October 7, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22.
The common mistakes that those who “underdo” make in their walk with God are due in large part to their attempts to become a Christian on their own. They try to tackle sin alone, they read the Bible without asking for the Spirit’s guidance, and they isolate scripture to back up their position. However, God never intended for us to do anything alone, and that is why He sent the Holy Spirit to us. The repercussions of their actions can be severe, and are evidence of their inability to see the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice.
First of all, God’s gift to us of forgiveness should not be taken for granted. For example, imagine you invested a lot of time and money into picking out a gift for your child, and knowing they have not taken care of gifts before, you tell them not to damage it. However, they do not listen and they destroy the gift. Although you would forgive them, you feel hurt, ignored, and as if your sacrifice and generosity were taken for granted. Likewise, our sin hurts God. “The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” Genesis 6:6.
Second, the underdoer is showing a refusal to trust in God to help them overcome the things they do not want to do with the Spirit’s guidance. The Spirit that was so powerful in the Holy of Holies that if sin encountered Him or anyone looked upon Him they would die, now lives within believers because Jesus shed human blood. The magnitude of that event should be enough not to use it as an excuse to go out on our own knowing we will be forgiven. “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26-27.
Third, the idea that we do not have to answer for what we do is false. Once we committed to Christ, each of us individually became a part of the “Body of Christ”, and our membership in that body does not make us immune from judgment. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.
If you are a believer who is walking out on your own, you are putting your own will ahead of God’s, but you are forgetting that you are held to a higher standard. "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:47-48.
Fourth, God wants us to repent for our sins. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. Repent means we turn back from what we are sorry for, thus it is more than an apology, it is an action of showing God that we truly mean what we say. For example, when you tell your child not to do something and they tell you they are “sorry”, but they do it over and over anyway only to repeatedly say “sorry”, you are less likely to believe that they are truly sorry for what they have done.
God’s power of forgiveness is greater than we could ever imagine, and has reached the worst of sinners. One famous example is seen in the well known Bible story of the woman who was going to be stoned for adultery. We are told what Jesus said to those who were going to stone her. “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7.
What many forget is what Jesus also said to the woman. “Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:10-11. Jesus let her know she was forgiven, but He also told her to leave her life of sin. The meaning we should walk away with is that we should quit doing what we are sorry for, and the Holy Spirit will help us do so.
When Jesus died, the veil or curtain that separated us from being able to access God’s Spirit in the Temple in Jerusalem was torn down and now God’s Spirit could live within believers. The Holy Spirit has specific ways of guiding us and changing us (to be discussed in a future part to this series). The bottom line is that God tore down that curtain to give us access to Him so that we could be transformed and avoid sin and its consequences, but the “underdoer” hangs that curtain back up so that they can do what they wish.
The end result is that they walk down their own path only to reach a dead end, and question why God did not help them. The answer to that question is obvious. What many people do not understand is how our own obedience affects the timing of God’s response.
The reality is that no matter how many curtains we hang so we can do as we wish,
God can see through them.
**Part VIII of the "Now What?" Series will discuss the other path people walk on their own instead of staying on God's path, the "overdoer".
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Avoidance and Delay...(Now What? Series Part VI)
October 6, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” Matthew 7:21-23.
Knowing that sin means to “miss the mark” and that this does not just include our intentional wrongs, one would think that we would make an effort to stay on course with God. “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Those who attempt to tackle the sin in their own lives through avoidance are best defined as “underdoers”. In most cases, they turn away from God out of a sense of condemnation or shame. In other cases, they refuse to commit to the change that God wants to bring in their lives because it is not something they wanted. In turn, they tell themselves that they will walk on their own and God will forgive them, but because we cannot be perfect there is no need to try at all. Simply put, they cover up their lack of obedience with God’s promise of forgiveness for all sins.
To justify their actions, they will tell you that we are all sinners and we are all forgiven. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:22-24. This is absolutely true, but the application is problematic. Put simply, they are misusing their gift, and misusing such a miraculous gift has serious repercussions.
