Dr. David's expert comments

God's Love

This is a testimony I heard today in church by Ravi Zacharias

“ Ravi Zacharias was ministering in Vietnam in 1971 and a young man named Hien Pham worked as an interpreter for the American Forces and he and Ravi became friends, traveling and ministering throughout the country. Brother Zacharias went back to America and lost touch with his friend until 17 years later when he received a phone call, instantly recognizing Hien’s voice. This was the story he told.

After the fall of Vietnam, Hien was arrested and imprisoned for helping the Americans. Daily the jailers were torturing the prisoners and wearing them down with their communist propaganda. Hein began to question if they were right and what if there was no God. He endured unbelievable torture and one night decided he would denounce God the next morning and maybe he would be set free from prison. The next day, he was given the worst, most despicable, dreaded job in the camp – to clean the latrine buckets of the officers. As he cleaned out the tin cans overflowing with toilet paper, he spotted a piece of paper with English writing. He recognized it as a page from the Bible. The officers had been using the Bible for toilet paper. He washed the page and hid it until everyone was asleep. Trembling, he read:

Romans 8:28, 38-39: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"

He immediately repented and asked God to forgive him for this was the day he was to denounce God. Hien asked the commander if he could have latrine duty every day. Every day he collected scripture pages to add to his growing makeshift Bible.

Eventually, Hien was miraculously released from prison. He quickly made plans to leave the country and began building a boat for himself and 53 others. A few days before he planned to escape, four Vietcong knocked on his door and said, “We’ve heard you are building a boat to escape. Is it true?” Hien denied the plan to escape and the Vietcong left, believing him. God began to deal with his heart about lying to the men. He tried to justify it by saying if he told the men the truth, they would surely kill him. But through the night God troubled his heart so Hien made God a promise, if the men returned, he would tell the truth, of course hoping that they wouldn’t return. A few hours before setting sail, the men returned and asked him again if he was planning to escape, and this time, Hien told them the truth. The four men whispered, we want to come with you.

They set out to sea and a violent storm arose, tossing their little boat. Hien called out in fear: “Why, God, did you bring me this far to let me die?!” The four Vietcong said, “Don’t worry, did you not know we are excellent sailors and can handle the boat?! All 58 on board made it safely to Thailand”

The important point: Hien was ready to denounce God, after waking up. But God’s love is such that HE does not want to us let us go, even for a day. AMAZING!!!!

Love of Jesus: What held Him to the cross? NAILS??? or ....

"If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." —Matthew 27:40.

"And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, "And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. "Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. "The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth." —Matthew 27:39-44.

The Bible definitely tells us what held Jesus to the cross. It was not simply nails, though He was nailed to the cross. The Son of God, with power to raise the dead, heal the sick, make the blind to see, still the storm-tossed sea, surely had power to step down from a cross, even though He was nailed to it.

It was not human weakness which bound Him to the cross, for He said regarding His life, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down; I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." John 10 :18.

It was not because He was friendless that He stayed on the cross. In the garden of Gethsemane, when Peter drew his sword and began to battle in defense of the Master, Jesus said, "Thinkest thou not that I cannot now say to my Father, and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" The twelve legions of angels were still available when Jesus was on the cross.

What then is the answer to the question, What held Jesus to the cross? Here is the answer.

I. HIS LOVE FOR US HELD HIM TO THE CROSS.

Jesus said nothing and did nothing when the scoffers passed by reviling Him and wagging their heads. They called to mind a statement that He had made regarding His death and resurrection. He had said that if they destroyed the temple, He would raise it up in three days, He was speaking of Himself, but they thought He spoke of the temple in Jerusalem; therefore, they said, "Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross."

The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders also came by and said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him."

Surely these taunting statements were enough to try the soul, even of the Son of God. He did not come down from the cross, for His love for a lost mankind held Him to the cross.

Many verses declare this great truth unto us. Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Paul tells us in Galatians 2:20 that the Son of God loved us, and gave Himself for us. John tells us in I John 3:16, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

There are three things I would like to say about the love of Christ.

First, His love was unusual. It is an ordinary, everyday thing for us to love those who love us, but Jesus loved those who hated Him. "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Jesus loved His enemies, and even on the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The love of Christ was unusual, and this is the love that He beseeches us to have for our fellowman.

The story is told of Peter Miller, a plain Baptist preacher of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, in the days of the Revolutionary War. Near his church lived a man who abused the pastor to the last limit. The man became involved in treason, and was arrested and sentenced to be hanged. The old preacher started out on foot, and walked the whole seventy miles to Philadelphia, that he might plead for the man’s life. Washington heard his plea, but he said, "No, your plea for your friend cannot be granted."

"My friend !" said the preacher, "He is the worst enemy I have !" "What !" said Washington. "You have walked nearly seventy miles to save the life of an enemy. That puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon."

That is what makes the love of Christ unusual. He loved His enemies, and this love bound Him to the cross.

Secondly, His love was unending. "Now, before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end."

Sometimes even the love of a mother for her child fails. Occasionally even a father may turn against his own son, but the love of Jesus never fails. It continued to the cross—beyond the cross, and abounds unto us today. His love bound Him to the cruel tree.

Thirdly, His love was unselfish. Man had nothing to give to Jesus that He did not have already. All things belong to Him. The silver and the gold, the cattle upon a thousand hills, and yet, the Saviour died in our behalf.

It always seems like a foolish thing to beg people to receive Jesus, when the giving must be all on His side. All we can do is surrender ourselves. There is nothing in a material way that we can give to God that He does not already have. All things are His by act of creation, and yet, the Son of God condescended to die for us, and His unselfish love bound Him to the cross of Calvary. It is a rare and beautiful thing to see people give and love when nothing can be given to them in return.

The Sunday School Times tells the story of a group of dirty, ragged, poor children who were waiting in a mission one afternoon for their teacher and leader to arrive. They were children from the poorest homes. Most of them were hungry. All of them were familiar with hardships. As they sat waiting, a boy appeared leading by the hand two children, a little more forlorn looking than the others. The leader of the group jumped up and said, "Hey, fellows, these kids ain’t got nobody to take care of them. They sleeps in a box, and ain’t had nothing to eat today. Can’t we do something for ‘em?"

The crowd stared at the newcomers, and then one boy suggested, "Let’s take up a collection," and they did. Grimy hands plunged into the recesses of tattered garments for pennies, and the collection was taken. The result? - seven cents. A large committee was appointed to go to the nearest bakery, and invest the funds. Some small cakes were bought, and these were put into the hands of the two poor, hungry children. The rest of the dirty, ragged boys and girls gathered around to watch the two little ones eat their cakes. They were giving unselfishly.

When Jesus died upon the cross, bound by the divine love for poor, lost sinful mankind, His love was unselfish.

II. HIS SUBMISSION TO GOD’S WILL HELD HIM TO THE CROSS.

The bitter, angry mob, especially the religious leaders told Him to come down from the cross if He were the Son of God. One of the malefactors railed on Him, saying, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us."

In the common parlance of today, they were saying, "If you are not a liar and a hypocrite, come down from the cross. If you are such a big person, if you are what you claim to be, then show us by coming down from the cross." Rut Jesus could not come down, for His submission to God’s will bound Him to the rugged cross.

