Being Blessable

In my previous article called The Blessing of Abraham, I explained from Scripture how the blessing the Lord gave to Abraham applies to those who are in Christ. In this article, I'd like to explain how to be eligible for these blessings and all the Lord's blessings. 

Let me ask you a question: Does the Lord bless us, regardless of how we live, even if we are disobedient, wicked, and rebellious?

Obedience Opens the Door
Listen to what the angel of the Lord said to Abraham, after he willingly offered his only son on the altar in obedience to the Lord:

The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Gen 22:15-18)

Abraham’s single act of obedience opened the door for God to 1) bless him, 2) make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, 3) allow his descendants to take possession of the cities of their enemies, and 4) bless all nations on earth through his offspring.  All of this happened “because Abraham obeyed God.”

This same principle is true for Abraham’s descendants. In order for God to bless them and fulfill His promise to them and through them, they must keep his ways.

Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." (Gen 18:17-19)

This passage tells us that we as children of Abraham must keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him. All of these promises that God made to Abraham are contingent upon the children of Abraham keeping the Lord’s way by doing what’s right and just. Then the promises will be fulfilled, including the promise that “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.” 

This teaches us that the blessings are conditional and require our obedience. It teaches us that we must remain blessable, in order for the Lord to bless us. 

Of course, there is grace for our failures, weaknesses, and shortcomings. But the Lord blesses obedience, not disobedience, rebellion, and wickedness. You will not find any place in Scripture where it says God blesses disobedience, rebellion, and wickedness, or rewards those who live that way. There is no place in Scripture where that is taught, but rather the opposite. Scripture says we must live our lives in a way that is blessable. This is in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Also see Deut 28:2-8; Psalm 37; Jer 17:7; Mal 3:10; Prov 22:9; 28:20; Js 1:12; Gal 6:7-8.

"Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed." (Psa 112:1-2)

"Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord." (Psa 119:1)

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." (Psa 84:11)

Even Jesus said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." (Luk 11:28)

The same is true in the opening of the book of Revelation, where the blessing is conditional:

He says, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (Rev 1:3)

Likewise at the closing of Revelation it says, "And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book." (Rev 22:7, NASB)

Look at the beatitudes in Matthew 5. The Lord pronounces blessings upon those who are blessable. Blessed are the meek, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the merciful, etc. You don't see one that says, "Blessed are the drunkards, blessed are the liars, blessed are the adulterers, blessed are the ungodly..." etc. 

As the apostle Paul said, the wicked shall not inherit the kingdom of God:

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:9-11)

Offering Your Body as a Living Sacrifice to God

The apostle Paul said:

“I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:1-2)

Just as Abraham offered up Isaac on the altar to God in obedience to Him, just as the Lord Jesus offered Himself in obedience to the Father on the cross for us, we must offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. This is acceptable to God as a spiritual act of worship. This is how we worship and serve God.

Helen Roseveare, former missionary to the Congo, said the Lord taught her that it is a privilege to serve the Lord and even to suffer for Him. "All He wants is the loan of your body." She learned that the Lord wants us to thank Him for trusting us with the opportunity to suffer, even if He never tells us why.

Matthew Henry wrote: “The presenting of the body to God implies not only the avoiding of the sins that are committed with or against the body, but the using of the body as a servant of the soul in the service of God. It is to glorify God with our bodies (1Co_6:20), to engage our bodies in the duties of immediate worship, and in a diligent attendance to our particular callings, and be willing to suffer for God with our bodies, when we are called to it. It is to yield the members of our bodies as instruments of righteousness, Rom_6:13…it is a proof and product of the dedication of our souls to God.”

We must not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. It’s a life transformation (Gr., metamorphoo) like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. Only then will be able to prove (Gr. dokimazō) what the will of God is. 

To prove (Gr. dokimazō) what is the will of God means to discern it, distinguish it, try it, test it out, and judge it to be worthy.

One way that we will be able to clearly judge His will to be worthy is when we do His will and see how blessed we are when we do. We are blessed inside and out, through and through, when we obey God.

Apart from Jesus We Can Do Nothing

Don't try to obey God apart from Christ, because without Him you can do nothing. He said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5). 

