Author: Tim

I only provide my name that you know these things are written by a real person. Who I am is irrelevant. Save for the fact that Jesus saved me and changed me. These are nuggets He shows me, and leads me to post here. My hope is that you believe. And that believing, you serve Jesus.

Did Jesus Already Return?

On By TimIn Acts 01, Jesus, Rapture, Return of JesusLeave a comment

When He had spoken these things, while they looked, He was taken up. And a cloud received Him from their sight.
While they looked intently toward heaven as He ascended, suddenly two men stood by them in white garments. They said, “Men of Galilee, why stand looking toward heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9–11 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I was just reading where someone was attempting to claim Jesus has already returned in the first century. That is, He came to Paul. Given the testimony above, let’s examine the evidence for such a claim.

As he went he drew near Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”
He said, “Who are You, Lord?”
The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Trembling and astonished, he said, “Lord, what will You have me do?” The Lord said to him, “Rise up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but seeing no one. Saul rose up from the ground. And when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:3–9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

“As I journeyed and came near Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
“I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
“He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Those who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who was speaking to me.
“I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’
“The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus. There you will be told what you have been appointed to do.’ Since I was blinded by the glory of that light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.

Acts 22:6–11 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

These are the two accounts of Paul’s experience. The latter seems to be a quotation of Paul recounting the event to others. Let’s note some things.

The angels at Jesus’ ascension said Jesus would come again in like manner. To wit: “a cloud receive Him from their sight.” Do notice that there are multiple eyewitnesses to this event. The angels said this same Jesus would come again in like manner. They… Many… Saw Him go into heaven.

In contrast to the Damascus Road experience. Neither Paul nor his companions saw Jesus come from heaven. His companions didn’t see Jesus.

There is also something that is easily overlooked. Jesus had a body as He ascended. If He has a body at Damascus Road, how is it such was veiled from Paul’s companions, who heard a disembodied voice?

Luke helps with another witness of the event.

While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

Luke 24:51 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We clearly see that there are multiple eyewitnesses present at Jesus’ ascension to heaven. For the Damascus Road experience to qualify as the second coming, it necessitates multiple eyewitnesses to the event. As we’ve covered Paul’s experience, at best, there could only be one eyewitness. It is debatable that Paul did not see Him there either, since his own testimony declares he was blinded by the light.

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is a Sabbath day’s walk from Jerusalem.

Acts 1:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We also see another qualification for the like manner… Location. To meet the qualifications the angels gave to the eyewitnesses, As Paul “came near to Damascus,” this is now not even near the Mount of Olives.

I must also point out the reaction to Paul’s companions. They were in fear!

Read what Paul writes about this event…

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously, and in godliness in this present world, as we await the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for Himself a special people, zealous of good works.

Titus 2:11–14 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Unless there is a third time Jesus comes, Paul’s experience by his own testimony cannot qualify as the second coming.

Foundational Thinking

On By TimIn Creation, Genesis 01Leave a comment

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In the beginning God… There is no other objective foundation for thinking critically. It is a standard that is external to anything that exists in our reality.

With this foundation, it is easy to explain anything coherently.

To reject this foundation is to start from some personal experience in an attempt to explain reality. That is, to observe something and then try to explain its existence by working backward. One may arrive at an explanation, but it is just that… An explanation. It most likely would not ever be the explanation. In working backward, there could be a myriad of explanations, but none would be sure, objective, and true.

It is impossible to truly understand reality without the foundation, “In the beginning God.” He is the beginning of reality, He causes it to be, and continuously upholds reality. Anything that denies this isn’t true.

You Cannot Lose Your Salvation

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Eternal Security, Revelation 03, SalvationLeave a comment

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments. I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This is Jesus making a promise to you as an individual. Amidst epistles He gave to seven separate local churches as a whole, His appeal is to the church as a whole and extends to the individuals in those churches.