Let me pause here to make this plea. May our lives be so submissive to the will of God that we will be unable to do anything but say, "Thy will be done." May our submission to His holy will bind us to separated living, to soul-winning, to consecrated service, to liberal giving, to earnest praying. May our submission to the Father’s will bind us to do His divine purpose and plan for our lives.

Jesus said, "Lo, I come to do thy will." It was the will of God that He should die for sinful mankind. It was the will of God that He should enter into the holy of holies, and there make one sacrifice for sin forever. It was the Father’s will that He should pour out His blood upon Calvary’s hill. Jesus was submissive to the will of God.

III. OUR SINS HELD HIM TO THE CROSS.

The trail of sin from the Garden of Eden to the present time is a bloody and tragic one.

Sin separates men from God, just as it drove the first pair from the garden.

Sin brings shame. Adam and Eve sought to hide from God. Sinners are still ashamed, and try to hide their sins - therefore, men love darkness rather than light.

Sin brings sorrow. See it for yourself. The life of sin will end in sorrow. The home of sin will end in sorrow.

Sin brings suffering. All of the world’s suffering came about because of sin. Mental anguish, physical suffering, all come from sin.

But the crowning act of sin’s dastardly career came in the death of Christ. But let us not stand back and say, "Shame on you, sin, for crucifying the Saviour." For let us remember it was our sins which nailed Him and held Him to the cross."

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed".

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53 :5,6

[1] He bore our sins to satisfy the law of God. God’s law says, "The soul that sinneth it shall die." "The wages of sin is death." Because of our sins, we deserve the penalty of death and Hell, but Christ came and died in our place. He satisfied the law of God. God accepted His death as payment for our sins.

"Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed."

[2] He took our sins that He might bear them away from us. John announced the ministry of Jesus by saying, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Just as the priest in Leviticus could lay his hands upon the head of a live goat and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, and send him away into the wilderness, so did Jesus bear our sins that He might bear them away from us.

The picture is also given in the Passover scene of the Lamb slain, and the blood put upon the door posts. Jesus is our sacrificial Lamb. His blood covers our sins, and releases us from the penalty of hell. John writes, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sin, and in him is no sin." I John 3 :5.

[3] He bore our sins in His own body on the tree that He might bring us unto God. The redemptive work of Jesus is to take out of this world a people for His name. The whole world will not be saved, but some will be saved, and with them God is going to abide forever.

Yes, your sins and mine bound Him to the cross. Christ was fully conscious that only His death could satisfy the law of God, bear away our sins, and bring us unto the Heavenly Father. Therefore, though men scoffed at Him and accused Him of lying and hypocrisy, He stayed on the cross, bound by our sins, to the tree.

There is but one way open to the fair minded person who realizes that his sins nailed Jesus to the cross, and that is to receive Jesus as Saviour. He died that you might live. You cannot live without Him.

A big, brawny cultured athlete was once asked why the word "mother" was so sacred to him. In reply, he told how, when he was born, the doctor told his father that either the mother or the child must die. The doctor said, "Decide quickly, so that I can go to work." The young athlete said, "My mother overheard what the doctor said, and putting her arms around my father, said to him, ‘I will die. Let my baby live.’ My mother passed away. She gave her life for me, but her supreme sacrifice has enabled my whole being, and has endeared all mothers to me. Only Christ, my Saviour, could have done more.

Come to Jesus today and live. Let Him plunge all your sins in the fountain filled with blood. Let Him write your name upon the Lamb’s book of life. Let Him keep you in the hollow of His hand. Receive Him as Saviour, and know the blessedness of salvation.

‘I’ll go to Jesus, though my sin, like mountains round me close, I know His courts, I’ll enter in, whatever may oppose;

Prostrate I’ll lie before His throne, and there my guilt confess, I’ll tell Him I’m a wretch undone, without His sovereign grace.

I can but perish if I go — I am resolved to try, For if I stay away, I know I must forever die."

Humility and Death to Self: Very thought provoking

In human form He obediently humbled Himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on the cross(Philippians 2:8).

Humility will take you down a path leading to death. Death to self is humility’s destination. When Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death, He blazed a new trail for us to walk in. There was only one way for Jesus to prove His utter surrender to His Father. There was only one way for Him to rise beyond His humanness and return to His Father—the cross. The cross is our only way, too.

Humility must lead us to die to self. We have no other way to become real. It is the only way we can die to our fallen nature and be alive to God. Only through our own cross can we have Christ formed in us. Humility will be the air He breathes inside us. Humility will be His joy.

Jesus gave His disciples Resurrection Life. The glorified and enthroned Lamb actually came down from heaven to live inside them through His Spirit. Jesus won the power to accomplish these things by His death. The Life He gives is a life born out of death. Jesus’ Life was surrendered to death and won back from death. The One who came to live inside of them was the One who could say: “I am the Living One who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave” (Revelation 1:18). His Life and Person and Presence bear the marks of being born out of death.

In His disciples, that Life bears the death-marks, too. When the Spirit of the Crucified One lives and works in the heart, the power of His Life can be known. The most important mark of Jesus’ death is humility. Only humility leads to the cross, and only the cross can perfect humility. Humility and death to self are two ways of describing the same thing. Humility is the bud; in death to self, the fruit is ripened to perfection.

Humility will cause you to die to self. Humility means giving up self and coming to a place of complete nothingness before God. Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death. On the cross He gave the most convincing proof possible that He had abandoned His will to the God’s will. In dying, He let go of Himself, with all of His natural reluctance to “drink the cup.” He gave up the life He had taken on when He became a man. He died to self and to all temptations to sin. For the first time, a Man entered into the perfect Life of God. If it had not been for His infinite humility, considering Himself merely a servant to do God’s will and to suffer for it, He would never have embraced the cross.

How can you and I die to ourselves? What does that phrase even mean, practically? Look to Jesus for the answer. Death to self is not your work; it is God’s work. In Christ you are dead to sin. The Life inside you, if you belong to Him, has gone through death and resurrection. You can be certain you are in truth dead to sin. But if you want the power of this “union with Christ in His death” to explode in your character and conduct, you must allow the Holy Spirit to work it into you. You need Him to teach you. If you really want to enter into full fellowship with Jesus in His death and experience total deliverance from self, thenhumble yourself. Voluntary humility is your one responsibility.

Fall on your face before God in your utter helplessness. Face the facts squarely: you are unable to put your old life to death, and you are unable to make yourself live again. Sink down into your own nothingness. Take the attitude of meek, patient, and trusting surrender to God. Embrace what humbles you. Look on every frustration as a tool to humble you. Take full advantage of every opportunity to humble yourself before others so you can stay humble before God. God can reveal Christ in you only through the mighty strengthening of His Spirit. Christ will be truly formed in you in His form as a servant. He will fill your heart. God will honor each deliberate choice you make to humble yourself, accepting it as a sacrifice, and using it to clear the way for His Son to reveal Himself in you. The path of humility leads to the death of self-life and the full and perfect experience of the wonderful truth that you are dead in Christ.

This death to self will, in turn, lead to complete humility. Some have wanted to be humble, but were afraid to be too humble. Don’t make that mistake! Don’t place stipulations and limitations on your humility. Don’t add fine print to the covenant you make with God! Don’t try to figure it all out—abandon your heart first, then you’ll know how to live it out. Humble yourself to the point of death. It is in death to self that humility reaches completion. Know for certain that at the root of all genuine experience of growth in grace and consecration and transformation, there must be a death to self—something real, that demonstrates itself to God and men in our character and habits.