In all truth, we do not have to cover up our shame by avoiding change. First, as a believer, there is no condemnation. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death..” Romans 8:1-2. What the “underdoer” does not see is that they will be able to follow the rules with the Spirit’s guidance, but they have to ask.
Likewise, the expectation of perfection “or else” is not warranted. Even when we fall and show our own lack of faith, God remains faithful. With the Spirit living in us, to be unfaithful to us, God would have to disown himself, and that He will never do. “…if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13.
However, through their choice to pursue this walk, what the “underdoer” fails to realize is that avoiding change does not make God’s will for change in their life go away, but
Their avoidance will only delay the good that only His change can bring.
**Part VII of the “Now What?” Series will discuss the ways the “underdoers” misuse the gift given to them by God.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” Matthew 7:21-23.
Knowing that sin means to “miss the mark” and that this does not just include our intentional wrongs, one would think that we would make an effort to stay on course with God. “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30.
Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Those who attempt to tackle the sin in their own lives through avoidance are best defined as “underdoers”. In most cases, they turn away from God out of a sense of condemnation or shame. In other cases, they refuse to commit to the change that God wants to bring in their lives because it is not something they wanted. In turn, they tell themselves that they will walk on their own and God will forgive them, but because we cannot be perfect there is no need to try at all. Simply put, they cover up their lack of obedience with God’s promise of forgiveness for all sins.
To justify their actions, they will tell you that we are all sinners and we are all forgiven. “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:22-24. This is absolutely true, but the application is problematic. Put simply, they are misusing their gift, and misusing such a miraculous gift has serious repercussions.
In all truth, we do not have to cover up our shame by avoiding change. First, as a believer, there is no condemnation. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death..” Romans 8:1-2. What the “underdoer” does not see is that they will be able to follow the rules with the Spirit’s guidance, but they have to ask.
Likewise, the expectation of perfection “or else” is not warranted. Even when we fall and show our own lack of faith, God remains faithful. With the Spirit living in us, to be unfaithful to us, God would have to disown himself, and that He will never do. “…if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13.
However, through their choice to pursue this walk, what the “underdoer” fails to realize is that avoiding change does not make God’s will for change in their life go away, but
Their avoidance will only delay the good that only His change can bring.
**Part VII of the “Now What?” Series will discuss the ways the “underdoers” misuse the gift given to them by God.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Under or Over...(Now What? Series Part V)
October 4, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
When we are given a gift, the person who gave it to us usually expects one thing and that is use. In using that gift, we have to use it for the purpose in which it was made. Realizing the gift of our salvation from God, and the promise that the Holy Spirit will live within us and guide us can be hard for many to understand. In trying to gain understanding there are trip falls that must be avoided because they cause us to put the focus back on us and off of Him, and when we do we are starting to walk out on our own instead of following God.
Chances are that when some of us were told the Holy Spirit lives within us, we were also told that we better not do anything wrong because now our “body is the temple”. While that is absolutely true, the message affects people differently, and there are two different reactions that can surface and cause people to fall off of their path with God. The two reactions are best described as “underdo” and “overdo”, and both are problematic for many reasons, and are often due to a lack of knowledge about the role the Holy Spirit has in our walk with God.
Before considering either reaction, it is important to know that the word “sin” is what causes a believer to fall off of God’s path and start walking on their own. Both “underdoers” and “overdoers” try to attack the concept of sin in their lives on their own. When this happens, they have dropped their guard on the fact that they were supposed to ask their guide for help.
Understanding the true definition of sin should have an effect on both the “underdoer” and the “overdoer” and bring them back to their path with God. On Earth, we usually define wrongs as intentional conduct, but the word “sin” in the Bible is from the Greek word hamartia, which means to “miss the mark”. If we miss that mark, it is a sin, whether we intended to miss it or not. And it is not only our own sin that causes us to fall off of God’s path, but the sins of others can cause us to do so as well. Armed with all of that knowledge, the two reactions take shape, and both cause God a lot of bad press, so to speak.
