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Overcoming Generational Devastation by Faith

This is the 16th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can access the rest of the articles in this series by clicking on the link in the previous sentence.

 

Having identified the nature and source of generational devastation, this article will show how Christ has already broken the power of the curse of the Law and why we must apply his victory to our lives by faith.

Paul wrote the following declaration of victory by our Lord.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"— 14  in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14 (NASB)

Jesus’ death by crucifixion proved biblically that he was under God’s curse. That is how the Jewish leaders regarded it. They thought that he deserved a blasphemer’s punishment, since he claimed to be the divine Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14. (Matthew 26:64) Paul further explained the theological import of his becoming a curse on our behalf in his Second Letter to the Corinthians.

He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

Jesus identified himself with our sin. It was as if he were personally guilty of committing all the sins of mankind. The accumulated guilt fell on him, which apparently included the experience of being separated from the Father. This is a mystery that we try to understand and explain as best we can, realizing that we no doubt fall short. But we need some sort of handle to grasp theologically, and Paul gave us one.

The amazing transaction that Father God provided through his Son’s death and resurrection was that Jesus took upon himself the guilt and punishment for our sin and provided us with his perfect and proven righteous standing with God.

He “became” us, so to speak, and now we who believe are joined to him in the Spirit.

He became “one” with our sin, and we become one with him and his glorious relationship with Abba!

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" 16  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:15-16 (NASB)

This also is a mystery, one we joyfully accept. In fact, isn’t all of life a mystery? Even the most educated scientist, if he or she is honest, will admit that we still know very little at all about this thing called life. We know even less about eternal life, since we have only experienced a foretaste of it as yet. The important thing for us to grasp, as far as this article is concerned, is that Jesus took our sin, guilt, and punishment upon himself and provided us with his right standing with his heavenly Father. Then why on earth am I even writing a series of articles on how to deal with generational devastation? Hasn’t this already been taken care of by the Lord?

The Requirement of Standing by Faith

A careful reading of Isaiah 53 reveals that the same Hebrew verbs are used to describe how Jesus bore our sins and how he carried our sicknesses and diseases. If the first is true, then so is the second. If our sins are forgiven, then we are also healed. The logic is inescapable. This is confirmed in the New Covenant scriptures.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NASB) 


When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES." Matthew 8:16-17 (NASB)

I imagine you see where I am going with this. Even though Jesus already paid the price to provide for our healing, people still get sick, even Christians. When we do, we are instructed to pray for one another for healing.

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15  and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. James 5:14-15 (NASB)

If we used the thought process of those who deny the need to intervene in cases of experienced generational devastation, we would simply tell the sick person, “You don’t need prayer. You have already been healed.” This theology would lead us to disobey the clear biblical command to pray for the sick. Any time our theology encourages us to disobey God, something is fundamentally wrong.

When we pray for the sick, we apply our faith in the finished work of Christ to the present need. When we pray for people experiencing generational devastation, we do the same.

We live is a world that is still largely afflicted with the curse of the Law associated with Adam’s first sin. Even though we have been rescued from eternal death and destruction, we still have to face physical death and sickness. But we do so in light of what Christ has already won for us and in the hope of the resurrection.

We live in a tension between what has already been done in Christ eternally and what remains to be completed in our experience. That is why we need faith.

Experiencing what Christ already has accomplished for us often comes with a battle. That is why it is called “overcoming.” If Satan cannot keep us from believing in Jesus, he will do his best to prevent us from being effective and fulfilled in our service to him.

Even though our “old man” has been crucified in Christ and sin shall no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:6,14), we still must apply our faith in his finished work on a daily basis in our battle against sin. Sin still has the power to tempt us, even though Christ’s victory is complete.

The ongoing battle does not negate Christ’s victory. It is an opportunity for us to live by faith.

When we encounter evidence of ongoing generational devastation in an individual or family which has confessed Christ as Lord and Savior, it is important first of all to teach that Christ has already conquered the curse of the Law. It is also necessary to show how to apply this truth in a practical way in order to experience the freedom Jesus died to give us.

To conclude, an ongoing struggle against sin does not negate Christ’s victory over sin. A battle against sickness does not mean Christ failed to defeat sickness and death.

Likewise, a fight against generational devastation is not an admission that the curse of the Law still has power over us. Instead, it is an opportunity to stand by faith in the finished work of Christ against that which seems to contradict his glorious victory. It is our fight of faith and our opportunity to overcome.

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The Law of Sowing and Reaping

This is the 15th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can read the rest of the associated articles by clicking on the link above.

 

God’s righteous judgment upon sin, which is called the curse of the Law, is part of the reaping attached to the sowing of sin. As Paul put it, “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

Sin has consequences, and all of them are bad.

Paul also wrote:

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7 (ESV)

Sowing and reaping works for good and for bad, which is reflected in God’s proclamation to Moses in Exodus.

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7 (ESV)

This passage brings into focus the generational or corporate nature of judgment.

Personal Sin Carries Corporate Consequences

The old saying that the evil I do in private only hurts me is simply not true.

For example, in the time of Joshua, when Israel was in the process of conquering Canaan, God place a ban of destruction on the city of Jericho. He warned the Israelites that no one was to take any of the loot for themselves. It all belonged to God. Achan decided to secretly disobey God by stealing some silver, gold, and a Babylonian garment. In so doing he brought judgment upon the entire nation. (Joshua 7:1) When his sin was eventually exposed by God, he and his immediate family were sentenced to death by stoning. Achan’s private sin brought terrible consequences upon others in his family. Furthermore, his disobedience resulted in many Israelites outside of his family being killed in battle. The entire nation suffered because of one man’s secret sin.

