What happens when you’re saved by Grace

 

What happens when you’re saved by Grace

 

A Paper by Jan Rice

 

Peace

 

Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 2:14, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

If you are not experiencing Peace

What is the Problem?

Romans 14:23, “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

  Hebrews 3:18-19, “And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?  So, we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”

You need to check these two areas: Unbelief and Disobedience.

 

King David Sin & Confession

A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Psalm 51: 1-4, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.   (Confession) 

Psalm 51:10-15, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing about your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”  Jan shares these insights of what King David experienced.

 

God forgiveness; David’s sin against God, Godly Sorrow; repentance; agreement with God, God’s forgiveness, and Pease Restored.

 

What Action should a Follower of Christ, take when the Enemy remind you of Past Sins?

 

Hebrew 10: 15-18, “And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, This, is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”  Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”

Hebrew 19:19-22, “ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  The last word of Jesus was it is finished.  Got Question had this to say on those last words of Jesus.  “It is finished.” Found only in the Gospel of John, the Greek word translated “it is finished” is tetelestai, an accounting term that means “paid in full.” When Jesus uttered those words, He was declaring the debt owed to His Father was wiped away completely and forever. Not that Jesus wiped away any debt that He owed to the Father; rather, Jesus eliminated the debt owed by mankind—the debt of sin.

For one who has put their Faith in the Finished Work of Christ, what does the Scripture say God has done with Sin?

Micah 7:19, “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

Isaiah 38:17, “Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness;
but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins behind your back.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Jan Rice

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The Tabernacle

 

Exodus 26:1-6

 

October 2, 2024

 

The Tabernacle

“Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.  The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be the same size.  Five curtains shall be coupled to one another, and the other five curtains shall be coupled to one another.  And you shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set. Likewise, you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.  Fifty loops you shall make on the one curtain, and fifty loops you shall make on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another.  And you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to the other with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be a single whole.

 

From the Enduring Word, a. “Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine woven linen: The tabernacle was a tent with a frame and a series of elaborate coverings. This section describes the first covering, the one seen from the interior of the tabernacle.

i. The plans for the tabernacle were revealed to Moses from the inside out, starting with the interior furniture and then working out. We approach the sanctuary from the outside in, but God builds the sanctuary from the inside out. He works in His people according to the same pattern.

b. Fine woven linen… with artistic designs of cherubim: The designs on this covering were visible only from the inside of the tabernacle. Therefore, on the inside of the tabernacle, one saw cherubim all around – as one would see in heaven (Psalm 80:1, Isaiah 37:16, and Ezekiel 10:3).

i. In association with the cherubim on the ark of the covenant, Trapp noted: “Golden-winged images, made by God’s special appointment, and set out of sight. Hence, then is no warrant for the use of images in churches.”

c. Five curtains shall be coupled: The fine linen curtain was made by sewing together five curtains, each one 42 feet (14 meters) long and 6 feet (2 meters) wide. They were first joined in sets of five, and then joined together to cover 42 feet (14 meters) by 60 feet (20 meters).

d. Make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains together with the clasps: The sets of five curtains were not to be sewn to each other, but joined by a system of loops on the fabric and gold clasps to link the loops from one set of five curtains to the other set of five curtains.

e. So that it may be one tabernacle: The spiritual principle illustrated with this method of joining the curtains is unity in diversity. It is the same idea of Romans 12:5: we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

 

I do not often go to commentaries, but today it seems the right thing to do, and this writer was blessed by how God began showing Moses how to build the tabernacle from the inside out.  For that is what has happened to me: first he had to do His work on my heart, and then he began to work on my fleshly life.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

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The Golden Lampstand

 

 

Exodus 25:31-40

 

 

October 1, 2024

 

The Golden Lampstand

“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.  And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it;  three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.  And on the lampstand, itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers,  and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand.  Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold.  You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it.  Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold.  It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a tale^nt of pure gold.  And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

You do recall that Moses took Joshua up the mountain with him, for God was going to not only give Moses the Ten Commandments, but the details on all that was to go into Tabernacle.  We also must remember that God was moving them around in the wilderness for 40 years because of their lack of trust in God.

The tabernacle in the wilderness was a portable place of worship God commanded the Israelites to build after he rescued them from slavery in Egypt. It was used from a year after they crossed the Red Sea until King Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem, a period of 400 years.

And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.  What was in God's place of worship was made by man; the architect was God, and the project manager was Moses and Joshua.  I can only imagine the details as they were given to the craftsmen.

So, I ask, how can one get application from these verses? I have been up a few mountains, but it was not to get a set of rules to live by; could mine and your lampstands be our studying of the Scriptures?  Has God not called us to that task in 2 Timothy 2:15? “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

The Scriptures have all one needs to live a righteous life, but as a pastor who taught Jan and me and a bunch of teenagers in our home said often, “You would be better off not picking up this book if you are not going to obey it teaching.”  

I wish I had taken that to heart; I have many regrets for not doing so in my thirties.  You may be wondering whether Bob does not understand that if He confessed his sins with a broken and contrite heart, God will forgive him and remember them no more.  Yes, 1 John 1:9, ^“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Also in Isaiah 43:25, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”

Now let me tell you who does not forget the one Jesus called the thief, the one who came to kill, steal, and destroy.  So act on the Scriptures and tell him to pound sand; better yet, run to Jesus.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Table for Bread

 

 

Exodus 25:23-30

 

September 30, 2024

 

The Table for Bread

“You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height. You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it.  And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim.  And you shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs.  Close to the frame, the rings shall lie, as holders for the poles to carry the table.  You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these.  And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold.  And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly.

