Forget Not The Benefits of Being God’s Child
The world’s systems can fall apart in a matter of days. The things we trust in and depend on can go away overnight. Then what? What do you do if you lose everything? Answer: Remember the Lord and forget not his benefits. God sees ahead and makes provision, our job is to stay receptive to him so we’ll follow his leading into provision.
It may take a while, you may have some difficult days or even years. You may have to work a job you don’t like for a while. You might lose your pension/retirement. But the Lord is with you and is able to do exceedingly above all you can ask or think.
Be wise, plan, save, invest, but remember those things are not your provision, they are simply tools to manage the Lord’s provision.
The reason we don’t cling to God and allow him to lead us through adversity into extravagant blessing is we forget about his benefits and lean to our own strength in the process. We become afraid or get mad at God that we’re going through a difficulty and close off our hearts to his spirit, and constrict his blessings from flowing in our lives. It’s the principle of the sower and the seed from Mark 4, the receptivity of your heart to God’s word determines the degree of his kingdom you’ll experience in this earth. (more on that topic here)
You have the responsibility to believe and co-labor with God. BUT!! REMEMBER!! You are not limited to your ability. You are not limited to what’s in your hands. You have God’s faith working in you and he is able to believe in a way you can’t imagine. But that doesn’t absolve you from believing, it’s a collaboration, so don’t forget his benefits.
“Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits...”
The world’s systems can fall apart in a matter of days. Things we depend on can crumble overnight. Then what? What do you do if you lose everything? Answer: Remember the Lord and forget not his benefits. God sees ahead and makes provision, and our job is to stay receptive to him, so we’ll follow his leading into provision.
It may take a while, and you may have some problematic days or even years. You may have to work a job you don’t like for a while. You might lose your pension/retirement. But the Lord is with you and can do exceedingly above all you can ask or think.
Be wise, plan, save, invest, but remember those things are not your provision; they are simply tools to manage the Lord’s provision.
The reason we don’t cling to God and allow him to lead us through adversity into extravagant blessing is we get scared and forget about his benefits and lean to our own strength in the process.
We become afraid or get mad at God that we’re going through adversity and harden our hearts to his spirit. We constrict the flow of his blessings by focusing on our problems and making them bigger them him.
It’s the principle of the sower, and the seed from Mark 4, the receptivity of your heart to God’s word determines the degree of his kingdom you’ll experience in this earth. (more on that topic here)
You have the responsibility to believe and co-labor with God. BUT REMEMBER!! You are not limited to your ability. You are not limited to what’s in your hands. You have God’s faith working in you. But that doesn’t absolve you from believing. It’s a collaboration, so don’t forget his benefits.
“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!”
Life happens while you’re waiting for those benefits to manifest. You have legitimate needs now, I get it. I have friends in the airline industry whose jobs are uncertain. They have not worked in months, and there seems to be no definitive return date.
I have pastor friends who have to relocate because they cannot make their building payments. The chef who has a fantastic restaurant next to our church has to move because the response to the virus killed his business. Life happens, and it’s not always loaded with God’s benefits.
But if you’ll remember, if you’ll keep our hearts open to him, if you’ll hold his promises in your heart and doubt not, you will see his provision. God is always speaking, and he is still leading you into truth and blessing, make sure you are not clouded with fear. Factor God into your life’s decisions. Click for an article entitled “God Is Constant In A World Full Of Variables.”
What Are His Benefits?
If you’re not supposed to forget his benefits, you have to know what they are in the first place. Start with his NAME. God is who he is, and he always behaves in a way that’s consistent with his character.
Check out this list of God’s names to remind yourself of who he is. If you remember who he is, it will help you remember his benefits, they’re the same.
Psalm 103 is another place where he lists his benefits. Let’s walk through the first five verses to learn how NOT to forget God’s benefits.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name.
David is speaking to himself, his own soul. He steps outside of his situation to instruct himself to bless the Lord with all that is within him. This is an exercise in repentance, he’s changing the way he thinks about his present situation, and himself, to direct his mind and heart to the Lord.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
David refines his own instructions to focus on God’s benefits. When David is facing adversity, he chooses to focus on God’s promises and praise him from a different perspective.
3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,
ALL!! Even under the Old Covenant, David knew God was merciful and forgiving. These are specific promises David is holding on to. He takes the time to remind himself of God’s character.
4 who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion,
David shifts from specific benefits like healing and forgiveness to more poetic and emotional benefits. God will lift you out of the hole, and he will deliver you from darkness, he will save you from the pits of life.
He also gives you a beautiful picture of God’s attitude toward you as he is healing you, forgiving you, and lifting you out of the pit. God does these things with kindness and compassion toward you. God didn’t have to reveal his heart toward us, but he did. He wants us to know how he feels about us as he forgives us. He loves you and wants to be kind to you.
You can use this as a meditative exercise. What does it feel like for the Lord to crown you with his love? How does he do that? What does his kindness feel like as it rests upon your head?
I love poetic moments like this in God’s word. They help us transcend our issues and step into God’s heart for us.
5 who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
Keep in mind, David is reminding himself of who God is and how he relates to him. He’s repenting. He’s changing his mind and getting a grasp on his emotions, framing his inner world with God’s character and promises. David knows that the Lord is good, and he desires to strengthen us.
