Torn Veil

Luke 23:44-46 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

At sundown today Jews around the world will observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. To those poor souls who have rejected atonement through the blood of Jesus Christ this is a High Holy Day, the day in which they believe God will forgive them of the sins they committed over the past year. Traditionally on this day the High Priest of Israel would go behind a veil in the Temple and enter a
place called the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of sacrificed animals over the Ark of the Covenant. The veil represented separation between God and man, and the High Priest was allowed to come into the presence of God only once each year to ask forgiveness for all Israel.

But there came a day when all that changed. Jesus Christ, the Holy Son of God died on a cross as the final and eternal sacrifice for sin, not only for the sins of Israel but all the world. On the day Christ died the world became dark; there was a great earthquake and stones were split. Matthew tells us people came out of the tombs. But we also hear that the veil in the Temple was rent, torn in two from top to bottom.

When Jesus died on the cross He made a way for all who believe in Him to enter into the presence of God and ask for forgiveness at any time. By the atoning blood of Christ we who believe are no longer separated from the presence of God. Through intercessory prayer we can seek forgiveness through an eternal High Priest, a mediator between God and Man whose name is Jesus. Praise God for the torn veil.

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie

Labor

Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

Today is Labor Day, the day in which we celebrate the contributions of American workers. Many people work hard in this country, so we deserve a pat on the back and a hardy “Happy Labor Day!” But did you know the Bible has a lot to say about “labor?” The word “labor” appears in God’s Word over 100 times and it appears most often in the Book of Ecclesiastes. There Solomon considers the benefits and shortfalls of all his labors. Solomon labored but in the end he determined all he had strived for resulted in vanity and grasping at the wind. He knew when he died he’d just leave it all behind for someone else to claim. Solomon admits that the fruit of his labor was a gift from God and meant to be enjoyed, and he also admits it’s better to labor together with someone else because two are better than one. But he also admits that most of the labor we do is for the benefit of our own mouth and it doesn’t do a thing for the eternal soul.

In the end Solomon gives this advice: Ecclesiastes 9:9-10 “Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor you perform under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

But also consider what Jesus said: John 6:27 “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Enjoy the fruit of your labor here on earth, but also labor in the work of Christ that will result in eternal treasures stored up in heaven, labor that endures to
everlasting life.

Have a God Filled Week and a Happy Labor Day,

Brother Donnie

Excuses

John 15:22 …they have no excuse for their sin.

I’ve been giving some thought to God’s forgiveness, and what I’ve come to realize is that many people don’t understand it. They know they’ve sinned, and they want to be forgiven of that sin. So they go to God and pray, “Lord, I know I’ve sinned against you, but…” They go to God intending to seek forgiveness, but instead they ask God for an allowance because they have a good excuse for the sin they’ve committed.

But hear what Jesus says. You have no excuse for your sin. God doesn’t care why you sinned. Your situation, your circumstances, your reasons for sinning have no bearing on the matter. Regardless of your circumstances you always have two choices, obey God or disobey Him. If you obey, God is pleased; if you disobey, He isn’t. Sin is sin and God hates sin. So you can’t go to God and ask Him to overlook your sin just because your situation is difficult. That’s not what it means to be forgiven of your sins.

True forgiveness requires you to see your sin for what it is, rebellion against God. You must confess your sin and repent of your sin. If you admit your sin and stop doing it scripture says God is quick to forgive. But God isn’t interested in your excuses. You can’t rationalize your sins and expect God to overlook them. You might feel like your situation is unique, that you didn’t have a choice, but you do. You can always choose to obey God and trust Him. To do otherwise is to sin against God, and there is no excuse for that.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Together

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

In a country that seems divided by everything it’s hard for people to find unity in anything. But as believers in Jesus Christ we are called to unity by our faith. We are to live together with Him.

It’s bad enough that our country is divided over political, cultural, and social issues, but it’s especially bothersome when that division spills over into the church. The body of Christ is not to be divided. We are called together to live with Him whether we’re awake or asleep—alive or dead. We can’t wait until we’re all in heaven to come together. We have to do it now. And that unity can’t be founded in politics, or cultural accord, or social justice. Our unity must be founded in our faith; a faith that’s supported by sound doctrine and made evident by good works; a faith that’s obedient to the commands of our Lord as they are presented to us in His Holy Word.

When we live together with Christ in that kind of faith the result will be seen in our relationships with each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Since we have obtained salvation through faith in Jesus Christ who died for us, let us live together with Him and comfort and edify one another.

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie

Rain

James 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Here at our house it has been terribly dry the past few weeks. I’ve been watching the weather on TV and praying for rain as I watch my yard turn brown and my pond go dry. You can only do so much with a hose. But I have to be patient; God will bring the rain when God brings the rain.

It’s the same thing with most of life’s issues. Things come up and we need God’s intervention; we need the power of the Holy Spirit to show us a solution. And when we don’t get an immediate response we break out our own little spiritual hose and try to make our own blessing, but it just isn’t enough. It isn’t easy to be patient, but sometimes we have to wait. God will send the blessing when God is ready to send the blessing.

So, what do you do in the meantime? What do you do while you’re patiently waiting on the Lord? Establish your heart. Have faith. Remain committed to the Lord, and be of good courage. The wait may be short, or it may be a very long time, but the Lord will come.

And just like my wait for rain ended this week, someday all the waiting will be over. Someday the Lord Jesus will return. So be patient and establish your heart because the Lord is at hand.

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie

Unequally Yoked

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

As believers in Jesus Christ we are called to lead unbelievers to saving faith in Jesus, but we are not to be unequally yoked to them. In this day and time we often hear politicians and even some church leaders talking about interfaith cooperation, about people of different religions coming together to work for the greater human good. But scripture knows of no such
cooperation. If fact, God commands us not to have fellowship with or work alongside
unbelievers.

Recently President Biden nominated Rashad Hussain, a Muslim man, to be the United States’ ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. If confirmed he will be the first Muslim
in U.S. history to hold that position. He will act as the religious advisor to the Secretary of State regarding international religious freedom issues, and in effect, Mr. Hussain will be America’s official religious representative to the world.

Now, as a Christian that disappoints me, but it doesn’t surprise me. What surprises me is this statement from Brent Leathers: “We appreciate the Biden administration prioritizing this appointment, and we stand ready to work with Mr. Hussain upon his confirmation to advance the fundamental human right of religious freedom.”
The reason I’m surprised is that Brent Leathers is the vice president of external affairs and chief of staff for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the public policy arm of the Southern
Baptist Convention. The fact that the ERLC of the SBC will “stand ready to work with Mr.Hussain,” an unbeliever, alarms me. What part of 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 do they not understand?

Please pray for Brent Leathers, the ERLC, the SBC, and the USA, and don’t follow in their example.