Being stripped of our glory

It is in our nature to hold on to our world view or to be conformed to the worlds view point. “Worldly wisdom” becomes our refuge for it doesn’t call us to die. It is a scary thing to have our world turned upside down, to be called to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. However, that is what the Gospel does. It takes us into a world that is unknown, a world that strips away our “worldly wisdom”, that strips the very essence of who we think we are. In Christ, our daily walk is one of having our world view, this veil that keeps us from seeing the glory of God, stripped away from us, so that we can see truth and beauty. In this act of presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, we rest in God as our refuge and He boldly takes us into His arms and brings us close to Himself.

If we stubbornly hold on and are unwilling to have our world views crushed and broken, and that on a continual and ongoing basis, we will miss out on the goodness and the joy of the Lord, that are found in the wonders of the Gospel. Therefore, let this false wisdom fall away, let my world be crushed and my heart broken as God calls me into His Holy presence and I am changed and conformed into the image of Christ and brought into a love that will consume me.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.   – Romans 12:1,2

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. – Psalm 51:17

Thus says the Lord,

“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
“For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word. – Isaiah 66:1,2

God speaks

God speaks. He is not an idol who is mute. We are the ones who have ears, but cannot hear.

If you want to hear God's voice you must love and pursue true, sound, and deep doctrine. Hearing God's voice requires dying to ones self and trusting God's Word, the scriptures. Growing in love and growing in knowing another, requires pursuing who they are. If you say you want to hear God's voice, but do not pursue the scriptures diligently as a treasure and as a delight, you are wanting you own ends, not His voice. May we spur one another, sharing with one another the word of Christ.

His own, He loved. And He loved us first. And in this truth we can love Him. It is the Gospel that allows us to have peace with God. And it is the power of Christ's work that enables and performs righteousness.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:1-2 ESV)

The Creation, The Flood . . . is that possible pt 2

We know that the Genesis description of Creation is accurate, because it is a description coming from the Creator, himself. And His word is a trustworthy account of what happened.

So then the question is, are the proposed "scientific" explanations consistent with the Genesis account? Because if they are true they must be consistent with Genesis. And if they are not, then they are faulty, and we must keep looking.

I talked about the Flood earlier, because I think this is a good example of where science has definitely failed. We know the Flood happened, the scripture is clear on this, and yet the scientist in general refuse to acknowledge it in their study, research, or theories, not even allowing it in the field. They insist the Flood never happened. Is the scripture faulty or is their refusal to accept the scripture and repress the truth faulty. Their refusal to accept the Flood shows that their science is faulty (well at least on the level where the Flood is concerned). The scientists make observations and theories with blinders on. And just as there is a fault with their view pertaining to the Flood so there is a fault with their view toward Creation.

So if our (the ones created) "scientific" explanations differ or are in conflict with the description given by the One who created the world, the One who has all the observations, time, and facts before him, should we believe Him, or should we insist on relying on our own observations, which come from a very limited and minute point of view. . . . God's ways are far above our own. Humbly we should trust Him at His word. . . . The scripture says,

"All these things my hand has made,

and so all these things came to be,

declares the Lord.

But this is the one to whom I will look:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit

and trembles at my word."

And so as we come to understand this world that God has made, we must do so with a contrite and humble spirit that trembles at God's Word.

And maybe sometimes, what we observe from our vantage point throws us off and confuses us, and that's ok, and we can be honest about what we see and observe, because we don't have the full vantage point, and perspectives can change when you are so small. We are learning and trying to understand things from where we are.

So this does not do away with what we observe, and it is ok to continue to be scientists and to give the best explanation we know and to be honest with what we find, but it is a humble approach realizing we still have much to learn, and just as throughout history, we have found that our observations have been limited or faulty, so today, we need to realize that are present theories are as well.

When we don't, we are like those who insisted that the world was flat, or that the sun revolved around the earth, because that is what they knew from their limited point of view and observations. Or we can become like the church, who insisted on holding to an Aristotle view of science, even though it was secular, and conformed the scriptures to fit that secular explanation.

