God's mercy is not new - it was there in the beginning

God’s mercy, it is not new, it was there from the beginning: Romans 12:1; Genesis 3:21-24; Hebrews 10:1-25; Genesis 22:7; Romans 3:10-20; John 1:29, 36; Genesis 22:1-19; Exodus 29-30; Lev 14-16

God’s inestimable love was expressed by Grace - from the beginning - as He created and made, formed and breathed life and light in and to all creation, but most profoundly, in mankind - us.  His love expressed in mercy followed close on Grace’s heels, as man and woman fell violently from the perch of shared dominion with God and hurled toward death, in their futile attempt to be “like God”.  

Yet, God, in His mercy, did not snuff out the life of mankind immediately, but instead mercifully covered the sin and shame of their rebellion and His mercy increased when He sealed the way to eternal life gained by man’s reaching out, so that he and she, we, would not live forever in the current condition of sin and suffering - but instead - would, in time, be offered a return to bliss, to God’s delight, to eternal life in Him - released from sin and death by the most holy Covering, the body and blood of their, or our, Maker, now Creator (Eph 2), our Priest (Heb 2; 10) and King (Jo 18:33-37; Mat 26:53). 

God’s mercy has been there, from the beginning. 

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Genesis 1:21-24

Hebrews 10:1-25 

Genesis 22:7-8,13 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together… 13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Romans 3:10-20; 5:6-8

John 1:29, 36  29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!   36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

1Corinthians 11:23-29

When is there too much? Discernment and patience in the waiting...

Making every effort, to make the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:1-21), cultivating our souls (Phil 2; 2Pet 1), calibrating our heart’s - ears, eyes , hands and feet (Ps 119:18; Is 6; 29:18; 52:7; 58; Mat 7:4; 25; Ro 10:15; Eph 6:15; 2Tim 2:20-21; 1Jo 3:17; Rev 3:18) - we are now rising above the corruption of this world and participating in the divine nature…

• Corruption: Moral decay, that which is perishable or ruined 

Participating in the divine… 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

The work and fruit of cultivating, planting, reaping, and pruning… 

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:43-45)

And with that, being a messenger of hope who’s life reflects more and more God’s grace… 

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (Rom 10:15; Is 53:7)

Too much salt - growing in discernment - when to do what, when to say what.

• Noah’s 100 year build - work of righteousness (Gen 5-8; 1Peter 3)

• Matthew 5:16 (John 15:8; Titus 2:7; Eph 5; Phil 1:27; 1Pet 2:12

Jesus lived and loved in a way to be asked...

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” (John 3:1-2) 

We too, ought then to live and love in such a way as to be asked...

13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats b ; do not be frightened.” 15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:14-16)

We are to go… as representatives of Jesus’ work in us... Cultivating, planting, reaping: You may not see the fruit until the end (Mark 4:12; Ez 2:7)

Luke 8 One of the first “Go’s” Jesus sent the man in where He could not go or might not be received…. Jesus is asked to leave, so He sends in the man/woman (John 4)…  We are that man/woman…  We may not be received, but that does not mean the work has not been done, the seat has not been planted… (see: Jonah vs. Jeremiah) 

Are there those for whom the seeds of the gospel are a waste? Or on whom the declaration of, the seeds of, the gospel are wasted? It is hard to discern whether one is contemptuous enough that is not (yet) good to share the actual gospel. But instead, to live a life of righteousness before them, and take the potential abuse of their present unfriendly response. (Prov 9:8; 11:22; 23:9; Matt 5:11-12; 7:6; 10:25; 24:9; 1Pet 4:14)

So, we ought to live our lives quietly before them, reflecting the good nature and works of Jesus we are being created (in Christ Jesus) to do (Phil 1:27-29; 1Peter 2-3)

From L. B. we are always cultivating and planting seeds, whether we realize it or not. 

• We can help plant something that grows without us knowing. Are you speaking Jesus' heart for others to see. Let them glean! 

• Are we living our lives so that people can glean from us even though we don’t know it?

• Planting the seeds for others to grow. 

• If you think you are not seen you are nuts. We are always seen, nothing is hidden. 

