Daily Bread - Dec 15 2006
John 15:4 - "Dwell in me and I in you. Just as the branch has no power to bring forth fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me."
Jesus has made the reality of God's will very plain to us by the use of this allegory. The life that God offers to us is one that is totally united with Him that functions as a result of His care and provision. A botanical understanding of a vine thoroughly and simply drives home the point. The vine is the only connection that the branch has to the source of the life-giving nutrients essential to its survival. The vine supplies the structure and resources from which the branch can produce the fruit. The fruit that the vine produces is specific to the DNA of the vine - which in this case is the fruit of God's own nature. It is the gardener's objective to tend the branches in such a way as to maximize, first, the quality of the fruit and, then, as the branch matures, the quantity.
Both the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have not only purposed that we bring forth fruit but they have dedicated themselves to supply everything that we need in order to do so. Our role as the branch is very simple; all that we must do is obediently respond to the will of the Father who is cultivating our lives to fulfill the very specific objective of producing the fruit of the vine. As a branch, we must see our whole identity and purpose defined by the vine from which we grow. This intimate relationship and absolute identity ultimately results in Father doing whatever we ask (John 15:7; 14:13-14).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Friday, December 15, 2006
Daily Bread - Dec 14 2006
Ephesians 5:8 - "Indeed you were once darkness but now light in the Lord; walk as children of Light."
Jesus Christ is first and foremost, the true Light that has come into the world (John 1:7-9; 8:12; 9:5). Jesus came to give this light to everyman that is in the world (Luke 1:79; 2:32; John 1:9; Matthew 4:16;). Those who believe are empowered to walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7; Ephesians 5:8; John 8:12). It is God's desire that His redeemed saints be the light of the world, a city set upon a hill so that all men might see Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16; John 12:36; Acts 13:47; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
Light is used figuratively of truth, life, vision, redemption, purity and righteousness (John 1:4; 11:9; 12:35, 46; Luke 11:34-36; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5). Light, as a metaphor of righteousness, is set in contrast to darkness and evil (Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34; John 3:19; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 John 2:9). It is that which the unrighteous are unwilling to come to because it is light that reveals the truth and reproves unrighteous deeds (John 3:20). To understand the true meaning of light, we look to the fact that it represents who God is in His moral perfection and holiness.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Ephesians 5:8 - "Indeed you were once darkness but now light in the Lord; walk as children of Light."
Jesus Christ is first and foremost, the true Light that has come into the world (John 1:7-9; 8:12; 9:5). Jesus came to give this light to everyman that is in the world (Luke 1:79; 2:32; John 1:9; Matthew 4:16;). Those who believe are empowered to walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7; Ephesians 5:8; John 8:12). It is God's desire that His redeemed saints be the light of the world, a city set upon a hill so that all men might see Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16; John 12:36; Acts 13:47; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
Light is used figuratively of truth, life, vision, redemption, purity and righteousness (John 1:4; 11:9; 12:35, 46; Luke 11:34-36; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5). Light, as a metaphor of righteousness, is set in contrast to darkness and evil (Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34; John 3:19; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 John 2:9). It is that which the unrighteous are unwilling to come to because it is light that reveals the truth and reproves unrighteous deeds (John 3:20). To understand the true meaning of light, we look to the fact that it represents who God is in His moral perfection and holiness.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread - Dec 13 2006
Ephesians 5:8-9 "Indeed you were once darkness but now light in the Lord, walk as children of Light. For the fruit of the Spirit, in all goodness and righteousness and truth."
Our primary focus must be on righteousness, which has been both imputed and imparted to us by the Grace of our Righteous God. God's righteousness is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit and operates in our lives through His vital working power (Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Righteousness is the chief characteristic of the Kingdom of God and that, which is to receive the foremost attention in our lives (Matthew 6:33; Romans 14:17). Righteousness is to be the focus of our faith and the desire of our heart every day (Romans 10:6,10; Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:9). God demands that we awake to the righteousness that we have been given and sin no more (1 Corinthians 15:34). We should recognize that we live under the administration of righteousness and that we are to walk with the protective armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left (2 Corinthians 3:9; 6:7; 1 Timothy 6:11). Walking in righteousness is the proof that we have been born of God and it is the light that the world needs to see (1 John 2:29; 3:7; Matthew 5:14-16).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Ephesians 5:8-9 "Indeed you were once darkness but now light in the Lord, walk as children of Light. For the fruit of the Spirit, in all goodness and righteousness and truth."
Our primary focus must be on righteousness, which has been both imputed and imparted to us by the Grace of our Righteous God. God's righteousness is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit and operates in our lives through His vital working power (Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Righteousness is the chief characteristic of the Kingdom of God and that, which is to receive the foremost attention in our lives (Matthew 6:33; Romans 14:17). Righteousness is to be the focus of our faith and the desire of our heart every day (Romans 10:6,10; Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:9). God demands that we awake to the righteousness that we have been given and sin no more (1 Corinthians 15:34). We should recognize that we live under the administration of righteousness and that we are to walk with the protective armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left (2 Corinthians 3:9; 6:7; 1 Timothy 6:11). Walking in righteousness is the proof that we have been born of God and it is the light that the world needs to see (1 John 2:29; 3:7; Matthew 5:14-16).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Daily Bread - Dec 12 2006
2 Peter 2:5 - "And did not spare the ancient world but kept Noah, eighth, a preacher of righteousness bringing a flood upon a world of ungodliness."