It is sadly possible for us to talk on and on about the crucified life and the Spirit-walk, when those who love us best would still have to admit that they see much self-life in us. Physical life is pronounced dead when the heart stops beating and the brain waves stop functioning. Self-life is pronounced dead when there is a humility present that doesn’t cling to reputation, that empties itself and takes the form of a servant. It is possible to speak much and speak sincerely of fellowship with a despised and rejected Jesus, and of bearing His cross, while the meek, lowly, kind, and gentle humility of the Lamb of God is not seen—or even truly sought. The title “Lamb of God” means humility and death. Let us receive the Lamb in both forms. You can’t separate them in Jesus; they should be joined in us, too.

If dying to self depended on us, how hopeless we would be! Flesh can’t overcome flesh, even with grace’s help. Self can never cast out self, even in someone who is born again. Praise God! The work has been finished forever. The death of Jesus, who offered Himself once for all, is our death to self. And the ascension of Jesus, who once and for all sat down at the right hand of God, has made it possible for Him to pour His Spirit into our hearts.

“His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive His own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, He has given us all of His rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in His divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

As the disciple follows in the steps of Jesus in the pursuit and practice of humility, his or her hunger for something more is awakened. A desire and hope spring to life. Faith begins to grow stronger. It learns to look up and claim and receive true fullness in the Spirit of Jesus. That fullness has the power to put sin and self to death daily. For true disciples, humility is the fragrance and nature of their lives together.

“Have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with Him?...So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus...Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given a new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:3,11,13). The whole thought process of a disciple is to be saturated by the Spirit that led Jesus to the cross. Disciples present themselves to God as those who have died in Christ and in Him risen from the dead, bearing in their hearts the nail prints of His cross. Both death to self and resurrection power are visible in their genuine, practical, moment-by-moment humility before God and men.

Believer, claim in faith the death and the life of Jesus as yours. Enter into His rest. Jesus committed His Spirit into the Father’s hands. So must you, as you humble yourself and descend each day into total, helpless dependence on God. He will raise you up and honor you. Each morning, sink into the tomb of Jesus by making a concrete choice before Him that your life will not be your own this day. As you live the rest of the day, keep reaffirming that choice, and the Life of Jesus will be seen in you. Let a willing, loving, peaceful, and happy humility be the evidence that you have indeed claimed your birthright—baptism into the death of Christ. “By that one offering He has perfected forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14). The hearts that enter into His humility will find in Him the power to consider self as dead and—as those who have received and learned of Him—to live in yieldedness and servanthood, supporting one another in love. Death to self is seen in a humility like Jesus had.

God Justifies the wicked? An eye opener

Introduction

Are you a good person?

I really hope you aren't. Yes, you heard correctly: I really hope that you are not a good person. I hope that there are nogood people here this morning. Because if you are a good person you will never be right with God.

To justify this statement that you may find surprising, I want to focus on two verses from the passage in Romans chapter 4: verse four and verse five.

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.ref

These verses contrast two ways of getting right with God, or gaining righteousness. We can either try hard to be good — which verse four describes as "works" — or our approach to getting right with God can be on the basis of trust — that's verse five: the man who does not work but trusts Godref.

Paul's message here, and throughout Romans and all his writing, is, stop trying to make yourself right with God andstart trusting God to make you right.

Stop Trying (to get yourself right with God)

If you believe you are a good person then, when you approach God, you will always try to do it on the basis of your own good works.

If you think you are a good person, when you appear before God you'll want to say to him: look at what I've done! Look how often I went to church, even when it was cold! Look at how much money I've given to charity. Look how hard I worked as church warden. Look how well I did the flowers. Look how many lessons I read. Look how often I played the organ. You've heard me say the Lord's prayer every single day.

Look, Lord, I've never cheated on my expenses, I've never even received a parking ticket, let alone a speeding fine. I've never been unfaithful in my marriage. And, I've always tried to be so nice to people.

Look how good I've been; you know I've tried really, really hard. Now, Lord, pay me what you owe me!

That's what verse 4 says, isn't it? Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.ref Pay me what you owe me! I've done the work, now pay me my wages!

When I get my payslip each month, I know that I deserve it. I've put in the hours; I've done the work and tried to do it well. The company is just fulfilling its side of the contract: they are paying me what they owe me, and they should probably pay me more. But if we come to God with that attitude we are in serious trouble.

Even Abraham didn't come to God with that attitude. In verse 2 Paul says that if Abraham had trusted in his own obedience he would have had something to boast about before God. But even Abraham had nothing to boast about before God. Even he could not get right with God on the basis of his own good deeds. And if Abraham couldn't do it, what hope have we got?

As Paul has spent the previous three chapters proving, not one of us is good in God's eyes. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Godref. He says, no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the lawref, that is, by being good. God is not impressed by our efforts.

Is that what you are relying on? That you can build up enough credit in this life that God owes you something in the next? Well, the bottom line from Paul for those who are determined to come to God on the basis of what they have done, trusting in their own goodness, is in verse 15. He simply says the law brings wrathref. If you are trusting in keeping the rules to get yourself right with God, he owes you nothing but his wrath.

We need another way.

Start Trusting (God to put you right)

And that's what we find in verse 5. In verse 4 Paul says stop working; stop trying to get right with God. In verse 5 he says, start trusting: start trusting God to make you right.

He says, However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.ref Stop trying; start trusting.

Righteousness from God cannot be earned, Paul is saying, it can only be received as a gift.

Paul says that God "credits righteousness" to us. In fact, he talks about God crediting righteousness six times in these verses. It's not our own righteousness. We have no righteousness of our own. In the sight of God there is nothing right about us. But God can impart or impute to us a righteousness that we have not earned.

The picture is like this. Morally we are bankrupt. We are so deeply in the red that we can never ever earn enough to get ourselves out of our debt of sin before God.

But, Paul says, God is willing to make a transfer to our accounts. He can transfer righteousness from his account to ours to completely wipe out our debt. And he will do this if only we will trust him instead of trying to work our own way out.

Paul proves that this can happen with two examples. First he quotes Psalm 32 to show that David understood that God is able to forgive sin if we confess it,

Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.ref

There's no hint here of David trying to atone for his sin. He knows he couldn't. Instead David is simply trusting God not to count his sin against him, literally, not to credit his sin to his account.

The other example is Abraham who shows that this is the way God has always worked: David is not a special case. In Genesis chapter 15, when God makes childless Abraham the impossible promise that he would have more descendants than stars in the sky, it says, Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousnessref

Crucially, Paul points out, Genesis 15 comes before Genesis 17. Abraham was declared righteous before he followed God's command to be circumcised. It could not have been Abraham's obedience to the legal command that made him right with God, because the legal command came after God had credited him righteousness. It could not have been trying to keep the Mosaic law that made Abraham right with God, because the Mosaic law wasn't given until over four-hundred years later.

So Abraham is a model for us: he trusted God, and therefore God counted him righteous. If we want to be right with God then we simply need to trust him.

Of course, David and Abraham couldn't have understood how this works. How can a just God declare the ungodly righteous? But this side of the cross we can see exactly how it works.

Just as in the world of finance, when a debt is cancelled, somebody somewhere has to pay. And this is what happened when Jesus died on the cross. If we trust in his death for us, then it is Jesus' righteousness — his goodness — that is credited to us, and our moral debt — our badness — that is transferred to him.

