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In this season of Advent, I found myself in the letter written to the Hebrews about the wonder of the Coming of Christ and how it was unlike anything else and changed all.
Jesus in his high priestly prayer in John 17:19, “I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
Sanctification is a decision of God, an action of Christ, which becomes ours by the condition of entering into Christ. It is then a process as we surrender to the provision provided.
Hebrews 10:9 says he came to do away with sacrifices in order to accomplish the will of God that we become a people set apart for God by God through the Son.
10:10 – we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
For nearly 1500 years, The Law had been practiced and innumerable sacrifices of appeasement had been offered.
v11 “… day after day the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins…”
v12 “But this man… offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”
v13 “He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool”
v14 “by one offering he has PERFECTED forever, those who are sanctified.”
It is Finished… this word is from the same root as the words of Christ on the cross… “it is finished…” And so in Christ it is Finished, and yet, it is BEING finished. God has forgiven, declared us righteous, and yet in the plan of God, he is processing us, perfecting us. He is allowing us the process of becoming sanctified.
Here is the promise of Jeremiah 31:33-34
v16, I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds”
Now – In Christ, I don’t always do right – but because of Christ, I don’t feel what I felt, I don’t think what I thought – I am being transformed… then in the meantime…
v17 “I will never remember their sins” – Certainly, my actions do
matter, but now, in Christ, it is about a relationship, not about guilt or fear.
v18 “where there is forgiveness… no longer an offering for sin…”
v19 “Therefore since we have boldness to enter… through the blood…”
v20 “he has inaugurated / opened (ratified, inaugurated, opened) a new (enkainos=new different genus/species) a new and Living Way.
Very interesting – prosphatos – new has a root phen = to slay, kill – Christ did away with the old way, it is freshly slain, that a new and living zao – alive, real life holding way has come…
So
v22 let us draw near…
- with a true heart
- full assurance – conviction of faith
- sprinkled – there is the blood
- washed in pure water – Ezekiel 36:25 – “I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols”
So
v23 let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful… 24 … provoke one another to love and good works
So, I said all that to draw us to The Advent of Jesus, God in the Flesh, Emmanuel.
Let us remember why he came, what he has done, and what he is doing.
Then, free from guilt by faith in the blood of Jesus, let us move forward finishing what is already finished and encourage someone else to do the same.
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We are Children of God – and the “we” John 1:12 tells us are those who Receive him, and because we believe in his name… we are given the right to become the children of God. There is then a Dual Condition – lambano = take recceive, and pisteuo = believe, both are action points. Because God has made it possible, we then have the exousia = authority to become children of God with all of it’s rights and privileges. We become children of God because we follow the conditions to receive, to believe. So John 1:13 says we aren’t born of natural descent or the will of the flesh, not of man, but of God.
So – where I started reading this morning was James 1:18, “by his own choice he gave us birth by the Word of Truth, so we would be a kind of firstfruits“. God made a way, offered an opportunity, if we would believe and receive we become something supernatural, children of God. We then have been reborn, new creatures. While sanctification is a process, it is surrender to the new nature, not like working up to something physical, but surrendering spiritually, mentally, emotionally.
Then James 1:19 says, Understand this… oida = know, perceive, appreciate, become learned, conscious of… And here is the supernatural natural expectation – everyone – (two words – pas anthropos – all, every, each, – man, child, everyone). Everyone should be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
Well, I’m going “from preaching to meddling” here.
In reverse there, Dr. Gary Chapman teaches that “anger” is a natural response based on us being created in God’s Image. God gets angry when something is not holy (right) and/or not love. We by nature do the same thing. However, we don’t always have correct understanding and so sometimes our anger is “definitive” (justified) and other times it is “distorted” (unjustified) based on our perception. Dr. Chapman also teaches that God’s anger moves TOWARD us In LOVE for CHANGE… we then must do the same.
Because of our human nature, we need to be twice slow and only once quick making sure those are in correct categories.