• We are planting seeds whether we know it or not. With however we are living.  Galatians 6 you sow righteousness you reap righteousness you sow to your flesh reap to or of your flesh. 

• Whatever you do you are under the microscope! 

• Do you trust God enough to give?

Go and make disciples… go, go, go... as a light

Go and make disciples… go, go, go... as a light Matthew 5:13-16: the privilege of Gardening with God: Matthew 28: cultivating, planting, tending, reaping: making disciples.  The soils of souls Mark 4:1-8, 14-20 In the beginning was our being, walking, working with God, and in Jesus is it restored – all of it - the Farmer, the seed (the Gospel), the soils - salvation and sanctification - it is our works, good works, works of righteousness, when they are seen and experienced, that display our Father’s glory and our love for one another. 

But, but… you will say to me “...when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” (Matt 6:3)

Matthew 5:13-16 

My good works, work as a testimony of God’s grace and an invitation to the Kingdom of heaven

• Nothing good in me?  That is in my flesh! 

  • Romans 7; 8

    • 7:18 “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature - that is my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

    • 7:25 “Who will save me from this body of death?!  Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I serve the law of God, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

  • John 3:3,6 “...unless you are born again… Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.”

  • Romans 3; 8:1-15 (John 6:63)

    • Rom 3:24  We “… are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

    • Rom 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...”

  • 1Corinthians 1:26-31 “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

    • 1Cor 6:11 “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

    • 2Cor 5:21 “21God made him who had no sin to be sin b for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

• Salvation - grace through faith - this is God’s work

  • Ephesians 2:5-10 “...it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

• Here’s where God’s effort and our effort walk in stride 

  • Phil 2:12-13 “...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

• He’s made and is making His effort, doing the work, works, good works - now it is ours to join Him in “making every effort” 

• 2Pe 1:3, 5 “3His divine power has given us everything we need…, 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith…”

The beginning of making every effort 

• 2Cor 3:17-18  “17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

  • behold as in a glass.

• to show in a mirror, to make to reflect, to mirror: to look at oneself in a mirror; to behold for oneself as in a mirror, the glory of Christ (which we behold in the gospel as in a mirror from which it is reflected)

• Behold as in a mirror, to contemplate. 

What are we to behold? What are we contemplating?

• Working with God - this was God’s intention for the beginning - tending, working His garden - me, you, me and you together, us - the Church - is, now, the Garden in and for which we work (Rom 12-16; 1Cor 12-14)) – and, He has already established that this is all “very good” (Gen 1:31)

  • Genesis 2:5-9 “5Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground…”  

    • Hired hands and servants, ambassadors and priests (Matt 9; 20; 25; 1Cor 5; 7; 1Peter 2)

The work continued, me and him, Him and me; me, us and you, all of us, together

• Sanctification - ongoing tending to and of the garden 

  • God’s role - purification - 

Isaiah 6:5-9  5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”  6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”   And I said, Here am I. Send me!”  9He said, “Go and tell…”

• Our role - cleanse ourselves, choosing righteousness by denying ourselves - our flesh’s desires - 

2Tim 2:20-21 20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

• Dig into God’s word - spoken, read, and prayerfully meditated on and do it… (Ps 119) 

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

James 1:22-25 “22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

• And tap into God’s Spirit - (John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7, 13-14; Acts 11:16; 1Cor 2:10-11; 2Cor 1:22; 5:5; Eph 1:14; 4:30)

Galatians 5:13-14,16-18  “13You, 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. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

• Aid one another in growth and holiness 

Galatians 6:1-5 1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5for each one should carry their own load.

• James 5:20  “...consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

• 1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

• Proverbs 17:9 “Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.”

Go and make disciples… go, go, go... as a light Matthew 5:13-16: the privilege of Gardening with God: Matthew 28: cultivating, planting, tending, reaping: making disciples

The soils of souls 

• Mark 4:1-

  • Salvation - grace through faith - this is God’s work

  • Ephesians 2:5-10 “...it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

• Here’s where God’s effort and our effort walk in stride 

  • Phil 2:12-13 “...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

• He’s made and is making His effort, doing the work, works, good works - now it is ours to join Him in “making every effort” (2Pe 1:5): 

  • Working with God - this was God’s intention for the beginning - tending, working His garden - me, you, me and you together, us - the Church - is, now, the Garden in and for which we work (Rom 12-16; 1Cor 12-14)

    • Genesis 2:5-9 “5Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground…”  

    • Hired hands and servants, ambassadors and priests

    • Sanctification - ongoing tending to and of the garden 

      • God’s role - purification - Isaiah 6

      • Our role - cleanse ourselves, choosing righteousness by denying ourselves - our flesh’s desires - 2Tim 3 

      • And tap into God’s Spirit - Galatians 5:13-14,16-18  “13You, 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. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

    • Aid one another in growth and holiness 

      • Galatians 6:1-5 1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5for each one should carry their own load.

Bearing fruit from the beginning, God continues to plant seeds: Soil, seeds, fruit, more fruit: a seed must first die to make more seeds  

We have heard that our salvation is precious, that it is by God’s righteousness that we are saved and ourselves made righteous; that we have been given everything we need to live a life of godliness - that is to see God and come to know him - and as we hold Him in awe (Prov), to grow in wisdom, and, not merely knowledge, but the knowledge of God, and receiving from Him the wisdom of God (Romans 11:) - Jesus, in essence, the tree of life, from whom we gain eternal life (Gen 2:9; 3:22; Pr 11:30; Ro 6:23; 2Ti 1:10; Jude 1:21; Re 2:7; 22:2,19); that God is generous in His creating and making, His abundant and lush provision for life and intended protection from death, that Hod’s work is not static, but made to, intended to multiply, and bear fruit - and that fruit is both for life (ongoing provision for life) and manner of life (righteousness, character - the fruit of the Spirit the nature of Christ. Gal 5:22-23)

All of this - given by grace! (2Peter 1:3)

A planting - God has bearing fruit from the beginning…

Replenishing, re-working the Garden…

Jesus is the first seed, the first fruit, we then are the fruit of that seed, now ourselves, being that same seed Jesus spreads throughout the world… 

• Gen 1:11-12, 29-30 vegetation throughout the earth for sustenance 

• Gen 2:8-10 God planted a Garden for our delight

• Gen 2:15 God placed us in the Garden to work, to be nourished, to enjoy and delight

• Gen 1:28 God gave man dominion over, to rule and care for with God over all that had been made

As God caused vegetation to grow on the earth and planted a garden in the fertile soil of the Garden, so He has planted the seed of the Kingdom in the fertile soil of the hearts of men and women to bear the seed of life, the seeds of life. Jesus began the new planting, when he declared... 

John 12:23-26 

24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

That bringing back is a continued planting of seeds...

• Planting seeds, the Garden of God’s delight - the Church, us, me and you

  • Matt 13:1-11, 18-23 

  • John 10:17-18 “17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

• Matt 9:38 Work the harvest - join Him in the garden, His planting (John 4:36)

35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

That we would bear much fruit - first of righteousness, then of the seeds of righteousness planted

• Matt 28 all authority has been given to me, you, go! 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

His precious planting is now the church, drawn out of the world grafted into the “cultivated” (Rom 11) olive tree - planted, the vineyard, God’s planting, to bear fruit, the seeds of Jesus’ righteousness and life and love, mercy and grace - the gospel - the good news of eternal life in Him. 

He has bid us to remain here, to work with Him, to join him in the cultivating, the planting, and the reaping.  To, as Jesus died and was buried, die to our self and live in and to, Jesus, and His mission. 

Matthew 16:24-26

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Mark 8:34-35

34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Luke 14:25-27

25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Romans 6:4-8

4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, and that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Galatians 2:20; 5:24

20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me… 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

God has been giving life from the beginning: Genesis 1:1-25; John 1:1-5; Mark 4:1-20

God has been bringing life from the beginning, giving life, sustaining life, celebrating life.

As the Spirit hovered over the chaos, the void, what was the earth prior to life and light, so it is with the souls of men.

God scattered the seed of life, and around the globe came vegetation, and in the garden came lush fruit abundantly bearing (God’s) beauty.