As Paul puts it elsewhere, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.ref. Our moral debt can be transferred to Jesus; and Jesus' righteousness can be credited to us.

God justifies the ungodly

So, Christianity is not for good people. Most of the world, and quite a lot of the church, seems to think that Christianity is about moral reformation, about trying hard to be better people. But Paul tells us that that is entirely and completely wrong.

Most people seem to think that the message of Christianity is "Be good, be good, and God will be pleased with you!". But Paul tells us that the message of Christianity is "God justifies the ungodly". ("Ungodly" is a better translation than "wicked" in verse 5.)

If you have never come before God and confessed to him your deep and hopeless ungodliness then you can never be right with him. If you are relying on being a good person and hoping God will be pleased with you, then you are lost. You've never understood the Christian faith at all.

Jesus told a parable that makes the same point that Paul is making here. He described a Pharisee and a tax collector praying in the temple. The Pharisee gave a catalogue of his good works. "I don't behave badly like other people," he said, "I fast twice a week and I give away a tenth of all I get". In other words, "Look at how hard I'm trying, God. Now pay me what you owe me!"

The tax collector simply cried out, "God have mercy on me, a sinner". He knew his badness, and he did the only thing possible: he trusted God for his forgiveness. This is the one that Jesus says went away justified before God.

That's exactly what Paul says about God in Romans 4 verse 5: he is a God who justifies the ungodly.

This is the best news in the world, because it means that anyone can come to him. If the only qualification for coming to God is that you are ungodly, then any of us can come!

It doesn't depend on your family or your birth. Paul makes this point clearly with the example of Abraham. The Jews thought that only they had access to God, because they were the only people to whom God had given the sign of circumcision and the privilege of the law. But Abraham was made right with God long before either of these things. So, Paul says, anyone can get right with God: it doesn't depend on your birth or privilege.

It doesn't depend on how good you are. You cannot earn the favour of God, so it's futile to try. There is no point at which you can say, I've done enough, now God will accept me. So stop trying to make yourself right with him, and start trusting his gift.

And it doesn't matter how bad you are. God justifies the ungodly! If you are thinking now, God would never have me, I've never been good enough and I will never be good enough. Then you are 100% completely and utterly wrong. If you are thinking, I've been too bad, then listen to what the Bible says: God justifies the ungodly! God justifies the wicked! Whoever you are, whatever you've done, God can put you right with him.

Conclusion

There are, I have no doubt, thousands of people in churches up and down the country this morning who have not yet grasped this essential fact about Christianity: being right with God does not depend on trying to be good, it depends only on trusting God.

It would be unusual if there weren't some here this morning who have never truly understood this. It may be that you are aware that you have always been trying to base your relationship with God on your own efforts and work. As a result you've found religion to be empty and joyless and hopeless.

If that's your experience, then please hear the message from the Bible this morning: stop trying to make yourself right with God; start trusting God to make you right with him. Like the tax collector, come to God and say "Lord have mercy upon me, a sinner". Put your trust in God who justifies the ungodly. Then he will make you right with himself. Then he will fill you with his Holy Spirit. Then you will know joy and freedom in your faith.

In a few moments we will be sharing communion together. If you are a good person, can I say to you, please don't take it. It's not for you. We remember Jesus' death because it justifies the ungodly. But if you know the depths of the wickedness of your heart, if you've given up trying to justify yourself before him, and you are simply trusting in Jesus' death on your behalf to put you right with God, then take the gifts of bread and wine and accept them with all your heart.

Harmony Mission: XMas Special

Love that will NEVER let go: George Matheson

The story behind George Metheson is a classic. Eldest child of 8, he graduated from the University of Edinbourgh with a degree in the classics, logic and philosophy. He was also engaged to be married, but when his fiance learned he was going blind, she broke the engagement. He was totally blind by age 20. He went on to become a pastor. The beautiful lyrics to the above song was written at his sister's wedding. It's yet another reminder that God's love never leaves us, no matter the circumstances we endure on this earth.

Pure Grace and Saved Dramatically: At the Cross

We take our text today from Luke 23:43, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

These are the greatest words that Jesus ever spoke. They are the words of God's grace to pardon from all evil in the blood of His Son, and to earn the right of eternal life in glory. There is really only one question above all others. That question is this: Am I one who belongs to Jesus Christ? That is the only important question at death. Then to hear Jesus say, "Verily I say unto you, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." Then all is well, no matter what.

We must hear Him say that to us today. It is not enough simply to know that Jesus said these words to the repentant thief upon the cross. It is not enough simply to stand in awe at the absolute wonder of His grace to save this man from the brink of hell and take him to the gates of heaven. We must hear Him say this to us in the gospel. He must give us grace and faith to see ourselves as represented in that thief, to understand the hopelessness of our own sin and acknowledge our own just condemnation before God. He must work faith in our heart that we see Christ and His cross as the only way of salvation and cry out: "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." And we must hear Him, by that same faith, speak the most wonderful and precious words to our hearts: "Verily I say unto you, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

These words are the second time that Jesus spoke from the cross. The first word He spoke was, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." It was about an hour or so after that that Jesus speaks the second time. During that time He was subjected to the most cruel ridicule against Him. There is a very close relationship between these two words from the cross. When Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them," He was praying for His church and for His people. Now the Father gives to Him an answer, an answer in this repentant thief who cries out for Christ to remember him when He comes into His kingdom. He speaks the words: "Thou shalt be with Me in paradise." You can search the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and you will not find such a wonderful word of God, a word of such mercy as this word. Jesus is proclaiming the greatest possible good to the most ill-deserving of all sinners. "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

Jesus is speaking to a thief, to a malefactor, to a murderer who was being crucified at that moment upon the cross. Jesus was crucified between two malefactors. The very positioning of His cross speaks to us of the fulfillment of Scripture when in Isaiah 53 it was said, "He was numbered with the transgressors." This thief was, evidently, a Jewish man. He therefore knew, externally at least, of God, of the promise of the Messiah, of the kingdom of God. Growing up in Israel, he most likely had received thorough instruction in all of the promises that God had made to His children in the Old Testament. But he grew up to despise it, and he led a life of evil. He was a thief. He was a highwayman and a murderer.

This thief, along with his companion who was crucified on the other side of Jesus, had witnessed all that had transpired and all that had taken place upon Jesus. In verse 22 of the chapter, we read that these two thieves were led with Jesus to be put to death. They saw what the Lord's enemies were doing to Him. They saw the Lord's friends forsake Him. And, at the very beginning, this thief who now cried out for mercy had also joined in the mocking of Christ. We read in Matthew 27:44, "The thieves (plural) also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth." On the very brink of eternity, as he was being crucified, he united, at first, with the enemies of Jesus Christ. In his dying hour he derided and mocked the suffering Savior.

Jesus says to such, "Thou shalt be with Me in paradise." That is the promise of the gospel to all those for whom Jesus died. "Thou shalt be with Me in paradise," the highest degree of glory, a place where no sin or death can exist. "Thou shalt be with Me" - that is paradise, to be with Christ and to enjoy perfect fellowship with God.

When Jesus spoke these words, the soul of the malefactor was poised over the pit of hell. Both thieves were dying an awful death. Both, at the beginning, lashed out against Christ. But somewhere in that time, God was pleased to snatch one and to bring this man to faith and repentance in Jesus Christ and to deliver him from the destruction of hell.

Those who are not in Christ by grace, those who are not given faith and repentance in Christ do not go to paradise. They go to hell. The Bible is very plain. Our sins deserve eternal punishment. Jesus Christ was on the cross to bear away that punishment for all those who were given to Him of the Father. There is no hope apart from this Jesus Christ. The cross was this: Jesus Christ was there to earn for His people paradise. Jesus Christ is there to deliver from hell by dying for His own and enduring the hell that His own deserve, and to draw them to Him in faith and repentance.

Jesus speaks a word of sheer mercy to a man who, by the love and power of God, has been brought to repentance, who cried out: "Lord, remember me." He speaks a word of wonderful mercy.

There were two malefactors. Both were equally near to Christ externally. Both heard and saw all that was done to Him. Both were dying in acute torment. Both were alike sinners. But one died in his sins. He died as he had lived - hardened and impenitent and unbelieving. The other cried to Jesus, "Lord, remember me," and he was saved.

Why? Why one? Why not the other? The answer is: God's grace. Ephesians 2:4, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." You say, "Yes, but this man repented. He is called the repentant malefactor." That is true. He repented. But he repented because God worked it in him. Some time after he first had cursed and ridiculed Christ with everyone there, some time after that, God touched his heart, God softened his heart.

More, the man's repentance did not save him. Yes, the grace of God in him caused him to repent and to confess the Lord Jesus Christ. The grace of God in him made him put the last hours of his life to good use. But still, his repentance did not save him from hell. His repentance did not earn his salvation. If his repentance delivered him from hell, then why is Jesus dying upon the cross? If it is repentance that saves a person, that is, is the reason and the ground for eternal joy, then why does Jesus suffer upon a cross so?

No, it was mercy, mercy alone that saved him. Jesus brought him to repentance in order that through faith he might enjoy and receive the assurance of his salvation. But it was grace and mercy. It was Jesus who saved him by dying for him upon the cross.

God stripped away all human instruments to show that salvation is of grace. Jesus did not die for good men and women who deserved in return a good turn from God. But He died for malefactors, for evildoers. That is the name of this man - malefactor, evil-doer. And that is all that can be said of all those whom Jesus has saved. They are malefactors, evildoers.

Do you know that about yourself? When that word of the cross comes home to your heart, you will know that about yourself. That will be the way whereby you know the grace of God working within you. You will confess before a holy God: "My name is malefactor, evildoer. There is nothing of myself," you will say, "that separates me from those who are lost except the amazing grace of God." You will say, "My nature is evil - I am evil, born in sin." That will be your confession. And you will know that it was God alone who of sheer mercy saved you and turned you and gave you to repent so that now you hate that evil and you repent and turn from your evil and bring forth glory to God in your life.

Jesus said unto him, "You shall be with Me in paradise." Jesus was proclaiming a very personal promise. "I say unto you, to you!" That must be spoken by Jesus personally, by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in our hearts. More than anything else in the whole world, we must know that Jesus speaks this to us. That, of course, comes in the way of faith and repentance, faith and repentance being worked of the mighty God in our hearts. You cannot hear the word of Jesus Christ in your heart in any other way than in the way of faith and repentance. There were other people at the cross that day who heard these words of Jesus. But they took no comfort from them. They still derided Him as a dreamer. The other thief found no comfort in these words. He continued to ridicule the Christ. God must open the heart through faith and repentance. God must infuse a knowledge of ourselves as sinners and Christ as Lord and Savior and give to us to trust in this mercy of God.

God does this always at the foot of the cross. It was the cross of Christ which God used to open the thief's heart. That is how He saved him. How did this happen, we ask, this man coming to confess Christ at such an hour and at such a moment? He has no one there to expound to him the holy Scriptures. He has no preacher, he has no instruction. How did he come to this? The answer is: the very power of God is there. The power of Christ crucified. That is the power of God unto salvation, says the Scriptures. Before the cross he came to know his wretched state. In the cross he was given hope of life eternal and he was brought to the assurance of his salvation. He cried out, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." By the cross of Jesus Christ God works confession of sin, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ.

There was a great change that came over this man. Just before the words that Jesus spoke to him, this man had spoken to the other malefactor who was being crucified with him. That other malefactor, I said, had continued to deride and blaspheme the Christ. The repentant malefactor said, "Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. And we, indeed, justly. But this man hath done nothing amiss." What a change came over this man. He took God's side over against himself. And he justified God before all. He justified God in his own condemnation. "We indeed justly. We deserve what we are getting." That is the grace of personal repentance. Personal repentance is to say this: "Should God condemn me, it is only justice." True repentance has no self-justifications. It does not add the word "but" or "if."

Is this repentance the gift of God to you today? Do you condemn what you find within yourself? Do you refuse to justify what you have done before God? Do you say the proud words, "I don't want to believe in a holy God who damns men." Is that the thought of your heart? Or do you justify God and say, "Let God be just and holy, and before Him I see that of myself I only merit and deserve condemnation." That is the evidence of God's grace. That is the power of the cross in you. And to you He says, "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

The man rebuked the other thief: Dost thou not fear God? Do you not know the reality that in a few moments we must appear before God? God is the One we must fear. You will stand before Him. What will you say then? Don't you fear God, he says? He was given faith in Jesus Christ. He looked upon the Lord. He saw the Lord establishing His kingdom. Notice his words: "When Thou comest into Thy kingdom, remember me." He saw that Jesus Christ upon the cross was not simply another individual. He was not even a man who was dying for His principles. But he saw Christ as the head of the church of God, the One who, through His suffering, would establish the kingdom of God. He said of Him, "This man hath done nothing amiss." He confessed Him as the sinless Son of God who was establishing an eternal kingdom through His suffering and death.

And he trusted in Him. "Remember me." He did not ask for a high position in the kingdom. He simply said, "Remember me. Bear me in Thy thoughts. Hold me in love in Thy heart. Recall Thy tender mercy. Don't forget me." Without a plea he cast himself upon Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This crucified Jesus, he says, is my Lord, establishing a kingdom. He is my only hope of salvation. In Him there is forgiveness, even for me. For me, who has lived such a life, there is redemption. He trusted in Christ.

Is that true of you, by the wonderful love of God? To those who now by the grace of God say the same as this man, confess Christ before the world, confess Christ as the way of salvation, believe in this Jesus, to them, as surely, Jesus says, "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

Still more. This man brought forth the fruit of repentance. There are some who say the repentant malefactor upon the cross did no good works before he was taken to heaven. He did the greatest of the good works that the Holy Spirit ever produces in the life of a child of God. He confessed Christ before men. "Lord, remember me." Everybody around the foot of the cross was blaspheming Jesus Christ. They were all mocking Him. The disciples had even forsaken Him. None stood there to confess the Lord. But this man, who himself had at first joined the jeers and mockery against Christ, now, by grace, confesses Christ.

Do you? Is that your confession as you stand before the cross? Do you say, "I am an evildoer. Yet, by the grace of God and from my heart I confess that this despised Jesus, despised by the world, is my Lord and Savior who, through His suffering, has established the everlasting kingdom of God. Then you may know also that the word of Christ comes to you personally: "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

The Lord gave him much more than he asked for. He said, "Remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." Perhaps he was thinking of some future day of a royal coming of Jesus Christ into His kingdom. But Jesus said, "Today. You have it. Guilt removed. Perfect righteousness for you so that you can stand before God."