To avoid falling victim and aligning with one of the two sides, the best advice is to make sure that you do not apply any definitions or rules to your life by yourself based on your own meaning, but instead you use your gift properly, and
Ask your guide for help.
**Part VI of the “Now What? Series” will discuss in detail the “underdo” reaction, and the truth and mistruths that are those people follow.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17.
When we are given a gift, the person who gave it to us usually expects one thing and that is use. In using that gift, we have to use it for the purpose in which it was made. Realizing the gift of our salvation from God, and the promise that the Holy Spirit will live within us and guide us can be hard for many to understand. In trying to gain understanding there are trip falls that must be avoided because they cause us to put the focus back on us and off of Him, and when we do we are starting to walk out on our own instead of following God.
Chances are that when some of us were told the Holy Spirit lives within us, we were also told that we better not do anything wrong because now our “body is the temple”. While that is absolutely true, the message affects people differently, and there are two different reactions that can surface and cause people to fall off of their path with God. The two reactions are best described as “underdo” and “overdo”, and both are problematic for many reasons, and are often due to a lack of knowledge about the role the Holy Spirit has in our walk with God.
Before considering either reaction, it is important to know that the word “sin” is what causes a believer to fall off of God’s path and start walking on their own. Both “underdoers” and “overdoers” try to attack the concept of sin in their lives on their own. When this happens, they have dropped their guard on the fact that they were supposed to ask their guide for help.
Understanding the true definition of sin should have an effect on both the “underdoer” and the “overdoer” and bring them back to their path with God. On Earth, we usually define wrongs as intentional conduct, but the word “sin” in the Bible is from the Greek word hamartia, which means to “miss the mark”. If we miss that mark, it is a sin, whether we intended to miss it or not. And it is not only our own sin that causes us to fall off of God’s path, but the sins of others can cause us to do so as well. Armed with all of that knowledge, the two reactions take shape, and both cause God a lot of bad press, so to speak.
To avoid falling victim and aligning with one of the two sides, the best advice is to make sure that you do not apply any definitions or rules to your life by yourself based on your own meaning, but instead you use your gift properly, and
Ask your guide for help.
**Part VI of the “Now What? Series” will discuss in detail the “underdo” reaction, and the truth and mistruths that are those people follow.
Tearing the Veil...(Now What? Series Part IV)
October 4, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4.
Knowing that man’s fall into sin caused us to be separated from a holy and perfect God who could not be around sin, something big had to take place. People needed to be able to access Him and have His Spirit for guidance so they could continue on the right path, and the rules were failing to make that happen.
Prior to Jesus death, God’s Spirit lived in the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem. That portion of the temple was separated by a veil or heavy curtain, and only the High Priest could enter with blood as a sacrifice for sin. When Jesus died, that veil or curtain was torn down and no longer was it arranged where only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies where God’s Spirit lived.
The difference between that time and after Jesus was unimaginable to the believer. Before the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies annually, but Jesus sacrifice was a one time event. Also, Jesus sacrifice involved the shedding of His own human blood, rather than animal blood as a sacrifice for sin. “Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:25-26.
The magnitude of this sacrifice allowed us access to God despite our sin, and God’s Spirit no longer needed a building in which it could live to be among His people. Where God’s spirit lived after Jesus’ death is the key to realizing the power you have to maintain your course in following God. Before He died, Jesus told us all where God’s Spirit would live. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17.
Now, God’s Spirit lives within the believer. “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. The moment you committed to Christ, you were marked with a seal, and that seal was the Holy Spirit. “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14.
From the beginning of time, God’s law written for us to follow is holy, but it is our own nature that goes against doing what we are told and always looking to break the rules. “Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.” Romans 7:7-10.
