Our Hebrews Series is now finished! 4-19-2013

We just finished studying through the book of Hebrews! What a blessing it was to study through this book again! Hope you'll study it too! May the Lord Bless you as you study through His word!

Is sharing sickness or disease love?

To the title question of this article, you might quickly say, “No!” That would seem like a reasonable response. However, believe it or not, there are people and cultures in the world who in practice (and/or belief) would think that sharing sickness and disease was love. After all, some people we really just “love so much!” Perhaps we think, well, if they can suffer it, then I will too. Is that love? The face of your spouse, that cute little child, or significant other; wouldn’t it just be love to share their sickness and feel their ill ease together? Is that right? To some, such an idea would seem like madness! And it is madness, isn’t it? Others would just buy it as “love” and suffer the illness of a loved one. However, despite people’s personal opinions and various cultural ideas, what does God have to say about this in His word? It is love, or insanity and sin? Well, let’s take a look at the Bible, the ultimate source for truth and right thinking! Surely, God has an answer for us!

The very first sin of man was done in the name of “love” to a certain dear one, but it savored much more of idolatry and rebellion against God, than it did of love. Certainly, SIN never deserves the name of “love.” It is the farthest cry from it! “Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). “Sin” however “…is the transgression of the law” of God (1 John 3:4). Sin is the disobeying of God’s law. But “love” is the keeping of God’s law (See also John 14:15,21; 1 John 4:7-9; 1 John 5:2,3). And certainly, “no man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Adam disobeyed God’s commandment by choosing to partake in the same sin as Eve, his wife. Thus, he became a transgressor too and was put out from the garden along with the woman who he had made an idol over God. Clearly, God hates sin, but loves people (John 3:16; Isaiah 13:9). He will destroy sin, and save those who are willing to escape through His Help. But those who love sin will perish with their sin.

Sin is like a disease. It affects the human race and spreads contagiously. Adam should have remained loyal to God, hating the sin of his own wife (while yet having love for her as a person), and loving God enough to remain faithful to His commands. Adam chose instead sadly, to take the disease of sin from his own wife, and to dishonor God. That was idolatry because he made her greater than God. We have to remember that God himself has the highest claims upon our lives!! It is not that child, or spouse, or significant other in this world, but it is God! Hate sin, and love people. Love God and hate sin!

Sickness, sin, and suffering all come from Satan, not God, and one day they will be done away with fully! (Luke 13:12,16; Revelation 21:4). They are enemies to us and to our loved ones. We should avoid them at all costs! God teaches us the principles of containment and desires to save us from the disease and suffering of the world. He wants us to be well and in good health! (3 John 1:2). Read Leviticus 13 sometime fully when you have the chance. Very serious and contagious diseases were dealt with very carefully. The policy of containment was ordered by God! An infected or contagious person was not allowed to pollute the environment around them or to contaminate others with their disease. They were to receive a certain amount of isolation, as needed, to contain the disease. Again, Romans 13:10 says that “love works no ill to his neighbor.” Therefore, it seems fitting that out of love, those with an infectious disease would labor to contain it. And out of love, those without the disease would labor to give care for one who was sick, while being careful not to contract such a disease themselves (Matthew 9:12; 10:8; 25:34-41).

What about other pesky illnesses and colds? Should we just shrug them off and choose to share them with the faces of those we love? Is that love? Well, to care for them is love. That does put us at some risk, but in the name of Jesus, that’s a necessary evil and Christ expects it. He will care for us and help us to maintain our own health in such a case. But, if we needlessly put ourselves into the risk of becoming sick and with careless regard perform acts that are highly likely to share a sickness, then maybe we should think twice before doing so. That is not love. Taking what no one in their right mind (not even your loved one) should ever want, is not love.

Before you choose, just remember that, “…your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20). Can you or anyone else afford to get sick nearly on purpose and to lose time and service to God for even a day because you have become needlessly sick? God holds first claim upon all of us, and He expects faithful service of love from us. Let us not cheat God out of the daily service and energy that belongs to Him, but was lent to us. We can’t ignore the claim of God, even for a dear face. Take care of your health. Avoid becoming sick if at all possible. It will make a great difference in your ability to do faithful service for God! Be well, healthy, and strong to honor and serve God for as many days of the year as are possible! Every day belongs to Him! Us too!

