Who is God? All hail the powers.... (Part 19)

I love the passage in Psalms 107:6-20, in which God is described as guiding the writer through darkness. He comes to me when there is no other, and I am never alone. And I can trust Him, and my love for Him is returned, and He is gentle and kind and He is good. In fact Jesus said nothing is good except God. (Matthew 13:17) How much does God love me? God loved and loves me enough to make a new covenant with me through His Son, sealed with His blood, affirmed by the sacrifice on the cross and magnified and in action when I obey Him, much as He made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15: 1-21). God is such a generous God and so merciful, the hope of mankind was foretold in the first covenant and finalized in the second covenant. Why two covenants? I believe that God knew the heart of man could not stay pure on its own and it certainly couldn’t stay pure with the first covenant. But then if that is so, why give two covenants? Why put man through this? It is the same as when in math class people learn long division first before short division. Long division gives one the reason for short division. And the presence of the first covenant, through which the law of Moses was established and added to, gives the reason for the second. The first covenant defines the sins of man, the “thou shalt nots and the thou shalts” and lays down judgment, the second defines man in terms of what He becomes when He is a child. While the first covenant was nailed to the cross, that was only the strength of the old covenant. The old covenant has not gone out existence, only its ability to condemn mankind. In the second covenant gives the power of God to overcome the sins of the world that are defined in the first covenant. Put it another way, the second covenant gives man the tools he needs to be in relationship with the Father fully and in the Spirit. The second covenant gives us hope, the hope in Christ.  God knew we would all need this second covenant and had it all planned. Think of it, God not only knows the universe’s history, He knows my history and my beginnings before I was born and He knows that my life changes in Christ, and He promises His blessings.

Who is God? All hail the power.... (part 18)

In John 16:23-27, God defines me. I am in relationship to Him because He desires me to come to Him. How do I do this? Through prayer, through Jesus who tore the curtains of the temple; both God and Jesus love me so much they welcome me, no matter what I do. A dream I had before being baptized always sticks with me. I dreamt I was answering a door and there was a figure. I couldn’t see the face but that didn’t matter, I knew who it was and was scared. It was Jesus and His arms were outstretched and the soothing voice said “Come”. I shook my head, and then in the warmest smile He said I wasn’t ready yet and so He gently closed the door. I knew that wouldn’t be His last visit. About three weeks later I was baptized. It was His desire I come to Him, but He loves me so much He gives me the choice. And He never gives up on me.

 

Who is God? All hail the power...(part 17)

God is so wonderful. Look at His perspective in history. He sent His son, His messenger, through which all things were revealed. (Isaiah 52:1-15) The people of Israel, like the people of the Church, were told over and over and over that God is in control, that He rules supreme. And He told His nation of Zion/Jerusalem that those that live by faith were called righteous, and Paul told Christians that too, that those that lived by faith were indeed righteous in God’s sight. And what I have to ask myself is am I walking toward Him or am I allowing the desolation to convince me that I am lost as well as all items within the confines of desolation. Or am I righteous and do I walk toward Him?

Who is God? All hail the power.... (part 16)

Jesus came when God was ready for Him to be transformed into a child. As part of Himself, this was not an easy task, but God knew that the only example that humanity could ever have of what a perfect being was, that was tempted yet without sin had to come in the flesh yet retain His qualities. And He knew that His son could only be like this with training and obedience, but most of all learning His timing. Isn’t that what accepting God is all about? One of the greatest lessons that Jesus teaches everyone is to wait upon the LORD God, that His time is not our time. And that when He comes, His justice would indeed be carried out, but first we have to learn that it does not come from us. (Is 11:-1-10) When He came it was from God’s time, He comes in purity, without blemish and with the love of God. The importance of His coming is that He comes to bring peace to all men and cultures and joy to their hearts. (Is 29:18-24) He came to show us that the treasures of Jesus come from God because He is God. (John 1; 1 John 1). He came to show us that God and only God reigns supreme and holy over all things. All things by God and Jesus are sown in righteousness. All of Jesus’ teachings are to bring all men to peace and to show them a new way and by His example show us who we are and who we need to be. (Is 32:1-20). He cares for all of us, He loves us, and He is all powerful, but because He allows God to be in control, and He knows that all things come from God, He is not given to meanness or wickedness or foolishness. This is Jesus. He is the ruler in peace.

 

Who is God? All hail the power.... (part 15)

The Christ was not just found in the New Testament. While Jesus said in John 8:12 that He was the light of the world, Isaiah foretold of this. In Isaiah 9:1-9, “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali and afterward did more grievously afflict her by way of the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation and not increased their joy; they joy before thee according to the joy in the harvest and as men when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The might Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. The Lord has sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria…” Jesus was to be a light to the world. He was to set free all those who are oppressed and hurt. And He did. While God multiplied the Jews and provided them with the Temple and with pious and righteous men that would keep them in their walk, He knew nothing earthly could save them, nor could someone from the tribe of Levi save Israel from itself. In fact, Israel ceased to be after 700 BC, leaving just Judah. God can do anything He wishes but it is significant this Savior came out of the house of David and near Jerusalem. To humans it was all wrong. Why wasn’t He a high priest from the tribe of Levi? Why didn’t He come with swords blazing in the sun to right all the wrongs? Why didn’t He come sooner?