Father of Lights Vol II: The Good Shepherd Provides

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 Jesus declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd. Again this wasn't just some clever phrase or catchy saying. This was the Son revealing who He is and what He does.

 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:11 MEV

 We have seen two aspects of this Good Shepherd. First the Good Shepherd preserves the sheep. He dearly loves us so He sustains us. He began the work in the believer and He will see it through to the end.

 He who started the work will be faithful to complete it. He who started the work, doesn't expect you to complete it. Salvation isn't God starts it we finish it. He preserves us.

 This is where some that oppose Grace miss it. They erroneously label eternal security as Calvinism's fifth point, perseverance of the Saints. This is not a Grace view but in truth a works view. To persevere means to maintain and endure. That is man's doing. Preservation means God preserves us, not our works or performance. 

 The Good Shepherd preserves the sheep! He holds us and keeps us, we are not keeping ourselves. Next He is the Good Shepherd who protects the sheep. In our last study we saw how he protects us.

Today we want to see the third aspect of the Good Shepherd: He provides for His sheep. A good shepherd takes care of his flock. He doesn't allow his sheep to go hungry or remain sickly without care. He watches over them, tends to their needs, and provides what they need to flourish. So it is with our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. He cares for His flock, and He provides for them. 

 The Good Shepherd has provided peace. In a troubled world, anxiety and uncertainty attempt to assail our minds and cause many to stress and get over into worry. Jesus gave us His peace. Peace that surpasses understanding. Like a pressurized cabin in an airplane what we have inside insulates us from what is going on outside. Peace keeps us grounded in His Love and enables us to navigate through this world and any circumstance. 

 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 MEV

The Good Shepherd also provides for our material and financial needs. He knows we have responsibilities in this natural life. He knows we need food, clothing, shelter, and the resources necessary to fulfill the things He has called us to do. There is no shame in acknowledging that God is our provider in these areas. There is no reason to retreat from the goodness of God because religious people have criticized the teaching of prosperity or provision. The answer to error is not to deny what the Word reveals. Our Father is not opposed to our needs being met. He is not glorified by our lack. He is our provider, and His goodness extends into every area of our lives.

Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication and want what is right for me; Let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, who delights and takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” Psalm 35:27 AMP

But perhaps one of the greatest expressions of the Good Shepherd's provision is His provision of divine healing and health. Jesus did not merely tell us that God cares about us. He demonstrated it. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil. He touched the leper. He opened blind eyes. He caused the lame to walk. He healed all those who came to Him, and He never turned away the sick who sought His help. 

 These were not cold religious demonstrations performed merely to establish His credentials as the Jewish Messiah. They were expressions of His compassion. He saw people suffering, and He cared. He saw their pain, and He moved toward them. He saw their need, and He provided.

The religious mind often tries to separate the compassion of Jesus from the healing ministry of Jesus. It assigns His healing to a limited purpose in the past, as though He healed merely to prove who He was and then withdrew that provision from His people. But Jesus is the exact image of the Father. He said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” 

 If we want to know what the Father is like, we look at Jesus. And when we look at Jesus, we see a Good Shepherd who cares for the sick, the suffering, and the afflicted. We see One who is moved with compassion. We see One who provides healing.

Healing is not merely something Jesus demonstrated during His earthly ministry. Healing is part of what He accomplished for us in the Finished Work. Isaiah declared that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, and that with His stripes we are healed. Peter looked back at the cross and declared, “By whose stripes ye were healed.” The provision has been made. Jesus bore our sins, and He bore our sicknesses. He carried our pains. He did not merely provide forgiveness for our sins while leaving sickness as an unavoidable part of our inheritance. He provided redemption for the whole person.

The Good Shepherd does not provide healing because He is trying to prove something to us. He provided healing because He is Good. He provided healing because He cares for His sheep. He provided healing because He is moved with compassion. And He provides healing because the Finished Work has already made provision for it. Faith does not create the provision. Faith receives what Grace has provided. We do not have to persuade a reluctant Shepherd to care and provide for us. We come to the One who has already demonstrated His love, already made provision, and already declared His desire for us to walk in the fullness of His life.

The Good Shepherd provides peace. He provides for our needs. And He provides divine healing and health. He is not merely the Shepherd who watches over His sheep from a distance. He is the Shepherd who cares for them, provides for them, and gives His life for them. He is the Good Shepherd. And He is still Good.

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Father of Lights Vol II: The Good Shepherd's Protection

 

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7 NKJV

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 Jesus tells us in the Gospels that He is the Good Shepherd. This is one of His most powerful and revealing statements about Himself and our Good Father in Heaven. This is not just some cutesy phrase that is just spoken for poetic purposes.

