I had once been an atheist actor in the entertainment industry and my purpose in life had been defined by my resume. In 2004, Christ Jesus saved me from myself. I now preach GOD's Word and my purpose is found in dying to myself daily while living for others.
“Jesus died for us on the cross and it represents His pain and suffering, so is it acceptable for you to use it as your logo?”
Good question. While it is true that the cross had in the past represented the Roman crucifixion (a horrible death), it is also true that Jesus conquered the cross and defeated death (Hosea 13:14; 1Corinthians 15:55; Luke 24:46). And just as we see in Genesis 50:20, what humans intended for evil GOD used for good in order to save all of humanity. The cross is now viewed as the intersection of GOD’s justice and His love coming down to us. The cross now symbolizes salvation so long as the person viewing the cross believes in his/her heart and confesses with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and Savior who died, rose again (Romans 10:9), is now at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19), and will be returning again as King of kings and Lord of lords (Matthew 26:64; Revelation 19:11-16). The cross is now a reminder that Jesus did what we could never do because He willingly (John 10:17-18) became the perfect sacrifice on our behalf, paying the debt we could never pay (Hebrews 7-10). When we now look at the cross, it is a reminder for us just as it is written in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
In conclusion, the cross is a reminder that Jesus told us that if we are to come after Him, we are to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. But what does that mean? And how do we know that Jesus had been crucified on a cross rather than an upright stake? As it turns out, I wrote an article on that: “Take Up Your Cross“.
I received an email from someone who asked me a good question. The person wrote,
“In Isaiah 53:10 the term zera is used which means seed, Jesus never had children does this prove that it was a false prophecy, it’s twirling me with doubts.”
Because this Q&A might help others, I’m sharing my response (below):
Perceived Problem: In Isaiah 53:10, it is written that the Suffering Servant will “see His offspring.” But the word “offspring” is the Hebrew word zera, which literally means “seed.” But if Jesus is the Suffering Servant and it is written that He will see His seed, does that mean Jesus had children? But if the early church and the Bible teach that Jesus never had children, does this prove that this was a false prophecy about Jesus?
Solution: Indeed, the Hebrew word is zera, which means “seed; sowing; seedtime; harvest; offspring; descendant(s); posterity.” Essentially, zera means that which is sown; consequently, this Suffering Servant would see His harvest, which would be the children of GOD. Those who strayed like sheep (Isaiah 53:6) return as children. The Bible often has more than one meaning behind particular words or phrases and the depth beyond the surface is only revealed by allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. In Isaiah 23:3, zera and the usual Hebrew word for “harvest” (qatsir) are in synonymous parallelism. But the seed as being the children of GOD originates back from the very beginning. It is written in Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you [the devil] and the woman [Eve], and between your seed and her seed.” And this is the same message Jesus referenced in John 8:41-47 when He made a distinction between the children of Satan and the children of GOD. John also echoed this truth in 1John 3:7-10. Zera is used of groups and individuals marked by a common moral quality. This usage was already seen in Genesis 3:15. But Isaiah 65:23 mentions the “seed” of the blessed of GOD. The Messiah or Suffering Servant will see His “offspring,” or those who believed in and follow Him (Isaiah 53:10). We also read about the followers of the righteous (Proverbs 11:21), the faithful “seed” (Jeremiah 2:21), and godly “offspring.” In each case this word represents those who are united by being typified by the modifier of zera. Therefore, the great harvest to which Jesus refers is the harvest of souls who are the true children of GOD. Jesus spoke of a spiritual harvest waiting to be reaped. As Jesus traveled, “he saw the crowds, [and] he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matthew 9:36–38). Here, Jesus referred to the many souls needing to be brought to repentance and faith as a harvest waiting to be realized. Jesus used the same metaphor of a spiritual harvest in Samaria. After talking to the woman at the well, Jesus told His disciples, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35). In the days following this statement, many of the Samaritans became believers in Christ (John 4:41). Jesus saw the spiritual harvest of souls awaiting in that village. A spiritual harvest is the result of GOD’s work in the heart of man. It is clear from the parable of the seed and the sower that some people’s hearts are good soil; when the Word of GOD is sown there, the person accepts it and continues to mature. Jesus’s mission on earth was to make spiritual sons/daughters, not physical ones (Galatians 4:4–5; Ephesians 1:5; Hebrews 2:10). Ultimately, those who have the seed of GOD within them (Luke 8:11,15) will become true children of GOD. And the true children of GOD will enter into the Kingdom of GOD and the Lord most certainly will see His seed; the Lord will see His harvest.