There are no lack of historical examples of corporate “reaping” for the “sins of the fathers.” The USA endured a horrible Civil War, which many believe was a form of judgment against the injustices connected to slavery. Many of those who suffered and died in the conflict never owned slaves or approved of the practice; nevertheless, they were caught up in the conflagration that engulfed the nation. Many citizens of Germany, most of them old men, women, and children, including those who likely opposed the Nazis’ crimes, died in the horrific fire bombings inflicted by Allied bombers, as the horrible suffering inflicted on the rest of Europe returned upon Germany with a vengeance. The common people suffered greatly for the decisions and deeds of their leaders. The Israelites who lived in Babylon during the captivity never may have participated in idolatry, but they suffered the consequences of their forefathers’ disloyalty to God.

As Jeremiah wrote:

Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. Lamentations 5:7 (ESV)

Need I go on? Can we agree that innocent people often reap judgment and experience the consequences of other people’s sins? Can we agree that innocent children sometimes suffer for a lifetime because of the sins of their parents or other adults? Alcoholism and sexual, emotional, verbal, and physical abuse inflict pain upon the immediate family that often reverberates for many generations. Abuse engenders abuse. Hurt people hurt people.

Sins usually produce negative consequences that extend generationally, unless their destructive effects are somehow neutralized.

Forgiveness and Prayer Do Not Necessarily Stop the Reaping Process

Imagine that a suicidal person climbs to the top of a bridge and, full of hopelessness, jumps. On the way down, in a flash of insight, he realizes that he made a big mistake and asks God to forgive him. In Christ, his forgiveness is instant, but it will not stop the law of gravity from bringing about his sudden demise. Forgiveness doesn’t necessarily undo the sowing and reaping process. Another way to say this is that God can remove the eternal consequences of our sin without removing the temporal ones.

Another example might be a murderer who asks for and receives forgiveness for his crime, but this does not bring back the dead person or remove the loss from the grieving family. It also will not stop the wheels of justice from imposing a proper judgment against him in the court system. We can be forgiven in heaven but reap judgment on earth.

I have witnessed praying mothers wringing their hands because their children repeated their same mistakes, despite their prayers. The beat goes on. By itself, prayer does not have the power to undo the sowing and reaping principle. The same is true when it comes to weight loss or any number of health related issues. We cannot break all the rules for maintaining healthy bodies and expect God to overrule the law of sowing and reaping just because we pray. What is true in the natural realm is also true spiritually.

Praying for a Crop Failure or a Crop Transformation?

I have a friend who once prayed that God would bring about a “crop failure” with regard to what he had earlier sown in his life. We all laughed, but it was a good thing to do. We have a very encouraging verse to lean upon.

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12  as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. Psalm 103:10-13 (ESV)

If God returned “tit for tat” to us according to our sins, we would all be dead by now. I think it is altogether proper to pray for mercy when it comes to sowing and reaping; nevertheless, we must realistically face the fact that God has put this law into effect.

Notwithstanding, we do have an ultimate weapon against this relentless law. We can have complete confidence that Romans 8:28 has the power to turn everything in our favor, even when we are reaping the consequences of our own foolishness and sin.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 (ESV)

God is able to take what we reap because of sinful sowing and work it out for our ultimate good and his glory. This trumps everything!

When we praise God in the midst of whatever suffering or confusion we may be enduring, even if it is our own doing, it honors God and opens our hearts to see things from his perspective. It helps us grasp what he is doing in the midst of it all – how he is working it out for our benefit and his glory.

Praise in the midst of suffering is one of our greatest spiritual weapons.

We may not be able to obtain a crop failure, but we can see God transform something painful into something beautiful and God honoring.

Nevertheless, we must be realistic, God’s working out our difficulties for good is not always easy or pretty. King David spent many years reaping the consequences of his adultery and murder. He was forgiven, but the ongoing consequences were real, painful, and extremely costly for him, his family, and the nation of Israel. We do indeed reap what we sow.

The Awful Prospect of Looming Judgment

One of the great deceptions people fall for is the false sense of security gained from delayed judgment.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Ecclesiastes 8:11 (ESV)

Things have continued to go well in this country, to a great extent, since Roe v. Wade was passed and the killing of unborn babies was legalized. That does not mean we have escaped God’s judgment.

God’s judgment against unforgiven sins committed by our ancestors and our nation’s leaders and people may still be looming on the horizon, waiting for God’s timing to release it.

Jesus, the Author of the New Covenant, proclaimed the following just before offering himself for our sins.

Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48  So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49  Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50  so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Luke 11:47-51 (ESV)

He knew that his coming sacrifice of himself as God’s Lamb would provide forgiveness for sins, even the sin of putting him, the Messiah, to death, for those who would choose to repent and believe the Good News. Nevertheless, God’s justice would roll on and result in the smashing of the rebellious Jewish nation under the wheel of Roman might. Jesus warned his followers to flee the city of Jerusalem when they saw God’s judgment at the door. If they failed to extricate themselves from the city, they would reap the consequences of covenant betrayal along with the unrepentant perpetrators. (Matthew 24:15-23) History tells us that the Christians followed our Lord’s advice and escaped when the Roman army approached. They understood the nature of sowing and reaping.

The blood of over sixty million innocent babies slaughtered in government sanctioned abortion clinics cries out to God for justice. Will the prayers of those who oppose this practice undo the terrible law of sowing and reaping? Will the USA escape the judgment of God that looms? Discerning eyes can see storm clouds on the horizon. Our nation’s leaders have been leading us down a road to destruction for many years. Those who have participated in the crime of abortion may be personally forgiven by Christ, but judgment still looms over the nation, just as it did over Israel. God will not be mocked. What we have sown, that shall we also reap as a nation.

