A New Year's Eve

New year. New resolutions. New goals. New pursuits. New ideas. New jobs. New skills. Newness!

Many of us take this turning of the calendar as an opportunity to focus on and pursue new things.

Check this out:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:13-14

You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.  Psalm 65:11

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  1 Peter 1:3

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”  Lamentations 3: 22-24

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  Psalm 96: 1-3

Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.  Habakkuk 1:5

Precious one, as we head into 2015, I want to encourage you as I encourage myself (as has been the theme for the last couple of days) that God’s love for us is unchanging and that He desires relationship with us. But I also want you to know that He has great plans for us. As we walk into this new year, by His mercy, may our hearts and minds be aware that He has given us His Holy Spirit to empower us to do all that we were designed for – to live the John 10:10 life here on earth. John 10:10 (TLB) - The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life [vitality] in all its fullness.

May we focus on and pursue all the fullness of life that the Father has for us in 2015.

Condemnation

God does not desire to condemn us. In fact, His desire for His children is that we would live fully and freely in relationship with Him, within His grace, and with His empowerment.

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John 3:17 - For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Psalm 34:22 - The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

We live in a world where people are quick to pronounce judgment upon one another…to assume the worst…to be stimulated by and intrigued with stories of tragedy and misbehavior. But the only One who is truly able to righteously pronounce judgment upon man, because He is holy, is the Lord God. He is well aware of but not happy about our tragedies or misbehaviors. And what we read in scripture would support that it is not His focus or desire or the purpose for which Christ came to condemn the world. Rather, He came so that He might save the world. Mankind is so greatly loved by the Lord that He sent His Son to suffer the consequences for our sin in order that we may forever be in precious fellowship with Him. Romans 8:23 reads - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in [or through] Christ Jesus our Lord.

May you be blessed as you consider the wonderful loving kindness, grace, and mercy of our righteous Creator. The Creator who desires a dear relationship with each of us.

 

Made in God's Image

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26&27)

What does it mean to be created in the very image of God? In this passage, this word “image”  means a resemblance or a representative figure. The idea is that the world will experience the presence of God in relationship with us because our essence is created in the likeness of God.

Further, David Platt points out that we’ve been created to enjoy God’s grace in relationship with him and that we have a capacity to know God. There is no other created being that has the capacity to know God as we do because we were actually created in God’s image.

“The image of God refers to the immaterial part of man. It sets man apart from the animal world, fits him for the dominion God intended him to have over the earth (Genesis 1:28), and enables him to commune with his Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.” S. M. Houdmann

2 Peter 1:2-4 reads: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

In our created state, we are created like God – mentally, morally, and socially. However, through the original sin that happened, mankind became sinful. But by God’s mercy, when we place our faith in Christ, by His grace, we are able to participate in the divine nature of God – to resemble Him and to relate to Him like no other created being.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which occurs when we accept Christ as our Savior, spiritually returns us to our original state. Christ’s death on our behalf allows God to see us as righteous, allows the Father to fellowship with us as He did with Adam and Eve before the fall. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit allows us to live by and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control – to emulate the Father. We are returned to a state of being like-minded with the Father and to move according to His Spirit. And as Platt says, we are able to fellowship with the Father in His grace.

It is astounding to think that the holy, Creator loves us so deeply, desires an intimate relationship with us, and has actually fashioned us in His image.

My prayer today is that we will truly receive the fact that the God of the universe loves us immutably, that we are created in His very image, and that we can do all that we are called to do and can affect the world for His glory and all of our good.

Amazing!

Sience is the Secret - Part 2

Today we conclude Drew Dyck’s article:

A recent study conducted at the University of Virginia testifies to this sad truth. Researchers found that people preferred pain to being alone with their thoughts, even for a few minutes. Asked to sit in a room with no distractions for 15 minutes, participants were offered the option of giving themselves electric shocks. Around half of the people – all of whom had felt the painful jolt beforehand – chose to zap themselves just to break the monotony. (One participant opted for the shock 190 times.)

