I thank God that Christ died so
I could live. Without Him I am dead.
He took a punch for me.What can I do for Him?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Glory of the Lord
When they had finished building the tabernacle,
the glory of the Lord filled it.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Hate Evil
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,” Proverbs 8:13. But I thought we were supposed to love everything, and rejoice always! And didn’t Jesus say, “Love your enemies, pray for them and bless them?” How can we be told to hate evil but love our enemies? How do we rejoice in that?
My pastor says we are to hate the sin but love the sinner. Unfortunately, what people often do is tolerate the sin and give the sinner a pass, thinking they are being compassionate and merciful.
Scripture says, God is always angry with sin, and hates evil. It says, “All men are sinners, therefore all men commit sin.” But then it says, “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8.
So He hates sin and the evil associated with it, but continues to love sinners. God’s hate is as strong as His love, but He has given man a way to escape the wrath of His hate, and it through Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sin.
My pastor says we are to hate the sin but love the sinner. Unfortunately, what people often do is tolerate the sin and give the sinner a pass, thinking they are being compassionate and merciful.
Scripture says, God is always angry with sin, and hates evil. It says, “All men are sinners, therefore all men commit sin.” But then it says, “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8.
So He hates sin and the evil associated with it, but continues to love sinners. God’s hate is as strong as His love, but He has given man a way to escape the wrath of His hate, and it through Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for our sin.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Conversion of the Passover
Jesus Christ was about to be killed on the Passover, just as the sacrificial lamb was killed on the first Passover in Egypt. On the night before He was arrested, He presented to the disciples the elements by which we are to remember Him. His body represents His teaching and His blood, the New Covenant, the Covenant of grace. On that night, the Passover was changed to the Lord's Supper.
Stop Giving
Imagine a pastor asking his congregation to support a particular godly project and the people responding so strongly in their giving that the pastor had to ask them to stop giving! Have you ever heard of a pastor doing that?
But this is exactly what happened in Exodus 35-36. Moses asked the people to give of their possessions for the making of the tabernacle and the clothes of the priests. He asked them to give willingly and from the heart. They were so stirred up with giving that Moses had to restrain them from giving, Exodus 36:6. Their giving was not out of conformity, fear, indoctrination or guilt. They did not give grudgingly or out of necessity. This is the essence of free will giving from the heart. It comes out of faith and love for God’s work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
But this is exactly what happened in Exodus 35-36. Moses asked the people to give of their possessions for the making of the tabernacle and the clothes of the priests. He asked them to give willingly and from the heart. They were so stirred up with giving that Moses had to restrain them from giving, Exodus 36:6. Their giving was not out of conformity, fear, indoctrination or guilt. They did not give grudgingly or out of necessity. This is the essence of free will giving from the heart. It comes out of faith and love for God’s work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
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