Our God Carries Us

Our God Carries Us

Isa 46:1 Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are borne as burdens on weary beasts.

Isa 46:2 They stoop; they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity.

Isa 46:3 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb;

Isa 46:4 even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

   Bel and Nebo were false gods that were worshiped by the Babylonians of Isaiah's day. Since they had no life of their own, they had to be transported on the backs of animals. The prophet compares those who worship false gods to the beasts of burden who carried Bel and Nebo. Their gods could not prevent the Babylonians from being defeated and carried off by their enemies.

   When we hold on to falsehoods, false gods, and false belief systems, we labor under a burden. Great effort must be exerted to maintain and reinforce anything that is not true in itself. When the only reality or value of a belief system or an object, is that which we have attached to it, we must continually nurture and defend it. When we cling to false attitudes, beliefs, philosophies, or objects of worship, we become like a weary beast; tired of our lot in life, but unable or unwilling to lay down our heavy burden.

   We strive to fulfill the requirements of our burdensome beliefs, and always seem to fall short of our expectations, never quite seeing the results of our efforts. Often we don't see the nature of the heavy load that we are carrying, we just know that we are tired and hurting.

   Jesus is saying to us “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt.11:28-30 ESV)

   Jesus is our burden-bearer; we don't carry him around like some kind of heavy weight, he carries us! “...He is my glory and the lifter of my head!”(Psalms 3:3)

When we are yoked to him, we find out that he is the one who is carrying all the weight, we are just along for the ride.

   I praise my God for his grace and mercy! He is Jehovah, the great I AM; He is True and Faithful. He has carried me from before I was born, and he will carry me to old age and beyond into everlasting life with him! I don't have to strive to make him real, he is reality! He is all and in all! He is true and righteous, He is King over all kings, and all things were made by Him. I didn't make my God, he made me! His undeserved favor (grace) is the ship that carries me over the waters of this confusing and turbulent life.

Serving our God is not a burden to the Christian who understands grace! The kingdom of heaven is righteousness, peace and joy! (see: Rom.14:7) “Moses gave the law, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (Jn.1:17) The law of sin and death is a burden of self-effort and failure. We are always coming up short of perfection and truth, but the grace of God relieves us of the guilt and the condemnation of our failure to measure up. We like sheep have gone astray, but our Good Shepard has sought us out, to lift us up on his shoulders and carry us to glory!

   Jesus took on himself the burden of our sins and griefs. He took upon himself the punishment that we deserve, and has set us free by imparting to us his righteousness! There is no need to carry around feelings of guilt, regret, or failure; thank God for his mercy, accept his grace, and enjoy your life with Him.

   Don't let ego and false pride convince you that you can be your own savior! You and I are abject failures when it comes to true morality and spirituality. Jesus is our only hope of redemption.

   Don't let any modern day scribes or pharisees put their burdens of old covenant law, and condemnation on your shoulders. You are not strong enough or wise enough to carry a load that they can't and won't lift for themselves.  Don't allow well-meaning leaders to weigh you down with useless traditions, or beat you up with the letter of the law. Study the bible for yourself, especially the letters of Paul, and learn to rightly divide the word. Search the old and new testaments for the grace and mercy of our God. He has hidden himself, like a priceless treasure, throughout the bible, for his children to discover and enjoy, in this life- and for the rest of all eternity!

  Immanuel, God with us (Matt.1:21-23), is our truth and our light. He is our burden bearer, and the lifter of our head. Cast your cares on him, trust him to work out all your problems, and his peace will guard your heart and mind. When we are weak, He is our strength. When we fail, He picks us up and carries us; he dusts us off and reminds us that we are righteous in Him. He doesn't condemn us for the sin which he has already forgiven, He gives us grace to overcome it, and walks with us through it all. He has said “I will never leave you or forsake you.”(Heb.13:5, Josh.1:5)

   You can't lose, when you choose Jesus to be your redeemer and your burden-bearer! Nothing can separate us from him! He has even taken away our sins, in order to make it possible for us to inherit his kingdom. He has done it all! He has made us, He will carry us, and He will save us!

©2010Charles J. Loubert

Eternal Life Is A Gift

Eternal Life Is A gift

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

   This eternal life, which God gives to all who will receive it, is a gift, not something that can be earned or deserved by merit. A gift is paid for by the one who gives it, and is given freely and willingly to the one one who receives it. If I paid for something that I received, it would not be a gift!

   Jesus gave himself willingly at the cross, so that you and I could be partakers of his life. Jesus paid your sin-debt, and he has given you the gift of righteousness, if you choose to receive it.

