Taste, See, Trust, Blessed

 

Over in my much ignored recipe blog, I have a page on garlic that doesn't mention honey, so this graphic caught my eye, I do like garlic and believe it is helpful (beyond keeping vampires away - you may now laugh loudly!) I do like honey, too. I have a multitude of recipes in my Pepperplate for "over night oats," and on the ones needed a touch of sweetness, honey is my choice. The KJV of our Holy Bible shows 52 verses in the Old Testament with the word honey in them. Only four in the new. Perhaps the Old remembers a promise:

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 3:8 KJV)

That promise was kept.

And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. (Numbers 13:26-27 KJV)

Forty years later their descendants were able to enter that land. A generation lost that opportunity due to a lack of trust, even when they saw the promise fulfilled. Descendants of those who entered, fought, and stayed on the land continued to be grateful. Even today, honey is part of Jewish remembrance. It was the verse from May's Ladies Luncheon at our church that brought this to my mind:

How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalms 119:103 KJV)

The four points in our speaker's thoughts were: Taste, See, Trust, Blessed. Our speaker did a wonderful job of presenting her thoughts - and I took notes, but the same four words had a slightly different "taste" in my mind, so these thoughts are mine:

Taste is an invitation. Or a command. It is personal for each one of us, for we cannot do a taste test for another. We must taste for ourselves when it comes to food - and we must taste for ourselves the sweetness of God's word. We need to share it with an open mind that the person we are talking with does not have the same sweet experience with God. We need to share our own, not telling them what they must find. From a Haartez article:

"A custom in both Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions was to spread honey over a board or a paper with the Hebrew alphabet (alef-bet) written on it, and let the young scholar lick the letters, demonstrating the sweetness of learning. ... This custom is still practiced today in some Orthodox communities in Israel. This connection between sweetness and the Torah is also marked in the holidays of Simchat Torah and Shavuot."

See is obvious. We must see for ourselves, and first impressions are of utmost importance. When introducing God's word, we don't know what another person will see. There are so many examples, but one came immediately to mind. Christians believe without seeing - which actually provides a blessing. I have not seen the scars in Jesus side, nor those in His hands, as Thomas did, but I believe they exist, and how they were received. I believe Thomas saw them, too, but I am blessed without being in His presence (yet):

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29 KJV)

Trust - the first use of "trust" in the New Testament comes from the Old:

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matthew 12:21 KJV)

In verses 12:15-21, Matthew said it was a fulfillment of prophecy in Isaiah:

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1-4 KJV)

When we taste what God has offered us, see what has been done in the deeds He has provided for us, and trusted He will take care of us as well, we most certainly are blessed.  Take a look at Matthew 5:3-11 and read what blessings are available to everyone who does trust in Jesus. 

I see these blessings as a progression as my Christian life grows. First, I was poor in spirit, so much to learn beyond believing as John 3:16-18 describes. When we reach the point we are no longer defensive when people do revile our belief in Christ, when words no longer anger us when we are accused of being in a cult, of believing a book of myths, or when we can answer with words provided by faith, we can rejoice! Everyone who will speak with us offers an opportunity to share our faith. God has described what to do when we are rejected:

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matthew 10:14 KJV)

How Do We Say, "You're Wrong"?

 

Like most Christians, I've found a number of people who are eager to state "You are in a cult," or "You are accepting a myth as reality," or even "Your god is a psychopath." Yep, I've actually seen that one in print. Most of the time, we get kinder people who are willing to listen to a moment, then deflect religion with off hand comments while changing the topic.

There are reasons for Christian evangelism, specific verses, specific activity, and there really isn't a verbal expression of love required.

The really easy part of being a Christian is saying "I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and came to save people." People can gain church membership simply by making a public profession that they do have faith based on:

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32 KJV)

Luke 12:8 says almost the same quote:

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: (Luke 12:8 KJV)

James gives us a good clue that there will be changes in our lives when we actually believe Jesus ministry, and the call to evangelize:

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:25-27 KJV)

There is a difference in hearing and doing. For Jesus' ministry here, there was a lot He said. His disciples did follow Him, and were able to get into the "doing" part. Just before His death on the cross, He left somethings to be done:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

The four gospels give us Jesus' life. Except for Revelation, the remainder of the letters pretty much tell us how they did it, and how we should do it. If we don't read, learn, and do, we're no better off than Satan and his demons:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:17-20 KJV)

Careful, showing faith by works does not replace works:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

There is no weighing the amount of faith nor the number of works - we are saved by God's grace through faith in His ability to do just that. That is the faith we are to confess before men. Then quietly go about doing what God has given you to do - spread the gospel.