As Christians, we should find this aversion alarming, because being silent is essential for spiritual maturity. Quietness is to our souls what sleep is to our bodies: It helps us heal and gives us time to grow. Silence – that essential pause from the torrent of noise and busyness – enables us to hear our Creator and move closer to Christ. But finding this silence amid the cacophony of life can be difficult when a thousand things compete for our attention. Even when we get alone with God and try to quiet the buzz in our brains, the mental clutter of worries, fears, and unfinished tasks surges to the surface. It takes concerted effort to cultivate silence, especially in today’s world. But it’s a challenge we must accept. Our spiritual vitality is at stake.

And there’s more. Silence is something even greater than a tool to deepen our spiritual life; it’s the natural reaction of mortals to the presence of a holy God. In Scripture, when people encountered Him, they fell silent or spoke in hushed tones, fearful their sinful lips would incur divine judgment.

Take Isaiah, for instance. When he saw the Lord “high and exalted,” the only words he could manage were ones of despair: “Woe to me!” he cried, “I am ruined!” (Isa. 6:5 NIV). Ezekiel, too, was overwhelmed by his vision of God. After seeing Him in His glory, the prophet said nothing; he could only fall face-first to the ground (Ezek. 1-3).

Another example is Daniel, who could stare down lions, but when the heavens opened before him, he “bowed with [his] face toward the ground and was speechless” (Dan. 10:15 NIV). Likewise, the revelations of heaven the apostle John received left him lying on the ground “as though dead” (Rev. 1:17 NIV). And though there is no shortage of dialogue in the book of Job, silence reigns when God shows up. “I am unworthy – how can I reply to you?” Job says. “I put my hand over my mouth” (Job 40:4 NIV).

But their reactions are radically different from ours. Drop in on an average church service, and you’ll hear loud celebratory music sung by cheerful, upbeat worship teams. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course. We need to be joyful. But there is little time spent standing in awe of God. Can we be shocked into silence by God’s unbridled majesty? Is it possible for us to stand in perfect stillness before His holiness? The answer to these questions is most definitely yes. Yes, we can.

But believe it or not, this isn’t a new issue. In the 17^th century, a man named Isaac Watts complained about lackadaisical worship. He objected to “the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that sits upon the faces of a whole assembly.” His father challenged him to create hymns that would inspire more fervent worship. Watts did just that – and ended up writing some of the best-known songs of the English language, including “Joy to the World.” But it is the final stanza of “Eternal Power” that perfectly describes the worship that can come only with silence: God is in heaven, and men below; Be short our tunes, our words be few; a solemn reverence checks our songs, And praise sits silent on our tongues.

Watts understood something we would be wise to embrace- that worship sometimes demands wordlessness and that the purest praise often arises from hushed lips. Silence is an acknowledgment that we stand in the presence of a holy and remarkable God. It signals that we’re ready to listen, to receive, and to simply stand in awe of our Creator. It is when we intentionally close our mouths that we can experience a fuller measure of God’s greatness and grandeur.

Silence is the Secret - part 1

Today and Sunday we will look at author Drew Dyck’s thoughts on the spiritual discipline of silence. He writes:

We all long to be closer to God. But that requires something simple and often overlooked – the willingness to be still.

I recently attended a large conference for church and business leaders, featuring big names like Colin Powell, Jimmy Carter, Jack Welch, Tony Dungy, and Rick Warren. But one speaker listed on the program seemed out of place. She wasn’t a prominent politician, business tycoon, or megachurch pastor. Rather than a suit, she wore a simple white robe and headscarf. Known as “Mama Maggie,” she is a diminutive woman who works in the slums of Cairo, Egypt.

When she walked onstage, the crowd erupted. Visibly moved by the reception, she stopped midway to the podium, pressed her hands together and mouthed words that were lost amid the thunderous applause. Then she lowered her body to the floor and prayed for a moment before rising to speak.

She was worth the attention. Mama Maggie has dedicated her life to serving homeless, starving children in Manshiyat Naser (or “Garbage City” as it is known in Egypt). She founded an organization called Stephen’s Children to help the countless boys and girls who roam the trash heaps looking for scraps of food. Today, the organization has thousands of volunteers, scores of whom were helped by the charity as children.

Of the many things she shared with us that day, one has stuck with me. “Silence is the secret,” she said to the crowd. “Silence your heart to listen to your spirit. Silence your spirit to listen to His Spirit. In silence, you leave the many to be with the One.”