Listen, Speak, Anger/Action – Two Slows, One Quick
- Slow – bradys = slow – and is in the nominative meaning we must become it… surrender to it
- Quick – tachys = faster, quickly, soon – and is also nominative
- These both require surrender
When one is out of order, they all get out of order. If I am quick to speak, or quick to anger, then it feeds the other, and it stunts the third, I do not listen. But if I am quick to listen, hear, understand before being understood, it slows down the response of speak and action toward anger.
Now just stop right there and spend some time. Maybe reread that. We are talking about surrender to our Spiritual Rebirth – our New Nature
Human anger doesn’t accomplish righteousness
Interestingly, that word translated, Human, in its simplest form is masculine, man, husband… Men – our “macho” anger doesn’t take us to theos – God’s righteousness, justice, perfecting power.
Then v21 therefore, get rid of moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls.
WOW – we aren’t talking about receiving salvation here a response to the new birth we have in salvation. “Receive” – dechomai = receive, welcome. We need to welcome the implanted word. When we believe and receive (John 1:12, Ephesians 1:13-14) – then we have been reborn, received the Holy Spirit – become a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17); so, welcome the New Life and like Colossians 3:18 says put away anger, malice, slander, language… Flip the Script – Follower of Christ.
- Slow to Anger – Slow to Speak
- Quick to Listen – akouo = hear, listen, heed – did your parent ever say, “did you hear me? Are you listening to me? Then do what I said.
- Then from the proper “quick” and “slow” we become v22 Doers of the Word and not Hearers Only – which is the worst kind of deception.
As I read over this and was writing my thoughts, I could have written so much more – but I’ll stop with v25
But the one who looks intently into the perfect law… and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer who works – THIS PERSON will be blessed in what he does
Whew – Selah (stop and think about that)
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Genesis 22 is a famous incident in the life of Abraham. After so many years, finally he receives Isaac at 100. Then as a teenage boy, the Lord asks for him back. In that beautiful, unimaginable story, Abraham takes rope, wood, and a knife for the sacrifice, but Isaac, almost knowingly, asks, vv7-8 “Where is the Lamb?” And Abraham’s answer, “the Lord himself will provide… my son”
The same God who gave Isaac would give, he believed God would provide, revive, or reproduce.
You know the story, God stops him, knife raised… Do not lay a hand on the boy…
Then in v15 what got my attention today, Then the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) called to Abraham… because you have done this thing and have not withheld… I will indeed bless you.
The blessing of God is in the obedience of trust in action here. It is not about the “what” but the “that”. The Lord does not often ask the same act from each of us, but THAT we act, in faith/trust. Because you have not withheld. How often do we miss the blessing of God because we withhold the action of obedience? I imagine one day in heaven, we will know and hear all the opportunities we missed.
So, then I go to Hebrews, and that writer there tells us that we can trust God, just like the heroes of the faith did. You read Hebrews 11 – the Hall of Fame of the Faithful – and we aren’t perhaps called to do WHAT they did, but THAT, HOW, and WHY. The common denominator is that they did not withhold faith in action.
What can we be certain of? Hebrews 6:10 “God is not unjust (unrighteous) he will not forget (forget, neglect, overlook).”
PRAISE GOD – WHEW – I have to stop right here and like Paul often did in HIS writings, I think of Ephesians 3:20-21, he just stopped for a praise break – To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine, to him be the glory…
That same God… is not unjust – he knows what you do for him, and he won’t leave you unpaid, unrewarded. He will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name. YES Servant of the Most High… Come On Saint… v11 he knows you demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end… 12 be imitators… who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance
God doesn’t ask us all to do the same thing, and yet he does, faithful diligence. Imitate that.
Hear him say that same thing to Abraham, and then written 2000 years later to the Hebrews and now we read it 2000 years later in 2025 – He himself swore by himself… I will indeed bless you
Child of God today – whatever God is calling you to do… do not withhold it.
If there is anything God is asking, do not hold back.
Say, “Yes!”. Step out in faith… the provision comes in the move into it.
