

::To spread the gospel

Mark 16:15

::To do good works

Ephesians 2:10

::To do a job in the Body of Christ

I Corinthians 3:5-15, Romans 12:6, I Corinthians 12

Now, you may have noticed that the first portion  of this list related to God and the second portion is in relation to others.  We cannot love others and minister to others until we understand God's love for us and let him start to change us from the inside out.

Now, in relation to this earth...

::We are to have dominion over the earth (this is partially realized now and fully realized in the age to come)

Genesis 1:26

And finally, in the future...

::To rule and reign with Christ as kings and priests.

Revelation 5:10 & II Timothy 2:12

Now, equally important as our purpose is, is also what NOT to do.  We are NOT to seek after man's approval, our motives are just as important, sometimes more so, than our actions.  God looks at the heart.  

II Corinthians 10:12, 17-18

As I stated in our study of who we are, you can find more in the Bible to add to this list, but this is what I chose to study with my children.  Start a study to find out what your purpose is.  Need some help?  Check out The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren.

This article is also a follow-up of my challenge, to write down a list of my beliefs.  This list answers some of those questions.

Who Are You?

Last month I issued a challenge, you can read more here.  Part of that challenge was to write down what you believe about yourself.  What does the Bible say about you?

I did some study and came up with these 15 things.  I know there are more to be found, but 15 was a nice number to cover with my son.  I think we studied these over a 3 or 4 week period.  I used this opportunity to cover who we are, but also where we came from, a catechism of sorts.  I wanted to include some fundamentals of doctrine in this list.  I also wanted to start from scratch with this list.  I made a list of things I believed, but only kept the ones that I could find scriptural basis for.

Who Am I?

I was created by God, in His image.

Genesis 1:26-31

I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body.

Genesis 2:7, Job 32:8

I was born a sinner.

Romans 3:23

I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1-13

I am a new creation.

II Corinthians 5:17

I am more than a conqueror.

Romans 8:37

I am a child of God.

Romans 8:14-16

I am a joint heir with Christ.

Romans 8:17

I am seated together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6

I am dead to sin and alive in Christ.

Colossians 3:1-17, Romans 5:12-21, Romans 6, Galatians 2:20

I am an overcomer.

I John 5:4-5

I am an alien (you could also say stranger or foreigner) of this earth.  (My son is partial to aliens, so he chose to use the word alien in this list.)

Psalm 119:19, Philippians 3:20

I am an ambassador for Christ.

II Corinthians 5:20, Ephesians 6:20

I am part of the Body of Christ.

I Corinthians 12:12-31, Ephesians 1:22-23

I am a person with unique God-given gifts and talents.

Matthew 25:14-30, Ephesians 4:7-8, I Peter 4:10, I Timothy 4:14, II Timothy 1:18

This started as a way to teach my son some fundamentals, and I took for granted these beliefs that I held, but I cannot tell you how good this study has been for me.  I believe that seeds have been planted in both my children (9 & 3) through this study, but I have experienced revelation, breakthrough, and victory in my life as a result.  I went from comprehending to apprehending these truths.  See Ephesians 3:18, the verb comprehend, in the Greek, is also translated apprehend, meaning to lay hold of so as to make one's own.  These truths became my own.  It is when the truth of God's Word comes alive to you that it's power works in your life!

Next, we will study why we are here on this earth.

If you would like to read some of what I believe about God, see my earlier articles here, here, and here.

Verse For Today

I Peter 2:2-3

(Amplified)

Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation, since you have [already] tasted the goodness and kindness of the Lord.

Why does it say completed salvation?  You see, this is a process.  First you are justified, then sanctified, then glorified.  Read more here.

John 17:17 tells us that we are sanctified by God's Word, so then shouldn't we be craving more of God's Word all the time?  I don't know about you, but I could use some more sanctification!  None of us will be fully sanctified until Christ returns.  (Phil. 1:6)

Analogy

I have been thinking a lot about this whole law and grace thing, after studying Galatians and now starting Romans.

