Compelling Love

Believers can look ahead to the time when our God will wipe every tear from our eyes and make all things new (Rev. 21:4-5).  Our afflictions are outweighed by the eternal weight of glory that is to come (2 Cor. 4:17).  Overcomers will sit with Christ on his throne  (Rev. 3:-21).  This hope is an anchor for our soul (Heb. 6:19).  It inspires us to get ready for the great day of His appearing (1 John 3:3).

Jesus invites us to come to him to find rest and a new life in partnership with him, sharing the light burden of his love.

Matthew 11 (NKJV)
²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 In Matthew 19, Jesus speaks of the renewal of all things, right here on this earth.

Matthew 19 (NIV)
²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Jesus is the good shepherd who gave his life for the sheep, so that we can have eternal and abundant life.

 John 10
¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Paul declares that our afflictions are outweighed by the eternal weight of glory that awaits us.

2 Corinthians 4 (NKJV)
¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Overcomers who are faithful to the end will sit with Christ on his throne.

Revelation 3
²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Even now, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  We are ambassadors for him who took the judgment of sin upon himself, so “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

2 Corinthians 5
¹⁴ For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Isaiah 51 describes how the redeemed of the Lord will have everlasting joy.

Isaiah 51 (NKJV)
¹⁰ Are You not the One who dried up the sea,
The waters of the great deep;
That made the depths of the sea a road
For the redeemed to cross over?
¹¹ So the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Isaiah 65 describes how God will create new heavens and a new earth.

Isaiah 65
The Glorious New Creation
¹⁷ “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying.

Revelation 21 promises that God will dwell with his people in the New Jerusalem.
He is making all things new, and His people will be His bride.

Revelation 21 (NKJV)
All Things Made New
21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

⁶ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

The vision of living in a restored heaven and earth in the presence of our living God gives us a hope that inspires us to get ready for that great day.

1 John 3 (NKJV)
² Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, January 20, 2018, https://compellinglove.net/

Photo credits:
http://www.firebreathingchristian.com/archives/7439
https://www.thefellowshipsite.org/john-1010.html
http://www.dailylifeverse.com/posts/2012/10/2-corinthians-5-17
http://praisephotography.com/category/north-island-new-zealand/
https://media4lifephotography.com/tag/bride/

Praying for you and yours, that the joy of the Lord will be your strength.
May the coming year be better and more glorious than any year before!

Photo credit: http://www.21stcr.org/wallpaper/…/july2012_nehemiah8_10.html

Praying for God’s presence, comfort, strength, peace, wisdom and love to be with you all, and for healing and restoration wherever needed. Shalom and abundant blessings.

Photo credit:
https://www.facebook.com/ForHisGloryChristianAssembly/

God’s goodness to us is shown in so many ways!  He creates, protects, sustains and guides us, and invites us into an eternal friendship with Him.  With undying passion He is calling to those who have hearts to hear, to be friends, and more than friends.

Jeremiah 31 speaks of God’s restoration of Israel, and describes how He draws His people with an everlasting love:

Jeremiah 31 (NKJV)
The Remnant of Israel Saved
¹  “At the same time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
² Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when I went to give him rest.”
³ The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
⁴ Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.”

In a time of great trouble, David prayed, “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” (Psalm 3:3)

Psalm 3 (KJV)
¹ Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. ² Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. ³ But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.  ⁴ I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

God is our friend and protector, and He gives Himself fully to those who give themselves to Him.  This was described elegantly in a recent devotion on Genesis 15:1 by Dr. Erez Soref, President of “One For Israel”.  He writes in a newsletter dated 12/26/2017:

“Shalom!
The word of Adonai came to Abram in a vision saying,
“Do not fear, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
God had promised Abram (later to be called Abraham) a son, a land, and a blessing that would go to all nations. All wonderful gifts! It’s hard to imagine how much each of those things would have meant to a wandering, childless, aging couple. Yet God states that more than all of these things, He Himself is the real prize. He is our very great reward. It’s good to stop and drink in the fact God has given us the most incredible gift of all: Himself.”

David exemplifies a close personal relationship with God in Psalm 23, describing how the Lord protects him, leads him, restores him, and brings him into His eternal presence.

Psalm 23 (NKJV)
¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
   I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Jesus declares in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” He explains in verse 18, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

John 10 (NKJV)
¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  …
¹⁴ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. ¹⁵ As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
¹⁷ “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

In Matthew 11, He invites us to come to him, to partner with him, to learn from him, and to find rest for our souls.