Knowing that people were failing to follow the rules, or law, God knew that we would need a guide, and the Spirit was sent to us to accomplish that task. Now it is the Spirit living within you who will help you remain on course with God, but you have to understand how He works in order to listen to His guidance. This is a gift given to you from God at the moment of your salvation, and as with any gift, to realize its true value,
You have to use it in the manner in which it was intended.
**Part V of the “Now What? Series” will discuss the two ways many people misuse their gift of the Holy Spirit and frustrate their ability to hear His guidance.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4.
Knowing that man’s fall into sin caused us to be separated from a holy and perfect God who could not be around sin, something big had to take place. People needed to be able to access Him and have His Spirit for guidance so they could continue on the right path, and the rules were failing to make that happen.
Prior to Jesus death, God’s Spirit lived in the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem. That portion of the temple was separated by a veil or heavy curtain, and only the High Priest could enter with blood as a sacrifice for sin. When Jesus died, that veil or curtain was torn down and no longer was it arranged where only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies where God’s Spirit lived.
The difference between that time and after Jesus was unimaginable to the believer. Before the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies annually, but Jesus sacrifice was a one time event. Also, Jesus sacrifice involved the shedding of His own human blood, rather than animal blood as a sacrifice for sin. “Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:25-26.
The magnitude of this sacrifice allowed us access to God despite our sin, and God’s Spirit no longer needed a building in which it could live to be among His people. Where God’s spirit lived after Jesus’ death is the key to realizing the power you have to maintain your course in following God. Before He died, Jesus told us all where God’s Spirit would live. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17.
Now, God’s Spirit lives within the believer. “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. The moment you committed to Christ, you were marked with a seal, and that seal was the Holy Spirit. “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14.
From the beginning of time, God’s law written for us to follow is holy, but it is our own nature that goes against doing what we are told and always looking to break the rules. “Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.” Romans 7:7-10.
Knowing that people were failing to follow the rules, or law, God knew that we would need a guide, and the Spirit was sent to us to accomplish that task. Now it is the Spirit living within you who will help you remain on course with God, but you have to understand how He works in order to listen to His guidance. This is a gift given to you from God at the moment of your salvation, and as with any gift, to realize its true value,
You have to use it in the manner in which it was intended.
**Part V of the “Now What? Series” will discuss the two ways many people misuse their gift of the Holy Spirit and frustrate their ability to hear His guidance.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Breaking the Rules...(Now What? Series Part III)
October 3, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.” Romans 8:3.
As believers, God has provided us with a guide to help us stay on His path, and that is the Holy Spirit. Understanding how to access our guide for help requires that we understand the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice.
Prior to Jesus death, God’s Spirit dwelled in the Temple in Jerusalem in a part known as the “Holy of Holies”. In this way, He could be among the people and help them, but having God around us took a lot of work for us to be able to access Him.
For example, the “Holy of Holies” was separated from the rest of the Temple by a veil or a heavy curtain, and not just anyone could enter because as a holy and perfect God, God could not be around sin. Man’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden separated us from God and placed a barrier in between. For this reason, only the high priest was able to enter into the “Holy of Holies” and never without animal blood as a sacrifice for sin. Simply put, he had to be cleansed. “When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” Hebrews 9:6-7.
It is important to remember that God’s presence is so powerful that if the proper precautions were not taken by the High Priest, or if anyone else should enter they would die. His presence is so great that to even look upon Him would cause death, not as punishment, but as if we put our hands into fire. Holiness and sin do not mix. “He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die.” Leviticus 16:13.
Even with His presence in the Temple, man continued falling into sin. God had given Moses all the rules that people should follow, but those rules, or the law, were not enough for people to stay on the right path. One reason is the rules were often not followed due to our desire to go against them and break them.
Another reason is the fact that more is required than just following those rules, and even when people followed them they forgot why they were doing so. God always wanted us to follow His commandments, but that was just the “what” we do. He also wanted us to look at the “why” we are doing it. “…acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” 1 Chronicles 28:9. Each person should examine their motives even if the “what” they are doing is a good thing, such as quoting scripture, giving offerings, or attending church. If the “why” the person is doing such a good thing is to impress others, then the meaning behind the action is lost. "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:1.