We may have leaped in bounds in science compared to those days, but we are still limited and do not see the whole pictures and definitely not as much as God sees. And we are still sinful in how we interpret the findings. Romans 1 shows are sinful bent in looking at nature and suppressing the things of God. Because of are sinful tendency, we must be humble in what we learn. There is a danger of trembling at science, over and above, trembling at God's Word, allowing science to conform are mind, more than God's Word.


“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding."


Other things may fade away, like scientific theories, but God's word does not.

Unlike us, God, however, does see the whole picture, and has no need to be ashamed of His account of creation. He created the world as He saw fit. He didn't have to allegorize it, because He could do anything, and did do it. He created the world how He wanted to, to represent what He wanted it to represent, to bring about a story He wanted, not one of fairy tales, but one that is real. So when God, describes the way He created the world it is not a fantasy but a real account of the story, history.

The question then comes what does Genesis and the rest of the scriptures say about Creation. What does the Lord say about what happened. Where the scripture is sure, we can trust it and we don't have to waver. And we shouldn't let our fears color our interpretation, trying to fit it in with what we know. Let it speak for itself. Scripture works better that way. It is not meant to be caged in, but instead it is living, penetrating our hearts and conforming our minds to its truth. It is to shape us in God's image, we are not to shape it into ours.

I for one choose to believe God and to tremble at His word, instead of insisting on my own perspective. We continue to be scientists, honest and objective. And science will follow along, if it is willing to be objective, honest, and humble, for true Science always obeys God's voice.

 The Creation, The Flood pt1

An amazing story about a friend of Ravi Zacharias - Romans 8

Christians who harp on Homosexuality have made a mistake: My sincere apology

Christians who harp on Homosexuality have made a mistake: My sincere apology

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

There has been a fervent outcry among those of the Christian faith against Homosexuality and the Homosexual agenda, an outcry that has set these people apart. Homosexuality is treated as a “particularly” horrid form of depravity, as if it were one of the deepest sins of the heart. And the Homosexual agenda is treated as a “particularly” corrupting influence in our society. We communicate to the homosexuals that they are more depraved than others who do not commit such a sin. This angers me and my heart hurts for those who are caught up in this sin.

The reason I have heard from people, so many times, for this reaction specifically towards homosexuality is a misunderstanding of Romans 1, where it states,

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

These verses are quoted and said to be a descending spiral into the depravity of the human heart, and that here, homosexuality being presented as being “particularly” depraved. However, this is not the argument that Paul gives, at all.

Paul is not talking about the depravity of the heart and its descending spiral. Instead Paul is presenting the madness that comes out of a mind that suppresses the truth of who God is.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

This lack of faith and the suppression of truth is the source of the rotten power of sin that corrupts and erodes mankind and brings them into madness.

“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became (futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, . . .”

In Isaiah, God speaks of this madness and foolishness.

Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire." But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god." They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals I roast meat and eat it Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!" He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Paul goes on describing our insanity . . .

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

And in this insanity and madness God gave us over to its passions. Here Paul uses homosexuality as an example of the fools we have become because there is an obvious exchanging the natural order of things for the unnatural.

However, Paul is not using this example to state that those who commit these unnatural sexual acts or more depraved than others, He is only describing how insane sin makes us become.

Right after this, Paul describes this madness with other sins. If this is a downward spiral, Paul is describing, then these sins fall below homosexuality, and must be more depraved. How many of these sins have you committed? No, Paul is describing the madness of sin and how utterly corrupt we have become.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Now, let’s read on to the next verse,

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. . .

Paul states that we are . . .

all under sin;
as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."
"THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,"
"THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS";
"WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS";
"THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN."
"THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

Paul in his argument brings all men under this madness of sin. We have all become depraved and corrupted. And this is Paul’s point: sin, itself, from the very conception in the heart of man is utterly corrupting, bringing us all under the wrath of God.

