A desire for all the nations of the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
Let us Ascend the Hill of the LORD with clean hands and pure hearts together!
Jesus said, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (NASB, Mat. 7:1-2).
Sometimes we can be very critical of others but what if God was to use our own standard of judgment against us? Would we be able to withstand his judgment?
Check out today’s video and learn more.
We desire to walk in faith, but sometimes we do not even know what faith is. We do not even know how to measure it. I used to think very rigidly when it came to the definition of faith because what was written in Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
I thought, Well if we had faith then the things that we hoped for would manifest in our lives because the substance of our hope is faith. Substance being the material in which a thing is made of.
Substance:
Webster’s Dictionary 1828
1. In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; equally applicable to matter or spirit.
3. The essential part; the main or material part.
To a degree, this is true just look at the people in this world. New agers manifest things for themselves by their own belief. Secular people get the things they hoped for by believing in themselves (actors, athletes, business owners, etc…). It’s all based on their belief because Jesus’ words remain true.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8
This is a spiritual law. It cannot be broken. Jesus is the Word of God and what He speaks is. The children of this world have been able to receive things because of faith, and they don’t even acknowledge the Creator they pay homage to the universe or their hard work. Why? “…[God] makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (from Mat. 5:45). AND they had asked, sought, and knocked…
Some of them have great stories of personal trials that they overcame to get to where they are at. And most people honor them for their diligence and grit to not quit even when times got tough. They aren’t even paying respect to God and yet they attained what they sought after… Let that sink in.
I was asking the Lord today if He knew Lazarus was going to die or if He was just walking in faith? I believe He has shown me it was both. He both knew Lazarus would die and He was walking in faith. Let’s dive into it.
Jesus receives a message from Mary and Martha, "Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick."
When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this."
Then a couple days later Lazarus dies. After Lazarus died Jesus knew it in the spirit and told His disciples.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead."
From John chapter 11.
Messengers were not sent in that day unless the person was on their death bed. So when Mary and Martha sent Him that message it was to notify Jesus that His friend that He loved was about to die. But what does He do when He hears the message? He spoke!
Faith speaks. “…I believed, and therefore I have spoken…” (from 2 Cor. 4:13). He spoke the word concerning this man. He refuted the message of these women and said, “this sickness does not lead to death…” He confessed! “…with the MOUTH confession is made unto salvation” (from Rom. 10:10).
The reason why I was asking the Lord if He knew if Lazarus would die or not is because I know how the devil operates when a person moves in faith. He tries to go against the very word or thing they were believing for. So when Jesus said the sickness is not unto death the devil was like, we’ll see about that… and then went and killed him.
I believe what God has revealed to me is that Jesus was goading satan into it. Because He knew His enemy too and knew that the devil wouldn’t be able to help himself except try and make an attempt to say that he has the power. That usurper…
“Faith subdues the facts to the truth”
Then when Jesus knew about Lazarus’ death He tells His disciples plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” Notice here Jesus didn’t refute the fact that Lazarus was dead. Faith does not ignore the facts. Faith subdues the facts to the truth. And what was the truth? “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified by this” (John 11:4). Then He goes and resurrects the guy.
What was Jesus’ hope? That God would receive glory by the Son being glorified in this. Was His hope fulfilled? Yes. How did His hope get fulfilled? By faith. His faith manifested the hope which He had.
So faith is definitely what our hopes are made of! But God showed me that faith is more than this for the one who believes in Jesus. It is believing in who God is.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6
God showed me that for the follower of Jesus faith is believing in the revealed nature of God. Not just the Jehovahistic names (which is good), but in who Jesus has revealed Him to be.
“No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
John 1:18
“Philip said unto Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
John 14:8-9
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you have not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; and how is it that you say then, show us the Father?”
Not many people look for faith in the Christian religion. A lot of people have been duped into thinking that Christianity is about being a “good person”, but I am here to tell you it is about faith in Jesus! It is about Faith in the Word of God and manifesting His Word in and through our lives! Not about trying hard to be righteous through our own human effort, but through believing in Him!