[originally posted on our old CCM blog, April 14, 2013]

Now Studying through the Book of Hebrews 4-4-2013

We've just begun studying through the book of Hebrews! Now four chapters into it! What a blessing to be able to study through the word of God on a regular daily basis! Have a listen to our lessons and be blessed by the Lord!

Having more Clout with the Almighty! How to get answers!!

 

“Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth” (Jeremiah 15:1).

Clearly, God was angry with his people in the days of Jeremiah. They had crossed the line of NO return! There was no remedy, except to cast them out to the enemy. They had to receive the harsh curses of God to wake up and realize their own wickedness! For generation upon generation they had been living in wickedness and the voice of God’s true prophets and His word (the Law) had been nothing to them. Their ears would not listen, nor obey. Now God himself was not going to listen to them!

Moses and Samuel were some of the most earnest pleaders and petitioners of God’s throne. They were righteous men and the Lord listened to their pleadings! (For example, see Exodus 32:31-31; Numbers 14:15-21). Another who we know had such clout with God as a petitioner of the heavenly throne of mercy was Abraham, the friend of God (See Genesis18:17-33). Abraham questioned with God for the lives of those in Sodom and Gomorrah–to spare the city for the sake of the righteous. God answered him fairly according to his questions and demonstrated His great mercies.

There was also Job, whom God boasted of proudly as a heavenly Father, saying, “Have you beheld my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth…?” (Job 1:8). We have also Daniel of whom the heavenly angel spoke of as “…a man greatly beloved” of God (Daniel 10:11). We can find a number of others who were quite faithful and beloved of God. The Scriptures go on, “Jacob, I have loved…” (Romans 9:13), etc.

What is it with these men to whom God and the inspired record of the Scripture give such favor and applause? Why did they have such clout with God? Such favor? Was God just arbitrarily playing favorites? No, of course not! God doesn’t ever do that! (Acts 10:34). What then? Simply this. These men obeyed God’s word diligently and faithfully while seeking Him earnestly! That’s it!!! That’s the secret! How can we have more clout with God? How can we have favor and strength from God? Obey Him faithfully and seek Him earnestly!

Simply look at a few of the many texts in the Bible on this subject and you’ll be quickly convinced, that IS the truth!

The Lord “…is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). “…pray to your Father who sees in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6). “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8). “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Proverbs 28:9).

God’s faithful servants have His abundant blessings surrounding them!! They are excellent pleaders and petitioners before His throne! God answers their prayers! God does not answer the prayers of the wicked who will not listen to Him (although these very ones are aware of what the truth is). Sadly, in Jeremiah’s day, the professed people of God had become so wicked, that God said, essentially, “Even though one of My righteous servants like Moses or Samuel pleaded for them, I would still not answer to save these people from calamity.” How sad. The professed worshipers of God had lost all of God’s favor and had gained His certain wrath!! Let us not be among that number! Rather, let us obey God faithfully while seeking Him diligently. Let us be among the number who have power and clout to plead with God, and prevail, reaping the blessings of His Majesty’s favor. Amen?

[originally posted Jan. 30, 2013 on our old CCM blog]

Life Changing Encounters with God (12-10-2012)

 

“Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart” (Daniel 7:28).

As we study something as profound as the prophecies of Daniel we might be very quick to pass over some of the details such as this one. We generally spend a lot of time in studying the text of the prophecy itself! And of course, that is all right and good. We ought to be diligent in studying that message from God. But, let us not be so quick to easily forget that the Holy Spirit saw fit through Daniel to reveal the feelings of Daniel in relation to this vision as well.

There was something so incredible about receiving this vision from God that Daniel was left feeling “troubled” by his thoughts on the matter. His “countenance” was changed in him. But still, he kept the matter in his heart–to ponder it over and to not just reveal it to everyone as of yet. The prophet needed some time to reflect on what was just shown to him.

