Category Archives: Eternity

Advice, Belief, Bible, Confession, Deliverance, Eternity, Forgiveness, Grace, Justified, Obedience, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture

DON’T DO THAT!

GALATIANS 5:2

“Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.”

We often think if we just do this one thing then everything will be fine between us and God. We seem to think we can do things to warrant His grace. Let me tell you that is a hopeless endeavor. There is nothing you can do to gain His favor – nothing that is except coming to Jesus and acknowledging your need for a Savior. Why do we work so hard at something that is free?

As a former Pharisee, Paul is giving the Galatians a warning.  Albert Barnes said Paul was saying this, “if you are circumcised with a view to being justified by that in whole or in part, it amounts to a rejection of the doctrine of justification by Christ, and an entire apostacy from him.” They were thinking if they followed the Mosaic law and agreed to physical circumcision, they would be justified in God’s eyes. Paul says, “No! Stop! Don’t do that! It won’t work!”

APPLICATION

As I said in the opening paragraph, you can’t do one thing to gain justification. It’s all been done for you by Jesus. You just have to accept and believe. Do you remember Paul’s words to the Roman church in Romans 10:9-10? “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Confession and belief – that’s all that is needed. I hope you understand that it is not up to you. You are hopelessly doomed to an eternal damnation UNLESS you simply confess and believe. No other act is necessary. John tells us in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” I didn’t see one mention of circumcision or any other act in that verse. Did you?

In your journey with Christ, lean into Him. Don’t fret about what you must do. Sure, we need to study His Word and pray. We need to spend time with Him. As we do that, we will want to do more things for His kingdom. But none of those things will bring us salvation. Only Jesus will. Amen. I pray today you know the One who came to give you the greatest gift – eternal life.

Father, help me to stop striving and do more resting in You.  

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Abiding, Bible, Blessing, Eternity, Heaven, Home, Promises, Scripture

UP ABOVE

GALATIANS 4:26

“But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.”

As I write this blog, the U.S. is preparing for its first total solar eclipse since 2017 and the last one for another 20 years. I may or may not see the next one, depending on how long the Lord allows me to linger here on earth. It’s too bad that all those people wearing those special eclipse glasses won’t see what is really happening in the heavenlies. Let’s talk about that.

Paul is referring to the heavenly Jerusalem when he says “the Jerusalem above.” The word “above” is the Greek word ano, which means things above, heaven, the heavenly region. Paul’s eyes were fixed heavenward, not on the earthly Jerusalem which represented the law and slavery and burdens. He wanted the Galatians to look up at their heavenly home which is accessed only through Jesus.

APPLICATION

There are several verses that point us to that heavenly Jerusalem or heavenly abode. Colossians 3:1-2 tells us, “1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Jesus told us in John 8:23 that He was not of this world. He was from above. “And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.’”

Then we have direct mentions of the heavenly city in other passages. John told us in Revelation 21:2, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” One more – Hebrews 12:22. “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,”

Do you see it? Are you looking up? Let the solar eclipse that happened remind you of the heavenly city that awaits us as believers in Christ. We need to keep looking up, but not be so heavenly minded that we are not any earthly good. We need to share this message of God’s heavenly kingdom and the way to access it. So, take off those eclipse glasses and see who you can invite.

Lord, I am thankful my home is not here. I will live one day with You in that heavenly city.

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Battles, Belief, Bible, Caregiver, Compassion, Eternity, Fear, God's Will, Love, Relationships, Scripture

FEAR FOR OTHERS

GALATIANS 4:11

“I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.”

Oh, how I can relate to this verse today. I know people who do not know Christ. They have not placed their faith in Him as Savior. I know without Christ that their eternal destiny is doomed. I fear for them. I know some believers who are not living for Jesus. There is no fruit in their lives. I fear for them that they are missing out on such blessings. I pray they all will surrender fully to the Lord Jesus.

Paul’s words here state the same fear for the Galatians. He had just scolded them for returning to the former things in their lives. Now, he says he fears for them. He is fearful that there are no basic principles in their lives. Has he wasted all his time with them? The word “labored” means he really worked hard. He gave his all to teach them.