Matthew 11 (NKJV)
²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

We will be His friends, and more than friends if we abide in His love, keeping His commandments:

John 15 (NKJV)
⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. … ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

In his book, “Moving Mountains: Praying with Passion, Confidence, and Authority” (p. 223), Pastor John Eldredge describes what it means to be friends, and more than friends with God:

“The goal of human existence is union with God, an absolute union of heart, soul, mind, and strength, the union Jesus knew with his Father: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). God is weaning us to the place we will be able to say like David, “Your love is better than life” (Psalm 63:3), to truly and actually believe in the marrow of our bones that God’s love surpasses anything this world has to offer.”

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 12/30/2017, https://compellinglove.net/

Photo credits:
https://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/scripture-pictures/scripture-pictures-by-verse/verse/e/19695/t/jeremiah-31-3
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-3-3_Inspirational_Image/
http://dustoffthebible.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Psalm-23.jpg/
http://faithhopeandheartwarming.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/life-more-abundantly.jpeg/
https://www.bereaproject.org/verse-of-the-day/2016/3/11/psalm-6334/

Looking out the window this morning, I was fascinated by the shadows sharply delineating the hillside path.  I became curious to find the branches projecting these shadows.

Success, branches discovered!  By this time the shadow has progressed.

Meanwhile, my wife Marla was clearing off the blanket of leaves covering the ground on the tiered ledges.  She later explained she was concerned about the birds having access this winter to the worms they need for food.

While I was taking photos of branches, she was busy helping birds that perch on the branches!

Jesus came into this world to reveal the love, light and glory of God.  He gave it all for us, and calls his followers to reflect that same love, light and glory.

His mission of love is most succinctly described in John 3:16:

John 3:16 (NKJV)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is “a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel.” (Luke 2:32)  Isaiah 60 describes how the light and glory of the Lord will be reflected by His people.

Isaiah 60 (NKJV)
¹ Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
² For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
³ The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah 61 describes the healing and restoring work of the Messiah.  (Jesus quoted from this passage in Luke 4 when beginning His ministry.)  God’s restored people are described as “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Isaiah 61 (NKJV)
¹ “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³ To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Luke 2 recounts the birth of Jesus, noting that as an angel announced His birth to the shepherds, “the glory of the Lord shone around them.” … “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2 (NKJV)
¹ And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

 ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Later when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to consecrate him, a devout man named Simeon prophesied saying the child was “a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Luke 2
²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

²⁹ “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation
³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
³² A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

In His life and ministry, Jesus continuously glorified the Father.  In John 17:4-5, he prays, “I have glorified You on the earth.  I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.  And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

John 17 (NKJV)
¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus then prays for the disciples, and declares, “I am glorified in them”.

⁹ “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. ¹⁰ And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

He then prays for all believers, and declares, “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.”

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

He then prays that his followers “may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me.”  And he prays, “that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Paul writes that God reveals His glory through Christ, and we can see and reflect that glory as the Spirit “makes us more and more like him”.

2 Corinthians 3 (NLT)
¹⁶ But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  ¹⁷ For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 12/16/2017, https://compellinglove.net/

Photo credits:
http://www.godswordimages.com/wallpaper/goodness/john-3-16/http://davisparkchurchmodesto.com/?attachment_id=1901https://daleargot.com/2015/12/25/jesus-is-born-angels-and-shepherds/http://www.thefellowshipsite.org/luke-230-32.htmlhttps://www.heartlight.org/wjd/john/1023-wjd.htmlhttp://www.verseoftheday.com/en/07232017/https://fromglorytoglory.net/tag/2-corinthians-318/

Genesis 22:18
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Yeshua (Jesus) is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise to Abraham.  Prophet, Priest and King, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the Lamb prophesied by Abraham in Genesis 22:8, “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”  This was a foreshadowing of Yeshua’s declaration in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In the Incarnation Yeshua (Jesus) was observant of the Law.  This is affirmed consistently in the Gospels, perhaps most notably in Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Archeology also is increasingly confirming this aspect of Yeshua as shown, for example, in the cover article of the December, 2017 issue of National Geographic, “The Real Jesus – What Archeology Reveals About His Life”.  On page 60, author Kristin Romey includes this quote from a prominent professor, Craig Evans: “Thanks to archaeology, there’s been a big change in thinking – from Jesus the cosmopolitan Hellenist to Jesus the observant Jew.”

While I have not investigated the matter thoroughly, I appear to have some Jewish ancestry on both sides.  My father’s mother’s maiden name was Pasach, the Hebrew word for Passover.  There are many Jewish people with my last name, Krause, or its variant, Kraus.  My mother’s maiden name was Schultz (variant of Schulz), a common German and Jewish-Ashkenazi family name in Northern Germany, per Wikipedia.  Her mother’s maiden name was Cassidy, and I see there are many Jewish people with that name as well.  Some have suggested I have DNA testing done to further research this.  However, my Jewish connection does not depend on genealogy or DNA!