This means you should not try to live a life of obedience to God apart from Christ and expect to receive blessings from God, because you can do nothing without Him.

Remain in His Love By Obedience

We must keep the Lord's commands in order to remain in His love and the Father's love. Jesus said, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love." (Joh 15:10)

God Rewards for Doing Good and Punishes Sin

The Lord always rewards everyone for whatever good he does and punishes wrongdoing. 

As Paul the apostle wrote: "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you." (2Th 1:8-10)

Moreover, he said, "because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free." (Eph 6:8). 

"There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Rom 2:9-10)

This principle of reward for doing good and punishment for following evil is not only applicable in this life here on earth, but in the afterlife once we die. How we live now affects us both in this present life and the life hereafter.

"God will repay each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." (Rom 2:6-8).

This is why we all need to repent of our sins and have faith in Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. 

As David wrote: "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit." (Ps 32:1-2)

Faith is a Key to Being Blessable

Faith is another key to being blessable. One example of that is Mary, who was blessed, because she believed.

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" (Luk 1:45).

The same is true of all those who have faith in God. Hebrews 11 is the biblical Hall of Faith that tells of so many ancient people of faith who were rewarded, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Samson, Barak, Gideon, Moses, and many others.

Closing Words 

These keys to being blessable, which I have outlined in this study, are not only applicable in this life here on earth, but in the afterlife once we die. Let us pray and ask the Lord to make us blessable, and then let us trust and obey Him, so that we may BE blessable.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Other Scripture taken from NASB, where noted, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, please also see the following: The Blessing of Abraham, The Afflictions of the Righteous, God Exalts the Humble and Brings Down the Proud, and The "Never" Promises to the Righteous, Also see What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel? You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe. 

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Blessing of Abraham

Dear God seekers,

I would like to show you what the blessing of Abraham is that God gave to him and how it relates to you as a believer in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Gen 12:1-3)

He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." (Gen 15:5)

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Gen 22:17-18)

Components of the Blessing
Let's look at the six components of the blessing:

1. The promise to bless Abraham

2. The promise that he will have a great name (reputation) 

3. The promise that he would become a great nation (have many descendants)

4. God will bless those who bless him

5. God will curse those who curse him
6. Abraham will be a blessing

Fulfillment of the Blessing
Here are some biblical examples of how the blessing of Abraham is fulfilled:

1. Abraham 

a) Great name: Had a great name and was considered a mighty prince among the people (Gen 23:6)

b) Many descendants: Had many descendants through Jacob and Esau/Edom his grandsons. 

c)   Became extremely wealthy (Gen 13:2)

2. Jacob 

a) Had good relationships with the Canaanites among whom he lived as a stranger

b) Became a nation called Israel that possessed the land of Canaan

c) God blessed Jacob’s unusual breeding practices

d) Laban was blessed through his association with Jacob (Gen 30:27,30)

e) Became exceedingly wealthy shortly after Rachel his wife gave birth to Joseph (Ge 30:43)

3. Joseph 

a) Joseph prospered while in Egypt (Ge 39:2)

b) The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in everything he did (Ge 39:3)
c) Joseph found favor in the eyes of his Egyptian master Potiphar, who put him in charge of his entire household and entrusted to his care everything he owned (Ge 39:4)

d) From the time Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything, the Lord blessed his household because of Joseph, and the blessing of the Lord was upon everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field (Ge 39:5)
e) While in prison, the warden put all the prisoners under his authority (Ge 39:21-23)

f) Became ruler of all Egypt (Ge 41:37ff)

g) Saved Egypt, Israel, and other nations from perishing during famine.

4. Judah became a tribe from which the line of David and many kings descended, included the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Solomon son of David became a very wise, wealthy and great king that was sought out by other rulers like the Queen of Sheba. God promised him wisdom, riches, honor, and a long life if he continued in righteousness, and it was fulfilled. (2 Chron 9:13-29).

6. Esther became Queen of Persia (Est 2:18) and all the Jews in the Persian realm were blessed through her, because through her intervention they were not annihilated.

7. Mordecai became a high official of King Xerxes as well, and the same is true of him that all the Jewish people were blessed by him, just as King Xerxes was blessed when Mordecai reported the two, would-be assassins that intended to kill the king.