Previously, Daniel had received night visions and dreams from God, such as with those found in Daniel 2 and 4. However, this particular vision was quite troubling for Daniel! Something about this vision really struck the heart of Daniel and brought some troubles and concerns to his mind. This vision, perhaps even more than the previous ones, was a life changing experience for Daniel! He was troubled by it and his countenance–the face of his heart was changed within him (though he tried to hide the matter in his heart for a while). Something about Daniel’s outlook on life was now changed forever after experiencing this particular vision. It had quite a deep and important message to be shared with all the world, and Daniel knew that it carried with it a very great significance!

There are some lessons that we can take away from this and apply to our own life. First of all, have you experienced some truly life-changing encounters with God? Daniel had known God for his whole young life–this vision however changed something about his outlook and worldview for the future. You and I can also experience some deeper encounters with God as we seek Him–ones that will change our lives forever (Jeremiah 29:12-14). Secondly, if we rightly understand these prophecies in the Bible, then they should have a really solemn effect upon our lives and should change the kind of person that we are into one who is more sincere for God, and who is living more appropriately for the times in which we find ourselves (even as with Noah, see Hebrews 11:7). May God bless and guide you as you seek Him more earnestly! May your life be changed forever by the power of Jesus Christ and may your soul’s experience in God be greatly deepened by an earnest pursuit of Him! He wants to be found…so go for it!

[originally posted Dec. 10, 2012 on our old CCM blog]

What is the Lord’s Day and How should we keep it? (Long version)

 

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” (Revelation 1:10).

The prophet John was in the Spirit of God on “the Lord’s Day.” This is actually the only text in the whole New Testament that uses the precise phrase, “the Lord’s Day.” It is the only one! But, what does it mean? Well, obviously, it means that the Lord had or has a special day! It must be a day that is considered above all others! Obviously, it’s “the Lord’s Day.” It’s not just any other day. It’s not just some common day. It’s an important day. It’s a distinguished day. It is different from every other day of the week because it is especially demarcated or delineated as “the Lord’s Day.” It is HIS Day and not another’s. It is one that can be noticed above all others and especially called “the Lord’s Day.” That carries real meaning. It belongs to the Lord and it is very special to the Lord’s heart above all other days. Is it not? Of course it is! That’s why it can be called the Lord’s Day and it is distinguished above and beyond every other day. The term certainly carries a great meaning!

Now the question is, what day is the Lord’s Day? I mean, if the Lord has a very special day (each week), then what day is it? Wouldn’t you like to know? If God has a special day every week, then shouldn’t we know it and even recognize it as special above all others, like the prophet and apostle John did? Of course we should!

So now, it falls upon us to find out just what is the Lord’s Day? When is His holy day? Well, the New Testament never actually says in any sort of direct terms. It doesn’t ever say anything like, “This certain day is ‘the Lord’s Day’ and we are to observe it especially as such.” We cannot find any such identifying text there….except for maybe a couple texts that seem to give us an idea of what day it is. We’re going to look at them too. The Old Testament, on the other hand, does make some extremely crystal clear remarks about which day is the Lord’s day. We’re going to look at them too. And we ought to keep in mind that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). Well, that’s what the Apostle Paul told young Timothy in his letter to him…and those word’s carried an extremely special application to the Old Testament Scriptures since that is what Paul and all the Jewish (and early Christian people) were using. The New Testament was still being written at that time. Also, that is what Timothy had “known from childhood” (v.15). If we want to have good sound Bible Doctrine then we must go to the Bible–BOTH Old and New Testaments! That’s clearly what the Apostle Paul says! So, if I believe Paul’s writings in the New Testament, then I better believe in using the Old Testament as well, because that is what Paul taught us in the New Testament. If you doubt using the Old then you must be doubting the use of the New as well (especially 2 Tim. 3:15-17). Well, enough said on that one!

It has been a long standing tradition for many Christian’s to call Sunday, the first day of the week, “the Lord’s Day.” We can trace back that tradition for many years. But is that really what the Bible says? Is that in the Bible? Well, first of all, let’s take a look at a historical reference from the Roman Church’s council of Laodicea in the 4th Century AD.