Those who die in Christ do not go to purgatory. There is no purgatory.

Those who die in Jesus Christ do not die with a big question mark hanging over them. But those who die in Jesus Christ immediately are with Jesus in glory. Today, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

The malefactor, the repentant thief, began to enjoy the blessedness of paradise immediately when Jesus spoke the word to him. Yes, it would be about four or five hours before the man would actually die. And those four or five hours would be filled with twisting and writhing in agony. But he had Jesus. He had the word of pardon and promise. When Jesus spoke these words as the crucified Savior, peace and joy flooded this sinner's soul. A greater power than even the nails that held him to the cross, a greater power now surged through his heart and mind. Even though he was coming before the horrible reality of death, yet all was well with him, all was well in his heart.

You see, this man, this despised thief whom God had brought to repentance, hanging upon a cross, this man was rich, oh, so rich. His cross was to be preferred to all those who stood at the bottom of the cross deriding Jesus. For he had the victory. Jesus spoke it to him.

In the midst of all the ridicule that was taking place, and it seemed as if all hell had broken loose at the foot of the cross, with men and devils assailing the Lord Jesus Christ, yet Christ spoke the word of life eternal unto one of His own. He lays down His life for this man and He speaks to this man a victorious word. And this man had peace, perfect peace.

The malefactor was not left in doubt. He was at death's door. He was at death's door when he knew that he had lived a life of sin. It all stared out at him right now. It was then that the mighty grace of God spoke to him through Jesus Christ and assured him of a miracle - the miracle of God's grace, the miracle of salvation.

You shall be with Me in paradise. Verily, verily, I say it unto you.

Do you hear those words? By the grace of God do you confess that you are worthy of condemnation before God? And by the grace of God do you trust in this Lord Jesus Christ and cry out: Lord, remember me? Hear Him say the most wonderful words He ever spoke, words which He spoke while He offered Himself in our place upon the cross, words spoken to an evildoer, saved by His cross. The greatest words you can ever hear: "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise."

Unhealthy toxic relationships

When God wants to bless you, how does He do it? He sends people into your life. When the devil wants to destroy you, how does He do it? He sends people!

There are several types of relationships that are liabilities, not assets. If you are going to develop healthy relationships, you first must cut off the unhealthy ones you have developed. How can you tell if a relationship is toxic? Here are three major indicators:

Constant Strife and Division. First, there will be constant strife and division. Amos 3:3 asks us, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" A healthy relationship is one in which there is a oneness of goals, purpose, values, and beliefs. God's Word also says, "Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there" (James 3:16).

People Who Knew You "Back When." One of the most dangerous relationships is the one that holds you to your past. The Bible tells us that when Jesus went to his "own country," He taught, and the people were astonished, but they were also "offended" at Him because they kept saying, "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't this the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? He can't possibly have all this wisdom and do these mighty works. We know Him. He's just one of us." And Jesus could do no miracles there "because of their unbelief." It wasn't that Jesus had lost any power in Himself. He wasn't any less of who He was in his home country. It was because of their, unbelief that He could not manifest the fullness of Himself (see Matthew 13:53-58).

The associations of your past can drag you down and hold you back. They can keep you from fulfilling your potential.

Violators of the Heart. These are relationships that prey on your heart and rob you of control over your life. Don't give power to any person to manipulate you and control you. Nobody deserves that power but God! No person can make you lose your joy, your mind, your temper, or any other aspect unless you give that person the power. Don't do it!

The most dangerous violator of the heart is the person who tells you what you want to hear. It is the person who strokes your ego and tells you words of affection that you are desperate to hear, all in an effort to get what they want from you.

Violators take advantage of the "needs" in your life, especially the needs to be loved and accepted. They aren't concerned about your blessings or your destiny. They are concerned only about what they want. They are takers, not givers.

Never lose your identity for another person's sake.

Never compromise your character for anyone.

The Steps to Cutting Off an Unhealthy Relationship

First, you must identify and accept the reality of an out-of-balance relationship. At times, you need to take stock of the situation and admit to yourself that a relationship just isn't working. All of your efforts at helping or rehabilitating a person have failed. It is at that point that you need to give that person over to God. Notice that I didn't say that you give up on the person. To give up is to walk away and say, "I don't care what happens to you." To give a person "over to God" is to walk away as you say, "I have done all that I can do. I'm entrusting you to God from this point on."

Second, don't try to be God to another person. There's a huge difference between helping a person and carrying a person. You aren't the Holy Spirit. Don't enter into an enabling relationship in which you come to feel totally responsible for a person's success or failure.

Third, become comfortable with criticism. If you do have to end a relationship, not everybody is going to be happy with your decision. For that matter, not everybody is going to be happy with you at any point or regarding anything! There's always going to be somebody who wants you to do something other than what God is leading you to do. Nobody can please all people all the time, everywhere.

Fourth, progressively end unhealthy relationships. It takes emotional energy to end a relationship, and if you cut every unhealthy relationship out of your life at one time, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the loss. Cut unhealthy relationships out of your life one at a time until you can look around you and say, "All of my relationships are ones that are pleasing to God. All of my relationships are ones in which there is a mutual give-and-take, a mutual blessing, a mutual edification. I am on the same wavelength with those who are close to me when it comes to values, beliefs, and goals."

Fifth, don't burn bridges. When you dissolve a relationship, don't do so in anger or bitterness. There is a way to walk away from a relationship without words of hatred or criticism or the placing of blame. At the same time, walk away from an unhealthy relationship with the full intent that you will not revisit that relationship in the future. God may lead you to have a relationship with that person down the line, but you should not have the intent to come back to the relationship. Make a clean break. Make a definitive break.

Find the people who are starving for what you offer! Find people who want who you are, what you give, and what you celebrate.

Do not argue with GOD: an example from the life of Paul

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. -- III John 1: 4

What is truth?

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. – John 17: 17

God’s Word is truth so we must study the Word of God to know the truth. And, in turn, this gives God great joy. Isn’t that what we all really want to do?

This teaching is as much for myself as it is for you. I had many real life experiences, where, even though I studied much of God’s Word, at times, I argued with God. Later we will cover a subject that may shock you pertaining to the Apostle Paul. So often when we think that we missed out on a great opportunity or were greatly hindered, or else our life did not turn out as planned, did you ever stop and think?! Maybe, just maybe, God has protected us from a miserable existence or from some type of great danger? This subject matter also greatly entails and involves the great law of believing – positive or negative. Our vote determines the election. Just stop and think for a minute.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6: 33

When I studied this verse, I learned that if you keep God first and foremost in your life, then everything else in your life will fall into its proper place. Then why are we so unhappy so much of the time even as strong Christians? A great deal of the reason lies in the old man. If you got involved and learned God’s Word when you were seven years old and another person learned God’s Word when he or she was thirty-seven years old, who is going to have the more difficult time renewing his or her mind? The answer is obvious. One person has seven years of old man ways and habits to overcome. The other believer has thirty years of old man ways and habits to overcome. Myself, I’ve had twenty-four years of old man ways and habits to overcome by renewing my mind to God’s Word. And the degree of ‘badness’ of the old man plays a factor. I was as bad as you can get. My spouse had a mild old man – very few, if any, bad habits, good upbringing etc. I spent about ten years of my life in boarding homes just to get away from my broken and somewhat very dysfunctional family – if you can call it that. I chose to live in a one-room hotel than in a brand new beautiful home. I’ve been to hell and back so I know what I’m talking about. I’m sure some of you can identify with what I’m saying.