God demands righteousness and there is no possibility that He will in any way compromise the necessity of it. In fact, when we consider the potential result of God making a compromise and allowing unrighteousness to exist in His kingdom we would conclude that it would be the ultimate ruin of everything that is good.
Righteousness is a word that is clearly defined by its frequent use in the Bible. It appears 249 times in the Bible and is primarily translated from the Hebrew word "tsedakah" and the Greek word "dikaiosune". From its first appearance in Genesis 15:6 to its final occurrence in Revelation 22:11, it speaks of obedience to God's will and describes purity and moral integrity.
In this passage here in Second Peter Noah is set in contrast to the rest of the world (Genesis 6:9; 7:1). Noah was the one that God called righteous while all the others were unrighteous or ungoldly. Righteousness by definition means one who is pure and virtuous. Through God's amazing love and grace we are made the righteousness of God. When we think about this level of righteousness we are confronted with the purest and most exact righteousness that exist.
Even though Noah was righteous and it was by his righteousness that he was saved God has given us a greater righteousness. We were not given the righteousness of Noah or Abraham but the righteousness of God. How? Because Jesus who knew no sin became the sin offering for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 2:21; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 4:24; 5:9; 6:14; Romans 8:4; Philippians 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:11). God has given us this wonderful free gift and we must give His righteousness first place in our life (Matthew 6:33).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
2 Peter 2:5 - "And did not spare the ancient world but kept Noah, eighth, a preacher of righteousness bringing a flood upon a world of ungodliness."
God demands righteousness and there is no possibility that He will in any way compromise the necessity of it. In fact, when we consider the potential result of God making a compromise and allowing unrighteousness to exist in His kingdom we would conclude that it would be the ultimate ruin of everything that is good.
Righteousness is a word that is clearly defined by its frequent use in the Bible. It appears 249 times in the Bible and is primarily translated from the Hebrew word "tsedakah" and the Greek word "dikaiosune". From its first appearance in Genesis 15:6 to its final occurrence in Revelation 22:11, it speaks of obedience to God's will and describes purity and moral integrity.
In this passage here in Second Peter Noah is set in contrast to the rest of the world (Genesis 6:9; 7:1). Noah was the one that God called righteous while all the others were unrighteous or ungoldly. Righteousness by definition means one who is pure and virtuous. Through God's amazing love and grace we are made the righteousness of God. When we think about this level of righteousness we are confronted with the purest and most exact righteousness that exist.
Even though Noah was righteous and it was by his righteousness that he was saved God has given us a greater righteousness. We were not given the righteousness of Noah or Abraham but the righteousness of God. How? Because Jesus who knew no sin became the sin offering for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 2:21; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 4:24; 5:9; 6:14; Romans 8:4; Philippians 1:11; 1 Timothy 6:11). God has given us this wonderful free gift and we must give His righteousness first place in our life (Matthew 6:33).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Monday, December 11, 2006
Daily Bread - Dec 11 2006
Acts 15:10-11 - "Now then why tempt God to lay a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor us had strength to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the same manner also."
The first definition of "saved" cited in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) is, "delivered from sin." Peter suggests that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile and that if anyone is going to be saved it will be by the same Jesus through the same faith. The Jews who had depended upon the Law for salvation were faced with the crisis of an instantaneous righteousness through the miracle of salvation instead of a righteous status maintained by strict observance of the Law. The transition that they were engaged in was that there was now no more need for the Law and that the Gentiles were being granted equal position with them in God.
The salvation that is in Christ Jesus is so radically different because the dominance of sin is removed. The revelation of the purity and righteousness that comes by the miracle of faith was also expressed by Paul in Acts 13:38-39 where he declared that all who believe in Jesus Christ "are shown to be righteous" which is something that the Law of Moses was powerless to do. The Law of Moses was weak in that it depended upon the ability of man - who themselves were governed by a disobedient nature (Romans 8:3; 7:5; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 7:9). However, through the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, everyone who believes has the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them because they are walking in the Spirit of God (Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:24).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 15:10-11 - "Now then why tempt God to lay a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor us had strength to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the same manner also."
The first definition of "saved" cited in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) is, "delivered from sin." Peter suggests that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile and that if anyone is going to be saved it will be by the same Jesus through the same faith. The Jews who had depended upon the Law for salvation were faced with the crisis of an instantaneous righteousness through the miracle of salvation instead of a righteous status maintained by strict observance of the Law. The transition that they were engaged in was that there was now no more need for the Law and that the Gentiles were being granted equal position with them in God.
The salvation that is in Christ Jesus is so radically different because the dominance of sin is removed. The revelation of the purity and righteousness that comes by the miracle of faith was also expressed by Paul in Acts 13:38-39 where he declared that all who believe in Jesus Christ "are shown to be righteous" which is something that the Law of Moses was powerless to do. The Law of Moses was weak in that it depended upon the ability of man - who themselves were governed by a disobedient nature (Romans 8:3; 7:5; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 7:9). However, through the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, everyone who believes has the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them because they are walking in the Spirit of God (Romans 8:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:24).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
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