Well Pleasing

As a father and a grandfather, I love my four kids and my eight grandkids. As a husband, I dearly love my wife.

It would not be very ethical of me to say that there is nothing any of them could ever do that would displease me. Likewise, it would be unethical to say there is nothing they can do that pleases me.

There is nothing they could ever do that would stop me from loving them. I loved them even before they did anything bad or good. They were merely tiny babies that could not even speak, feed themselves, or fend for themselves in any way, and I loved them. I have made my love for them clear throughout the years by telling them so, and I would like to believe that I have lived it. Loving and being pleased are not the same.

There are things that I stand for as a follower of Jesus, and I desire that my family also stand for the things that are clearly important and to be believed as revealed in the Scriptures. I love my family deeply, but if one determines they will not follow Jesus, I am not pleased with such a decision out of concern for them. If one of them should become a tyrant, taking advantage of others and causing harm, I would still love them, but I would not be pleased with them.

The way some teach, one might come away with the idea that God can never be displeased. Their verbiage regarding love insists that God cannot be displeased with anyone.

Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

For Scripture to teach us that there is a way of doing things that lends itself to being well pleasing to God is to automatically infer that there are ways of doing things that could lead to His displeasure.

1Thessalonians 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.

"How to walk and please God." Our way of living matters as it pertains to God's pleasure or displeasure with us. It will never alter His great love for us, but great love is not a blank check for living to please our flesh as opposed to living in surrender to the Spirit. What we do in and with our bodies matters for this reason. My desire to live a life that pleases God speaks of my love for Jesus. My desire to do as I please speaks of my love for the flesh.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I want the volumes of my way of life to speak of my love for Jesus, not a love for my flesh and its appetites. I love my wife, and my fidelity demonstrates that love to her. My devotion to her and my willingness to live sacrificially for her benefit are evidence of my love for her. Take those away, and I don't think she would be pleased with me.

I want to live well pleasing to God. I do not view such a desire as a religious exercise so much as it is a demonstration of love and devotion to Him.

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Preeminence

Preeminence means being the highest in rank or being first. It is like saying the One preeminence is the One with the most significant importance.

That is the place of Jesus, not us.

When Paul wrote to the Colossian church, he said the following:

Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

So far, the opening of the letter sounds really great. He makes these believers sound as though they have it all together and probably would not need anything. They are already believers in Jesus, so surely they wouldn't need any encouragement in the gospel. But he keeps going.

Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Paul has been and will continue to pray for these believers. He believes they need to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Why?

That they may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in their knowledge of God.

Paul's language quickly shifts from focusing on the believers at Colossae to emphasizing Jesus. Why is this? Could it be that the New Covenant Gospel is not all about us so much as it is about Jesus?

We need a gospel that makes Jesus preeminent in our thinking and adoration. A gospel where He is so glorious and so wonderful that we think less of ourselves and more of Him.

A gospel where Jesus is Lord and we desire to know His will as opposed to making Him aware of our own. Jesus has the preeminence in the true Gospel, not man. We consider ourselves blessed and privileged to be included in the inheritance of the saints, and our valuation of Jesus soars when we grasp this gospel truth correctly.

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Unoffendable

Unoffendable

When a person lives life without constantly being concerned about what someone else is or is not doing, they spend a lot less time being offended.

To always be concerned with another's motives or actions is not a calling.

Paul, as an apostle of Jesus, learned this lesson well.

Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

Paul could rejoice that Jesus was being preached regardless of one's motive for doing so. Therefore, Paul could not be offended that some of those preaching were doing so with wrong motives and even in an effort to get back at him.

Jesus, in His wisdom, understood something as well that allowed Him to rest, even though there might have been others seeking to grab some glory for themselves.

Mark 9:38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”  39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side.

The primary issue at hand in both matters is whether Jesus is being preached and represented as good. Getting caught up in another person's motives is setting oneself up as judge and jury. Those who engage in such practices often seem to live with a sense of offense over something.

