What God Has Been Teaching Me Lately LI (51)…
Greetings My Friends~
As a simple pilgrim following Jesus through the rainforests and deserts of this earthly life, I would like to humbly share some of what God has been bubbling up in my mind/heart lately.
I pray that these thoughts are cushions in your shoes, balm to your burns, umbrellas for the rain, and shade to the scorching heat as you too follow the Lord Jesus each day.
(please click on the Bible books/chapters/verses below to read the actual Scripture passages)
(March 16th–31st, 2016)
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Sin
A. We cant forgive others
as long as we think that what they’ve done to us
is worse than what we’ve done to Christ.
We must see our sin Biblically.
Matthew 18:21-35; Colossians 3:13
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B. Sin isnt neutral like Switzerland—it attacks like Nazism.
Though it usually starts “small” it grows to destroy us (James 1:14-15).
Sin looks not to partner with us but to enslave us—Genesis 4:7.
We must learn to hate sin—Romans 12:9; Psalm 36:2
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C. If loving others is important (which of course it is!),
we must ask God to show us the depths of our terrible sinfulness.
Those who think they are forgiven little (who think their sins aren’t that bad),
those will love little—Luke 7:36-50
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D. Idolatry—but really all sin!—is hating God (Exodus 20:4-5; James 4:4).
Disagree?
Jeremiah17:9 says our hearts our desperately wicked/beyond understanding—
God alone knows the sinfulness of our hearts (Luke 16:15)
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E. Shocked that people followed & obeyed Hitler?
We, God’s people, will be even more shocked
when we give an account to the LORD
of the sin we foolishly followed & obeyed on earth.
1 Peter 4:1-5; Hebrews 4:12-14
Hell
The Truth of hell can repel us from unbelief;
the awesome Truth of grace can attract us to faith in Jesus Christ.
Both are important.
Trust God’s Word not your feelings/perspective!
Trying to earn Jesus’ forgiveness—
or waiting to believe in Him until we improve our behavior—
is like organic donuts: they seem healthy, but still are not!
Forget myself
Holy Spirit, set me free from thoughts of me. Set me free from thoughts of me…
Luke 9:23-24; Philippians 2:3-4
The Lord Jesus
A. At the Last Supper, Jesus’ disciples called Him “Lord”;
Judas the betrayer called Him “Rabbi”—Matthew 26:20-25.
What do you call Jesus? Teacher, or King?
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B. Jesus offers the solution to our hopelessness;
There are no bootstraps big enough & none strong enough
for us to pull ourselves out.
Only He can save us.
That’s His offer via Easter.
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C. Good Friday is the true Valentine’s Day—
God gave love’s definition:
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us”-1 John 3:16
The Whole Counsel of God
A. God’s neapolitan ice cream in Romans 5:8—
God’s amazing love,
our awful sin,
Jesus’ awesome death.
All three are connected,
All three are important,
All three flavors must be eaten (i.e. understood/agreed with).
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B. Just as Pilate answered those who didn’t like what he wrote,
Jesus also says to those who try to change the parts of the Bible they don’t like.
“What I have written, I have written.”