The Good Of The Father (The Choice) #2059

 

And Yahweh Elohim instructed the human, saying: from every tree of the garden you may eat, yea eat.  But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying 

Genesis 2: 16-17, Concordant Old Testament 

The popular story is that Adam and Eve decided on a whim to reject the instruction of the Lord and to take of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The church will surmise this as the birth of sin in our lives.  They will also surmise that it is this sin which continues to plague our life, separating us from intimacy with the Father.  But rarely is it told that the Lords first creation was presented with the choice, life or death.  Indeed, God created all things, including the two trees which have come to symbolize our attitudes towards the Father.  It is God who created "Every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food" {Genesis 2:8}.  In the midst of the garden of Eden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil {Genesis 2:9}.  It is here that God placed His creation to keep the land He had created {Genesis 2:8}.  Although the trees of this garden are described as pleasant and good for food, only one of them was declared off limits by the Lord.  For God warned man that to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would result in...death {Genesis 2:16-17}.  Now, can we assume that Adam and Eve even knew what "To die" was?  Up until this point. they had never experienced death.  Still, the Fathers warning was clear, eat of the tree and you will surely die.  So. you can't say that Adam and Eve had no advanced warning of what would happen were they to eat from the wrong tree.  The choice was simple, to choose salvation (life) or death.  It would seem that everything would be fine up until the time came for man to choose between the two.  As God had intended, he soon offered them that opportunity.  Through the deceit of the serpent (Satan), Eve had been misled by the words of the deceiver.  The offer was too good to be true, "You shall not surely die" {Genesis 3:4}.  As God intended, Eve saw that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was "Pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise" {Genesis 3:6}.  Therefore, she took of that which God had commanded her not to, and offered it to Adam to partake of it as well.  When offered the choice between salvation or death, man chose death. 

In any normal circumstance, this would have been the end of the story.  God would have erased this episode from His creation and started all over again.  Man, seeking his own way to salvation, had introduced sin into the world.  But God had a plan already in place for this very occasion.  That plan was the work of Christ Jesus on the cross.  For Jesus became the willing sacrifice for the wrong choice man had made in the garden {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  Jesus is the innocent blood that is sacrificed for our sin.  But this isn't the end of the story.  As a dear friend reminded me this week, there are those who continue to look at God through the lens of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That we ourselves can find our own way into salvation.  I've known more than a few believers who have held to this ideology.  Keep in mind, the Father has already offered us the choice to accept HIS salvation of the tree of life.  Jesus has proclaimed "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me" {Johns Account 14:6}.  Jesus IS our life!  The choice we face is to choose Christ (life) or continue to see God through the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that we can find our own way to salvation.  Make no mistake, to the wrong choice does not lead to life and the love of Christ Jesus.  But through His love and mercy, God has dispatched His Son not to judge, but that ALL the world would be saved through Him {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  In Christ Jesus, we have life {Johns Account 14:20}.  

For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may becoming God's righteousness in Him

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5: 21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (All Will Be Saved) # 2058

 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, shall all be vivified 

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15: 22, Concordant New Testament  

I look at one of the key figures of the Lords creation, Adam, and I think that he got a bad rap.  Sure, he followed his wife's lead in the taking of that forbidden fruit, but if he hadn't where would we be now?  Condemned by our sin?  The truth is, by the taking of the fruit which the Lord had declared they should not have, Adam and Eve set in motion that series of events by which all will be saved.  That's right, I said it, ALL will be saved.  Whenever I speak to believers on what has become known as universal salvation, I receive reactions that see me as speaking heresy.  One of the main arguments Christians use in defense of their stand that there is indeed a reward and a punishment upon death is that good will be rewarded and that evil must be punished.  I get it.  The scriptures are full of verses declaring the view of many believers.  We pat ourselves on the back on the assurance that we, as followers of God, have "Punched our ticket" into heaven.  At the same time, we seemingly condemn to hell those who we have judged to be unworthy of the Lords salvation.  Make no mistake about it, WE have judged others to their own eternity in hell.  A gym friend of mine, who is seemingly very well versed in the doctrine of the mainstream church, has no issues with judging others to an eternity in hell based upon their beliefs and/or behaviors.  He bases his judgements on those particular scriptures which condemn the wicked to punishment.  It has been my belief for some time that it is these hardcore Christians who are responsible for many believers being seen as hypocrites.  That we are strict and judgmental.  To this I have one question, has God delegated us to decide who and who will not be saved?  Isn't the issue of salvation one which belongs to the Father alone?  The apostle Paul recognized this when he spoke to the grace of our own salvation.  That salvation is not achieved by what we do, but by the love and grace of the Father through the work of Christ Jesus {Paul to the Ephesians 2:20}.  By this, no one should be boasting {Paul to the Ephesians 2:9}.  Yet, many believers seem to boast in their own salvation status.  These are the same believers who accuse me of speaking lies when I mention the truth that all shall be saved.  

In the film Come Sunday, the reverend Carlton Pearson is removed from his leadership position within his own church because he speaks that there cannot be a hell.  Pearson reasoned, correctly, that a loving God could not punish His children in such a way.  Paul speaks to this concept of universal salvation when he spoke that "All shall be vivified" {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15:22}.  That through the disobedience of one man, Adam, many were seen as sinners.  However, through the obedience of the One, Christ Jesus, the many will be seen as just {Paul to the Romans 5:19}.  Once again, Paul understood that death does not mean the opportunity for eternal punishment.  He also understood that Christ has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  If we have been justified by the obedience of Christ Jesus, we are now considered innocent and just in the eyes of the Father.  And the truth should be made clear to all, that to declare one just or unjust is NOT our domain, but that of the Father whose love and mercy has declared us just.  Of course, this belief is seen as heresy by those within the church.  Jesus Himself has declared that if the Son shall be making you free, "You will be really free" {Johns Account 8:36}.  Through Christ Jesus, we have been made free. 

For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just 

Paul to the Romans 5: 19, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Smell Test) # 2057

 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world 

First Epistle of John 4: 1, Concordant New Testament 

I have a gym friend whom I have taken to placing the word judgmental in front of his name whenever I think of him.  For this friend has made it clear where he stands as far as the scriptures are concerned.  I don't find this surprising, as he is a regular attendee of a local mainstream church.  So, I see him as only speaking what he learns in church.  That God is vengeful and hateful God.  Recently, Franklin Graham doubled down on this thinking by proclaiming that God hates and that he is a God of war.  Have we gotten to the point in our belief that we proclaim that God hates those we disagree with?  Indeed, there are some out there who adhere to such a belief.  I first witnessed this in action at a church I used to attend where a small crowd had gathered outside of the church to protest the churches stance that marriage is between a man and a woman.  Instead of speaking the love of God over all, the pastor proclaimed that God indeed hated the behavior of those who were protesting.  We didn't agree with them, so we spoke to the belief that God hated their actions.  This got me to thinking this week, does God truly hate anyone?  Does He hate anything?  I will base my answer in the words of the apostle John who speaks to the one true nature of God, that is love {First Epistle of John 4:1}.  Love is what God has chosen to be known as.  When we think of love, we think of the Father.  At least I do.  But, unfortunately, there are competing messages out there when it comes to the nature and love of God.  Those within the church will speak to a God who not only loves, but is also vengeful and hateful.  They cherry-pick scriptures to suit their narrative.  Franklin Graham cited a scripture where Saul was called upon to destroy Israels enemies.  Does this make the Father a God of war?  I would disagree with the reverend on that one.  In discussions with my gym friend, I notice his hard liner stance between those who commit bad behaviors and those who have chosen to accept Christ Jesus.  In his opinion, only those who have accepted Christ will be saved {Paul to the Romans 10:9-10}.  But is this the Fathers intention?  Again, we must heed the words of the apostle John and "Test the spirits" {First Epistle of John 4:1}.  Does it pass the smell test?