While believing in Him we will endure hardships. But when we go through hardships our faith should not rest in our ability, but in who God is. As I said before many people have endured hardships in this world and received what they desired in this earth by believing in themselves and the world honors them for their endurance. But for us, our endurance is not a self-centered belief. It is a belief and trust in who God has revealed Himself to be through the face of Jesus. If we endure it is proof that our faith in God is genuine when we do not quit when times are tough. And our endurance actually brings praise and glory to God!
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:5-7
I love you guys and God bless you in the knowledge of Him through His Son Jesus!
Something that has always astounded me about Jesus is that he never recognized his own goodness or righteousness. He truly modeled what it meant to be sold out for the righteousness of God. He was the example, so let’s take a look at the Author and Finisher of our faith.
A man came to him one time and said, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus responded to this man with, "Why do you call me good? none is good, save one, that is, God." (Found in Luke 18:18-27)
So meek and lowly of heart! If any person in the entire history of this earth could call themselves good it would have been Jesus, yet he did not even acknowledge his own goodness! What a truly humble King! He directed the man to His Father. He said why do you call me good? None is good except God.
Right before this encounter was recorded in Luke, Jesus gave a parable to those who trusted in their own righteousness.
And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14
The amazing thing about the pharisee is that he was thanking God for his righteousness! And went on to describe his religious activities that he had so highly esteemed. Think about that. He was acknowledging, to a certain extent, that God was the one responsible for his righteousness.
What is the problem with that? The problem is that he was exalting the “righteous deeds” that he was doing, and not truly exalting God. Then he looked at others and judged them according to his level of piety. He started to look at the “sinners” with contempt. He started to think that his devotion was the measure to which all men must be judged. He believed that he was good and others were “less than”. The Son, however, did not even acknowledge His own goodness and pointed to God and said, “He is the only good!”
I have prayed for you [Peter], that your faith does not fail: and when you are converted, strengthen your brothers
Jesus, From Luke 22:32
There was a moment before Peter’s conversion when he looked at his devotions toward the Lord and not at God’s devotion toward him. He thought that he was the righteous one proving to God that he will stand firm and remain faithful to Jesus even if all others abandon him. I mean after all the Lord did rename him Peter (which means a rock). He was just standing in his new identity, right?
As Peter would soon find out, his identity was hinged on God being able to keep his word, not on Peter being able to keep his. Praise God for that! If it was based on our ability then we’d all be in hell!
Jesus said to the disciples, "All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee."Â
Peter said to him, "Although all shall be offended, yet I will not."Â
And Jesus said back to him, "Truly I say to you, That this day, even in this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
But Peter spoke more forcefully, "If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise!"
(from Mark 14:27-31)
The rest of the story is that Jesus’ prophecy remained true. Peter, along with the others, abandoned him. And Peter was humbled, he no longer thought that he was the keeper of his soul, but God was.
The hidden truth of the gospel is it’s not about your goodness it’s about His! “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes!” Those who continue to try to be good enough have blinders over their eyes until Jesus comes and lifts the veil. (The law is that veil) and when the Groom comes to His bride He lifts that veil and marries her to Himself.
I love old-fashioned weddings they are sooo prophetic. First, the groom gives the bride an engagement ring which is his promise that he will marry her. Then when the bride is made ready the father walks her down the aisle while the whole congregation is in silent reverence. She is adorned in a beautiful white dress. Then when she stands before her husband he lifts the veil and she, with unveiled face, sees her husband! What a depiction of Christ and his bride!
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; WHICH VAIL IS DONE AWAY IN CHRIST. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the SAME IMAGE from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
What we behold is inevitably what we become. If we are constantly looking at the law and trying to judge our righteousness with the law we will fall. Because we are constantly looking at the things that we are not supposed to do. “The strength of sin is the law” (from 1Cor. 15:56).
Or if we start looking at ourselves and our devotion to the Lord then we will start judging others based off of our own convictions. Then start teaching the commandments of men as doctrines. “And in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). But if we, with unveiled face, behold our Lord we are changed from glory to glory.
It is not and never has been about your goodness. It is and always will be about His goodness. Love love love you guys! It’s all about the goodness of our God and Father who gave up His Son for the world! Which is his enemy and we were all his enemies, but now he has made peace with us through the cross! What a good God we have! What a lover!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever! Amen.
1 Timothy 1:17
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Love you guys!!!
A desire for all the nations of the earth to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. 