Until that judgment arrives, we still have hope for mercy, however. As followers of Christ, we can still cry out to God for mercy and ask him for crop failure. We can repent on behalf of the nation, asking God to turn the tide of injustice and immorality. We can plead with him to turn the nation to Jesus.

Just as we have an individual and a national identity, we also have an individual and a family identity.

The unconfessed sins of our forefathers may be looming over the family line.

I believe it is our responsibility to confess and forsake these sins, as living representatives of the family, and thank God for releasing the family from any inherited judgments and claim God’s blessings that are ours in Christ. (Galatians 3:13-14)

Abraham stood in the gap for Sodom and Gomorrah and for his nephew’s family who lived there. In the end, only Lot and his daughters survived, but that was better than everyone perishing. I wonder who will escape generational devastation because we stand in the gap?

In conclusion, generational sins and their attached judgments can affect not only the sinner but also his family, community, and nation. The law of sowing and reaping has a big part to play in this process. As believers, we recognize that we are personally forgiven for our own sins in an eternal sense, but we may still reap negative consequences for what we have done. We can trust God to turn even the worst situations into something that will bring him glory and work for our good. (Romans 8:28)

We can also pray (proclaim, declare) for ourselves and our family to be freed from any passed down family and corporate judgments (curses). (Galatians 3:13-14)

In the next article I will lay out in more detail the foundation of how we can experience freedom from generational judgments based on Christ’s finished work. I hope you will continue with me.

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Overcoming Generational Devastation: Lessons from DNA

This is the 14th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can find the rest of the articles by clicking on the link above.

Western society is intensely individualistic. The idea that we might be corporately responsible, guilty, or subject to punishment for sins committed by others in our family lineage or group chafes against our Greek-based logic and world view. Old Testament people, however, saw things differently. Perhaps they had more common sense.

Common sense observations tell us that people often suffer because of the sins of others.

For example, if a father commits a crime and goes to prison, he suffers as does his entire family. Some of this suffering likely will impact future generations. When children do not have a father present, it causes damage. Grandchildren may suffer from a lack of proper fathering because their own Dad did not get fathered as God would have intended. This is a clear example of the sin of a father being passed down in unexpected ways.

Old Covenant people understood and believed that they were linked to the blessings and the sins of their ancestors and their nation.

We can see this clearly in a variety of passages. Below I list a few in which various leaders and prophets confessed their own, their forefathers’, and the nation’s sin to God.

Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. Nehemiah 9:2 (NIV) 

O LORD, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned against you. Jeremiah 14:20 (NIV) 

O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us. 17  "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.  Daniel 9:16-17 (NIV)

Is this merely an Old Covenant concept that was done away with in Christ, or do we have the same sort of corporate responsibility before God today?

Lessons from DNA

There is a very interesting passage in the Letter to the Hebrews that has a lot to say about generational sins, guilt, judgments, and devastation.

One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10  for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him. Hebrews 7:9-10 (ESV)

When Abraham paid tithes, all of his descendants paid tithes. This is a profound statement that should make us rethink things. Negatively, when Adam sinned, all of his progeny sinned. (Romans 5:19) On the positive side, when Jesus rose from the dead, all of his spiritual descendants through the new birth rose from the dead. (Ephesians 2:5-6) In the natural world, a similar process works in our bodies that is based on DNA.

I believe God uses the properties of inheritance through the genome to reveal to us a spiritual principle called identification.

Physically, all of us are the sum total of the DNA inherited from all our ancestors. Each male inherits Y-DNA from his father going all the way back to Adam. Males and females inherit mitochondrial DNA from their mothers going all the way back to Eve. The rest of our genome comes from others in our line. If we go back to our great-great grandparents, we have a total of sixteen persons contributing to our make up. This means that in a sense we were “in” those sixteen individuals and their forefathers when they lived their lives here on planet earth as they were obeying, disobeying, or simply ignoring God.

Theologically, the principle of identification means that our identity is connected to Christ in a very real way.

Paul called this being “in” Christ. What was and is true for him, excepting his divinity, is ours through our unity or identification with him. Christianity would not provide a way for us to overcome sin, Satan, death, and disease if we were not identified with Christ. It is not enough to be merely forgiven through Christ’s dying as our substitute. True victory lies in his living his life in and through us via the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 2:20) We are forgiven because he paid the penalty for our sins. We are justified because we have been given (in Christ) his actual right standing before God. We are children of God through the new birth which provides us with God’s “spiritual DNA,” so to speak. We have the ability to live for God because he lives in and through us.

Simply put, if not for identification, we would not be saved.

But identification also was the cause of our needing salvation. Our identities are linked to fallen Adam’s prior to the new birth. Just as surely as we were “in Christ” when he walked the earth in complete harmony with and obedience to the Father and in reliance upon the Holy Spirit, did miracles, died a sacrificial death, and rose again in glory; so, we were in Adam when he betrayed God in the garden. We cannot have it only one way. Either both are true or neither is true. Thankfully, both are real!

This forces us to conclude that the guilt-justification paradigm for understanding what Christ did for us on the cross is inadequate.

His dying as our substitute, taking our guilt and punishment upon himself, does not tell the whole story. In a very real way, our salvation is more about “Who’s your Daddy?” than anything else. From whom do we derive our life, our makeup, and our inheritance? Is it from Adam or God the Father through the new birth?

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, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

We inherited Adam’s “sin nature,” the inborn propensity to sin, via our natural birth. Along with this spiritual inheritance comes a plethora of other things that are handed down regarding physical attributes, inclinations, giftings, etc., along with inherited guilt, since in Adam, we all sinned.

Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19 (NLT)

Likewise, the new birth is what gives us new life in Christ and a wonderful spiritual inheritance. So then, the idea of corporate guilt is not such a strange idea after all. Neither is the concept of corporate righteousness that we enjoy in Christ as the church. The bigger question, then, is how did Christ deal with this enormous weight of corporate guilt that infected all of humanity? Is there anything left for us to do? I will look at these two questions in coming articles.

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A Biblical Curse Is a Pronouncement of God’s Judgment

 

This is the 13th article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can view the rest of the articles by clicking on the link above.

 

A Pronouncement of God’s Judgment

Because the word “curse” is often used quite differently by moderns, it is very important to understand the biblical meaning.

In the Old Testament, a curse was a pronouncement of judgment by God on those who violated covenant stipulations.

When a covenant was made or “cut,” an animal was sacrificed and cut in two. The covenant makers would walk between the pieces of the dead animal, invoking a curse upon themselves should they violate the covenant. The following is an example of the curse or pronounced judgment attached to would be covenant violators.

“Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18  And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts— Jeremiah 34:17-18 (ESV)

 

A Revelation of God’s Justice

The curse or pronouncement of judgment was a revelation of God’s justice in that it provided the proper warning and punishment for disloyalty to God.

Adam and Eve betrayed God when they chose self-rule over his loving lordship by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of the tree of life. They valued and believed the serpent’s words more than God’s. The judgment upon their sin was the pronouncement of God’s justice in the form of a curse.

The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring;he shall bruise your head,and you shall bruise his heel.”16  To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;in pain you shall bring forth children.Your desire shall be for your husband,and he shall rule over you.”17  And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you,‘You shall not eat of it,’cursed is the ground because of you;in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;18  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.19  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread,till you return to the ground,for out of it you were taken;for you are dust,and to dust you shall return.”Genesis 3:14-19 (ESV)

The curse contained the following components, including a messianic promise.

  1. The serpent would be cursed or judged more than any other animal.
  2. He (Satan) would be ultimately crushed by the coming Messiah.
  3. The woman would suffer great pain in birthing children.
  4. The relationship between the husband and wife would be strained.
  5. The entire earth (creation) would be cursed, making life much more difficult for people and animals.
  6. The final aspect of the curse was the penalty of death.

It should be clear to us that, as descendants of Adam, we participate in this curse. The explanation we will explore later is that the effects of the curse were passed down to succeeding generations.

A Curse Pronounced by Jesus

Below I quote a New Testament example of a “curse” pronounced by Jesus over the residents of Jerusalem who were about to reject and crucify him, the ultimate act of covenant disloyalty.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30  saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31  Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32  Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33  You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34  Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35  so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36  Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. Matthew 23:29-36 (ESV)

Jesus understood that succeeding generations inherit the judgment earned by their ancestors. Do we?

Accumulated Looming Judgment

We see in Jesus’ words the principle that unconfessed and unforgiven sin accumulates judgment that looms over the generation of descendants still living.

Jesus linked the generation he was speaking to with their forefathers and their sins. The innocent blood shed by their forefathers still cried out to heaven for vengeance (Genesis 4:10), which God had been storing up to release on a future day.

God held (holds) successive generations corporately responsible for the sins of their fathers, especially if they chose (choose) to actively participate in those sins.

To the modern Westerner this seems very strange and maybe even wrong. To the New Covenant theologian, it also seems to violate the Law’s pronouncement that children will not die for the sins of their fathers.

Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin. Deuteronomy 24:16 (NIV)

Surely Jesus knew about that law; yet, he made the pronouncement quoted above. There is something going on here that deserves a better explanation. This goes to the heart of grasping what is the nature of generational sin, curses, and the consequent devastation. In my next article, I will explore in greater depth the nature of corporate sin, guilt, and judgment.

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Overcoming Generational Devastation: Overview

This is the twelfth article in a series entitled Wonderful Counseling. You can click on the link to find the entire listing of articles.

One of the least understood and most controversial areas of bondage is related to the sins that are repeated generationally in families. When these sins are not acknowledged and forgiven by God, they invite his judgment, resulting in generational devastation. We have all witnessed the repetition of certain sins in certain families, be they abuse, alcoholism, divorce, etc. There can be numerous reasons for these sins to continue generationally, one of which is the modeling of destructive behavior, setting up an expectation for repetition. Another might be a genetic propensity toward something such as an addiction to alcohol. We cannot rule out a spiritual component to sins continuing down through the generations either.

Most Bible students are aware of God’s Old Covenant warning that he will visit the sins of the fathers on the third and fourth generation of those who hate him.

...I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6  but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:5-6 (ESV)

The concept of generational curses or judgments being able to continue running through the families of born again believers as a result of the sins of their ancestors is highly controversial in light of what Christ accomplished through his death and resurrection. Our Lord Jesus broke the power of sin, guilt, condemnation, death, disease, and everything else that seeks to hold us in bondage; yet, I also have seen generational sins repeat even in families that love the Lord. What gives? Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Can we tap into Christ’s finished work in a way that will stop these family sins from afflicting the next generation? I believe the answer is an authoritative “Yes!”

How we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ’s finished work to overcome the effects of generational sin is what I plan to lay out in the next several articles under the sub-heading of “Overcoming Generational Devastation.”

I will examine what exactly is a curse in the biblical sense and how that relates to the principle of sowing and reaping. I will also take a look at the nature of corporate guilt, repentance, and judgment, and how blessings, sin, and sinful patterns are passed down through families and even nations. I will also cover what Christ did to liberate us, and what is our responsibility in the matter. I will also examine the nature vs. nurture argument and show how both are true.