 This powerful identification reveals the heart and character of Jesus. It reveals He cares about us and He cares for us. This tells us that God is interested in our lives not just the salvation of our spirit. 

 God our Good Father cares about our daily lives. He cares about our morning and our night. He cares about the things that matter to us. Traditional religion says God is only interested in us becoming holy, following His rules, and ensuring we get to heaven.

 They only see God as a God, a divine taskmaster whose sole focus is strict adherence to all He says and perfect obediance and submission. Relationship, communion, fellowship, none of that is the main purpose. Being a dutiful servant is all God cares about. 

 Jesus revealed to us a different view of Heaven. He showed us a Father who cares. He is the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. He preserves his flock. He protects his flock. He provides for His flock. This is what Jesus demonstrated. 

 The Good Shepherd protects His flock. He cares for us. What does this protection entail? His protection covers every area of our lives.

 The Good Shepherd protects us from false and misleading concepts, views and doctrines. The spirit of error comes to deceive the flock but the Good Shepherd protects His flock by revealing truth.

 The Good Shepherd protects us from loss, disappointment and heartache. How can this be so, you may ask, seeing we have all experienced loss and disappointment? The Good Shepherd leads us and guides us.

 True in a fallen and fractured creation we do see loss and disappointments. However, even in this fallen world, there are some loss and disappointment that can be avoided. How many times have you wanted to do something but suddenly sensed no peace about this situation, or decision? That is the Good Shepard protecting you from potential loss and disappoinment.

 He protects us in this arena of the soulish realm, our mind, will and emotions, through the umpire of peace. When we adhere to this simple leading we find we were protected from a bad business deal, a negative relationship, a unsafe investment. 

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…Colossians 3:15

 He can also protect us from "the good". This meaning something that isn't bad in and of itself but it's just good and not the best. I experienced this in a potential real estate sale. Had I been able to purchase this home, I would have moved from the place I was living, and would have missed finding this stray dog, that brought so much joy, happiness in my life that no price tag could match.

 The Good Shepherd also protects His flock from harm and danger. Psalm 91 shows in detail His protection for His flock. 

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalm 91:9-16 KJV

 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and became radiant, and their faces are not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:4-8 MEV

 The Good Shepherd protects His flock. There are countless testimonies of people being saved from near death situations, surviving serious auto accidents, protected during times of disaster and war. Don't object pointing to people who lost their lives. Or suffered loss in an accident. 

 We live in a fallen creation. There are many variable as to why something happened. Poor choices, distracted actions, and life in a fallen world. That said, there are countless times we have been protected and didn't even realize it. That red light that seemed to take forever, kept you from a potential traffic accident down the road.

 Begin to see life through the lens of the protection of the Good Shepherd. See Him guiding, leading, directing. He is the Good Shepherd. He protects His flock because He loves His flock and laid down His life for His flock. Taste and see He is always Good. 

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Discover Jesus: The Savior

 for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 MOUNCE 

30 He brought them out of the prison and said, `Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'  31 They replied, `Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. All the people in your house must do the same.' Acts 16:30-31 WE

 We have begun a new journey of discovery. We began the journey by discovering who the believer is in Christ. Then the Spirit impressed on me to focus more on the Lord Jesus Christ. We really can't know who we are if we don't know and understand who He is.

This brings us to the next discovery about Jesus. Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is the 2nd person in the Godhead. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. In Him is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and we are complete in Him. This is not to get too "heavy" or "deep" theologically speaking.

 Getting into real deep theology isn't where everyone lives in their daily lives. That is, how does deep theology really impact people in their daily lives? It is good to gain knowledge and understanding about God, but it should have practical effects in daily living.  

So let me say there is one practical element of knowing about the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is actually beautiful when you ponder it. God Himself so loved you and me that He took on flesh, became a man, and paid the highest price. God left the boundless wonders of Heaven and dwelt among us in this fallen and fractured creation.

 Jesus came to pay the price and be the Savior of all mankind. He willingly took the pain and bore the curse of Calvary to pay the price to redeem mankind.

 A question may arise;

"Why do I need to be saved? What do I need to be saved from?"

 The Cross speaks to us of the universal need for salvation. God revealed in His Word why we all need to be saved. Let me briefly address the foolishness of pseudo-grace, universalism, and inclusionism. They make claims using out-of-context and misapplied passages, and teach that no one was ever lost.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled Colossians 1:21 NKJV

  This passage is used to conclude that no one was really lost. That the lost state was really just a lost state of mind. The devil simply convinced mankind in the garden that they were lost, but it was all in their minds, in their imagination. 

