Rewind

 So that, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: the primitive has passed by. Lo! There has come new! 

2 Corinthians 5: 17, Concordant New Testament 

I was talking with a friend the other day about the importance of "talking" through old circumstances in our lives in order to move forward in life.  While I understood the difficulties he was working through, I was never much for sharing my life with too many people.  Yet there are those who live their lives in a constant state of rewind, going over bad situations in their lives like a broken record.  I'm under the assumption that, if something has caused so much pain and suffering, what does it profit us to continue to relive it?  However, in my younger years I did exactly the same thing that I see others doing.  It's no secret that there were a few times in my life where I've felt broken.  I never had a real relationship with my father.  I suffered through a pornography addiction.  Granted, I'm not the only one to have ever gone through difficult times, but there was a time when I felt that reliving certain things was a sane way to deal with situations.  I now know that this isn't true.  There is a reason that the apostle proclaimed in 2 Corinthians that we are indeed new creations.  How else could we look upon ourselves once Jesus has restored us?  I feel that Jesus meant to take that video of the bad memories that we have been carrying with us and erased it forever.  No longer are we enslaved to that which has caused us so much pain.  Instead, as Paul tells us, when we are in Christ Jesus we have much better things to look forward to.  Jesus has already done the hard part for us.  He Himself has become sin that its punishment would not be ours to bare {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  As I told my friend, the sin issue is one we no longer need to carry with us.  For Jesus has defeated sin as well {Romans 6:6}.  How is it that we can still carry something with us which Jesus has already dealt with at the cross?  

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 to sin, for 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 yourself to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament 

I cannot read through Paul's words in Romans 6 and come away thinking that I continue to have sin issues.  It is Jesus who gave Himself to spare me that life.  What I can say is that when I look upon myself, I see He who is in me...Jesus.  If I am a new creation in Christ, then the pain of the old has passed away.  If He is indeed in me, then sin has no longer has a place to call home.  That life in rewind is over.  So, why is it that people continue to seek out those who will listen to them rewind the pain and suffering they have endured?  Well, I believe that one of two things has played out here.  First, knowing the truth of Christ Jesus, they have somehow forgotten what He has accomplished.  Secondly, never knowing Him, they simply choose to ignore the invitation which God has presented to all of His children.  Either way, the truth of what Christ has accomplished remains.  We can choose to accept it or not.  It's important that we remember that our new life in Christ will not come without difficulties.  Jesus has proclaimed that in the world we will have affliction, yet He has overcome that world {John 16:33}.  I guess that's why I'm not that into sharing my bad experiences in order to deal with them.  Jesus has already taken care of that for me.  

These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have affliction.  But courage!  I have conquered the world! 

~Scott~  

A Matter Of Faith

 

Now apart from faith it is impossible to be well pleasing, for he who is coming to God must believe that He is, and is becoming a rewarder of those who are seeking Him out.  

Hebrews 11: 6, Concordant New Testament

I listened to a local radio preacher speak to the subject of faith the other day.  Needless to say, I came away a bit confused as to what he was asking from me.  For his main point was not the quality of our belief, but the overall quantity.  That is, the more we come to the Lord in His name with our concerns, the more God is apt to listen.  Was this what the apostle Paul was referring to in Ephesians 2:8-9?  Is our salvation simply due to our perseverance in approaching God?  The more we pray the better our own chances?  Thankfully, God chose another way.  Gods intent was that our salvation would be a free offering by Him unto His children.  It is, therefore, our opportunity to accept or reject His offer.  No amount of continual prayer will ever change this process.  It is this knowing of the truth that also is a significant part of our own faith.  We believe in God because we know that He is who He claims to be.  We trust in believe in Christ Jesus because we believe that He is who He claims to be.  We believe that Christ was born of Mary.  That He was crucified upon the cross, and that He rose three days after that.  This we believe.  We do not believe in Jesus simply because we are reminded of His life and promises.  We believe because we choose to accept Him.  One could say that this exemplifies the quality of our faith.  That it is part of our core beliefs.  Honestly, growing up I cannot recall ever not believing in the Lord.  It was something which was shown to me from an early age.  Of course, at that young age I had yet to reach that moment where, if I could, I would question my beliefs in the Lord.  Thankfully, that moment never came for me.  The quality of my faith has remained throughout the years.  

Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed. 

Hebrews 11: 1, Concordant New Testament 

Let me pose this question, would you ever believe in one who you never knew?  Let's just say for conversations sake that you are someone seeking answers in life.  What is it that would draw you to trust in God?  What is it that would draw you to even approach Him?  Obviously, if you were to do so without knowing Him you would have to have at least an expectation of what they were getting into right?  We do.  Even those who have never known the Lord have an expectation of how it is He works.  Why is that?  Paul describes this as our conviction of things which we know {Hebrews 11:1}.  There are situations in life where we just simply know how it is they are going to play out.  Believe it or not, this is part of our faith.  I believe in God because I KNOW that He is.  Would you toss a rock over a cliff and expect that it wouldn't fall?  Would you stand under a broken tree branch without the conviction that it could break off and fall at some point?  We know the answers to these questions simply because we know and trust the physics of gravity upon our world.  We know and understand that when we enter church on a Sunday morning, that when we sit in the pew (not the ones up front, those are reserved for the pastoral profession), we can trust that we will not fall to the floor.  There are simply things in life where we have an expectation, a conviction if you will, of how they work.  So it is with God.  We know and understand that He is who He claims to be.  He is the I AM.  We know and understand that He will do what He promises to do.  This is the demonstration of our faith in Him.  

For all that is begotten of God is conquering the world.  And this is the conquest that conquers the world: our faith.

1 John 5: 4, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

A Hard Act To Follow

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

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

I haven't followed up on a Wayne Jacobsen post lately, but his post from this past week made me think once again.  Ultimately, this comes down to a theological issue.  How is it that we see Jesus?  How do we know Him?  Wayne spoke of the importance of following Jesus.  I speak with the confidence of knowing Him.  In Waynes defense, I did not listen to his entire podcast, but enough to see where he was headed.  When I speak of the theological issue, I am speaking of the gospel which we, as believers, follow concerning Jesus.  You might question this and say that there is but one gospel, that of Christ Jesus the Son of the living God.  You would be correct, partially.  The good news of Jesus which we find in the first three books of the New Testament could be shown to be the original gospel of Christ Jesus.  That's how things would remain, until the apostle Paul came and declared what some refer to as the second gospel of Christ Jesus.  What's the difference between the two?  Well, the original gospel of Jesus can be seen as a "social gospel" explaining the good news of Jesus to the poor and the broken hearted of His day.  Throughout the opening gospel, we see Jesus paving the way for what is to come.  Jesus' sermon on the Mount of Olives has been used by many since as a guide to Christian living.  While the fist gospel focused a good deal on what was to come and of the kingdom of God, it did not fully introduce the believer to Jesus Himself.  The first gospel was never ABOUT Jesus.  Therefore, if you are following Christ based on the gospel of the first books of the New Testament, do you know the man you are following?  It turns out I thought I did, until I began reading the writings of Paul and the second gospel of Jesus.  

Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, if you are retaining what I said in bringing the evangel to you, outside and except you believe feignedly.  For I give over to you among the first what also I accepted, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day according to the scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15: 1-4, Concordant New Testament 

What is it that Jesus proclaimed to those men He called?  Follow Me!  Recently, a good friend who has remained nameless once again introduced me to what Jesus was inviting the original disciples to do.  Jesus was inviting these chosen few to learn from Him.  To follow in step with Him.  To watch Him.  The very definition of a disciple shows us that it is a individual who is a follower of a teacher or leader.  Jesus was certainly that.  I find it hard to see how the disciples could learned from Jesus were they not in lockstep with Him twenty four hours a day.  These men traveled, ate, talked and listened together the entire time of Jesus' ministry.  Why?  So that you and I would have a record of the times they shared with Him.  If not for the disciples of Jesus, even the first gospel may not have been shared with the world.  I refer to the apostle Paul as the greatest speaker of Christ Jesus of all time.  For good reason, for through Paul we are introduced to the gospel OF Jesus.  Paul introduces us to the Jesus on a more personal level.  It is through the writings of Paul that the revelation of Christ in me began to take hold.  It is through the writings of Paul that we are assured of the victory of Christ over sin {Romans 6:11}.  It is important to not view these two gospels as being in competition with each other for the heart of the believer.  In reality, they are the heart of every believer. 