My purpose in writing is to help people like us experience the fullness of what Jesus died and rose to win for us. Isaiah prophesied that in the coming days, God’s followers would rebuild what was previously destroyed and ruined, which he identified as being generational desolation or devastation.

Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. Isaiah 61:4 (NASB)

Followers of Christ who have been set free from the power of sin, have been given the enormous privilege and responsibility to help others find freedom in Christ. Rebuilding what sin has devastated over generations can be hard work and requires tremendous courage and perseverance. Our Lord has already done the “heavy lifting” through his death and resurrection, but we have a part to play, just as those who witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection were told to “unbind him and let him go.” (John 11:44)

I hope you will stay with me as I cover these various aspects of generational sin, the devastation it causes, and the the way out through Christ. I believe it will be well worth the effort.

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Meditations on God’s Greatness Inspire Faith, Peace, and Worship

 

Every day when we look upon God’s creation, we are meant to be profoundly impacted by it. What God made reflects who he is.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

Think about what we know about the heavens. When we look into the night sky, we are impacted by its mystery and immensity. Modern telescopes have revealed that the universe is much larger than we ever would have imagined, with thousands of gigantic far off galaxies filling the heavens. How big is the universe? What else have we yet to discover?

Our meditations on the universe point us to the Creator who is also far greater and more mysterious than we ever could imagine.

Like the heavens, which draw us to explore them, God wishes his people to be drawn toward him in a never ending quest to know him better.

Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring.” Hosea 6:3 (NLT)

Consider the oceans. One cannot help but be impressed with their grandeur, power, and immensity. The seas can be incredibly peaceful and terrifyingly angry and threatening. The power of a storm tossed ocean can sweep away everything man-made from a shoreline. The calm drum of the surf beating upon the sand can also give us a wonderful background noise for an afternoon nap. Who knows what mysteries still await exploration in its immense depths? What animals reside there which have yet to be discovered? All of this points our hearts toward the Creator, if we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand.

The grandeur of the mountains inspire us with God’s greatness, too. Their stability encourages us to be at rest in our hearts and let go of our pointless striving and worry. Imagine the incredible power it took to push them up from the surrounding plains! Imagine the God who created all of what we see from the Word of his power and upholds everything moment by moment.

And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3  The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. Hebrews 1:2-3 (NLT)

The Creator God has the power to uphold life or snuff it out in an instant. Our continued existence depends upon his conscious and deliberate maintenance of his upholding power. For God, nothing is too difficult. What we see as impossibilities are not even a challenge.

No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. Isaiah 40:15 (NLT)

Nothing can overcome God’s plan for this world and our own lives. He is unchanging in his purpose to bring glory and honor to his Son by bringing every single being and thing into proper submission to him.

After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25  For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26  And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27  For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) 28  Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (NLT)

Never fear. Nothing can stop the inexorable movement of all creation toward God’s intended purpose.

All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’ Daniel 4:35 (NLT)

Our proper response to God’s greatness is to worship.

How can we not surrender fully to such a God? How can we not worship him? In addition, we are to rest in his greatness.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

I encourage all of us to meditate often upon these things. It will inspire faith, help us to enjoy peace, and promote worship. Hopefully the result will be our growth into a greater knowledge and appreciation of our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer.

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How do so many people end up being so deceived?

I have friends who attend United Methodist churches that are embroiled in the process of disengaging from that denomination because of their radical views regarding LGBTQIA+. (The list of letters gets longer as time goes by.) One has to admire the courage and passion that Charles Wesley, the founder of Methodism, possessed. I believe he would be appalled at what has happened to those who claim the name of Methodist today. Where did this once powerful force for the gospel of Jesus Christ go wrong?

The Babel principle is that every man-made organization always slides toward centralization, self-rule, and self-glorification.

This is true of denominations, individual churches, governments, businesses, clubs, etc. It is a human problem that is generated from the sin nature we receive from Adam at conception, which, by default, leads us to abandon God’s leadership and establish our own kingdom. Christ died and rose again to bring us back into the kingdom of God, but, until the resurrection from the dead, even we Christians still have conflicted souls and are plagued by tendencies to rebel against God. Therefore it should not surprise us at all that the Methodist denomination has corrupted itself and abandoned the truth.

How did it happen?

I believe the slide into deception begins for any group or individual when we abandon our faith and conviction that God’s Word is inspired and the gold standard for truth.

When I became a born again Christian in 1971, I began to talk with other believers who regarded the Bible as infallible and the highest authority in their lives. As you can imagine, I struggled a bit with this for a while, but I finally reasoned that if Jesus rose from the dead and believed the Bible was infallible (John 10:35); so should I. I have never looked back.

When we accept the Bible as the gold standard for faith and practice, it impacts our lives tremendously. If we refuse to let God’s Word change us where needed, we experience a certain internal tension between what we want to do and what God says. If the tension is great enough, it begs for us to do something about it – either repent (change our minds) and align with the Bible’s teaching or deny that the Bible is true and authoritative.

We are in great danger of deception when we choose to believe some parts of the Bible and reject others that do not agree with what we think is right or desirable.

Let us look at a couple of current day examples.

