Called AND Chosen

  Jesus stated this seemingly contradicting phrase, "many are called, but few are chosen."  He gives it as the conclusion of the Matthew 22 wedding feast parable.  This scene explains its meaning quite clearly.  The King invited people to the wedding feast, but many chose to ignore the request, and then even hurt or killed the servants who brought the message.  So the master brought people in from the highways and byways until his house was full.  And true to form, one guest didn't change clothes, so was rejected.  

 Then Jesus gave "many are called, but few chosen" as the summary of the parable.  Naturally, the invitation from God calling us must be followed by an acceptance from us. Chosen are those who respond to the invitation to come and willingly submit to putting on the "wedding" garments.  

 We are in a partnership, a being "yoked" together, to accomplish the work of the Kingdom.  Just as the name "Emmanuel" or "God with us," implies, the plan of God is for us to walk on the earth in the power and name of the Lord.  God works in and through us.  Hebrews 13:20 speaks of making you complete in every good work and working within you what is pleasing in His sight.   

  In Isaiah 41, the word for chosen could also be translated "proven." God is love so He obviously loves each person with an everlasting love.  However, He does take pleasure in those who fear Him and trust in His mercy.  The person who is faithful in little is given more responsibility and reward.  Paul admonishes us to aim to please Him.  The completion of God's invitation is our accepting the call and putting on His garments (anointing) to celebrate the victory and represent Him in the world.  Be holy as I am Holy.  You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.  

  Because we submit to His wedding garments, which according to Romans 12:1-2, is to present our bodies as living sacrifices and renew our mind with His thoughts, we will demonstrate the perfect will of God. The wedding garments suggest being clothed in His righteousness and letting our life endorse this union with Him.  

  We could never thank Him enough for all He has done for us and for inviting us to "Come" to His celebration.  Moreover, giving our all and living for Him allows us to be the chosen who will be His witnesses on earth and will spend eternity with Him.  We are the "most blessed" (Psalm 21:6) who are called and chosen!  

Your Wish is My Command

Jesus is the Way.  He established a new way of life that pleases God and abolishes the old way.  “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come--In the volume of the book it is written of Me--to do Your will, O God."  (Hebrews 10:6-7)   

When we accept Jesus' love for us and His death and resurrection, we are made into a new creation with old things passed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  Our old way of trying to do things (sacrifices and offerings) to gain God's approval has been replaced by the gift of salvation, making us whole with a new heart that delights to do God's will.  This new way might be expressed as "your wish is my command," because our heart's desire now is to do what pleases Him.  Paul says whether we live or die, we aim to please Him. 

Knowing the love of God is so awesome and overwhelming that in spite of our flesh seeking its selfish way, the love of Christ "constrains us" to do His will as a cheerful giver.  Romans 8:13 would say it this way, "if by the Spirit of God, we put to death the deeds of the body, we will live."  Our born-again spirit delights to do His will and with the Holy Spirit's power overcomes the fleshly desire to only want selfish goals. 

Knowing God's love makes all the difference.  The conclusion of why we can glory in tribulations in Romans 5:5 is that "hope does not disappoint us because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Spirit of God who has been given us."  No wonder the prayer in Ephesians 3 is for God to enable us that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

God continues to reveal Who He is and how great His love is for us. As we grow in receiving and understanding His love, the only honest response is to want to please Him.  When Peter saw the miracle of the nets full of fish, he knelt down and cried, "Depart from me for I am a sinful man" and willingly followed Jesus to become a fisher of men.  When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, after crying out to be cleansed of his sinful lips, willingly responded. "Here am I, send me."  Likewise, Saul, or now better known as Paul, completely shifted his life purpose from hating and killing Christians to giving his all to bringing men to know Jesus.  

Jesus promises that His burden is light and his yoke is easy.  The way of the transgressor is hard.  So not only does God calls us to delight in doing His will, He makes it a place of ease and rest for our souls.  We literally enjoy knowing His pleasure when our hearts are filled with vehement desire, zeal, and eagerness to joyfully obey His commands.  God loves a cheerful giver.  Therefore, unite with all Christians in this simple prayer from Psalm 143:10. "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God." 

What Do You See?

   You can see with physical eyes and/or with spiritual eyes.  So the question is, what do you see?  Jesus said that if the eye be single the whole body is good.  What is getting your attention right now, what are you focusing on?  One enjoyable way to begin the day with the Lord is to read a psalm, because it shifts one's attention from self to focus on the Lord and His truth.  David was, after all, a man after God's own heart.  The Word is spirit and truth, so it opens our spiritual eyes to see beyond the physical circumstances. 