8. Daniel became ruler of the province of Babylon 

a) The head prefect over all the wise men there. 
b) He remained through the reign of 5 kings

c) Influenced those kings for the glory of God, and they were blessed through him.
d) He wielded tremendous power and influence
e) He served with great honor and distinction

9. The Lord Jesus - The blessing of Abraham is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the “Seed” of Abraham (Galatians 3:16).

10. The apostle Paul brought the gospel to the entire known Roman world of the first century (Rom 15:19), many people came to know Christ through him, many were healed, delivered from demons, and many churches were planted through him. Many people in Israel also received support from the Gentiles during the famine through the collection that Paul took up and the offering he brought to Jerusalem.

How This All Applies to Us Today
This blessing continues today in the life of every true disciple of Jesus Christ, possessing the faith of Abraham that led him to obey God, since we are descendants of Abraham, the children of promise (Gal 3:7,14, 29; 4:31).

1) The promise to bless us 

a) Blessed spiritually with justification and with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3)

b) Blessed in every area of our temporal and eternal lives

c) “…the land [God promised to Abraham] is the type of the better land; the nation of the spiritual nation, the temporal blessing of the eternal blessing.”

2) The promise that we will have a great name (reputation) 

3) The promise that we would have many descendants, especially spiritual ones

4) God will bless those who bless us

5) God will curse those who curse us 

a) “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.” (Psa 34:21)

b) Also see Ps 35:1-8, 26

c) “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.” (2Th 1:6-7)

6) We will be a blessing to others whom we associate with

a) Not merely a recipient of blessing, but a medium or conduit of blessing to others.

b) Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” So this is not a “bless me” message, but one that clearly has others in mind.

Closing Words
This is the gospel that was announced to Abraham. “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith,” (Gal 3:8-9).

This is what we were redeemed for. “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promised of the Spirit.” (Gal 3:14).

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Image courtesy of Jan van 't Hoff Dordrecht, copyright 2023 Gospel Images, www.gospelimages.com, used by permission.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, please also see the following: Being Blessable, The Blessings of Being in Christ, The Afflictions of the Righteous, God Exalts the Humble and Brings Down the Proud, and The "Never" Promises to the Righteous. Also see What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel? You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe. 

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Black and White

The popular trend these days is for everyone to dress in black. Some people even dress all in black. They may have black trousers, a black shirt, a black tie, and a black sport jacket. Others may wear black pants, a black hat, and a black T-shirt. While this may be very popular, even among Christians – and even pastors --  is this the way in which the holy people of God should dress, or is it worldly?

 
After all, one of the distinguishing characteristics of Satanists, witches, and Gothic people is that they dress in black. And when you consider the main color of Halloween, the evil holiday that celebrates darkness and death, it is the color black. Black clothing represents death and mourning, which is why people (like widows) dress all in black at funerals. I think the reason why it is so popular these days to dress in black is because we live in a culture that loves death, darkness, and evil.
 
Since there seems to be confusion about this matter in the Church today and compromise among so many that think the way we dress does not matter at all to God, let’s do a study in the Word to see whether this has any importance at all to Him. This is in no way meant to have any relevance to one’s race or skin color, but rather to the clothing we wear.
 
Light and Darkness, Day and Night:
Listen to what the Scriptures say about light and darkness, as well as day and night.

“And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light 'day,' and the darkness he called 'night.' And there was evening, and there was morning--the first day.” (Gen 1:3-5)
 
“No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived..” (Exo 10:23)
 
"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” (Luk 16:8)
 
"'Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.' When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.” (Joh 12:36)

"...and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." (Col 1:12)

 
“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Rom 13:12)
 
“for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1Th 5:2).
 
“You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” (1Th 5:5)
 
“For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.” (1Th 5:7)
 
“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” (Joh 9:4)
 
“It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light." (Joh 11:10)
 
“As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” (Joh 13:30)

 
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1Jn 1:5)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (Jas 1:17)

"...who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1Ti 6:16)

 
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” (1Jn 1:6)
 
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1Jn 1:7)
 
“Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true Light is already shining.” (1Jn 2:8)
 
“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.” (1Jn 2:9)
 
“Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.” (1Jn 2:10)
 
“But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.” (1Jn 2:11)
 
“But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Mat 6:23)
 
“But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Mat 8:12)
 
"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mat 22:13)
 
“And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'” (Mat 25:30)
 
“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (Luk 11:34)
 
“See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” (Luk 11:35)
 
“Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour--when darkness reigns." (Luk 22:53)
 
“The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (Joh 1:5)
 
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (Joh 3:19)
 
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’" (Joh 8:12)
 
“Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.'” (Joh 12:35)
 
“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Joh 12:46)
 
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Mat 5:14-16)

"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." (Pro 4:18).

"Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear." (Mt 13:43).

 
Black

While some black animals like the rat, the black vulture and the bat have an evil (or negative) connotation in our minds, the white dove is always considered a symbol of peace and of the Holy Spirit. In the same way, the man wearing the black hat is considered the evil villain and the man in the white hat is the good guy, at least in the movies. Listen to what the Scriptures say about the color black:

 
“These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.” (2Pe 2:17)
 
“They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jud 1:13)

Blackness and darkness are associated with judgment, such as when the Lamb opens the sixth seal, and the sun turns black like sackcloth made of goat hair." (Rev 6:12; cf. Matt 24:29)

The collage below that I created shows various people dressed in black, all of whom are either Christian pastors, worship leaders, musicians, or vocalists. You may recognize Guy Penrod, former Hillsong pastor Sam Collier, apostate pastor Rick Warren, the disgraced Mike Bickle and Misty Edwards of IHOP-KC, and Michael W. Smith, as well as disgraced Hillsong pastors Brian Houston and Carl Lentz among them. It seems that these days there is only one color for such people to dress in any more, and that is black. It's a sign of the times. 

Notice also how most of the backgrounds behind them are dark, too. We've noticed the same trend in the way some church sanctuaries are designed today with black ceilings, dim lighting, and a dark atmosphere. For more examples, hit mute on your speakers, and quickly jump through this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, this video, and this video. In these videos of top Christian performers Philips, Craig, and Dean, Mercy Me, Hillsong Worship, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, Phil Wickham, Jason Ingram, Jenn Johnson, Amy Grant, Michael W Smith, and Casting Crowns, notice the black clothing of the lead singers, as well as their ensembles and the backdrops around them. 

Other examples not shown here include the now-disgraced Willow Creek Community Church founder, Bill Hybels, Third Day, Newsboys, Darlene Zschech, William McDowell, Leeland, Matt Redman, Toby Mac, Cody Carnes, Michael Tate, Steven Curtis Chapman, Kari Jobe, CeCe Winans, Kenny J. West, Zauntee, Paul McClure, Passion, Building 429, Audio Adrenaline, DC Talk, Cory Asbury, Mandisa, Nichole Nordeman, Newsong, Jon Reddick, Matt Maher, Big Daddy Weave, Kirk Franklin, Needtobreathe, and Bethel Music. The list goes on and on. Is it just a coincidence? I think not. I see a dark theme.

 
White
Now let's see what the Scriptures say about the color white, especially white clothes:

“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” (Mat 17:2)
 
“His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” (Mar 9:3)
 
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.” (Rev 1:14)
 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” (Rev 2:17)
 
“Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.” (Rev 3:4)
 
“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.” (Rev 3:5)
 
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Rev 3:18)
 
“Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.” (Rev 4:4)
 
“Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.” (Rev 6:11)
 
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.” (Rev 7:9)
 
“Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" (Rev 7:13)
 
“I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev 7:14)
 
“I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.” (Rev 14:14)
 
“Fine linen, bright (white) and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev 19:8)
 
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.” (Rev 19:11)

“The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Rev 19:14)
 
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.” (Rev 20:11)
 
“Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil.” (Ecc 9:8)

For more on this, also see Righteous Deeds and White Robes.
 