That evening, I had the opportunity to interview her, and I was struck by the palpable humility and incredible gentleness of the spirit she exuded. It was plain to see that everything about her grew out of a deep intimacy with God.

Quietness, both of mind and spirit, is essential for communing with the Almighty. “Be still,” the psalmist writes, “and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10 NIV). I think it’s important to note that the stillness precedes the knowing – not the other way around. Without first quieting our hearts (and minds and mouths), we’ll never realize the deep intimacy with God we so desperately crave.

Unfortunately, however, we are rarely silent. After a few seconds of quietness, we get fidgety. We start reaching for our gadgets or talking to avoid awkwardness and boredom. We can blame our technological devices or hectic work schedules or busy family lives, but the truth is, we avoid silence at all costs.

 

Stay tuned, we will feature the balance of this writing on Sunday.

Celebrate!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Today we celebrate the birth of the One for whom we wait.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” (Isaiah 9:6&7)

AMEN!

A Covenant of LOVE

Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.  1 Kings 8:23

Wonderful LOVE

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].  1 Corinthians 13:7

Everlasting LOVE

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

Advent Week 4 - LOVE

I LOVE LOVE!!!!!! Yes, I am a serious romantic. But even better than that, I love the love of our God.  I have been a recipient of a great measure of His restorative, tender, wise, strengthening, redeeming, and extravagant love. I have had some of the most amazing one-on-one times with the Lord—times when He has gently and directly spoken to me to impart His wisdom, to inspire, to comfort, and even to correct me. I have also been blessed with people in my life who have done the same!  I get so excited about how the Lord can use us to be His ambassadors on this earth—to let a hurried, hostile, hurting, and hungry world know that there is a God who loves them to a depth that far exceeds our ability to describe. God is Love and He loves us!!!!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

May Your JOY Be Full

This is our last scripture on joy. My prayer is that you have felt the ministry of the Holy Spirit this week and allowed yourself to experience the joy of the Lord.


Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

Loud Songs of JOY!

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! - Psalm 47:1

Shout & Sing!!!

Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel     Isaiah 12:6

Leap for Joy

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.    Luke 6:22-23

For the Joy Set Before Him...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.   Hebrews 12:1-3

Advent Week 3 - JOY

JOY!!!!!! The joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Otherwise translated: The joy that the Lord gives you will make you strong. Matthew Henry says: The joy of the Lord is your strength. Let it not be a carnal sensual joy, but holy and spiritual, the joy of the Lord, joy in the goodness of God, under the direction and government of the grace of God, joy arising from our interest in the love and favour of our God and the tokens of His favour. This joy will be your strength, therefore encourage it…Holy joy will be oil to the wheels of our obedience.”

I looked up the origin of the word happy. Check this out:

happy (adj.) late 14c., "lucky, favored by fortune, prosperous;" of events, "turning out well," from hap (n.) "chance, fortune" + -y (2). Sense of "very glad". first recorded late 14c. Ousted Old English eadig (from ead "wealth, riches") and gesælig, which has become silly. Meaning "greatly pleased and content" is from 1520s.

Our happiness is based on good fortune, prosperous events, and being greatly pleased and content regarding circumstances. JOY, on the other hand, comes from being in relationship with the Lord and the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22&23)

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

Week 3 of Advent recognizes that in the midst of our waiting, in the midst of sober reflection and repentance, we still have joy because our Savior for Whom we wait, already came over 2000 years ago, in a manger. And we may rejoice today not only in His birth but also in anticipation of His glorious return!

The Fruit of Righteousness

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17

Living in Peace

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. - Romans 12:18

Let Peace Rule

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Let Peace Rule

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

The Source of PEACE

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. John 14:1

More PEACE

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165

Advent Week 2 - PEACE

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

How sweet are these words from our Savior! Sometimes I am just moved by His tenderness and knowledge of us.  It makes sense because He created us…but I still marvel at times. He knows we are prone to fret over the matters of this life so He sent The Advocate (His Holy Spirit) to reside within us as our source of peace. And He spoke these precious words for us to treasure in our heart.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. One of the names of God is Yahweh Shalom – The Lord is Peace. We are in very good hands when He who is the very embodiment of peace assures us that we need not let our hearts be troubled and that He will give us His peace.