~Scott~ 

When God Comes Knocking

 

Now Saul, still breathing out threatening and murder against the disciples of the Lord, approaching the chief priest, requests from him letters for Damascus for the synagogues, so that, if he should be finding any who are of the way, both men and women, he may be leading them bound to Jerusalem.  Now in his going he came to be nearing Damascus.  Suddenly a light of heaven flashes above Him.  And falling on the earth, he hears a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"  Yet he said, "Who art Thou Lord?"  Yet He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting."  

Acts 9: 1-5, Concordant New Testament 

I recall once reading an article of a traveling salesman who came to know the Lord through the pages of the bibles which were left in the hotel rooms he would often frequent.  At first he ignored the books, but as time went on and his lonely, troubled life began to take its toll, he began to peruse the pages of the good book.  He was looking for answers.  His job often kept him away from home for extended periods.  He kept relationships with more than a few women out of town.  He barely knew his two children, and now his wife was thinking of divorcing him.  In his mind, his life no longer had meaning.  However, as he began to read the bible, he began to feel something in his heart, something he could not explain.  Eventually, the man begins spending fewer hours on the road and more with his family.  The divorce which months before seemed almost certain now a distant memory.  What had happened?  To answer that question we might do well to ask the apostle Paul the very same question.  For Paul also had felt the same  stirring in his spirit which the salesman had experienced.  Paul's response?  "Who are you, Lord?"  This is what happens when God comes knocking.  I would be the first one to proclaim that nobody is beyond the Lords reach.  I have seen many people who I thought would never accept the Lord Jesus eventually come to know Him, myself included.  I was nothing special, just another believer wandering through life somehow adhering to the regulations of the mainstream church.  I was told what and what not to do.  I was told what and what not to believe.  All in the name of earning my trip to heaven.  Yet, through all of this I had never come to know Jesus.  I knew OF Jesus, but I had yet to have my face to face Damascus road experience with Him.  As in the case of the salesman, that would come in time.  

Yet he said to them, "Not yours is it to know times or eras which the Father placed in His own jurisdiction." 

Acts 1: 7, Concordant New Testament 

The question of why God chooses to save one during one season while He waits to save another is one that's above my pay grade.  Why did God wait so long to reveal Himself to me?  Why did He wait to reveal Himself to the salesman until he was on the verge of losing his family?  The best response I can give is that these are the Lords decisions and not mine.  God chooses which doors to knock on and which ones to wait upon.  Keep in mind through all of this that it is indeed the Lords desire that all would come to know Him {John 3:17}.  For our part, it is in our ability to either accept Christ Jesus or not.  We have been created by the Father with the ability to choose.  One thing I will point out is that we may not choose Jesus, but Jesus chose us {Galatians 2:20}.  There has indeed been many arguments presented over time as to why the Father does what He does.  Yet these reasons may never be for us to comprehend.  That He has chooses to reveal Himself in us should be our goal.  To know Jesus should be our ultimate destination.  Our own revelation of Christ within us might not come when we would prefer it, but rest assured that God will reveal Himself when we most need it.  

For Christ, while we are still infirm, still in accord with the era, for the sake of the irreverent, died. 

Romans 5: 6, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Raising The Dead (The Open Door)

 Wherefore God gives them over, in the lusts of their hearts, to the uncleanliness of dishonoring their bodies among themselves, those who alter the truth of God into the lie, and are venerated, and offer divine service to the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed for the eons!  Amen!  

Romans 1: 24-25, Concordant New Testament 

The other day I caught a documentary on local tv about the current state of the drug use epidemic here in Portland.  I couldn't help but chuckle to myself, for I had seen this coming.  In July of 2020, Oregon voters passed measure 110 with 55.8% of the vote statewide.  What measure 110 did was simply decriminalize the possession and personal use of all drugs.  Fast forward to the current day, where no matter where you go in this once good city you will surely find another addict in the midst of destroying their life with the blessing of the Oregon voters.  You get what you pay for, and this epidemic is what the majority of voters in Oregon have given us.  This issue happens to be personal for me in that my employment brings me into the teeth of the drug addicted population each and every day.  When people use the word zombies to describe those addicted to now legalized drugs, they're not too far off in their description.  I've witnessed those addicted to one drug or another almost get hit by buses and be brought back to life by medical personnel.  I've shared the breaking heart of a young lady who longed to see her family, if not for the condition she found herself in.  My question is this, what were the majority of Oregonians thinking when they passed this monstrosity?  I get that Oregon has always been a progressively liberal state, but we're killing our own.  The politicians wring their hands as they attempt to solve the crisis which Oregon dealt upon itself.  Law enforcement, their hands now tied, have become simply the front line pall bearers as the bodies continue to pile up throughout the city.  Their long standing motto, "To protect and to serve," can now be narrowed down simply "To observe."  It's difficult to fathom, but this is what we've brought upon ourselves.  

O man!  who are you, to be sure, who are answering again to God?  That which is molded will not protest to the molder, "why do you make me thus?"

Romans 9: 20, Concordant New Testament 

The other day a friend asked me, "Where is God in all of this?"  I'll tell you exactly where God is...the same place He's always been.  God hasn't changed at all, it's we who have changed.  Can we testify that the indwelling Christ lives in us and then lay the blame at His feet when things go haywire in our lives?  No!  I believe that Jesus lives in me, and in those affected by this epidemic, but I DO NOT blame Him for the unwelcome turns in my life.  Now, does God use these circumstances in order to grow me?  Absolutely.  Does He use situations in my life in order to reveal what He wants me to see?  Definitely.  I did not vote in favor of measure 110, because I saw the writing on the wall.  I knew the disaster it would bring upon our state.  God did not punish those who voted for measure 110 by instituting this epidemic.  On the contrary, He gave those with the desire for the use of narcotics over to their own behaviors.  God has never been in the business forcing His children into compliance {John 1:13}.  God does not demand that we choose Him.  He does, however, give us the free will with which to do so.  My mother used to tell me that God does not desire robots who blindly follow Him.  For what freedom is there in forced compliance?  To know and realize in our hearts that He is God is His desire for us.  He is love, and love is what He has to give us {1 John 4:8}.  

That they all may be one, according as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, that the world should be believing that Thou dost commission Me. 

John 17: 21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Out Of The Darkness

 

And this is the message we have heard from Him and are informing you, that God is light, and darkness in Him there is none.  If we should be saying that we are having fellowship with Him and should be walking in darkness, we are lying and are not doing the truth.  Yet if we should be walking in the light as He is in the light, we are having fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, is cleansing us from every sin. 

1 John 1: 5-7, Concordant New Testament 

I had an acquaintance mention this week that she has noticed that she feels a lot of low energy and depressed moods during our cold and rainy Oregon winters.  It seems only logical to me.  I mean, the sun brings light, warmth and energy.  Who dreams of sitting on the beach in the rain?  So, it is totally understandable that people would feel the negative effects of rain and brooding clouds.  We rarely associate darkness with anything good.  Think about it, most of the horror movies you see are dominated by scenes at night.  Comedian Bill Cosby used to say that after dark was when the monsters came out.  Even now, as an adult, I get uneasy in the night.  When we look at the news, the majority of the crime occurs at night.  See where I'm going here?  There may still be a good portion of the population who, for one reason or another, is afraid of the darkness.  Look at Satan, what is he often referred to as?  The prince of darkness!  So, we can associate the darkness with monsters, crime AND Satan himself.  Well, since the darkness cannot be avoided too well, what are we to do?  What are we to do when the dark clouds come and cover our life?  Simple, turn on the light.  I'm not talking about a light switch here, but the one true light of the world.  We're told that God is light {1 John 5:5}.  We're also told that Jesus is the light of the world {John 1:4-5, John 8:12}.  It is common knowledge that light drives out darkness, and that in light there can be no darkness at all.  As believers, this is our answer to the darkness of the world around us.  In Christ, darkness will never flourish.  

In the beginning was the word, and the word was towards God, and God was the word.  This was in the beginning toward God.  All came into being through it, and apart from it not even one thing came into being which has come into being.  In it was life, and the light was the life of men.  And the light is appearing in the darkness, and the darkness grasped it not. 