Closing Words
God is light, who dwells in unapproachable light, and in Him is no darkness at all. He is the Father of the heavenly lights. Likewise, Jesus is the Light, the radiance of God's glory, whose face is like the sun shining in all its brilliance. He sits on a great white throne and rides a white horse, The angels are dressed in white, and so are the twenty-four elders, the martyrs, and the rest of the saints in glory. The Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus do not dress in black, and neither do the saints in heaven. However, the devil, his demons, and those who follow them, like satanists, witches, Gothic people, Druids, and other Luciferians, do dress in black and prefer black. They are of the darkness. So why should the people of God, who are sons of light, be dressed like them? Shouldn’t we avoid even the appearance of evil, as the Word tells us to do (1 Thes 5:22)? 

Those who would go to heaven must begin their heaven now. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the righteous must always wear white clothing. We are not making this into a rule or a law and creating some kind of cult. We are not saying it is a sin to wear black clothing. But in my opinion, based on the Scriptures, wearing black should generally not be the preferred way for the people of God to dress.

Rather those who love to dress in black should ask themselves why they are drawn to copy this worldly fashion, in light of what I've plainly laid out here from Scripture. They should pray and ask the Lord to show them why, and to remove every desire from their hearts that is displeasing to Him, including the sin of worldliness. They should wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. They should ask to buy from Him white clothes to wear, so they can cover their shameful nakedness. They should seek to separate themselves from the world, and not be led astray by what the world is doing, which is a sign of the times. Any changes they make should be done out of love for God. If they want to be sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, this is what He requires, and He says they must purify themselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
 
Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2Co 6:17-18; 7:1)

Attribution Notice: The photo of lead singer for German Christian worship group called Outbreakband (OBB). You may find the worship video here and their website here. The image in the closing is that of  Christian music artists Shawn Craig and Randy Philips of Philips, Craig, and Dean performing on Trinity Broadcasting. These photos are all used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only. All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV), copyright Zondervan, used by permission, all rights reserved.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Righteous Deeds and White Robes, The Forgotten Sin of Worldliness, The Fruit Test of a Genuine Disciple, The Truth About Hillsong, Avoiding Worldly Worship, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Separation from the World, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, and Doing What is Right. You can find more of my articles related to Seeking the Lord on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org 

The Fruit Test of a Genuine Disciple

Dear God Seekers,

We are living in the last days when men call darkness light and light darkness. We live in a generation when grace is used as a license for sin, and the false doctrine of eternal security is preached around the world. The lines that separate good from evil have intentionally been blurred by the enemy, so that many have entered into compromise and are not longer on the narrow path that leads to life, but are on the wide road that leads to destruction.

Our Lord taught us to test the fruit of those who claim to be His, in order to determine if they are genuine disciples or not. His original words referred to false prophets, but the same is true of disciples in general. He said:

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Mat 7:15-21)

That being said, the apostle John's first epistle gives us several examples of fruit tests, which prove whether a person is either a genuine disciple or not. 

Test That Reveals Bad Fruit
Let's begin with John’s fruit test showing the conditions proving someone is not a genuine believer:

Walking in Darkness
"If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth." (1Jn 1:6)

Claiming to be without Sin
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1Jn 1:8)

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1Jn 1:10)

Disobedience to God
"The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1Jn 2:4)

Hating Your Brother
"Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness." (1Jn 2:9)

"But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him." (1Jn 2:11)

"Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. " (1Jn 3:15)

"If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (1Jn 4:20)

Not Loving Others
"Anyone who does not love remains in death." (1Jn 3:14b)

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1Jn 4:8)

Denying the Son
"No one who denies the Son has the Father;" (1Jn 2:23a)

Continuing to Sin
"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." (1Jn 3:6)

Doing What is Sinful
"He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1Jn 3:8)

Not Doing What is Right
"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." (1Jn 3:10)

Loving the World or Anything in the World
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1Jn 2:15)

Speaking from a Worldly Viewpoint
"They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them." (1Jn 4:5)

Not Listening to Us, the Apostles, the Word, or the Truth
"We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." (1Jn 4:6)

Not Continuing in the Teaching of Christ

"Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God..." (2Jn 1:9a)

