Be Careful in Choosing a ‘Hero’

What is an IDOL? It is a graven image; a statue; or an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship. It can even be a person we’ve made into a hero.

We human beings can turn almost anything into an object of worship! It can be anything from a famous basketball star hero to a treasured car to an appointment calendar that we decide is untouchable—even sacred.

But our God has a lot to say about idols in the Word, and we would do well to heed His words.

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. (Jonah 1:8 KJV)

Vanities are vain things—things that deceive [mislead, betray, trick, or dupe]. Idols fulfill this definition. Anything that we trust in place of or instead of God can be considered a lying vanity.

I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the Lord. (Ps 31:6 NIV)

This Bible verse calls idols ‘worthless.’ Since idols are empty, hollow, and pointless, this is an accurate adjective.

But they are altogether stupid and foolish; the instruction from idols is nothing but wood! (Jer 10:8 NASB)

As this Scripture says, the only ‘instruction’ a person can receive from an idol is a contemplation of wood.

“What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! ¹⁹Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. ²⁰But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (Hab 2:18-20 ESV)

Since idols are made by human hands out of wood or stone, and often decorated with gold and silver, it is obvious to recognize it as an unresponsive object with no life in it. However, our God is alive; and He (alone) can impart life—even eternal life. Glory to God.

Value your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as the most important relationship in your life, and you will avoid some of the traps that the enemy tries to set before believers. God bless you.

Jesus—A Fitting High Priest

Jesus came to earth to fulfill the will of His Father and to accomplish all of the prophecies concerning Him that had been made in the Bible. He has satisfied every one of those goals perfectly and completely, praise the Lord! Thanks to Jesus, all believers are blessed beyond measure.

He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. (Eph 4:10 NET)

Jesus ascended into Heaven after the resurrection, and was seated at the right hand of the Father God. Jesus has dominion, power and authority over all things; and He is the head of the church.

. . . which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. ²²And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:20-23 NKJV)

The point of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has not just come to fit into the earthly system of priestly ministry as the best and final human priest, but He has come to fulfill and put an end to that system. He came to orient all of our attention on His ministering on our behalf in heaven. Hallelujah!

The Old Testament tabernacle and priests and sacrifices were shadows. They were indications of the truth that was yet to come. Now the reality has come to pass, and the shadows pass away.

For this next verse, we’ll look at two different versions of it:

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Heb 7:26 NIV)

It’s appropriate for us to have this kind of high priest: holy, innocent, incorrupt, separate from sinners, and raised high above the heavens. (Heb 7:26 CEB)

As a High Priest, Jesus meets all of our needs and fulfills all of His spiritual and supernatural roles throughout eternity. We serve a living, powerful, and loving God.

The Importance of the Christ’s Resurrection

We’re going to study the distinctiveness, the need, and the urgency of the resurrection. First, let’s check out a few Scripture verses on the topic:

^“For He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed, having given assurance of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Ac 17:31 MEV)

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Cor 15:14 ESV)

. . . and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. (1 Cor 15:17 NASB)

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was unparalleled because of His divinity. Because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (Joh 10:36), the high priests sought to put Him to death. Therefore, His resurrection from the dead proved His declaration that He was God’s Son to be true.

In Acts 2, Peter reasons that since the Lord Jesus was God’s Son, it would be impossible for Him to remain dead and to decompose in a tomb—like a mere mortal. (Ac 2:24-32) We can’t value this truth too highly.

Jesus’ resurrection was exceptional because of the death that led to it and demanded it. Jesus’ death was extraordinary because it was the death of One who lived a holy, sinless, righteous life that brought honor to God on behalf of sinful humanity. Jesus’ death was unique because it was God’s eternal plan that His Son should die as a blameless sacrificial lamb, as a surrogate recompense for the sins of humanity.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Joh 1:29 NKJV, emphasis added)

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. (1 Cor 5:17 NASB)

For all eternity, Christ has been designated as the perfect sacrifice, without spot or blemish, whose death could atone for the sins of others. (Isa 53; 1 Pet 1:18-20; 1 Pet 2:21-25)

But when the Messiah came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he went through the greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not a part of this creation. ¹²Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he went into the Most Holy Place once for all and secured our eternal redemption. ¹³For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are unclean purifies them physically, ¹⁴how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead actions so that we may serve the living God! (Heb 9:11-14 ISV)

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ had no precedent. Never before had anyone been raised from the dead in such a unique way; because when Jesus was resurrected, He was so altered that He was eternally beyond death. He would never again experience death.