Hebrews 6:14 I will indeed bless you – that word is eulogezo = bless, praise – God says, “Come and Follow, Act in Faith and I will Praise You – I will Bless you”
God Himself has said, “I will not forget you, neglect you, overlook you”… so come on saint, do it.
An Old Hymn by Frances Brook – My Goal is God Himself
1) My goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace
Nor even blessing, but himself, my God.
‘Tis his to lead me there, not mine, but his,
At any cost, dear Lord, at any road
2) So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there
Upheld by him, my soul is following hard
‘Til God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer
3) No matter if the way be sometimes dark
No matter though the cost be oft-times great
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark
the way that leads to him must need be straight
4) One thing I know, I cannot say him ‘nay‘
One thing I do, I press toward my Lord
My God, my glory here, from day to day
And in the glory there, my great reward
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According to William Federer’s book Prayers and Presidents George Washington had a handwritten book of Prayers. Much insight and depth is in this prayer from 1752 – long before – we knew him…
WEDNESDAY MORNING.… Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven, in pity and compassion upon me Thy servant, who humbly prostrate myself before Thee, sensible of Thy mercy and my own misery; there is an infinite distance between Thy glorious majesty and me, Thy poor creature, the work of Thy hand, between Thy infinite power, and my weakness, Thy wisdom, and my folly, Thy eternal Being, and my mortal frame, but, O Lord, I have set myself at a greater distance from Thee by my sin and wickedness, and humbly acknowledge the corruption of my nature and the many rebellions of my life.
I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, in thought, word & deed; I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought not. I have rebelled against light, despised Thy mercies and judgements, and broken my vows and promises; I have neglected the means of Grace, and opportunities of becoming better; my iniquities are multiplied, and my sins are very great.
I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, destation and loathing, and desire to be vile in Thine.
I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins, for the sake of Thy dear Son, my only Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; be pleased to renew my nature and write Thy laws upon my heart, and help me to live, righteously, soberly and godly in this evil world; make me humble, meek, patient and contented, and work in me the grace of Thy Holy Spirit.
Prepare me for death and judgement, and let the thoughts thereof awaken me to a greater care and study to approve myself unto Thee in well doing.
Bless our rulers in church & state. Help all in affliction or adversity—give them patience and a sanctified use of their affliction, and in Thy good time, deliverance from them; forgive my enemies, take me unto Thy protection this day, keep me in perfect peace, which I ask in the Name and for the sake of Jesus. Amen
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William Federer records this handwritten prayer from our first president a quarter century before the revolution… there is much depth of understanding in this prayer
WEDNESDAY MORNING.… Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven, in pity and compassion upon me Thy servant, who humbly prostrate myself before Thee, sensible of Thy mercy and my own misery; there is an infinite distance between Thy glorious majesty and me, Thy poor creature, the work of Thy hand, between Thy infinite power, and my weakness, Thy wisdom, and my folly, Thy eternal Being, and my mortal frame, but, O Lord, I have set myself at a greater distance from Thee by my sin and wickedness, and humbly acknowledge the corruption of my nature and the many rebellions of my life.
I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, in thought, word & deed; I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought not. I have rebelled against light, despised Thy mercies and judgements, and broken my vows and promises; I have neglected the means of Grace, and opportunities of becoming better; my iniquities are multiplied, and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, destation and loathing, and desire to be vile in Thine.
I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins, for the sake of Thy dear Son, my only Saviour, Jesus Christ, who came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; be pleased to renew my nature and write Thy laws upon my heart, and help me to live, righteously, soberly and godly in this evil world; make me humble, meek, patient and contented, and work in me the grace of Thy Holy Spirit.