A key illustration of this is seen in the Old Testament where people were giving offerings in the Temple, like we do in church today, and quoting scripture and commandments, but they had forgotten about the fact they were supposed to be doing it for God. “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6. Instead, they were obeying commandments to gain others approval by impressing them with their vast knowledge and contributions, and breaking the commandment that told them to put God first. They appeared obedient, but God knew their heart was absent.
God’s displeasure was evident. Man was still falling into sin, regardless of the rules in place, and God knew we needed access to Him directly. In order to provide us with a way to stay on His path, He would have to remove the sin barrier that separated us from Him.
And that is exactly what He did.
**Part IV of the “Now What? Series” will discuss how removing the barrier between us and God provided you with the Holy Spirit to help you stay on course.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.” Romans 8:3.
As believers, God has provided us with a guide to help us stay on His path, and that is the Holy Spirit. Understanding how to access our guide for help requires that we understand the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice.
Prior to Jesus death, God’s Spirit dwelled in the Temple in Jerusalem in a part known as the “Holy of Holies”. In this way, He could be among the people and help them, but having God around us took a lot of work for us to be able to access Him.
For example, the “Holy of Holies” was separated from the rest of the Temple by a veil or a heavy curtain, and not just anyone could enter because as a holy and perfect God, God could not be around sin. Man’s fall into sin in the Garden of Eden separated us from God and placed a barrier in between. For this reason, only the high priest was able to enter into the “Holy of Holies” and never without animal blood as a sacrifice for sin. Simply put, he had to be cleansed. “When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” Hebrews 9:6-7.
It is important to remember that God’s presence is so powerful that if the proper precautions were not taken by the High Priest, or if anyone else should enter they would die. His presence is so great that to even look upon Him would cause death, not as punishment, but as if we put our hands into fire. Holiness and sin do not mix. “He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the smoke of the incense will conceal the atonement cover above the Testimony, so that he will not die.” Leviticus 16:13.
Even with His presence in the Temple, man continued falling into sin. God had given Moses all the rules that people should follow, but those rules, or the law, were not enough for people to stay on the right path. One reason is the rules were often not followed due to our desire to go against them and break them.
Another reason is the fact that more is required than just following those rules, and even when people followed them they forgot why they were doing so. God always wanted us to follow His commandments, but that was just the “what” we do. He also wanted us to look at the “why” we are doing it. “…acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” 1 Chronicles 28:9. Each person should examine their motives even if the “what” they are doing is a good thing, such as quoting scripture, giving offerings, or attending church. If the “why” the person is doing such a good thing is to impress others, then the meaning behind the action is lost. "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:1.
A key illustration of this is seen in the Old Testament where people were giving offerings in the Temple, like we do in church today, and quoting scripture and commandments, but they had forgotten about the fact they were supposed to be doing it for God. “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6. Instead, they were obeying commandments to gain others approval by impressing them with their vast knowledge and contributions, and breaking the commandment that told them to put God first. They appeared obedient, but God knew their heart was absent.
God’s displeasure was evident. Man was still falling into sin, regardless of the rules in place, and God knew we needed access to Him directly. In order to provide us with a way to stay on His path, He would have to remove the sin barrier that separated us from Him.
And that is exactly what He did.
**Part IV of the “Now What? Series” will discuss how removing the barrier between us and God provided you with the Holy Spirit to help you stay on course.
Come What May...(Now What? Series Part II)
October 2, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26.
In practice, the commitment to stay on God’s path and follow Christ is filled with temptation to deviate and start walking on our own path. Fighting that temptation can seem overwhelming in practice even to the most committed follower.