How can you apply what King David models to us in Psalm 103? How can you remember God’s benefits to transcend the emotions of your circumstances? What do you know about God that you can set your mind on and see manifest in your life? David didn’t just quote scripture. He spoke things to himself that are true about God, and then he experienced them. He held on to God’s character until he experienced the very things he knew about God.
Don’t give up, hold fast to God’s character, and he will renew you and load you with benefits. I recommend writing your own Psalm of self-encouragement. Instruct yourself to think on the Lord, include things you should remember. Then expect to see those things in your life, because the Lord is for you!
True Forgiveness
You know you are supposed to pray for people who have hurt you, but sometimes it's hard, especially if that person is still in your life. We're encouraged to forgive and move on, but forgiving the person who caused so much pain is not easy.
You might be in a position where that person, or possibly faith leaders in your life are pressuring you to forgive. I want to show you how to genuinely find forgiveness in your heart and get to a place where you can pray for and bless that person.
Before we get into how to pray for and bless those who have abused you, let's establish a few key points. Remind yourself of these truths as you process through forgiveness, into praying for and blessing your abuser.
““But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
You know you are supposed to pray for people who have hurt you, but sometimes it's hard, especially if that person is still in your life. We're encouraged to forgive and move on, but forgiving the person who caused so much pain is not easy.
You might be in a position where that person, or possibly faith leaders in your life are pressuring you to forgive. I want to show you how to genuinely find forgiveness in your heart and get to a place where you can pray for and bless that person.
Before we get into how to pray for and bless those who have abused you, let's establish a few key points. Remind yourself of these truths as you process through forgiveness, into praying for and blessing your abuser.
Forgiveness is not excusing their behavior
God has already forgiven you in Christ
God has already forgiven them in Christ
You can choose to let go of the pain
The pain no longer defines you
How Do I Know I Have Forgiven?
I hear this question often, "how do I know if I have forgiven them?" It's a valid and sincere question. I fear that performance-centered religion often drives the question, and I fear that the actual abuser may be forcing the issue.
They're either pressuring you to forgive them, or you have been made to believe that God won't forgive you if you don't forgive. Jesus did say "forgive, or your Father in Heaven won't forgive you," but that was before he paid for you sin, you are forgiven in Christ alone.
Toxic forgiveness is in place when your abuser is guilting you into forgiveness. Usually, they're just trying to cleanse their guilty conscience - be aware, don't fall into that trap.
True forgiveness is when you have released the pain at a heart level, and it no longer defines any aspect of your identity. If you identify with the abuse, you have not released your abuser from your heart, but you can.
SEEK TRUE FORGIVENESS
Let's first define the word "forgive" before we discuss how you can know you have truly forgiven.
To lift up
Pardon
To cover
Make atonement
To send away (to bid going away)
To leave, go away from
To go away and leave something behind
As you can see, forgiveness is a dynamic concept. Jesus gives us the key to true forgiveness when he says to bless and pray for those who have hurt you.
How Do I Pray For and Bless My Abuser?
How does Jesus pray for those who have abused him? "Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." He sees the person instead of the pain they caused him. He understands they are acting out of their ignorance.
You are not giving them an excuse when you forgive them, you are choosing to remove the power they have over you. You are allowing your opinion of that person to transcend their sin. In a sense, you are doing what God did for you, “loved you before you loved him.” You are choosing NOT to let someone else's sin define you.
The quickest path to true forgiveness is not to analyze yourself, it’s to pray for them. Pray for them as you would pray for your favorite person. Pray for their healing and forgiveness. Pray they can release their pain. Pray they can know God’s love and be set free from their guilt and shame.
Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
You might be able to pray for them, but how do you bless them? Let’s define “bless.”
"Bless" Word Study
Bless - eulogeōfrom (from two words)
eu - farewell, prosper, be well off
logos - word - speech
"To bless someone is to speak to their wellbeing."
There are a few usages of the word "bless."
Invoke blessings (invoke - cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.)
of one taking leave
of one at the point of death
The idea in usage TWO is to bless someone as if they are going away, or as if they are on their death bed. Interestingly, usage two is the one applied in Luke 6:27. Bless them as if they are going away. They ARE going away because you are choosing to send them away. You are choosing to send away the pain they caused you. And you are choosing to send away the bitterness and anger you have against them.
Let's Put It All Together
If someone hurt or abused you, you are to forgive them because your father in Heaven has forgiven you. You are to pray for them as Jesus prayed for his enemies; he asked that their sin not be held against them. He was not bitter or angry when he prayed, and he prayed for them out of compassion due to their ignorance.
Jesus knew he had the authority to release forgiveness for them. In a way, you do as well. You have the power to administer forgiveness in their lives by forgiving them yourself. If they can experience your forgiveness, they may be able to open their hearts to receive forgiveness from God, should they choose to accept it.
You are then instructed to bless them. But you are to bless them as you would someone that is leaving you or getting ready to leave this world. This is where the aspect of "sending them away," from the definition of "forgiveness" comes into play.
This denotes boundaries. You are to release them as if they are going away from your life. You're not holding on to the hurt, you're not holding on to the anger, but you are also not holding on to them. You are bidding them farewell from your heart, and possibly even your life.
You are praying for them and speaking life over them as they carry on with their lives, unable to hurt you any longer because you are choosing to leave it all behind.
Forgiveness Exercise
Let's try something practical. If you have someone in your life who has hurt you and the pain is still there, try this.
Write their name.
Write a few of God's promises for them.
Write what you hope they experience in their heart from experiencing God's love.
Envision them departing from your heart, no longer able to create emotions within you.
A Mother's Day Blessing by Sara Byars
When I think of God, I think of a loving, powerful, forgiving father, I am aware that He is good and only good! I love what Clint says, "God created a whole planet for two people." He wants us to be a family and to live in paradise together.
We messed up that part of the equation through sin and unbelief, but God still makes a way where there is no way. He sent Jesus to fix all our shortcomings and heal his original plan of having a family.
When God chose a woman to be the one to give birth, that was no mistake. He knew the tenderness of a woman would have the perfect calming voice when needed. He knew her creative hands could help with taking care of her children and keep life fun! He knew her heart would instantly be filled with a never-ending love the moment she laid eyes on her child. He just knew women would be the best to do all the things needed to birth, to raise, to love, and be the Mom!
When I think of God, I think of a loving, powerful, forgiving father, I am aware that He is good and only good! I love what Clint says, "God created a whole planet for two people." He wants us to be a family and to live in paradise together.
We messed up that part of the equation through sin and unbelief, but God still makes a way where there is no way. He sent Jesus to fix all our shortcomings and heal his original plan of having a family.
When God chose a woman to be the one to give birth, that was no mistake. He knew the tenderness of a woman would have the perfect calming voice when needed. He knew her creative hands could help with taking care of her children and keep life fun! He knew her heart would instantly be filled with a never-ending love the moment she laid eyes on her child. He just knew women would be the best to do all the things needed to birth, to raise, to love, and be the Mom!
1 Peter 3:4: "You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God."
I hope you know that God is there for you. He is the perfect Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Sibling, and best friend. Your part is to learn of His love and goodness. If your heart hasn't experienced that part of him yet, open yourself up to Him and say, "teach me, Lord who you really are, restore my heart to experience your love." Remind yourself that you have ears to hear. You can ask him for advice just like you would to a mom, a husband, a friend, and I promise He answers.
Lastly, you may have to ask God to help see His goodness. If you are a mom or a dad, a daughter, or a son, I know you've seen His goodness, the miracles of life, you've seen His love, and all that is in Him. It has always been there, from the beginning of time when God created an entire planet of paradise for just two people, just look again.
Allow Him to open your eyes to see His perfect love, His provision, His joy, His blessings as well as the miracles all around you, every day. I am choosing to be thankful for the gift of our Mom's this weekend.
To all my Mom's out there, I pray that God would touch you and fill your life anew with His grace and mercy, so you'll know that you are blessed. You deserve some time out to relax in God's love and reflect on Him with thankfulness for His blessings from above. You are blessed beyond measure, and you're doing a good job!
Inside Out Identity: Learn to Allow God's Love to Deliver Grace to Your Heart
Nothing “outside” of you has the authority to tell you who you are. You have given your life to God, he “owns” you, and he alone has the authority to define what and who you are.
So what does he say?
God says you are at peace with him by faith in Christ, and he says you’re in right-standing with him the same way. He defines the terms, and he enforces the rules. Righteousness is by faith, not works.
Also remember that God has placed his spirit in you, and his kingdom is in you, so essentially God is in you. If God determines your identity, he does it from the inside, not through external circumstances in your life.
Righteousness is not by works, holiness is not by works, and identity is not by works, it’s all given to you in Christ. Your actions do not define you. Nothing anyone does to you, defines you. Not even your DNA defines you.
Unfortunately, we can go through things in this life that are so traumatic we allow them to define us because they’re so overwhelming. What do we do in traumatic situations?
Nothing “outside” of you has the authority to tell you who you are. You have given your life to God, he “owns” you, and he alone has the authority to define what and who you are.
So what does he say?
God says you are at peace with him by faith in Christ, and he says you’re in right-standing with him the same way. He defines the terms, and he enforces the rules. Righteousness is by faith, not works.
Also remember that God has placed his spirit in you, and his kingdom is in you, so essentially God is in you. If God determines your identity, he does it from the inside, not through external circumstances in your life.
Righteousness is not by works, holiness is not by works, and identity is not by works, it’s all given to you in Christ. Your actions do not define you. Nothing anyone does to you, defines you. Not even your DNA defines you.
Unfortunately, we can go through things in this life that are so traumatic we allow them to define us because they’re so overwhelming. What do we do in traumatic situations?
Trauma Based Identity
Trauma can be devastating. We all know what physical trauma is; when the body takes damage. A bruise, open wound, or loss of limb are all considered traumas of varying degrees. Economic, relational, or general emotional traumas are in the world as well.
All of those kinds of traumas are things that happen from the outside. You lose your job, you get a divorce, or someone abuses you; all of those happen to you.
You choose how you respond to those situations. It may not feel like in certain situations but you get to determine how those things affect you long term. Sometimes those events are so overwhelming that you allow them to shape how you see yourself.
If someone has taken advantage of you and you feel powerless, the emotion may linger. If your parents told you that you are stupid, that might be a belief that still carries weight in your life today. Your identity might be so connected to your job performance that you feel less valuable when you don’t do a good job.