This is why Jesus’ resurrection was described as the ‘firstfruits’ in 1 Corinthians 15:23, because there will be many who will follow Him (in being resurrected).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a matter of life or death. Our response to this truth will decide our eternal destiny.

An indication of how thoroughly Jesus had been changed by the resurrection becomes clear when we notice a couple of facts. After His resurrection, Jesus could appear and disappear as He chose (Lk 24:31); and He could also enter a place with a locked door (Joh 20:26). Praise God! The resurrection of Jesus Christ was crucial because it’s an essential element in saving faith. In both the Old and New Testaments, a redeeming faith was faith in a God who could and would raise people from the grave. An in-depth study of the 11^th chapter of Hebrews will reveal that the faith of Old Testament saints is a resurrection faith. Glory to God!

Be Law Abiding & Given to Good Works

We are instructed by the Bible to live law-abiding lives and to perform good works to the glory of God. Let’s look at what the Scriptures say:

My son, fear both the Lord and the king, and don’t keep company with rebels. (Pro 24:21 ISV)

Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and give to God the things that are God’s.” (Mt 22:21 NCV)

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Rom 13:1 NIV)

He gave himself to rescue us from everything evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right. (Tit 2:14 CEV)

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work . . . (Tit 3:1 NKJV)

Clearly, as believers, we must live in two different realms. We live in this carnal world, which is very much opposed to the plans and purposes of God. Simultaneously, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom with Christ as our Lord and King.

We’re called to represent Christ in the midst of this sinful and pain-filled society without allowing ourselves to become contaminated by it. The only way that we can succeed is by obeying the Word of God; and by following the leading of the Holy Spirit as He counsels and leads us, individually.

By living holy lives and being valuable, law-abiding citizens, we prevent the gospel of Jesus Christ from being slandered and vilified.

By living in peace and harmony with our neighbors, and importantly with other believers, we demonstrate our good works in:

being courteous to all;
doing good works within a civic framework as well as within a spiritual framework; and
submitting to our governing authorities.

These points are achieved practically in being honest in business; paying our taxes; being good neighbors; conducting ourselves in an orderly way; and obeying the laws of the land. In conducting ourselves along these guidelines, we fulfill the Scripture that says:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Mt 10:16 KJV) We are being wise and harmless! Glory to God most high!

Yearning to Know God

Because God has placed eternity in our hearts (Eccl 3:11), every human being craves a meaningful life that has value beyond our short lifespan. This deep hunger is reflected in various Scripture passages:

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When may I come and appear in God’s presence? (Ps 42:2 ISV)

You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. (Ps 63:1 CEV)

My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Ps 84:2 NKJV)

I yearn for the Lord, more than watchmen do for the morning, yes, more than watchmen do for the morning. (Ps 130:6 NET)

“I have told you these things in proverbs. But the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, for I will speak to you plainly about the Father.” (Joh 16:25 MEV)

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: ⁴And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. ⁵And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev 22:3-5 KJV)

All of us long for the presence and the knowledge of God. Jesus came to earth to reveal the heart of His Father to mankind. Jesus modeled the nature of the Father to us, as He lived His daily life—healing, showing mercy, forgiveness, and love and in ministering to mankind. Our Savior modeled forgiveness, mercy and compassion as well as countless other magnificent attributes. As Jesus was obedient to Scripture, we prosper when we obey the Word and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives.

The day is coming when we who have made Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior will enter into eternal life, and see the face of our Father God. Until then, we live in hope of that glorious day. As we await this splendid event, we do well to live holy and spotless lives to the glory of God. You are blessed!

When God Speaks, His Word is Fulfilled

The Bible establishes the truth that when God speaks, His word is fulfilled.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (Gen 1:3 NKJV)

Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Josh 21:45 NIV)

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made; all the heavenly bodies by the breath of his mouth. (Ps 33:6 ISV)

For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood firm. (Ps 33:9 NASB)

For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. (Lk 1:37 AMP)

God’s words are always realized (executed). God is dependable and faithful to His word—unlike human beings. He is a Being that it’s safe to put our trust in.

God’s word is tested, tried and proven. His word will always bear fruit no matter how people act, what people utter or what people believe. Glory to God!

Whenever we choose to believe and act upon the timeless word of God, God will cause that word to be performed in our lives. It will surely come to be. Understanding the faithfulness of God’s word strengthens our faith and enables us to trust in His word.

I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6 CEB)

We can also be assured, as the above Scripture passage above verifies, that the work the Lord has begun in each of His children will be fully completed. God bless you.