  Worship songs that speak of God's glory and holiness likewise allow our imagination to soar beyond natural boundaries.  We receive this truth in our spirit, rather than figure it out with our understanding.  Once we see God, then we can realize how blessed we are to know Him and to be loved by One who loves us so much that He willingly gave His life for us.  This awesome love that forgives us, also has made us a new creation sharing His infinite life and goodness. There is a worship song that has the line, "All my life You have been faithful, all my life You have been so, so good."  Songs of praise help us picture and dwell on all the great things God has done in our lives, and all the things that we richly enjoy. 

 Our thoughts and imaginations are important to God.  As a man thinks, so is he.  In Isaiah 26:1, the verse contains a strong encouragement to focus on Him, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee."  The Hebrew word for "mind" is the same word used other places in Scripture for "imagination," like before the flood in Genesis 6:5 where God saw "every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually."  Likewise in Psalm 2 it says, "why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"  Therefore, God promises peace if we keep the imaginations of our heart on His goodness and who He is, rather than continually entertaining the negative thoughts and emotions that the world demands. 

  Furthermore, in Psalm 1 the word that encourages us to meditate, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night...whatsoever he does shall prosper, " this word "meditate" is the exact same Hebrew word used in Isaiah 26, Psalm 2, and Genesis 6. for imagine.  In short, meditation is simply choosing to see with your imagination, to focus on and let dwell in you richly, God's thoughts.  

  Therefore, the concluding question is "What are you looking at as you approach life today?"  Are your thoughts and emotions dictated by what your physical eyes perceive, or are you rather consumed by the awesome love and goodness of the living God who lives in you and strengthens you?  Is your heart filled with thanksgiving because you know He is working for good all things and completing the good work in you to transform you from glory to glory?  Do you see Jesus and His truth enlightening everything you do?  

Fill your imagination and mind with His thoughts and how you might please Him.  Let this vision dominate your words and actions.  See yourself as a gift from God, accomplishing your tasks today through His help, and living for Him and His pleasure forever.  In short, in everything, see Jesus!

Conflict of the Ages

Stand fast in the freedom Christ has set you free and do not submit to a yoke of slavery.   As the hymn by Mrs. Morris states, the conflict of the ages is upon us today.  The "Conflict of the Ages" could be summarized as God's freedom vs Satan's bondage.

 Jesus may have come in the weakness of human flesh, but His life and work clearly demonstrated God's authority and desire to set men free of the bondage of sin, and Satan's control.  Jesus satisfied the all-just God's wages for sin and rescued the "keys of Hades and death." (Rev. 1:18)   Everything man lost through sin has been restored through the death and resurrection of our Lord.  God now calls us to participate in His overcoming power and walk worthy of this high calling.

Jesus pointed out that if we continue in His Word, His Word will set us free.  Even though Jesus has overcome bondage for every man, God does not force His desire for "all men to be saved" on anyone.  Man has been made in the image and likeness of God, which clearly includes the ability to choose.  The famous Deuteronomy 30 declaration confirms this truth, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life."   Part of man's glory or greatness is his ability and responsibility to choose his own destiny. This is such a fundamental part of man's nature that God will let us go to hell if we choose.  It follows that it is up to us to receive and believe in Jesus, to choose to obey the Word, and to trust Him to fulfill the victory He has purchased in our lives.  

The devil is described in the book of Revelation as the one who deceived the nations.  Just as Jesus came to set us free from bondage, the devil's plan is to make us his slaves.  One of the clear identifying characteristics of the evil one's tactics is to take away the abundant life and freedom Jesus purchased for us through His shed blood.  This evil plan is clearly seen in sin, addiction, lust, greed, bitterness, and many other areas designed to choke our intended purpose.  Romans 8 declares these demonic-influenced flesh strongholds are death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.    

On the bigger picture, Satan wants to be "like the Most High God" (Isaiah 14) and wishes to control the whole world system.  America was founded by godly men who cherished man's freedom and right to worship.  Many other governments are influenced by the opposite spirit and wish to dictate what man can think and do, as well as who he can worship. However, the enemy is a liar and his nature is to steal, kill, and destroy.   He continually seeks to undermine the freedoms this country was founded on.  Jesus pointed out that the anti-Christ spirit would increase toward the end of the age, and it is easy to see how today men controlled by this spirit of anti-Christ through money, government, media, and public opinion are seeking to control man's freedom. The conflict of the ages will be settled when Jesus returns and defeats the current ruler of this world.