   Because you have been made righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus, you are able to receive the gift of eternal life, and that life is found only in and through Jesus. He is the only way!

   Eternal Life is not only the promise of a home in heaven, it is the very life of God residing in the spirit of the born-again believer! The life of God spills over into all parts of our lives and makes us "more than conquerors", because our Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally and un-reservedly.

   Eternal life doesn't come and go, according to your behavior, or your efforts; 'eternal' means eternal !! God doesn't play games with his gifts of grace, he doesn't take back what he has freely given, even when we don't seem to value it like we should. True grace doesn't withdraw when conditions aren't met, or gratitude isn't expressed! You need what God has, and that makes you eligible to receive from him. To him that knocketh, the door shall be opened!

   Eternal life won't leak out if the vessel is a little cracked or dirty. God is every where, and his life cannot be contained or limited! Our Heavenly Father put his life into us so that he could spill out like a river, and soak those around us with his life!

   Life is in Christ, and we who believe, are in Christ. The life that we live is " in him, through him, and to him."

   You can't see eternal life, but you can observe the effects of it in the lives of those who have received it. When a person has been truly born-again of the Spirit, their life will change! The life of God has been infused into the believer's heart, and he has a new view of life, and a new desire to please his Heavenly Father. The influence of this new, eternal life, will continue to guide and shape the child of God throughout the rest of this earthly life, and all that comes after it.

   Once the new birth takes place in the spirit of the believer, there needs to be a transformation in the mind and emotions of the child of God, in order for that abiding life to have greater influence over the thoughts and actions of the Christian. The mind must be renewed by the influence of the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit, so that faith and love can have it's way in the believer. 

  Eternal life cannot be learned or earned, as though it is a college degree that you can attain to, or some kind of 'self realization' experience. Eternal life is a gift that you are eligible to receive from your creator, by putting your faith in Jesus, the Savior that died and rose from the dead, to secure your place in his kingdom. He loves you and wants you to be his friend and brother (or sister) forever.

   The good news of the gospel is, that you can have eternal life right now, if you desire it and believe that God's love has made his life available to you- freely and without reservation. Church attendance and good works won't make you eligible to receive eternal life, it is only given on the basis of grace, as a free gift from God through His son Jesus Christ.

   Don't make the mistake of accepting a narrow traditional definition of what eternal life is. There is no limit to what God can do, and there is no limit on his love for all people. Everything that he wants to give to us, and everything that he wants to do in us, is made possible by his abiding life.

Don't disqualify yourself from receiving his grace! " Whosoever shall call on the Lord shall be saved!" (Rom.10:13) He wants to be your Shepherd and your provider; for eternity and for right now!

   Don't make heaven your goal, make Jesus your goal! He'll take care of everything! Trust him with your life and commit your soul to him.

©2011 Rev. Charles J. Loubert

Two Kinds Of hope

Two Kinds Of Hope

Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

   What is hope, and how is it relevant to the Christian? I saw something about hope in the book of Romans this morning, and I wanted to share it. I hope this will further our understanding of God's faithfulness.

   I looked up the word for hope in Strong’s Concordance, I used e-sword (which I highly recommend, by the way), and I found out that the two words rendered as hope in this verse, are the same Greek word, even though the context indicates two kinds of hope. Hope is defined as "confidence", or "expectation". Combining the two, I see 'confident expectation' as a good way to say it.

   How can hope be against hope? The marginal notes in my bible write it as hope, contrary to hope. One hope was more credible to Abraham than the other hope, and He made a choice to believe in the second hope.

   The first hope which we see, is an expectation which was based on Abraham's perception of his situation, as registered by his senses and his natural logic. Logic and sensory input said that it's too late in life to have a child with Sarah, she's past child bearing age.

  The second hope that we see, is based on the promise of God, and Abraham chose to believe in the promise, is spite of, and contrary to, what his natural mind told him. Abraham was faced with two definitions of reality; the natural, apparant truth, and the truth according to God's definition of how things are.

   By choosing to believe God, Abraham was considered to be righteous in God's eyes. By choosing to accept God's definition of who you are, you also become righteous. Your confidence and your expectation is in God, and HE will bring you into greater truth and light . HE will make the changes that are necessary, in order for you to be conformed into his image.

   Put your hope in your God, and you will not be ashamed or disappointed!

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

   True Christian hope, puts our focus on Jesus, and not on our perceived circumstances or on our ability to make things happen. We have a confident expectation of grace from God, because we believe his word, and we are fully persuaded that he is able and willing to do what he has promised. We know from the promises of the New Covenant, that God is love, and he is looking for someone who will take him up on his offer of grace. Our heavenly Father is always looking for someone to bless!

