Archive for the ‘ Jesus ’ Category
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:1, ESV
It is not enough to call yourself Christian. If you are not seeking Christ and His Kingdom (and sharing the truth of the Gospel) you are in danger of showing you are not a Christian.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
James 1:22-24, ESV
Merely listening to biblical teachings
(and talking about being a Christian) and never obeying or acting out the teachings is like having amnesia or being an actor.
Don’t play a part. Obey and love.
And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting.
Numbers 18:31, ESV
Ministers receive their portion of the offering as a gift from the Lord.
Likewise, we take the Gospel with us, that we partake in Christ’s inheritance by His sacrifice, and we share it with all who will receive it.
And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress.
Numbers 18:27, ESV
Ministers receive the tenth from the people and then also tithe, but God sees the minister’s tithe as it’s own separate offering.
This, too, is a shadow of Christ’s substitionary sacrifice, that He offered Himself in our place but it is seen as our own peace offering before God.
His sacrifice, our reward.
And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.
Numbers 18:20, ESV
Aaron and his descendants (and the Levites) were the shadow of the Church: we have no earthly inheritance, for we are co-heirs with Christ. Christ is our inheritance. Yet, He gets all of Creation.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Luke 9:23-24, ESV
If we strive for our best life now, it means it only gets worse after we die (i.e. Hell).
Jesus calls us to be servants, yes, possibly even doormats if that is what it takes to show the love, grace, and mercy of God to this world.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
1 John 5:14, ESV
Some teach that God says we can ask for literally anything, even declare and decree we have it. Yet God’s Word is clear: anything according to God’s will.
Seek first His Kingdom …
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
Luke 16:10, ESV
The Faithful One can empower us to be faithful stewards and servants. On our own, we are more likely to be dishonest and unfaithful.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12, ESV
Scripture – the words given by the Holy Spirit – and Jesus. Both are the Word of God, capable of cutting through our lies, deceptions, imaginings, and masks to reveal our sinful desires yet also offer hope for forgiveness and eternal life.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12, ESV
Jesus is the only answer for how to get to God. No other path, work, or deity can do it.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
a simple man of God 