 Calvary proves this nonsensical position false. If it were a mere mental block, God didn't need to come to earth as a man. Jesus didn't need to suffer and die a criminal's death. Look at the passage again and get a clearer image.

This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, Colossians 1:21 NLT

  Mankind was lost and separated from God by their evil deeds and thoughts. Let's not take the amazing out of Grace. Grace is amazing because this loving and holy God stooped down to the level of wicked and lost mankind and paid the full price of redemption.

 God is also just; He will not force Himself on anyone. The price He paid on the Cross was for all mankind. He saves from the uttermost to the guttermost. He saves rich and poor, fat and thin, tall and short. He offers salvation to all, but it is not automatic; a response is needed. He only asks that we believe and receive the free gift of forgiveness of all sins, eternal life, and Righteousness.

 Since we know all mankind is lost and in need of a Savior, what then must we do to be saved? Traditional religion places obstacles in the path of the lost seeking salvation. They say you must first turn from all your sinning, then God will save you. They say you must also promise and commit to God that you will stop sinning, then God will save you.

 That is a works-based salvation. Lordship salvation is the theological term for this performance-rooted message. This message is not good news. It places the burden back on the sinner seeking salvation instead of seeing Jesus taking all the burdens on that Cross. 
 The Good News of Jesus Christ is so much better. Jesus came to earth, and He walked among us. He demonstrated the Goodness of God before our eyes. He brought deliverance, provision, healing, and an abundant life. 

 Looking at our opening texts, we see all we need to do is call on the name of the Lord. All God is looking for is a spark of Faith. Just believe, and you will be saved. You will be forgiven of all your sins, past, present, and future. You will receive eternal life, and that life is secure eternally. You will receive the free gift of Righteousness. Right standing, acceptance, approval, no more condemnation or shame, but the ability to stand in the presence of God without fear or guilt or a sense of unworthiness or inferiority. 

 Discover Jesus, our Savior. This is the Good News, this is the best news. God so loved the world that He came and died and rose again for us all, and whosoever simply believes will freely receive eternal life. This is exciting news, spread and herald this good news for all to hear! God is not mad at you or anyone. Come receive this free gift

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Discover: Jesus!

 

9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV

9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.  10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. Colossians 2:9-10 NLT

  Awe and wonder. That's what many experienced when they encountered the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. Others experienced deep love and tangible goodness leading to repentance. Still others experienced indignation as He tore down their religious traditions and exposed their illusion of control. 

 What they all had in common was that they discovered Jesus. Who is this Jesus? As vital as it is to discover who we are, what we have, and what we can do in and through Christ, it is of greatest value to discover Jesus, who He is, and what He has done and is still doing today. 

 Jesus is not some ancient religious figure. He is not on the same level as Buddha, Mohammed, or Confucius. He is not some great teacher or philosopher like Socrates or Plato. Jesus surpasses them all. He is Most High! You can visit the tomb of Mohammed or Buddha, but Jesus is alive!

 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind…14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4, 14 MEV

 Jesus is the fullness of God bodily. Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus is the only One. No one else can stand at the same level as Jesus. There is no different way to Heaven. There are not many paths to God. Jesus is the only way. Every philosophy, religion, or faith-Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Krishna, Kabbala, Shinto, or any other one can name is powerless to save, and leaves its followers empty, broken, and wanting. 

 12 There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

 Jesus declared He was the way to the Father, not a way! Jesus is who He said He was. Before Abraham, He is the great I AM! Some may ask, are you saying Jesus is God? Yes. But more importantly, Jesus declared it Himself

 Salvation, eternal life, and Righteousness are only found in Christ. Jesus became a man, as a man, He felt what we felt. He was tired or hungry just like any other human. He was the last Adam; the first Adam brought death; the last Adam brought life

 Because God became a man, He could pay the price needed for the redemption of mankind. He walked as we walked and shared in the experience of mankind, yet was without sin. He was the spotless Lamb and on Calvary He took on sin, the curse, the fallen nature, and paid the price in full. 

 Discover Jesus! He is the divine Son of God. He became a man to be the substitutionary offering for all mankind. He was sinless yet could be touched by the feelings of our weakness. Knowing the perfection of Jesus helps us better understand our Righteousness, our redemption, and our Faith. 

 Jesus is not some historical figure. He is God with us. What we see when we see Jesus is the expressed will of God. In His Divinity, see Him as the Father's heart longing for a family. Jesus is God, Jesus is the substitutionary once-for-all sacrifice, Jesus is the Person of Grace! 

Jesus is not distant. He is not frozen in stained glass or confined to pages of history. He is risen, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father — and He is alive today. He is still saving, still healing, still delivering, still baptizing in the Holy Spirit, still building His Church, still revealing the Father. He is not a memory to be studied; He is alive today and desires relationship with man. The same Jesus who walked on water, who touched lepers, who forgave sinners, and who silenced storms is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has not changed. He has not diminished. He has not stepped back from humanity. He is present, powerful, and personally involved.

Discover Jesus — not as religion presents Him, but as He truly is. Lift your eyes beyond formulas, beyond movements, beyond even identity truths, and behold the Person Himself. Christianity is not behavior modification. It is not rule-keeping. It is not moral striving. It is union with the living Christ. When you discover who He is, everything else finds its place. Your righteousness makes sense. Your forgiveness is secure. Your identity becomes settled. Jesus is not an accessory to your life — He is your life. He is the center, the source, the substance, and the sum of all things. Discover Jesus.

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Discover: Accepted and Approved

 

Praise him! His kindness is great and wonderful. We have been accepted by God through Jesus Christ, whom he loves so much. Ephesians 1:6 WE

Acceptance and approval are what so many long for. Humanity goes to great length find this. We all look for someone's approval. We want to be accepted. 

 Humanity goes to great lengths to gain acceptance and strive to receive approval. Be it from family, employers, friends, or peer groups, we long to be accepted. People will change their hair, their clothing style, even their taste in music, just to be accepted. 

 It is more evident in our younger years. Young children and teens sometimes take even greater steps to secure acceptance and approval from their peers. Many want to be approved by their peers. They want to be in the "popular" group, the "in crowd". Sometimes they lose their own identity in pursuit of this acceptance.

  I have good news for those longing to find acceptance and approval.  There is a way to find lasting and permanent acceptance and approval. An acceptance that will never fail or fade away. There is a way to be in the greatest "in crowd" in the entire world.

 This way is only found in and through Jesus Christ. He wants you to be in His "in crowd". His "in crowd" is being in right standing with God. The real "in crowd" is being in right standing, or being made Righteous in Christ.

 Because of Jesus, we who have put our trust in Him alone are forever accepted and approved by our Father in Heaven. 

And so you are no longer called outcasts and wanderers but citizens with God’s people, members of God’s holy family, and residents of His household Ephesians 2:19 VOICE

 When we believed, we were no longer outcasts, no longer strangers, and no longer disconnected from God. In Him, we have divine approval and acceptance. This acceptance is rooted in Jesus' performance and His approval before the Father. Our trust is in His works and obedience; we reap the benefits. 

 ...As He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17b NKJV

 Because of Jesus, we have a relationship with the Father. We are partaking of the New Covenant and are included in all its blessings and benefits. This is not based on our fragile works or doing, it is based on Jesus alone and His perfect work of Redemption. We can't produce it, we can't achieve it, we can never earn it. If we could, why would we need Jesus? Why would we need a Savior?

 Under this divine acceptance and approval, it is not that behavior doesn't matter; it's that behavior and obedience didn't cause it or merit it, therefore, our behavior can't undo it. His divine life, though, is within us now; new nature-new root, produces new desires and new fruit. 

 The beautiful part of this acceptance and approval is that even when we falter or fail, we can't undo or lose this divine approval.  Acceptance and approval remain, because Righteousness has been permanently imputed and is not fluctuating or wavering. Acceptance and approval are not an approval of every choice we make, but of who we are in Him. Identity is found in Christ; attitudes and actions are not who we are.  

 This is the wonderful Good News Gospel of Grace. Because of this acceptance and approval, we now have confidence in God. This produces confidence in prayer, confidence in walking by Faith, and confidence in worshipping our Savior. We have joy unspeakable in following the Lord's leading, knowing even in failure we are secured and approved in Him. 

 Child of God, you are not on probation but accepted and approved. We have union with God because of Jesus. Our identity is found in Him. He loves us, accepts us, and actually likes us. What a Good Father, what a victorious, loving Savior, we have! 

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Discover: Forgiven

 

13 You were dead, because you were sinful and were not God's people. But God let Christ make you alive, when he forgave all our sins. Colossians 2:13 CEV

And although you were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our transgressions, Colossians 2:13 MOUNCE

13 God took us out of a life of darkness. He has put us in the holy nation of His much-loved Son. 14 We have been bought by His blood and made free. Our sins are forgiven through Him. Colossians 1:13-14 NLV

 When a discovery is made, it is often heralded and celebrated. We have begun a new series on discovering who we are and what we have in Christ. Let this be a reminder of who you already are and rediscover what it means to be in Christ. 