Summary
The man who walks in darkness, who claims to have no sin, who hates his brother, who does not love, who doesn’t listen to the truth, the Word, the apostles, and others who are truly from God, but listens to the world, who loves the world or anything in the world, who does not continue in the teaching of Christ, who does not do what is right, who keeps on sinning, and does not do what the Lord commands, does not have God, is a liar, is not a child of God, is of the devil, is from the world, is self-deceived, has the spirit of falsehood, is blind, does not know where he is going, speaks from the viewpoint of the world, and remains in death. Such a person does not live out the truth, the truth is not in him, the Word is not in him, and eternal life is not in him. It doesn’t matter if he claims to love God, to know the Lord, and have fellowship with Him, because he does not know God (1 Jn 1:6,10; 2:4,9,11,15,23a; 3:6,8,10,14-15; 4:5-6,8,20; 2Jn 1:9a).

Test That Reveals Good Fruit
Now let's examine John’s fruit test showing the conditions proving someone is in fact a genuine believer:

Walking in the Light
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1Jn 1:7)

Confessing Our Sins
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1Jn 1:9)

Keeping His Commands
"We know that we have come to know him if we keep His commands." (1Jn 2:3)

Obeying His Word and Living as Jesus Did
"But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." (1Jn 2:5-6)

Continuing in the Teaching of Christ

"Whoever continues in the teaching [of Christ] has both the Father and the Son." (2Jn 1:9b)

Loving One Another
"Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble." (1Jn 2:10)

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers." (1Jn 3:14a)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1Jn 4:7)

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1Jn 4:12)

Doing the Will of God
"The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1Jn 2:17)

Doing What is Right
"If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him." (1Jn 2:29)

"Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous." (1Jn 3:7)

Acknowledging the Son
"Whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." (1Jn 2:23b)

Cannot Go On Sinning
"No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God." (1Jn 3:9)

Listening to Us, the Apostles, the Word, or the Truth
"We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." (1Jn 4:6)

Acknowledging That Jesus is the Son of God
"If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." (1Jn 4:15)

Please note that this verse cannot be understood out of context with the rest of John's epistle, as explained throughout this entire article.

Believing That Jesus is the Christ
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well." (1Jn 5:1)

Summary
The man who walks in the light, as He is in the light, who confesses his sins, who keeps the Lord’s commands, who obeys His Word, who does not continue to sin, who lives as Jesus did, who continues in His teaching, who loves the Father, who loves Jesus, who loves his neighbor as himself, and who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, and who believes that He is the Christ, has God’s seed remaining in him, has fellowship with the Lord, has been born of God, knows God, is from God, lives in God, has passed from death to life, has the Spirit of Truth, listens to the apostles and those who are from God, is in Christ, is purified by His blood from all unrighteousness, and is righteous just as He is righteous. God’s love is made complete in him, and God lives in him (1 Jn 1:7,9; 2:3,5-6,10,17,23b,29; 3:7,9,14a; 4:6-7,12,15; 5:1).

Closing Words
Dear friends, John was very clear in his epistle, as He wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He drew the lines in a very definite way between those who are genuine disciples of Christ and those who are not. He did not leave any gray area in between, but made it very black-and-white, and showed that you are either a true follower of Christ or you are not. Therefore, do not be deceived by the watered-down message, which is not the true gospel, that says once you are saved, you are always saved (regardless of how you live), or by those who preach the hyper-grace message devoid of the need for obedience to God. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Attribution notice: All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version (NIV1984), copyright Zondervan, used by permission, all rights reserved.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Black and White, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Drifting Away, Is Obedience Optional?, The Apostasy Parables, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Aim for Perfection, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Straight and Narrow Path, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, Ask for the Ancient Paths, Living a Life Worthy of the Lord, Separation from the World, The Difference Between a Disciple and a Believer, and Doing What is Right. You can find more of my articles related to Seeking the Lord on the Home page of this blog. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Peter and the Rooster: A Call to Watch and Pray

We are all familiar with the passage in the gospels where Peter denies Christ despite his emphatic declaration of loyalty and fidelity to Jesus.

"Peter declared, 'Even if all fall away, I will not.' 'Truly I tell you,' Jesus answered, 'today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.' But Peter insisted emphatically, 'Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.' And all the others said the same." (Mar 14:30 -31).

