“MUCH WORSE PUNISHMENT!”

Hebrews 10:26-31                                 (ESV)

“26 For if we go on sinning deliberately AFTER RECEIVING THE  KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

29 HOW “MUCH WORSE PUNISHMENT”, do you think, WILL BE DESERVED by the one who has trampled underfoot the SON of GOD, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which HE was sanctified, and has outraged the SPIRIT of grace?

30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The LORD will judge HIS people."

31 IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD.”

This morning I was REMINDED how easy it is to become BLINDED in our haste to make another day, another dollar, another appointment, another sales goal.....anything that we put before ALMIGHTY GOD’s PLAN for our lives MAY be causing me to lose sight of the ETERNAL BEING that JESUS came to rescue from an everlasting hell?  The thing that caused me to REMEMBER from where I have come was a photograph of a law enforcement officer apparently giving a citation to a vehicle parked in a reserved parking spot for Handicapped drivers.  Sharing that photo reminded me of where I USED TO BE following the Brain Hemorrhage.  

Being what most consider to be “physically healed” from the Brain Hemorrhage, my word selection is certainly the most affected by the hemorrhagic stroke that so nearly took my life in 2007.  AFTER RECEIVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH that 80% of Brain Hemorrhage victims did not survive sometimes escapes me can be easily forgotten.  “The enemy” would love for GOD’s WORK in my life to be minimized, or weakened by my silence.  So I choose to SOUND the alarm to acknowledge that I am SPECIAL, that GOD CHOSE me to perform HIS WORK IN, for ALL the world to SEE, if they choose to slow down long enough to SEE what HE has done!

We ALL have a MIRACULOUS RECOVERY to write about though!  Everyone who has been BOUGHT with the blood of JESUS has been CHOSEN by GOD according to the entire book of Hebrews.  Why don’t we who DESERVE a “MUCH WORSE PUNISHMENT” share with this world about what HE has done for us?  Now do you understand why I cannot help but speak of what HE has done (Acts 4:20) for me?  I deserve a “MUCH WORSE PUNISHMENT”, but JESUS rescued me!!!  I cannot help but tell others about it!!!

“EXCEPT THE ONE!”

1 John 5:4-5                                                (ESV)

“4 For everyone who has been born of GOD overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.

5 Who is it that overcomes the world “EXCEPT THE ONE” WHO BELIEVES that JESUS is the SON of GOD?”

A theologian I follow on a social media site recently put these words out for reflection.  

“The church is not in trouble.

Christ chose His church.

Christ died for His church.

Christ resurrected for His church.

Christ ascended for His church.

Christ intercedes for His church.

Christ is returning for His church.

The church is not in trouble.”

People get all riled up over what some preacher says and totally disregard what GOD’s WORD is trying to tell them.  There has never been a soul born that was without flaw, “EXCEPT THE ONE” known as JESUS.  We don’t need to lose sight that HE is the ONE WHO stands in the GAP for us, the ONE WHO was able to pay the great price for my sinful behavior.  

“EXCEPT THE ONE” was willing to sacrifice HIS LIFE, then overcome death, hell, and the grave, all of my peace, joy, and love would be worthless.  Charles H. Spurgeon, Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, all great men of GOD, but all saw the need for a Savior.  I am an “EXCEPT THE ONE” that Believes in “EXCEPT THE ONE” that left the perfection of Heaven to live in a fallen world in order to provide salvation (John 1:12-13) through Believing in HIM.  

IT IS ALL ABOUT WHAT HE DID, NOT ANYTHING ELSE!!!

“IN THE MORNING!”

Psalms 92:1-5                             (ESV)

“1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to YOUR name, O Most High; 

2 to declare YOUR steadfast love “IN THE MORNING”, and your faithfulness BY NIGHT, 

3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. 

4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of YOUR hands I sing for joy. 

5 How great are YOUR works, O LORD! YOUR thoughts are very deep!”

“The RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH” says Scripture in a number of places, Romans 1:17 being one of them.  Just as every MORNING is preceded by NIGHT, so are the times of proving for a Believer.  Abraham has to place Isaac on the altar before GOD intervened!

“IN THE MORNING”, after the darkness of the NIGHT, GOD is faithful to bring HIS SUNLIGHT into our lives.  WAIT FOR IT, darkness is running to hide from HIS LIGHT “IN THE MORNING”!!!

“KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH!”

2 Timothy 3:1-7                   (ESV)

“1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, LOVERS OF PLEASURE rather than LOVERS OF GOD,

5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,

7 always learning and NEVER ABLE TO ARRIVE at a “KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH” of the truth.”

Unless we have a “KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH”, which is given to us from GOD above (1 Timothy 2:3-4), we cannot display actions that reflect HIS characteristics.   All of the hot air that we spew out, whether factual or error, is worthless unless it is bathed in the “KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH”!  

JESUS said in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the FATHER except through ME”!  Your pastor, your politician, your physic, nothing is able to provide a “KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH” outside of JESUS!  GOD made sure that was the case so our only HOPE is in HIM.  

So although we are wasting away (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) we can find comfort in the “KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH” that can only be found in CHRIST!  

“HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART!”

Psalms 27:14                            (KJV)

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and “HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART”: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

Lifting weights during strength training was always one of the least favorite things I endured in school.  Being raised on a working farm, we never had to concern ourselves with strength training, for our chores demanded we be strong enough to do what we were assigned.  