That's where we often have to give people information that they have not had while creating their worldview. Then we come along and have to get across the idea "You're wrong." Especially when we hear:

"There is no god, this is all myths from thousands of years ago." Actually, a lot of what we believe happened in the Bible has been found to be true. While we take a lot with faith, archeology has done an excellent job of confirming. Would you like to go over some of the verses, and the discoveries that confirm them?

"Jesus' disciples took him from the cross before he died. I read where he married a woman named Mary." I expect you read about findings from a tomb that dates from the first century with Jesus' family names. That really doesn't prove anything except the names became popular - we believe that could indicate a Christian family. May we look at what the Bible says about His resurrection?

God knew we would not be believed, but He provided what we needed when we follow His outline:

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. (1 Peter 3:15-17 KJV)

How better do we show others our faith by sharing with them our desire that they be included in God's promise:

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 KJV)

Which is why I write this, just as John wrote his book:

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13 KJV)

(P.S.: If you use a digital Bible, and have the time, search for New Testament verses with the words "that ye may know." Or, look up: Matthew 9:6, Mark 2:10, Luke 5:24, John 10:38, 19:4, 1 Corinthians 9:24, Ephesians 1:18, 6:21, Colossians 4:6. They make good reading, too.  Read before and after the verses so you will see them in context. God bless the reading of His word.

Remember "Love Thy Neighbor" Commandment?

 I've been faced with that several times lately. A good part of it on social media, another part simply socially. This is a recurring situation because we all interface so much with people. Surely you've run across some that you find socialising with is simply ... well, not simple. Yet I've said again and again, the Bible is clear on doctrinal issues, and is well defined on this one. I addressed it several years ago in a blog. You'll see it when you get to the last line - but don't jump there. This has some good verses:

It was a fairly short list of sins, and all of them came from the Bible. It was similar to, but not exactly like, Paul’s listing works of the flesh:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)

Don’t find your favorite listed? If not, just remember “and such like.” This was a short list. Did you come up with some names that matched easily with one or more items on that list? Why?

No, I mean “Why are you looking at other people’s sins?”

It wasn’t for other people the Psalmist wrote:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalms 51:10-12 KJV)

Jesus taught that our own cleansing came first, too:

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (Luke 6:42 KJV)

My concern is not with another’s viewpoint, but whether my own actions reflect my beliefs. My concern is not how another stands before God, but how I stand and answer – for certain, one day I will:

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Matthew 12:35-37 KJV)

I cannot be condemned before Christ by the words of another, but my own shortcomings will be evident, and it’s those shortcomings that should concern me – not another’s.

How should I look upon that other person? With the same love God holds for His creation:

We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:19-21 KJV)

I am not responsible for another’s sins – but I am responsible for loving that person with the same love God does. In another book, John tells us how Jesus described that love:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

If we allow that love for ourselves, we must allow that love from ourselves, and allow it to continue.

First Step

 

This graphic came from Pixabay.com. I don't know the artist, but I certainly know the subject. In fact, it's so well known that the graphic is identified as "stones-symbol-christianity." Anyone who claims the name Christian must be able to explain the meaning behind the art on the two stones, not the stones themselves.

Christianity is based on unverifiable facts: Jesus, identified Himself as the Son of God, and equal to God, was crucified by Romans at the behest of Jewish religious leaders, and died on a cross between two other criminals. That's the story behind the top rock. 

If the story had ended there, we wouldn't have heard any more about Him. There were many others through centuries before and after who said similar words, died, and never heard about except in scholarly writings or a few who continued to believe.

In Jesus' case, His followers abandoned Him prior to the crucifixion, except for John. John stayed with Mary, Jesus' mother, at the foot of the cross and accepted Jesus' request that John look after Mary as he would his own mother. John accepted the responsibility.

Peter, upon whose faith Jesus had committed to building His church, had denied Him three times in the courtyard while Jesus was being tried and sentenced to crucifixion. None of the others are mentioned during the trials or the crucifixion. Jesus had been abandoned.

Why then are there so many of His followers twenty centuries later?

That's the story behind the second rock. Jesus died the day before a Holy Day. Joseph of Arimathaea requested Pilate give him Jesus' body for burial, and Pilate did so - while giving in to the Jewish religious leadership to post guards to be certain the body was not stolen to match prophesy. It was late in the evening when Joseph took the body, placed it in a rock tomb, with a stone in front of the door. Two Marys saw that happen, and came back after the sabbath was over, early on the first day of the week. 