You may or may not know that I am VERY into the topic of food and health, click here to read my health blog.  The thought occurred to me yesterday that law and grace can be compared to diet.

Let's say you are experiencing health issues and your doctor tells you to go on an allergen-free diet.  You can't have any dairy, eggs, wheat, or soy.  You are going to feel VERY restricted, you will feel bondage.  I guarantee, it won't be fun, you will be thinking about all the foods you can't have.  Everywhere you look, there are foods that you can't eat!

Now, let's say that you are studying about health and learn that something isn't good for you, sugar, for example.  You start cutting back on sugar, you may cut out desserts altogether, you may cut out soda altogether, you may start reading labels and becoming more aware of what foods have sugar in them.  It's not a hard thing for you to do, it's relatively easy, you don't desire sugar as much as you used to, you desire to eat more healthy.

This is the difference between law and grace.  Law puts you in bondage, it says what you can and can't do and humans are rule-breakers by nature.  Grace gives you the desire to do what's right and pleasing to the Lord.  It's easy.

Perhaps another analogy will help you.  Let's talk about music.

As a teen, I was told by my church, my parents, and my school that secular music was bad and I was not allowed to listen to it.  Well, remember I said before that we humans are, by nature, rule-breakers.  I rebelled and listened to secular music every chance I got.  Music was my life, I love all types of music, from classical, to jazz, to hard rock.  To tell me I couldn't listen to a huge group of music was unbearable.

Now many years later, I still have a wide repertoire of secular music I enjoy, but I find that if it's not true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report (Phil. 4:8), I don't have the desire to listen to it.  (There is actually a lot of good, quality secular music out there, it's not a clear-cut, secular versus Christian thing.)  In fact, I find the desire for music, on a whole, is just not there like it used to be.  I would rather use my time to listen to a podcast of one of my favorite Bible teachers.

As Christians we do not have a big list of dos and don'ts, it is not a life of bondage and restriction.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit working on the inside of us (Phil. 1:6 & Gal. 5:22) so that we want to please the Lord.  And it is not that since we are no longer under the law, we are free to do as we please, either!  (Romans 6:1-2)  Our lives are no longer our own, we have been bought by the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28) and when we get a true revelation of His sacrifice and His love for us, we want to please Him.  When we have faith in His redemptive work (His Word, His instructions), and obey the things He leads us to do (be a doer, not a hearer only), it is easy, because of His grace.

What Do I Obey?

This could also be titled, "What is God's Will For Me?"  But since this is a study I did with my nine-year-old son, I used kid-friendly terms.

Since we finished up our study of God's grace (see here), we had to see what God's Word instructed us to DO.  Because God's grace works together with our faith and we read in James that faith without works is dead.  Works being obedience.  So what do we obey?

::The Ten Commandments  -  Exodus 20:1-17

::Parents  -  Ephesians 6:1

::Be humble  -  James 4:6 & Isaiah 14:12-21  (story to illustrate the effects of pride)

::Be givers and tithers  -  Malachi 3:10-11, Luke 6:38, & II Corinthians 9:7

::Be a hard worker  -  II Thessalonians 3:6-13, Proverbs 10:4-5, & Proverbs 12:24

::Love our neighbors as ourselves  -  Luke 10:25-37, John 13:34-35, & Romans 13:9-10

::Be a servant  -  Phillipians 2:3-8, John 13:1-10, Mark 8:1-10, & Mark 9:33-34

::Preach the gospel  -  Mark 16:15-20 &  II Timothy 3:14-4:5

::And most importantly of all--Love God with all your heart!  -  Deuteronomy 6:5

I covered these over the course of two weeks with my son.  Obviously, this is a list geared toward a child.  You can search the scriptures and find many, many more specifics of God's will for your life.  Specifics about your role as a wife, husband, a single person, parent, employee, boss, how to handle your finances, what God's plan is for you and what His purpose is for all of us as humans, and yes--even what and how to eat!

What is God's will for your life?  Search in His Word and find out!

Peace Part Two

You may be wondering why this article is entitled, "Peace Part Two", where was part one?  Well, I posted it on my other blog.  My focus in that article was that in order to have true peace, you need God. But some of you are thinking, "I have God in my life, why don't I have peace?!?"

This article is for you.

I know what you are feeling. It's almost embarrassing to admit this, but if it helps someone, it is worth it. I got saved at the age of 3. I don't actually remember it. I was just always told by my parents. When I hit my teenage years I really started questioning whether I was really saved. I went forward during an altar call at teen camp one year, but later I still questioned my salvation. I grew up in church from the age of 2. We went to churches that taught the Word. I had a good grasp of a lot of doctrine, but still didn't have peace. I wasn't unhappy, I just had this ever-present nagging inside. Every now and then I would repeat the sinner's prayer to "make sure" I was saved, but it still didn't make the nagging go away. I think it came down to thinking I had to be perfect to be right in God's eyes. I would go over my past and think about things I had done wrong and question whether I was good enough to go to heaven.

Four years ago, I sat down and decided to start a Bible-reading schedule. I was 29 years old and had been saved for 26 years, but had NEVER really read my Bible!!! I know, shocking, but true! I had never done consistent devotions. I would go to church, but never bothered to look up the passages and see for myself if the pastor was right or not. Occasionally, I would feel guilty about my lack of Bible study, so I would randomly open up my Bible and read a bit, but didn't get much out of it, because I didn't understand much of what I was reading. I kept thinking that it would be great if there was a book or something out there that would teach me, without actually having to go to Bible school. But I didn't really seek anything out.

Well, now I realize that I had to take the first step. I started with a One-Year schedule that was printed in my Charisma magazine. Every day was a selection from the Old Testament, the New Testament and either Psalms or Proverbs. After a couple weeks of reading, it was starting to make sense. And the desire to know more was growing in me. I wanted to know the history behind things happening in the Old Testament, so I would check out books from the library. I started seeing the big picture of the Bible. And I'm happy to say that in the last four years I have been consistent. I may not study or read every single day, but most days of the week. It was only when I stepped out in obedience to God to seek first His kingdom and start a study of His Word that the peace came! And that peace has grown and grown. First came the peace about my eternal security, no more questioning whether I was really saved. Next came peace in other areas of life. I detailed one of those here. No more nagging sense that something isn't right! I'm at peace and truly free!

This is partly why this blog was born. I want to tell everyone that you MUST read your Bible!!!! But it sounds so legalistic. I am not telling you that you HAVE to read your Bible. God is not going to love you any more whether you ever read your Bible or not. But He can't help you unless you do! The abundant life that Jesus promised us in John 10:10 is available to ALL, but only SOME will partake! Many are saved, but FEW are walking in prosperity, peace, and joy! Why? Because they are not seeking His kingdom first. This is why that is my banner verse at the top of my blog.

It is the devil that will beat you over the head with guilt and condemnation and tell you that you're not a good Christian because you aren't reading your Bible. He may make you question your salvation because you're not reading your Bible, as he did with me. Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Condemnation will pull you away from God. All those times I felt the guilt and condemnation for not reading my Bible, it didn't motivate me form the habit. It is the working of the Holy Spirit (I wrote about this before here) that pulls you closer to God. I started the habit of Bible reading because I knew I needed to, not because I felt guilty, and that was the gentle pushing of the Holy Spirit. If you're ever feeling down, just read the whole chapter of Romans 8. I especially love the last verse - there is NOTHING that can separate us from the love of God!!! That is good news!

Looking back now over the four years of my Bible study, I can see how beneficial it has been for me. The biggest benefit is to see God's Word come to my mind, come from my heart, when it is needed. In time of trial is when it is needed most and that is often not the time to sit down and search for a scripture.

Most of my life I have lived a blessed life, there were no real bumps. But you never really know when a trial will hit. I have had things these last 6 months that have really tried my faith and patience. If it were not for God's Word ALREADY planted deep in my heart, I would not have peace! You NEVER know when you will need it--why not prepare! Someone close to me found themselves in the hospital this last year with a life-threatening condition. There's no time like time in the hospital to stand on the promises of God! But this person didn't have any scriptures to stand in faith on. The answer was that they just didn't think something like this would happen! We can't predict that life is going to be smooth sailing, but you can have the peace of God amidst adversity, IF you have His Word planted in your heart. It will spring forth to your mind at your hour of need! And that will bring you needed peace!

At some point a few years ago, I started having my son memorize passages of scripture. Inevitably, this made me memorize them as well. This has been a big boost to my peace! When you memorize scriptures, the Holy Spirit will bring them back to your mind in times of need. John 14:26 So, I really recommend, as part of your new study, that you incorporate some memorization. It may sound like the stuff of children's Sunday school classes, but it will help you!

I could tell you until I'm blue in the face about all the benefits of starting a personal Bible study, but you will just have to experience it for yourself. Are you experiencing turmoil in your finances, your marriage, your child-rearing, or even about your eternal destiny? First and foremost you must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but THEN you must LET Him teach you and correct you and instruct you in righteous living (II Tim. 3:16). This only happens when you let him IN through His Word. Your pastor can speak into your life to a degree, but to REALLY, really experience the abundant life that Jesus promised you, you HAVE to get into the Word! Verse 17 of II Timothy 3 tells us the end result - ...that the man of God may be complete! Salvation is not the end, but the beginning! The beginning of a work, that doesn't end until Christ returns! But YOU must LET God work in your life!  You can read more about that here.

What it really boils down to is obedience. You may be doing devotional reading daily, perhaps you need to start a deeper study. Perhaps you need to start tithing! (Oooh, hot button!) Perhaps there is an area you need to practice self control in. Perhaps, you are just hearing the Word, but aren't doing it? (James 1:22)

What if you don't know what areas God wants you to step out in obedience in? Start reading His Word and see what sticks out to you. You'll know it, when you read it.

Whatever area you feel you need to be obedient in, make Bible study a part of it. How else will you know what God's will is for you and how else could you obey? God's Word IS His will! For me, obedience was to simply start with a daily reading schedule. (Not to say that is the only thing--we never arrive, it is a life-long journey of obedience.)  God knew that I would dig deeper, He knew that with any area of interest I have, whether it's health or history, I dig as deep as I can.

Now, don't tell me you don't have time! You have time for whatever is important to you. You can MAKE time for anything you want! It's a matter of priorities. Shut off the TV for 30 minutes!

I want to be here to help you. I want to give you some resources with this blog. I mentioned above that I wished there were books or teaching tapes out there that would give me an in-depth "Bible School" education.  I always felt that if someone would educate me, THEN I could understand what I was reading and I would make Bible study a habit!  Now I know it's the other way around, I was to start the study myself and THEN the understanding would come.  And I have found some great resources along the way, as well.  Dr. Chuck Missler offers detailed, in-depth commentaries on practically every book of the Bible. He will teach you verse by verse and at the same give you a big picture perspective of the Bible. I highly recommend his Learn the Bible in 24 Hours study, as a start. I also have really enjoyed his study of Philippians, Isaiah, and Galatians. These commentaries are available for download, or on CD, and many are available to listen to direct from his website for free. He also puts the current broadcasts out on iTunes for free download. They are only available on iTunes for 2 weeks at a time, though.
On the right-hand bar of this blog you will find other links to ministries that I like. And I am trying to give you plenty of study ideas, on here, by posting what I am studying.

So, don't delay, start today!

Here is a Bible-reading schedule.

I would love to hear your comments and questions on this topic.

Update 1/30/09 - For more information on this topic, read my article on Grace, here.