The weird thing is no matter how bad these churches’ ‘report cards’ were those attending were not encouraged to leave. That speaks volumes, especially in today’s age. (That is another post.) It is when we encounter odd things we can be sure to find something useful. Those attending the churches were instead instructed to strengthen what remains, to repent, remember and be zealous to do right.

To each individual “who has an ear…” Hear!

Hear the promise He gives to you if you are a believer. It is a His Word that you cannot lose your salvation, that you can trust Him. Remember what God thinks of His Word?

He places it above His name (Psalms 138:2.) Believe Him.

Conversely, this is sometimes taught that that same promise is a warning to you. Your salvation is tenuous and precarious. That if you are not careful, you can lose it. That Jesus will blot out your name from the Book of Life. Is that what is really being said?

No.

When we attempt to rightly divide what is being said in the Bible, it is important to use the whole counsel of Scripture. Pointing to standalone verses, context is often non-existent. These verses are made to support or conform to external ideas. With that in mind, let’s see what can be gleaned here.

We read clearly that Jesus says “he that overcomes.” He is assessing the overcomer. What does He mean?

Let’s look at how John (the human writer of Revelation) explains these remarks. Revelation is the last book of the New Testament, though scholars believe it was written before John’s three epistles. Therefore, his epistles could offer some enlightenment.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the one born of the Father. By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is born of God overcomes the world, and the victory that overcomes the world is our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:1-5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

He who overcomes is he who believes… If you believe, that is you. Whoever is born of God overcomes the world. Look at how the sentence is constructed. The one born of God, or better born again, overcomes… It is a continuing process that doesn’t stop. The born of God part has already happened. Overcomes is in the simple present tense. The simple present tense in English is used to convey unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements. Being born again results in unchanging and fixed salvation.

The promise given to you is another iteration of that in 1 John. To you, as the overcomer—Jesus will not blot your name out of the Book of Life and will also confess your name before the Father.

It’s the provision of the Holy Spirit to anticipate the need to provide necessary commentary in a later-penned epistle. This is to ensure that you, as a believer, move beyond the elementary things of the faith.

If you struggle about losing your salvation, don’t. You cannot.

Were You Really Born This Way?

On By TimIn Jeremiah 07, SinLeave a comment

How many times have you heard it said that God has already determined all things that are to be, and has ordained and decreed them to be?

What does the Bible say to this?

For the sons of Judah have done evil in My sight, says the Lord. They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My heart.

Jeremiah 7:30-31 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Because they have forsaken Me and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it come into My mind—therefore, surely the days are coming, says the Lord, when this place shall no more be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.

Jeremiah 23: 4-6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

They built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molek, which I had not commanded them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

Jeremiah 32:35 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Recorded three times for the hardened-of-heart who would want to blame their sin on God by saying “I was born this way. He made me a sinner.” God doesn’t command, decree, or imagine all things that do come to pass. There are things that happen that do not come from His mind.

Don’t fall for the false gospel of a false god who is powerless to save all.

I the Lord have Called You

On By TimIn Election, Isaiah 42, Jesus, The ServantLeave a comment

Thus says God the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread forth the earth and that which comes out of it,
who gives breath to the people on it,
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I the Lord have called You in righteousness,
and will hold Your hand,
and will keep You and appoint You
for a covenant of the people,
for a light of the nations,
to open the blind eyes,
to bring out the prisoners from the prison,
and those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.
I am the Lord, that is My name;
and My glory I will not give to another,
nor My praise to graven images.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.

Isaiah 42:5–9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

As we continue in Isaiah 42, we see this Elect Servant of God is indeed called to a specific purpose. That is Biblical election. It isn’t being elect to salvation, but to a purpose.

Perhaps as you’ve read Romans 9, you miss what is taught. Paul introduces the chapter outlining the service Israel was appointed to do for God.

to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom, according to the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God forever blessed. Amen.

