Jacob Walked with a Limp

Consider Jacob's life … his beloved wife Rachel died while giving birth; his hip was permanently dislocated as he wrestled the Angel of the Lord; his meeting with his brother Esau was frightening; and when he finally made it back home after all those years in Canaan, he discovered that his mother Rebekah had died. His father Isaac also soon died.

God uses affliction and suffering in our lives to teach us the truth. Psalm 119:71 … "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes."

Many do not agree with, and I'm not real sure I agree with this thought myself, but it has been said that … "God uses affliction as His tool for prompting us to repent and turn back to Him."

If this is true … can there be any worse punishment in this life than to be untouched by need, suffering or testing? Could anything be more tragic than to be forgotten or overlooked by God? What if God didn't even bother to bring any type of an awakening to you?

Affliction then, when you think about it is a blessing in disguise.

The starting point in life's lessons is usually some type of affliction. The very first lesson you will learn is, (a.) there is a God; and (b.) you are not.

Should you forget this lesson, you may be revisited with affliction to help you begin again. Notice I said you may be, not will be revisited with whatever God uses to keep you focused on the truth. And the truth is … God wants total and complete surrender to Him in all things.

God's law in the past, compelled people to serve Him. But the law is now transformed into grace. It's your choice … but God may use a life lesson to help you make the right choice. Our way in this world is often painful, and these life lessons often cause us, if not pain … then heartache.

Hebrews 12:5-11 … "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

The exhortation spoken of in Hebrews is Proverbs 3:11-12 … "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

God has various ways of rebuking, reproving, chastening and correcting His children; sometimes by His Spirit, sometimes by His Word and sometimes it's through His Providence … including the chastisement of affliction.

Now let's get down to where we live. What is affliction? It can be a state of distress due to some adversity; trouble, hardship, torment, trial or tribulation … even suffering physically or emotionally. What about sickness or disease?

Some teachers throughout the centuries have taught that God afflicts people because of sin with sickness and disease. No … I don't subscribe to that teaching. God doesn't make you sick. God could if He wanted to … but instead had His Son Jesus bear all sickness, disease and sin on the cross so we wouldn't have to.

Just for the sake of argument … let's say God wants one of His children to give up a sin that he really enjoys. It doesn't matter what it is; he wants to hang on to it and won't listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to him about this sin. So what is God going to do?

Many of us are slow to learn, and God is patient with those who need discipline; but in time … well … as one old saint said many years ago, "God afflicts not willingly, but if it must be done, let Satan do it."

Am I saying that God "allows" affliction to come? I guess I am. It is a life lesson. God sends some, Satan is allowed to send some, and life in general sends some. And we have to deal with all of them.

Now let me return to Jacob whom I started with. Notice that after Jacob encountered the Lord and wrestled with Him all night, he was touched, in fact wounded by the Lord so that … "he walked with a limp" ... and so it is with the walk of faith. Who among us has not been broken or wounded in our hearts either before or after coming to know the Lord?

A.W. Tozer once wrote … "It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He's hurt him deeply." I'm sure if you could ask Jacob, he would tell you about the Lord touching him deeply before he received his blessing. But he did receive his blessing. (Genesis 32:24-30)

Someone once said … "Beware of those who lead you spiritually, who do not walk with a limp." That's how we know they have encountered God.


Comments welcome.

The Spirit of Fear

2nd Timothy 1:7 … "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

By using the phrase … "the spirit of fear" … the Apostle Paul alludes to the fact that there is a spirit that can cause believers and others to have an un-natural fear. If this spirit is not from God, then it must be from the enemy of our souls … Satan … the one who delights in attacking man and will do so every chance he gets.

So let's break this verse down as it was written in Greek. The word spirit is "pneuma," meaning … breath … by analogy or figuratively it is … a spirit or by implication, a mental disposition. (Pneuma is the same word often used for our human spirit.)

The word fear in this verse is "deilia," meaning … timidity … implying fearfulness or a cowardly spirit, so as to be afraid of men or devils, of what they will say or do. Fear is a type of bondage; fear within causes the flesh to fear. A spirit of fear then could cause you to draw back, being afraid to step out and walk by faith as you should.

