Rejoice, patient, steadfast!

Rejoice, patient, and steadfast.  Kind of a restatement of one of my foundational verses.  Words are in a little bit of a different order but pretty much the same message.

Romans 12:9-13(NKJV)

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 

not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 

rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 

distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

"For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."

Romans 11:29(NKJV)

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 

The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable; whether we respond or not is still up to us.  That is why I say "when God calls, answer the call!".

Do a lot of Christians misinterpret the meaning of peace? I think they do.

Here is why I believe it.  Take a look at these verses.

Isaiah 9:6(NKJV)

    For unto us a Child is born,      Unto us a Son is given;     And the government will be upon His shoulder.     And His name will be called     Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Romans 10:15(NKJV)

And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:      “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,     Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 

Ephesians 6:14-15(NKJV)

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

The Isaiah verse is the only verse in the whole Bible that refers to Jesus as the Prince of Peace.

The other two verses are the only two verses in the whole Bible that refer to Gospel as the "Gospel of Peace".  They are both written by Paul.

Now consider the words of Jesus.

Matthew 10:34-39(NKJV)

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 

For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 

and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Jesus specifically says He didn't come to bring peace (the absence of violence kind of peace) but to bring a sword.  Jesus says He came to cause conflict.  Jesus came to force people to decide if they are for Him or if they are declaring themselves enemies of God.

Here is where I am going with this.  I think many people interpret "peace" in the first three examples as absence of war and fighting and persecution.  I think that these verses in large part contribute to the vision of Kumbaya Jesus.  I believe that is an incorrect interpretation.  

In the first place it would make Jesus a liar in the Matthew verses above and I don't believe that Jesus is a liar. 

The second reason is that the Gospel has many verses with Jesus telling of the persecution and suffering that will be endured for His name.  So for me at least, this dispels the "absence of violence and persecution" view. 

So what is meant by "Prince of Peace" and "Gospel of Peace".  I think it is referring to metaphysical peace.  The feeling of being at peace in your heart or at peace with the world.  And more to the point, at peace with God!  Make sense?

God is….Able

This one was pretty self-explanatory.  God can, or "is able" to do anything He wants because He is God the creator.  I think Paul sums it up bet.

Romans 9:20-21(NKJV)

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

Here are some other verses on able.

2 Chronicles 25:9(NKJV)

Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” 

2 Chronicles 32:13-15(NKJV)

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand? 

Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 

Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you like this, and do not believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”

Daniel 3:17(NKJV)

If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-8(NKJV)

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 

Ephesians 3:20-21(NKJV)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

What a wonderful assurance!

Nothing can separate us from God……except ourselves.  I find that very comforting.  I also find it a bit confusing.  Hard to understand why so many people do actually separate themselves from God.  Oh well.  Their loss! 

Romans 8:37-39(NKJV)

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What a bunch of gobbledygook.

As I have said before, sometimes Paul drives me nuts.  Romans chapter 7 is a great example.  It just sounds like a bunch of gobbledygook and justifications to me. 

Give it a read and see what you get out of it.

The essence of Christianity

Right here in one verse. 

Romans 6:23(NKJV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isn't that it in a nutshell?  The gift is eternal life in Jesus.  Meaning an eternal life with a personal relationship with Jesus and God.  Think about that.

Many times in my prayer life I am just overcome with a joy that knows no bounds as I thank God for all that He has done in my life.  I know it sounds kind of hokey but I can't describe it any other way.  There is just this unbound joy!

What just occurred to me is how powerful that unbound joy is even though right now we are separated by Heaven and Earth.  Just think how much more powerful it will be when we are actually right there with Jesus!