Again, so it is with the souls of men. God scatters the seeds of life, the seeds of the kingdom of heaven, all over the earth. There is soil, hearts, that will receive it, but a little, then there are hearts that will receive it and bear the lush fruit of the garden, of life, of the delight of God.

And from this lush garden, the planting of the Lord (Isa 61:3), others will see, perceive, want it, and reach to take it, to ingest it, and, having received it, will themselves receive life in abundance, become lush, and will also then bear the fruit of the kingdom of heaven - life and righteousness.

Therefore, in the beginning, God… caused His making, His creating, to bear fruit (Gen 1&2). And we now, in Christ Jesus, are the making and creating of God, our Father, filled with the righteousness of Jesus, bearing the fruit of God, the fruit of righteousness, the fruit of life (Prov 10:16; 11:30; Isa 3:10; 32:17; 54:17; 61:10; Rom 8:23; Gal 3:22; Eph 2:8-10; 5:9; Phl 1:11; James 3:17; Heb 12:5,6,10-11).

Gen 1:1-25; Gen 2:1-2, 5-8, 22-23; Gen 1:29-31

John 1:1-4

Mark 4:1-20

Today, let us focus on the good soil, the soil that receives the seeds of the kingdom with joy and in that joy, which is the very strength of the Lord, loves life, bears fruit, with the vigor and abundance of Jesus promised. (John 10:7-11; 1John 1:1-4)

Galatians 5:22-23

And what do we do in response?

Be thankful and grateful; be joyful and at peace; love our good Father with all your heart, mind, body, and strength… making every effort to abide in Him and love your neighbor and yourself with the strength, the fruit that provides! Attribute the good things to God, our good and loving Father, our gracious and kind Savior and Brother; The Spirit of power, encouragement, and comfort who bears in us the fruit of righteousness - the privilege of being the children of God, our Father in heaven. (Matt 6:9-15; Rom 5&8; Eph 5:1-2) and make every effort to believe and receive the promises of our God, and live and love Jesus, as Jesus, and in so, bearing the fruit of (the life of) Jesus.

Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives.

God Has Been Giving Since the Beginning!

God had been giving from the beginning! ...and that includes wise and good commands - keeping us from harm, aiming us toward life…  So often, we ask about the tree in the middle of the garden and why God would put it there and then prohibit us from eating from it, as if He was depriving us of something, and then our next thought is that it was His intention that we fall. The fact is, God has been giving from the beginning - His generosity beyond imagination, beyond finding out.

We must come to understand that God was not trying to deprive us of something, neither was he trying to prohibit us from something, but in fact was guarding us from something that he knew would not be beneficial for us – that was His to have and hold, that we would know Him and His, and that we would love, respect, honor Him enough to trust Him and His commands – that they are life and good and good for us – that the fruit of His wisdom is pleasing and good for wisdom.

The fact is, we are not like God that is, having the same constitution – suitable and well-fitting, equal and opposite (thus the man, Adam, needing a more suitable partner – Gen 2:18-19) the same capacity or ability or faculties. In fact, there are things that our Humanity cannot contain or handle or reign in - things that are truly “too wonderful for me”.

God’s been generously giving from the beginning… but, we tend to focus on what we perceive as a slight.  What did He give us? 

· The Garden - Genesis 1:29; 2:16 (Gen 1:26-31; 2:15-25; Ps 24:1; Ps 115:16)

· “Fruit from ALL these trees”

o  1:29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

o  2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden...

· Work that was satisfying and profitable 

· Companionship

o  First with God

o  Then with a good partner… AND God

· The fruit of the spirit “self-control”, enough is enough…

· Safety from His wisdom… do not eat from this, one, tree…

What makes life and relationships good?  Is it not when you find someone who is real?  Good is real, real is good, good is really good, because it’s really real.  

God, our Father, continues to give… good things.

· Matt 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

· Luke 11:13 “So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

· Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?

· James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.”

What is good?  What constitutes good?  What does good mean?