APPLICATION

I have felt that way in my ministry from time to time. There have been days when I felt like all I was doing had no eternal impact on people’s lives. They didn’t seem to “get it.” When I see men, in whom I have invested months and months of time, turn back to their former manner of living, it grieves me deeply. We are warned against that. Proverbs 26:11 reads, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so is a fool who repeats his foolishness.”

How do we, as believers, deal with this fear for others? Simply put, we trust in Christ. We trust in the almighty hand of God. We pray. We continue to reach out and try to influence both our lost friends and family and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:16, “‘Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’” We can all do that.

Today, let your walk with Christ be so bright that others ask you how you do it. Point them to the Word that is their guide. Point them to prayer which is your communication piece with God. Show them how, when you fail (and we all do) how you get back up in the strength of the Lord. Make an impact today. Don’t give up.

There are those in my circle for whom I fear, Lord. Help me direct them to You and Your love.

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Eternity, Following, God's Will, Scripture, Surrender

THE SEED

GALATIANS 3:16

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.”

I have mentioned several times in my blogs that I grew up in a small, South Georgia town. It was surrounded by farms, big and small, that grew all sorts of crops. But one thing you could almost always depend on – those farms would have their own garden to grow vegetables for their tables. Those vegetables (at least most of them) were grown from seeds. Each vegetable required their specific seed. If you plant okra seeds, you get okra. If you plant corn, you get corn. Very specific!

Why am I giving you a farming lesson? I want you to understand what Paul is saying. There was one specific seed of Abraham that led to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. There were not and still isn’t many seeds. There is just one seed. There is only one way to receive the promises God has given through Abraham’s seed. That seed is Jesus. You have to plant that “Jesus seed” in your heart as you accept Him as your Lord and Savior.

APPLICATION

John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.’” Jesus won’t accept a divided heart. You can’t have one foot in the world and another in Christ. The two just don’t go together. If you want to grow rich in Christ, you have to invest your whole self in Him.

A couple of chapters earlier, Jesus gives us this in John 12:24-26. “‘24Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.’”

Follow the One Seed. Follow Jesus. Give up your life to follow Him. There is nothing in this world that is worth dying for except Jesus. And as you die to this world and plant that One Seed deep within you, you will see a harvest of thirty, sixty and one-hundred fold. Plant the right seed, the only Seed.

O Lord, I know Your promises are real and will produce in me what You want, if I die to myself and live in You. 

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Abiding, Bible, Covenant, Eternity, Faithfulness, God's Will, Redemption, Scripture

COVENANT KEEPER

GALATIANS 3:15

“Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.”

Have you ever made a comparison between two things that were kind of the same but not? I have. Some things just don’t have anything else to compare them to. They are so far beyond our finite minds it’s hard to find the words. I have heard all sorts of comparisons to the Trinity but none of them come close.

Paul attempts a similar comparison in today’s verse. A covenant between two people is similar to God’s covenant with us in that they are both covenants. But man’s covenant is finite. It ends. It does carry weight, but nothing like God’s eternal covenant He has made with us. It never ends. We are forever tied to Him through the shed blood of the covenant.

APPLICATION

Don’t you just love Deuteronomy 7:9? It says, “‘Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.’” God loves His children. He wants to keep us close, just as He longed for the people of Israel when Moses shared these words.

We have another beautiful example of God’s covenant in the sky after each rainstorm. Genesis 9:13 tells us, “‘I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.’” This sign of the covenant has been nabbed by some people to symbolize something that God does not ordain. Don’t let them fool you. God’s covenant sign never covers sin.

And, of course, we have the ultimate covenant I alluded to earlier. In Luke 22:20 Jesus says, “‘In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.”’” This covenant was cut with us at great price, the life of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Do not take this covenant lightly. Remain close to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

I am so thankful Your covenant with me is everlasting. It never expires and I cannot break it. You have sealed it.