A commentary about the Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea says they “encamped” eight days before GOD parted the waters for them.  Eight days of waiting!  For me, waiting has always been one of the most challenging things I have ever done.  TRUSTING in HIS timing can be FRUSTRATING.  “There is actually SOMETHING happening while NOTHING is happening. GOD USES WAITING TO CHANGE US” was in a devotional that I read recently.  HE wants us to be more like HIS SON, and for some of us, HE has to change us A LOT!  

GOD IS IN CONTROL!  How many times do I have to hear this before I realize that I am NOT in control?   WAITING might be a part of my lesson that I am not in control!  Twice in this one verse Scripture instructs me to WAIT ON THE LORD!  Only once does it say “HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART”!   WAIT LIFTING is tougher to me than WEIGHT LIFTING ever dreamed of being!  When our CREATOR wants us to WAIT ON THE LORD, “HE SHALL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART” is usually not far behind!!!

“NOW I KNOW!”

Genesis 22:9-14                                            (ESV)

“9 When they came to the place of which GOD had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

12 HE said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for “NOW I KNOW” that you fear GOD, seeing you have not withheld your son, YOUR ONLY SON, from ME."

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

The book of Genesis hasn’t always been my favorite book of the Bible.  Now when GOD “reveals” TRUTH to me, it doesn’t matter what book of the Bible I am studying, for that moment it becomes the dearest to me “for such a time as this”!  I have previously written about Genesis 25:12, acknowledging that GOD already KNEW that Abraham would offer Isaac as an offering on the altar on Mount Moriah.  Now Abraham was known as a “friend of GOD” (James 2:23), so why would GOD put him through the torment of thinking he was going to have to sacrifice his only son as a display of his obedience???

Most of us want to Believe that GOD would “NEVER put more on us than we can handle”?  The interesting thing is, Scripture indicates that GOD allowed Job to go through exceeding torment to display the grace of GOD.  Saul/Paul was promised that he would SUFFER GREATLY for the sake of CHRIST.   In Genesis 22, Abraham was being taught a lesson that GOD was in control, even at his advanced age.  We are never too old to grow in the LORD.  Abraham dies three chapters later in Genesis 25:8, so we don’t need to except GOD to take it easy on us just because we are getting older.  We are here to Glorify HIM, not to be glorified!

Isaac was not the only male offspring of Abraham.  Ishmael was born before Isaac, but he was not the CHOSEN of GOD.  Being CHOSEN by ALMIGHTY GOD is a wonderful privilege, but we mustn’t take the privilege lightly.  There is GREAT responsibility in being a CHILD OF THE KING.  Royalty has it’s freedoms, but it also has its constraints. We can’t “do whatever we want”, rather we must act appropriately.  We must be set apart!  We have to do things differently than “this world”!  

Yes, “NOW I KNOW” is what GOD told Abraham.  But GOD already knew how Abraham would respond.  HE already knows our response to the trials we will face.  But we need to SEE that GOD is the ONE working ALL THINGS for HIS Glory, in HIS TIMING!  GOD is saying to us, “NOW I KNOW”, but do we know???

“WHOEVER DISREGARDS!”

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8                                              (ESV)

“1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the LORD JESUS, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please GOD, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the LORD JESUS.

3 For this is the will of GOD, your sanctification: that you ABSTAIN from sexual immorality;

4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles (unbelievers) who do not know GOD;

6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the LORD is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

7 For GOD HAS NOT CALLED US FOR IMPURITY, BUT IN HOLINESS.

8 Therefore “WHOEVER DISREGARDS” this, DISREGARDS NOT MAN but GOD, WHO gives HIS HOLY SPIRIT to you.”

There are a number of things on which people want to blame the degradation of America.  Liberals want to say that we are old-fashioned in the way we do things. Conservatives want to say that we are don’t respect the way we used to do things.   When everything is said and done, ALMIGHTY GOD has Blessed America IN SPITE of our sinful behavior and our selfish desires.  We SHOULD be thankful that HE has brought us this far, and pray that HE draw America back to HIM!

Surely mankind can’t read the focal passages today and expect to live the way we want and for ALMIGHTY GOD to overlook our iniquities?  The GOD of love that everyone wants to talk about is first and foremost HOLY! HE sent JESUS as a sacrifice for our sins, because no other sacrifice was acceptable.  “WHOEVER DISREGARDS” the ultimate sacrifice of JESUS and lives IN IMPURITY is rejecting the sacrifice of JESUS for their own fleshy desires.  

Being a Republican will not get a sinner into Heaven.  Being a Democrat will not get a sinner into Heaven. Only trusting in the finished work of JESUS CHRIST will atone for our sins and avert the WRATH of ALMIGHTY GOD for eternity.  America has ONLY ONE HOPE!  

Acknowledging the sacrifice of JESUS is the only thing any of us could have ever claimed.  Although America is more sinful now than ever, we could not have ever proclaimed our righteousness as “good enough”!  Isaiah 64:6 (KJV) says that our righteousness is but filthy rags before a HOLY GOD.   “WHOEVER DISREGARDS” what JESUS has done for mankind is damned to an eternity of THE WRATH OF GOD!  HE IS OUR ONLY HOPE!!!