In my discussions with other believers, whenever I mention the concept of universal salvation I usually get a bit of pushback.  My gym friend will immediately counter with a question if God intends to overlook wrong behaviors and people.  The issue is not if God intends to overlook wrong behaviors, but that if we ourselves have gotten it wrong all along.  Has sin separated us from God as the church is so fond of preaching?  I would answer no to that.  This theology doesn't pass the smell test.  For there is scripture to back up the claim that all shall be saved {Johns Account 3:17, Peter to the Dispersion(2) 3:9, James 2:24}.  Jesus has proclaimed that there is only one way to the Father, and that is through Him {Johns Account 14:6}.  So, why is it that we pre-judge those who we feel will and won't go to hell?  Doesn't that decision belong to Christ?  Once again, we see the competing message offered up by those within the church.  I have taken a lot of flack for my belief that the Father decides everything that He does based upon His love for us {Paul to the Romans 5:8}.  Imagine that, that while I was still a sinner, Christ Jesus died for me.  Well, the thing is that those in the church continue to refer to me, and everyone else for that matter, as sinners.  Again, it doesn't pass the smell test.  The apostle Paul has spoken that Christ Jesus died for sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  So, if Jesus has already given Himself for me, why does the church continue to condemn me?  If you think something doesn't seem right there, you're absolutely right!  One thing that does pass the test is that God loved me enough to create me in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  That He loved me enough to call me His own {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  This I believe. 

For such are false apostles, fraudulent workers, being transfigured into apostles of Christ.  And no marvel, for Satan himself is being transfigured into a messenger of light.  It is no great thing, then, if his servants are also being transfigured as dispensers of righteousness, whose consummation shall be according to their acts

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 11: 13-15, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Not For Me) # 2056

 

Now, unbending, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they?  Does no one condemn you?"  Now she said, "No one, Lord!"  Now Jesus said, "Neither am I condemning you.  Go! From now on by no means any longer be sinning." 

Johns Account 8: 10=11, Concordant New Testament 

It is one of my favorite scenes from the Chosen series.  Mary Magdalene has found her way into what we might call a modern day pub.  Broken and distraught, she asks the proprietor for a drink of what we assume is an alcohol of that time.  Although reluctant to serve her, the keeper offers her the drink she has requested.  Within seconds, we see a mans hand touch her shoulder.  As she looks behind her she stares into the eyes of Jesus!  Far from condemning her for partaking in her drink of choice, Jesus simply tells her "This isn't for you."  This is a profound scene which has taken particular meaning from a time in my own life as well.  See, I once dabbled in things which Jesus would have said were "Not for you."  For more than a few years, I immersed myself in the strip club scene of Portland.  Yes, I knew it was wrong, but the pull of the flesh overrode that part of my own conscience.  It seemed that I had no way out of the life I lived.  But, as He often does, Jesus had other plans for me.  One night, as I was about to enter into another flesh palace, I was reminded that "This isn't who you are."  As He had done with His daughter Mary, the Lord was reminding me that He had so much better for me.  That night, I turned and left even before entering another of idolizing the flesh.  Was it my conscience which finally convinced me that what I was doing was wrong?  Remember, I had ignored my own conscience for so long that I began to accept my behaviors as being normal.  But, in my heart I knew that Jesus had been correct, this wasn't who I was in His eyes.  In the eyes of the Father, I am not a sinner, but His loved child.  It was because of His love for Mary Magdalene that Jesus confronted her in her weakest moment.  It was also because of His love for me that He introduced me to who I truly am in His eyes.  For those who struggle with things they know are wrong, we do well to remember that Jesus does not speak to us to condemn {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  In my years in the mainstream church, I witnessed far too many times how it is that so called Christian pastors use "Intervention" in order to scare believers back to church.  I can only imagine what such an intervention would have looked like that night I heeded the words of Jesus.

A gym friend I know has related to me just how those within the church would deal with a wayward "Sinner saved by grace."  Following the scriptures, he would confront his sinful brother with his misdeeds.  If his brother would not listen, he would then gather a few brothers from within the church and together THEY would confront the sinner.  If their brother continues to go his own way, they are to consider him as a gentile or a tax collector (In other words, reviled){Matthews Account 18:15-17}.  Yet, in the words of the apostle Paul in his evangel, we see a different approach.  Paul speaks to restoring a brother caught in transgression with "A spirit of gentleness" {Paul to the Galatians 6:1}.  Tell me, which approach would you find most effective?  Which approach is it that we see being used by Jesus with Mary and also with myself in my situation?  Remember, Jesus has not come to condemn but to redeem.  In His own words spoken to Mary in that scene from the Chosen, Jesus proclaims that "I have redeemed you...I have called you by name."  In my opinion, many well meaning believers could learn an important lesson from Jesus in this regard.  We should not be looking to "Confront" a brother or sister caught in transgression, but to approach them as Jesus has, with a spirit of gentleness and compassion.  THIS is how Jesus has spoken to us in our own transgressions, why would we treat a brother differently?  Paul has also spoken to the truth that there is no longer any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Romans 8:1}.  If a Christian brother is caught in transgression is he deserving of our condemnation?  Or, as Jesus has demonstrated, is he deserving of a reminder of the truth of who he is in the eyes of the Lord?  

Brethren, if a man should be precipitated, also, in some offense, you, who are spiritual, be attuning such a one, in a spirit of meekness, noting yourself, that you, also, may be tried 

Paul to the Galatians 6: 1, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Greatest Gift) # 2055

 

And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth 

Johns Account 1: 14, Concordant New Testament 

This time of year I'm often asked about gifts.  Gifts I've given as well as gifts I've received.  Indeed, we've been conditioned to believe that the Christmas season is the "Season of giving."  But I'll do you one better, and I will suggest that this is the day of the greatest gift we could have ever received.  More precious than material possessions, this is the day in which God the Father chose to come and dwell among His creation Johns Account 1:14}.  I have written a lot about the false separation theology spoken by those within the church, that it is our sin which has separated us from God.  In reality, we have never been apart from the Father who created us.  For we have been created in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  The truth of the birth of Christ Jesus is that, through Him, God has once again been reconciled unto His children {Paul to the Romans 5:10, Paul to the Colossians 1:20}.  The very name given unto Jesus speaks to the truth of His existence, Immanuel (God with us) {Matthews Account 1:23}.  For through the birth of His Son, the Father has once again come to dwell among His creation.  THIS is the greatest gift.  Many churches around the world will hold services this week seeking to proclaim the truth of the birth of Jesus, for the forgiveness of sin.  I say that this is but part of the purpose of the birth of Jesus.  Long before Sunday sermons spoke to our separation from God via our sin, those within the Jewish faith spoke of a coming Messiah who would one day free His chosen people from sin.  But this was never the sole reason by which God dispatched His Son into the world {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  Not that sins would be forgiven, but that He would dwell among us 