Conclusion: Isaiah 53, which is about the Suffering Servant, is indeed a true prophecy regarding Christ Jesus’s sacrificial death.
If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:
Imagine the joy and relief that helpless, distressed, and tired citizens would feel when a superhero arrives to save them from captivity, danger, or death. The people would think and/or shout, “Our savior has arrived!” To understand the full meaning of this message, I want you to first watch the following three videos which depict a hero’s anticipated arrival:
My Hero Academia: All Might announces that everything will be all right because he is there!
Justice League: Superman arrives to defend the weak and save the day!
Avengers: Infinity War: Thor, with lightning, makes a grand entrance onto the battlefield in order to lead everyone into victory!
In all three of those videos, the heroes make a memorable and remarkable entrance. But what does that have to do with my message? Everything. I’m posting this article on April 13, 2019 — the day before Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the day we (Christians) celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19). In combining the details of all four accounts, it becomes clear that the triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the Jews of that time, but to all Christians throughout history! In order to fully comprehend the reason for celebrating Palm Sunday, we must fully understand the significance of the triumphal entry. But one thing you will most likely immediately notice is that Jesus’ triumphal entry isn’t like the exaggerated scenes we see in comic books, movies, or myths.
Palm Sunday marked the beginning of what is often called “Passion Week,” which is the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on Earth, which would become the beginning of the church (the book of Acts) before the end time.
Palm Sunday began with Jesus and His disciples traveling over the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two disciples ahead into the village of Bethphage to find and retrieve a colt of a donkey. They found the unbroken colt just as Jesus said they would (Luke 19:29–30). When the disciples untied the colt, the owners began to question them. They told the owners what Jesus told them to say: “The Lord needs it” (Luke 19:31–34). Some people believe that Jesus stole the donkey or that He was at least presumptuous in taking it; however, Jesus had visited this region before this moment (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1), and it is more than likely that Jesus arranged for this moment ahead of time. In fact, it is written that later on that week Jesus arranged [ahead of time] for the upper room to be available in order to celebrate Passover with His disciples (Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13). And Jesus’ abilities to foresee the future and plan ahead explains why the owners of the colt accepted the disciples’ answer — the owners had been expecting them, but they wanted to be certain the men were in fact Jesus’ disciples and not common thieves.
But why the colt of a donkey? Shouldn’t a great leader and anticipated heroic Savior arrive with a grand entrance like all superheroes? Shouldn’t there be lightning, fireworks, an orchestra, big flags or banners? Shouldn’t a great leader ride on a fancy prancing steed while wearing royal robes? Where was the pizazz? What was so majestic about a colt of donkey? The colt was young and small; in fact, the disciples brought along its mother to ride alongside it (Matthew 21:7). If you were a Roman soldier at that time and you saw a grown man riding on a young and small donkey, would it look like a grand entrance to you? If I had been a Roman soldier at that time, I probably would have pointed at Jesus and laughed while saying, “Look at that jackass! Hey! Sir! You’re making an ass of yourself! Get it? An ass is a donkey?”
What made this seemingly ordinary event a triumphal entry? The answer is found in the Old Testament — Jesus was fulfilling prophecy (Psalm 24:7-10; Isaiah 62:10-11; Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118:25-26; 148:1)! Jesus was openly declaring to the people that He was their long-awaited King and Messiah. And because the Jewish people realized this significance, the ones who believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah (anointed or chosen one) were celebrating (John 12:18)! The Old Testament prophecy predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by GOD to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). The Jews called the Deliverer the Messiah — this chosen One was going to be their ‘superhero’. The only reason why the scene of Jesus riding on a colt of a donkey was a triumphal entry was because the prophets said that the Deliverer would be riding on a colt of a donkey. This event was a big deal! However, for those who had been unaware of what prophecy foretold, they just saw a grown man riding on a tiny donkey. To a Roman soldier who had been accustomed to seeing intimidating warhorses, chariots, formation of phalanxes, and lines of legions, this event seemed trivial and wouldn’t have caused them any concern — it was just a dude on a donkey. And that’s why Jesus was able to do it without the Roman army intervening. It was genius! And again, all of this was planned ahead long before the moment ever happened. And to everyone who knew the significance of this event, it most certainly was a triumphal entry. And for this reason, the people rejoiced and celebrated!