Council Laodicea – A.D.365
“Canon 16-On Saturday the Gospels and other portions of the Scripture shall be read aloud.” “Canon 29-Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honor, and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day.” Hefele’s “Councils,” Vol. 2, b. 6.

What does the counsel of Laodicea tell us about the Roman Church’s understanding of the Lord’s day, at that time, and also about the Sabbath day? Well, there are some major points and questions that arise from these counsel declarations. They are the following, (1) According to Canon 16 Saturday was a very important day to Christians for worship and for reading from the Scriptures (originally). (2) Canon 29 tells us that there came a change into the thinking and the doctrine of the large Roman church. (3) The large Roman church of this time had begun to make a distinction between Saturday, the Sabbath day, and Sunday, which they were now calling “the Lord’s Day.” (4) The church was commanding that Christians should rest from work on Sunday’s (which they were calling “the Lord’s Day”), and that they should not rest, but should instead work, on Saturdays. That tells us right there that many Christians were, at that time, and prior to it, still resting upon the Sabbath day, Saturday, the 7th day of the week. The Roman church leaders, from the counsel of Laodicea, were now trying to outlaw such rest on the Sabbath day, and were trying to get the Christian people to rest on Sunday, the first day. There was a change being made by the force of church law and by the combined power of the Roman state through Constantine. Any Christian who, at this time, did rest on Sabbath (Saturday, the 7th Day) they were now accusing of being “Jewish” (rather than Christian). The Roman church law commanded that all Christians should make every effort to now rest upon Sunday’s, “the Lord’s Day,” and to refrain from work.

Well, clearly, there were some major issues taking place in the church at that time. The large church in Rome was commanding that things be done a certain way, in fact a different way than many Christian’s had previously been doing. And were they appealing to the Scriptures for their authority? No. Not at all. They were simply appealing to the authority of man’s declaration and the fact that they were the earthly leaders of the Roman church. This declaration was built upon the church’s sense of her own power, not upon the express command or saying of God’s word.
So, what does the Bible really say about “the Lord’s Day?” Are there express commands or words in the Bible that tell us beyond any shadow of a doubt, what and when is the real Lord’s Day? Can we know? Yes. We can know. The Bible makes some crystal clear statements about which day is the true Lord’s Day. Why don’t we take a look?! And let’s get our religion and our doctrine from the Bible, not from the decrials and counsels of mere men. Amen?!
Let’s just start with Genesis and see if there is any evidence there for the Lord’s Day. Let’s read Genesis 2:1-3.  “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

Here the Bible presents to us a special day. It was a day that God—the LORD—rested on. It was a special day that God—the LORD—blessed. It was a day that God—the LORD—made holy. He made this special day for a Holy purpose. It was a day that was for resting and for worship. It was called the Sabbath day. The Hebrew word “Shabat” means rest, and therefore the day took that name, “Sabbath.” It was a rest and worship day. The “Lord’s Day” from the Creation in Genesis was the day on which He rested. It was the day which He blessed. It was the day which He made holy—which He set aside for a Holy purpose. It was the Sabbath day—the seventh day of the week. The reason for its specialness is given to us in these verses. It was “…because in it He rested from all His work…” of Creating and making the world and everything in it (v.3).

When we come to the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, verses 10-11 tell us the following. “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work,” or your son, daughter or anyone else, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy” (v.10-11). The Bible says, “…the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God.” It is His day of rest! He made this day holy and He blessed it. We should rest on this day from our labors because the it is the LORD’s Day of rest with His blessing and His holiness upon it—even from the time of Creation! It commemorates that and it also reminds us since the time of the cross that we are saved by what Jesus has done for us. We are to find our “rest” in Christ Jesus (Matthew 11:28) and also to depend upon the work for Salvation that He has done already, not our own works. We are to rest in His works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Every Sabbath day also reminds us of that today [ref. Hebrews 4:4,5,9-11].

Perhaps the most explicit and clearly stated texts regarding this matter are found in Isaiah 58:13,14. “…turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words: Then shall you delight yourself in the LORD…” Beyond any shadow of a doubt, the seventh day Sabbath is God’s Holy Day—the LORD’S Holy Day. It is the “Lord’s Day.”