Tell me, what good is it that we should gain riches but lose our souls?  Jesus Himself has presented this very question to us {Marks Account 8:36}.  What material gift is there which can match that which the Father has given us through Him?  Still, many retailers will continue to insist that it is the material gifts that mean the most.  If we follow our own advice, that it is indeed better to give than to receive, then we can see that the birth of Christ Jesus is indeed the greatest gift we could have ever received.  We walk now in the truth that the Father is among us.  Not only that, but Jesus has spoken to the truth that our life is now lived in union with the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  Of course, this runs contrary to the mainstream church separation theology, but is also verified by the spoken record of the scriptures.  I would suggest that the Father has not given unto us the greatest gift of all, but that HE is that gift.  Indeed, He is our life.  As we gather with friends and family this season, we do so in the Father.  

Now when the full time came, God delegates His Son, come of a woman, come under law

Paul to the Galatians 4: 4, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Pride Of Man) # 2054

 

There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except for the One Who calls Himself the I AM {Exodus 3:14} and says, "I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside Me {Isaiah 45:5}. 

No Independent Self ~ Norman Grubb 

I have been watching with some interest lately a few videos from podcaster and former Fox News celebrity Jedediah Bila.  Her shtick is to encourage men in dating and relationships by instilling in them some form of confidence.  Now, she has definitely turned me on to a few certain behaviors which are displayed by women which I have noticed in play in the gym environment which I often frequent.  But I take issue with her attempts to encourage men to somehow be more confident in their lives.  This might be a popular topic these days as so many men have been beaten down supposedly by the introduction into society of feminism and women's rights.  While I do agree that feminism has caused havoc on the traditional gender roles which many of us grew up with, at the same time I question this entire idea of self confidence.  Tell me, what is it that you have confidence in?  Who is it that you have confidence in?  Because, if you tell me that you have confidence in yourself as a man, you're missing the mark entirely.  When i speak to this idea to others, I often get more than a few blank stares.  I get it.  We've been conditioned to see ourselves as the masters of our own life.  Therefore, we're told that we need to realize that we're in charge of what we do.  To have confidence as a man is to display the knowledge that we're in command of our situation.  But could it be that the very reason that so many people struggle with so called self confidence is because that confidence has been misplaced?  Let me explain, who is it that ultimately controls your life?  Do you live day by day living in the belief that you're in charge of your own destiny?  If you do, prepare for some truth to be presented to you.  Is your life your own?  I would answer no to that question.  However, many within the mainstream church would most likely say that God comes in second fiddle when it comes to how we live our lives.  Yet Jesus has proclaimed that we now live our life in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  This confidence which we all too often place in ourselves should, instead, be placed in the true source of our life, Christ Jesus {Johns Account 1:1-3}.  

Do you believe that you came into being through your own efforts?  That you somehow were there when the decision was made between two people which would ultimately lead to your conception?  The truth is, it is the Father Who has formed and created us in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  So, what good is it, therefore, to have confidence is something which you had no hand in creating?  What good it, oh man, to have confidence in something that is not even yours {Paul to the Corinthians 6:19-20}?  Can you now see that this confidence you seek has been misplaced?  That your life has never been your own to live?  The apostle Paul speaks to this truth in a foundational passage of the truth of Christ Jesus in us {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Paul understood that he, as an individual, was dead.  That all that now remains is Christ Jesus in us.  I would venture to say that Paul did not struggle with the same self confidence issues which so many do, because he ultimately knew where his life was.  His life was not his own, but was lived in union with Christ Jesus.  Indeed, this is exactly how our own confidence has been misplaced by so many people who have zero idea where their life really is.  It is why I can confidently say that I rarely struggle with my own self confidence, because I know in my heart that my life is in the Father.  

Or are you not aware that your body is a temple of the holy spirit in you, which you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you are bought with a price.  By all means glorify God in your body

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 6: 19-20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Not Allowed) # 2053

 For everything that is in the world, the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the ostentation of living, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world is passing by, and its desire, yet he who is doing the will of God is remaining for the eon 

First Epistle of John 2: 16-17, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend commented to me the other day, in response to my previous post, that "God is not passive."  I have to admit, he was correct in his statement.  For too many believers have taken to using the phrase that God "Allows" things to happen.  That the Father allows circumstances to come to pass in our lives.  Does this sound like a God Who is working for the fulfilling of His will in us?  I'm thinking not.  Yet for the longest time I followed the mainstream church theology which proclaims that we've been separated from God by our sin.  This, of course, is the false teaching of the church.  So it is that I trust in the truth that the Father has never been passive, but active in whatever He does.  God is not sitting in heaven waiting for something to happen, He is actively involved in whatever we do.  To better understand this truth, we need to also understand that our life is not our own as some would say.  Jesus proclaims this truth in His words that we live in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  We might see ourselves as pretty active, but I would suggest that no one is as active as the Father.  Think of all those prayers that are lifted up to Him each and every day.  Can a passive God remain passive in the face of all that is going on?  But I think that it goes deeper than that.  The prophet Jeremiah has proclaimed the word of the Lord and that "I know the plans that I have for you" {Jeremiah 29:11}.  We're told that it is the desire of the Father to bring about His will.  He has created the earth and all which we will ever experience in it {Genesis 1:1}.  Upon the completion of His creation, we're told that God rested from the work He had done {Genesis 2:1-2}.  it is not a passive God Who has created all which we see, and He continues to be active even as our life is within him {Johns Account 17:21}.  

To fully understand the Father, we must understand that He is actively involved in all which we do.  The apostle Paul speaks to the truth that in Christ Jesus all is created {Paul to the Colossians 1:16}.  I'm not entirely certain why I continued to believe that we live within a passive God even though it has been revealed to me that my life is in Him.  I guess those old mainstream church teachings die hard.  Despite the fact that I knew that the Father was active in His creation, it was a habit for me to refer to His presence in my life as being passive at times.  That was in error.  To know God is to know that He is always bringing about His will not only in His children, but in the world around us as well.  To say that God simply "Allows" things to happen is ignoring the truth that it is through the efforts of the Father by which all has been created {Johns Account 1:1-3}.  Was Jesus passive in His time here on earth?  Absolutely not!  Jesus was not only active in His ministry, but those He chose for His disciples were active in their learning from Him as well.  How much effort was it for Jesus as He "Prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became as if clots of blood descending on the earth" Lukes Account 22:44}.  Jesus was not passive in these moments.  He was active in the fulfilling of His Fathers will here on earth.  God did not "Allow" Jesus to do what He did, but was active in all which His Son accomplished.  Jesus has proclaimed that "The Son can not be doing anything of Himself if it is not what He should be observing the Father doing" {Johns Account 5:19}.  We can assume that Jesus has observed the active works of the Father first hand.  God never allows anything, but is active in all He does. 