Sadly, the majority of praise from the people were not because they recognized Jesus as the Savior of their souls but only as someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. The people believed that the Deliverer would set up an earthly kingdom at that time, not a heavenly Kingdom in the life that is to come. And though there were many people who did not believe in Jesus as the Savior of our souls, they nevertheless hoped that perhaps He would be the one to overthrow the empire. And this is why a mixture of people hailed Jesus as King with their many hosannas, recognizing Him as the leader of the resistance revolution. The word hosanna comes from a Hebrew word meaning “save now” or “save us, we pray.” The first word of Psalm 118:25 is howosiah-na, translated “Save us!” and the crowd’s use of this word at the triumphal entry was significant—especially as they waved palm branches (Psalm 118 was associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a recurring event throughout the Bible as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance). By saying “hosanna” as Jesus passed through the gates of Jerusalem and referring to David and David’s kingdom, the Jews were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah. The Jews had been waiting a long time for the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17:11–14; 2 Chronicles 6:16), and their shouts of “hosanna in the highest” indicated the hope that their Messiah had finally come to set up GOD’s Kingdom there and immediately at that time (Luke 19:11).
As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, a big crowd gathered around Him. The people rightly understood that Jesus was the Messiah; however, they did not understand that it wasn’t yet time to set up the Kingdom. Sadly, the salvation that the people of Jerusalem wanted that day was political, not spiritual (Acts 1:6). Though Jesus had tried to tell them that He came to be the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation (Luke 19:10–12), they neglected to realize that prophecy foretold that Jesus must be a suffering servant (Isaiah 53) before He becomes King of all kings.
Nevertheless, the crowd’s use of palm branches gives us the name “Palm Sunday” (John 12:13). And as the people celebrated on that first Palm Sunday, the allusion to a Messianic psalm drew resentment from the religious leaders (Luke 19:39).
But the celebration would be short-lived because the crowd’s commitment was shallow. In only a matter of a few days, the same people who hailed Jesus as the Deliverer would deliver Him up to be nailed on a cross. The same people who proclaimed Jesus to be Christ would soon call Him a criminal (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:38-19:16). And because Jesus lowered Himself to such a humbling position (Philippians 2:5-8), the people did not recognize Him for who He truly is (Matthew 27:27-31,39-44). The greatest tragedy in the history of mankind is to see Jesus yet not recognize Him as the Creator, Provider, Sustainer, and Savior — the great I AM. Devotion based only on curiosity or popularity fades quickly. Jesus told us that our faith needs to have deep roots (Matthew 13:1-9,18-23).
At this very moment that I’m writing this article, Palm Sunday will be celebrated tomorrow. So, why should we celebrate on Palm Sunday? Because we’re celebrating the fact that the King of kings came to live amongst us and suffer with us (Hebrews 4:15)! But we’re also celebrating the fact that He will come again! And when the Lord comes again, it will most certainly be the triumphal entry one would expect from the King of kings. And on that Day, the entire world will see and know that the name of Jesus is above every other name (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:27,30; Mark 13:26; Luke 2:26-27). Though we don’t know the day nor hour (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32), there is coming a time when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10–11). Unlike the first Palm Sunday when the celebration was superficial, the worship on the new Earth under the new heavens will be authentic, deep, and meaningful. There will come a Day when people will again be hailing Jesus as King while waiving palm branches (Revelation 7:9-10). Just as Jesus restored Peter after Peter denied Him (John 21:15-17), the future worship with palm branches will symbolize our restoration.