 We have seen that we are deeply loved by the Father. Our Father in Heaven looks upon us with loving kindness and mercy. He isn't looking upon us with disappointing eyes. He saw all our mistakes and still chose us.

 It's like when we were young, attending school or some activity, and they were choosing teams to compete in a game or activity. Sometimes we weren't the best players, and we were the last picked. I know it may not be the best illustration if you are a star athlete; however, even the best don't get drafted by every team. 

 God, however, is not like man. He saw all our flaws and failures and still readily chose us. In fact, God chose us first to be on "His team". He didn't choose us last. He chose us first! That's God's Love! This Love expressed itself in Jesus' perfect work of Redemption.

 Perhaps you think sure He loves us but I have sinned, or I have too much sin for Him to use me or choose me. The Good News is that Jesus paid the price. You may say, I am not a Christian, that's not for me. No, my friend, Jesus paid for all the sins of all mankind;

2 He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 NLV

 Jesus paid it all. He has paid this sin debt in full. Now all one must do is RECEIVE the forgiveness of sins. Although the price has been paid, God won't force you to respond and receive it. He will allow you to attempt to pay for your transgressions with your own goodness. This is why people end up eternally separated; they chose their own works and goodness to save them. 

 Jesus has paid the price in full. In Christ, we are fully forgiven of our sins. Our sins are completely forgiven. From now to eternity, our sins are washed, cleansed, and removed from us. We are forgiven past, present, and future. There is not one sin we have committed that has not been forgiven, nor is there one we have yet to commit that God's not already forgiven.

 I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. 1 John 2:12 NLT

 You may be struggling to accept that our future sins are already forgiven. This is an area where many believers struggle to accept. It seems like it is reckless, making light of poor choices or rewarding bad behavior. If this feels unsettling, it’s not because grace is reckless—it’s because grace is bigger than we were ever taught.  The reality is we are making much of Jesus' Finished Work, His once-for-all sacrifice. 

  Let the Word of God be the final authority; 

17 I will erase their sins and wicked acts out of My memory as though they had never existed. 18 When there is forgiveness such as this, there is no longer any need to make an offering for sin. Hebrews 10:17-18 Voice

 God has confirmed through His Word that He has forgiven all our sins. All means all. If it were so that our future sins aren't forgiven, then what sacrifice is needed to pay for them? This is the arrogance of man and his self-righteous thinking that they can "pay" for their sins.

  God gave me this beautiful illustration of total forgiveness. When I was a young man, my mother and I went to see a Veterans' Day parade. We are on the street level, looking at the parade floats as they pass by. Someone had advised that there was a better view on one of the open rooftops. From this view, we saw the entire parade. 

 When I was on that rooftop, I saw the parade from the first float up to the very last one. Likewise, when we come to Christ, He sees our entire life. He saw us from the first breath we took up till the very last breath we take. He saw our whole entire life and declared forgiven! 

We are forgiven of all our sins. We are free from all our sins and transgressions. God is not accounting our sins against us. He has forgiven us. In Christ, we are forever forgiven. This is not something we strive to become. This is who we already are in Christ.

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Discover: Deeply Loved

 

16 God has loved us and made us happy through his kindness. He gave us everlasting comfort and good hope. 17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, comfort your hearts and make you strong to do and say everything that is good. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 WE 

16 God our Father loves us. He treats us with undeserved grace and has given us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope. We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father 17 will encourage you and help you always to do and say the right thing. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 CEV

 Discover. Discover means to become aware of something, to make an observation or a finding. When we discover something wonderful, it brings us great joy. 

 As believers, it's imperative to discover who you really are in Christ, what belongs to you because of Christ, and how God the Father sees you now. Growth in Christ is maturing into who you already are in Him. 

 The most important discovery in Christ is to know that you are deeply loved. God the Father deeply loves you with an unconditional, eternal love. This love is based solely upon Him and has nothing to do with you. 

 There is nothing that any of us can do to make God love us more. There is not one thing you can do more of or do something better for God to love you more. He already loves you with an everlasting love that is greater than any love known to mankind.

 On the other hand, there is nothing any of us can do that will cause God to love us less. This idea is met with resistance because it seems God is rewarding bad behavior. That is not the case at all.

 God loves you and me unconditionally. That is what Agape love is all about. If you can do something to make God love you less, then His love IS conditional and rooted solely in your performance. This would put God in the place of mere man, because mankind loves with conditions, with strings attached. 

 God isn't pleased with poor choices, wrong actions, or selfish behavior. He will even send corrective instructions to His own during these times. This doesn't equate to God loving His people less whenever they sin. In fact, it's His love and Goodness that bring change. 