For in Him is all created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him

Paul to the Colossians 1: 16, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father(Seeing God Through Our Pain) # 2052

 

In which you are exulting, briefly as present, if it must be, being sorrowed by various trials, that the testing of your faith, much more precious than gold which is perishing, yet, being tested by fire, may be found for applause and glory and honor at the unveiling of Jesus Christ 

Peter to the Dispersion (1) 6-7, Concordant New Testament 

Have you ever felt as if God was distant from you?  I have.  Before my mother passed away I made it my practice to lift her up in prayers that the Lord would relieve her pain and heal her from her suffering.  Then came the night that I was informed that my mother had passed away.  As I made the final arrangements after her passing I became aware of something I had never experienced up until that point.  I was angry with God.  Yes, I was angry with Him because I had been taught that if I were to pray for something that God would honor my prayer {Lukes Account 11:9-10, First Epistle of John 5:15}.  This has been the teaching of the church over thousands of years.  But what happens when our prayers go unanswered?  This was the situation that I found myself in as I mourned the passing of my mother.  It seemed that God had turned His back on me and ignored my prayers for her.  Or had He?  In my mind, that is what happened.  Of course, I was only seeing things from my own perspective of grief.  It took awhile, but I eventually came to realize that my assumption about God had been wrong.  Not long after the passing of my mom it was revealed to me that God had indeed honored my prayers for my mom.  This only happened when I not only came to see my life in the Father, but seeing Him through the perspective of my own pain.  For through the pain of my grief, the Father revealed unto me that He had indeed answered my prayers for my mother, but not in the way I was expecting to see Him work.  For my mother was no longer hurting, and she no longer felt the effects of her illness.  Isn't that what I had been praying for?  How is it that I could be angry with God for relieving my mother of the pain she endured for so long?  Easy, I was not seeing my situation through the lens of God.  I was not seeing God through the lens of His love for us {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  My thoughts had been focused on my mom and the pain which I was enduring.  As I have learned, our life is in Him even through our pain. 

I didn't know it a the time, but the passing of my mother opened the door for me for a greater knowing of my life in the Father.  Was God using this circumstance in order that I would grow in my knowledge of Him?  It's entirely possible.  I can only confess that up until that point my own knowing of God was based on what I had learned while growing up in the Christian church.  That being said, the teachings of the church never brought me closer to knowing who I am in the Father.  I believe that seeing God through our own suffering requires looking beyond our own circumstances to see things from the Fathers perspective.  By this I mean seeing ourselves and the world around us in the way which God looks upon us.  How is it that He sees me?  How is it that He looks upon you?  Does He see you as simply a sinner, or are you far more loved that that?  Indeed, He loved us enough to dispatch His only Son to bear that sin penalty for us {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  He loved us enough to create us in His own likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  THIS is how God sees me.  This is how He looks upon His children.  That He will be "Brushing away every tear from their eyes" {The Unveiling of Christ Jesus 21:4}.  This raises the question among many Christians and non Christians alike, does God use difficult situations in our lives in a wicked and vengeful way?  No!  That goes against His true love nature.  Will He use difficulties to establish His will and desire for our lives?  Absolutely.  I believe that He used the grief I felt at my mothers passing in a positive way that I would come to know my life in Him.  That being said, I also believe that if we look past our own pain that we will ultimately see His desires for us.  

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of pitties and the God of all consolation, Who is consoling us in our every affliction to enable us to be consoling those in every affliction through the consolation with which we ourselves are being consoled by God 

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 1: 3-4, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Looking For Jesus) # 2051

" Going, then, disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you, and Lo!  I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon! Amen!"

Matthews Account 28: 19-20, Concordant New Testament 

Have you ever found yourself looking for Jesus?  I have.  I usually find myself in this predicament when I am facing a time of uncertainty or discomfort.  When everything I know has failed, I turn to the Lord and ask Him, where are you, Lord?  Back in my formative years of being a believer, when everything I knew about God I learned from my time in the church, I often found myself wondering if Jesus was even there as He had promised me in the scripture {Matthews Account 28:20}.  And it's not just me, either, I have had many discussions with other believers who have at times felt that same way.  For their part, the church taught me that I had become separated from God through my own sin.  So, is it any wonder, then, that I would have difficulty in seeing Jesus in my life?  I had been born into the world a sinner, and it seemed that I was destined to always be looking for Jesus no matter where I went.  Had Jesus lied to me?  Had He promised me that He would be with me always only to remain apart from me as the church proclaimed?  If there is one thing that I understood about Jesus is that He keeps His promises.  If Jesus has said that He will be with us always, He will do just that.  Then I began to wonder, maybe the this isn't a Jesus issue, but a me issue.  Was it entirely possible that Jesus had been there all along and I had not realized it?  Not only is this possible, but it is the basis of the evangel rarely preached within the mainstream church.  For some time, I have viewed the church belief that it is my sin which has kept me separated from God as one of the lies the church has told me.  I have also received a lot of resistance for speaking this belief to others who claim to know Jesus.  Yet there is definitely scripture that I can point to which supports my belief.  Jesus Himself has spoken that we live in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20, Johns Account 17:21}.  In our search for Christ Jesus, we should start by looking within ourselves.  

To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory 

Paul to the Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament 

I believe that the major issue which prevents us from seeing Jesus in our life is our own view of Him.  Do we adhere to thousands of years of church teachings which proclaim that it is our sin which has separated us from God?  Or, as I have, do we realize that revelation which the Father has revealed unto our heart?  The revelation that not only has Jesus provided for the forgiveness of ALL sin, but that it is He in Whom we now live {Paul to the Galatians 2:20, Paul to the Romans 6:8}.  Not only that, but the apostle Paul speaks to the truth that Christ Jesus has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Knowing this, what is left which Jesus needs to forgive us for?  That debt has been paid in full by Christ Jesus on the cross.  Another lie which the mainstream church has taught me was that, as a sinner, that I could never be in the presence of the Lord.  The church continues to drive home this point by proclaiming that all have sinned and that all are in need of the forgiveness of God.  Yes, that is true, but the truth is that the Father HAS forgiven us!  It is through His Son that we are no longer slaves to the bondage of sin {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  It is also through Christ that God has once again been reconciled to His own {Paul to the Colossians 1:20}.  The church is correct in speaking that all have sinned, but that is where their truthful belief ends.  For they continue to speak of our search for Jesus, when what they should be speaking is that our life now rests in Him.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (House Of Cards) # 2050

 

"Now woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are locking the kingdom of the heavens in front of men.  For you are not entering, neither are you letting those entering to enter.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  for you are going about the sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever he may be becoming one, you are making him more than double a son of Gehenna than you are.  Woe you, blind guides! who are saying, 'Whoever should be swearing by the temple, it is nothing; yet whoever should be swearing by the gold of the temple is owing.'  Stupid and blind! for which is greater, the gold or the temple that hallows the gold?" 

Matthews Account 23: 13-17, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend sent me an article the other day in which people were describing the "Incident that made them bever step foot in church again."  I found this interesting for the very reason that I can relate to their situation.  The incident which caused me to never step foot in a church again came at the end of an Easter Sunday service, where the pastor invited the congregation to come forward to confess any sin which they felt compelled.  This after speaking a sermon of the resurrection of Jesus, who gave Himself for the forgiveness of sin.  This blatant hypocrisy, preached by someone who seemed to know better, was the final straw for me.  In my heart, I began questioning the message of the church.  So, I'm not surprised at all that others have encountered similar instances which made them question their own involvement in the church.  It is no secret that the traditional mainstream church has seen a mass exodus of people over the years.  Why is that?  If I were a business owner, the traditional church would be seen as the perfect example of a failed business model.  A diminishing customer base combined with falling revenues.  Any business heralding these characteristics surely would not last too long.  And yet the church seems to limp along year after year seemingly on life support.  Yet those in the church continue to be good at the game of advertising the fact that we need them around.  The world is a wicked place, and in the church we can find solace from that.  Or can we?  Over time, I have come to know the inner workings of most churches.  Indeed, many churches follow basic business models in order to survive.  There are payrolls, mortgage payments and board meetings just as in any other business.  Ask yourself, is this what God intended for the ecclesia of Christ?  I would say no.  It is for this reason that I have come to refer to the traditional church as a house of cards.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you 

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament 

When we talk about the need which we have for the church, we must first answer the question of if it is indeed the church which provides us with access to God the Father.  The church has for years heralded itself as being "Gods house," where everyone and anyone could come to connect with the Father.  But what if we already had that access yet didn't know it?  The church preaches that we have been created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  Yet, in the same breath, they proclaim that it is our sin which separates us from Him.  So, we have an institution which preaches that all can enter and have access to God the Father, yet tells them that their own sin separates them from He who created them.  Go figure.  Know this, that the very sin which the church preaches separates us from God is that same sin which Jesus gave Himself to free us from {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  The apostle Paul, in his evangel, speaks to the truth that Jesus gave Himself for the forgiveness of sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Yet the trad church continues to preach to the error that sin continues to be an issue in our lives.  To this I pose the question, what about Jesus?  Do we believe that Jesus gave Himself for the forgiveness of sin or don't we?  I choose to accept the truth proclaimed in scripture.  For those who hold on to the belief that God is only worshipped in the brick and mortar houses of cards, consider the words of Christ Jesus Who speaks to our union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  I will continue to see the trad church as a source of fellowship but not a center of worship.  That ship has sailed.  

God is spirit, and those who are worshipping Him must be worshipping in spirit and truth 

Johns Account 4: 24, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Mirror Image) # 2049

 

Now we all, with uncovered face, mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the spirit

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 3: 18, Concordant New Testament 

I've never been the greatest at having confidence in who I am.  There have been plenty of times where I would identify myself by what others thought of me.  If they saw me as lazy, that was who I thought I was.  If they thought of me as not all that important, that is how I saw myself.  In recent years, I've run across far too many podcasters and internet junkies who have began to speak to the idea that men should have a strong self confidence.  Now, while I agree with this idea, we as men also need to take account of just who it is that we are confident in being.  Who is it that we want those around us to see when they look upon us?  A good example comes from the gym environment which I have immersed myself in over the past few years.  In this testosterone fueled environment, having self confidence usually means that you're bigger and stronger than those around you.  This, of course, is a lie.  For anyone who has studied the scriptures will know that these physical bodies of ours (I know them as a vessel) are but temporary.  This raises the question, what is our real and true identity?  Who is it that we se when we look into that mirror each day?  Do we continue to judge ourselves by whatever positive or negative flaws which we, and others, see in our physical bodies?  Or is there something more in play here?  For the answer to that we need to ask ourselves one question.  That being, how is it that God looks upon us?  We know that we have been created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  So, who is it that God sees when He looks upon us?  For this will go a long way to speaking to our one true identity.  Does God simply look at us and say to Himself, "This flesh I have created?"  I would answer no to that.  Why?  Because not only have we been created in His very image, but He has also breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  Yes, God has breathed Himself into that which He has created.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me 

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

The apostle Paul, in his evangel, gives us a few hints as to our true identity.  It is Paul who speaks to the truth that we all "Mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the same image" {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 3:18}.  Is it possible that when God looks upon me that He sees His own image before Him?  After all, He created me in His very image.  He breathed into me the breath of life, thereby creating the living soul.  Wouldn't we therefore expect that I would mirror the appearance of the Father Who created me?  Now, we're not talking about those physical attributes by which so many people judge those around them.  For we're told that God is spirit {Johns Account 4:24}.  Therefore, we can assume that if we have been created in His likeness, that our one true identity is in spirit form as well.  THIS is what God sees when He looks upon me.  This is the image which I see when I look into that mirror each and every day.  What does this all have to do with the concept of having confidence?  Well, what are we confident in?  Are we confident in the false image of the flesh, or do we recognize that it is the spirit image of God which defines us?  That is who we truly are.  When we look into that mirror, we see that we are mirroring His glory.  Confident in our faith that our life is in Him {Johns Account 14:20}.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Two Faces Of God) # 2048

 

Religion has actually convinced people that there is a invisible man living in the sky watching everything you do, every minute of every day.  And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he doesn't want you to do.  And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time.  But he loves you.  He loves you and he needs money.  He always needs money.  He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing and all-wise, somehow he just can't handle money

~George Carlin~ 

I noticed the comment from a friend of mine the other day asking if we have a fear of God.  Like my friend, it has taken me a good deal of time to overcome my own fear of the Lord.  The fear that if I didn't somehow measure up to His requirements that He would suddenly become a God that I didn't sign up for.  A God Who would, in an instant, forsake His own love for me and condemn me to punishment.  I've spent a good portion of my life attempting to avoid the vengeance of this two-faced God.  Is it any coincidence, then, that I've spent a good portion of my life adhering to the teachings of the mainstream church?  Indeed, it is through the church by which I was taught to fear God.  To fear His judgement.  To fear His wrath.  Indeed, this is one of the cornerstones of the teachings of the church, that we should fear a God Who loved us enough to create us in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  That somehow, despite His love for me, that God would toss me under the bus if I didn't adhere to what the church taught me.  One question I often asked is, what kind of love is this?  It's also a question which I've been asked by many people when I engage in conversations about God.  What loving God would condemn those He loves?  Well, I believe that this fear of God comes down to how it is that we see Him in our life.  Do we adhere to the teachings of the mainstream church, and believe that it is our own sin by which God will condemn us?  Or, do we trust in another view of God.  A view of God seldom spoken of in the church.  That of a loving God Who loved us before time began {Paul to the Ephesians 1:4}.  Can love even exist in the face of fear?  The apostle John speaks to the truth that there is NO fear in the love of God {First Epistle of John 4:18}.  We also know that the one true nature of God...is that of love {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  That's right, God IS LOVE.  We're told that "Fear is not in love, but perfect love is casting out fear."  This is the God that I have come to know.  

