Sin
Are We Tolerating What Jesus is Against?
Jesus is the Son of Man who knows what it is to live in human skin. However, what is inside of Him is different from us. His innermost being is holy glowing purity. Revelation 2:18-20a describes the ascended Christ as having eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze. Revelation 1:16 describes His face as the sun shining in its strength. Imagine that visual for a minute. Jesus’ face is like the sun shining in its strength.
Following these magnificent otherworldly descriptions of Jesus, we’re told that Jesus, the Son of God, says this, “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first, but I have this against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality” (Revelation 2:19-20a).
Yes, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He is slow to anger, but we must never forget that He is also the Son of God reigning in glory. He sees our deeds and what we tolerate that is against Him. Is there anything we need to repent of before we ask Him for His continued blessings?
Are Things Heating Up in Your Life?
Our Heavenly Father has a goal: to cleanse us of sin. Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.”
Malachi 3:3 explains that God sits as a smelter, or a refiner, watching over us as the heat of daily life, trials, and sufferings cause impurities to rise to the surface. He wants for us to be increasingly purified so we better reflect Christ.
What happens when sin glaringly rises in life? We have the opportunity to be appalled and confess the sin. Are things heating up in your life? If so, be assured that your Heavenly Father is close to you and watching over you. He hears your prayers and confessions. And, has anyone told you? You are reflecting Him more every day.
Lord, thank You, SMELTER of our mind, spirit, and soul. Purify us so we reflect Your image.
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If You Met Jesus in the Next Few Minutes
Do you “clean up” before something important? Maybe you have a job interview or are going to a wedding or meeting friends for dinner. Most likely you shower and put on clean clothes. You prepare for the person you’re meeting.
One of Jesus’ beloved followers tells believers in 1 John 3:3 that we should prepare to meet Jesus. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Purifies himself? What in the world does that mean? Hasn’t Jesus already made believers pure? Yes, Jesus cleanses us of our sins when we repent and confess Him as Lord. But John makes an important point. Believers should guard against daily sin in anticipation of meeting Christ. In other words, if we knew we were going to meet Jesus either by death or in the rapture, what might we do or not do? The fact is we will soon meet the pure Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, You are the PURE risen Savior. Call to our minds how we might be more pure and therefore purify ourselves.
Want to learn more about living a victorious Christian life? Watch Debbie’s teaching on Acts 28 : The 7 Characteristics of People Who Are More than Conquerors.
If You Met Jesus in the Next Few Minutes
Do you “clean up” before something important? Maybe you have a job interview or are going to a wedding or meeting friends for dinner. Most likely you shower and put on clean clothes. You prepare for the person you’re meeting. One of Jesus’s beloved followers tells believers in 1 John 3:3 that we should prepare to meet Jesus. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is PURE.” Purifies himself? What in the world does that mean? Hasn’t Jesus already made believers pure? Yes, Jesus cleanses us of our sins when we repent and confess Him as Lord. But John makes an important point. Believers should guard against daily sin in anticipation of meeting Christ. In other words, if we knew we were going to meet Jesus either by death or in the rapture, what might we do or not do? The fact is we will soon meet the PURE Jesus Christ. Click here for “Prayers for All Occasions” including prayers of confession and “Assurance of Salvation” verses.
Lord Jesus, You are the PURE risen Savior. Call to our minds how we might be more pure and therefore purify ourselves.
If You Met Jesus in the Next Few Minutes
Do you “clean up” before something important? Maybe we have a job interview or are going to a wedding or meeting friends. Do we shower and put on clean clothes? Of course, we do. We prepare for the one we’re meeting. One of Jesus’s beloved followers tells believers in 1 John 3:3 that we should prepare for when we meet Jesus. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is PURE.” But hasn’t Jesus already made us pure? Yes. Jesus cleanses us of our sins when we repent and confess Him as Lord. But John makes an important point. God’s children should guard against daily sin in anticipation of meeting Christ. If we knew we would meet Jesus in the next few moments what might we do or not do? Right a relationship? Apologize to someone? Say “no” to a sinful habit? The fact is, we will soon meet Jesus. How could we “purify ourselves” in readiness to see our risen Lord?
Lord Jesus, You are PURE and we desire to be pure like You. Forgive our sins. Fill us with Your pure, Holy Spirit.
How to Prepare to Meet Jesus
Do you “clean up” before something important? Maybe we have a job interview or are going to a wedding or out with friends. Do we shower and put on clean clothes? Of course we do. We prepare for the one we’re meeting. One of Jesus’s beloved followers tells believers in 1 John 3:3 that we should prepare for when we meet Jesus in heaven. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is PURE.” But hasn’t Jesus already made us pure? Yes. Jesus washes us and cleanses of our sins when we repent and confess Him as Lord. But John makes the point that as God’s children, we should anticipate meeting Christ and therefore guard against daily sin. If we knew we would meet Jesus in the next few moments what might we do in preparation? Right a relationship? Apologize to someone? Say “no” to a sinful habit? The fact is, we will soon meet Jesus. How might we “purify ourselves” in readiness to see our risen Lord?
Lord Jesus, You are PURE and we desire to be pure. Forgive our sin. Fill us with Your pure, Holy Spirit.
Prepare to Meet Jesus
Do you “clean up” before something important? Maybe we have a job interview, are going to a wedding, or out with friends. Do we bathe and put on clean clothes? Sure! We prepare for who we’re going to meet. One of Jesus’s beloved followers, John, tells believers that we should purify ourselves. But hasn’t Jesus already made us pure? Yes. We’re saved by faith in Christ’s completed work on the cross. But John makes a point. As children of God, we should eagerly anticipate meeting Christ and therefore desire to put off sin. If we knew that we’d meet Jesus in a few hours, what would we do? Right a relationship? Make an apology? Release a resentment? Shuck a bad habit? The fact is, we will soon be meeting Jesus. 1 John 3:3 tells us, “everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He (Christ) is pure.” Now is a good time for us to ask forgiveness for our sins and for the Holy Spirit to fill us.
Lord Jesus, You are PURE and we desire to be pure. Forgive our sin. Fill us with Your pure, Holy Spirit.
“Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him (Jesus) purifies himself, just as He is PURE.” 1 John 3:3
Move Away from the Fire
Driving to Kerrville from San Antonio,
I reflected on God’s goodness at the P.R.A.Y. with Passion Conference at The Fellowship of San Antonio.
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Praise to the TRIUMPHANT Lord
“When He (Jesus) had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having TRIUMPHED over them through Him.”
Do you ever feel like things are out of control? Does it seem like politicians and people in authority ignore your voice? Does it seem like we live in a world where truth is ignored and people are deceived? Christ can relate. He was pronounced “not guilty,” then crucified. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Christ TRIUMPHED over the grave, rulers, and authorities. He disarmed them and made a public display of them. The good news is – Christ is still on the throne. Wrongs will be righted one day. Deceptions will be revealed. Right and truth will prevail. The Triumphant Lord is also able to triumphant over strongholds in our lives, despair in our heart, and sin that entangles us. Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Christ is the triumphant Lord. Look to Him. Call on Him.
Lord, You are TRIUMPHANT over death, rulers and authorities. You are triumphant over powers and sin. We ask for Your help to stand against evil and to live godly, holy lives.
‘Fess UP
UPLIFT is a blog that focuses on ways we can please the Lord by living our lives before Him in an UPLIFTing way. We can:
- Wise UP and benefit by living according to His teachings.
- Lift UP our eyes to Him when we don't know what to do.
- Armor UP to be equipped to resist temptation.
- Stand UP for our convictions.
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