Before using the best example I know of in the Bible regarding ‘Don’t Argue With God’, let’s let God’s Word set the stage even more so by taking a good look at the following Scriptures and let’s compare ourselves honestly with what God is saying.

Therefore we are [were] buried with him by baptism into death [his burial]: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. – Romans 6: 4

Figuratively, when Christ died, we died with him and when he was raised from the dead, we were raised with him. Because Christ then had newness of life, we should have newness of life. If Jesus Christ overcame everything that could captivate us mentally and physically and he did, then how can we have any doubt, worry, or fear in our lives? We shouldn’t. The more we renew our mind to God’s Word, the less of an influence the old man ways have upon our thinking. It’s really that simple. Easy to say – harder to do. It takes a constant effort everyday to renew the mind and it is a difficult process, BUT it’s a million times better than living by the world’s way where your life is controlled, manipulated, and influenced every which way you turn. On your own, take a look and Romans 12: 1 and 2. "BE NOT CONFORMED" . . . . . Do not conform to this world is a commandment of God. We all have free will to listen or to argue with God. When we listen, we have life and peace – when we argue, we have death. Tough choice!? . . . . . . Before moving on, let me give you a literal translation of Romans 6: 4 according to usage:

Therefore we are buried with him by his baptism unto death and raised again from the dead, that like as Christ was buried and raised again from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. – Romans 6: 4

I have often heard it put that we as believers, walking by the spirit, in fellowship, and enjoying our newness of life – NOT ARGUING WITH GOD – should have no sweat, no stress, and no strain in our lives. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Well, it’s true. You should be well aware of John 10: 10b and that is what the more than abundant life guarantees you. It has come to my realization lately that I myself, often argue with God. The great Apostle Paul argued with God and it altered his life drastically. Do you really think it was God’s Will for Paul to spend time in prison and under house arrest in the later years of his life? Paul made one choice that had serious implications and God tried time and time again to stop him, but Paul would not listen. We’re going to cover that record in detail soon. And the Apostle Paul was a great man of God – but he was human.

God likes to set the stage for a teaching just perfectly so we will cover one more Scripture that has always fascinated and intrigued me.

For the Word of God is quick, and powerful [living, energetic, alive], and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner [a critic, a judge] of the thoughts [emotions] and intents [ideas] of the heart [the innermost part of the being]. – Hebrews 4: 12

This verse says so much, it is truly fascinating – something to hold on to dearly. Let me have the privilege of opening up this verse to you so that you too can take joy in understanding God’s matchless Word.

God tells us in I John 5: 3 that his commandments are not oppressive.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. – I John 5: 3

When God says His Word is quick and powerful, He is saying that the Word of God is alive. This a figure of speech meaning that walking by the spirit as opposed to the five senses is exciting – it is life in the fast lane. People are taught to believe that studying the Bible is the opposite. Who teaches them this lie? The god of this world. His ministry is to steal, kill, and destroy. How can you expect him to do anything else? I have had more excitement in my life than maybe 10 or 20 or even 50 people have ever experienced. Why would I be doing this? I don’t get paid for it. I want to share with you the secret of living – God’s blueprint for living.

The Word of God allows us to separate and distinguish the joints/bones from the marrow. This means we can see what is physically impossible to see with just the five senses alone. We can separate truth from error by operating the manifestation [NOT GIFT] of word of wisdom. We become spiritually sharp – sharper than a two-edged sword. Did you know that it is impossible from a medical standpoint to find the point of division between bone and marrow?! God is using this figure of speech to let us know that with an accurate knowledge of His Word, believed and applied, we can recognize points of division that, with the senses alone, is not possible.

Hebrews 4: 5 also states that His Word is ‘a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ More literally, it says the Word is a CRITIC of the EMOTIONS and IDEAS of the heart. The Word living in the renewed mind of a believer is a critic or a judge – it cuts out the old man thoughts. Once this takes place, the true emotions and ideas of the heart are made manifest. That is why we should not argue with God. Many believers are impatient when it comes to waiting on God.

The Word of God will show you what you should be doing with your life and also what will be most enjoyable to you. However, the old man will fight you. The following Scripture is dynamic and will clearly explain to you what takes place.

For the flesh [the five senses] lusteth against against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these [desires] are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. – Galatians 5: 17

Even after we learn to walk by the spirit, we still may have a tendency not to listen to God because our old man ways, the five senses, still interfere. We will always have an old man and he must be kept under control. If we continue to argue with God, we will eventually be defeated in many areas of our lives.

Let’s now turn to a record in the Book of Acts concerning the Apostle Paul. When it comes to revelation, God will always tell you first. When we don’t listen, He will tell another believer to tell us what God wants us to know. We ALWAYS have free will to obey God or not to obey God.

Now I’m going to share something with you that you probably were never aware of before. Yes, believe me, the Apostle Paul was a great man of God. God gave Paul more revelation than any believer at that time. God told Paul about the great mystery of ‘CHRIST IN YOU’. But you do know that Paul was a man and like all men, he was not perfect and he made mistakes. Being more specific:

It was NEVER God’s Will for the Apostle Paul to go to Jerusalem.

Let’s examine this record closely beginning in Acts Chapter 20 and Chapter 21. There were actually SIX (6) different warnings given to Paul NOT to go to Jerusalem! Remember I said that God will always tell you first. God may do this in a number of ways, and one of them is to be bound in the spirit. Let’s go over this phrase so that we completely understand it.

Were you ever about to do something and you felt that something was actually holding you back? Something was telling you "DON’T DO THAT!" We have all experienced this type of situation at some time in our lives, if not often, have we not? When this happens to a believer, it is referred to in God’s Word as ‘bound in the spirit.’ This is not a difficult concept to understand.

And now, behold, I [Paul is speaking] go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. – Acts 20: 22

God never told Paul to go to Jerusalem but maybe Paul’s own mind told him. We need to be very careful of this type of mistake and we will make mistakes. I, myself, battle with this often. I won’t get into the Old Testament right now, but one of the keys to knowing you received proper revelation is that God’s voice is "a still small voice". You’re personal adversary will do whatever he can to give you false revelation and you need to learn what is coming from where. Revelation also cannot be at cross-purposes with the Word of God, but it can go beyond God’s Word. There must also be profit in revelation – especially long term profit. If we as Christians could master the source of all revelation, we could walk a perfect walk. That is simply not available in this day and time. So we do our best. Often, true revelation will align with our heart. And finally, we must be in fellowship with God to ever receive revelation with Him.

Back to Acts 20: 22, Paul stated himself that he was "bound in the spirit". You will never be bound in the spirit when carrying out true revelation. Paul also states that he did not know what would happen to him there. What did happen to Paul when he arrived at Jerusalem? He was apprehended and bound in chains. He spent the rest of his days in prison and under house arrest. Would you worship a God that got you into this position? I wouldn’t.

By being bound in the spirit, God was clearly telling Paul that it was not His Will for Paul to make this journey. Remember from before: God always tells you first. If we are not listening, God will tell someone else to tell you. Now watch how much trouble God went through to try and stop Paul from going to Jerusalem. God feels it is quite important to understand this record if He took the time to make sure it was recorded in the Book of Acts. Acts 20: 22 was the first time God tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem.