What did Jesus say about what was good? Luke 9:25

· “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”  NIV

· “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” NLT

Or 

· Matthew 16:26 and Mark 8:36 “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Is it not life that we want – life, a good life, a life of good?  Jesus knows this! (John 10:7-18)

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  NIV

Life - ”a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last forever"

· a happy life and every kind of blessing (Deuteronomy 30:15, 19; Malachi 2:5; Psalm 33:13 () 13; Proverbs 8:35; Proverbs 12:28, etc.): John 6:51, 63; John 14:6; Romans 7:10; Romans 8:6, 10; 2 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:16; (Colossians 3:4); 2 Peter 1:3; 1 John 5:11, 16, 20)

· supplied by God (Eph 4:18)

· obtained in fellowship with Christ, (2Tim 1:1)

· the grace of God evident in the life obtained, (1 Peter 3:7)

· the Spirit, the repository and imparter of life, and which is received by those united to Christ (Romans 8:2)

In abundance - More, greater, excessive, abundant, exceedingly, vehemently…

· "I came in order that they [believers] might continuously have life, even that they may continuously have it all-around - 

· beyond what is anticipated, exceeding expectation; "more abundant," going past the expected limit ("more than enough . . . ")

· over and above, more than is necessary, superadded

Luke 12:13-21 (Ecc 2:17-26) Life is not in the abundance of your possessions - the parable of the barns 

Life is living and walking within the confines of our good and generous life-giving God

Attributing to God all things good.  Will He not give you good things?  God’s generous generosity.  He is good and the giver of good things - in fact, because He is good, He cannot give anything except what is good.  He, God, even gives us permission - to enter into His presence - not only permission, but, a way. (Heb 10)

How wonderful is God?  How unsearchable are His good and wise ways?

Job 5:9 the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.

Job 11:7 Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?

Job 15:8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?

Job 37:23 The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness He does not oppress.

Psalm 36:6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. O LORD, You preserve man and beast.

Psalm 92:5 How great are Your works, O LORD, how deep are Your thoughts!

Psalm 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable.

Proverbs 25:2

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 7:24 What exists is out of reach and very deep. Who can fathom it?

Ecclesiastes 8:17 I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.

Isaiah 28:29 This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.

Isaiah 40:28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.

Romans 2:4 Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you to repentance?

1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Ephesians 3:8 Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Ephesians 3:10 His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,

Colossians 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Psalm 104 - God in action | June 6th

I will see what I allow or enable myself to see - will I attribute to God what He does? 

Or… as Romans 1:19-20 warns us...

...what may be known about God is plain... because God has made it plain... 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  

So His Divine power, also, gives us, everything we need for this life and godliness!

His divine power not only gives us everything we need for life and godliness - but a practical religion that is born from seeing and having experienced God in action - seeing God, experiencing God, I cannot help but be thankful to and reverent toward Him.

And He has made me, us, righteous! (2Cor 5:21)

God made him who had no sin to be sin b for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As His righteousness, by that righteousness, He has made us righteous and this righteousness sees and does what is right (Isa 58) - the power of Christ gives us the nature of Christ that we might live, love, and act like Christ, and that is not merely be our speech, but, should shape our actual and daily lives. 

This is practical religion to live and love as Jesus did is what we are and are becoming - as... 

we are “created in Christ Jesus TO DO GOOD WORKS prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:8-10)

and...

“who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood…

...Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.” (1Peter 1:2,22)

What does this righteousness look like?  What are these works we have been created to do? How does the power of Jesus, by His Spirit, make us righteous and live, love, and act according to that righteousness?

We were made with the potential to be like Jesus, being born again, Jesus’ power makes it actual… and in so, gives us… 

• Eyes to see

• Ears to hear

• Compassion to sense and feel and empathize with

• Experience to draw from

• Insight and discernment to understand

• Resources to comfort

• Willingness to give or hold back

• Eagerness to serve

• Compulsion to pray

• Patience to remain, return, or let them walk away… 

And this power enables us to live out Jesus, our righteousness, in some of the following ways:

• James 

  • 1:27 religion that God consider pure and faultless

  • 2:16 be warm and well fed… what good is it if…? (Matt 25:35-36)