Prepare me for death and judgement, and let the thoughts thereof awaken me to a greater care and study to approve myself unto Thee in well doing. Bless our rulers in church & state. Help all in affliction or adversity—give them patience and a sanctified use of their affliction, and in Thy good time, deliverance from them; forgive my enemies, take me unto Thy protection this day, keep me in perfect peace, which I ask in the Name and for the sake of Jesus. Amen
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I looked at this passage today, and noticed that I had several words written down as notes – “Populated, Purchased, so Praise and Personify”. You are “Indwelt, Indebted, so you should Identify as a worshiper of Christ.” Then I thought that while I can’t repay the debt, I can seek to Indemnify God’s loss, the pain of giving his son for my son, by serving.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6 in some very straight forward words to the Corinthian church, regarding several issues; from disputes among Christians, to dishonesty, and immorality.
v11 says, “some of you used to be like this, but you were washed… sanctified… justified.”
v12 “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial… I will not be mastered by anything.”
v15 “Don’t you know that your bodies are part of Christ’s body?” Obviously, he is saying that we must live and operates AS part of the “body of Christ” would act… but also, as I write this, I’m feeling a little sick today, and my elevated temperature affects my whole body. Additionally, I have one little toe that has a cuticle infection. It’s so small, but as IT hurts, my whole body is affected by one part of my body which isn’t right.
Then famously, v19 “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is IN you, whom you have from God. You are not your own 20 for you were bought with a price. So (therefore) glorify God with your body.”
When I heard the Gospel, Ephesians 1:13, and when I believed, I was given the Holy Spirit – a deposit, a down payment – I am then Populated by the Holy Spirit. I became a House of Dwelling, a House of Worship for God.
Why? Because I was Purchased by God at the incomparable price of the innocent life of his Son, who died for me. Because of the price paid, I no longer have ownership of the thing I call, “my life.” I belong to God – twice; once because he made me, twice because he bought me.
Therefore, Praise, Glorify – doxasate = aorist tense means a snapshot event, a picture of reality – and Imperative tense, meaning it’s a command, an expectation of possibility. The idea of Glory in scripture at it’s simplest form is “reputation”. Because I was purchased, and populated, my body this is to be a vehicle that enlarges the Reputation of God. Part of praise then is to Personify God’s Character and reputation in a way that brings honor to who he is.
Indwelt, Indebted, I Identify as a Worshipper of Christ – the Glory of God, by the Power of the Spirit.
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We all have a journey we are on with the Lord – the beauty of the eternal mind and existence of God is that he sees it all finished, but we are on a historical journey.
We know the Grace and Pece from God through Jesus v3 because v4 he gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father – to him be the glory, forever and ever – Amen
Wow! Past, Present, and Future –
Read Galatians 1:3-5
Grace and Peace – right now is because of the past work of Christ on the cross to pay for my sin that still was a future certainty, when he died. His past act for my future sin will give me present rescue from the evil attacks I face today.
It was all according to the eternity past will of God the Father. It then is all for the future glory of God – forever and ever in eternity to come.
Then if you continued reading in chapter 1 Paul asks they then they are seeking “gospel”, “good news” somewhere else? Where else are you going to get “good news” like what Jesus has provided for us Past, Present, and Future?
We all, child of God, have a Past, Present, and Future.
v13 you have heard of my former way… persecuted the church… but when God… who set me apart and called me by his grace… was pleased to reveal his Son in me, so that I could preach
I will stop right there and say again, we all have a past, present, and future.
We all have things we did that defined us. Things we were proud of and not proud of. Things were we knew and others we didn’t know better. Yet, before all of that, God’s will had made a plan, a purpose, and a provision for us.
Before our past, Jesus came, lived, and died for us. Before we received him, he called us. If you are a child of God, then in your past, you received his gift offered, because you believed you were a sinner, and that Jesus was a Savior. For me that historic moment was on a Saturday night, alone in my room, I prayed to God for forgiveness, believing in Jesus, and confessing him as risen and Lord.
When I face the evil of this present age – I must remember that Jesus gave himself
- For my sin
- to Rescue (exeletai = deliver, rescue) me from this present age
That doesn’t mean that in this age evil won’t attack, but it means that it has no power over me, that is unless I give it, and all still is under the will and power of God.