So why do some Christians have a special indignation toward homosexuality? Do you who speak out against laws promoting homosexuality also speak out against laws promoting divorce (something that has devastated our society)? Do you who harp about homosexuality outside the church, get angry over adultery and promiscuity and divorce that is so prevalent within the church? How about the sin in your own life? . . . . Do you have contempt for the kindness and tolerance and patience of God, who saved you from such filth?

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians tells the church “not to associate with sexually immoral people –“. But he is quick to say, “not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.” His judgment is on those who are in the Church. “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside.”

The Gospel brings a compassion and conviction to sinners. Christ was known as a man who associated with “sinners and tax collectors”. He brought the Gospel into the madness of this world. He loved those who were unloved and were considered “great” sinners. He spoke the truth and called for repentance, but He did so to all men.

Should we speak out against homosexuality. "Yes", a definite "Yes". It is a horrible and devastating sin. And we do not have to fear to call sin sin. If we love, we will speak out against it, but we must speak out against it in a biblical way. We need to get off our high horse and be real with who we are without Christ and come to the homosexuals as people under the same corruption and filth and madness, people with just as much need of the Gospel as they. Some harp about “specific” sins, without looking at their own, but it is the fact that we are all sinners that keeps us from God. So we have nothing to boast against someone who has done a "specific" sin. Unless I repent, I will likewise perish, and I need the grace of God, through Christ Jesus.

Romans 7

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! . . . .

I am so glad that God can love me, even though I am a mess.

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!"

I thought about titling this: Why Calvinists evangelize?

Psalm 33:4-9
4 For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
he puts the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

2 Peter 3:5
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God,

Hebrews 11:3
By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Here is what is significant. God the heavens and earth with His spoken word. God did this for a reason. The artist, the God who could have created the universe by any means, chose purposely and deliberately to use the spoken word. And even though the world sees this as foolish, by faith we know this to be true, because the word of the Lord is upright. God made this choice to create the worlds by His word, because He was going to use the same means to create something more significant and more difficult with the spoken word – new life. It is the foolishness of the preaching of the word that God uses to bring a dead man’s soul to life. And this word, this gospel, has power. This is why we preach the Gospel. Because the word of the Lord has power and will not return to Him void. When God says, “Let there be light”. There is light.

There is another significance to this. Christ is the Word. And just as all created things were made through him and are sustained by Him. So it is the same with this new life.

Romans 10:14-17
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:21
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

I am concerned about their suffering

". . .I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land..." (Exodus 3:7-8)

. . . "I am concerned about their suffering." . . .

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

"-but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

"For there is not distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high." (Leviticus 26:13)

Our hope

II. The Cross of Christ must become bigger
Day 3
God calls us to live in righteousness. The scripture clearly says that as a Christian you must pursue righteousness. I am sure we can all think of several scriptures which show this. But now I’m telling you, that you can’t be Righteous. So where is our hope?


-- The Gospel --


In Romans 7, Paul, like my 3 year old niece, knows that if he is honest, he can’t say, “Yes, I will do good”. Paul is very real and candid here. He talks about his struggle with sin and how although he would like to do what is good, he doesn’t. In this desperation he cries out “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” . . . But he is not without hope. . . . His answer is, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Paul said that he was the worst of all sinners. But he understood that grace touched every part of who he was, it had to or he wouldn’t have had hope. He understood that God came to save sinners. The cross had become bigger for him. Paul was honest and real; he had to have Jesus . . . "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Paul wrote in Galatians, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?” The Bible says, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

You see, we cannot look at the work of the Gospel as something just done in our past when we were saved, for we are just as much in need of it, now, as Christians as when we first believed, both to realize our forgiveness in God and to enable us to pursue righteousness. Hear this; we never ever outgrow our need for the Gospel. The Gospel not only obtains our salvation, it also produces our sanctification, and secures our glorification.

And this faith looks to a person - Jesus Christ our Lord, the author and perfecter of our faith. This is the Gospel. Jesus is the Gospel. He alone saves us from sin. He is our only hope. Therefore there is no boasting; only praise, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”


Who do you depend on for righteousness?