God is Eternal

How does the fact that God is an eternal Being impact a Christian’s daily life? First, let’s look at some relevant Bible verses:

Your divine throne is eternal and everlasting. Your royal scepter is a scepter of justice. (Ps 45:6 CEB)

But you, Lord, are enthroned forever; You are remembered throughout all generations. (Ps 102:12 ISV)

You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. (Lam 5:19 NKJV)

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim 1:17 ESV)

Because God is an eternal and all-powerful Being, pleasing Him and having a relationship with Him is a satisfying and meaningful investment. It is a relationship that will go on into eternity, and one that will change our daily lives for the better.

The souls of all human beings are destined to continue eternally, and we have the authority to choose whether our eternal home will be in hell or heaven. When we choose to live for Jesus, and to obey the Bible, we make the best decision ever.

God’s wisdom and God’s Words will never pass away. Obeying His Word will be eternally valuable. Therefore, we need to invest NOW in the things that are eternal and affect eternity. This mindset means that we choose to follow Christ’s example daily in every area of our lives.

We are wholly connected with Christ. We are even hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3) Therefore, we are secure in Christ. We belong to the Lord, and are protected in Him. The certain and magnificent day will arrive when we will be glorified with Him. Praise God!

Don’t Criticize Yourself

Most of us don’t realize that as followers of Jesus Christ, we should not criticize ourselves or even think negative things about ourselves! Does that surprise you?

This is a lesson the Lord had to teach me, and one that He also needs to remind me of from time to time. It’s a favorite tool of the enemy to get us thinking disapproving things of ourselves, but we must not do it.

Here are some of the Scriptural reasons to help us to understand the deep, spiritual importance of this:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27 NIV)

Every human being on earth, whether Christian or not, has been created in the image of God. Since that is true, EVERYONE deserves to be treated with respect—including ourselves!

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Ps 139:14 ESV)

Since, each human being was given life by the Lord, each individual is a wonderful work of the Lord. We would never contemplate criticizing one of God’s works, would we? Then why do we think it’s okay to think pessimistic thoughts about ourselves?

. . . everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made. (Isa 43:7 NASB)

We have each been created to bring God glory. Our thoughts are much better ordered and employed to meditate upon God and to think worshipful thoughts about Him. Also, it is productive to think of ways to bring Him glory and honor.

Or do you not know 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? (1 Cor 6:19 NKJV)

We, as believers, do not belong to ourselves but we belong to God. Each Christian is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Just think about the enormity of that honor.

. . . and to clothe yourselves with the new nature, which was created according to God’s image in righteousness and true holiness. (Eph 4:24 ISV)

Our ‘new nature’ since salvation is the one that has ‘put on Christ.’ (Rom 13:14; Gal 3:27) Our born-again spirit was sealed by God in righteousness and true holiness. There is nothing within us that we are able to criticize because we belong to God. Glory to God!

Meditate upon how very important you are to the Lord, and the fact that you belong to Him. God is with you. Rejoice in His truth!

Being Strengthened & Established

As we live our daily lives as believers and followers of Jesus, there should come times when we are strengthened and established, or recognized, in our faith. Let’s take a look at some Scriptures concerning this topic:

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. (Rom 1:11-12 NKJV)

Paul was writing to believers in Rome, saying that he wished to see them in order that he could impart [pass on] a spiritual gift to a number of them, and that he could encourage them in their faith—and be encouraged himself by them.

First of all, do you realize that praying for each other is encouraging?

And do you also realize that by praying for one another, we may reveal our own spiritual gifts and may even pass them on? Well, it’s absolutely true!

But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. (Rom 15:29 NKJV)

Paul was confident that when he saw the believers in person, that he would be operating in the FULLNESS of the blessing of Christ’s gospel. What faith! This demonstrates the confidence of a man who relies completely upon the Word, and lives his life accordingly. Glory to God!

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. (Ac 16:5 NIV)

When we are strengthened in our faith, we can’t help but share our experiences and testimonies with others. When we do that, other people visit our churches in order to discover what is happening. Their curiosity is provoked, and they want to investigate for themselves.

When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. (Ac 19:6 NIV)

Praying for people, as you touch them, is a biblical and correct form of prayer. This verse tells us that when Paul did this, the people that Paul touched came under the influence and presence of the Holy Spirit. As a result these same people actually spoke in tongues and prophesied. Hallelujah! These are biblical results and we should be encouraged by them, and use them as our example.

A key tactic we can use to strengthen our faith is to read the Bible, and to the meditate upon it daily. God bless you.

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Month: October 2022