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Abiding, Allies, Bible, Eternity, God's Will, Harmony, Identity, Promises, Scripture

WITH ABRAHAM

GALATIANS 3:9

“So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”

I am an extrovert at heart. I enjoy being with people. I like socializing and having a party. Being with others is critical to me. I guess I could survive alone somewhere, but it would not be nearly as enjoyable as being with someone. Why am I talking about this? Because the subject of today’s blog is about being “with” someone – Abraham.

In Galatians 3:8, Paul says God will bless all the nations “in” (en) Abraham. Then Paul changes the preposition in verse 9 to “with” suv. I know what you are thinking, Big deal, Carl. Well, it is a big deal. That word suv is a much weightier word. It means to be joined together tightly and to be identified with. That’s a little different that ev which means inside. Keep reading, and I’ll show you more.

APPLICATION

One of my favorite examples of this preposition suv is in Galatians 2:20, which we saw in an earlier blog. When Paul says “I am crucified with Christ,” he uses that preposition on the front of the verb “crucified.” It means we are identified with Christ in His crucifixion. We cannot be separated from it.

Colossians 3:1 uses the same preposition. “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” “Raised with” means we are eternally connected. Nothing can separate us. We are “with” Christ. Do you get the picture? Do a quick word study. Look up “with Christ” in your Blue Letter Bible or Bible Hub online. Look at the Greek words for “with Christ.” You’ll see this preposition suv over and over.

Have I lost you yet? I hope not. I just wanted you to see that when Paul says we are “blessed with Abraham,” he is saying that we are forever connected to the father of faith. The promises God made to him have been extended to us through Jesus Christ. I cannot wait to meet Abraham one day. He’s on my visitation list in heaven.

O Lord, You have linked us to others through our faith. Help us be “with” others now so we can walk in unity.

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Bible, Eternity, God's Will, Messages, Scripture, Surrender

THE MESSENGER

MALACHI 1:1

The pronouncement of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:”

I remember the days when it was such a privilege to be asked by a teacher to take a message to the principal’s office. That meant they had trust in you. They believed you could handle the task. They knew their message was safe in your hands. They knew you would make sure the principal got your message. Hmmm.

This is exactly what we see in today’s verse, the very first verse of the minor prophet Malachi. This isn’t a long message given by the LORD to Malachi. The whole book is only 55 verses over 4 chapters. But it is a powerful book that will be fun to explore. Did you know the name Malachi means “messenger”? Yep, pretty cool, huh?

APPLICATION

Some scholars say that the name Malachi may have been made up. It may have just as easily read, “The pronouncement of the word of the LORD to Israel through a messenger:” For whatever reason, it is translated as a proper name – Malachi. So, tell me something. Could the Lord have just as easily sent you to give this pronouncement? Would you have been as willing?

This isn’t an easy message to deliver. But notice the words used. It does not say “against Israel.” No, it says, “to Israel.” That makes the words more palatable. Still, the role of a prophet had always been precarious. You never knew how the people would respond. They may humble themselves and confess or they may rise up in anger and stone you.

Listen, we have a message to give. It does not matter how we think the world will respond. We have to be God’s messenger. We must tell them that God loved them so much that He gave Hs only Son to die for them and give them eternal life (John 3:16). Will you be His messenger today? The world needs to hear from you.

O Father, You are the only message giver we can trust to give us the truth, no matter what. Thank You, Lord.

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Abiding, Bible, Eternity, Idols, Scripture

NO MORE IDOLS

ZECHARIAH 14:21

“Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of armies; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of armies on that day.”

I know I have talked about this before, but today’s verse calls for another discussion. I want to know what you worship. Carl, of course I worship the Lord.  That’s great. That is my prayer. But what else do you worship? Some people (not my wife, of course) think I worship Georgia football. Not really, but I can put too much emphasis on a game.

Today’s verse is the conclusion of Zechariah. We close the book on this minor prophet with this blog. So, how does Zechariah close his book? What did the Spirit say to him? Pretty simple, final words. The Canaanites he mentions here are long gone, but there remained idolaters. They were worshipped the wrong thing. Now they would all be gone. No more idolaters. Can you imagine?