  • James 5:13-18 Confess your sins, anoint, pray 

13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  

• 1John 

  • 3:17 Seeing or hearing of need, give of what you have (4:20; Prov 19:17; Is 58:7-10)

  • 5:16 if you see someone sin… Pray (Gal 6:1-10 and do good)

• 1Peter 

  • 4:7 Pray

  • 4:8-11 Cover with love

Effectiveness and sensitivity increases with the effort we put into 

God’s Divine Power: Psalm 104; Romans 1:16-20; Job 38; Ephesians1; John 14

Romans 1:16-20

“For in the Gospel…”, the good news of God’s love expressed by mercy, through grace, and is by faith - IS the power of God that brings salvation - God’s power is exerted, miraculously, in the hearts of people to make them righteous, right with Him!  This is the power that brings peace - and this is all grace, a gift!

• The Righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-22)

  • Romans 10:2-4 “...they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”

• “A Righteousness that is by faith”

• “The righteous will live by faith”  (Rom 4:11-13; 8:10; Col 1:21-22)

His, divine power…

This gloriously divine power, (that God) exerted in the raising of Jesus from the dead, has now, at our adoption, become our comforter and advocate, our prompter and director - the One who is close to us, who knows us, whispers in our ears and produces in us the good fruit of Jesus and His goodness - His righteousness.

Job 38:18 “18Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?  Tell me, if you know all this.”

It is a matter of perspective, a right perspective, a true perspective…

So when we measure the divine, we can utterly underestimate the power of the living God who “holds all things together by his mighty word“, because much like how we too often see and read the Scriptures, we read a story like that of Noah in 15 minutes, that took 100 years to be told - and think “why doesn’t God do… now!?”.  In like spirit, we believe because we have seen the globe on a screen, a picture taken from a distance in space, that we comprehend the expanse of the earth, the depth of the seas, the height of the skies - the expanse of the universe.

Making God, small…

In doing so, we lull ourselves into thinking we know, that we have seen, and that we understand. But in doing so, we shrink the glory of God in our minds and hearts, our souls and spirits stand haughtily before the living God who has made and created, who holds and nourishes the earth and all that live on it. The universe and all that that sings to him.

When in fact… He, and His ways, are unsearchable by the finite human mind - and we shrink His glory, we put is a small box the Divine, we tame His fury, we utterly underestimate the Spirit’s power - at all - let alone in us and through us!

Glimpses of God’s divine majesty...

• Genesis 1:11, 29; 2:9; Job 38:27; 40:20; Ps 36:6; 136:25; 145:15-16; 147:8-9; 

• Colossians 1:15-20

• Hebrews 1:1-4 (Phil 2:5-11)

• Revelation 4

https://www.system-sounds.com/song-of-the-stars/

Everything We Need for Life and Godliness

His Divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness – practical religion - if Jesus is beautiful and He lived His life beautifully, then, in Him, our life is and should be beautiful, too and when we obey Jesus, our lives rea beautiful

1Peter 1:4 “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” New Living Translation

Life: real and genuine, actual

"a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed 

this portion even now in this world of those who put their trust in Christ.  And the next portion life eternal, the resurrection

Godliness: reverence, respect

Promoting godliness - as to reflect or imitate, God; Aims and acts of godliness - holy conduct toward God and others.

This life, this godliness, the fruit of our relationship with God, in Christ, by His Spirit – that Divine power, should result in something beautiful, that increases in its effectiveness and productivity:  Life and godliness.

How are we to express this godly life, this goodness?

James 3:13,17-18 “13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom… 

James 3:17...the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

• Good, beautiful - beautiful, as an outward sign of the inward good, noble, honorable character; good, worthy, honorable, noble, and seen to be so.

• Beautiful, praiseworthy; beautiful, as an outward sign of the inward good, noble, honorable character; good, worthy, honorable, noble, and seen to be so.

• Beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy; morally good, noble

• This is not “good”, as unto righteousness (as to prove to, or appease, God.  But, “good” as an expression of one’s righteousness in Christ as to imitate and please, that good which is done because one has believed in Jesus, been justified by that faith, and have had the righteousness of Jesus imputed in them, by and with the Holy Spirit.  