However, for the believer, this battle has already been won.  Rather than be "sheep," who follow the crowd and try to please men, we are called to please God and not submit to the me-first philosophy of the world.  We are told not to think it strange when the fiery trial comes to test us, but rather to make the right choices in the day of temptation.  This right choice produces patience, character and growth that pleases God.  Romans 5 even goes so far as to say we should glory in our tribulations because of the fruit they produce in us. The good news according to Romans 8:13 is "If by the power of the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." 

Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.  Choose life today in your choices, knowing God Himself is in you "to will and to work" for His pleasure.

Life and Godliness

Consider what God has given you, "His divine power has given to us all that pertains to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him."  This is an awesome, almost beyond grasp, reality.  And to ensure that we are able to bring this home, the verse in 2 Peter 1 continues "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you might become partakers of divine nature...."  Obviously, the more we know Him the more we become like Him, and the more we understand the promises of God, the more we are able to believe and receive them.    

Consider also the truth that runs contrary to our natural mind, namely, everything that we ever need and that changes us into the likeness of God has already been given to us, we already have it.  God's kingdom has come, it is finished, and God waits to be gracious to us.  Instead of trying to get something, we are given God's "exceedingly great and precious promises" so that we will understand how great He is and because of His love, what He has given us.  He is waiting for us to know it is ours and to accept His gift of everything we could ever need for life and for being godly.  

The Greek word for saved, or salvation, is sozo, which is often translated "be made whole."  We have been delivered or saved from all the consequences of sin, old things have passed away, the new creation has come.  Our minds simply have to be renewed to know this truth which sets us free.  As a man thinks, so is he. Notice how Paul told the Ephesians in Acts 20, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." 

What inheritance?  Jesus said all that the Father has is mine, and Jesus bestows that power and authority to us to exercise in His name.  Furthermore, scriptures like Ephesians 3 speak of coming to know His love and being filled with the fullness of God.  Christ is our wisdom, our strength, our life is hidden in Him.  

Therefore, it follows that our hearts need to be opened and our minds renewed to know Him.  As He reveals Himself, we have the mind of Christ and can think like God thinks.  The more we let His thoughts "dwell in us richly" (Colossians 3:16), the more we see His goodness and are able to just receive all He has given by faith.  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

What would it take for you to have more of this resurrected life that Jesus has freely given you?  Do you desire "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened..."  Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.   Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh desire.  Be like David who refused to sleep and be at ease until there was a place for God.  

Fragrance

We live for the praise of God's glory.  Perhaps the clearest instruction on how and when to praise God is found throughout the Psalms.  Psalm 34:1 states, "I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth."  Psalm 7:17 declares an undeniable reason, "I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most High."  Psalm 9:1 explains intensity, "I will praise you, O Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works."  Likewise Psalm 70:4 encourages joy in believers, "Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified!'"  Finally, Psalm 150 includes everyone, "Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord!"

The Word of God makes it plain that we are continually and whole-heartedly to be involved in praising God.  However, we have many daily responsibilities which must be done so it is virtually impossible to just be declaring His praise every moment of the day.  What can we do?  The answer is in a more complete understanding of worship and praise which enables us to meet this requirement. 

Praise and worship extend far beyond our singing and speaking praise in a worship service.  It is more than the common idea of acknowledging all He has done for us and how great it is to know Him and experience His love. 

Worship is a posture of the heart that is releasing fragrance to God.  This posture of our heart is shown by our words, by the thoughts in our head, and by our choice of actions.  2 Corinthians 2:14 reinforces this truth, "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."  Just like from the sacrifices in the Old Testament, there is a sweet fragrance that exudes toward God from knowing Him, and expressing this knowledge in every pleasing thought, emotion, word, or action that comes from our heart.

God is pleased when we love Him enough to obey His Word, when we choose to be Spirit led rather than follow the lusts of the flesh.  Romans points out that those who set their mind on the flesh cannot please God.  We are to take every thought captive. God knows what we are thinking in our heart of hearts.  Every time we lay down our fleshy thoughts of lust, envy, complaining, bitterness, or rebellion and choose rather to let the Word of God dwell in us richly, it effuses a pleasing fragrance to God. Galatians 5 lists the works of the flesh and of the spirit to help us discern whether our thoughts are edifying or destructive. and what needs to be in our mind and heart.  The Father is so pleased when we put on the new man rather than follow our old fallen-nature ways. 