The gospels also tell us that Jesus is “the LORD of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5).
With so much overwhelming evidence it is beyond any point of question that the Sabbath day (Saturday) is truly “the Lord’s Day” spoken of in Revelation 1:10. There is no other day that ever received such a title in the Bible or among God’s people even up through the days of Jesus and His apostles (including John—the last one to die, sometime after A.D. 90). If you can find even one Bible text that ever calls the first day of the week (or Sunday) “the Lord’s Day” then please write me at Clear Call Ministries with the evidence and I’ll give you 10,000 USD and will change my belief. But I already know you can’t find one because I’ve searched the whole Bible high and low to see if there was. It’s non-existent!

The habit of styling Sunday as “the Lord’s Day” was a habit entirely foreign to any of the Bible writers. It was a habit and tradition that began from the Church of Rome in the 4th Century especially. They thought they could redirect the worship and the rest of man to be placed upon an entirely different day than what God himself ever spoke of or commanded. Is this not a sign of their corruption? What man can presume to have authority to change the holy laws of Jehovah—the God of Heaven and Earth?!
Let us just now consider our life options in light of this truth. We have now a choice to make. Will we follow God’s laws or mans? Will we follow the Bible’s teaching—God’s Holy Word, or the traditions of men from the decrials of their various counsels? This choice is ours today. In the words of Joshua, “…as for me and my house, we will serve [follow] the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). How about you?

[originally posted on our CCM blog, 12-9-2012]

What is the Lord’s Day and How should we keep it? (Short version)

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” (Revelation 1:10).

The prophet John was in the Spirit of God on “the Lord’s Day.” This is actually the only text in the whole New Testament that uses the precise phrase, “the Lord’s Day.” It is the only one! But, what does it mean? Well, obviously, it means that the Lord had or has a special day! It must be a day that is considered above all others! Obviously, it’s “the Lord’s Day.” It’s not just any other day. It’s not just some common day. It’s an important day. It’s a distinguished day.

The next question is, “Which day is the Lord’s Day?” I mean, if the Lord has a very special day, then shouldn’t we know which day it is? We’re going to go directly to the Scriptures, the inspired source that is “…profitable for [every] doctrine…” (2 Timothy 3:15-17), for our answer!

The tradition of calling Sunday “the Lord’s Day” has been a long-standing tradition among many Christians. But where does that idea come from? We don’t have much further to look than the Counsel of Laodicea in A.D. 365. [See the longer version for details]. If any had used the term earlier, it certainly wasn’t found in the Bible. There is no text to be found that ever calls the first day of the week (or Sunday) the Lord’s Day! Search the Bible from cover to cover, but you won’t find it! Is that surprising to you? It’s amazing how the assumptions of men can be so greatly wrong. It’s shocking and you just wonder, “Why didn’t someone tell me already?!” Or, “Why didn’t I know this?” Well, today I’m telling you. But, don’t just take my word for it. You go and check your Bible. Then you’ll know firsthand!

So, what does the Bible say is “the Lord’s Day?” Genesis 2:2-3 say, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

God rested on the “seventh day,” then He blessed it, then He made it holy (setting it apart for a holy use). He rested on it, He blessed it, and He made it Holy! That’s His day! The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:10 say, “…the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work…”  The seventh day is God’s Sabbath—It’s the Lord’s Day! Isaiah 58:13 says, “…turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable…”  Sabbath is the Lord’s Holy day! We should delight in the Lord on that day and rest from our work. Jesus said that He is “the LORD of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5). The seventh day Sabbath is the Lord’s Holy day—Saturday! Check and see! That’s the only “Lord’s Day” that the apostle John ever would have known or observed as holy.

Let us now consider our life options in light of this truth. We have now a choice to make. Will we follow God’s laws or mans? Will we follow the Bible’s teaching—God’s Holy Word, or the traditions of men from the decrials of their various counsels? This choice is ours today. In the words of Joshua, “…as for me and my house, we will serve [follow] the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). How about you?

[originally posted on our old CCM blog, Dec. 9, 2012]