The tomb was empty, except for the cloth of fine linen Joseph brought to wrap Jesus' body in.

That's a pretty good story, and might have worked for a while, but how many people can believe that a man was crucified and was resurrected? Take an educated man, groomed for leadership, mentored by a leading scholar - could he believe?

Not unless he saw the crucified Jesus himself, as had over forty other people within a short period after the resurrection.

Paul and Thomas are the two that give me the best witnesses to Jesus' resurrection. Two men who did not believe. One who had walked with Jesus for three years, the other who fought to end the belief, even unto death. Both saw Jesus as the risen, gloried, Christ. The long awaited Messiah. The man who walked and preached and had the authority to say what scripture was fulfilled, and what was written inexactly from God's inspiration. The authority to shorten the Ten Commandments, delete observations of the Sabbath, and declare He was the promise of God.

Yes. I believe God, as the singular creator, exists (Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3); that He fulfilled scripture is so many ways that we did not expect (Genesis 22:8); that He inspired scripture to the point that from the Tanakh people would understand Paul's teaching the Resurrection (Acts 17:11); that God inspired scripture (II Timothy 3:16); that it was written so that we might believe (John 20:31.)

There it is - without scripture until the penultimate paragraph. The last paragraph of a business letter is supposed to layout the next step in the process. From here I would hope you have a little Berean in you and you would want to check out what I said, whether the things I've written were correct. That is the first step toward following Christ - check out what has been said about Him by those who knew Him, those who rejected Him, and those who serve Him now. All of that is handed to you, easily available for the reading. Take the first step - then the next is deciding to continue on the strait and narrow road He offers. Do you have it in you do so so?

Just, Righteous, Grace

 

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Back in June, 2008, I was writing on this very blog about "Righteousness." Fortunately, I've learned a number of things since then and have a better understanding. Oh, I didn't find anything I would really change - those verses are just as they were fifteen years ago, 500 years ago, or 2000 years ago, or more!

Funny to me is when God brings three or more different people/events/material/"things" together that focuses us on one train of thought for more than one person. You see, Sunday morning our Sunday School class was supposed to be learning more about Romans' chapter 8, but our regular teacher was out and our substitute went for 1 John 5. That was followed by our worship service where pastor began with Titus 2:11+, and delved into II Peter 3:8+. At the same time, a question was posted on that "Righteousness" blog page. I was thinking about Sunday's messages, but that one Comment turned into this blog page.

A verse I used back in 2008: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10 KJV) is just as true today as it was when Paul wrote his epistle, and David wrote in Psalms 14. We are all sinners at some time or other, even after we accept Jesus as our savior. The difference for a Christian is that we are saved through God's grace:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

See that welcome sign on the graphic above? We do not become sin free when we accept God's gift. We still have a nature compatible with the world we live in, and may I assure you - this is a sinful world, but it is not sin filled. There were just and righteous men long before God removed the consequences of our sin as it relates to our eternal life:

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:22-23 KJV)

There are no Bible verses that promise us freedom from the consequences of our sin. If we've hurt people, they will still be hurt after we are saved. If we hurt people after we've been saved, they will hurt. There are consequences to our actions for sin whether before or after salvation.

When we come to God with belief and faith, we come just as we are. As the hymn "Just As I Am" lists, there are several descriptions for us to select that apply to each of us. So - how then do we know a Christian? Look at II Peter 1:3 and the following verses that pretty much show the path of Christian growth:  FAITH, VIRTUE, KNOWLEDGE, TEMPERANCE, PATIENCE, GODLINESS, BROTHERLY KINDNESS,  and my favorite word from I Corinthians 13: CHARITY.

Righteousness isn't there. Righteousness comes with our faith in God. For good lessons in faith, read Hebrews chapter 11. Look up each one of the people listed and find out what faith in God did to change their lives. One not listed there is Lot. His uncle Abraham is listed, but Lot lost his family, his wife, his home, even the town he lived in, because he was considered a "just" man who had cast his tents toward Sodom. Here's what Peter wrote about that:

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) (2 Peter 2:6-8 KJV)

Please note two specific words that describe Lot in those verses:  "just" and "righteous." By God's grace, Lot was considered just and righteous, even though sinful people: vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds

Our faith in God should mean that we work to learn how to avoid temptation. We learn from the Bible what sin is. We avoid it because it has consequences. God provides us ways to avoid it:

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:9 KJV)

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13 KJV)