To keep this from happening, Paul is reminding Timothy that God has given us power … "dunamis" … a spiritual force, an abundance of might; power to bear up under trials and even persecutions; a strength that can do violence to the enemy. But this abundance of might is to be used, operated and controlled by love … "agape" affection, a disposition to do good, showing kindness and charity.

The purpose of this love is also to "cast out" fear (1st John 4:18 below) and to make the mind bold; to inspire courage, to make a man fearless or ready to endure persecution if need be.

And then for balance, God has also given us a sound mind … "sophronismos" … meaning discipline and self control. The Greek word denotes one of a sober mind, well balanced and not under the influence of fear.

Used in context, verses 6, 7 and 8 read, speaking to Timothy …

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore (accordingly) ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God …"

In other words … don't be fearful to speak out about the Lord no matter the result.

1st John 4:18 … "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

The word fear in this verse is not the same word that is in Timothy. The word John uses is "phobos" … (to be put in fear); alarm or fright: to be afraid, be in terror.

By John saying there is no fear … he is literally saying … "fear is not; fear has no existence." In reality, fear is like darkness, it is nothing. As darkness is the absence of light, fear is the absence of that perfect love or complete trust in God.

"Fear hath torment" … the word torment in this verse is a faulty translation.

The word is "kolasis" and means … "infliction" (punishment) causing pain or damage. Note the present tense, hath, which means it "possesses in the present." The punishment is present in the fear. Fear … by anticipating punishment has it even now. The phrase hath punishment indicates that the punishment is inherent in the fear. Fear carries its own punishment. Fear itself is the "torment."

Augustine, commenting on the main point of this verse, expulsion of fear by love, presents a new thought when he says …

"As in sewing, we see the thread passed through by the needle. The needle is first pushed in, but the thread cannot be introduced until the needle is brought out. So fear first occupies the mind, but does not remain permanently, because it entered for the purpose of introducing love."

The Amplified Bible says it this way …

1st John 4:18 … "There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]."

Romans 8:15 … "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear …"

The word bondage is "douleia" and means slavery which is the opposite of what God gives you. God's spirit is "a Spirit of liberty" and freedom from fear in all its forms.

The Amplified says it this way … "For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear …"

The spirit of a slave produces only fear. The slave is under constant worry … anticipating punishment ... real or imagined; fear owns him.

"There is no fear in love" … when you learn to trust God's love, there can be no fear. What can anyone or anything do to cause worry or fear when you know that God is in total control of all things? And if He's not … when did He lose it?


Comments welcome.

What Really Happened in Eden

Most people know the story of creation; it starts with … "In the beginning God."

When God decided to make man, (if He decides anything, or does He just know what He is going to do?) Well, anyway … God made a beautiful garden, an orchard of fruit trees which He called "Eden." Next, He makes man after His own image out of dirt and places him in this garden of fruit trees.

The first commandment the Creator gives to Adam was that he could eat from all of the fruit trees of this garden except for one certain tree. It was called the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil." Now, why did God give it that name? Sounds inviting, doesn't it … a tree of knowledge. What could be wrong with that? But the consequence for eating the fruit of this tree would bring about "death," something which Adam knew nothing about, for as of yet death had not become a reality.

Also in this garden stood another very important tree called "the Tree of Life." Unlike all the other trees they could eat from, the fruit from this tree would give them "eternal life" physically as long as they ate from it.

Because both of these trees were located "in the midst" of the garden; in order for Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Life, they would have to come near to the Tree of Knowledge, close to the forbidden fruit … the only tree they were commanded not to eat from. They would have to … confront it … each time they went to the Tree of Life.

What really happened in Eden? Man failed his first test … obedience.

In other words, to receive eternal life from one tree required obedience to God's revealed will not to eat from the other tree. Why was this test of obedience given?

The test centered on the free will of Adam and Eve. Free will is always a choice.

God knew Adam and Eve would fail the test. He foresaw the disastrous outcome and understood all the implications if they failed the test and yet still allowed the "snake in the grass" (Satan) access to tempt Eve.