John the Baptist was in prison, awaiting his death, and sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus whether He was the One.

Luke 7:22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

There are things about Jesus and His graciousness and goodness that can easily offend religious intolerance. In John's case, it appears that he might have been trying to ensure he hadn't wasted his efforts and was being made to suffer needlessly. Nevertheless, while he was being made to suffer for taking a stand against sin, Jesus was becoming more and more popular for healing the sick, making the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk, and even raising the dead. John was about to be put to death, and Jesus was gaining ground in the popularity of His ministry at that moment and time.

Whenever we allow comparison to enter and feel that we are fading into the background, thus beginning to question the validity of the ministry of others who are seemingly more popular than ourselves, we are in a dangerous place of being easily offended. Being dead to ourselves and alive unto God is our escape from being easily offended.

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When Speculation Turns Into Separation

Speculation: the forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.

I call it the act of filling in the blanks as best as one can in the natural.

Judges 12:1 Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. 3 So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”  4 Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.” 5 The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” 6 then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

The Ephramites thought they knew the motives of the Gileadites and understood them well, believing the Gileadites were merely trying to make a name for themselves while portraying the Ephramites poorly to all others. The Ephramites felt they were above the Gileadites in station and importance. They failed to realize just how fit for battle the Gileadites actually were, having speculated wrongly about them.

They're speculation led to separation, which then turned into war. The Gileadites were able to take a simple nuance in language and use it to their advantage. The Ephraimites struggled with the Sh words, so the Gileadites would force them to say "Shibboleth," but they couldn't say it. It came out as Sibboleth. The result was the killing of forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites.

Sadly, within Christianity, many are often willing to separate over speculations about topics in Scripture, which often lack matter-of-fact, clear, and direct language. Not only are they willing to separate over them, but they are also willing to go out of their way to do all they can to ruin the reputation of the one they disagree with. They are willing to undo someone who is also seeking to promote Jesus to the lost simply because they disagree over a speculation about something in the Scriptures. Perhaps the church would be better served if we all were like Paul.

Philippians 1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

Is there someone you have separated from based on a speculation regarding their motive, or perhaps something you've chosen to hold dear? May I encourage us not to let speculation turn into separation?

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Important Announcement

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How Would You Feel?

If you had a child, spouse, or friend who had done wrong and asked you for forgiveness, and you had given it to them, but they kept coming back asking over and over again for forgiveness, how would you feel?

If you were to make a promise to someone about doing something special or going somewhere special at a particular time, and it would require them to be dressed and ready for it, and you showed up and found them unprepared, how would you feel?

If you are determined to spend the rest of your life with that special someone because you sincerely love them and are often telling them and doing things to demonstrate that love, and they struggle with believing that you love them, how would you feel?

What if someone you love came to you with a need they couldn't possibly handle on their own, and you took care of it for them, and then later found them bragging about how they met the need on their own? How would that make you feel?

The truth is, we are not usually fond of someone not accepting what we freely offer to them, or them failing to take us at our word, or appreciating it when we go out of our way to help, only to find they talk as if we had nothing to do with it at all.

Jesus deals with this daily on a billion levels. He has done everything needed to make the promises of God, yes and amen in Him, yet so often we struggle to accept and believe it and prepare as someone expecting it. Then there's the reality of having received a promise and then behaving as though it was something we did that brought about the result, as if to take credit for the outcome to ourselves.

In Luke 17:11-17, Jesus was passing through Samaria and Galilee, and there ten leprous men cried out for Him to show them mercy, and He told them to show themselves to the priests, and as they went on their way, they were cleansed, but only one turned back to give Him thanks for what had been done. Jesus then asked that man, "Were there not ten of you? Where are the other nine?"

There can be no credit properly given where no thanks are expressed.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Whenever we believe we were the cause of something extraordinary happening, we take the credit. If we believe that something we said or did was the reason for it happening, then we are taking the credit. Instead, it would be better to magnify the Father and the Lord Jesus for their goodness, faithfulness, willingness, and mercy that it happened.

I did not forgive myself to be cleansed from my sin; He forgave me at the cross.

I did not do anything to become a new creation as though I could perform such a supernatural feat. He made a new creation by His own power from a place of love in His heart towards me.

Anytime I fail to believe in His forgiveness, or to act on His promises, or doubt His great love for me, or question His willingness and ability to meet my needs as He has promised to do, I am not treating Him according to His worth because I am being temporarily blinded to it by being too caught up in myself. Jesus paid it all, did it all, and completed the mission He was given. We now stand in the victory He won on our behalf. Gratitude can often be a high act of faith on our part, and we know how faith pleases Him. It's a good day to be grateful.

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In Him We Live

You know it is easy for us to imagine that if our lungs stopped functioning, so would we, or if our heart were to stop, so would we.

They are vital to our physical lives.

When it comes to the spiritual life that is eternal, Jesus is like the lungs or a heart to us, because without Him, we cannot live.

Acts 17:27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, “For we are also His offspring.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Our living, moving, and very being relies on Christ.

John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

All the answers you will ever need are found in Him! Our Lord Jesus is the sum of all things that are good! It is He in whom the Father is well pleased, and that affirmation belongs to me when I am in Him!

Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Jesus presents me holy, blameless, and above reproach in the Father's sight! I need only walk in faith, being grounded in believing in what He did for me, and never feel the need to apologize for His obedience on my behalf. Remaining in faith and not allowing myself to be moved away from the hope of the gospel, which declared His obedience to redeem me and make me righteous with the very righteousness of God. I live, move, and have my being in Him!

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Where Are You Looking?

I have a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was a gift from God to me through a dear friend. It's a 1997 Road King, a former police bike from Louisiana. It's large and heavy.

There's something about knowing how to handle a larger motorcycle, or any motorcycle for that matter. This is especially true when it comes to making turns.

If you do not look where you plan to turn, you will not make the turn safely, if at all. You must turn your head and look in the direction you want to go to make a safe turn. In other words, the bike is going to go where your head and eyes lead it.

If you were to go through life always looking away from where you wish to go, you would likely have a lot of bruises and some possible other injuries from tripping, bumping into, or falling off things as you walked, because you would not be looking where you are going.

So it is when walking according to the Spirit. You cannot walk according to the Spirit if your eyes and focus are trained on your flesh. If the only thing you can see is your own successes or failures according to the flesh, you will not have the success of your Lord and Savior in your view. It can be hard to look only at yourself and Him at the same time.

It is impossible to look backwards and forwards at the same time. You cannot spend all your time regretting the past and making the forward progress that is available to you. Your eyes must be fixed on where you are going.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Have you ever thought about what "the sin" actually is? The sin that tends to snare us all at times is the one that seeks to get us to trust in ourselves for righteousness and favor with God. It was Jesus who shed His blood to do away with our sin and bring us before the Father. It can be wearisome and discouraging to look for perfection in myself. But when I consider Him who endured hostility from sinners and shed His blood for me, I am once again encouraged in my journey and back on the path with rejoicing and thanksgiving.

My overcoming sin comes through my looking unto Him so that I know and understand who He is, what He did, and realize that it all applies to me through Him. That in turn tells me who I am and what I am to do in following Him. He will get my attention whenever I get distracted from Him and His purpose for me. He wants me to enjoy the journey with Him. I cannot do that if I am too focused on myself or other things to notice what He is doing and where He is going. I am never more spiritual than when I am walking in faith concerning Him. Faith in myself is not faith in Him.

I need to look to Him if I am to make a turn or turn around, for that matter. Accomplishment in the kingdom comes from looking unto Jesus, not looking unto me.

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No Longer Attached

When I was eleven years of age, my dad passed away. At that moment when my dad passed away, the covenant of marriage my mom had with my dad was over. My mom was no longer attached to the covenant she had been in with him because he had died.

There is a Biblical explanation of this kind in Scripture regarding the New Covenant.

Romans 7:1 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Spiritually speaking, there was a time when the law of Moses was the husband of those wishing to pursue God. But now, those wishing to belong to and to pursue God can only do so by being dead to the law and alive unto God through Jesus Christ. It is akin to having the old husband die and being married to a new husband.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

In this New Covenant, everything we need, everything we are, and everything we should enter into flows through Christ. He has given the Holy Spirit to us to ensure we are protected, directed, and transformed by His life-giving power at work within us.

Now we serve in the newness of the Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter.

It might be that the most arrogant statement anyone could ever make or think is, "Just tell me what you want and I will do it." When addressing the remnant of Judah and referring back to when they were brought out of Egypt with all of Israel, the prophet Jeremiah said the following,

Jeremiah 42:20 For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’

Wanting a list of dos and don'ts with an attitude that one could keep it faithfully and entirely is arrogance. God desires that we walk in a relationship with Him, guided by the leading of His Holy Spirit.

Relationship is what Jesus died to bring to us. He did not die so that the law would be reinforced and renewed as our guide. He died to set us free from that former husband so that we might be joined to Him. We are no longer attached to the law; we are now in a relationship with Jesus under the New Covenant.

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The Testimony Of Paul

Acts 26:10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

Acts 26:12 “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, “Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Acts 26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. 21 For these reasons, the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— 23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

There's something about a person's testimony that is powerful. It conveys what they believe about something that took place. In this case, this testimony reveals why Paul is traveling, speaking, and doing the things he does.

If Paul did not believe that His encounter with Jesus was real, why would he endure the sufferings and persecutions he went through and continue speaking and doing?

It's a great witness for someone to continue pressing forward despite rejections, persecutions, hardships, and opposition. For them not to give in and seek the easier path, a path of less resistance, is proof of their being convinced.

Paul could have easily chosen to change his message concerning who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and how people need to change their minds and put their faith in Jesus, rather than in their idols and themselves. Paul was eventually beheaded for his faith in Jesus. Perhaps he could have renounced his faith and message and lived, who knows for sure. However, this man accepted death with His testimony intact and faith unwavering. What is your testimony?

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How Did They Do It?

To answer that question, we must first ask, how did Jesus do it?

John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Jesus made the works He performed about His union with the Father. It was the evidence of His knowing and belonging to the Father. After making that point, He then stated,

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Here is how we know the works Jesus is speaking of are not being offered on a cross as He was to pay for the sin of the whole world. Only Jesus could do that. Jesus used the word "works" to refer to the things He performed that they had witnessed.

What were these works? Well, He cast out demons, He healed the sick, He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak. He also raised the dead.

When He sent out His disciples, He told them,

Luke 9:2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10:9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

I have personally witnessed tumors disappear, hearing restored, sight restored, lameness healed, demons cast out, various types of healings, and the multitudes miraculously fed, and I believe to see the dead raised before I go to be with Jesus. I know people who have been participants in the raising of the dead. Now I know it wasn't I who performed these things; I was merely a contact point, due to Jesus in me and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through me. It was Jesus in me doing these things to confirm the gospel concerning Himself being preached.

I realize that some people struggle with this idea for various reasons. But Jesus showed us the way He did it so we could understand how to do it. He did it by means of the Father in Him.

This was not just for the apostles during that time. It is for anyone who believes in Jesus.

Mark 16:14 Later, He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

We are in the last days, evil days, and our generation is a hardened one at that, more so than even the one Jesus ministered to in His day. If the generation of Jesus and the apostles needed the evidence of the miraculous to confirm the truth of the gospel, why would not this one? Miracles, signs, and wonders are for the sake of those the Father is calling to the Son in these last days. They are also often blessings for those who have already believed, simply because they need mercy to help them at times. How did they do it? Jesus in them just as Jesus did it by the Father in Him.

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He Said What?

Can you imagine what the modern-day doctrinal police would have said about Jesus and how they would have reacted if they had been present to hear Him say,

John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

Even Jesus' own disciples struggled to understand what Jesus said in a synagogue in Capernaum.

John 6:60 Therefore, many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”

John 6:61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” 66 From that time, many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

Apparently, there were quite a few claiming to want to learn from Jesus and follow Him until this moment in time, when what Jesus had to say offended them, causing them to feel as though others would think of them as being part of a cult if they continued. They were so concerned with what other sensible thinking people might conclude about them were they to continue to follow a man who speaks this kind of stuff, they left Jesus and went on their way.

Jesus knew everything about all of them. Vs 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.

Still today, we have those who feel the need to explain Jesus' actions in this text in a way that makes better sense to the readers. They attempt to explain it in such a way that it will not offend anyone. After all, everything has to make perfect sense to the carnal mind if someone is expected to follow, right?

Jesus did not come to appeal to our human sense of logic concerning life. He came to reveal the Father and His purpose. He came to be a reconciler of man to God. He came in the power of the Spirit, not human logic, to bring many sons into glory.

John 6:68   But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

John 7:1 After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.

Being Spirit-led can produce a desire in the merely religious to find ways to cancel you. You offer the prospect of new life in Christ by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus, and that is an offense to those who hold people in their grip through fear-based conditionalism teaching. Are you convinced that Only Jesus has the words of eternal life, no matter how strange He may sound?

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Apart From The Law

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

We live in a "But Now" period in history. Whenever you hear that phrase "But Now," it means something has changed. In this case, in Romans, what changed?

A brand new way of righteousness has appeared on the scene. In fact, it is a righteousness of God apart from the Law. The Law and the Prophets witnessed this righteousness. They spoke about such a thing coming when they were alive on the earth, and they witnessed it when Moses and Elijah met with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses represents the Law, and Elijah represents the Prophets.

This righteousness was no ordinary righteousness that originates with men. It was God's very own righteousness that originates with Him. This brand of righteousness is received and possessed by faith in Christ Jesus.

Everyone has sinned and come up short in their own efforts. "But Now," they can be justified freely! To be justified is to be declared innocent, holy, not guilty, righteous. When I stand by faith righteous with God's very own righteousness in Christ, I am free of accusation and guilt. My shame is gone because I am righteous now. This is now my testimony because I am in Christ and Christ lives in me. Did I work to gain this marvelous standing?

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

The answer to the question is simply, absolutely not. A man is justified, made innocent, holy, and righteous apart from the deeds of the law. This is accomplished by faith in Christ Jesus and has nothing to do with my works. That means I cannot claim to be more justified or more holy than another who has placed their faith in Jesus.

Bragging rights have been removed in Christ unless the bragging is about Christ. No more looking down the nose at others from some warped idea that I obtained this righteousness by my own efforts. My righteousness was a free gift given to me when I believed in what Jesus did at the cross and that it was enough. A free gift apart from the law.

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Spiritual Infants

What would you think if you saw a woman in a store with a large child who was walking around like a five-year-old but was sucking on a bottle of milk, didn't talk, but rather just made noises and cried when it wanted something?

What would you say if you learned that the large child with a full set of teeth was living on a diet of milk only?

That would seem somewhat strange, would it not?

Believe it or not, a person can be a believer for many years and still be an infant spiritually. This idea is presented to us in the Word of God.

Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The Letter to the Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians who were likely facing persecution and were tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus Christ and return to Judaism. The letter encourages them to remain steadfast in their belief, emphasizing the superiority of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant over the old Jewish system.

Here in Chapter Five, they are being challenged to consider their current state. They've been in the faith long enough to have obtained a grasp on things considered to be solid food, but they indicate they have yet to grasp the first principles of the word of God. Instead, they are being tempted to dabble with the Judaical practices once again and using the law as their means of understanding the difference between good and evil. The writer of the letter refers to this as needing milk due to not being capable of handling the solid food of truth.