The first Palm Sunday was a celebration of GOD’s great mercy. This is what separates Christianity from all other religions: in all other religions, humans attempt to work their way to salvation, to a god or becoming a god; however, we (Christians) know that we are simply unable to save ourselves. And this is why GOD came to us! On Palm Sunday, we are celebrating that GOD loved us enough to get personally involved and mixed up in our mess so that He could absorb all our sins and redeem us. This is why we celebrate Palm Sunday! Forget about the donkey! Only a jackass fixates on a jackass. Jesus could have miraculously stood on a snail while ants pulled Him if He wanted to do so. The point here is that GOD-Almighty lowered Himself to be with us so that we can be with Him! Palm Sunday is a celebration of a triumphal entry! Jesus was born in a manger and announced Himself while riding on a little donkey, but none of that had anything to do with the real triumphal entry. The triumphal entry is Jesus existing in the world! And that’s what the people were supposed to be celebrating on that first Palm Sunday! The fact that Jesus is Immanuel — GOD with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)! None of the superheroes in the comic books have ever made a more memorable or remarkable entrance than Jesus when He was miraculously born of a virgin by the Spirit (Luke 1:26-38)! The virgin birth is the true triumphal entry! Jesus in this world is the true triumphal entry! And if you think Thor’s entrance with lightning onto the battlefield was spectacular in the movie, Avengers: Infinity War, just wait until Christ comes again and opens the sky as a scroll would roll up while the stars fall from their places (Isaiah 34:4; 51:6; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 6:12-17)! On that Day and at that time, it will be the greatest entrance ever witnessed! And all throughout Heaven, it will be said, “Now that’s how you make an entrance!”
Happy Palm Sunday. As you celebrate the fact that Jesus entered our pain and suffering to be our Savior, know this:
“What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) -GW
If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below…
Not long ago, I posted an article about Christians and the use of marijuana. In response to my article, I received one comment in particular that disturbed me and left me disheartened. A man by the name of Russell claimed to be a Christian and essentially told me he didn’t like my article. I’m not bothered by the fact that someone didn’t like my message – many people are going to reject the message I bring. In fact, GOD’s Word tells us that we will be rejected and possibly persecuted on His behalf just as He had been (Matthew 24:9-13; Philippians 1:20-21,29-30; 1Thessalonians 3:3-4). What upset me was that this man claimed to be a Christian yet opposed my Christian message. I will first share his comment regarding my article so his argument can be known in his own words and then I will respond to that comment.
“Let me give you a better Christian perspective… Who cares? Let’s focus on loving our neighbors and spreading the good word. Marijuana is a very non-essential issue and I respect that you said that, even though I disagree with your prospective. I am a Christian and I do not see any difference between marijuana and alcohol. We obviously know there is nothing unbiblical about alcohol since Jesus drank wine at virtually every meal he partook in and turned water into wine. It is very hypocritical to not apply the same rules to marijuana. The key to both is moderation and both can be used in moderation. Here is an example, 2 puffs is like 1 glass of wine, 5 puffs is like 2 glasses of wine, etc. That is not a perfect example since the effects of marijuana are not nearly as strong as alcohol, but it illustrates how both can be used in controlled moderation. And there is a large % of people that can use alcohol and marijuana responsibly. Last, you are way over exaggerating the effects of marijuana. It is not mind altering like your portraying. A few puffs simply gives a relaxing feeling for 15-20min similar to the way drinking a Red Bull gives you a jolt for 15-20. I still have never heard a good argument that responsible use of alcohol or marijuana is any more unbiblical then going to an ice cream parlor and devouring a brownie sundae or going to Starbucks and downing a double espresso latte.”
I want to respond to that comment, but I don’t want to confine this response to Russell alone. Though this response is specifically for Russell, this response is also for all Christians in general.
First and foremost, I’d like to thank you for watching my video, “Christians + Marijuana = ?” (assuming that you watched the entire video and didn’t comment without first watching the entire video). Second, though your comment left me disheartened, I do appreciate the fact that you took the time to write a comment to me.
Now, you claim that you are a Christian and so I must take you at your word on the matter. However, if you feel led to challenge your own claim and see if you are in fact in alignment with your claim of being a Christ-follower, see my other article, “What Does It Mean To Be A Christian.”
Before I reply to specific points of your comment, I’d like to remind you that anger and argument amongst Christian brothers will not destroy the Gospel, but it can destroy each individual’s testimony and effectiveness in sharing it. With that said, may it be known that I am going to do my best to speak Truth in love (just as we are instructed to do in Ephesians 4:15) and I hope that if you respond to this, you will also do the same.
If I am doing GOD’s will, why would you – as a Christian – oppose my work? However, if I am not doing GOD’s will, then by all means rebuke me and then correct me. Rebuking and correcting another Christian for false teaching is biblical and right (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1-2). However, unless you are rebuking me for false teaching, then you’re wasting time and effort to oppose another Christian. In fact, because you have made the claim that you are a Christian and opposed my message on a public platform via social media, I am now compelled to defend what it means to be a Christian on this public platform. I now have to use my valuable time in order to clear up the confusion your comment may cause for unbelievers. I now have to redirect your misguided missile of ‘meh’ that can be seen by the masses. If your comment to me was an attempt to rebuke and correct me, then consider this response your rebuke and my defense as to why your rebuke is without warrant. Had you not made your comment public, I would not have needed to post my response for the public. If you would have written to me privately, I could have responded privately. But as it is, I now must post a public response just in case someone is confused by your comment.
You stated that a “better Christian perspective” is “who cares?” Who cares?! I now need to rebuke you for that careless comment that is often the center of complacency. Perhaps it is because you do not care that you do not understand the importance of this message. We – Christians – are to live by example (Titus 2:6-8). You stated correctly that Christians are to love others and share the Gospel. However, I exhort you to watch my other video, “Superhero: What Is Love?“, which clearly explains that we are to never cause anyone else to stumble.
Like it or not, believe it or not, small things tend to build up and become bigger issues. And because the small things matter, even this seemingly insignificant topic of marijuana matters. Everything matters! You also stated that there is no difference between marijuana and alcohol because they’re both acceptable in moderation. As I explained in my other article, “Should Christians Drink Alcohol?“, the key is not moderation; rather, the key is love for others and an unwillingness to ever cause someone else to stumble.
I’m not saying that marijuana and alcohol is literally sin being consumed; rather, I’m saying that a loving Christian should be willing to let go of worldly desires (that we won’t need in Heaven anyway) in order to direct others to healthier lifestyles here on Earth, but more importantly, to their eternal salvation in Christ.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but by the context clues of your comment, it seems evident that you are simply unwilling to let go of worldly desires that bring you mere moments of pleasure. Are you willing to let go of your worldly desires in order to ensure that you will never cause someone to stumble? Or are you more concerned with pleasure than purpose, for self-satisfaction than others’ salvation? Are you a slave to your desires? I challenge you to see my other article, “Break Every Chain” and test yourself to see if you are a slave to your desires.
If you are a Christian, I admonish you to get rid of your “who cares” attitude and start caring more than you currently do. Again, you were correct to say that we need to love others and share the Gospel, but we need to care more for others than for self if we are to be an accurate reflection of the love of Christ. I also challenge you to see my other article, “Reflection And Direction“ – what we reflect determines our projected path. You need to take into consideration that our actions determine how others perceive Christians and Christianity and how our actions play a vital role as to whether or not unbelievers will receive the Gospel we are called to share. What do unbelievers think when they see Christians acting just like everyone else in the world? There is anabsolute moral standardand Christians are called to be set apart to live righteous lives.
Now, a common substitute for true righteousness is self-righteousness. And I can understand how one might perceive that I am being self-righteous. I get it. But that’s simply not the case. Hear me out… Self-righteousness is the opposite of what GOD desires. Self-righteousness makes a list of rules and checks them off, and then congratulates self on how ‘good’ he/she is doing compared to others. That’s pride, not righteousness. The Pharisees were masters of self-righteousness, but Jesus had harsh words for them:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27–28) -ESV
To pursue righteousness means we must recognize that we cannot please GOD in our sinful state (Romans 8:8). We turn from trying to justify ourselves by our good deeds and instead seek the mercy of GOD. We desire that He transform our minds (Romans 12:2) and conform us “to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). In the Old Testament, men were declared righteous when they believed GOD and acted on it (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Before Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), people pursued righteousness by keeping GOD’s Law, seeking holiness, and “walking humbly with GOD” (Micah 6:8). No one was justified by rule-keeping but by the faith that enabled them to obey GOD (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Likewise, today we are justified by the faith that leads us to Jesus (Romans 3:27-28; 5:1; 10:10). Those who are in Christ continue seeking GOD in order to please Him (Colossians 3:1-17). When we come to faith in Christ, He gives us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to pursue righteousness for its own sake (Acts 2:38). He commands us to “walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). Walking in the Spirit means we live a lifestyle of total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We cultivate the ability to hear GOD and the habit of obeying His voice in everything.
