Flesh – Page 2 – Praying Pint

37.h. “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

Genesis 25:19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

1 Samuel 1:11     And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

1 Samuel 1:27  For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.

Psalms 50:15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 65:2    O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

Psalms 91:15    When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Isaiah 45:11     Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: “Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?

Isaiah 65:24    Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Isaiah 58:9    Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

Luke 1:13    But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

Isaac prayed and even the son of promise did not come into the promise easily. It only came through waiting and prayer. We can trust that the prayers of a husband for his wife have a special effectiveness. This prayer was answered, but some 20 years after Isaac and Rebekah first married. Their faith and persistence in prayer was tested and invited to grow through many years. As well, these were the only children born to Isaac and Rebekah. (Guzik)

Though God had promised to multiply his family, he prayed for it; for God’s promises must not supersede, but encourage our prayers, and be improved as the ground of our faith. Though he had prayed for this mercy many years, and it was not granted, yet he did not leave off praying for it. (Benson)

Isaac seems not to have been much tried, but to have spent his days in quietness. Jacob and Esau were prayed for; their parents, after being long childless, obtained them by prayer. The fulfilment of God’s promise is always sure, yet it is often slow. The faith of believers is tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long waited for are more welcome when they come. Isaac and Rebekah kept in view the promise of all nations being blessed in their posterity, therefore were not only desirous of children, but anxious concerning every thing which seemed to mark their future character. In all our doubts we should inquire of the Lord by prayer. (Henry)

Isaac’s marriage, like Abraham’s, was for a long time unfruitful; not to extreme old age, however, but only for 20 years. The seed of the promise was to be prayed for from the Lord, that it might not be regarded merely as a fruit of nature, but be received and recognised as a gift of grace. At the same time Isaac was to be exercised in the patience of faith in the promise of God. After this lengthened test, Jehovah heard his prayer in relation to his wife. (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical)

It is important to recognize that our prayers are heard by God and answered howbeit in His timing, not ours, in His purpose and will not ours. Abraham faithfully waited 25 years believing in God. Isaac waited 20 years believing in God. Do not let God’s timing of His answer to your prayers weaken your faith in Him and His ability to answer. He hears your prayer before the words leave your lips. Grow in patient-reliant faith and do not allow Satan to have any ground towards unbelief. God can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

36.j. Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:1-3 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:9-10 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

Romans 4:19-24 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Galatians 3:5-7 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? – just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

There was a good reason for God to say this. Abram had just defeated a much larger army made up of a partnership of four kings. He had reason to be afraid, expecting an attack of retribution. God told Abram this because he was afraid, and afraid for good reasons. Yet God also gave him a reason to put away his fear. God doesn’t tell us do not be afraid without giving us a reason to put away our fear.

God knows how to become the answer to our need. When we need a shield or a reward, He becomes those things for us. “I do not think that any human mind can ever grasp the fullness of meaning of these four words, ‘I am thy reward.’ God himself the reward of his faithful people” “If God be our reward, let us take care that we do really enjoy him. Let us exult in him, and let us not be pining after any other joy.” (Spurgeon).

The faith that made Abram righteous wasn’t so much believing in God (as we usually speak of believing in God), as it was believing God. Those who only believe in God (in the sense of believing He exists) are merely on the same level as demons.

Believing in God or believing God – Believing in God does not mean you believe Him, His Word, and what it says. Believing in God without believing God is like believing there is eternal heaven but never seeking or desiring the righteousness to find home there upon death. You might believe in God but discount the need for repentance, forgiveness, redemption, salvation, obedience, and reliance on Jesus Christ. You might believe in God but never give thought to humble surrender before Him. You may believe in God but never spend time in His Word. You may believe in God but never expect to hear those quiet whispers deep in your heart and soul that would lead you to believe Him. You may believe in God but never choose to live a life that honors and glorifies Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do. Believing God is more than just believing in God. There is a transformation in your life. A new birth. A spiritual birth. You become a new creation. born-again. Never let believing in God be the end of your submission and reliance on Him. Believe God, believe His Word, and learn to apply it in your life for His honor and glory.

35.f. ” Your nakedness shall be uncovered”

Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Isaiah 47:3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, and your disgrace shall be seen. I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one.

Isaiah 54:4 “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth,

Jeremiah 6:15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.

Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

This is corroborated by the statement contained in Genesis 2:25. “They were both naked, and were not ashamed.” Of nakedness in our sense of the term they had as yet no conception. On the contrary, they were conscious of being sufficiently clothed in a physical sense by nature’s covering, the skin – and, in a spiritual point of view, they were clad as in a panoply of steel with the consciousness of innocence, or, indeed, the unconsciousness of evil existing anywhere, and the simple ignorance of its nature, except so far as the command of God had awakened in them some speculative conception of it. Hence, they were not ashamed. For shame implies a sense of guilt, which they did not have, and an exposedness to the searching eye of a condemning judge, from which they were equally free. (Barnes)

To wit, of their nakedness, as having no guilt, nor cause of shame, no filthy or evil inclinations in their bodies, no sinful concupiscence or impure motions in their souls, but spotless innocency and perfection, which must needs exclude shame. (Poole)

And they were both naked, the man and his wife,…. Were as they were created, having no clothes on them, and standing in need of none, to shelter them from the heat or cold, being in a temperate climate; or to conceal any parts of their bodies from the sight of others, there being none of the creatures to guard against on that account: and were not ashamed; having nothing in them, or on them, or about them, that caused shame; nothing sinful, defective, scandalous or blameworthy; no sin in their nature, no guilt on their consciences, or wickedness in their hands or actions; and particularly they were not ashamed of their being naked, no more than children are to see each other naked, or we are to behold them: besides, they were not only alone, and none to behold them; but their being naked was no disgrace to them, but was agreeably to their nature; and they were not sensible that there was any necessity or occasion to cover themselves, nor would they have had any, had they continued in their innocent state: moreover, there was not the least reason to be ashamed to appear in such a manner, since they were but one flesh. (Gill)

The sense of shame is the shadow which temptation to sin throws across the pathway of purity. (Cambridge)

Mankind’s original purity and innocence of good and evil was a blessed state. Living in harmony with God and unashamed. How far mankind has fallen from their original state. Knowing good and evil has given mankind a choice to choose one or the other. Many of our choices leave us ashamed in the light of God’s Word and our purpose of Honoring and Glorifying Jesus Christ in all we thing, say, and do; at least it should.

35.b. “Passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind”

Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Ephesians 2:1-6 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

There was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so called because there was a positive revelation of the will of God about this tree, so that by it man might know moral good and evil. What is good? It is good not to eat of this tree. What is evil? It is evil to eat of this tree. In these two trees God set before Adam good and evil, the blessing and the curse. God has put certain boundaries and restrictions in place for our benefit. Yet there is a lie that the enemy has tried to whisper into our ears since the beginning of time: obedience to God leads to misery. You see, we have this idea that the freedom to do what we want to do leads to happiness, while obeying God leads to unhappiness. Deep down, we think God is some cosmic killjoy, and the reason He gives us boundaries for our behavior is to restrict our happiness. We think these rules, these standards of behavior, really are for God’s benefit rather than for ours. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The reason God has given us certain restrictions even though we live under grace is not for His benefit but for ours. There are boundaries that are given for our benefit, not for our detriment. What kind of Holy Creator would remove all barriers and standards for behavior? Satan. What motivates people to live as close to the edge of disobedience as possible?

34.u. “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”

Matthew 27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Leviticus 21:23    but he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”

Mark 15:38    And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Luke 23:45    while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Hebrews 6:19  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The veil was what separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple. It was a vivid demonstration of the separation between God and man. Notably, the veil was torn from top to bottom, and it was God who did the tearing. (Guzik)

“As if shocked at the sacrilegious murder of her Lord, the temple rent her garments, like one stricken with horror at some stupendous crime.” “It is not a slight rent through which we may see a little; but it is rent from the top to the bottom. There is an entrance made for the greatest sinners. If there had only been a small hole cut through it, the lesser offenders might have crept through; but what an act of abounding mercy is this, that the veil is rent in the midst, and rent from top to bottom, so that the chief of sinners may find ample passage!” “Men’s hearts did not respond to the agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded: the rocks were rent. He did not die for rocks; yet rocks were more tender than the hearts of men, for whom he shed his blood.” (Spurgeon)

Not only was the veil torn but nature itself was shaken by the death of the Son of God.

I have read numerous commentaries on this section of scripture and nothing is more clear than what is stated in Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Oh, that our hearts would be like rocks that split and our souls be torn open at the death of Christ and we would, with God give wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, humbly bow in repentance, evermore remembering the great price that was paid for us to have eternal life if we would but, as it were, walk into the Holy of Holies and look upon our Redeemer, Savior, King of Kings, Son of God – Jesus Christ – and come to Him in faith for the forgiveness of our sins, forevermore living to honor and glorify Him alone in all we say, think, and do.