Yeshua (Jesus) is Jewish to the core, and by following Him I have been spiritually adopted into His family!  In his book, “Twelve Gates – Where Do the Nations Enter?”, Messianic Jewish author Boaz Michael explains this further:

“The day is coming when the holy city, the New Jerusalem, will descend, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  The twelve gates of the city will be open, day and night.  …  Each gate is made of precious stone.  The names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel are inscribed upon the gates, just as they were inscribed on the twelve stones of the high priest’s breast piece.

 “Through which gate will you enter?

 “The Bible teaches that in Jesus, “the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body” with the Jewish people (Ephesians 3:6), and “fellow heirs with Christ” Himself (Romans 8:17).”  …

“If I were a Gentile Christian and someone asked me, “What gate will you enter?”, I would reply, “I will enter through the gate of Judah.  Although I am not from that tribe, my Master is the son of David from the house of Judah.”  Shouldn’t the king’s bride pass through the king’s gate?  Shouldn’t  a man’s servant enter through the same gate as his master?” …

“Our Lord is coming; indeed, he is coming soon!”

(“Twelve Gates – Where Do the Nations Enter?”, by Boaz Michael, First Fruits of Zion, 2012, p. 56-57)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 12/12/17, https://compellinglove.net/

             Marla, circa 1984                                      Dad & Kevi, circa 1988

It amazes me how my wife Marla is able to quickly assess an emergency situation and take exactly the actions needed.  No wonder our eldest son Kevi was drawn to become a paramedic, where these very same instincts are essential to the job.  I remember a particular occasion when they joined together to prevent an accident in progress from getting much worse.

The incident occurred when Kevi was in his early twenties and had been working as a paramedic and volunteer fireman.  Kevi, Marla and I, plus several of his siblings were on a family outing to a park with a barbecue pit, where we were planning to enjoy a lunch together.  One of us had made the mistake of bringing propane fuel in lieu of fuel specifically designed for use with coals.  As Kevi was heating the coals for cooking, he decided to speed things up by pouring about an ounce of propane onto the coals from a Styrofoam cup.

Immediately, the flames followed the vapor trail to his hand and the next moment his shirt was ablaze.  Kevi dropped to the dirt and began rolling to extinguish flames, while the rest of us stood there staring in horror.  All of us, that is, except Marla.  She raced over to him and began swatting his shirt just below the neckline where his rolling was not stopping the flames.  Kevi yelled, “Leave me alone, I know what to do!”  Ignoring his plea, she kept swatting the flames in that area until they were out.

We doused the burned areas with water, and then I drove Kevi to the nearest hospital which was not far away.  The ER nurse who met us razzed him a little when he gave her a quick synopsis of the accident.  She said, “You, a paramedic and fireman, poured propane on a fire?”  They gave him the best treatment they could for his burns which fortunately were minor compared to what they might have been.  In the weeks to come, the last place to heal completely was the spot just below his neckline where the fire had burned the longest.  Kevi was a brave and uncomplaining patient through it all.

We were all grateful  that his burns turned out to be relatively minor, and that his skin healed quickly.  What impressed me most about this incident, apart from the bad judgments that caused it, was the way Marla instantly assessed the situation, saw what was needed, and leapt to do the most needful thing, as one “first responder” to another.

In Matthew 4, Jesus demonstrates how to win the victory over the devil who seeks to derail our lives in many clever ways.  Jesus stands on the written Word of God in meeting each of the devil’s three temptations.  Later, as the  resurrected Lord, Jesus makes this promise to all who follow in His footsteps to win the victory in their own lives:

Revelation 3:21
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

To understand how Jesus used scripture to defeat the devil, it helps to examine the context of each scripture he quoted.

The First Temptation

The devil first appealed to Jesus’ physical need for food after having fasted for forty days and nights.  He cleverly challenged Him to do something that would both prove He is the Son of God, and provide Him with food to eat.

Matthew 4 (NKJV)
¹ Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
³ Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
⁴ But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

In this declaration, Jesus quoted from the following passage:

Deuteronomy 8:3 (NKJV)
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

Application:
God sometimes allows us to experience hunger or some other need that He intends to satisfy in a supernaturally natural way.  The devil likes to step in with an unrighteous alternative, something outside of God’s will.  If we hold faithfully to God’s commands and promises, we will see Him meet our needs “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart!”  (Proverbs 3:5)

The Second Temptation

The devil next gave Jesus a mocking challenge, this time cleverly using scripture in an attempt to trap Him into losing face if He refused the dare.