Should we learn the lesson presented here? That God will even use Satan as a tool to leverage us into making a choice … obedience or disobedience? But disobedience was something they knew nothing about … until they failed the test.

Oh, I have questions … like why did God allow this monster Satan access to the garden in the first place? Also, it looks as if God gave permission to sin when He gave man a free will to choose, knowing he would fail. Yes, I know God had to allow the possibility for sin to enter into the heart of man; otherwise it really wouldn't be free will.

Now here is where it gets interesting for me …

Ancient Hebrew writings teach that the Tree of Life stood directly beside the Tree of Knowledge in the midst of the garden. In fact, some of these writings suggest that these two trees grew from the same root. This of course cannot be proven. But, since all life comes from God, could not this common root represent the fact that all life … whether it produces good or evil … has its life source rooted in God?

Because Adam and Eve had to face both trees, the test of their free will was whether they would obey God or turn to evil.

We find Eve one day, standing by the Tree of Life ready to pick some more of the life giving fruit when Satan enters and appeals to Eve saying that the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge would give her wisdom and make her "like God" … knowing both good and evil. By not knowing evil, Satan implied that this represented a lack of wisdom.

Eve "saw" that the fruit of this tree looked good, and her desire to acquire this wisdom overwhelmed her. The fruit represented her chance to be like God … exactly the same desire that caused Satan to fall from Heaven.

As Eve spoke with the serpent, she added to God's commandment by saying that she was forbidden to even "touch" the Tree of Knowledge. Satan found what he was looking for … a misunderstanding of God's word, teaching us the importance of not only knowing God's word but also understanding it. As she also found out, it never pays to listen to the devil.

Once again, Ancient Hebrew teaches that while the serpent was speaking with Eve, he actually pushed her against the forbidden tree and said, "See, you did not die by touching it, and neither will you die from eating it." Because she had a misunderstanding of God's word she began perhaps to doubt everything else that God had said, and this led to her decision to eat the forbidden fruit. When Eve … "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat."

Many things that we see with our eyes may cause us to desire them … but the real problem is when we partake of the forbidden fruit and eat. Eve's sin was ultimately that of unbelief … she believed a lie rather than the truth.

Nothing has changed over the last 6,000 years or so; the battle is always the same, it's over the truth, and what you believe in your heart and mind. Your judgments invariably determine what you will choose. It begins with how we choose to see. Eve "saw that it was good," which in her opinion overruled God's commandment.

Nothing has changed today … has it?

The Tree of Knowledge proved to be a test of the creature's obedience (Adam and Eve) to the creator's authority (God) over their lives. After they failed the test, they were forced to face the consequences of their decision. They were suddenly fallen creatures, and for the first time in their lives they had to deal with a sin nature in their souls.

So now, prevented from eating fruit from the Tree of Life, their bodies began the slow process of aging and eventual physical death. Just as God said, they started the death process … spiritual and physical … the very same day they ate from the Tree of Knowledge.

But this was not the end of the story … God sent His Son to "reverse the curse" placed on Adam. The disobedience of the first Adam was overcome by the obedience of the second Adam … Jesus … who redeemed mankind from the penalty of sin. Jesus is described as "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world."

One could say that God created the cure for sin before the sin was ever committed … "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world" … meaning that God's love … was the cure.

"For as in Adam all die, so also in Jesus shall all be made alive."

The cross of Jesus became the new Tree of Life; and those who eat from it receive … the bread of life. The Tree of Knowledge is still in the world; and it's still full of tempting looking fruit. Which tree are you eating from today?

The world's Tree of Knowledge or the new Tree of Life …

The Cross of Jesus Christ.



Comments welcome.

Jesus Took It Out Of The Way

I feel as though there is more that needs to be said concerning the blotting out of the Law … which I dealt with in my last posting entitled … "Smeared." So, I guess you could say this is a continuation of it.

I didn't deal with all that is in Colossians 2:14 (my main verse) where the Apostle Paul is speaking about some of the things that Jesus accomplished on the cross through the shedding of His blood; not only in the … "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us" … but the fact that by doing so He … "took it out of the way" when He nailed it to His cross.