APPLICATION

One day, folks, we will have no other object of our worship. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. Jesus is Lord and will reign forever. Hallelujah! Revelation 21:27 says, “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Where is your name written? What is your focus of worship? Who are you bringing with you? Are you allowing the “idolaters” around you die without the saving knowledge of Jesus. That phrase “there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD” includes all those unbelievers on this day.

I will admit that in the past I was an idolater. I worshipped the wrong things. My focus wasn’t on the Lord. But now…it is. My whole heart is given to Him. I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able. Amen? Amen!

We praise You, Lord. We worship only You. You are the King of kings and Lord of lords.

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Appearance, Bible, Christ's Return, Deliverance, Devil, End Times, Eternity, Evil, Following, Glory, God's Will, Heaven, Hell, Judgment, Miracles, Return, Scripture

ESCAPE ROUTE

ZECHARIAH 14:5

“And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

I have had the opportunity to participate in a couple of Escape Room experiences. You know – those rooms set up to allow groups of people to problem solve a situation, gather clues and follow directions to get out of that room. There is always a way out if the team can just figure it out. Fortunately, I was able to escape each time, lol.

Look back at verse 4 of Zechariah 14 for a second. It says, “…the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west forming a very large valley…” That valley is the one referred to in today’s verse. Azel was obviously a village on the other side of that valley. The earthquake mentioned here is not in historical records but must have been massive for it to have been remembered two centuries later. But the best part of this verse is the last phrase – “Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”

APPLICATION

Wow, there’s a lot in that verse, huh? Where do we start? First of all, let’s address the escape route that God will make for the people of Jerusalem on that day. He does the miraculous to achieve His purpose. He is still doing that today. We can all probably recount a story that was nothing less than miraculous. Will you join me in looking around for those today? God is still providing a way out for us. We can share the story of Jesus with someone who is lost today and provide them with that miraculous way of escape from the punishment of hell.

How about the Lord returning with “all the holy ones”? Won’t that be a sight? I plan to be there. These “holy ones” will include His legions of angels and perhaps all the saints. That last part is us, the believers, who are with Him in glory. That is shouting ground. Look at Jude 1:14-15. “14 Behold, the Lord has come with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Whether I am with Him or not when He returns to earth to judge it, the fact of the matter is He is coming with authority. He is coming back as King and Judge, not a baby in a manger. He is not coming back to spend years teaching. No, He is coming back to issue forth judgment on the unbelieving masses and on the evil one himself. What a day that will be!

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. And I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace…What a day, glorious day that will be. 

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Belief, Bible, Eternity, Heaven, Mourning, Rejoicing, Scripture

WHAT A SAD, SAD DAY

ZECHARIAH 12:11

“‘On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be great, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo.’”

Why do we mourn so severely when a loved one leaves this earth behind? If they are a believer, they are in the arms of their Savior where they wanted to be. We mourn because of our loss, not theirs. We don’t mourn for what they are missing here. We mourn because we no longer have them by our side. We miss their presence. We mourn the void that is left behind.

Today’s verse compares the mourning of Israel’s future Messiah’s death with the mourning that took place at the death of King Josiah, Judah’s most beloved king. The place mentioned, Hadadrimmon, is the location where Josiah was wounded in battle, a wound that would take his life. He was a great king because of his piety and love for the Lord. 2 Chronicles 35:25 tells us about this. “Then Jeremiah chanted a song of mourning for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their songs of mourning to this day.”

APPLICATION

When I think about mourning or grief, I can’t help but think about 1 Thessalonians 4:13. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope.” O brothers and sisters, just look at that verse. Sure, we grieve over a loved one’s homegoing, but we rejoice also. We know where they are.

Similarly, our Messiah, who was crucified and buried, did not remain there. He is alive today. Our mourning over the death of our Lord is quickly eradicated by the joy we have in knowing He reigns eternally. His resurrection, His defeat of death, gives us the promise of eternal life.

We will mourn here on earth. There is no escaping that. But let us mourn with hope, knowing we will see our loved ones again, if they have placed their faith in Jesus. That behooves us to make sure they all know Him, right? Let’s be diligent to share Jesus with all people, especially those of our own household.

You turn my tears into laughter and my mourning into joy.

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