  [Don't be a sourpuss who tells people that God is ticked off at the world, and he is always looking for a reason to spank his children with sickness, poverty, and trouble so they will learn to respect and obey him.]

   Hope is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit, in Galatians 5:22: therefore we know that God is the source of hope, and He is our source and our expectation.

   Our God-given hope gives our faith something to reach for. Hebrews 11:1 says "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." Later in Hebrews 11:11, we read that Sarah judged him who had promised, to be faithful, even though her womb was as good as dead.

Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

 

   Hope isn't just 'wishful thinking', it is putting your confidence in our Loving God, and expecting that everything will be all right! Our lives are in his capable hands, rest in his grace, and expect your life to get better, no matter what your present situation looks like!

   Dare to believe God, and his joy and peace will be multiplied in your life as you put your hope in the "God of hope.

©2011 Rev. Chuck  Loubert

Where's The Grace?

Where's the Grace?

   My wife and I have been searching for a new home church for about two months now, and I have visited quite a number of churches in my area. I heard some great worship music, saw well planned services, heard earnest and erudite sermons, but found little that really fed my spirit and soul. The word of grace, that always points to Jesus and his unconditional love, is not often emphasized in the churches that I have been to lately. It should not be so difficult to find a group of Christians who believe and preach the Gospel. I have heard quite a few rambling sermons with little bible content. I have also heard smooth-talking preachers tell their people that God loves them, and then, attempt to exhort them, by applying the precepts of the law to show them how inadequate their performance as Christians has been. They mix law and grace, thus creating condemnation in the minds of the flock, and negating the overcoming power of God's grace.

   Rarely do I hear the focus being put on Jesus, what he has done for us at Calvary, and what he is doing in us today. Most of the preachers that I have heard lately, have focused on what God's people should do, or have failed to do. In often subtle ways, God's people are being taught that the blessings of God are given conditionally, based on our performance, and earned by good works.

  We are justified by faith, our righteousness is a gift which is given to us by the grace of God, and not earned or deserved. We are also kept by His power; Jesus is our sanctification- "Christ in you the hope of glory".

   What is wrong with the idea of resting in the grace of our Redeemer, and trusting Him with our souls? Many preachers offer grace and forgiveness to the 'sinner', but deny it to the born-again believer! Don't you know that you are kept by his unconditional love, and not by your attempts at law keeping and performance? Grace is unmerited favor, that means that you don't have to earn his love, you only have to believe him and accept him, in order to enjoy the benefits of his love. Jesus loves all people! He loved us when we were yet sinners, and he loves His children unconditionally! We are accepted in the beloved!

   Our sin problem was removed at Calvary, sin no longer separates us from God, only our unbelief can prevent us from enjoying the benefits that he wants to lavish upon us. 

 

   Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, Are we so deluded as to believe that our righteousness can be earned by the keeping of precepts and by striving to perform? We are saved by grace through faith, not by works, lest anyone should boast! Jesus is our righteousness and our sanctification! (see 1Cor.1:30)

   Preachers, quit telling your people that they must work to keep their standing with God, and start telling them how much they are loved! We love him because he first loved us!

   Many churches today think that having the right programs, the most effective media tricks, and the best contemporary music will build their congregations and attract the right sort of people. Religion is in danger of becoming an arm of the entertainment business, where churches compete for warm bodies to fill the pews and pay for lavish 'campuses', and for the salaries of trained religious operatives. 

   Please forgive me, if you think I am on a 'rant', but I don't like it when I see sincere people of God, being led away from the narrow gate of God's grace. People with hungry hearts are being fed junk food, rather than the Bread Of Life. Let's start pointing people to the living God who loved us so much that he sent his only begotten son to take away our sins.

   Preachers and teachers; let's quit frustrating the grace of God, by telling the saints to strive and plead for the redemptive riches that have already been given to them. Quit fostering a climate of unbelief by casting doubt on the finished work of Jesus. We are justified and saved by faith, not by our self-righteous works. God's plan and his wonderful provision for us is already perfect! He doesn't need our input, our advice, our penance, or our programs. It's our trust and our belief in his unconditional love, that opens the doors of heaven and releases his abundance to us.

   I am trusting the Holy Spirit to lead my wife and I in the direction that he has for us, and I know that he will complete that which he has begun in us. For it is God that works in us, both to will, and to do that which pleases him.

   God bless you and lead you deeper into His grace!

©2011 Rev. Charles J. Loubert