Is your walk in sanctification by faith or works?

Additional readings: Psalm 73:26, Philippians 3:9, Romans 8
Video – Mighty is the Power of the Cross

Covenant of faith

III. The Romance/ God’s pursuit of us
Day 4 pt 1
a. The Covenant of Faith
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
" 30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." "

In ancient culture, when a covenant was made between two men, animals were split in two and both men would walk in-between the animals signifying that if they did not keep covenant with the other person that they should be torn in two as the animals. In Romans 4 and Galatians 3:7-9, Paul refers to Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abraham through faith. In Genesis 15, the animals were prepared and cut in two, but instead of both parties walking through the covenant, only God walks through the split animals. “As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him . . . When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram . . . .” Abraham was not capable of keeping covenant with God, so God was saying that He alone would keep the covenant both His part and Abraham’s part. God here was also saying that if He does not keep His part as well as Abraham’s part, “Let me be torn asunder”.
We have a God who in His love has made a covenant with us. Jeremiah 34:10 says, “’I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, that they may not turn from Me.’” (also read Hebrews 8:8-12). The Scripture says in Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." So now we look to Jesus who alone bore the cross and who alone tore the veil and who alone upholds the covenant of Grace. He is not only the author, but He is also the perfecter of our faith. He alone secures the covenant of the Gospel. We are dependent on work that Christ has done, both on His behalf and on ours.

What did the Psalmists mean when they called God their shelter and stronghold?

Additional readings: Hebrews 8:6-10; Hebrews 6:13-20; Ezekiel 11:17-20; Ezekiel 36:25-27; 1 Corinthians 1; Romans 9:16; Jude 24,25; Philippians 1:6; Luke 4:18,19; Galatians 3:7-9; Romans 4
Video – Amazing Grace

God's pursuit of us

Day 5: The Romance/ God’s pursuit of us, pt 2
a. Washing with the Word/Sanctification
Ephesians 5:25-27
"25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

It can be frustrating, not having obtained perfection, to still fail and let God down. Our walk on this earth is not one of perfection, but of being perfected -sanctification. When we become saved, God doesn't take a huge fire hose and blast us with water to get rid of all the dirt. No, instead He comes close and gently washes us with the word. I don't understand why God does this, why we aren't made perfect. I hate the fact that I still sin. But I do know that this is romance, and somehow in all this, the romantic, gentle, loving character of God comes through. So in this walk where I am not perfect there is beauty and intimacy; and I am falling more in love with my Beloved, who washes me with His word.

You see it is Christ who washes us, who sanctifies us, who is the perfecter of our faith. We don’t wash ourselves. When Peter refused this, Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” And note here how gentle and romantic this is. Not only does he wash us (a very romantic picture), but He washes us with His word. I think of my wife (if it is the Lord’s will) and how much she will desire me to speak gently to her and how deeply that will touch her heart. This passage is extremely intense and romantic. And that is what Christ does for us. He touches the deepest parts of our hearts in a way no one else can.

“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” – C.S. Lewis

Isaiah 61:10-11
"10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations. "

Jesus is a good Shepherd. Do you trust him in your struggles, failures, hurt, in the valley of the shadow of Death?

Do you believe that He is a God who is with us in the realities of life and in the darkest parts of this world?

Additional readings: Ephesians 3:14-20; Romans 8:28-39; Reading - Our Security in Him ,
Video – At the cross

the kind intention of His will

10And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; 11for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God's purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 12it was said to her, "THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 13Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." 14What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

“16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”

Paul associates this verse and concept with God’s name. Paul refers to Exodus 33:19 which says, “And He said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion’." Whatever we think about this verse, when Paul associates this with God’s name, it forces us to take this scripture seriously. I hear more people saying what they think or feel, instead of taking this scripture seriously and trying to come to grips with what it is saying. We can’t shy away from it because we are afraid. Paul won’t let us. Maybe you can show me, through the scriptures that it means something different than what I think, but you can’t come to this scripture and tell me that you do not believe it because of how you feel or what you think. And one of the things we surely cannot do is accuse God of being unjust or “making robots”. Paul is very clear about that. Paul writes, “19You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?’ 20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it?”