Romans 9:5 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

It is this exclusive calling given to Israel. But with Isaiah’s prophecy we can see that this calling is also to an Individual, One we know as Jesus Christ. One of the names applied to Jesus is Israel. As He fulfills the purposes of their calling.

As the One do the calling, we see God establish His “bona fides,” which is His right to elect. He does that in a specific way, which will be demonstrated in the next post on this subject.

God then promises to be the One to uphold and establish this Servant. He appoints unique characteristics and abilities to this Servant to help us identify Him. He would be the covenant of the people and to open blind eyes.

God then calls out attention back to Who He is. In the midst of that, He also gives us another way to identify this unique Servant. It is how John identifies this Servant.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We saw His glory, that is God’s glory… given to another. John is establishing this Servant as God Himself.

Do You Stand in the Gap?

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Ezekiel 22Leave a comment

When you look at the state of our society today… When what is clearly wrong is declared to be legal. When nobody around you seems to stand for righteousness… Do you go along or get along?

Take this one little verse from the prophet Ezekiel, God couldn’t find one person to stand in the gap between those bent on evil and God.

I sought for a man among them who would build up the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.

Ezekiel 22:30 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

One person. That is all God was looking for… To prevent the utter destruction of the land.

Is that person you?

The Servant is not Discouraged

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Good, Isaiah 42, Mark 14, The ServantLeave a comment

Here is My servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen one, in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon him;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
He shall not cry out, nor lift up his voice,
nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and the smoking flax he shall not quench;
he shall bring forth justice faithfully.
He shall not be disheartened nor be discouraged,
until he has set justice in the earth;
and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 42:1-4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Jesus was steadfast in His elect purpose. Continuing from the previous post in Jesus’ purposeful encounter with that Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, this is what He told her.

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

John 4:34 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Jesus set forth at His task. It was to do as the Father has purposed. The Holy Spirit was placed upon Him and He presses forward just as the text says, to bring forth justice faithfully.

“Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life. Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

Do not marvel at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. I can do nothing of Myself. As I hear, I judge. My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 5:24–30 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Just as He faithfully spoke of the same need to that Samaritan woman. And in the above passage, He spoke plainly to those who would intend to harm Him. He wasn’t disheartened. He addresses their need to believe even in the midst of their desire to kill Him. He also explains that there is a time constraint to this mercy. Judgment is coming, yet now there is a way of Escape.

In one of my favorite portions of Scripture, Jesus is ministering to the folks who followed Him after He fed them from a young boy’s lunch. They were looking to see more of the miracles and they wanted the satisfaction of their physical and temporal needs. Jesus patiently explained to them of a greater spiritual need.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst. But I told you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me, and he who comes to Me I will never cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who has sent Me, that of all whom He has given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:35–40 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

“I am the Bread of Life” He said. It would cure the hunger that they had.

He further expounds on what was told to the Samaritan woman, He gives water that quenches thirst for good. Jesus is using physical needs to point to the related spiritual need.

We also see that He speaks of raising the dead in the passage from John 5. Some are raised to the resurrection of life and others to the resurrection of judgment. He is pointing to the truth of the Father giving Him all things. He is telling them He loses none that come to Him. It doesn’t mean that all will be saved from the resurrection of judgment. But that He loses none of which He’s been given authority to raise up, which is all. Those that believe will be given eternal life.

The important part is that He is set to do His Father’s work diligently.

“He shall not be disheartened nor be discouraged,”

I will just leave the rest to Mark’s description of the end. In it we see Jesus to be a bit tentative in His last night before the Cross. He goes away to pray three times, we see His resolve. Even here, we see Him to not delay or be discouraged.

They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. And He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter and James and John with Him and began to be greatly distressed and very troubled. And He said to them, “My soul is deeply sorrowful unto death. Remain here and keep watch.”
He went a little farther and fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”
Then He came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not keep watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again He went away and prayed the same words. When He returned, He again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And they did not know what to answer Him.
When He returned a third time, He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Look! He who betrays Me is at hand.”

