Monday, December 28, 2015

December 27, 2015 Devotion

There is nothing we can add or take away from the cross. All of our own righteousness is nothing more than dirty menstrual rags. If we think that we are doing things to earn God's favor, that means we believe God is indebted to us. It makes God's favor wages instead of grace. God is no man's debtor though, and owes no man anything. God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy, and it is through faith, which is a gift of God, that righteousness is imputed to us.

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
Romans 4:1-4 NKJV

Monday, December 21, 2015

Pilate and His Free Will

Do you remember when Pilate told Jesus that he had free will to use his authority to do as he pleases? What did Jesus say? Your power is an illusion, and you can only do what has been given to you.

Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
John 19:10-11 NKJV

“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done."
Acts 4:27-28 NKJV

The Universalist Jesus is an Illusion.

The Universalist denies the God of the Bible. They close their eyes to the Old Testament, and claim that Jesus shows us a different God. This is a figment of their imagination. Remember that the entire world stood condemned already when Jesus came the first time. This is why He came to save His sheep, the elect.

Do you think God will be unfair when He slays His enemies and cast them into eternal torment? Do you think God changes? Who do you think will be cutting the unbeliever in two and casting him into Hell fire?

‘Now see that I, even I, am He,
And there is no God besides Me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.
For I raise My hand to heaven,
And say, “As I live forever,
If I whet My glittering sword,
And My hand takes hold on judgment,
I will render vengeance to My enemies,
And repay those who hate Me.
I will make My arrows drunk with blood,
And My sword shall devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and the captives,
From the heads of the leaders of the enemy.”’
- Deuteronomy 32:39-42 NKJV

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass
That from one New Moon to another,
And from one Sabbath to another,
All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.
“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”
- Isaiah 66:22-24 NKJV

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
- Revelation 19:11-16 NKJV

It is Jesus who executes the wrath of God. Be not deceived. Do you know what God says about that great and terrible day?

With a noise like chariots
Over mountaintops they leap,
Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble,
Like a strong people set in battle array.
Before them the people writhe in pain;
All faces are drained of color.[a]
They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like men of war;
Every one marches in formation,
And they do not break ranks.
They do not push one another;
Every one marches in his own column.[b]
Though they lunge between the weapons,
They are not cut down.[c]
They run to and fro in the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the houses,
They enter at the windows like a thief.
The earth quakes before them,
The heavens tremble;
The sun and moon grow dark,
And the stars diminish their brightness.
The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?
- Joel 2:5-11 NKJV

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Who Loves Who First?

"I love those who love me,
And those who seek me diligently will find me."
- Proverbs 8:17 NKJV

When this verse is read, if it is not interpreted correctly with other Scripture, it sounds as if God's love is conditional. We know this isn't true, because while we were haters of God (obviously not loving Him) He died for us. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 5:8 NKJV

This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to interpret Scripture with Scripture. At first glance you have two contradictory verses, which would disqualify Scripture as truth if it were. They must both be true.

We know that God's love for the believer is unconditional, and is from everlasting. He loved us BEFORE we ever were.

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."
- Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV

BECAUSE of His love for us, we THEN love Him.

We love Him because He first loved us.
- 1 John 4:19 NKJV

Our love for Jesus is the proof that He loves us, so He does love those who love Him. Never interpret Scripture through perception, and ALWAYS interpret Scripture with Scripture. If you are loved of God, you will love Him back and in this truth you have rest for your soul.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8:38-39 NKJV