 Some may be thinking about the Scripture in 2 Corinthians 9:7 as proof that we can make God love us more. It says God loves a cheerful giver. This statement is not some kind of new doctrine Paul was sharing. That financial givers are more special to God. 

 What the context is revealing is the heart of God. He is saying that God takes pleasure and is lovingly pleased with a cheerful giver. He is not looking for a grudging, obligation-oriented giver. This passage does not teach that there is a way for God to love you more.

 God loves you with an eternal, unconditional love. This love transcends time and space and all eternity. From the beginning of time, God saw you and loved you deeply. That's why He offered His only Son to pay the penalty for all sins. The Father sowed a Son and reaped a family. 

 God loves you even though you have sinned and made mistakes. Let's not take the amazing out of Grace. You, just like me, were lost, sinful, rebellious in your thoughts, and self-centered. Yet as wicked and unjust and sinful we all were, He still saw all that and chose to love us unconditionally. 

 This is amazing, Grace. This is wondrous and matchless love. This is the Love of God. You are loved, deeply loved by the Father. Discover this deep love the Father has for you again. 

 

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The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Relationshipless

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 Religion is a man-made attempt to reach God. Religious tradition is humanity's attempt to approach God on its own terms. Religion creates carvings of stone, temples, and altars as a means to connect with God. Religious tradition relies on experience, what has been passed down from others, and their own understanding to explain who God is and what He is like.

 In examining the anatomy of religion and tradition, we have seen that religion is powerless. Religion cannot transform lives. Religious tradition explains away the supernatural, and thus they walk without the power from on High. Religion is Faithless. It can't access the power of God, and doesn't even believe it is possible. It is rooted in much unbelief.

 Faithless religion also relies on works and performance, attempting to earn what was freely given. Religion is knowledgeless. Religion is ignorant of the Cross, the Finished Work, and who God is. They walk in inconsistencies and place blame on God for tragedy and tribulation. 

 Religion is also loveless and Graceless. They put their rules and principles and traditions above compassion and believe they must be kept, or God won't hear your prayer. Religion is about works and performance; religion says do, and Jesus says done.

The Missing Element: Ritual Without Relationship

And at the core of all of this—beneath the powerless rituals, beneath the works and the rules—lies the most tragic mark of dead religion: it has form without fellowship. It has rituals without relationship. It goes through motions but never connects with the Majesty on High, our Lord Jesus. 

Religion can quote verses, recite prayers, and observe ceremonies, yet never encounter the heart of God. It replaces intimacy with instructions, fellowship with formulas, and the living Christ with cold creeds. Religion can sing about Jesus while never knowing Him, serve in His name while remaining strangers to His grace. It turns Christianity into a schedule, a system, a ceremony—anything but a Savior.

 Lastly, the worst manifestation of religion is that it has no actual relationship with God. We have seen these marks or this anatomy of religious tradition in John 9. We see how the religious leaders claim to know God and speak for Him, and yet they deny the works of God performed and demonstrated right before them. 

 They completely rejected God in the flesh, God Almighty manifest before them. Jesus said they were blind. They had no relationship with God. They presumed they were following God, and yet they were in opposition to Him and His works.

 One powerful illustration of this mark of religion, which Jesus gave us in Matthew 7, is often misunderstood and misapplied, perfectly demonstrating relationshipless religion. Many attempt to use these passages to promote eternal insecurity and a performance-based faith. Jesus was actually giving us a glimpse of dead religion that has no relationship with God

 In this passage, Jesus tells us what the fruit He is referring to. He is speaking of the teachings of leaders, not merely a warning about performance or behavior. In context, He is referring to the teachings of men. 

 This gives us the key to understanding what He refers to when He tells some to depart from Him. He said to these religious people who claim to do great works for God, I never knew you. He was not teaching the loss of salvation. He said I never knew you, not I once knew you, but now I don't know you. This is key to understanding in seeing what Jesus was revealing.

 Jesus showed us that religion can exist apart from God and without a relationship with Him. In religion, people can attend meetings, be a part of gatherings, and join temples and other religious fellowships, and not have received eternal life, not trusted in Jesus, and not received the new birth.

 Modern Culture: A New Religion With the Same Old Problem

And today, religion has simply changed clothes.
Culture has baptized its own beliefs and called them righteousness.
Sin has been renamed “authenticity,” rebellion has been renamed “identity,” and compromise has been renamed “compassion.” Modern culture preaches a gospel of self, of feelings, of universal acceptance—yet none of it is Jesus. Good is called evil, and evil is called good, and because the language sounds spiritual, people think it is holy. But any gospel that removes the Cross, the Blood, repentance (change of mind), and the new birth is not the Gospel—it is just another form of relationshipless religion.