Perceive what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called children of God!  And we are!  Therefore the world does not know us, for it did not know Him 

First Epistle of John 3: 1, Concordant New Testament 

I've made no secret of the fact that my own view of the Lord and that taught by the mainstream church are radically different.  For I do not adhere to the view of the church that God will love us one minute but then suddenly condemn us in the next.  Indeed, one of the core beliefs of so called Christianity is that God never changes {To the Hebrews 13:8}.  Knowing this, are we then forced into choosing which side of God to trust and believe in?  Do we continue to live in fear of a vengeful God?  Or, do we trust in the truth of the scriptures that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made in His likeness?  That God has loved us enough to call Us His children.  For if there is no turning with God, then there is absolutely NO room for the church narrative which proclaims that with God comes the threat of condemnation.  The false narrative which is proven a lie by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross {Paul to the Romans 8:1}.  That it is Christ Jesus who has given Himself for us "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  The truth spoken by Jesus Himself that we are not of this world, but that we now live in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  This is the truth of the Lord rarely spoken by those within the church.  The truth which proclaims that in the love of God, there is no room for condemnation. 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Crutches) # 2047

 

Lift My yoke upon you and be learning from Me, for meek am I and humble in heart, and you shall be finding rest in your souls 

Matthews Account 11: 29, Concordant New Testament 

Mention the word crutch to someone and you might be surprised at the answer.  Some will correctly identify if as a much needed piece of medical equipment for those who need it.  Meanwhile, someone else might answer that the crutch symbolizes something totally different.  For both the medical and non medical crutches are somehow designed to assist someone through a difficult period of time.  Now, I've been fortunate to have never had an injury in my lifetime which has required me to use crutches.  However, I've used plenty of crutches in my life.  How is that possible?  It's possible because, like too many others, I've used coping mechanisms in my life in order to get me through those times where I felt I needed them.  Crutches can come in many different appearances, from drugs and liquor to pornography.  In my life, I often chose the latter.  It is my pornography addiction that I often turned to when things got too tough for me.  Like that medical device, I felt that I needed this crutch in order to make it through the day.  I've talked with quite a few people who agreed that their own use of liquor or drugs made them feel like they couldn't make it through life without them.  This is the illusion of things which we prop up to somehow help us through our day.  Some depend of porn.  Others depend upon food.  Either way you look at it, it's nothing more than a crutch and not a permanent solution to our problem.  The good news is that Christ Jesus has offered to us a solution to those times when we feel that we can't go on.  That solution, is Him.  For in Christ Jesus we find the peace and solitude which we need to make it through the tough times of life.  Jesus Himself has invited us to look unto Him in those times when we feel burdened.  In Him, Jesus proclaims, "You shall be finding rest for your souls" {Matthews Account 11:29}.  How liberating is it when we take the stress of our life and give it unto Jesus?  The added benefit when we lift our troubles unto Him is that we avoid the addictive crutches that we might have turned to instead of trusting in Jesus.  

And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with our only, but concerned with the whole world also

First Epistle of John 2: 2, Concordant New Testament 

Through the revelation I have received of my own life in Christ, I have come to see Jesus not only as a help in times of trouble, but as my shelter as well.  For it is Christ Who I am protected by in my union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  I cannot define life now as something I walk in alone, but something I live in Christ Jesus.  It is this realization of my life in Christ which has given me the freedom to ditch the traditional crutches we might find and to place my trust in Jesus.  It is in Christ that I have found peace and rest.  This doesn't mean that I no longer face the troubles of life, only that I now face them through Christ Jesus Who is my life.  I believe that this is what Jesus was speaking to when He invited us to "Lift My yoke upon you."  In Christ, our burdens are His as well.  And one thing is certain, Jesus will not stress over the burdens of life.  What He will do is to intercede on our behalf with the Father {Paul to the Romans 8:34}.  We can be assured that when we trust that our burdens are His and His alone, that our own stress will be reduced as well.  Far from being just another crutch, Jesus is not a temporary solution to our problems.  He is our ever present help in times of need {Psalm 46:1}.  No addiction could ever stake that claim. 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Trad Church) # 2046

 In whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus

Paul to the Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament 

I got a message this week from a friend who was contemplating a story on the increase in the number of younger men accepting the Orthodox religion as their new spiritual home.  The basis of this mass exodus from the traditional halls of Christianity seems to be the trend of the mainstream Christian church leaning more and more towards left wing, anti conservative ideals.  Traditionally, the church has been seen as the bastion of conservative beliefs, but not so much anymore.  In recent years, we have seen the influx of LGBTQ and the "Acceptance" of alternative lifestyles being embraced by the traditional church.  Honestly, I do not blame those who have left the trad church and looked for guidance elsewhere.  Even I, all those years ago, abandoned my spot in the Sunday morning pew in order to pursue a new relationship with the Lord.  Along the way I have faced criticism from those who remain in the church for abandoning God.  Some have even questioned my salvation.  Yet, the apostle John speaks that we must indeed "Test the spirits to see if they are of God" {First Epistle of John 4:1}.  When I left the traditional church, I was intent on putting this verse into practice.  How was the mainstream church theology bringing me closer to the truth found in Christ Jesus?  Was sin still a big factor in my life?  But wait, hasn't Jesus already died to sin {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  How is it that the same traditional church which claims that Jesus indeed gave Himself for the forgiveness of sin still preach that sin continues to be a struggle in our lives?  How is it that the traditional church has somehow lowered its conservative standards to allow into its teachings the acceptance of alternative lifestyles?  Like I said, I understand totally why there are those who seek to abandon the seemingly woke traditional church for something more along the lines of the way that church used to be.  

Because, by the works of law, no flesh at all shall be justified in His sight, for through law is the recognition of sin

Paul to the Romans 3: 20, Concordant New Testament 

In the years since I left the traditional church, I have come to know the Lord in a more personal way in my own life.  I'm not afraid to say that this revelation would ever have been possible had I continued in the teachings of the church.  For the church is fond of preaching that which is contrary to the truth of Christ which we find in the evangel of the apostle Paul.  That sin IS NOT a stumbling block to me, but that which has been put to death by Christ Jesus {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Not only that, but that I now live my life IN HIM {Johns Account 14:20}.  These are truths which I have never heard preached within the traditional church.  For the focus of the modern trad church seems to be fill those pews at any cost.  Even if that means accepting and proclaiming that which it previously spoke to as behaviors which were wrong in the eyes of God.  Now, I might catch my share of pushback from those who might claim that I am judging others, and maybe that was true all those years ago.  But what has the traditional church taught us other than how to judge others?  Judgements of sin, immoral behavior and unbelief.  Perhaps that same church is now placing judgements upon those who have chosen to adapt the Orthodox sect of Christianity while forsaking the traditional church they no longer recognize.  I get it.  All those years ago, I stepped aside from a church that I no longer recognized as well.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (A Chosen Few) # 2045

 

For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15: 22, Concordant New Testament 

I was listening to another radio sermon the other night when the topic turned once again to one of the misconceptions of the mainstream church.  That is, the issue of salvation.  Notably, who is to be saved and who will be left in the dust.  Traditional church theology speaks to the point that those who accept Christ Jesus as their Lord and savior will indeed be saved {Paul to the Romans 10:13}.  But what about the remainder of Gods creation?  Doesn't God care about them enough to save them as well?  The answer that we find in scripture is...yes He does.  However, the theology and teaching of the church speaks to the fact that the "Good" will be rewarded with salvation while the "Wicked" shall be punished with an eternity in hell {Matthews Account 13:49-50}.  Indeed, through the centuries the church has latched onto the idea that Gods salvation is a black and white issue.  You're either good or wicked.  Nowhere in the teachings of the mainstream church is leeway given for the grace and mercy of the Lord.  You are either good or wicked.  But what if God does not see tings this way?  What if it is the desire of the Father that ALL be saved and spend eternity with Him?  Indeed, there are also plenty of scriptures which speak to this truth as well.  The apostle Paul, in his evangel, speaks that as in Adam "All are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified" {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15:22}.  Paul speaks to the truth that, through the work of Christ Jesus, all shall find life.  And what is life but salvation?  Do we believe that Jesus gave Himself for the sins of all the world {First Epistle of John 2:2}?  Or, as the church preaches, that the free gift of Gods salvation is one reserved for a fortunate few?  Which scriptures do we believe and which do we toss aside as unbelievable?  For there are scriptures which speak to each side of this issue.  If we are to believe that all scripture is given to us to reveal the truth of Christ Jesus and the freedom brought about by His death, then we are to believe that it has always been the Lords desire that all of His children shall be saved.  