We can ignore scripture or we can face it like men, believing and trusting God like a child, knowing that what He has to say is good for us. And His purposes in this passage are kind, gentle and good. Read with me, Ephesians 1:3-8; “3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight”

My concern here is not to convince us of a doctrine, but to urge us to have trust in God’s word which is faithful. Instead of running from these scriptures or avoiding it because we do not like it, we must become like children who are not afraid to come close and hear the heart of God. Let the scriptures challenge you and reveal who God is and believe.

Love of God

A letter written to a friend

You alluded to the verse "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Funny, I have heard that quoted several times in the last few days. I find it interesting what comes after this. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The promise of all things working together for good does not mean we will not face tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword. No, for his sake, for our Beloved's sake, "we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." But what it does mean is that His love breaks through all things no matter how bad and nothing can separate us from the love of our Beloved. It is about being in love. When your in love your deepest hearts desire is not to be separated from the one you love. He breaks through everything and we are swept away in His arms and by His love and that is truly "good".

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things: Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

And indeed our position is secure in Him and He works all things for our good, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified"

listen to this video: http://miykael-sehleon.blogspot.com/2008/03/blog-post.html#links

Christmas

Merry Christmas

I wrote this from thinking about the holidays and how I have to go to a family where Christ is not celebrated or is wanted. And I know many of us are in similar situations. I also wrote this just because of life in general and from my experiences with ministering to others. I hope this brings some encouragement to hold on to the vision that the Lord has laid before us:

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” . . . In a whisper, God was on the move. . .

God came into the world . . . in the mundane and in the midst of glory. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” (Matthew 1:23). “And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). This babe, God in flesh, did not come into comfort or safety, but instead He chose not to be sheltered from the reality of this world and to became acquainted with sorrows, grief, and suffering. In His life, He did not turn His head from these things, but went to those who were broken hearted, hurting, blind, sick, and in bondage.

This gives me hope in this world where we preach the glory of the Kingdom, in the midst of a fallen and ugly world; a world that, at least for my part, most of the time does not make sense, a place where we are not protected from the reality of life. There are hard family situations, hard friendships, and hard circumstances. We witness to people whose hearts seem so hardened and darkened and held captive by sin. We walk with people through addictions. We persevere in prayer for those in bondage. We suffer with those who suffer. And we see the sickness of this world.

Our place in this world is as our Lord’s was, not in greatness or comfort, but in the poverty of laying our lives down for the gospel. As the scripture says, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

I do not know about you, but I need a gospel like this that meets the gates of hell, that meets the world as it is and does not put any façade on it. It is a comfort to know that we have a gospel, and a Lord, that does not hide from the reality of this world but is able to touch the brokenness, hurt, bondage, and suffering. And in this we can cry out, “He is with me. He is with me.”

This does not mean that there is not beauty and joy. At Christ’s birth, glory came to earth. Let us not forget, that in the midst of the manger was a King, so beautiful. Whose heart would not be gripped with tears at the site; it stirred angels to sing? The manger makes it all the more beautiful, not less so. In its meeting the world in reality, it presents a beauty that is real and relevant. It is not so lofty that it cannot be reached, but instead comes down to reach us. It is this beauty and joy that He presents in us as we give the gospel to others. So let us not look for comfort or safety, but let us pursue beauty and love and truth and a vision and a dream bigger than our own: something that is real.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Communion

I led Communion (I believe for the first time) this Tuesday, October 16, 2007. This is the Lituragy I used.

One of the reasons I used a Literagy was because it could be about me talking or about us worshiping and declaring the goodness of God together. It was also great because I had different men lead out durring this.


I hope through this that you will be able to see that Christ is our righteousness, He alone is our rock; and that our dependence is on Him both for salvation, but also for sanctification; we bring nothing. When we realize that it is Him at work and that He has done the work, we can run with confidence toward our Beloved. His sacrifice is not just for our salvation, it is for our living, and our glorification. By faith we live.