  • Evolution. The Bible clearly teaches that the earth was created in six days and is “young” by geologic standards. Since unregenerate man automatically rejects the idea of a Creator, to whom we would be accountable by default, alternate explanations are required, no matter how nonsensical or self-contradictory. Children are taught to believe in the Big Bang theory, without giving thought to where the original matter and energy came from. We are taught that highly complex life self-generated from chaos, which contradicts the second law of thermodynamics. We are taught that humans have been on the planet for millions of years, despite the fact that genetic entropy does not allow for this kind of time line. Once we abandon what God says, we go careening off course into wilder and wilder levels of error and deception. It is unavoidable and tragic. Professing ourselves to be wise, we become fools. (Romans 1:22)
  • Transgenderism. The Bible clearly teaches that God created humans as male and female. (Genesis 1:27) I have lived for seventy years, and it is only very recently that people have been confused about this order of things. It should not surprise us, however, that people would adopt such nonsensical thinking. When we abandon God’s Word, we have nothing upon which to base anything when it comes to the truth. Truth becomes subjective. No matter what chromosomes and genitalia I may have, I can be whatever I deem myself to be, which is deception pure and simple. It remains to be seen what kind of destruction results from this sort of thinking. Those who encourage children to abandon their God-given understanding of gender and embrace something different are engaging in child abuse. The rejection of our God-given gender is simply another form of rebellion against the Creator.
  • Judgment. It is currently fashionable to believe that since God is love, he will not condemn anyone to hell. This sort of universalism contradicts Christ’s clear teaching and negates God’s justice. It also denies the necessity of Christ’s death for our sins. If God does not condemn, why did Jesus have to die? Why did Jesus tell the Pharisees that they would die in their sins, if they did not believe in him? (John 8:24) Why did he say that we should fear him who will cast people into hell? (Luke 12:5) The desire to escape God’s judgment against sin cannot and will not negate his judgment against sin. It is deception. Those who teach such things misrepresent God and deny the truth.

Jesus said that his disciples would be lovers of truth who would be liberated by adherence to his words.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 (NLT)

The opposite is also true. If we reject God’s Word, we will descend into deception and bondage. In fact, we cannot even be saved without having a love of the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

The choice is ours. What will we decide? If you are struggling whether or not to surrender your life to Jesus and be governed by the Bible, you are not alone.

The Holy Spirit was given to us to help us on our spiritual journey. You can turn to him and ask him to guide you into truth.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13a (NLT)

You can trust him to show you the way. He did so for me.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I am at a crossroads in my life. I can live according to the Bible’s teachings or continue to try to figure things out on my own. I do not want to make a mistake on something this big. I am struggling to know if I can really trust that the Bible, in its entirety, can be fully trusted to guide me in life. Please help me in my search for truth. Open my eyes and understanding. Help me to believe more fully. Amen.

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The Great Bait and Switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the oldest tricks in the book is the bait and switch. We get lured into talking to a sales person by responding to an amazing sounding deal only to find out midstream that that particular product is no longer available, but something more expensive is. Satan used something like that on humanity. He lured Adam and Eve into disobeying God by telling them they would not die, despite God’s warning to the contrary. Now that we have fallen victim to that lie, he continually uses the great switcheroo against us. Now the enemy of our souls uses the fear of death to enslave us and keep us from obeying the Creator. It would be like making a lot of money by doing one little thing for the mafia, only to find out later that there is no way out and the demands keep escalating. Is there any way out of this trap?

Jesus came as a human being to set us free from this most basic of fears.

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15  Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT)

The only way for us to escape the enslaving power of the fear of death is to put our faith and allegiance in the only One who has actually conquered death. Anyone who can predict his own death and resurrection and pull it off, is someone worth following. He is the most important person who ever lived. His name is Jesus the Messiah. He is the Lord of life.

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave. Revelation 1:18 (NLT)

The Lord of life is also master over death and the grave. He taught us that those who put their faith and allegiance in him actually will never die.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26 (ESV)

So, Satan told us we would not die, which was a lie. Now he tells people that obeying God will cause us to die. Is that not how he deceived the Israelites into rebelling against God’s command to conquer the Promised Land the first time around? Satan is still at his old game of telling us that God brings death, but he brings life. Despite the Bible’s clear teaching that the wages of sin is death, people overwhelming fall for Satan’s lie that sin does indeed bring fulfillment and life. Do you ever wonder why God has gone to such lengths to redeem people like us? I do.

Jesus told his disciples that the truth will set us free. (John 8:31-32) The truth is that Jesus and his teachings bring life. Faith in Jesus transfers us out of the kingdom of darkness, death,and slavery into the kingdom of light, life, and freedom.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12  always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13  For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:11-14 (NLT)

Nevertheless, many, if not most, still actively choose satanic tyranny over God’s freedom.

Why is this? Simply put, we prefer to believe a lie than the truth. We would rather run our own lives, even if it leads to bondage and death, than serve the Creator.

The way out of this lunacy is to accept God’s amazing offer called the Gospel.

God sent his Son to pay the penalty for our rebellion against God. Jesus died for us so our sins against God and other people might be forgiven and we might be reconciled and restored to God the Father as his children. He died and rose again to liberate us from the tyranny of the devil and bring us into the glorious freedom of God’s children!

the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:21 (NLT)

Isn’t it time for you to make the switch? Stop following the father of lies and declare allegiance to the Truth, our Lord Jesus the Messiah King. Start truly living!

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

 

Prayer

Creator God, I am amazed at how patient you have been with your rebellious creatures. Forgive me for my part in all this. I now realize that I have been trying to live independently from you. I believe that you raised your Son from the dead and I now accept that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I receive the forgiveness he died to provide for me. Thank you for reconciling me to yourself and making me your child. Holy Spirit, come live your life in and through me. I devote my life to you now, my God. Use me as you see fit. Help me to boldly tell others about this glorious good news. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer and meant it, your life will never be the same! Now I encourage you to find a group of believers who can assist you on your discipleship journey. Get water baptized to make a public declaration of your allegiance to Christ. Receive the baptism in the Spirit to empower you to be a bold witness. Share your faith with others. Grace and peace be to you.

