God is Light (2)

Do you know who resisted the kingdom of God the most back in Jesus’ day? It was religious people who desired physical perfection and not mercy. It was people who wanted to see God’s wrath taken out on the ungodly. It was people who didn’t understand the meaning, “You desire mercy and not sacrifice.” It was those same people who thought they were representing God because He is holy and set apart from sin that resisted His Kingdom the most.

I just listened to someone that said if they had only one scripture in the entire Bible and the rest would not exist to us then they would keep Romans 3:23. Because, and I quote, “In this passage is found the very salvation of man.” Romans 3:23 says,

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

There is no salvation in this message. It only leaves you right where you were before, accused, and condemned before God. Some religious sects of Christianity have built their entire ministry off of the ministry of condemnation, but scripture says that ministry has been done away with (reference 2Corinthians chapter 3 below). Why would you continue to build upon something that has been destroyed?

Who also has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excells. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious.

2 Corinthians 3:6-11

The Pharisees (religious leaders) who built their ministry off of condemnation were in opposition to the King who was bringing His Kingdom. Get in line with the message of God, “that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

There are a couple times in the gospel of John that Jesus referenced himself as the light of the world and then he would execute some type of judgment. The woman caught in adultery. Jesus shows mercy, “I am the light of the world.” The man who was born blind, and the disciples asked who did the sin the parents or the man? Jesus said, “Neither… I am the light of the world.” Then heals the man.

He was executing God’s judgment on these matters and then equated himself to the light. Because He is the light of life! His judgments manifest the glory and knowledge of God. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. For a woman condemned by her sins, mercy triumphs over judgment. A man born blind because of the effects of sin, I have come to give them life and life more abundant.

Get in line with the message that we have received from Him.

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

1 John 1:5-7

Grace and Truth Came by Jesus Christ!

Blessings everyone! Yesterday I was thinking about how God sings over us (from Zeph. 3:17). And the song that he sings is one of grace. I believe he continues to sing this song of grace over us until we, in turn, start singing it in this world.

It has been by grace that we were saved through faith (not of works). It is a free gift, and everything that we receive in the Kingdom is freely given. Not through religious works. I am so grateful to God for his goodness, and that because he is good I am free from the works of satan. Sin, sickness, and death are all works of the devil, of which we were all anointed by God to destroy!

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. (2Peter 3:18).

I think it is imperative as a body that we grow in the grace of God. Not in our self-willed attempts of reaching him (whether it be prayer, fasting, or reading scripture) all these things the Pharisees did, and yet they stumbled at the stumbling stone of grace (Jesus). The law truly was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). If we continue in grace we will have peace, but if we try to continue in dead works (religion) we will not have peace.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes… (From Rom. 1:16).

Grace is the answer. Grace is the way. Grace is God’s will for this earth! It was God’s grace that he gave his son. It was God’s grace that he did not hold the world’s sins against them but was reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). And it is this message of grace that we must carry into this world!

The [law] kills, but the spirit gives life from 2 Cor. 3:6

The law points the finger and tells a person all the reasons they are not worthy to receive anything from God. But grace tells us that Jesus did everything so that we can freely receive from God. We must sing the same song our Father is singing over us and join him in song to this world singing, “Grace! Grace unto it!”

Love you guys, you don’t earn anything from our Father. You have freely received everything from him that you need!

"...I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires" (from NLT Bible, 2Peter 1:1-4).

Jacob’s Ladder

Check out this video about Jacob’s Ladder and why that matters to new covenant believers! (First time doing a video, please excuse the quality. As I go I’ll grow. Love you guys!)