All of those situations can create emotional trauma from the outside in.
Inside Out Identity
We must allow God to inform our self-worth and our identity. We are who God says we are and nothing else. We may behave in certain ways or hold specific positions, but those things are temporary and do not have the authority to tell you what kind of being you are and who you are in God’s sight.
God’s opinion is the ultimate reality in our lives. How God sees things are the truth of any situation. How he sees it is unchangeable.
We must learn to see ourselves through his eyes. It’s a bit challenging since he’s invisible, but we can know his perspective through the person of Jesus. Jesus is the most evident understanding we have of who God is.
How to Live In the Power of Your Identity In Christ
It’s easier than you think, but there’s an element of trust involved. Recently at church, my wife shared a story about going to the grocery store. She saw several people wearing masks and trying their best to keep their distance in the crowd. There were limitations on certain items, and all the employees were exhausted from working so many hours. Sara just didn’t feel like dealing with it.
I used that as an object lesson in my sermon above. The object lesson I’ll share here is the key to living in the power of your identity.
First, let me say again; there’s an element of trust involved. You have to trust that God’s spirit is giving you wisdom and actual strength, and it’s up to you to choose it.
Here’s the simple lesson, in this case, before you go into the store, remember who you are. You may do this before you get out of bed, go to work, interact with your family, whatever it may be. Before you proceed into whatever you’re doing, take a couple of minutes to remember who God is and who you are in him.
Before you go into the grocery store, you might say something like this; there are people in there who don’t know you, God, I may be the one to show them love and open their hearts to you. I am a child of God. Everywhere I go, I have your peace. I will not react, I will stand in your strength, and I will be open to your power in my life, in this store, whatever that may be. I choose to allow you to give me strength.
Expect strength to arise (trust) and then proceed.
VERY SIMPLE! What you’re doing is putting on the new man, you’re intentionally renewing your mind to who you are in him; therefore, you are positioned for the will of God to work through you.
That’s where the trust comes in, remembering God is present, and he will empower you to walk in love. If you’re going to work, or the doctor or whatever, do the same thing, yield your heart to his love and powerful grace before you go in.
Try it, don’t dismiss it because it’s too simple. Trust that God is giving you strength in a real way; it’s not just a nice idea. Go! Try it! Watch him work in your life!
Download the series
You Can Know God’s Ways
MESSAGE TITLES
How to Receive Revelation from God - Colossians 1
The Most Underrated Passage in the Bible - Colossians 2
You Can Know God's Ways
God's Love Delivers Grace to Your Heart
You Can Know God’s Ways, You Don’t Have To Be Confused
Have you ever heard the idea that you can't know God's ways because they're higher than our ways? It's usually applied when a difficult or confusing thing happens. Well, you don't have to be confused, you can know His ways.
God was actually angry at the Israelites in the wilderness for not knowing His ways. God expects you to know His ways. God has shown us His ways, and His spirit continually teaches you His ways. Click for more.
After their deliverance from Egypt, many of the Israelites complained about their accommodations, which led to unthankfulness, which led to a hardness of heart, which led to them not being able to enter into the land God promised their ancestors.
God was angry with the Israelites in the wilderness for two reasons; their hearts were hard toward Him, and they didn't know His ways. Think about that. He was angry because they didn't know His ways. Most pastors teach people that you can't know God's ways because they're higher than our ways. Confusion is encouraged. "Just accept that you can't understand God's ways and accept what's happening to you because we just don't know what God is doing." This is a lie from hell.
1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
Back to the Israelites in the wilderness, He expected them to know His ways! How? They were to remember His faithfulness. He delivered them from Egypt and reminded them of His original promises to their father Abraham and began leading them, but they still wondered if He would follow through.
Hebrews 3:7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice, 8 do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your fathers tested and tried Me, and for forty years saw My works. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.’ 11 So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” 12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.
Imagine this, God shows up and brings you out of slavery, gives you a bunch of gold, splits a sea for you, feeds you every day, speaks to you audibly, reminds you that you're headed for a beautiful land, and then you say, I'm not sure I can trust you. That's where they were.
Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
What were they not believing?
That He would do what He said he would do, even though they just saw Him do amazing things.
Believing isn't hard if you're willing to let go of the emotion of your current circumstances and your opinions of why those circumstances are in your life. But confusion sets in when you try to filter God's ways through your circumstances.
We know God's ways based on who He says He is and what He has done, specifically what He has done in and through Christ. Christ is God's ways; Jesus is THE way. He's not just the path to Heaven, He's the living example of how God operates. We can know God's ways because we can know Jesus.
Today's World
Some of your friends and family members are hardening their hearts toward the Lord right now. The state of the world is uncertain, and lots of people are wondering how God fits into their "new normal." They're a little bit afraid, and they're not sure what the future looks like.
If they don't hold onto the Lord as their anchor, they will begin to astray in their hearts. When people stray away from God in their hearts for too long, they begin to build a life view without Him. It's not intentional, they're just trying to survive. People don't know how to depend on God and include Him in their decision-making processes when life gets hard.
Your job is to love them. Remind them that God loves them and still has good plans for them. Life may be hard, but don't forget to turn to the Lord. Help them know God's love for them and help them learn how to depend on God in real-life situations.
We don't have to be confused. We know God, and we know His ways because we know Jesus.