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and losing one of them, is not leaving the ninety-nine in the wilderness and is going after the lost one, till he may be finding it?" 

Lukes Account 15: 4, Concordant New Testament 

Another deeper question I have posed to more than a few people who trust in the church view of salvation is this, does God indeed love and cherish all of His children?  The scriptures confirm this truth for us {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  Jesus Himself speaks to this truth in His parable of the one lost sheep {Lukes Account 15:4}.  The church gets it right when they speak to the fact that God so loved the world that He would dispatch His only Son for us {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  Yet at the same time that preach the false belief that the Father, despite His own love for us, will turn His back on His those created in His likeness {Genesis 1:27} and send them to that place of eternal punishment apart from his presence.  Is this the love of God?  I would suggest that for anyone adhering to this belief, that they really do not know the Father at all.  For most of my life, I believed that my salvation was related to how well I behaved.  That if I did good, that I would be rewarded with salvation.  However, I was also taught that this salvation is conditional, that I somehow needed to "Maintain" my own salvation.  There continues to be those within the mainstream church who adhere to this false teaching.  I have spoken many times to a gym friend of mine who adamantly holds to the belief that we need to maintain that salvation which has been freely given us.  To this I ask, what about Jesus?  If he is indeed the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, would that not reveal the truth that through Him all are saved?  Not if you're a pastor it doesn't.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (A Church Like No Other) # 2044

 

And He is the head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is sovereign, First from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first

Paul to the Colossians 1: 18, Concordant New Testament 

Ever since I left the church, it seems that I always come across someone who asks me THAT question once again.  "So, what church are you going to?"  They're always a bit dumbfounded when I tell them that I walk into the church of the Lord Jesus.  Well, just where exactly is that?  Can I go too?  In all honesty, the church of the Lord Jesus, that church of which He is the head, will not be found in some ornate fancy building that we've come to expect of churches down through the years.  Where we will find the church of the Lord Jesus, His ecclesia, is anywhere there is a gathering of those who know, love and worship Christ Jesus.  This could be in a Sunday morning small group meeting or, as in my case, in a simple gym environment among those who are seeking the Lord as well.  Through the years, those within the mainstream church have come to structure the way that church is defined.  They will insist that we should not be "Forsaking the assembling of ourselves" {To the Hebrews 10:25}.  They will point to this verse as somewhat of a heavenly command to go to church each and every week without fail.  In reality, when one looks into the context of this passage, we began to see a somewhat different message.  See, when this scripture was written, the nation of Israel was still under the control of the Roman empire.  As a consequence of this, early believers were persecuted for their belief and for following the teachings of Jesus.  The writers of the verses we find in Hebrews encouraged believers to gather amongst themselves in worship despite the consequences they faced if they were caught by the Roman authorities.  To not forsake the assembling of themselves within the ecclesia, the church of the Lord Jesus.  These gatherings typically took place not in synagogues, but in the homes of believers in Christ Jesus.  If these early believers followed the dictates of the religious leaders of their day, they would have gathered in the synagogues as they always had.  Jesus changed all that.  No longer is the brick and mortar church the center of those who know and believe in Jesus. 

God is spirit, and those who are worshipping Him must be worshipping in spirit and truth

Johns Account 4: 24, Concordant New Testament 

One of my favorite scenes from The Chosen series is the day that Jesus traveled to meet the Samaritan woman drawing water from a well.  This woman had been fed the requirements of the religious leaders of her day, who claimed that she could not worship in Jerusalem due to the fact that Samaritans were seen as somehow "Unclean" by the Jews.  Once again, Jesus came to break the traditions and requirements of the Jewish authorities.  This woman, who was seen as unclean was assured by Jesus that she was a part of His ecclesia.  That the traditional worship requirements no longer mattered.  She was now free to worship the Lord in "Spirit and truth" wherever she felt led to do so.  This is the same spirit of worship which we have today.  Nothing has changed, God is still in spirit and He continues to desire that we worship in spirit and truth.  Now, if someone is led to worship in the traditional church environment, then they are free to do just that.  As for myself, I choose to worship the Father in my own way, apart from the rules and traditions of the mainstream church.  No boring sermons.  No tithe and no obnoxious praise and worship music.  Of course, there will always be those within the church who will tell me that I'm missing the point.  That I somehow cannot worship the Father unless I do so within the confines of the brick and mortar church environment.  That sounds a bit too much like compulsion to me.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (One And Done) # 2043

 

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for the one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul to the Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament 

I can still remember one of the last times that I walked into a church for a Sunday service.  It was an Easter Sunday, and the pastor had just finished his sermon on how Jesus had risen from the grave three days after giving Himself on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.  Immediately following the sermon, the pastor invited anyone who needed prayer, including those who felt led to confess sin in their lives, to come forward where the church staff could pray with them.  In my mind, something didn't click with this invitation to prayer.  For I had just been told that it is Jesus who has given Himself for the forgiveness of my sins.  Now, you're telling me that I still have sin to worry about?  At that moment, I knew that I was done with the hypocrisy of the mainstream church.  Granted, this wasn't the first time that I had been told that I needed to worry about those sins Jesus had supposedly forgiven.  Growing up in the church, I had been taught to continually pray over that sin which Jesus had supposedly forgiven me.  I spent most of my life wondering what I had done that would make Jesus overlook my own sin.  Never once did I think that this was not a Jesus or a me issue, but an issue with the teachings of the church.  For if the scriptures tell me that Jesus gave Himself for the forgiveness of sin, but the church says otherwise, I will accept the words of Jesus each and every time.  Therefore, it's my belief that the church has sold us a bill of goods when it comes to sin.  Those within the church know full well that Christ Jesus died for the sin of all mankind, yet they continue to preach otherwise.  Scripture tells us that He is "The Lamb of God which is taking away the sin of the world!" {Johns Account 1:29}.  That Christ Jesus has been dispatched not to judge, but that ALL the world would be saved through Him {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  Somewhere along the way, the church lost that message.  

Religion has actually convinced people that there is a invisible man living in the sky watching everything you do, every minute of every day.  And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he doesn't want you to do.  And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time.  But he loves you.  He loves you and he needs money.  He always needs money.  He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing and all-wise, somehow he just can't handle money. 