Peter and the Rooster

Let's compare and contrast the rooster with Peter, because in doing so we can learn a valuable spiritual lesson. In his article called Why Do Roosters Crow on the website Chicken Scratch, Joseph Hudson writes: 

“As with a vast majority of seemingly-strange animal behavior, one of the primary motivations for roosters to crow is to attract a mate. While our human ears struggle to detect any nuances between calls, scientists have analyzed the crows of distinct roosters and found that each rooster has a slightly different crow.

Thus, many researchers have concluded that the slight changes between each rooster are used as a method of impressing potential mates and out-gunning competing roosters.

The number of changes is extensive. Many roosters like to introduce a warbling effect into the calls as a sign of complexity and health. Further, the length of the song itself will vary between animals. While a rooster’s crow may seem arbitrary to many listeners, they are playing a distinct and repeatable song.

Depending on the rooster, this repetition may occur as often as every two minutes, or as infrequently as every ten. While the studies have not been wholly conclusive, it appears that hens tend to be more quickly attracted to roosters that exhibit longer and more complex songs.

Beyond the complexity of the call, there is also a much simpler variable: volume. One of the key differences in the crows of different roosters is how long they can become. While not always true, a larger rooster can typically produce a higher maximum volume compared to a smaller specimen. Thus, exhibiting a higher volume is a means by which roosters can brag about their size, strength, and health.

This effect is amplified when multiple roosters are within the hearing range of each other. When placed in the vicinity of another rooster, roosters tend to increase the volume of their crowing. This often results in a kind of competition between the males, resulting in a back-and-forth battle with increasing volume each round.

In extreme instances, agitated roosters have been known to damage their lungs or vocal cords in an attempt to out-shine another rooster. They are liable to become so engrossed in outperforming the other, and winning the affection of a mate, that they forget any self-preservation instincts and overwork themselves. While they typically recover from these episodes, the damage can sometimes be permanent.”

Hudson also states in his article:

“Unlike hens, which are primarily communal and docile animals, roosters are fiercely territorial. Thus, marking their territory is one of the primary reasons why a rooster may crow. In any given community, there will be much fewer roosters than hens. Hens often outnumber their male equivalents by over a hundred to one.

Therefore, roosters are allowed to rule a fairly large range of territory. A typical rooster will lay claim to an area of roughly an acre. It considers this range to be its property and will become disturbed if its land is intruded on by another male bird.

Crowing for territorial reasons takes on two forms. A rooster will often seek to remind other birds in the area that a certain portion of land is its territory. This is generally the function of the ‘alarm clock’ morning crowing that roosters are so well known for. When crowing for this reason, a rooster will attempt to find the highest perch possible.

Normally, this will be a tree or fence post. Then, the rooster will project out into its territory. This call normally resembles its mating song, but with even more embellishments added. In fact, territorial marking will often have the secondary effect of attracting a mate.” 

Now consider Peter in the courtyard warming himself among the soldiers with servant girls around. Peter and the soldiers are likened to the roosters and the females are likened to the hens. His protests and denials of being associated with Christ are like the rooster’s crows to mark out its territory. It’s as if Peter is saying, “This is my territory. I do not know Him. I’m not from Galilee.” Just as there is “a kind of competition between the male (roosters), resulting in a back-and-forth battle with increasing volume each round,” likewise, each one of Peter’s denials seemed to increase in intensity like a crescendo. 

Consider how “agitated roosters have been known to damage their lungs or vocal cords in an attempt to out-shine another rooster. They are liable to become so engrossed in outperforming the other, and winning the affection of a mate, that they forget any self-preservation instincts and overwork themselves. While they typically recover from these episodes, the damage can sometimes be permanent.” And consider how Peter became so agitated that he hurt himself spiritually in his attempts to prove he was not Christ’s disciple. 

In Mark's gospel it states:

"While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. 

'You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,' she said. 

But he denied it. 'I don't know or understand what you're talking about,' he said, and went out into the entryway. 

When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, 

'This fellow is one of them.' Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, 

'Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.' 

He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, 'I don't know this man you're talking about.'

Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: 'Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.' And he broke down and wept."(Mar 14:66-72)

You can clearly see the crescendo of denial that reaches its climax when Peter even called down curses on himself and swore to them that he didn't know the Lord. Like a rooster, who becomes engrossed in outperforming the others, Peter was so caught up in not wanting to be seen before them as a follower of Christ, that he forgot any self-preservation instincts and overworked himself to the point of doing permanent damage to his spirit that could only be healed by the Lord.

Consider how the rooster that night had only crowed once by the time Peter had already denied the Lord three times. Roosters typically crow once every two minutes or as infrequently as every ten minutes. Therefore, the time between the rooster’s two crows that night would have been between two and ten minutes. During that short space of time, Peter had already denied the Lord three times, just as the Lord said he would do. As if Peter was in some sort of competition, he outgunned the crow and got out three vehement denials of Christ in that short space of time before the rooster even had a chance to get out a second crow.

In Matthew, Luke, and John’s gospels, they record the Lord saying, “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times.” That would have a different meaning than if He had said, "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." Roosters start to crow two hours before the onset of light. This is called anticipatory predawn crowing. Therefore if the Lord had said that Peter would disown him three times before the rooster crows today, that would indicate the imminence of Peter's denial of the Lord, which would even occur a couple of hours before dawn; whereas the statement that he would deny the Lord three times before the rooster crowed twice connotes the quickness with which he would deny the Lord three times in such a very short time span. 

But whether the Lord said the rooster would crow today or the rooster would crow twice, the analogy between Peter’s denials and the rooster’s crow is still valid. And besides, since Peter likely influenced the writing of Mark’s gospel, it is likely that Mark’s record of what Jesus said about the rooster crowing twice is more accurate than the others, since this was spoken directly by Jesus to Peter. He would probably have a better recollection of it than anyone else, since it involved him personally and had such a big impact on his life.

Either way you look at it, essentially the rooster’s crow is coming from its animal nature and not from anything spiritual. In the same way, Peter’s denials came from the baser instincts of his sinful human nature. It shows that no matter how emphatically Peter boasted about his loyalty and faithfulness to Christ, he was still capable of committing such a damnable sin as disowning the Lord whom he loved. If Peter, who loved the Lord so much and was such a passionate follower of Christ, could do this, how much more the rest of us who follow Jesus!

This was no small thing to disown the Lord. For Jesus had warned, “But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” (Mat 10:33). This indicates that one who disowns Christ after having known the Lord cannot be saved unless he repents and asks forgiveness before he dies. Peter certainly repented and was reinstated by Jesus after his resurrection from the dead.

Watch and Pray!
The one thing that could have kept Peter from denying Christ in the first place was prayer. The Lord had told him to watch and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane lest he fall into temptation. He said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mat 26:41). Peter’s spirit was willing to follow the Lord to prison and even to death, but his flesh was weak. Since he didn’t take the time to pray, his spirit remained weak, and when presented with a strong temptation, he fell into it.

The same goes for all of us who follow the Lord as His disciples. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Because of the sinful nature, we are capable of committing damnable sins that can keep us from heaven. That’s why we must be careful to watch and pray so that we do not fall into temptation.

On the other hand, Jesus is our perfect example. He always took the time to pray every day, often very early while it was still dark, and even late at night, or throughout the night. And He did so especially on that fateful night, as the disciples slept, yet He prayed intensely all the way through to victory in the garden, surrendering His will to the will of the Father. And when He was confronted with all the temptations that night brought to Him, including His arrest and mock trial before the high priest, He didn't falter a bit. He remained faithful to the Heavenly Father all throughout that ordeal, even as Peter in contrast to Him was outside disowning Him. He was tempted in every way just as we are, yet was without sin (Heb 4:15). May we all follow in His steps (1 Pet 2:21) by imitating Him and obeying His command to watch and pray so that we do not fall into temptation.

Attribution: All Scripture taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. Excerpts from Why Do Roosters Crow by Joseph Hudson taken from Chicken Scratch website, used for educational and commentary purposes only per the Fair Use Act. Image of Peter Denies Christ also used per the Fair Use Act.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, please also see the following: Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Sins of Ignorance,  Sins of Omission, Ask for the Ancient Paths, The False Gospel of Eternal Security, and Seeking Him in the Wee Hours of the Night. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.