As I said before, this verse may be one of the most important verses in the Word of God. So we need to again … look at it very closely.

I received a comment from a reader on the last posting (which I welcome) that stated … "Jesus fulfilled the Law, He didn't nullify it." I hope I'm not splitting hairs here, but I'm not so sure about that.

Paul said that Jesus blotted out (smeared) "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us." I'm no expert, but it looks to me as if this phrase could mean … (1.) the Law Moses received from God; or (2.) all the Jewish ceremonial law, the handwritten ordinances that man placed upon the people.

Yes, I know that God wrote the Ten Commandments Himself. I also realize that the handwritten ordinances that man wrote and added to the Law were also commanded by God. To me it really doesn't matter … the Law as a whole didn't work. It didn't keep anyone from becoming a sinner. The Law never saved anyone.

In fact Paul said in Romans … (my translation) … without the Law there would be no sin. Romans 4:15 actually says, "… the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." (Basically the same meaning.)

Did Jesus really nullify the Law? What's the meaning of nullify? As a verb, "nullify" means … (1.) to make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect; (2.) show to be invalid; and (3.) declare invalid. Some other descriptive words one might use to describe the effect are … annulled, invalidate, neutralize, cancel, negate and strike down.

Before I look at the phrase in Colossians 2:14 … "Jesus took it out of the way" … I want to examine Paul's wording, speaking of Jesus in a similar meaning verse …

Ephesians 2:15 … "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances …"

Abolished means … "to render entirely idle, useless."
The enmity means … "hostility; the reason for opposition."
Ordinances means … "laws (civil, ceremonial or ecclesiastical) a decree."

Allow me the freedom to add the meanings of these words to this verse. This would be my personal translation … "Jesus having rendered entirely idle and useless through His death on the cross, the hostility and opposition that the Law of Commandments contained in decrees and ordinances …"

Wouldn't you agree that this verse is really saying that Jesus nullified the Law? It sure sounds like it to me. Again … look at it very closely. Compare both Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14.

"Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances …"

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross …"

Both of these verses are declaring essentially the same thing. This was one of the Apostle Paul's main themes … "Jesus fulfilled the Law and took it out of the way."

Jesus "took it out of the way." How did He do that? Hebrews 7:12 states … "For the priesthood being changed, (Jesus now being the High Priest) there is made of necessity a change also of the law."

Hebrews 7:18-19 states … "there is a disannulling (a setting aside) of the commandment (the Law) going before (in consequence of the change which has been made in the priesthood) … for the law made nothing perfect."

"Of the commandment" … this relates to the Priesthood and to the ceremonial law in general. This does not refer to God's moral law which cannot be changed.

The writer goes on still speaking of Jesus in Hebrews 8:6-7 … "But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."

And again in Hebrews 8:13 … "In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

It sounds as if God is ready for a change in His Covenant of Law.

Hebrews 10:1 … "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." (Hebrews 7:19 … for the law made nothing perfect.")

Hebrews 10:9 … "Then said He, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second."

If you are not yet convinced by the Word of God itself, that as far as our salvation is concerned … the Law is nullified … I'll share just a little of Paul's teaching to the Galatians on this subject.

Galatians 3:13 … "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."

Galatians 3:23-25 … "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."

Let me think about that for a moment … "we are no longer under a schoolmaster" … which was the Law. "No longer under" … okay, got it.

But if you don't yet get it, Paul continues …

Galatians 4:21 … "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" (Meaning it's yelling … bondage!)

Galatians 5:1 … "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

Galatians 5:3-4 … "For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, (or living under the Law) that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

I'm sure there is a whole lot to be said about … "falling from grace." Maybe I'll post a dissertation on that subject some time in the future. But for now, all I can say is that … "falling from grace" … doesn't sound like something one should do.

I don't want to be a debtor to the whole Law … so I think I will just throw myself upon the love and mercy of God as He looks at me through the Blood of Jesus, instead of by how I keep the Law.

Lastly, I'll ask the same question Paul asked in Colossians 2:20-21.

"After being set free from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, would you want to be subject to ordinances, such as touch not; taste not and handle not?"

I think that is a fair question.


Comments welcome.