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Are We on the Verge of the Apocalypse?

 

 

 

 

Just how close are we to the Apocalypse? No one knows for sure. Many do not even know what the word means. In Greek apocalupsis simply means a revealing; hence, the book of the Bible called Revelation, which reveals Jesus’ glory and authority. In fact, Jesus is the focus of the entire Bible, the goal of history, and the absolute Lord of all creation.

The Apocalypse will be the final unveiling of his true identity to the world for all to see.

And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30 (NLT)

His Second Coming will bring about the conclusion of history, the final judgment of everyone who ever lived, and the beginning of the final state of things, which will include a new heaven and earth. This will be the final and most glorious revelation of Jesus’ true identity, but let’s go back in time to see how this unveiling has progressed over the centuries.

Just after the first man and woman fell for the devil’s lie and betrayed their Creator, God told the serpent, who led them astray, that one day in the future a descendant of Eve would crush his head.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

This was the first mention of the coming Messiah King who would defeat Satan and restore the human race and the creation itself to God. Much later God promised the then childless Abraham that through his descendants the entire earth would be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3) Paul, who encountered the risen Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, understood that this promise came to pass through one particular descendant.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB)

Much later, God revealed something further about his coming One. Not only would he descend from Abraham, more specifically he would be the “seed” of King David and inherit his throne – forever. In other words, he would not only be a blessing: he also would rule over God’s eternal kingdom. (2 Samuel 7:12-13) This was a second major unveiling of God’s plan for the coming Messiah King.

There were others who “saw” by revelation this coming One. King David wrote Psalms about him, Psalm 22 being a prophetic preview of his crucifixion. Job saw by faith his future appearance on the earth to raise the dead. (Job 19:25-27) Isaiah saw his glory (Isaiah 6:1) and predicted his suffering and death (Isaiah 53). Jeremiah revealed that Jesus would be God’s means of bringing righteousness through a new covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) Zechariah saw his glorious appearing to the Jews who would believe in him at the very end. (Zechariah 12:10) All of these people saw something glorious without ever completely knowing what it all meant. That would only be unveiled much later.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11  They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. 12  They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:10-12 (NLT)

Let’s skip forward in time to a huge turning point in human history when the angel Gabriel appeared to an unassuming young unmarried woman in Israel with this unprecedented message.

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Luke 1:31-33 (NASB)

God chose Mary to be the mother of the Messiah King. Jesus’ conception and birth initiated a series of remarkable unveilings of the identity of our Lord. Contrary to all expectations, God became a human being, a baby born to relatively poor parents with no apparent prestige or standing in the world. He came inauspiciously, hidden from the view of everyone except those whose spiritual eyes were opened by the Spirit of God: Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, as well as Anna and Simeon, who were in the Temple when Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth. When Simeon saw the baby Jesus, he prophesied:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30  I have seen your salvation, 31  which you have prepared for all people. 32  He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” 33  Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34  Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35  As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” Luke 2:29-35 (NLT)

Imagine being able to see past the Messiah’s humble condition as a little baby into his glorious future role!

The ability to see what is true about Jesus, which is hidden to most people, is called revelation, which comes via the Holy Spirit. Only those who had eyes to see and ears to hear the Spirit were able to discern his true identity. The same is true today.

The next key person to whom God revealed the Messiah was John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin and Elizabeth’s son. God’s choice of John was even more significant because we usually are unable to accept that someone in our own family is especially called and gifted by God. Nevertheless, God used John to reveal to the world Jesus’ true identity as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1:29) God also showed to John that Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, the one who empowers the church to fulfill the Great Commission. In addition, John identified Jesus as the Son of God, which was the same as calling him the Messiah and Lord. John the Baptist saw by revelation Jesus’ entire earthly ministry – Savior, Lord, and Baptizer in the Spirit.

John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33  "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' 34  "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God." John 1:32-34 (NASB)

When John’s followers heard these pronouncements, some of them elected to follow Jesus as disciples. They saw something in our Lord that pulled them toward him. Eventually, Jesus asked his followers a very important question: “Who do you say that I am?” He wanted to know what had the Spirit shown them. Peter spoke up.

...“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Matthew 16:16-17 (NLT)

The Bible makes it clear that it is impossible for us to recognize Jesus’ true identity as God’s chosen Messianic King and Lord without our spiritual understanding being opened by the Holy Spirit.

The nature of revelation is that it depends on God. We play a part by responding to the inner working of the Spirit, but we cannot open our own sin-blinded eyes. Until we receive this divine impartation of revelation from God, we cannot see as we should.

But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15  Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 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. 2 Corinthians 3:14-18 (NLT)

Most of the people in Israel in Jesus’ day did not know his real identity. Some said he was a good man, a prophet, a teacher, or even a blasphemer. Only those whose eyes were opened were able to see that he was and is the Messiah.

God revealed Jesus’ identity a little more on the mount of transfiguration, where three disciples saw him glorified beyond anything seen before by men. (Matthew 17:1-8) His face shined like the sun and his clothes were a dazzling white like light itself. This brief encounter with Jesus’ glory awakened those three disciples to a heavenly reality not before experienced, but they still did not understand. In their minds, Jesus was on a par with Moses and Elijah, not in a class by himself. That would all change at the resurrection.

After Jesus suffered and died as God’s Lamb to expiate our sins, he was buried and after three days rose from the dead. Paul wrote the following summation.

The Good News is about his Son, Jesus. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4  and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5  Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. Romans 1:3-5 (NLT)

When God the Father raised Jesus from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus came out of the grave as the glorified Lord of Lords, to whom all authority in heaven and earth has been given. (Matthew 28:18)

The only proper response to the gloriously risen Jesus is to acknowledge his supreme authority and lordship and to follow and obey him. That is what God wants us to do.