We pursue righteousness when we pursue the character of Christ and desire holiness more than fleshly indulgence. We avoid the temptation to become self-righteous when we understand that true righteousness begins with godly humility (Psalm 25:9). We remember that Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). When we spend time in the presence of the Holy and perfect GOD, we become more aware of our own sin and shortcomings. Teeth can be perceived to be white, but a white-strip test comparison will soon reveal the discoloration and impurities that are present and we will see that we’re not so perfect. Pride and self-righteousness cannot remain in the presence of a holy GOD. Pursuing righteousness begins when a humble heart seeks the continual presence of GOD (James 4:10; 1Peter 5:6). The humble and believing heart leads to a lifestyle of righteous action acceptable to GOD (Psalm 51:10). It all boils down to this one question: Are you willing to put others before yourself? In other words, are you willing to let go of your pursuit for pleasure in order to pursue purpose?
I challenge you to set aside time right now to read Romans 14 and 1Corinthians 8. Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in another person’s way.You possess free willand you have freedom in Christ. However, with that freedom, comes responsibility to do right by others.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13) -NIV
In order to serve others in love,sacrifice will be required. Sometimes we must let go of things that we want so that others may get what they need.
Conclusion:
I rebuke you for your careless comment, “who cares?” I care! And if you’re upset because I care, you need to ask yourself if you care enough. What does that say about you? You care that I care because you don’t want to care yet you care enough not to care to come at me because I care. Do you see me wearing a shirt that says, “Come at me, bruh!”? No. I’m not the enemy, bro. He who receives me receives the One who sent me. You may not care about the small things, but I care about everything that possesses the potential to affect everyone.I had once lived on the other sideand dwelled in darkness, butI came out of the caveof darkness as a more-than conquerer in Christ. As someone who used to be a darkness dweller, I am able to tell you from experience thatSatan is subtle; evil is deliberate. All the small things matter because everything matters. Satan doesn’t care about the majority of your collective decisions throughout your lifespan; Satan only cares about the final deciding moment that will determine your eternity. But many people end up sliding down the slippery slope intoHellbecause compromise slowly led them beyond the boundary of righteousness to the point of no return. But the closer we grow and come to Christ, the farther away we will be from Satan’s slide. Satan always sells his slide as a fun ride. Understand this: ‘fun’ is subjective and needs to be placed in proper perspective. The danger in disregarding the small things is that subtle shifts can create a big gap over time. And if you happen to be on the wrong side of the great chasm that is fixed for all eternity, you will be like the rich man of Luke 16:19-31.
You told me it is “very hypocritical” not to apply the same rules to marijuana as we do for alcohol. I agree. I do, however, apply the same standards – I abstain. I don’t do this because I believe I’m better than everyone else. I do this becauseif I am able, I should also be available. What I find to be hypocritical is when those who claim to be Christians proclaim they love people and want others to be saved yet they are unwilling to die daily to themselves, take up their crosses, set aside their desires, and willingly sacrifice for those they claim they love (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 14:27; Galatians 2:20; 5:24). Too many people attempt to justify their selfish decisions because they don’t want to let go of mere moments of pleasure that will soon pass and never satisfy the soul. Understand this: we do not live righteous lives in order to show off how ‘good’ we are and glorify ourselves; rather, we strive to be righteous through love and obedience to GOD and out of love for others. I know who I am because I knowwho GOD is. I do what I do because it is ourcall of duty. Who cares? GOD cares. I care. And you should too. Christians should care; in fact, Christians should care more than those in the secular society. In my mission as a messenger of GOD, I refuse to willingly place a stumbling block in front of those who are lost in the darkness yet seeking the Light. And that should be your mission as well. We should be doing everything possible to help the lost enter by the narrow gate:
“Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He replied, ‘Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Lord, open the door for us!” But he will reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”Then you will say, “But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.”And he will reply, “I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.”There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out.And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God.And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.’ ”
(Luke 13:23-30; see also Matthew 7:13-14) -NLT
You have free will. If, by your free will, you place a stumbling block in front of others and they live a life of sin because of your actions, you’ll be held accountable. We’re all going to be accountable to GOD. I’m going to be held accountable for my sins. But I do not ever want to hear that I caused someone to live a life of sin because I made sin seem satisfying and somehow acceptable. I’m not even goingto gamblewith money, let alone with peoples’ lives or eternities. The entrance is narrow. What are you willing to risk for the sake of mere moments of pleasure? This is all about love for others. I implore you to seek GOD and to stay in alignment with His will.