**So this godliness Peter speaks of ought to result in an “A beautiful life is lived beautifully, a life lived beautifully, does beautiful things.”  This IS good. What is godliness?  It is a life lived to God, for God, as God does.

Our being saved “to obedience”(1Peter 1) is our life being saved and preserved, conditioned and equipped, empowered and enabled, created - beautifully, to be beautiful, that in doing what it, what we, were created to be like, we do, beautifully. 

And that is beautiful.  That is Jesus in me, living life with me, in a godly, or practical way - being good and beautiful, we do beautiful things. 

God is love, God's love does; as we have been loved, and been made love, our love must also, do - and this is good and this is beautiful and this is “practical religion”.**

• This is the “good” Jesus’ commends us to do that brings, that when seen, brings glory and praise to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5); Mary’s loving and gracious gesture of anointing Jesus feet (Matt 26:10; Mark 14:6); and that which Paul describes as that good which should grow weary of doing (Gal 6:9).

So, this life with live in Christ by faith, in the knowledge of God, this is a vigorous life, marked by practical religion and is best expressed by mutual concern for one another, and mutual concern - does.  (Isa 58:6-12; Gen 3:10,21; Matt 25:35-38; Mark 10:51; John 3:16; 5:19; 13:5; Rom 1:5; 6:17-18; 12:1; Eph 2:8-10; 1Pet 1:2; Acts 2:42-48; Ja 1:26-27; 2:16; 1Jo 3:17)

As God in His love, by His mercy, in His gracious faithfulness, did (and does). In the beginning, God, “did” for His beloved

Oftentimes, a beautiful act, have a good deed, done in humility and wisdom, in reverence for God, and subjecting ourselves to his prompting, directing, and empowering, will be at our own expense. Remember, God never asked us to do anything that he himself was willing to do. When we think of God loving I said his expense, we go right to the cross, but I began far before that. God would love Adam and Eve enough to sacrifice one of his beloved creatures, for their sake, (do not to sparrows…), Love does cover… Is Adamson, singular in the moment, would be the beginning of many sins, that an animal skin could not cover, but the skin of the sun would…

Gen 3:10, 21 “10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid… 21The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

•  So, we, having experienced this love, now, do 

1Peter 5:7-10   “7The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

James 1:26-27; 2:16

• 1:26-27  “26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

• 2:16  “14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”

1Jo 3:17  “16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

What has been done for us, we now get to return. In the practical religion and would be willing to practice and a half of the most beloved, we now have the privilege to join him in that righteousness, to participate in the divine, and love him as he has left us, by loving others as he has loved us. “As you’ve done it to the least of these, you’ve done it unto me. “

Matthew 25:34- 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  ; ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Jesus’ godly life, His practical religion in action. Jesus expresses this vigorous life, this fervent bubbling love, with real religion - love and concern expressed in practical help, the fruit of His love, His (mutual concern), in this case, at a wedding of a friend, for the bride and the groom, the hostess - His mother Mary - and the parents of the couple. Not to mention, the participants in the party.

This is the life that Jesus came to give - as represented in John 2.  For us to get, have, and live this life, Jesus willingly laid down His life that He might give it - to have and live this life we must drink the wine of the Kingdom - which is Jesus, His blood, shed for us - His life, in us. (John 6:26-58) 

Love is, this new and vigorous life, for which we have been given everything we need to live, expresses itself by mutual concern.

So, this a vigorous life, marked by practical religion and is best expressed by mutual concern for one another.  (Isa 58:6-12; Gen 3:10,21; Matt 25:35-38; Mark 10:51; John 3:16; 5:19; 13:5; Rom 1:5; 6:17-18; 12:1; Eph 2:8-10; 1Pet 1:2; Acts 2:42-48; Ja 1:26-27; 2:16; 1Jo 3:17)

John 2:1-12

The reflection of this life now in us, more than just animated, but a life vigorous in Christ, that reflects the kingdom AND its divine power, is how we live - now - especially, among ourselves, Jesus’ disciples - it is to be as concerned for one another as Jesus was and is for us, me.