~George Carlin~ 

A good friend of mine made the comment to me the other day that Christians love their sin, and I would agree.  Think about it, too many believers spend their days wondering and worrying over something which Jesus has already given Himself to remove from our lives.  The apostle Paul speaks to the truth that Jesus died that we "By no means still be slaving for sin" {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  Not only that, but that He gave Himself for the death of our sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Jesus has not overlooked some sin that we would once again be under its influence.  Jesus has given Himself that ALL sin would die on that cross!  Yet the argument I get from too many believers is that they continue to "Behave wrongly."  They falsely identify this as being sin.  But if we're promised that Jesus has died once already for the forgiveness of sin, can we therefore assume that this means ALL sin past, present and future?  Once again, Jesus said it, I believe it.  Yet whenever I mention this truth to well intentioned believers, they scoff at my seemingly blatant heresy.  But is it heresy?  I have been told that Christ Jesus is the Lamb of God which is taking away the sin of the world, can we trust the scriptures in this?  I know that I do.  One message I will not trust is that of the mainstream church, whose message contradicts the truth we find in the evangel of Paul.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (How I talk About Jesus) # 2042

 

Yet hallow the Lord Christ in your hearts, ever ready with a defense for everyone who is demanding from you an accord concerning the expectation in you, but with meekness and fear

Peter to the Dispersion (1) 3: 15, Concordant New Testament 

I'm not like other so called Christians.  I refuse to tell others about Jesus while quoting numerous scriptures and "Thou shalt not" quotes to others.  The Jesus that I speak unto others might not be the same Jesus which they have heard preached in any mainstream church they have ever been in.  For I do not speak of a Jesus of tradition and law, but of the truth of Him which has been revealed unto me.  First and foremost, the Christ which I proclaim in fact gave Himself on the cross that I would be free from the bondage of sin {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  People are often shocked when I tell them that I no longer spend my days worrying if my sins have been forgiven.  For in my heart I KNOW that it is Christ Jesus who gave Himself for me.  Jesus said it, I believe it {Johns Account 14:6}.  I also speak of the love of the Father, which is exemplified through Christ {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  I have come to believe that the reason that so many people have a difficult time in understanding the message of Jesus that I speak to them is because they have never heard this truth of who He is.  Growing up in the theology of the church, I was taught that Jesus indeed died for my sin on the cross, and three days later He rose again.  However, many times this is where the similarities of the church version of Jesus and His truth which I speak are radically different.  Another area where I often get some pushback is in how it is that I live my life.  I do not live my life in fear of the unknown.  That fear that God might find my behavior not worthy of His holiness as is preached by those in the mainstream church.  No, I live my life (Which wasn't mine to begin with) in union with Christ and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  For those who have been taught that their sin has separated them from the presence of God, this is a difficult pill to swallow.  Yet Jesus Himself has spoken the words of our union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20, Johns Account 17:21}.  Do we discount these words spoken by Jesus simply because they don't agree with the theology taught by the church?  Not in my opinion.  Because of this, I will continue to speak the truth that has been revealed to me. 

"You are the light of the world.  A city located upon a mountain can not be hid.  Neither are they burning a lamp and placing it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it is shining to all those in the house.  Thus let shine your light in front of men, so that they may perceive your ideal acts and should glorify your Father who is in the heavens" 

Matthews Account 5: 14-16, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend of mine has always been on me to include more of my own life experiences when I write these posts.  I get it.  Jesus has proclaimed that we are to be "The light of the world" {Mathews Account 5:14}.  We are the ones whom the world will look upon to see the love nature of God displayed through us.  I have had a good number of people approach me and remind me that "There is something different about you."  It is in these moments that I usually introduce them to the Jesus which the Father has revealed unto me.  Not everyone is accepting of my words, but the seed has been planted.  The Father will speak unto their hearts as they contemplate these words which I have spoken to them.  How do I know this?  Because this is how the truth of the Lord Jesus has been revealed to me.  After being out of the church for some time, I began to have conversations with a dear friend of mine who also had received the revelation of the Lord Jesus.  It has been through our conversations that the truth of the Lord has also been revealed unto me.  The seed which was planted in our first conversations has now been nurtured by the Father into my knowing of the truth of Christ Jesus within me.  As I've mentioned, this is a Jesus which I never heard spoken of in the church.  And this is the Jesus that I proclaim.  

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Thankful Heart) # 2041

 I am thanking my God always concerning you over the grace of God which is being given you in Christ Jesus 

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 1: 4, Concordant New Testament 

What are you thankful for?  That is the question which will be asked many times over on this Thanksgiving day.  Over dinner and in conversations with friends, we will ask what we're most thankful for.  Many times, we will answer that we're thankful for the material possessions or good circumstances in our lives.  It might just be me talking, but I don't consider this to be a thankful heart.  What I consider to be a thankful heart is what the apostle Paul demonstrated in his words spoken in his letter to the Corinthians.  That he was thankful for the grace of God which was given unto them through Christ Jesus {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 1:4].  Paul may not have had too many earthly possessions, but if he did, he didn't consider them to be worthy of being that thankful.  What his heart was thankful for was the grace given to us through Christ Jesus.  For Paul had experienced the love and the grace of the Father first hand in his own life.  Paul had every reason to have a thankful heart.  On this day, I think back to the history of that fist harvest of Thanksgiving, where the fist settlers came together among the inhabitants of this land in thankfulness for what the Lord had given unto them.  Indeed, I'm sure their own hearts were thankful for what the Lord had delivered them from on their journey.  It is for this very reason which they celebrated with the first feast of Thanksgiving.  These days, it is common practice to gather around the traditional Thanksgiving turkey meal to connect with friends and family.  But are we truly thankful?  If we are, what is it that we're thankful for?  I don't think many would dispute that Jesus demonstrated a thankful heart to those among Him.  When He fed the crowds with loaves and fish, He gave thanks to the Father for His provision.  Throughout His ministry, Jesus refused to accept the glory which many would have, but instead gave thanks to the Father.  In this He demonstrated His thankful heart for all to see.  

Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ

Paul to the Ephesians 5:20, Concordant New Testament 

If there is one change which i have noticed as a result of my new found knowledge of the truth I have in my life in Christ is that there is absolutely nothing in my life which God has not been a part of.  Jesus speaks to our union life in the book of John {Johns Account 14:20}.  Indeed, what is it that I will ever acquire that God has not been an intimate part of?  What circumstance will I ever encounter that I have not walked through in His presence?  This is my life in the Father.  If I am thankful for something I have, it is through the Lord that it was given to me.  Likewise, if there is a difficult situation I am facing, I can be assured that I endure it through Him.  So, in this conversation of the thankful heart, I contend that we should always be thankful to the Lord for our life in Him.  This is the truth of our own identity.  Not as individuals apart from God, but as His loved children living through Him.  This is the truth of who we are.  He has created us in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  Despite our shortcomings, He has dispatched His innocent Son in our place on the cross for our forgiveness {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  We can be assured that everything which the Father will ever do is done with His thoughts of His beloved children in mind.  If Jesus has demonstrated His own thankful heart, we can be assured that He first came to know it in the Father. 

~Scott~