What is Passover (Pesach in Hebrew)? Why is it so important? What does it mean for us? First of all, it is a Jewish festival celebrating the exodus from Egypt, when GOD took His chosen people — the Israelites — out of slavery and into freedom! True freedom!
In the book of Exodus, chapter 12, we see that the Israelites were commanded to make a sacrifice with a spotless/perfect lamb and use the blood to put it on the doorposts and the lintel of the houses. We find out in Exodus 12:13 that this blood serves a purpose: “The blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt” (NLT).
It was the people’s obedience to GOD that saved them, not necessarily the blood. By them putting the blood on their doorposts, they demonstrated that they were placing their trust in a sacrificial death prescribed by GOD for their salvation. Likewise, we see in 1Corinthians 5:7 and Revelation 5:12 that Jesus was the prescribed sacrificial death and it is only by the blood of Jesus that we are saved.
In Exodus 12, GOD wasn’t actually looking for the blood on the doorposts; rather, He was looking for their obedience. Their obedience just so happened to be colored red. But that outward sign of obedience was only there because of the faith in their hearts. GOD wanted to know: “Do you love me? Do you trust me? Will you do what I’m asking you to do?”
In 1Samuel 15, we see that Saul did not listen carefully to the words of the Lord (15:9); rather, he listened to the people (15:24). Not only did Saul disobey (15:19), but he was prideful (15:12), he lied (15:13,20), and he failed to be obedient. To make matters worse, he tried to cover up his disobedience with sacrifice (15:21). And we see that Samuel’s response to Saul was short and straight to the point: obedience is better than sacrifice (15:22). [see also, Psalm 40:6-8; 51:16-17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:8-9]
Sacrifice is still important, but the motive behind the sacrifice is more important. Without love for GOD and genuine repentance, the rigmarole of the religious ritual is nothing more than a pious performance from a hollow and pseudo-holy host. Think about this: incomplete or selective obedience is disobedience. And this is why Saul was rejected as king and why GOD had already chosen his replacement (15:28).
The Israelites who, in faith, applied the blood of the lamb to their homes, became a model for us. It was not the Israelites’ ancestry or good standing or good nature that saved them; it was only the blood of the lamb that made them exempt from death and saved them. But it was their faith and trust in GOD that produced that obedient act where the blood could be seen.
Challenge: All of our sins have been overlooked because of Jesus. We have been given a passover. We no longer have to make tons of sacrifices to be cleansed and be saved. We are cleansed and saved by the blood of Jesus — the perfect sacrificial Lamb — who died for us, to do what we could never do on our own. GOD is looking for our faith and our obedience. In what ways can you be obedient? What is GOD asking you to do that you should be doing anyway out of love for GOD and love for others?
I want you to go paint the town red! And by that, I mean, let everyone see your obedience while GOD sees the faith in your heart. [Painting the roses red! We’re painting the roses red!] Go beyond the superficial act of red paint and get to the heart of the matter with the sacrificial blood of Christ. And share the Good News with everyone!
Jesus died so that you could live — truly live!
Now, are you willing to live for the One who died for you and gave you life? I’m going to! And I hope you join me because it’ll be fun and exciting anyway! [Painting the roses red! We’re painting the roses red!]
Let’s go paint the town red! By this, I mean that all of our acts of love should be noticed by others. Our acts of service for others should be as noticeable as red paint – the love of Christians should stand out! We should be in constant celebration due to the gift of salvation! In what way can you celebrate today? Who can you celebrate with? How can you love others in your celebration?
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
(John 13:34-35) -NLT
[ Think: It is true that we are saved by the blood of Jesus if He died and rose again as written. But did Jesus actually die?]
Quest For Truth 