People can gather and claim the name of God, of Jesus, and promote what current culture calls justice and righteousness, and be completely lost. People can come together for whatever “cause” or current “thing” the world determines is good or bad, but this doesn’t mean they are following God. Men can gain a following and proclaim universal salvation and inclusion, but this isn’t the Gospel.

The Gospel is about trusting in Jesus’ Finished Work, nothing else. The Gospel is about the Grace of God pledged through Jesus, demonstrated by His sacrifice at Calvary. The Gospel is the realization and acknowledgment that, apart from Christ, we are lost and in need of a Savior.

In Summation

Religion is a man-made system that offers no help, no hope, and no happiness. Religion is powerless, Faithless, knowledgeless, loveless, Graceless, and is not the way to find a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Religion is man’s attempt to work toward God. The Gospel is God’s work reaching toward man. Religion takes, Grace gives, and God never takes away. Christianity isn't religion. Christianity is God reaching out to man, with the price paid in full, offering hope, help, healing, and life eternal. 

 Looking back to Matthew 7, Jesus spoke that only those who do the will of the Father will be known of God. What is His will? To simply believe in Jesus the Son, trusting that His work was enough! This is Christianity and the Gospel; it is not lifeless religion. 

Image by Łukasz Tekieli from Pixabay

The Marks of the Religious (minded) Man: Loveless

 

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:13 NKJ 

Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. Colossians 2:8 TLB

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives. Keep away from people like that. 2 Timothy 3:5 WE

 Religious tradition makes God's Word of no effect. It replaces truth with tradition. It is man's attempt to interact with God on its own terms. Jesus never came to start a new religion. He came to reveal a relationship with the Father that is based on His Goodness, Jesus' Finished Work, and our simple trust in this loving God. 

 We have been examining the anatomy of religion. We have seen that religion is powerless. It is powerless to transform lives, to minister in the supernatural, and relegates God and His Word as a relic to admire. 

 Religion is Faithless. It trusts in works and performance. It believes Faith can't change situations or circumstances. Religion is knowledgeless. It is ignorant of the Cross, Jesus' Goodness, and who God is. Religion says God sent the storm to judge a city, then in the next breath says let's take up a collection to help the city. Religion is inconsistent in its thinking.

 The next mark of religion is loveless. Religion is cold, callous, unfeeling, and is not marked by compassion. Look again at John 9. We can clearly see loveless religion in operation. 

 Religion didn't rejoice that the man was made whole. They were indignant that the rules weren't followed. They even rebuked and condemned this man for attributing his healing to God. They finally kicked him out of the Synagogue. 

 The most beautiful aspect of this account in John's Gospel is that when religion kicked this man out, Jesus was right there to greet him. Jesus is always there for us. Jesus is the demonstration of the Love of God. 

 Religion has a form of Godliness, but in operation, it can be quite unloving and uncompassionate. Take divorce, for instance. Religion takes a quote from Jesus and misapplies passages from Paul, forming a rigid traditional rule that adultery is the ONLY acceptable reason for divorce. 

 I have seen religion tell women who are in violent relationships where a man is beating them that this is not grounds for divorce. It is not hyperbole to proclaim that religion has blood on its hands. Telling women God hates divorce, so stay and get beaten up. I tell you, tradition is cold, callous, loveless, dead religion. Preserving their rules is all they focus on.

 Look how the Holy Spirit, through Paul, defines love in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient and kind, not self-seeking. Love is not coveting the possessions, the position, the preeminence of others. Love has been shed abroad in our hearts. We love because we rest in Christ's Love for us. Love is long suffering, love is preferring others, love is not self-promotion, love is compassionate.

 This Love transforms our lives. It transforms our thinking. It transforms our relationships. It transforms how we live. God first loved us; this is His Grace in action.

 Again, religion is about rules and less about relationships. What loveless religion misses is that Paul declared walking in love is holiness.

11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NKJV

 Loveless religion focuses on keeping outward rules. It focuses on the "R-rated" sins. Yet it seemingly ignores the inward flaws that Jesus called out when He walked among us. The religious-minded don't cuss or drink, but they gossip, they backbite, they group up in cliques. Some even harbor bitterness, envy, and unforgiveness.

 These are the things God's Love delivers us from. Love received supplies us to love others. Love received is Love flowing through us to others.

 God's Love is unconditional and unchanging. His Love reaches into the darkest places, shining Redemption's light. His Love compels compassion, kindness, and giving. There is no greater blessing than to be a help to someone in need. It's because of His Grace and mercy that we receive this amazing Love. 