34.q. “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out”

Matthew 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Romans 7:18-20 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

What can a person do when they have intentionally chosen to do that which they have said they would not? Some may deny the act or give it no thought. Its significance of it to them is like a passing of a gust of wind, they felt it but give it no thought. They may even give an excuse for it – I had no choice, I was just following the crowd, it wasn’t my idea, it really isn’t that bad, It didn’t adversely affect anyone else, no one saw me do it, etc…….. People like this may come to a place where they are sorry but never come to a place where they repent.

There are then those who become aware of the fact that they did exactly what they said they would not. Their heart is ripped in two and their sorrow is soul deep. Oh, that we would have hearts so tender as to be broken easily for the sins we commit. How sad is it if you are not aware of the sins you are committing? If our sole purpose in this life on this side of eternity is to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, then being aware of how we may be falling short would be a good thing to know and repent of. Having a tender heart that is open at all times to the leading and correcting Spirit of God will always lead us down paths of growth, maturity, grace, love, mercy, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding – And yes, it will lead us down paths of repentance if we would.

Our strength is not in ourselves but in the power of the Holy Spirit.

35. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 22:26-27    But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Galatians 5:13   For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Philippians 2:5-8    Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Psalms 138:6    For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Proverbs 15:33   The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:18-19    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

And whosoever shall exalt himself,…. Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: “shall be abased”; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: “and he that shall humble himself”; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: “shall be exalted”; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their embarrassment and humiliation. (Gill)

Normally, people estimate greatness by how many people serve and honor them. Jesus reminded His followers that in His kingdom it should be different, and that we should estimate greatness by how we serve and honor others. (Guzik)

Humbleness can be something that eludes the hearts of many in a high position of responsibility, authority, and power. Some may even, under the guise of serving and protecting, yield to pride and wield their authority and power in such ways that harm the people they are supposed to serve. They will find a reason to listen to false data, choose to deny facts, and succumb to their own pride-filled hearts while forcing others to their will. This false servitude is discernible by God and to Him, they will answer on the day of judgment. Their own pride-filled hearts guide them down destructive paths. The problem is that many will blindly follow these people and condemn those who do not. Even with a humble heart, a person can say, no to the wishes of these people filled with hunger and desire for authority, power, and pride.

We do well to have the eyes to our hearts and minds filled with discernment that only the Holy Spirit can give and use this discernment in humble boldness to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy, and love.

34.w. “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”

Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

Job 19:25-27    For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,  whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Psalms 16:9-11    Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Isaiah 26:19    Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Jeremiah 32:17    ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Genesis 18:14    Is anything too hard for the LORD?

Acts 26:8    Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Mark 12:27   He is not God of the dead, but of the living.

In this world, death takes away one after another, and so ends all earthly hopes, joys, sorrows, and connections. How wretched are those who look for nothing better beyond the grave! If a person does not understand scripture they will not understand even less of faith in the Power of God. It is possible for a person to have much Bible knowledge, yet not fundamentally know the Scriptures. The Sadducees denied supernatural truths such as the existence of angelic beings and the bodily resurrection. They had a fundamental doubt about the power of God to do beyond what they could measure and understand in the material world; many today are like the Sadducees in this respect.

“If you knew the power of God, you would know that God is able to raise the dead…If you knew the Scriptures, you would know that God will raise the dead.” (Poole)

Know this, God will raise the dead, some to eternal life and some to eternal torment. To know Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him, having faith in Him, relying on Him, trusting Him, following Him, obeying Him, is much different than knowing of Him and putting your trust in the knowledge of Him rather than knowing Him. Resurrection from the dead will happen just as eternal judgment will happen. Having a knowing relationship with Jesus Christ assures the promise of eternal life just as not knowing or having a relationship with Him promises eternal torment. A person intentionally chooses to have this trusting and reliant relationship with Jesus or not. This choice will result in your eternal destiny. Every person is without excuse for the whole and entire Word of God proclaims this from beginning to end.

33.u. “So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God”

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

1 Peter 4:2    so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

John 12:25     Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Acts 20:24    But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Job 27:8   For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?

Luke 12:20    But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

Mark 8:37    For what can a man give in return for his soul?

The cross wasn’t about religious ceremonies; it wasn’t about traditions and spiritual feelings. The cross was a way to execute people. Everyone knew that the cross was an unrelenting instrument of death. The cross had no other purpose. We have done a pretty good job in sanitizing and ritualizing the cross. “Cross bearing does not refer to some irritation in life. Rather, it involves the way of the cross. “Denying self is not the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when, for a good purpose, we occasionally give up things or activities. But we deny self when we surrender ourselves to Christ and determine to obey His will.”