I find myself as a gentile not fully understanding the fullness of the orders God is giving to Moses on the items going into the Temple.  They were only using the most precious medals, the best items that could be found, the best of what the Egyptian people had given them to get rid of them after the ten plagues.   I do get that, but I feel as if I’m missing so much.  The items of worship we not to be handled by the people, the Levi’s used the poles to carry the items and only certain priests were allowed to touch the table and what was on it.

Its dimensions were to be two cubits long and one cubit wide and one and a half cubits high. Assuming that a cubit was around 18 inches, this would make the table three feet long (36 inches), 1 ½ feet (18 inches) wide, and 2 ¼ feet (27 inches) tall.

In almost all of the Ancient Near East, pagan worshippers would leave food for their gods and goddesses to eat. They believed that their deities needed sustenance, so they would put food out for them to eat. Since the LORD never gets hungry (Psalms 50:12), the purpose of the food and the items on the table was to serve as a reminder that the LORD was the Provider of His people's physical needs. The bread and sacrifices at the table were to be done with gratitude and thanksgiving for His gracious provision. The cover on the ark represented the place of atonement (Exodus 26:34). The table possibly represented a place of provision, to remind the Israelites that God provided for them (Exodus 16:32-34).

Finally, the LORD instructed Moses to set the bread of the Presence on the table before Me at all times. The bread of the Presence meant that the bread was to be in the presence of the LORD constantly. The bread itself consisted of twelve loaves (one for each tribe) placed in two rows (six in each row) on the table. The twelve loaves were to be replaced every Sabbath as an "everlasting covenant" (Leviticus 24:5 - 8) (From the Bible says. com)

How does this apply to my walk as a follower of Jesus Christ?   I do not have or need the twelve loaves on a gold table but I must fully understand the need to give thanks to God for His provision, for God is as much your and my provider as the chosen people coming out of Egypt.

Many a man sees himself as the provider of his family; that is his duty, but if he does not understand who has given him the skills, the tools, the mind, and the abilities to do so, he will not lead his family into Truth. Jesus is the Truth,

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Ark of the Covenant

 

 

 

 

Exodus 25:10-22

 

September 29, 2024

 

The Ark of the Covenant

“They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.  You shall overlay it with pure gold; inside and outside shall you overlay it, and you shall make on it a molding of gold around it.  You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.  You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.  And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry the ark by them.  The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.  And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

One must always remember that God’s ways are higher than ours, and when we believe our plan is better, we are in for some painful surprises. Many people have a better plan, but God has given us the account of King David, who came up with a quicker way to move the Ark, and it cost the life of the man who stopped it from coming off the cart that was being pulled by an animal, not carried by the poles.

When we, as Followers of Jesus Christ, try to put anything, politics, religion, power, or wealth, into our lives and not Jesus, we are in trouble, for Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

 

“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.  And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat.  Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends.  The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.  And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark, you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.  There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.

 

The first time my pastor called us all messes, my first thought was I’m not sure that was true, so I began to search my heart and the Scriptures, and guess what, he was 100% correct.  Yes, we have been washed clean by the blood of our Lord, but we all fall short of God’s glory.  Aren’t you thankful that God gave us a mercy seat, in that He knew before one of us was created that we would need mercy, that we deserved judgment, but His grace was given so that we would be able to respond to His offer of forgiveness and love.

 

Each of us has tried to carry our ark another way; we have all at some time tried to put something in the Ark that God did not design nor desire for our lives.  Many are putting jobs, children, money, sports, and pleasure before God.  That is a long way from “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” 

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Contributions for the Sanctuary

 

 

Exodus 25:1-9

 

September 28, 2024

 

Contributions for the Sanctuary

The Lord said to Moses,  “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him, you shall receive the contribution for me.  And this is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze,  blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats' hair,  tanned rams' skins, goatskins, acacia wood,  oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,  onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breast piece.  And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.  Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

We have the model in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 of what God was talking to Moses about.  “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Did you understand it was things they put great value on that the Lord is asking them to give with a cheerful heart?  Is that the heart of the Church?  I believe many in the Church and out have not set their hearts on becoming a cheerful giver, which is why.  One very large and profitable business in the USA is storage buildings.  You wonder why; let me share why people do so. It is stuff they value; was that not what God was asking the chosen people to give?  It is stuff they may use someday; it has too much value to give to someone who is not family, and the kids do not want or need it.  In other words, its value makes the person pay for something they are, their family, will never use, but it is too nice to give to someone in need.  The storage business is built on greed, not on helping others who can use it, so they pay for it again and again. I am sure they are missing out on the blessing of giving.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Covenant Confirmed

 

Exodus 24:1-18

 

September 27, 2024

 

The Covenant Confirmed

Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.  Moses alone shall come near to the Lord, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.”

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”  And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.  And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord.  And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.  Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.”  And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up,  and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet, as it were, a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.  And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”  So, Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.  And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them.”

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.  The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day, he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.  Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

 

The Scripture tells us that the elders saw God, and yet only Moses and Joshua went into the presence of God.  They were on the mountain with God for forty days and forty nights.  We also have the Son of God being tempted for forty days and nights, found in Matthew 4:1-11.  It was after His Baptism by John, this is the account in Matthew 3:16-17,  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple  and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands, they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to him, “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

 

“Got Questions” gave us this insight; 
Here are some examples of the Bible’s use of the number 40 that stress the theme of testing or judgment: 

In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Law specified a maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime, setting the limit at 40 (Deuteronomy 25:3). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

 

Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated. The Bible definitely seems to use 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth, but we must point out that the Bible nowhere specifically assigns any special meaning to the number 40.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice