To Whom Shall We Go

 John 6:68
Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

This verse reminds me of the old gospel song, “Where can I go but to the Lord.” We live in a mixed-up sinful world. A world looking for answers to the meaning of life. What is my purpose of existence? The world is full of seekers who desire love and happiness, but many are going to the wrong place to find it. Some seek it in the pleasures of sin, others in their work, and others in relationships. We are all born to this earth, but our journeys in life are not the same. The faithfulness of the Father calls all of us to Himself. He sent His Son to make it possible for all who desire to find their purpose in life. Like the disciples, we look all around us and see that the only answer to a fulfilled life is to give ourselves to Jesus. He not only has the words of life, but He is the Word of life. In Him all things are created and in Him all things exist. When we get to the end of our human resources, when life becomes overwhelmed with the cares of life, we have but one place to go. He is the answer to all of life’s problems, and in Him, we can rest assured that all will be well. Love and happiness on earth is found in Christ, and He alone can fill and meet our every need.

Never Alone

 

John 16:32  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

There are times when we just want to be alone. Pull away from the noise of the world and the distraction to focus and contemplate on life. Time to examine who we are and where we are going. Time to reflect on where we have been and what our next steps will be moving forward. Being alone is often necessary in order to muse over our relationship with God and others. Being alone on purpose is not the same as being lonely. Loneliness is an emotion that is triggered when we feel no one cares, the absence of feeling we are not loved. It often leads to depression and lack of self-worth. Even though born in sin, we are made in the image of God. We are His creation, therefore the Father values who we are. We may find ourselves in a state of loneliness, but we truly are never alone. Others may scatter about, giving no attention to our presence, but the Father will never leave us alone. He loves the sinner, and He loves those who believe. To the sinner, God seeks to have a relationship. The Holy Spirit works in the life of a sinner to reveal their sinfulness, and bring them into fellowship with his creator, never to be lonely again. To the believer, Satan will discourage us into thinking that we are all alone. Tribulations come, and it seems that we are facing them alone. This is the feeling the disciples had when they were out to sea and the storm came. They cried out, “Master, don’t you care that we perish.” (Mark 4:8). In other words, “Why have you left us alone to die?” Jesus warns us that we will face hard and difficult times in this life, and times when we will feel that we are all alone. He reminded his disciples that even though others may scatter, and hard times come, that the Father will never leave us. When Jesus left this world, He promised us the Holy Spirit, the comforter, that would go with us and be with us in every trial and tribulation we face. No matter what Satan says, we are never alone.

Let Us Enter

Heb.4:16

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The veil has been rented. The curtain, 4 inches thick, 15 feet tall, was torn apart from top to bottom in the holy of holies where the high priest made sacrifices for his sins and for the sins of the people. When Jesus died on the cross, He sacrificed His life once and for all for the sins of the whole world. He is our high priest, the earthly priest no longer needs to make blood sacrifices for the people. We now have access to the Father, through the blood of Jesus. We can now come boldly into God’s holiness. If we have confessed our sin and believed that Jesus paid the price to forgive our sins, we need not fear coming boldly to the throne where God will pour out His grace to meet our needs. It is only through Jesus that we now have access to the Father, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Act 4:12) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”) God’s word makes it clear that coming to the Father (God) is only made possible through Jesus, the one who died for you and me so that we may approach the throne of grace with clean hands and a pure heart. Thank God! He is a God of grace and mercy, and as His child, we call Him Abba Father, and He pours out His grace to us in our time of need. Let us enter into His presence.

Return to the Father

 Jer.4:1
If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Israel, God chose these people to show the nations of the world that there was a God in heaven who ruled the affairs of men. Truth was revealed through Abraham and his descendants, and the many prophets that God sent to reveal God’s plan for all that will follow Him. But the hearts of the people turned away from the commandments that God had given them to live by. They wanted to be like other nations of the world who served idols and gods of nature, or images of earthen clay. This was an abomination to the God that called Abraham out of his country to serve a God that cannot be seen by men, but one that is seen by faith. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God called out to Israel to put away their sin and return to the truth they once knew. Israel left the ways of Jehovah God, they backslid from the teaching of their fathers. God still loves the backslider. He still chases and desires those that have left the faith to return to Him. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The conditions for those who once knew the Lord are required by all who want to reconnect and have fellowship with Jesus Christ. Confession and repentance, a turning away from sin are not negotiable. He loves us, and wants us, but we must be willing to leave our sinful way to follow wholly after God.  He waits with open arms and is faithful to call us back. Drop the sin that so easily besets us and let us run back to the one who loves us and desires to forgive us.

Peace Not of this World

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives to you, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Peace that the world gives is not everlasting. People cry out for world peace, and the end of wars. Even this last week, Israel declared war on Hamas-Palestine after they were attacked. There is no peace in the Middle East. Nations war against nations, and people are oppressed across the world. A time of peace will someday come. The word of God declares that Jesus will return to earth and set up His reign and there will be peace for 1000 years. But until then, there will always be conflict and oppression. Jesus says that the peace of this world is not the peace that He wants to give the world. His peace is like a river that flows from deep within, from the presence of God. The war is over within the heart. We are at peace with God and our soul. His love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is the indwelling presence that brings peace. We can rest in the Almighty, our sins have been forgiven and our hearts are no longer troubled. We don’t have to fear the future and what man can do to us. The song writer wrote, “The world didn’t give it to me and the world can’t take it away .” (Gaithers). How true it is to have this wonderful peace given to us from the Father above.
“Peace, peace, wonderful peace Coming down from the Father above. Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray In fathomless billows of love”- Warren D. Cornell / William G. Cooper

Fellowship in Christ

 1 John 1:3
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Fellowship with Him, fellowship with the Father, and fellowship with one another. Fellowship, the bond of perfection, communion with God, a child of the King, adopted into the family of God. Fellowship, a cord that binds us together in our faith and love for Christ. The mutual belief that Christ died for our sins, and through confession of sin, we enter into fellowship with Him. When we come into contact with a fellow believer, there is an instant connection. We may be divided by land or sea, social class, or culture, but our kindred spirits connect in Christ, we have instant fellowship with one another.  We gather together on Sunday to worship the Father and give thanks to our Redeemer, but we also gather to break bread and have fellowship with each other. A time to build each other in the most holy faith. Time to share life and our walk with Christ, how God is answering prayers,  and share the burdens we carry. Our hearts become heavy when we hear about someone who no longer is in fellowship with Christ. They are no longer walking in the light, and are now walking in darkness. We must be aware that believers may not always agree, but when one denies the power of Christ, and continues in sin and darkness, they have dis-associated themselves from the body of Christ. As fellow believers, we must pray that God will restore that person, and return back  into the fellowship of Christ. Let us gather together to worship our Savior, and have fellowship one with another because we have seen and heard what Christ has done for us.

Ask God in Prayer

 Matt 6:8
..your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him.

We come to God daily, not because we always need something. It is good to keep in touch daily with our heavenly Father. He does take pleasure in our petitions, and He entreats us to “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. and all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Asking God in prayer helps us to realize that we depend on Him, that our life is in His hands and we can’t do anything without His help. Volumes of books have been written on the subject of prayer, and not enough pages can be written about what God wants to do for us through prayer. The prayers of the hypocrites stem from spiritual pride and arrogance. They ask so that they may be seen for their ability to speak eloquently, and appear that they are spiritually enlightened. Their hearts are far from God, and God turns a deaf ear to their request. It is but vain repetition, without sincerity of heart. Our heavenly Father is all knowing, and already knows what we need. We don’t need to form a perfect prayer in our asking, we just need to come to Him with a humble heart and contrite spirit. Bow your head, bow your knees, but most importantly, bow your heart, and ask.

Jesus Only

 John 14:6,11
…no man cometh unto the Father, but by me…Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me:

We see the Father when we see Jesus. The world likes to think that there are many ways to the Father. The thought that one can have eternal life after death by having a sincere faith in a deity is not found in holy scripture. Having a good heart and a sincere faith is to be admired. Believing that the Father and Jesus are one, and professing to follow Jesus without a sincere heart and faith is hypocritical. But, we cannot disregard the word of Jesus when He claims that He and He alone is the Way to the Father. The Father, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, the one and only true God. The words of Buddha, Allah, or any other religious figure may speak of love and treating others with kindness, but when one stands before the judgment seat of God, it will be the blood of Christ, believing in Jesus, and the words of the Father, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…” 

To Be Perfect

 Matt. 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Is this even possible? 

The words of Jesus to be perfect must be a mistake. A misinterpretation of translation of the manuscript. How can man with all of his imperfection be told to be perfect? What message was Jesus trying to convey to His followers? I don’t believe that Jesus was speaking of doing everything perfect and without error. Man is not all knowing as God is, he only sees things from one perspective, God sees and knows the hearts of men. So, the command to be perfect must have some other meaning. The messages given on this mount by Jesus were matters of the heart. The essences of man’s soul, the motives of man’s heart. A follower of Christ will seek to love not only His friends, but also his enemies. To be perfect like the Father is to have a heart that loves all people regardless of their actions. A heart that harbors hate is imperfect and does not reflect the image of Christ. The scripture can be read in this way, “Be ye therefore a lover of people, even as your Father which is in heaven loves people.” This is only made possible if one is in Christ and the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to love without reservations.

Spirit of Adoption

Roman 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Fear of being lost, fear of the unknown, and fear of death. Set free from the bondage of sin, free from unbelief and being forsaken. As children of God, we have been adopted into the family of God. We are no longer children of darkness, lost in sin and seeking the sinful pleasures of the is world. We no longer are bound and enslaved by Satan’s power. The Holy Spirit has given us the assurance that we no longer belong to this world, but have been made heirs with Christ. The old ways have passed away, and we have been given a new life and a new family. We are not just children of His creation, but we have been adopted, we are a part of His household. Our relationship with God is intimate. We can come boldly to the throne of God and call him Abba! He truly is a Father to the fatherless, and “daddy” to all who love Him.

The Promise of Jesus

John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The promise of Jesus given to believers that there will be one that will not only be with us, but “shall be in you” Such was the case on the day of Pentecost. The day that believers gathered together in the upper room united together in prayer. The Holy Spirit came, purifying their heart’s by faith, filling their heart with burning love, gave them power over the works of darkness and sin. As believers, we need the Holy Spirit to come into our lives and lead us and direct our path. He is the source of truth who will not lead us astray. Believers in Christ are still human vessels subject to the temptation of Satan. It is essential that we have the Holy Spirit in us to be all that God wants us to be. The Holy Spirit want to work in our lives, but we must submit ourselves, our will, our desires to His will. Let the Spirit of Truth be our standard of living. We are never alone, and He will go before us.

Give All To Jesus

Luke 23:46 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: 

Resigned to the will of God. I give it up and place my life into your hand. Jesus, the God-man gave up His earthly life, made himself willing to be the supreme sacrifice for sin. There on the cross, He speaks some of His final words, “Father, I offer up my life” A very intimate prayer that implies a close relationship with God the Father. We must come to a place in our lives where we come to the end of ourselves and submit everything to God. In His love and mercy, He forgives us of our unrighteousness and makes our heart clean from those sins we have committed, but now entreats us to give it all up. Our desires and wants, all that we hold dear to our hearts. Into His hand we commit “self” to let God do what He desires. “Commit thy way unto the Lord, and He will direct thy path”  

Greater Witness

John 5:37  And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

In the court of law, truth is validated by witnesses. People who can testify to what they saw or heard. They give a first hand account of what happen. Without witnesses to bare the testimony, it is just one person’s word against another. There is no greater witness of the person of Jesus than to be validated by the Father. He is the true witness that confirms that Jesus is who He says He is. He is the Son of God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is God in the flesh come to earth to be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. In Him, dwells the eternal truth. His truth is a two edge sword. The truth that reveals sin, and the truth that is able to save us from sin. The truth of His love, grace and mercy.  We need no greater witness.

To Know The Father

John 8:19 “Then they said unto Him, “Where is thy father?” Jesus answered, “Ye neither know Me, nor My Father. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also.”