How Are You Doing?
If you feel like you're drifting and don't understand life right now, don't worry, you can turn it around. Turn to the Lord. Let Him out of the box of your current understanding you have Him in and let Him into the rest of your life.
God is smart. He knows what to do. You can trust Him. His spirit WILL tell you what to do and how to do it. It may sound and look different than what you're used to, but He WILL teach you because He said He would.
Watch my message "How To Receive Revelation from God" and put the steps into practice. You can and will hear from God if you soften your heart toward Him and allow Him to be God in your life.
Download the series
You Can Know God’s Ways
MESSAGE TITLES
How to Receive Revelation from God - Colossians 1
The Most Underrated Passage in the Bible - Colossians 2
You Can Know God's Ways
God's Love Delivers Grace to Your Heart
How to Receive Revelation from God
Did you know you can hear from God anytime you want? God is never silent! We may be more focused on the physical world’s circumstances and ignore His voice, but he is without a doubt speaking. If you can’t hear him in your heart in prayer, you can go to his written word and listen to Him. Whether He said it 3000 years ago or 3 seconds ago, His logos can give you life.
In this message, I walk you through the first chapter of Colossians and show you how to read in such a way that His word will come alive in you. The key is this, can you look at His written logos and appreciate what’s there.
“Revelation is not when God decides to tell you something you didn’t know, revelation happens when your heart sees what’s already true.”
Did you know you can hear from God anytime you want? God is never silent! We may be more focused on life’s circumstances and ignore His voice, but he is without a doubt speaking. If you can’t hear him in your heart in prayer, you can go to his written word and listen to Him. Whether He said it 3000 years ago or 3 seconds ago, His logos can give you life at any moment.
In this message, I walk you through the first chapter of Colossians and show you how to read in such a way that His word comes alive in you. The question is this, can you look at His written logos and appreciate what’s there?
Art Appreciation
Do you enjoy art or music? Have you ever gazed at a sculpture or painting notice more and more the longer you stare? You end up getting more out of the art than it holds at face value. A true work of art will evoke an emotional response. Art can be transcendent, opening your heart and mind to different layers and even move you at a deep level.
The written logos of God is the same way. You can look at it at face value, but you can gaze a little deeper and allow it to speak to you. If you appreciate what’s written at face value, you can relax your eyes a little and look with your heart. In fact, you WANT to look at the written word with the eyes of your heart.
Two Sets of Eyes
When you look at the written logos of God with the eyes of your heart, you see the unlimited potentials behind what’s written. Look at it with a spiritual lens, knowing that anything is possible. If you’re reading a miraculous story, see yourself in the image. Dream a little, allow it to inspire an emotional response. Use your imagination.
Once you see the potentials and allow a little hope to arise, make sure you don’t immediately look at your life to see the same things. In other words, allow the experience to build in your heart. Give it time to grow. You are not going to receive revelation with the eyes of your heart and then immediately see it with the eyes in your head in your life.
The eyes of your heart see spiritual seeds and promises. The eyes of your head see the evidence. But the evidence can take time.
It’s your job to sow the logos before you need it, so you can reap the harvest of the promises and provision in God’s word when you need it.
Homework
Step 1: Watch the full sermon
Step 2: Read through the book of Colossians for yourself and apply the reading method I teach you in the sermon.
Step 3: Write down the revelation you receive while reading
Step 4: DO IT!!! Put it in to practice.
What Does It Mean to be Free from Sin?
With freedom from sin comes personal responsibility. Believers have the personal ability to respond to God’s grace rather than continue to live in sin. Response ability.
Under the New Covenant, we are free from sin. We are free from sin in that God is no longer holding our sins against us.
Paul explains in Romans 6 that freedom from sin doesn’t give one an excuse to continue in sin; it’s just the opposite. It’s the opposite because we are under grace.
If you have a traditional understanding of grace, you will not grasp the power of “under grace.” Grace is traditionally defined as unmerited favor. It’s equated to mercy. The sentiment is that God shows you grace even though you deserve punishment. That’s incorrect. Grace and mercy are different. Mercy is undeserved forgiveness, but grace is inner strength.
Romans 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN and have become slaves to righteousness.
There are several powerful truths in the phrase, “you have been set free from sin.”
God is not holding your sin against you under the New Covenant
You are no longer a sinful creature by nature
The root of sin has been removed, and you have a new heart
You now naturally desire righteousness over sin
STEWARDING FREEDOM
With freedom from sin comes personal responsibility. Believers have the personal ability to respond to God’s grace rather than continue to live in sin. Response ability.
Under the New Covenant, we are free from sin. We are free from sin in that God is no longer holding our sins against us.
Paul explains in Romans 6 that freedom from sin doesn’t give one an excuse to continue in sin; it’s just the opposite. It’s the opposite because we are under grace.
If you have a traditional understanding of grace, you will not grasp the power of “under grace.” Grace is traditionally defined as unmerited favor. It’s equated to mercy. The sentiment is that God shows you grace even though you deserve punishment. That’s incorrect. Grace and mercy are different. Mercy is undeserved forgiveness, but grace is inner strength.
Grace is unmerited favor, but it’s much more. Grace is strength in your inner man. It’s God’s divine influence in your heart that brings capacities. Those capacities empower you to live the kind of life that is consistent with your righteous nature in Christ.
Turn the phrase around; because you are under grace, you’re free from sin. It’s like saying because you are stronger now, you won’t give in to temptation.
FREE FROM A SINFUL NATURE
God doesn’t give you grace just so you’ll behave properly, that’s a side effect. The more excellent news is this; you are a new creature; you are the kind of being that is now righteous. You are not a naturally sinful creature anymore. And because your nature has changed, you live from an internal power that’s stronger than the shortcomings of your former life.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
In your new creation identity, you are God’s handiwork. You are the product of His craftsmanship. You are a vessel that is designed to do good works. God made the sun, and it shines. God made fruit trees, and they grow fruit. With Christ, God made you, and that new you does good works. It’s in His design of the new you for you to naturally desire to do good works RATHER THAN sin.
To be free from sin means that it’s no longer your natural programming. God made a whole new you, and your default is good works.
If we could look at our new life through the lens of his handiwork, rather than worrying if people will sin, we’ll set many more people free.
If you’re worried that people will sin when told they’re free from sin, you don’t understand the beauty of our new creation reality and the empowering nature of grace.
WHAT IF YOU STILL SIN?
1 John 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Don’t sin,
but if you do,
remember that Jesus
died for your sins.
This is what it looks like to preach freedom. Is John advocating sin? Of course not. He understands the revelation that the law is the strength of sin, and freedom is the strength of righteousness.
IN A COVID-19 WORLD
Let’s bring it home. We’re all stuck in our homes right now. Unfortunately all the weird and destructive things people do in isolation are getting worse. Alcoholism and substance abuse are up. The suicide hotline calls are up 300%. Domestic abuse calls are up. Pornography use is up. Child protective services can’t homes, I don’t even want to think about what that might mean. Depression is skyrocketing. Fear is the new normal. I mean, we’re being encouraged to be afraid.
As a result, sin is up. You may even find yourself slipping back into habits and addictions you thought you already conquered. You may be doing things you’re not proud in your time of isolation.
If so, remember:
You are not a sinner, you are stressed
God is not mad at you, he wants to help you
You are not choosing grace, you’re choosing sin
You no longer naturally crave sin, that’s why you feel so guilty
You can break the pattern and live in freedom
Remember Christ’s victory over sin and death and choose grace
How do you choose grace? Be honest with yourself. Remind yourself that you’re the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Meditate on who you are in Christ until your heart opens up and receives the abundance of grace.
Here’s a resource for you. Read these out loud, Feel them. Believe them. and be free!!!
God is a Constant in a World Full of Variables
In mathematical equations, there are constants and variables. A constant has a fixed numerical value, while a variable may be unknown or can variate. In the formula d = 2r; 2 is a constant whereas, r and d are variables. To solve the equation, you work out the problem until you define the variables. In math, once you solve variables, you can build skyscrapers or balance budgets. In science, when you isolate and know the variables, you can cure diseases or develop all sorts of effective medicines.
The point being, if you solve the problems by working out the variables until they are known constants, you’re left with a reliable formula or process, and sometimes a scientific law.
In mathematical equations, there are constants and variables. A constant has a fixed numerical value, while a variable may be unknown or can variate. In the formula d = 2r; 2 is a constant whereas, r and d are variables. To solve the equation, you work out the problem until you define the variables. In math, once you solve variables, you can build skyscrapers or balance budgets. In science, when you isolate and know the variables, you can cure diseases or develop all sorts of effective medicines.
The point being, if you solve the problems by working out the variables until they are known constants, you’re left with a reliable formula or process, and sometimes a scientific law.
Spiritual Equations
How does this apply to spirituality? Let’s look at some examples:
Sickness x b = Health
a + Financial Hardship = More Than Enough
Depression x Fear + c = Joy
The constants are known. In these cases, the constants are personally experienced. The result or solution is known. But the variable is unknown. How to reach the desired solution is unknown because there are variables.
In these equations, we know God has something to do with the variables, but we’re not sure how He changes the other constants to come to these favorable results.
Here’s the short answer; you’re not going to know.
The problem is this; we think we know what God needs to do to change the unfavorable constants into favorable solutions and results. We try to define the variables in our understanding and end up limiting God’s potential solutions for those variables.
When you try to define God’s responsibilities for Him, you narrow the options He can bring about in your life. In other words, if you think one thing needs to happen, but He wants to do something else, you may close off your heart to the option He’s trying to bring to you.
You may miss the wisdom or direction He’s trying to give you because you are focused on the reality of the constant or your preconception of how to solve the variable.
God Is Unlimited
God is unlimited in His capacities and solutions. He can bring about answers and favorable solutions in ways we can’t imagine. It’s best to allow God to be God and simply trust that He will be God in your life.
Now, you can do this;
You can add your knowledge of who God is to the equation. Acknowledge the variable but also acknowledge what you know about the character of God. In other words, as you’re waiting for God to solve a, b or c, you can think on what’s true of Him.
For example; we know that God is powerful. We know God is a provider. We know God is a healer. We know God is a redeemer. We know God is willing to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory. We know He has defeated the enemy on our behalf. We know that we are in right standing through the sacrifice of Christ. We know that His spirit is in us leading and guiding us into all truth. What else do you know?
So we conclude that we can expect God to solve these equations in a manner that’s consistent with what is known about him. The more you are persuaded of God’s constants, the more you can relax and trust that He is working to solve those equations for you.
So basically, stop trying to figure it out and trust him.
A Warning
The more you try to figure out your life’s equations in your understanding, the less you will be open to His working in your life’s equations. When you add the cares of this world to the equation, and the deceitfulness of riches to the equation, you cause yourself not to be able to receive His solutions.
When you depend on money as your provider, when you look to the government for fix things for you, you limit yourself from perceiving God’s answers. When fear overrides faith, you may even stop looking to God to solve those equations for you.
Be At Peace
There are things you can do to make sure you are primed to receive His solutions. One thing you can do is think spiritually.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14
So you could say the spiritual mind does receive the things of the spirit. “Receive” is the operative word. The spiritual mind RECEIVES the things of the spirit, and even KNOWS the things of the spirit.
You will not work out your own life’s equations and end up with correct solutions if you try to figure them out with natural logic. If God’s solutions seem illogical to you, you know you are thinking carnally or naturally. If God’s solutions or promises seem plausible to you, you are thinking spiritually. Keep on thinking that way. In other words, stay in faith.
Sometimes faith is a fight. It’s a mental battle to push back rationality, fear, doubt, and emotion in favor of God’s word. Jesus tells us that worry, anxiety, and natural thinking actually limit the growth of his kingdom into our lives. (Mark 4)
Stay open, stay in faith toward God, suspend your desire to work out your life;’s variables with your natural thinking.
God is alive, He is active, He is moving on your behalf, He is bringing you solutions that establish His favorable will in your life. Allow Him to do so by not factoring doubt, fear, and worry into the equation, thereby limiting what you can receive from Him.
I’ll end with a question, what can you do to stay in faith toward him? Go ahead and do that.
How to Hear God in a Crisis
Do you want to know how to hear God when it's hard to hear God? Here’s how; if you know what he said, you'll know what he is saying. You don't need a NEW word; you need a LIVING word.
What Is God's Word?
The word "word" is the Greek word, logos. It's where we get the word logic. Logos also refers to the character of the speaker of that word. God's logos is how he thinks, how he treats people, and how he organizes everything he does. It's his way. God has a way about him; that way is his logos.
The logos of God manifests in different ways. We have the written word, which is God’s commandments, instructions, poetry, doctrine and history. The written word reflects the logic and character of his being. The written word can be used to keep us grounded when we feel like we receive a fresh spoken word from God.
Another aspect of the logos of God is Jesus. Jesus is the Logos of God, made flesh. If you could squeeze God's way of thinking, how he behaves, and how he lives his life through time into a human being, that's Jesus.
Do you want to know how to hear God when it's hard to hear God? Here's how; if you know what he said, you'll know what he is saying. You don't need a NEW word; you need a LIVING word.
What Is God's Word?
The word "word" is the Greek word, logos. It's where we get the word logic. Logos also refers to the character of the speaker of that word. God's logos is how he thinks, how he treats people, and how he organizes everything he does. It's his way. God has a way about him; that way is his logos.
The logos of God manifests in different ways. We have the written word, which is God's commandments, instructions, poetry, doctrine, and history. The written word reflects the logic and character of his being. The written word can be used to keep us grounded when we feel like we receive a new spoken word from God.
Another aspect of the logos of God is Jesus. Jesus is the Logos of God, made flesh. If you could squeeze God's way of thinking, how he behaves, and how he lives his life through time into a human being, that's Jesus.
Jesus is what it looks like for God to be human. And Jesus himself is dependent on the words that God has and is speaking.
Living On God's Words
When Jesus was tempted in the desert to prove his identity through external performance, he said: "man does not live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
Matthew 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "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 ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"
Our immediate reaction to this statement is to think we need to be able to hear what God is saying, especially when we're in trouble. This statement sends us down the path of feeling like we have to be able to listen to what God is saying right now, at this moment. That's partially true, but it's not limited to that.
You may have noticed it's difficult to hear God when you're under pressure. It's hard to live from peace and hear God's wisdom and guidance when the world seems to be crumbling around you.
The good news is if you are intimately familiar with what God already said, you can know what he is saying and what he will say.
God repeats himself. God repeats himself. ;-)
God will not change; he will always be who he is. You can count on that. It doesn't matter if he said it 3000 years ago or 3 seconds ago, his word and his promises are still trustworthy.
Hearing Under Pressure
So it's pretty simple, if you're in trouble or under pressure, you can look at what God has said until it becomes alive in you now. You'll know the word is alive in you when it becomes believable. When it's believable, all things are possible.
When God's word is alive in you, you begin to see his options and hear his leading. The word of God can lie dormant in your intellect, but it's up to you to open your heart in such a way that it gets in your heart and connects with his living spirit.
Yes, God will speak to you. Yes, God can and will give you a new word, but it will always validate his written word.
Become Intimately Familiar with His Written Word
I started wrestling in 5th grade and continued through high school. In high school, we practiced 3 hours a day during wrestling season. We'd spend an hour on mat drills, then an hour on take-down drills, then we would wrestle for an hour. By the time we were in an actual match, we were so familiar with the moves they came naturally. I rarely had to think about which move to use. The position determined the moves. I had several options in my arsenal to choose from, no matter the situation.