Grace
Minister: We come here by grace;

People: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,” (Romans 3:23-25)

Minister: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

People: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 6:23)

People: "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

Minister: Our promise and salvation are sure for. . .

People: “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12-14)

Minister: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

Minister: Therefore since our righteousness if from Him, we have nothing to boast of,

People: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galations 2:20-21; 6:14)

Minister: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)

People: “Therefore, . . . let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”


Community
The scripture says, “. . .in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) Communion is taken in community. We are brought near to each other by the blood of Christ. It is by grace, and only grace, that we can live in community with each other.

Institution
Minister: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
People: Christ became flesh.
-----Christ has died.
-----Christ is risen.
-----Christ will come again.
Minister: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Minister: The gifts of God are for the people of God. Come eat and drink with thanksgiving.
People: Hallelujah!

Prayer of Blessing
Minister:


Breaking of the Bread
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:24)

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Minister:

Wine
“In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:25-26)

Prayer of Longing
Minister:

the trembling

Letter written in 2006

-----I am still learning about this, so I do not know if I can explain this well and I do not have much time to write, so it will be choppy, but I think the Lord will show you more than I can write. I was talking about one aspect of the fear of the Lord and one aspect of what it means to be close and in His presence. You were talking about how you would read the writings of Jonathan Edwards and how his concept on predestination was hard and challenged you. I think there many things about God like that, things that cause us to tremble. The scripture says, “our God is a consuming fire.” And Christ is both the lion and the lamb and both in fullness and truth. He is Holy. And He is loving. I was talking to you about John on Patmos, when he saw Christ. I got the order backwards, but the point is the same.
-----On the isle of Patmos John had an encounter with the beauty of Christ: “ 12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Jesus revealed to John His beauty. And John’s response to the beauty of Christ was to fall at his feet as though dead. He was in the presence of the beauty of Christ and it was more than he could handle, but by grace, Jesus touched him and said, “Fear not”.
-----Isaiah had a similar experience before God: “1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"”

-----In the fullness of the beauty of God, man trembles and becomes undone. But His beauty is good because He is good.

-----Often the beauty of God can be difficult for man because they do not want to experience a God that will cause them to tremble and be undone. In John we see men forsaking Christ, because the things Christ said were too hard.

"25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." 28Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."
41So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 43Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- 46not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." 59Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
66After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." 70Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." 71He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him. "

-----Paul when dealing with a difficult subject of the beauty of God in Roman’s 9, responds to the questions of men who did not like what they heard, because it shook them. They found the beauty of the Lord to difficult. Paul responds to these men by saying, “Who are you O man, who answers back to God?” He does not explain or defend God, God is who he is, and who are we, O man, to question His goodness and beauty even if it makes us tremble at the very essence of who we are? Later in Ephesians when Paul is dealing with the same difficult subject as in Romans, states that the purpose of God in this was “according to the kind intention of His will”. It was because of His goodness. And it stirs up praise within Paul that pours out in his letter and the letter becomes doxology. What man finds difficult, God does because He is kind and good and beautiful.

Here is another verse: “1Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool;what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD.But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” It is good and sweet to tremble before the Lord.

-----There is a church here and as a part of their statements of belief they state this:
"God's Word is like a lion: powerful, living and active. We believe the lion is 'caged' when it is used improperly as a pragmatic guidebook, platform for politics, for perpetual therapy, or for phony experience. The Church is responsible to uncage this lion and watch it run and triumph. And it will triumph, for it is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice."

-----I would be negligent if I left you with just trembling before the Lord, for it is not all that happens in His presence, for we are not the only one that responds. What is good is the response of Christ, But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Jesus cries out to us, “Fear not, I am” “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” By His grace alone, we stand. And, Oh!, how that grace is lavished on us by His kind intention. And by this, His love, we run into His presence as a child runs to a Father.

“14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our "God is a consuming fire."”