And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. – Acts 21: 4

These disciples were hot on God’s Word and were operating the manifestations of Holy Spirit – namely speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The interpretation was inspired by God who clearly said to Paul NOT to go to Jerusalem! Paul wasn’t listening to Him so God had other disciples tell Paul. As we will see, Paul by his own free will, would not listen to the disciples. Again, Paul was human, and this time he argued with God adamantly. Why? I do not know. That’s for God to know. The fact THAT he did not listen is what’s important in this lesson. Acts 21: 4 was the second time God tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem.

A great man taught me God’s Word, and at one time, wanted to go to Russia to teach the Word of God. However, God told him NOT TO GO! He listened to God and did not argue with Him. Do you know what would have happened if this man of God went to Russia? He would never have returned.

Remember that the Word of God, at times, interprets itself in the context. As we examine God’s third attempt to stop Paul, you need to remember context.

And the same man had four daughters, virgins [unmarried], which did prophesy. – Acts 21: 9

[You should read Acts Chapters 20 & 21, especially the first 15 verses in Chapter 21.]

In verse 8, we see that Philip was an evangelist and he had four unmarried daughters who were skilled in the operation of the manifestation of prophesy. Based on the context of this chapter, what do you think they prophesied about in verse nine? God worked through these four women, by their own free will, to WARN PAUL NOT TO GO TO JERUSALEM. Is God doing everything He can? He’s not done yet. Acts 21: 9 was the third time God tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem.

Do you see what a loving Father we have? He will do everything He can to help us – if only we will listen and not argue with Him.

Now let’s look at the next two verses where God tried the fourth time to stop Paul.

And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. – Acts 21: 10

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. – Acts 21: 11

Can you imagine this?! God sends a prophet down from Judea and he gives a physical demonstration to the apostle Paul as to what awaits him if he goes to Jerusalem. How did this prophet Agabus know what to do? God gave him word of knowledge and word of wisdom – revelation. That’s how Agabus knew what to do. Agabus did not argue with God – he simply did what God wanted done. Acts 21: 10 and 11 was the fourth time God tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem.

After all of this, Paul was still set to make his journey. You really have to wonder what Paul was thinking at this point. Wasn’t he paying attention to these warnings? Did he think that the adversary was trying to stop him? Was it human pride? We will get a partial answer to this shortly from God’s Word.

Now, let’s look at the next verse where the fifth, but not final, warning occurred. In this verse, we will see that a large group of believers warned Paul, but to no avail. Let me interject here for a moment. You have to be very careful in this life for ‘Satan’s endless suggestions’. You’re always better off to do the opposite of what an unbeliever will suggest that you do. But this is not the case here. There were strong believers operating the manifestations of Holy Spirit such as Philip’s daughters and Agabus. There were also many believing believers present. These were all men and women of the true God – in fellowship with God. Remember that God will tell someone else TO TELL YOU if you are not listening. In my own life, God often tells my wife something He has been trying to tell me. I’ve learned to listen.

And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go to Jerusalem. – Acts 21: 12

‘We’ here could include a number of believers. When you look back at the context, you see that we could include the elders of the church from Acts 20: 17. It did include many of the believers mentioned in Chapter 21 such as Philip, his daughters, and Agabus. The Book of Acts was written by Luke and he is more than likely included. The point is that the believers present came together as a group and approached the Apostle Paul and BESOUGHT HIM NOT TO GO UP TO JERUSALEM. You think by now Paul would have begun to wonder, but not so. Watch what Paul says in the next verse. Summing up so far: Acts 21: 12 was the fifth time God tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem.

The following is Paul’s human reaction to everything that has happened so far. I am not criticizing Paul, I am stating what God’s Word says about this important situation and record so that we can learn that any man can be tricked. We need to be careful that we at least, do not make major mistakes. Paul somehow was making and did make a major mistake here. God had it recorded for a reason. After all of this, Paul said the following:

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. – Acts 21: 13

Can you understand that we are of no use to God once we are dead? Paul’s love for God was possibly taken to an extreme. Extremes are not of the true God. He said to these believers: ‘Why are you trying to make me feel bad and deter me? Why, I would not only be willing to bound for the Lord Jesus Christ, but I would die for him!’ This was not God’s Will. It was Paul’s will. I have had things like this happen to me many times and I have suffered a great deal at times. Finally, I learned. God does not want you to be in trouble past the point of normal tribulations (mental pressures). Paul’s short statement in verse 13 sounded quite heroic and very emotional, didn’t it? Paul was making a mistake.

Let’s go back to Chapter 20 and add some more light to this subject from God’s Word.

And now, behold, I [Paul is speaking] go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. -- Acts 20: 22

Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying, that bonds and afflictions abide me. – Acts 20: 23

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20: 24

Paul said that none of these things move him BUT they surely moved God, didn’t they? God moved six (6) times to stop Paul from finishing his course and his ministry in this manner. Paul was acting upon either wrong revelation or his old man which is basically the same thing. His emotional comments were touching, weren’t they? But remember, SINCERITY IS NO GUARANTEE FOR TRUTH.

Let’s now examine the sixth and final attempt by the true God to stop Paul from his journey to Jerusalem. This verse is a very important lesson in the original God-breathed Word as compared to what we have available to us today. REMEMBER that the original God-breathed Word of God had NO PUNCTUATION! There are added commas in this verse that throws the whole Word of God to pieces. I will point this out to you. They were placed there by the scribes to make it appear like Paul was doing God’s Will and everyone else was wrong. There are many errors like this throughout our modern printed versions. This one is one of the most harmful. I will first present the verse to you as it is written in the King James Version.

And when he [Paul] would not be persuaded, we ceased [stopped], saying, The will of the Lord be done. – Acts 21: 14

If you leave most of the commas in, you have error. It is obvious by now that God did not want Paul to go to Jerusalem. Paul went and got into no end of trouble there. He almost lost his life. Paul, this great and mighty man of God who, under his ministry, Asia Minor heard the Word of God in two years and three months, in the following two years, AFTER he went to Jerusalem, did not win one soul for the Lord Jesus Christ. The closest he came was "almost" in Acts 26: 28 when he witnessed to Agrippa, the king who said to Paul, "….Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."

Now let’s take most of the commas out of Acts 21: 14 . . .

And when he [Paul] would not be persuaded, we ceased [stopped] saying The will of the Lord be done. – Acts 21: 14

Paul was determined, by his own free will to go to Jerusalem, so his Christian friends and believers stopped telling him not to go. Now the Word of God fits like a hand in a glove.

We must study and pray every day to be able to recognize the counterfeit from the genuine. Revelation from the true God will not necessarily line up with our senses. But it will line up with our heart. The enemy has a new device to coincide with what man calls progress. I must have been listening to God years ago when I gave away an older sports car and sold the muscle car. Did God know that gas prices would rise so sharply? He surely did. Did He tell me and did I listen? I surely did. But yes, there are other areas of my life where I continued to argue with God and almost brought calamity to my own life. The key of this teaching is that we don’t make this mistake very often – but less and less. That is why I brought up such a striking example of this from God’s Word in the book of Acts – an example you will never forget.

To escape the lies and deception of this world, you must addict yourselves to God. God is His Word and remember: Commitment starts with obedience.

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation [wholeness] with fear and trembling [reverence and obedience]. – Philippians 2: 12

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. – Philippians 2: 13

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