The written word of God is like this. If we know it intimately, God has something to work with. He may or may not quote chapter and verse to you, but he will certainly speak a concept that is consistent with something that's already written.
Know the word. If you know his written word, you will hear his active voice more clearly. When the two come together is where you choose faith, open to his grace, and move forward.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (more on this in the full sermon above)
Notice the progression, the word starts in the spirit, makes its way to the place where the spirit meets the soul, then it works its way from the soul into the joints and marrow. The bone marrow is the innermost aspect of the human body.
The word of God is seeking to make its way into our entire being. It's up to you to yield to his word in your inner man. When you yield, it becomes alive and nourishes every aspect of your being. It becomes wisdom and guidance for specific things in your life.
When we engage the word at this level, it will hide in our hearts and our minds until we need it.
God's word, his logic, his promises, his character will work its way into our entire being and, at just the right moment, will spring forth and touch our lives in so many ways.
God is unlimited, he has infinite potentials to be God in our lives, but if we do not renew our minds in his logic, we will miss his leading and be limited to our best efforts.
Get In The Word
I want to encourage you to get in His word. Know scripture. I don't mean from a legalistic perspective where you have to read so many hours a day but know the concepts. Know the big picture of what Jesus accomplished and your identity in him. Then you can dig deeper into the nuanced instruction and wisdom.
You may not always understand what you're reading, but you're tucking away God's logic in your heart for him to breathe on it when you need it.
YouVersion has a great app. I recommend downloading their app and subscribing to the free Bible Project reading plans.
You don't need a NEW word, you need a LIVING word.
If you're in a crisis and need to know what God is saying, become moved by what he has already said. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The Truth About Suffering and Tribulation
You might suffer, even to the point of losing your life, for preaching the Gospel. In that situation, God promises that he'll comfort you. Paul teaches us that if we find ourselves under religious persecution, we can turn to God and be strengthened. As we're strengthened, it helps us persevere, and we come out with hope and patience. But you can not say that God will mess around with your life's circumstances, to make you suffer, to teach you patience.
This blog contains highlights from the sermon “The Truth About Suffering and Tribulation” by Clint Byars. We encourage you to watch the full message.
““Do you finally believe?” Jesus replied. “Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!””
God is not the author of your suffering. It's not in his script for your life. Tribulation and suffering are in the world, but they're not from God. If you should find yourself suffering religious persecution, God promises that He will comfort you.
These two passages address the issue of suffering.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction (tribulation), so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction (tribulation), with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction (tribulation) we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that "was to” (was meant to) make us (But that made us) rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
Verse 9 can be a little confusing; here's how it reads in the original language.
Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that made us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
We usually read it this way.
But that was meant to make us rely not on ourselves…
The word "meant" is implied unnecessarily. The implication is that God purposed or allowed them to suffer, so they would rely on him and not themselves. But what Paul is saying is that it happened, and their response was to rely on God.
It's a subtle nuance, but it's an important one. When we find ourselves suffering due to persecution, our response should be to rely on God for comfort. And when we're comforted, we can then comfort others because we know that God will comfort them too.
It clearly says God will comfort us in suffering, but it does NOT clearly say the suffering was from God, you have to read that into the text.
God is not the author of our suffering. He comforts us when we find ourselves in it. And the only kind of suffering that God says we must endure is for preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of Jesus.
Suffering With Christ
2 Corinthians 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
Aren't we supposed to share in Christ's sufferings? In other words, if Christ suffered, aren't we supposed to experience the same things?
It's a fair question; let's look at what Jesus endured.
He was persecuted for saying that God was his father.
He was called a blasphemer for claiming to be the Messiah.
He was arrested by Rome on the Jew's behalf, for claiming to be the Messiah.
Once arrested, he was beaten and tortured.
He was nailed to a cross.
He was made to be sin for us.
He passed into the grave from which he rose again.
You could be persecuted like Jesus was persecuted, but only partially. You may be persecuted for preaching that Jesus is the Messiah. You may be arrested and beaten for preaching the Gospel. You may be killed for not rejecting your faith in Jesus. But you cannot suffer for your own sin, Jesus did that for you. You can not be beaten to gain healing, by His stripes you were healed. And God will not kill you as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world.
The only suffering that we can share in is the preaching of the kingdom of God
Life's Circumstances
There is no Biblical context for God, causing someone to suffer through ordinary life circumstances. Here's my point; some teach the illness, job loss, lost property, sick children, and depression are part of God's plan, so you'll suffer and turn to him.
There is no Biblical corroboration for the idea that God will cause adverse situations in your life to make you suffer and learn patience or become more holy. People make that stuff up.
People find themselves in difficult circumstances and wonder why God allowed it or what he's trying to teach them. In difficulty, we often turn to God and come out of it more dependent on him. Because of the outcome, we wrongly assume God allowed it for that desired end. That sounds logical, but it's unbiblical, there is no case of God treating people that way, ever. You may say, "what about Job," I address that in the video above.
Conclusion
You might suffer, even to the point of losing your life, for preaching the Gospel. In that situation, God promises that he'll comfort you. Paul teaches us that if we find ourselves under religious persecution, we can turn to God and be strengthened. As we're strengthened, it helps us persevere, and we come out with hope and patience. But you can not say that God will mess around with your life's circumstances, to make you suffer, to teach you patience.