Then it is made clear that everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. Whenever someone leaves the New Covenant teaching on righteousness and returns to another means for obtaining or maintaining it, and for knowing the difference between good and evil through that alternate means, they are being babes.

His righteousness now ours is the gateway to fellowship with Him and the lifestyle of dwelling in Him and having Him dwell in us. It is a full-on 24/7 365 days a year relationship that lets us know whenever there is something out of step with who He is. This is why it says Solid belongs to those who are full of age, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

If you have ever sat down with a family that has healthy relationships and shared a meal, experiencing the engagement and joy of their connection, and then had dinner with a broken family struggling to spend time together, you should know the difference. If you do not yet know the difference, it means you need milk instead of solid food. The word of righteousness is all about a healthy relationship with God, manifesting joy and thankfulness. I trust this day's devotional finds you full of age. Be blessed in His righteousness and the joy it produces.

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A Powerful Statement Of Truth

A lack of Holy Spirit revelation can lead someone into a life of mixture and confusion regarding who they are and what they have received in Christ.

Romans 5:18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is so clear here. Judgment came to all men, meaning everyone without exception came under Adam's sin. Just as because of Jesus' righteous act, all men are offered the free gift of righteousness.

Then we are told why the Law came. The entered so that the offense may abound. In other words, so that it might be made obvious just how pervasive sin is in the human race. The law revealed that sin was abounding, it was prolific, and it had infected everyone.

But now comes the truth about the power of sin and the power of grace.

Everywhere grace is at work, sin is obliterated. Why is that? Because grace abounds even more than sin does. In other words, God made sure to offer a flood of grace above and beyond the level of sin on the earth.

How did He achieve this? Well, it was clear that sin reigned in death, so God made sure to make grace reign through righteousness to eternal life. How? Through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is interesting, it doesn't say here Jesus Christ our Savior. It says our Lord.

To say Lord is to imply that the one addressed as Lord is the one now in charge. But notice how grace is to reign. It reigns by means of righteousness made possible through Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We are only the righteousness of God in Him. We are never the righteousness of God apart from Him or in ourselves. This should eliminate the thought that our performance procures righteousness. However, that does not eliminate the reality that the righteousness and grace we have received have freed us from the tyranny of sin's power over us.

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Freedom from sin will never be our reality through our efforts to avoid it, as we become increasingly conscious of it through the constant application of the law. Freedom is ours when we realize through revelation what was done for us, and we learn to walk in faith in Christ. It is the revelation of being in Christ that prevents us from embracing the silly notion that grace means sin is acceptable to God now. Instead, it trains us in His righteousness by bringing us into a continual realization of fellowship made possible to us in Christ.

What sane husband or wife would invite their spouse to watch them commit adultery? The fellowship reality is the game changer for all who wish to walk in the freedom from sin that is truly ours in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Resurrection, Proof Of Sonship

Jesus was The Son of God. That is something worth pondering because in a moment, I will show the importance of that very statement. I also hope to show you how important it is to all of us who have put our faith in Him.

Have you ever wondered how it was possible that Jesus could take the sin of the whole world upon Himself at the cross, die, go into the grave, and then on the third day rise from the dead?

We've all been taught how resurrection is the proof of God's power, and that is true.

But consider if you will, Jesus died with all the sin there ever was or would ever be on this earth. He went into death and the grave with sin on Him, but He was still The Son.

All the sins of the world could not take away His being God's Beloved Son. It did result in the Father turning His face away in that moment, and Jesus feeling the separation of fellowship. But it did not change Jesus' status as the Son of God.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

This is a prophetic Messianic prayer. Jesus knew He would not be left in the grave nor would He be left in the holding place of the dead (Sheol). Jesus knew He would be raised with confidence.

John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

This bold claim of confidence was used against Jesus to send Him to the cross. Sonship claims upset the merely religious. Relationship focus is uncomfortable to those who are simply religious. There is great confidence in knowing one is a son.

Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Jesus knew He would rise on the third day because He knew He was the Son of God. He knew and understood the power of relationship and that enabled Him to go to the cross, suffer its shame, and for the joy set before endure it. He knew His resurrection would not only prove the power of God over death, hell, and the grave, but it would be the proof of His being God's beloved Son.

Now we as sons have the promise of being raised again! This promise is ours, not based on our good works, but based on our new creation position in Christ, who is bringing many sons into glory! Resurrection is the proof of sonship!

Scriptures tell us we have already been raised in newness of life in Christ!

Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

Eternal life is just that eternal. New creation work is the work of Christ, not us. We cannot undo what we did not do in the first place. This should produce great hope in us. Resurrection is the proof of sonship, and we have been raised in newness of life in Christ!

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Set Aside Grace?

I was recently given a motorcycle that has potential but needs some mechanical attention. I already have a motorcycle, which I greatly enjoy and ride often, that was given to me some years ago. Not only that, but it is a lot nicer than the non-running one. If I were to ignore the motorcycle I have that runs and is already all that I need, for the motorcycle I just received, I would be setting the running motorcycle aside for something less.

It's not possible to ride two at once. I would have to choose one over the other. If I chose a non-running motorcycle over an already running one that is a lot nicer, you would think I was a bit off in my thinking.

Setting aside something superior that I already possess and enjoy for something far less would be a lack of wisdom and not be beneficial.

I used this example of my motorcycles to drive home an idea that is found in Scripture when it comes to grace or law.

Galatians 2:18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; 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 for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

It is possible to set aside the grace of God and choose something lesser. To set aside means to ignore.

Something can be given and possessed, yet ignored and not taken advantage of, because attention and time are being given to something lesser. When something is ignored, it is evidence that it has been devalued in one's thinking, resulting in a lack of appreciation for it.

Returning to that which was before, in this case (The Law), would be devaluing the grace made possible through Jesus Christ. It would be building again something that was destroyed. In Christ I died to the law so that I might live to God.

Think about that for a moment. To live to God, one must die to the law. Christ does not live in me, and I in Him, using the law. The reality of IN Christ and Christ in me is a faith matter. To bring in the law as though it can in any way improve my status with God is to set aside the grace of God. It is a declaration that Christ died in vain. Unfortunately, in many situations, this very thing is happening and being promoted as the means of attaining sanctification and holiness and thus pleasing God to obtain a closer relationship than one can have by being in Christ. I don't wish to set aside the grace of God for something way inferior to what I now have in Christ.

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A Holy Calling

Have you ever been separated to a specific task in the workplace or in school by a teacher?

For some reason, they decided to favor you and set you apart from the other workers or students by giving you something special and important to do.

That is like a holy calling. It is a special calling seperate from any ordinary calling. All the other workers are called to show up, as are all the other students. But you were called to stand out because of the purpose you were given.

2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.

God had determined to give us grace, to show us His amazing favor in life so that others might see and behold His goodness at work in and through our lives. That intended grace was hidden for the most part until Jesus appeared and released it like a flood into the earth.

I love that it says Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. The reason we need to be gospel addicts is because it is the power of God unto salvation, and it is the message that brings life and immortality to light to others.

Notice, though, that Paul is made to suffer for carrying this grace and message in his life. It is not popular with everyone. Living for God because of the wonderful work of His grace, love, mercy, and goodness causes some to be outraged. They prefer that people be made to live as slaves for God due to fear and demand, as opposed to love and goodness revealed through Jesus. The truly transformed life is the result of grace appearing, not fear-mongering.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

When we truly encounter His grace and love, we become zealous for good works. We find pleasure in it. We now get to delight in being like Him and doing things that we know He delights in. This is our holy calling from the Lord. To live as sons and daughters of the Most High, greatly loved, forgiven, and walking in His favor that empowers us to live in His ways on this earth. My ways were traded in for His better way. His calling of grace on my life separated me from what I used to be to what I have now become in Christ. It is a Holy Calling that moves me to preach to others and to carry this good news into the nations.

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Godliness

For some, godliness can be a bit of a mystery. Paul, as an apostle and a spiritual father, highly values this trait when encouraging and instructing his son in the faith, Timothy.

1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

I often define this word, godliness, as being someone who knows they have a God and holds Him in great reverence by learning His desires and seeking to live them out. It’s about being like God in actions, thoughts, and motivations, and wanting to please God through one's life.

Strong's shows us that in Greek, the word refers to piety, especially within the gospel scheme: godliness and holiness.

This trait in someone, combined with a contented heart, Paul says, is a great gain.

Why is that? Paul explains:

1 Timothy 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Have you ever gained something material you cherished and then lost it due to unforeseen circumstances? That’s the idea here conveyed by Paul. Material things have a limited lifespan. They may seem to have the power to make you happy in the moment or for a season, but they lack the lasting power and true contentment that comes from being godly.

Paul isn't warning us with a scolding; he’s presenting a better, more fulfilling alternative—one that offers greater gain.

The world’s slogan, "He who dies with the most toys wins,” is a significant deception. I prefer the wisdom Jesus offers. All of this I've spoken of reminds me of something Jesus taught:

Luke 12:16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” 20 But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

What do we have at birth? Nothing! And at death? Nothing! Since we come into this world with nothing and leave with nothing, material possessions cannot provide lasting happiness.

Sadly, many today undervalue or overlook the blessing and richness of godliness with contentment, spiritually speaking. If we choose to please the flesh in this life, we might enjoy some temporary pleasures. However, living that way often leads to a distracted life, only occasionally fulfilling God's true purpose for us—the real destiny He has planned. There’s no regret in living a godly life with contentment. Such a life allows us to focus on what God has intended and enjoy the adventure He guides us through. We journey with Him, witnessing His work in the lives of others and experiencing His blessings.

Adopting His perspective on the blessing of godliness will enrich our lives far beyond the fleeting satisfaction of material things and their experiences. I encourage you to desire godliness with contentment.

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His Victory, Now My Victory

Here in Tennessee, football season is about to start back again, and here where I live, it is all about the Tennessee Volunteers.

The stadium will be filled up during home games with almost 102,000 people shouting and cheering on their team.

Whenever the Volunteers win, the whole city is in a better mood because it translates into a win for our city.

So in a sense, a Volunteer win is my win, their victory is my victory. Now I did nothing to make that win happen, I simply get to revel in it.

All that I am talking about right now is a natural phenomenon that confirms a spiritual reality.

2 Corinthians 2:14 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.

In Christ, we are always being led in triumph!

When our military returned home after the world wars victorious, cities held large parades to celebrate the victory and declare the war had ended.

Every 4th of July, as a nation, we celebrate our Declaration of Independence. This includes the hard-fought victory that followed when, as a nation, we fought for our freedom from King George of England. Centuries later, we still celebrate as a nation.

How much more should the church celebrate the victory that is ours in Christ?

God is leading us in a parade of sorts in triumph because, as heaven celebrates Christ and His victory, we are in Him and therefore part of the triumphal procession.

While still here on this earth, we are His perfume; our presence announces His victory and His greatness. As we learn to walk aware of being in Him and therefore reveling in His victory over sin and death, we can't help but carry His fragrance.

Believers who know how to celebrate are not weird, as the religious may state. They are actually the normal ones because they understand that when in a victory procession, one should wave their hands high, smile, sing, and shout. Just as here in Knoxville, when the Tennessee Volunteers score, everyone sings the team song Rocky Top! What are they doing? They are celebrating! When we stand in His victory, we are permitted to become a little undignified in our celebrating Him! Being stoic and reserved is for those who struggle to believe His victory is our victory because we are now in Him. Less about me and more about Him frees me to celebrate well.

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