To know the Father, one must know the Son. For the two are the same in One. He who came from heaven was sent from the Father. To know the Father is to know that Jesus came to earth born of a virgin, fully human, yet the conception of this new born was quicken by the Holy Spirit that brought life. Jesus, the God-Man, perfect and without sin. He came to reveal the Love of the Father that we may also know God as our Father. Sin separated us from the Father, but to those who believe in the salvation of Christ have become sons of God and now have access to the Father’s throne. To know the Father, is to know love, grace and mercy. He is a good Father, and every blessing we receive comes from Him. May we find rest in knowing the Father from above. 

Forever Interceding

Roman: 8 26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

He is forever interceding to God the Father. Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father, died and shed His blood that we now access to the mercy seat of God. The Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, knows what we are facing and knows our needs, takes our feeble words and make intercession for us to the Father. It amazes me to think that God cares enough to listen to a lone voice among the billions of people that live on the earth. He is God and the Holy Spirit is a God of omnipresence. He is everywhere and knows everything. We need not fear because there is always someone who is praying for us. Others may have moved on with their prayers, but the Holy Spirit is always interceding in our behalf. There is One who is always praying.

Living in Truth

John 8:31 ““If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”-

Living in Truth is to abide in Him. Free from sin. There are those who teach because we are born in sin and have a sin nature that we cannot live a life without sinning. Sin is part of the human nature and to say you do not sin is to say you are not human, and no one is perfect. This teaching is contrary to the teaching that Christ gives the Jews as they defended their claims to know the Father. It is true that we are all born in sin and by birth are sinners. For all have sin and come short of God’s glory. Being free from sin is not humanly possible for deliverance from sin is only made possible because Jesus died on the cross to pay our debt of sin. Accepting Him as Savior, we now abide in Him, we are now living in the Vine. We now live in truth for He is Truth. As long as we live in Him we can be free from living a life of sin. Sin no longer abides, we are no longer in bondage or enslaved to Satan, He is no longer our father, we have a new Father, a heavenly Father that sets us free from the sin bondage that Satan had on us. A life free from sin is made possible through the blood of Christ and abiding in Him. 

Prodigal Son

Luke 15:20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”-

The story of the prodigal son exemplifies that God never gives up on us. That He is constantly pursuing us with His love and grace. Our hearts are broken when we see our children leave the Father’s house. Children who stray away from the teaching of God’s word and leave the fold of God do so of their own free will. The story of the prodigal son conveys to us that even if you are raised in a good godly home that their is no guarantee that one will follow God. Sin is enticing, and Satan will do his best to lead people away from truth. The Father never ceased to love His son, It shows that no matter what we do in sin that God will not forsake us. As long as we have breath, we can choose to rise up and return to the Father’s house. He will not turn us away. Eternity is forever, and living this life wandering in sin will have eternal consequences. It is a matter of choice, we can live in our sin, or rise up and head on home. The Father awaits with open arms.

4:00am-

A Father’s Instructions

Proverbs 3:1-12
Our Father in heaven is the perfect example of what God’s wants fathers to be. He Through Christ is the head of the Church. His Word is the final authority. His love and mercy are everlasting. The father is the head of the home with the courage to follow God and raise his family in the fear of the Lord. May he do it with compassion and desire to see his family make it to the city of God.

Rule Book from God- the Law
• Principles for Living
• The final authority
• Love your wife, provoke not your children
Reality of the Word- thine heart
• We must live it
• More than just a good man
• Life centered around Christ
Remember His Word- forsake not
• Teach our children the Word
• They will not depart from it- Conscience will follow them
Reward for Obedience- shall find favor
• Honor is given to those who depend on God
• The fruits of your labor will not go in vain.
Rely on God for Understanding- Lean not
• Trust God for leadership
• Don’t allow “ego” to guide your decisions
• He has promise to show the path
Responsible Steward- with thy substance
• Provide for your household
• Provide for the work of the Kingdom
• Give to God your first fruits-tithe
• God honors a cheerful giver and will reward them
Rod of Correction despise not chastening
• Discipline- teach by corrections
• Not punishment or impunity, but for the purpose of learning a lesson.
• Mode of Correction- Individual temperament
• True love will not let them do whatever they want
• Always confirms with Love and Prayers