As humans, we are used to trying to control everything, and once we are told that we have to walk in faith, we search for how to do it using our own worldly knowledge. When we fall, we convince ourselves it is too hard, and we do not understand how God could have given us such a huge task with no help. The irony is that this is also the moment we beg Him to tell us the future so we can know what to do when, in reality, we cannot even handle the present.
The truth is that walking in faith requires us to ask Him for the help we need to follow. Some people find it troubling that they have to ask an all-knowing God, who can change anything, for help. But before we ask why He cannot just change everything so we do not need help, we should consider the relationship of a parent and child. A parent would not jump in to do the child’s homework for them, but would stand by and see how much the child knows to do on their own. If the parent did the opposite the child would not learn anything. It is out of love the parent watches until the child struggles with something and then asks for help.
Understanding the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice is key to understanding the help God provides to us. Most believers do not understand how to talk to their guide, and that misunderstanding is because they do not see the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament, when Jesus had come to Earth. The guide is the Holy Spirit, and Jesus sacrifice has everything to do with how you access Him for assistance.
Once you learn to access Him, you will retain not only help and assistance, but strength and power that you could hardly imagine. And that strength and power will show you exactly how to follow God,
Come what may….
**Part III of the “Now What?” Series will discuss the link between the Old and New Testament that helps you to understand the Holy Spirit’s role in you staying on course with God.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26.
In practice, the commitment to stay on God’s path and follow Christ is filled with temptation to deviate and start walking on our own path. Fighting that temptation can seem overwhelming in practice even to the most committed follower.
As humans, we are used to trying to control everything, and once we are told that we have to walk in faith, we search for how to do it using our own worldly knowledge. When we fall, we convince ourselves it is too hard, and we do not understand how God could have given us such a huge task with no help. The irony is that this is also the moment we beg Him to tell us the future so we can know what to do when, in reality, we cannot even handle the present.
The truth is that walking in faith requires us to ask Him for the help we need to follow. Some people find it troubling that they have to ask an all-knowing God, who can change anything, for help. But before we ask why He cannot just change everything so we do not need help, we should consider the relationship of a parent and child. A parent would not jump in to do the child’s homework for them, but would stand by and see how much the child knows to do on their own. If the parent did the opposite the child would not learn anything. It is out of love the parent watches until the child struggles with something and then asks for help.
Understanding the magnitude of Jesus sacrifice is key to understanding the help God provides to us. Most believers do not understand how to talk to their guide, and that misunderstanding is because they do not see the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament, when Jesus had come to Earth. The guide is the Holy Spirit, and Jesus sacrifice has everything to do with how you access Him for assistance.
Once you learn to access Him, you will retain not only help and assistance, but strength and power that you could hardly imagine. And that strength and power will show you exactly how to follow God,
Come what may….
**Part III of the “Now What?” Series will discuss the link between the Old and New Testament that helps you to understand the Holy Spirit’s role in you staying on course with God.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Bells and Whistles...(Now What? Series Part I)
October 1, 2009
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
In life when we make a big decision we usually expect two things. We expect an instantaneous feeling of peace, and we expect our decision to have a huge impact. The momentary feeling hits us that we have finally done something, and we expect the bells and whistles to go off.
The decision to become a Christian is no different. In fact, once you commit to Christ, you make a huge decision, and you expect the impact to be equally huge. Churches and Christian leaders everywhere provide non-believers with the information on how to become a Christian, and the tone is usually the same. The person prays for Christ to come into their heart, forgive them for their sins, and take over their life.
However, more often than not, the person who has just committed themselves to Christ is not told what takes place after that prayer is over and they open their eyes. This moment is the one where the new believer expects to see an entirely new world, and often expects that everything will run smoothly from that point on.
In reality, an entirely different life awaits you, but you may not feel the instant gratification that you are used to searching for. At that moment, the old you is gone, and a new you takes shape. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Simply put, you are an infant, and not an adult. You do not know how to walk and talk, but you will spend time learning how to. In truth, many Christians struggle their entire lives with this only to take a hard fall and find out that they did not learn how to walk and talk at all.
