by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 12, 2024 | Devotionals |
Verse: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
If you’re hanging on by a thread, DON’T GIVE UP. The Lord Jesus is with you, even when your faith falters. Matthew 11:28 invites us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened, promising us rest. This is a profound invitation from Jesus Himself, assuring us that we don’t have to carry our burdens alone. His rest is not just physical, but more importantly, spiritual. Matthew 11:28 is clear if we go to Him with our burdens He will give us peace and comfort. Believe Him, that He is holding you close and will never let you go. Lean on Lord with all your troubles and His peace to fill your heart and give you rest.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting me to come to You with my burdens. I am weary, but I trust in Your promise of rest. Help me to lay my troubles at Your feet and to find peace in Your presence. Strengthen my faith and guide me through each day. Amen.
Daily Power-Up: Take a few minutes to read and meditate on these verses. Rest in what God is saying and believe in His promises for you.
- Old Testament: Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
- Gospels: John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
- Paul’s Letters: 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 11, 2024 | Daily Encouragement |
Replacement theology, or supersessionism, posits that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s plan, inheriting the promises made to Israel. However, this perspective is fundamentally unbiblical for several reasons:
PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU CONTINUE READING.
Here is a simple definition of “Replacement Theology”.
Replacement Theology, also known as supersessionism or fulfillment theology, teaches that the Church has taken Israel’s place in God’s plan. According to this view, the Jews are no longer considered God’s chosen people, and God has no specific future plans for the nation of Israel. Different perspectives on the Church-Israel relationship include:
- The Church has replaced Israel (Replacement Theology).
- The Church is an expansion of Israel (Covenant Theology).
- The Church and Israel are entirely distinct entities (Dispensationalism/Premillennialism).
1. Biblical Covenants are Irrevocable
God’s covenants with Israel, such as the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, are described as everlasting (Genesis 17:7; 2 Samuel 7:16). These covenants underscore God’s unwavering commitment to Israel, contradicting the idea of replacement.
2. Distinction Between Israel and the Church
The New Testament maintains a clear distinction between Israel and the Church. Paul explicitly states that Israel’s promises, covenants, and law belong to the Jews (Romans 9:4). The Church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is a separate entity (Ephesians 2:14-16).
3. New Covenant Specific to Israel
Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:24-28 promise a New Covenant to Israel, highlighting national restoration and spiritual renewal. The Church benefits from the spiritual blessings of this covenant, but it doesn’t replace Israel (Hebrews 8:8-10).
4. Future Restoration of Israel
Prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments anticipate a future restoration of Israel (Romans 11:25-27; Zechariah 14:4). These prophecies and many more affirm Israel’s central role in God’s plan of redemption.
5. Paul’s Theology
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, taught the inclusion of Gentiles into the blessings through Christ, not their replacement of Israel. He emphasized that God’s gifts and call to Israel are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
Conclusion
Replacement theology undermines the integrity of God’s promises and distorts biblical eschatology. A proper understanding recognizes the distinct and ongoing roles of Israel and the Church in God’s redemptive plan, affirming that the Church benefits from Israel’s covenants without replacing Israel. This view is supported by consistent biblical evidence, confirming the enduring nature of God’s promises to Israel.
by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 10, 2024 | Bible Doctrine |
Isaiah 65:17
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”
God promises a glorious future for Israel, where their Messiah, God the Son, will rule and reign for a thousand years in Jerusalem. During this millennium, Israel will be the top nation above all others. Additionally, this promise extends to the end of the thousand-year reign, when God will establish a new heaven and new earth that will go into eternity. In this final renewal, God will forget all that came before, and a brand new kingdom will descend from heaven resting on a brand new earth.
This assurance encourages us to look forward to the new creation God has prepared both the nation of Israel and the body of Christ. The power of the gospel assures us of this new beginning and everlasting life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In Christ, we have the hope of eternal life and a future where all things are made new. Our past sins and failures are forgotten, and we are to live in the reality of God’s transformative power.
The apostle Paul echoes this message in his second letter to the Corinthians. He emphasizes that in Christ, we become a new creation:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Paul’s words remind us that our life as believers in Christ involves becoming a new creation, leaving the old behind, and embracing the new life God has for us. This resonates deeply with the promise in Isaiah, as we are called to embrace the new creation and the transformative power of God’s grace.
Let’s embrace this hope and move forward, trusting in God’s promise of a new creation. As ambassadors for Christ, we have the privilege of sharing this hope with a world in need.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the promise of a new creation. Help me to forget the former things and live in the hope of Your transformative power. Use me to share this hope with others. Amen.
by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 4, 2024 | Bible Doctrine |
Micah 7:19
“He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
God’s compassion is demonstrated in His willingness to cast our sins into the depths of the sea. This powerful image assures us that our sins are completely forgiven and forgotten. The power of the gospel gives us this assurance, allowing us to move forward without the burden of past sins.
As believers, we can live in the freedom of God’s forgiveness, knowing that our sins are no longer held against us. This freedom enables us to serve as ambassadors for Christ, sharing the gospel, the amazing message of forgiveness and grace.
Let’s embrace God’s forgiveness and move forward with confidence. May our lives reflect the compassion and grace we have received.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for casting my sins into the depths of the sea. Help me to live in the freedom of Your forgiveness and to share Your message of grace with others. Amen.
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by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 3, 2024 | Bible Doctrine |
Philippians 3:13-14
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
As believers, we often struggle with our past—mistakes, failures, and sins that weigh us down. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, reminds us of a crucial spiritual discipline: forgetting what lies behind and pressing forward. This act of moving forward isn’t about ignoring our past but about choosing to live in the present power of the gospel.
Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are forgiven—past, present, and future. The gospel gives us the power to move forward, leaving behind the chains that once bound us. Our identity in Christ means we are new creations, no longer defined by past failures but by the hope and future we have in Him.
As believers we are a new creation our ambassadors for Christ, we have a purpose in this dark world. Let us embrace this truth, knowing that our past does not determine our future. Instead, we press on, empowered by His grace and love, towards the upward calling He has set before us.
Prayer: Lord, help me to forget, to not dwell on my past, forgetting those things which are behind me and reach forward to the future You have for me. Thank You for the power of the gospel that forgives and transforms. Empower me to live as Your ambassador as a light in this dark world. Amen.
Forget, do not dwell on your past failures, mistakes or sins because God has forgiven you of it all. Rejoice, rejoice in this truth, and move forward with joy.