Mark 14:32–42 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In the same way in doing our father’s bidding, ought we not be disheartened or discouraged?

He Shall Bring Forth Justice

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Isaiah 42, The ServantLeave a comment

Here is My servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen one, in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon him;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
He shall not cry out, nor lift up his voice,
nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and the smoking flax he shall not quench;
he shall bring forth justice faithfully.
He shall not be disheartened nor be discouraged,
until he has set justice in the earth;
and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 42:1-4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I had a conversation in which a portion of this passage was cited for some off-the-wall explanation. It was a friend of mine whose words helped to explain a portion of this.

“A bruised reed he shall not break,”

The idea explained here is that Jesus would not break those who are already beaten and trodden down. It characterizes Jesus in a way that is easily recognizable for the pattern that Isaiah has established.

Reeds were often collected to be used as kindling for starting fires. Fire was a necessity for heat and cooking. We don’t think that way because of modern conveniences. When collecting the reeds, it was preferred to not take a green reed. It was easier to break off one already bent. These were collected and dried to use in fires. The idea is that these bruised reeds were removed from their source of life and fruitfulness. This is the same way that the Servant would regard people.

Jesus wouldn’t break these. Moreover, He wasn’t the cause of these reeds being bent. The reeds would have been bent by the wind, people, or other animals who went amongst them to the water they grew in. It was a part of life. As my friend said:

“Jesus, who is God in the flesh, did not regard people as just kindling for the fire.” Wayne E. Parsons

He didn’t cause the reed to be bent nor would He purposely cause people to be completely severed from the source of Life. This idea is no more epitomized than with Jesus’ purposeful encounter with the Samaritan woman. John says it was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria (John 4:4.) It was a purposeful encounter, even to the very place… Jacob’s well. Jesus sat there in the middle of the day.

Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

John 4:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There is that bruised reed. The woman was a Samaritan, someone an Israeli may have considered beneath even serving them. The Samaritans were generally considered half-breeds and not fully Jewish. Yet they are descendants of Jacob, but it is more than the well and the water.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock?”
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water that I shall give him will become in him a well of water springing up into eternal life.”

John 4:10-13 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In this simple conversation, Jesus is pointing to Himself as the Giver of Life. Yet the Samaritan woman had not yet understood. Her eyes were focused on the well before her, and she could see Jesus had no utensils for even drawing water from the well. Jesus must explain, that the water He gives won’t come from that well. We see that the reed before Him is twice bruised. She is a half-breed and lacks eternal life (a pathway to God.)

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

John 4:15 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Just like that, we see the next portion illustrated.

“and the smoking flax he shall not quench;”

The smoking flax is the smoldering wick of a candle. It puts out a little bit of light, but with lots of smoke. You’ve seen it, when the wax puddles up to the wick, the flame gets very small and may even begin to smoke for a lack of oxygen and/or fuel. We would snuff that candle out; not Jesus. We see by the woman’s testimony that she still wanted to serve God, but her faith was weak because of the circumstances she found herself in. These weren’t caused by God, nor did she fatalistically end up there as we shall see. It was clearly her own choices that put her faith in such a precarious position of being smothered out by life.

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
The woman answered, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband. So you have spoken truthfully.”

John 4:16-18 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I love this part. Jesus called her to a task. It led to her confessing the truth to Him. It is given to us in such a matter-of-fact way, I don’t know if there was any shame. I certainly don’t think that was Jesus’ intent. His intent was to win her!

She quickly perceived Him to have some way of knowing secret things. She was still quite unsure of things, being separated from the only way to approach God at that time. He didn’t quench that little spark of faith, she wanted to know how to seek God.

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you all say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. Yet the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.”
The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

John 4:16-26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I can imagine in my mind’s eye the protracted silence that existed in that moment. A half-breed Samaritan woman who had perceived wrongly her own rejection by God because of her circumstance of birth. She was also a woman five times divorced, and the man she had didn’t marry her. Really who is she that the Elect One of Israel came to meet her?