⁵ Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to Him,
“If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.
For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

The devil was quoting here from Psalm 91:11-12, which reads in context:

Psalm 91 (NKJV)
⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

The Psalm is promising those who have taken refuge in the Lord, and dwell in Him, that He will protect them, and send His angels to watch over them to keep them safe in all their ways (which are also His ways, because they belong to Him).  The angels will bear them up as they walk, so that they will not even stub their toes against a stone.  (Notice the Psalm does not promise angels will rescue a fool who leaps from a tower to put on a show.)

Jesus ignores the devil’s false use of scripture, giving a rebuttal based on the true use of God’s Word:

⁷ Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:

¹⁶ “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah. ¹⁷ You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.”

The reference to Massah takes us to Exodus 17, where we find the children of Israel contending with Moses, tempting the Lord to deal harshly with their rebellion.  They were not trusting God to fulfill His promises, and they were almost ready to stone Moses, God’s appointed leader.

Out of compassion, God met their need supernaturally, causing a huge flow of water to come forth where Moses struck the rock, instantly carving a massive well and fountain.  (Interestingly, in recent years archeologists exploring in that area have found a massive stone with a deep vertical crevice that appears to have been formed by tremendous hydraulic force of water erupting from below.)

God spared the people from judgment on this occasion, but He warned them not to tempt Him again as they had in Massah.  In referring to this scripture, Jesus was conveying that jumping off a high pinnacle on a dare would be an act of rebellion such as God had warned His people not to do.

Application:
When we experience thirst or other hardships, God is calling us to keep believing in Him as our Provider, and never turn back.  He answers our faith with supernaturally natural provision, and we will come out of the testing spiritually stronger than ever.  Trust and obey!

The Third Temptation

 ⁸ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to Him,
“All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written,
‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

Jesus here refers to Deuteronomy 6:13, where God commands His people to worship and serve only Him.  The confrontation ends here, as He sends the devil packing.  The devil had fired his best shots, and Jesus had defeated him, referring each time to the written Word of God.

¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

Application:
The Lord our God is calling His people to be completely committed to Him.  If we are worshiping some other God, or seeking benefits outside of His will, we do not belong to Him.  His passion for us will not be fulfilled until we turn fully to Him, and reciprocate his undying love.  Give it all to Him!

By faithfully following Jesus and standing on God’s Word, we too will be
“more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

We will be overcomers, sitting with Him on His throne.  (Revelation 3:21)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 12/2/2017, https://compellinglove.net/

Photo credits:
http://flickriver.com/photos/daily-bible-verse/tags/cross/
https://weheartit.com/entry/176220430
http://karinforeman.com/psalm-91/psalm-91-11-wscripture/
http://slideplayer.com/slide/8691809/
http://slideplayer.com/slide/7049919/

God continually draws and invites people to receive the promise of His love, to drink deeply of His living water, and to walk in the power of His Spirit.

Receive the promise of His love for you.

The promise of God’s love for us is seen in His sending of His only Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have eternal life.  When we receive Him and believe in Him, He lives in us – “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

John 3 (NKJV)
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Paul speaks in Colossians 1:26-27 of “the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints… Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

In Jesus’ prayer in John 17, He declares that we receive eternal life by knowing  the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

John 17 (NKJV)
³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand in God’s grace, and “the love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Romans 5 (NKJV)
¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

John 17 is frequently called “the high priestly prayer of Jesus”.  In verses 1-5, Jesus prays for himself.  Then in verses 6-19, he prays for the disciples.  Starting in verse 20, he prays for all believers – those who would believe in him through the word of his disciples.  In verse 23, he prays that He would be in believers, as the Father is in Him, (I in them, and You in Me), and again in verse 26, that his love may be in us, and that he himself would be in us (that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them).

John 17 (NKJV)
²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus Christ, the risen Son of God, invites believers to open the doors of their hearts for an ever closer and more intimate relationship to Him.

Revelation 3 (NKJV)
²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹ To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Drink deeply of His living water.

Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit whom He would give, using the image of “living water”.  He invites all who are thirsty to come to Him and drink.

 John 4 (NKJV)
¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

¹³ Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 7 (NKJV)
³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Walk in the power of His Spirit.

By the power of the Holy Spirit, the God of hope fills us with all joy and peace, and overflowing hope, as we trust in Him.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13)

Being led by the Spirit of God, we are His sons and daughters, and joint heirs with Christ.

Romans 8 (NKJV)
¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

God has given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.  (2 Tim. 1:7)
He pours out His love in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 11/18/2017, https://compellinglove.net/

Photo credits:
http://www.godswordimages.com/wallpaper/gentleness/john-3-16/
https://likegoldrefinedagain.wordpress.com/category/memorisation-bible-verses/page/14/
http://www.feedmysheepjerusalem.com/system/files/gallery/
http://bibleversewallpapercreations.blogspot.com/2013/04/

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF HOPE IN THE BIBLE? – Romans 15:13