Human nature wants to indulge self, not deny self. Death to self is always terrible, and if we expect it to be a pleasant or mild experience, we will often be disillusioned. Death to self is the radical command of the Christian life. To take up your cross meant one thing: you were going to a certain death, and your only hope was in resurrection power. (Guzik & Wiersbe)

Death is a friend no one wants but is always no more than one heartbeat or breath away from every single person born. We may deny it is with us at all times. We deny it has a time of its choosing to end our earthly life. We see it as a friend very close to others but not close to us. As hard as we may try to mask death’s inevitable fate for us we still will die and face eternity. Jesus is saying that death is coming to all and while we are still breathing you can choose to live life for eternal life or eternal death. Choosing to follow the way of the cross to death means a person dies to self continually. They have set their hearts, minds, and souls on repenting of sin, humbly surrendering, following, trusting, obeying, and relying on Jesus Christ alone. Nothing this world has to offer is greater than honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all that think, say, and do. The way of the cross would seem like a burden to those who see it as taking away from this life. But, to those who have chosen it, to them it is life worth living, eternal life, and their heart is more than comforted in this. They find what others deem as a burden, it is has given them peace, love, joy, hope, courage, power, and a place of refuge from the very moment they were born again.

Death comes to all and routinely gives no warning to its arrival. But, when it comes, eternity is waiting and it is here where God’s final judgment occurs and either eternal life or eternal torment is the result of the choice being made the living side of death. Choose to repent of sin, humbly surrender, follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ for there is no other way to eternal life.

Upon death, no one can stand before God and claim they are worthy of eternal life because of their good works or anything else they have done. No one can say I did it my way and did not need Jesus Christ, nor did I need to burden myself with the way of the cross, nor can they say I went part way in following the path of the cross when it suited me. Scripture is clear, no one will find lasting peace, joy, love, hope, courage, power, and a place of refuge – eternal life – without surrendering this life and taking up the way of the cross through Jesus Christ.

33.t. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Luke 24:46    and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

Mark 10:32-34    And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him,  saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.  And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

Acts 2:23-32   this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.  God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Romans 8:5-8    For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

“The ‘must’ of Jesus’ suffering lies, not in unqualified determinism, nor in heroic determination (though some of both is present), but in willing submission to his Father’s will.” (Carson)

We can be sure that Peter was not aware that he spoke for Satan, just as a moment before he was not aware that he spoke for God. It is often much easier to be a tool of God or of the devil than we want to believe. Jesus exposed how Peter came into this satanic way of thinking. He didn’t make a deliberate choice to reject God and embrace Satan; he simply let his mind settle on the things of men instead of the things of God, and Satan took advantage of it. Peter is a perfect example of how a sincere heart coupled with man’s thinking can often lead to disaster.

Such are the battles we will face each day – keeping our mind set on things above (heavenly) or allowing distraction of things of this world to attract our attention (earthly). Obviously, there is a difference, but how can a person know if their actions, words, and thoughts are heavenly (Jesus Christ-glorifying and honoring) or earthly and of little to no value? How much of our days are we humbly seeking and desiring to be led, directed, guided, and focused on hearing the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit? How much of our days are we hungering for understanding and knowledge of His Word so that we might grow in this understanding and knowledge and honor and glorify Him in all we think, say, and do?

It is so easy to get our heavenly focus clouded by things of this world. It only takes a blink of our eye; allowing an unholy thought to linger in our mind, allowing our eyes to linger and cause us to lust, allowing our tongue to boast, allowing greed in our heart, allowing pride a place in our heart, allowing busyness to pull us away from God’s Word, allowing prosperity to keep us from reliance on God in all things, allowing physical or relational or material trials to take our eyes off of Jesus Christ and things heavenly, and in a moment and without notice our focus is changed from heavenly to earthly. Faith, hope, trust, and reliance on Jesus Christ alone do not depend on worldly circumstances or conditions. It is this solid foundation that allows us to navigate this life with discernment, patience, hope, love, joy, peace, courage, obedience, and most of all assurance in eternal life. Satan’s attacks will never be announced. We must be ever mindful of our sinful nature and how easily Satan can influence our focus and changed it from heavenly to earthly.

Keep in His Word and with this thought every waking moment; In all the words I speak, all the thoughts I have, and all the actions I take, let them be honor and glory to Jesus Christ.