The Romance

Written 2004 or 2005

-----In life group (I am sending this to others outside of life group as well), I said that the Romance of God is greater than the romance story often told. As I have been meditating on God’s act of salvation, I have been amazed at the beauty and wonder of the tale. I hope, by God’s grace to give a glimpse into the enravished heart of God. (I have not even come close in this letter to what God is showing me nor have I abundantly filled it with Scriptures, but here it is:) The story is often told of God rescuing us from the throws of the devil, as a prince rescues a princes held captive in a castle. Though there is some truth in this, the tale of the adventure of God is greater and the act of love more breathtaking.
-----The tale begins before the foundation of the world. His love for His bride is deep, existing before the foundations of the world. History is the tale of Jesus pursuing His bride. He loved her, knowing her fully. Knowing she would reject Him. Knowing the depth of her depravity, He still loved her, for He determined that before time began. He had chosen her as His bride.In love, He created mankind and began the story of His bride. Soon after her creation, her heart quickly became hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, to which she gave her will and her desires becoming ensnared by its lusts and evil desires, enslaved and mastered by sin. Not only was she ensnared, but she gave her love to sin and desired it above all else, longing after it. And even though she could not be satisfied by it, in her spiritual madness, she abandoned herself to its desires, which were now her own as well. She hated the Beloved, and even though it was evident that His love was true, she suppressed this truth, and determined to be His enemy. Her heart became stone, she died, hating God, hating her Beloved, so much that when He came she crucified Him.
-----You see God did not come to rescue a beautiful princess captured by sin or the devil, He came to rescue one who was an enemy, one who hated Him and had chosen to hate Him. Nor did He risk His love for her hoping she would choose Him, she had already made her choice, she despised Him and murdered Him. No instead, He came in grace and power and extravagantly determined love. He gave everything for a bride whom He loved and found a way to rescue her, to change her heart of stone to flesh, to give her life from the dead.We were slaves to sin and enemies of God with hearts of stone, hardened by sin, dead. When Christ’s blood touched our hearts, our hearts became flesh and we were able to love God, so much so that the Scripture says Jesus can hardly handle a glimpse from His Bride, the Church, she is so beautiful to Him. He broke the spell that held us captive to which we had given our will and made us beautiful. God is not timid he is a passionate lover in pursuit of our hearts, the hounds of Heaven, not allowing sin or death to keep Him away from His love or keep us away from Him.
-----It is a tale not of a prince loving a princes, but a tale of a prince loving an adulteress woman, and making her a princes.Picture a princess held in castle, well what seems a castle to her, but is truly a prison. She is held their by her own choosing because she loves the men in the castle and gives her love to all who ask. She has become lovers with the enemies of the King, and despises Him in the deepest parts of her heart. She is overcome by the spell of sin. The prince, who loved her before she was born and had chosen her to be His bride, knows there is only one way the spell can be broken. When He comes to her she spits on Him and ridicules Him, but He loves her and allows her to crucify Him, so He can take upon himself the destruction, that the King has decreed. As He dies, His blood purchases her, when it touches her heart the spell is broken and His blood washes her, transforms her heart of stone to flesh, and opens her blind eyes, so she can love Him in return. And as He lives again, she too comes from death to life into a passionate Romance. And they live happily ever after.
-----God’s work of salvation is greater than any tale we could tell, a mere glimpse of it, is the Song of Songs is the greatest of all songs. This tale is a tale that comes from the imagination of the Almighty, and from the romance of the Beloved. If it were a tale we could fathom, it would not be His own, and it would not satisfy our hearts, but it is a tale that He invites us to become intimately involved in. And one day we will see our Beloved face to face and know Him, as we are known.

Here are a few scriptures:

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- Colossians 1:21,22

and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high -- Hebrews 1:318

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. – Romans 1:18-2528

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. - Romans 1:28-3210

As it is written:
“ There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “ Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“ The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “ Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “ There is no fear of God before their eyes.”- Romans 3:10-18

4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight – Ephesians 1:4-7

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience . . . . 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. – Ephesians 2:1-10