The present rescue we need over penalty of sin, (past) the power of sin, (present) and the presence of sin (future) is Jesus who gave himself for my sin (past, present, and future).
To Him be the Glory – forever and ever
Don’t turn anywhere else but to Jesus – there is no other gospel
v11 the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin
v15 but when God… was pleased to reveal his Son…
Do you have a “WHEN” if your journey? A time when you trusted Jesus and appropriated his death for your sin? If you do NOT have or can remember a “when” – then you can TODAY. Hear Jesus calling you and put your day of Salvation into the past tense.
Then, today you have rescue and power over sin and the evil of this age – so that you can join his purpose in telling the good news. You don’t have to be a preacher, missionary, or evangelist, just someone telling what Jesus did for you.
Then because we have a past moment when he became your Lord, and a present reality, then we have a settled future in his present giving him glory forever and ever.
Grace to you and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. To Him be the glory, forever, and ever…Amen!
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“An Argument started…” – interesting way this passage I turned to yesterday started… surely followers of Jesus don’t do that.
Luke 9 is an often quoted passage, not the least of which is 9:23 – if you would come after/follow after me… deny self, take up cross DAILY and follow me
Perhaps the hardest part of following Jesus is that it is constant – daily, moment by moment, thought for thought.
Then it says whoever wants to save his life must lose it. Then Luke records the “inner three” – John, James, and Peter having the mountain top experience with Jesus. More happens and then Jesus says, v44 Let these words sink in: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men… but they did not understand… were afraid to ask… Sometimes the hardest part of following is that his destination is different or doesn’t make sense to us.
Then in v46… an argument started among them about who was the greatest… My goodness, was this ripped from the headlines today in 2025? No, it’s just the proud hearts of men, men of God.
Jesus then took a little child, whoever welcomes this little child, welcomes me… whoever is least this is the great one.
v49 Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because HE DOES NOT FOLLOW US. Again, is this a current headline? Jesus’ response, don’t stop him… whoever is not against you(us) is for you(us)
We get wrapped up often in wanting people to follow us, don’t we? We also get wrapped up in wanting to know “where” and “what” and not “who”. Following Jesus is about the WHO – more than the where, what, how, or even why.
The childlike following is just being happy to be there with Jesus.
So, then these potential followers end up the chapter
v57 – I’ll follow you wherever you go . Jesus says, “I don’t have a place”. It’s not the where but who.
v59 he said to another, ‘Follow me’… ‘Lord, first, let me bury my Father’… i.e. not now, later… culturally they tell us this meant NOT that his Father was dead, but that sometime, perhaps years later, when his father had died, then I’ll follow you.
v61 another said, ‘I will follow you… but first… let me say goodbye… again, culturally this one was suggesting an extended party… time…
v62 Jesus said, no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom
They would have remembered in 1 Kings 19:19-21 when Elijah called Elisha to take up and follow him. Elisha was plowing a field and said let me kiss my father… then I will follow you… Elijah scolded him… go back… what have I done to you… and Elisha realized he couldn’t wait and so he slaughtered his oxen, broke up the plow for a fire and fed everyone the oxen, and left and followed him.
Following Jesus is leaving it all behind, now. Following Jesus is not about what, where, when, or how, not even why, it’s about WHO
Not you, deny yourself. Don’t seek notoriety, follow now, each and every now. Take up your cross, daily – now, and now, and now, and now, not later.
It’s not about where, “where are you going”, no – WHO is going? WHO is leading? I’m follow… means I GO.
Oswald Chambers on this passage says, “When once the call of God comes, begin to go and never stop going.”
When we say, “yes, but first” we just stopped following and said “no”.
When we argue over who is the greatest, we just stopped following.
Whatever hinders following… Whoever hinders following…?
v60 Jesus said, you go and spread the news of the Kingdom… and when we do that, we look up and find we are WITH Jesus
Again Chambers said, “the one who says, ‘yes Lord… but’ is fiercely read, but never goes.”
Let’s go… Following Jesus is just about Jesus – go with him.
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Pastor Goforth 