 Religion talks about holiness. Love walks it out. Religion talks about God. Love reveals Him. Religion can’t heal a broken heart, set a captive free, or make the sinner whole. Only Jesus can do that. Love did what religion never could — it went to the Cross.

This is what the world needs to see — not more religion, but Jesus in all His beauty, compassion, and power.

Image by Peter H from Pixabay

Why declaring God's Word works: Faith in focus

Because of what they say a person can fill their stomach. What their words produce can satisfy them. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Those who love to talk will eat the fruit of their words. Proverbs 18:20-21 NIRV 

 Our words matter. What we speak impacts our lives, those around us, and those we interact with throughout our lives. Harsh words can create trauma, turmoil, and troubling thoughts in the hearer. Doubtful, faithless, and unbelieving words can stifle creativity, vision, and suppress trust in the Lord's promises.

 Speaking in agreement with God, on the other hand, brings peace, hope, and feeds Faith. It creates an atmosphere of expectancy for God to do what only He can do. Kind, loving, and soft words stir up joy, peace, happiness, calmness, and hope. 

 Words are containers. They contain life or death, blessing or cursing. Words are seeds we plant in the soil of our heart, and the harvest will be life and abundance or death, cursing and misery. It is up to us to plant the seeds for the harvest we want. 

In this series, we've been exploring why declaring God's Word works. We have seen that confession, or agreeing with God, causes Faith to come. As we hear ourselves speak, Faith comes. Declaring the Word renews our mind to His truth, dismantling the lies of the enemy. It reprograms our hearts with the image of victory, not defeat. The more we speak His Word, the more it shifts our perspective from doubt and defeat to Faith and triumph.

The next reason why declaring the Word works is that speaking the Word continually keeps His Word, His promises before us. It shifts focus to what He said, not on what we see.  It keeps our eyes focused on Faith, rather than doubt, unbelief, and discouragement. 

For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NCV

We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. 2 Corinthians 5:7 ERV

 Our words shape our reality. Our words, then, should align with what Heaven has declared over our lives. Let that reality be in line with what His perfect Work of Redemption provided, purchased, and procured for us. Our words shouldn't align or agree with a fallen, fractured creation and a defeated devil's lies.  

 Speaking His Words keep what He said about us and our circumstances before us. When your mind is flooded with thoughts of shame and condemnation, keep declaring the Word of Righteousness. The more you speak in agreement with who you are in Him, the more those thoughts fade in light of your identity in Him.

 If lack, insufficient funds, poverty is all you see, consider His Word, keep speaking it, the more you do, the more His promise to meet your needs will continually be before you. The more you see His promises, the more you trust Him to take care of you. The more you declare, the more the work of Redemption becomes real to you. On the cross, He became poor so you would be blessed. The more you speak, the more wisdom, favor, opportunities, and blessings come. 

 There is a woman in the Word of God who did just exactly this. The woman with the issue of blood is the perfect illustration of the power of words and receiving the healing miracle of God. In the Gospel of Mark 5, this powerful account is recorded.

 The woman with the issue of blood heard about Jesus. What did she hear? She didn't hear that God gave her this illness to strengthen and perfect her character. She didn't hear that God doesn't heal anymore; that went out with the prophets. She didn't hear that desiring healing is wrong, don't you know, trying to live your best life now is covetous?

 No, she heard about a Good Shepherd. She heard about a Savior who forgave sins and healed all who came to Him. She knew that going out in public was an executable offense. She had an unclean condition. Yet she trusted in this Jesus who was full of Grace.

 She also kept declaring what she wanted. She kept speaking the Word of God, she knew Jehovah is the Lord who heals. She kept that promise before her; she continually said If I touch his clothes, I will be healed! She pressed in touch His clothes with confident expectation and Faith and took her healing. 

 She kept speaking, she kept declaring, which caused Faith to come. The more she spoke, the more her mind was renewed to this truth of healing. The more she spoke, the more she planted the word in her heart, reprogramming the image in her heart. She had been getting worse for twelve years. She painted a new image within, she kept speaking, and she saw herself healed and whole. 

 The more she spoke, the more she kept the promise before her. Her miracle began with her words. She declared the truth until it became more real to her than her condition. And the same principle holds true for us today.

When we declare God’s Word, we are not simply speaking into the air—we are planting Heaven’s reality into the soil of our lives. Every declaration keeps our focus on God’s promises rather than our problems. Hope is strengthened, Faith comes, and the unseen manifests into the seen. Just as the woman with the issue of blood received her miracle, we too can walk in healing, provision, peace, and victory—when we keep God’s Word in our mouths.

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