If God would show us His latest 24-hour video of us, with our secret thoughts, our inner feelings, and little choices exposed, would we discover a pleasing fragrance or a foul odor.  It would be challenging to ask God to show us, as Psalm 139 suggests, "search me and know my heart, if there be any wicked way in me."  What does our fragrance smell like?

God has made us a new creation and has removed the stony heart with a tender heart of grace and truth.  By the Spirit of God we can nurture the divine qualities of the new nature and walk worthy of our calling.  Choosing to let all we think and do intentionally honor God is a way to worship and praise God continually and be a sweet fragrance before God.  Therefore, it becomes true, "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ."  2 Corinthians 2:15  

Order in the Court

  Bless the Lord, O my soul. This is a command that shows God's order.  God is a God of peace and order, and He has established order in the "court," the inner place where judgments are handed down to the rest of our being.  The next verse points out the execution of this order, "let all that is within me, bless the Lord."

God created man to have fellowship, to share His life and glory forever.  Man was created in the image and likeness of God to make this possible.  God is spirit (John 4:24) and thus, so is man.  The part of man that is able to be one with God is in our spirit.  However, when man sinned, he "surely died," man's spirit died, and walking with God was no longer possible.  Sin cannot dwell with God. 

Like a rose cut from the bush that still has visible life until it fades, man still had a soul and body, but his "life with God" or spirit was now dead.   Which explains why Jesus told Nicodemus, "you must be born again of water and the spirit."  When a person receives the finished work of Jesus on the cross, he becomes a new creation, he once again has a living spirit that is in perfect harmony with the Spirit of God.  This new spirit is a participation in the very nature of God and lives forever.  "He who believes in Me will never die."

Man is spirit, soul, and body according to 1 Thessalonians 5:23.  God has a perfect plan to restore all three parts of man: spirit, soul, and body.  The spirit goes from death to life through the death and resurrection of Jesus, as man accepts that Jesus died and rose in his place.  The body is only a vehicle in which man lives and because of sin will die.  After our life on this earth, God will give us a new glorious body like the resurrected body Jesus demonstrated to His apostles in the upper room.   

The last, but very necessary change, is to our soul, which is the part of us that thinks, feels, and makes choices.  Rather than God changing our soul instantly like He does to our spirit, or what He will do to our body, man has been given the tools and he is responsible to change his own soul.  As a man thinks so is he.  Romans 12:1-2 points out that we are not to be conformed to the world but rather be renewed in our minds by the Word of God.  God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.  Therefore, it is necessary to allow His thoughts and ways to replace our fallen nature thinking.  As we do this, Romans 12:2 continues, that we prove or demonstrate God's perfect will.      

Romans 8 clearly explains that the thoughts and ways of the flesh are death, while the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.  We can't even know God through our wisdom, (1 Corinthians 1:21), it requires the Holy Spirit to reveal this truth to our spirit.  When Peter acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, Jesus said, flesh and blood has not revealed this, but My Father in heaven.  All truth and wisdom is given in the Word and must be revealed by the Spirit.  "If you continue in My Word, you will know the truth." according to Jesus, and "The Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth."  

Jesus pointed out that the Word of God is spirit and life.  Therefore, the word in Psalm 103 (Bless the Lord, O my soul) is spirit life that flows into our spirit   Our born-again spirit receives it with meekness and in obedience calls our soul to bless the Lord.  Our spirit is literally speaking to our mind to focus on thoughts that bless God, to our heart of emotions to dwell on feelings of gratefulness and affection, and to our will to cheerfully lay down our wants in order to bless God by doing that in which He delights.

God has established perfect order for living in a way that pleases Him.  The Word speaks to our spirit.  The Holy Spirit leads and guides our spirit into truth.  Just as we now have life by the Spirit (being born-again in our spirit), we are called to walk in the Spirit.  Our spirit is the boss.  The spirit instructs the soul, and the soul commands the body.   

The well-known principle in Amos, "How can we walk with God unless we be agreed," has good application here.  If we are to be a light, to move in supernatural life and power, to exercise the ministry of reconciliation, in short, walk as Jesus walked, we must learn to follow God's order in our court of decisions.  Read and hear the Word, let it dwell richly in our spirit, yield our soul to follow the dictates of the spirit, and execute the thoughts and ways of God in our bodies.  Let God be magnified!