This takes us back to the Garden of Eden where Adam refused to recognize, honor, and obey his Creator God, causing humanity to plunge into the abyss of rebellion against our Maker. Mankind in general continues to choose slavery to the devil over submission to the Creator. By so doing, humanity has embraced tyranny, evil, destruction, poverty, sickness, and death. By dying in our place and rising again, Jesus conquered the prince of darkness, paid the penalty for our rebellion, and made it possible for us to return to God’s benevolent rule. We do this by turning from our wicked rebellious ways and the wicked one’s rule and by declaring allegiance to the risen Lord. In other words, we switch kingdoms. Paul said it this way.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Those first disciples were given the glorious privilege of personally seeing, touching, and conversing with the risen Lord. Thomas was famous for saying that he would not believe that Jesus rose again unless he personally put his fingers into the nail holes in his hands. Jesus granted this request, at which point Thomas exclaimed, “My lord and my God!” Jesus replied:

..."You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” John 20:29 (NLT)

Even when we cannot see with our natural eyes because Jesus has ascended into heaven, we can see with spiritual eyes.

Paul prayed:

[I] do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might Ephesians 1:16-19 (NASB)

All who are granted the ability to see who Jesus is by revelation and who put their faith and allegiance in him will be saved.

Those who eyes still are blinded by sin will not see, receive, or submit to his benevolent rule. They will suffer the condemnation and punishment that all traitors deserve.

There is soon coming a point in history for the final and most glorious revelation of Christ to the world – the Apocalypse. This time every eye shall see him for who he really is, the glorious Son of Man, the judge of all the earth.

According to prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14) and Jesus’ own words, already quoted above, he will come in the clouds with great glory. His authority to judge and rule will at that time be apparent to all. The Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord.( Philippians 2:9-11) For us who have already acknowledged his lordship, it will be a joyous day! For the rest, it will be the acknowledgement of the condemned that they deserve judgment for rejecting his rightful kingship.

Which camp will we be in, those who rejoice to see his coming or those who are terrified?

Now is the time to join the first party, if you have not already. The Bible says that, if we confess that he is the Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10) God is more than ready to help us in this matter. Fifty-one years ago this Spring, I made the decision to invite this King into my life. I was not yet convinced that he had really risen from the dead, but I knew that, if he had, it was the most important event to date in the history of the world. I asked him to reveal himself to me, if he were truly the risen Son of God. As you have no doubt figured out, the Holy Spirit soon opened my eyes to that glorious reality. Faith filled my heart, and I experienced God’s presence all around me. As God gave me a new birth, spiritually speaking, everything became new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) I was filled with an amazing joy and a desire to tell everyone about this God who can be known. I want you to know him, too.

Prayer

Jesus, I have heard about you and realize that I have been living as my own little god, calling the shots in my life without regard to you. I have changed my mind and want you to be my Lord from now on. Please come into my life as my Source, my Life, my Peace, and my Lord. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead to make me right with Father God. I profess allegiance to you as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Empower me to be your witness to the world. Amen.

If you prayed this sincerely, God will do his part. Find a disciple making church where you can publicly announce your allegiance and faith in Christ to the world through being water baptized. Start reading your Bible, praying, worshiping, and regularly attending meetings with other disciples who can help you grow in the Lord. Be sure to tell others that they can know him, too.

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Expand Your Impact by Narrowing Your Focus

 

To have significance is one of life’s basic longings; yet, most of us live in relative obscurity and wonder how important are we in the grand scheme of things? Few of us directly impact the lives of large numbers of people. Instead we touch a relatively small number of individuals. How can we make a more significant mark in life?  I believe it can happen by narrowing our focus.

If we were given the choice between preaching to a thousand people or discipling one, which would we choose? Few of us would be comfortable as that preacher, but most of us can see ourselves taking on a single disciple. Barnabas in the Book of Acts was significant enough to be mentioned several times in the Bible, but what was his main claim to fame? He was an encourager. In fact that is what his name means. He came alongside two men in his his lifetime who were operating in relative obscurity. One was Paul and the other was John Mark. God used Barnabas to help lift those men into major ministries that eclipsed Barnabas’. Paul became perhaps the greatest of all the apostles and the author of much of the New Testament. John Mark wrote one of the gospels and became a faithful co-laborer with Paul. We do not know much about anything else Barnabas went on to do. His reward and significance will be forever connected to those he helped.

Significance in life is largely measured through those we help along the way.

Barnabas was able to encourage others because he was full of faith.

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24  Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 25  Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26  When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Acts 11:22-26 (NLT)

The ministry and art of encouragement hinges on our having faith and vision for people beyond what they currently have for themselves. With God’s help, parents can see things in their children and help them develop. Husbands and wives can do the same for each other. This is also true for others God brings into our lives. We should consider that our significance derives from helping others flourish. Our joy should be increased by making others successful. Seeing them eclipse us should be our crowning achievement.

For the majority of us personal significance will be found in how well we love, encourage, and develop those around us.

Parents’ most important disciples are their children. The future of the kingdom of God somewhat rests on the shoulders of the upcoming generations. How well parents invest in their children will have a great impact. God blessed my wife and I with four amazing children. They have expanded our impact in the world beyond anything we could have done personally. We fully expect their children and grandchildren to keep the chain going.

What if all of us decided to narrow our focus to discipling and encouraging at least one person to fulfill his or her calling in God in the coming year? How would that impact the world? What if we narrowed our focus to helping others? Perhaps we could all become like Barnabas by leaving an indelible mark on the world through the people we touch and encourage along the way.

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