John 1: 1-5, Concordant New Testament 

There are many passages in scripture which speak to us about those who walk in the light {John 8:12, John 12:35}.  Therefore, if we are walking in Christ Jesus, we are indeed walking in the light.  If we are walking in the light, the darkness of the world cannot flourish in us.  Now, let me make something clear here before I'm skewered once again by a few detractors.  We can walk in the light, and fully realize that we are walking in the light, and still have dark clouds around us.  The difference being that we KNOW that we have the light of the world within us.  There will still be rainy seasons.  The darkness will continue to come before the dawn, but as believers we carry with us the light of the world.  What is depressing about the light of Jesus within us?  Nothing!  On the contrary, the light of Christ should be uplifting to us.  Knowing in our hearts that we now walk in the indwelling Jesus {Galatians 2:20}.  As believers, we are walking in the light.  And we know that there is no darkness in the Father {1 John 1:5}.  

Again, then, Jesus speaks to them, saying, "I am the light of the world.  He who is following Me should under no circumstances be walking in darkness, but will be having the light of life."

John 8: 12, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

God On Display

 I in them and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in one, and that the world may know that Thou dost commission Me and dost love them according as Thou dost love Me.

John 17: 23, Concordant New Testament 

Recently the millions of people around the world were shown the reverence of the living God put on full display for all to see.  On January 2nd, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was injured during a game with the Cincinati Bengals and had to be treated for cardiac arrest before he could be secured for transport to a local hospital.  As millions of viewers watched live, team and medical staff worked to restore Hamlin's heart and breathing.  Then something amazing happened, both head coaches met at midfield and agreed that continuing the game was not an option.  In one moment their thoughts of winning and competition had turned to the well being of a young man laying motionless on the field.  This was no longer about winning and the upcoming playoffs.  This was about Damar Hamlin.  Players from both teams gathered together, knelt and prayed.  Fans in the stands bowed their heads in prayer.  On this January 2nd evening, God was on full display in Buffalo.  In the hours that followed the cancelation of the game, there were more examples that the hearts of many people were praying for Damar Hamlin.  ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky prayed openly for the injured player on live television.  Keep in mind, this is something I have rarely seen during weekly sports shows.  Usually I'm treated to the antics of a few overpaid children playing a mans game.  Now, instead of seeing players kneel for racial justice, I saw players kneeling in prayer for one of their own.  In recent years, the bar has not been set too very high as far as quality of sports programming goes.  A good friend of mine gave up watching the NFL due to the antics of a few.  I get it.  But one play that night in Buffalo seemed to change that.  Forgotten temporarily were the NFL playoff races, replaced with updates on Damar Hamlin's condition.  Through it all, prayers for his recovery took center stage.  

"God, we come to you in these moments that we don't understand, that are hard, because we believe that you're God, and coming to you and praying to you has impact.  We're sad, we're angry and we want answers, but some things are unanswerable.  We just want to pray, truly come to you and pray for strength for Damar, for healing for Damar, for comfort for Damar, to be with his family, to give them peace.  If we didn't believe that prayer didn't work, we wouldn't ask this of you, God.  I believe in prayer, we believe in prayer.  We lift up Damar Hamlin's name in your name, Amen." 

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky praying for Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin

There was a time when Christian athletes in the National Football League were seen as a minority.  Where thanking the Lord for a players success seemed almost taboo.  In recent years, however, I've seen a radical shift in how professional sports personalities are suddenly using their public platform to bring glory to the Father.  Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow took to taping scripture verses to his face to express his faith.  He was, of course, criticized for his actions by a media not yet ready to accept the faith of the pro athlete.  However, I have noticed more and more players giving glory and praise to the Lord in their comments to the media.  Former president George Bush (2) was often seen bowing his head in prayer in certain moments.  Even the vilified Donald Trump has professed his faith and beliefs publicly.  I am of the opinion that if someone has a platform where they are the front and center of attention, then they also have a unique opportunity to share their faith and beliefs.  Now for something which many may not be ready to accept.  Does God work through the tragedy of others?  Consider Damar Hamlin, who in one single moment almost lost his life on a football field in Buffalo.  I suggest that it was the Fathers intent to use His child Damar in this particular moment in time that He would be known to His children.  Whatever the case, Damar Hamlin has used his platform in recent days to give glory to the Father for his health and recovery.  Perhaps the NFL is worth watching again.  

~Scott~