The silence seems to continue as the disciples show up and are caught up in their own marvel.

Then His disciples came. They marveled that He talked with a woman. Yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” They went out of the city and came to Him.

John 4:27-30 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I am still imagining, there she is thinking probably with her mouth agape. His friends show up, they too are surprised. She then takes off, leaving her stuff behind. I am laughing as I am thinking it like the old cartoon Road Runner… That fast!

That smoldering flax caught fire again!

Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to remain with them. And He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His word.
They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this Man is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

John 4:39-42 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We have an account of the first evangelist. She was a woman.

There is another account that I think of when reading of a bruised reed He will not break. It is that of the woman caught in adultery which is given a bit later in the book of John.

Jesus isn’t here to crush you… Really.

“he shall bring forth justice faithfully.”

But in the meantime, would you want justice for what you’ve done?

Or would you prefer compassion and mercy?

The Elect One

On By TimIn Election, Isaiah 42, The ServantLeave a comment

Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth justice to the nations. He shall not cry out, nor lift up his voice, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax he shall not quench; he shall bring forth justice faithfully. He shall not be disheartened nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth; and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Isaiah 42:1–4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

“Here is My Servant,” says God. Here is My Chosen One. This is God speaking of Jesus. Of course, there will be much agreement on that.

However, there is another truth here that is overlooked and ignored. The idea of being chosen by God isn’t connected to salvation, not in the sense that we’ve been taught to believe. Here, God is calling the Chosen One “My Servant.”

God is speaking through Isaiah of Jesus and the service He has been chosen to render to God. We have the benefit of reading this with hindsight. When pondering this passage, we have written history of what Jesus did. Yet the completion of this something future. That is, to bring forth justice.

During Jesus’ earthly advent, of which the Gospels testify, we clearly see that His ministry was one where folks were drawn to Him. He didn’t have to preach loudly in the streets. People came to Him, being drawn to Him.

We also see in this ministry His compassion toward those who were downtrodden and weak. The informed and lame came to Him and He turned none away. Those with the littlest of faith were ministered to with compassion and mercy. The little faith they exercised wasn’t quenched. I am certain the Holy Spirit is recalling some of these to your mind as He is mine as I write.

The promise of justice on earth had begun. The kind of justice God gives, that is rendered with compassion through His Servant.

Even when He went to the cross, we read of His anguish. That is preserved for us also in the Gospels. The night of His arrest, He prayed and prayed… and prayed again. Even while His friends were fast asleep. He wasn’t disheartened, nor was He discouraged. Yet He presses on, toward that upward calling of His Father.

For each of us believers now, we hope. Because He isn’t disheartened or discouraged. Neither ought we be. It’s His task to bring justice to the Earth, and it is coming.

You may be bruised… Even close to being burnt out. You can take that burden to Jesus. Yes, you can choose to go to Him. He won’t turn you away. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done. He’s promised to not break you or extinguish you. But there is a time limit… While you yet live and justice hasn’t yet been set on earth.

Come now, He offers. Why wait?

The Next Forbidden Tree

On By TimIn Creation, Genesis 03, The FallLeave a comment

The Lord God said, “The man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. And now, he might reach out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”

Genesis 3:22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

After the fall, God set aside access to another tree. It was the tree of life that was now forbidden. Again, as we have seen previously, maybe it is the enemy that wants us to think God is keeping something from us.

It’s not so. He doesn’t keep good things from us.

Had Adam and Eve partook of that tree of life they would indeed live forever. It wouldn’t be a good thing for them or us. We would have remained corrupted.

God has a better plan. That would be the Offspring to bruise the head of the serpent. As the prophet Daniel would reveal, He (this Offspring) would make an end of sin. Corruption would be no more.

His Way is how and why we must be saved. To put off this body of corruption, and be raised anew incorruptible.