Many people know the story. God sent His son to die to save humankind. That is seen in the famous scripture, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. What this means for you is that God gave you this option through His love for you. However, never drop your guard on the fact that faith is attached to that, and to receive the gift you have to believe.
However, your faith does not just stop with your belief. Beyond that, faith walks and talks. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17. Your job is to take His promise and gift and honor it in every step you make. The key is to remember that at the moment you committed to Christ, you committed to give your life to Him and follow Him. When you follow someone you walk in trust placing your steps behind theirs.
To learn how to walk and talk, you have to continue on His path even when you fall. The ones who deviate from that path usually come in two forms. First, there are those who spend a lifetime struggling only to find out they never truly developed because they insisted on walking their own path only to scream out to God for help when their own path reached a dead end. And even for those people, God is waiting for them to walk back over to His path and start to follow. He remains faithful even when we do not. “…if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13.
Second, others will continue to walk their own path knowing that God’s gift offers a promise of complete forgiveness. However, that promise is never an excuse to continue walking your own path. “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26-27. God wants us to repent, and repentance means that we turn away from the sins that take us off of His path and onto our own. Thus, it is an action, not merely an apology.
When you feel that you cannot possibly continue to follow because you do not know how to stay on God’s path, you have to remember that although He holds the map,
He has given you a guide.
** Part II of the “Now What” Series will discuss the Guide God has given you that helps you stay on His path.
Danielle Joyner Kelley
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
In life when we make a big decision we usually expect two things. We expect an instantaneous feeling of peace, and we expect our decision to have a huge impact. The momentary feeling hits us that we have finally done something, and we expect the bells and whistles to go off.
The decision to become a Christian is no different. In fact, once you commit to Christ, you make a huge decision, and you expect the impact to be equally huge. Churches and Christian leaders everywhere provide non-believers with the information on how to become a Christian, and the tone is usually the same. The person prays for Christ to come into their heart, forgive them for their sins, and take over their life.
However, more often than not, the person who has just committed themselves to Christ is not told what takes place after that prayer is over and they open their eyes. This moment is the one where the new believer expects to see an entirely new world, and often expects that everything will run smoothly from that point on.
In reality, an entirely different life awaits you, but you may not feel the instant gratification that you are used to searching for. At that moment, the old you is gone, and a new you takes shape. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Simply put, you are an infant, and not an adult. You do not know how to walk and talk, but you will spend time learning how to. In truth, many Christians struggle their entire lives with this only to take a hard fall and find out that they did not learn how to walk and talk at all.
Many people know the story. God sent His son to die to save humankind. That is seen in the famous scripture, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. What this means for you is that God gave you this option through His love for you. However, never drop your guard on the fact that faith is attached to that, and to receive the gift you have to believe.
However, your faith does not just stop with your belief. Beyond that, faith walks and talks. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17. Your job is to take His promise and gift and honor it in every step you make. The key is to remember that at the moment you committed to Christ, you committed to give your life to Him and follow Him. When you follow someone you walk in trust placing your steps behind theirs.
To learn how to walk and talk, you have to continue on His path even when you fall. The ones who deviate from that path usually come in two forms. First, there are those who spend a lifetime struggling only to find out they never truly developed because they insisted on walking their own path only to scream out to God for help when their own path reached a dead end. And even for those people, God is waiting for them to walk back over to His path and start to follow. He remains faithful even when we do not. “…if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13.
Second, others will continue to walk their own path knowing that God’s gift offers a promise of complete forgiveness. However, that promise is never an excuse to continue walking your own path. “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10:26-27. God wants us to repent, and repentance means that we turn away from the sins that take us off of His path and onto our own. Thus, it is an action, not merely an apology.
When you feel that you cannot possibly continue to follow because you do not know how to stay on God’s path, you have to remember that although He holds the map,
He has given you a guide.
** Part II of the “Now What” Series will discuss the Guide God has given you that helps you stay on His path.
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