More HOPE

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5

HOPE

“When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, ‘Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.’ So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.’” Joshua 10:24&25

“Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 24:14

Advent Week 1 - HOPE

This week we focus on HOPE. Our hope is in Christ and our future is secured in Him. But the word of God tells us that hope deferred makes the heart sick. (Proverbs 13:12)  “Hope deferred makes the heart sick and languishing, fretful and peevish; but hope quite dashed kills the heart, and the more high the expectation was raised the more cutting is the frustration of it. It is therefore our wisdom not to promise ourselves any great matters from the creature, not to feed ourselves with any vain hopes from this world, lest we lay up matter for our own vexation…” (Matthew Henry)  In Christ we have the security and hope of future eternal life but we also can have hope within our “today circumstances”. As Henry points out, our hope should not be in any of our actions or abilities (or those of others), lest the delay in realization makes our hearts sick, or in denial, crushed.  

I would like to go a step further and make a distinction between hoping in the actions (doing) of Christ versus hoping in the person (being) of Christ. As Christians, we read the Word with zeal regarding the promises of God – He will supply…He has great plans…He will deliver…and so on. God’s word is true so we can expect that He will be faithful to His word. And we should speak the word to ourselves and to others. However, we cannot make assumptions upon God regarding how and when He will do all that He promises. As He has said, neither His thoughts nor actions are the same as ours; they are beyond our understanding. Because of this, our hope is secure when it is in the person of Christ not in our presumed timing for the actions that we want Him to perform.

God is love and all that He allows…regardless of what it looks like in the natural… is for our good. We can enjoy a secure hope in Him and that hope brings life!

“the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love”  Psalm 147:11

Advent!

The season of Advent is upon us. And I, for one, am VERY excited. November 30^th was the first day of Advent and the season will last through December 24. You may be wondering, “What is Advent?” Glad you asked…

Advent is a season in the Christian calendar that lasts approximately 4 weeks and is a season of preparation for and anticipation of the celebration of Christ’s birth. It has a parallel meaning in that Advent (in Latin – “coming’ or “visit”) mirrors the time of the Jews anticipating and looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. So this time of Advent is a time of anticipation and excitement regarding the first coming of Christ and a keen awareness that we wait again, for His second coming. It is a time for prayer, meditation, repentance, and allowing the word of God to speak to us. For me, this is a very sobering and wonderful time of year. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the typical Christmas activities, it is a centering place. As I reflect on my Savior’s birth and look toward the future in anticipation of His return, I am able to find a place of joy and peace. Which brings me to the themes we observe during Advent.

The four weeks of Advent each focus on a theme. There is some variety regarding the four themes of Advent but for this blog, we will focus on the common themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. You may have also heard of or seen an Advent wreath. The wreaths have as much variety as one can imagine but the consistency is found in the candles: 3 purple and 1 rose colored candle. Some also add one white candle in the middle. The purple is a symbol of “seriousness, repentance, and royalty”. The rose color symbolizes joy in the midst of the season. Mark Roberts put it this way, “The pink [rose], joyful color reminds us that, even as Advent helps us get in touch with our sober yearning for God to come to us, we know that he did in fact come in the person of Jesus.” Regarding the lighting of the candles: on week one, two, and four, the purple candles are lit. The rose colored candle is lit on week three. The white candle, symbolizing Christ, can be lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas day.

So for the rest of this season, we will focus on the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. My hope is that even if you have not traditionally observed Advent, that you would investigate it this year and that your spiritual life may be enriched as you study.  In an effort to be brief, I have not written nearly enough to help uncover the beauty or the history of this season but I have provided resources below that can start you on your Advent journey.  Blessings to you!

 

A light-hearted overview of Advent may be found here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/introduction-to-advent/

Additional Advent readings may be found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/newsletters/

There's Something About That Name

This song was on my heart today and I thought I’d share with you…

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

There’s just something about that name.

Master, Savior, Jesus.

Like the fragrance after the rain.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

Let all heaven and earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away

But there’s something about that name.

Jesus Declares That He is the Messiah

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him. (Mark 14:61a-65)

Jesus is on His way to the cross…to His death. He had been betrayed and lied upon and in the moment recorded here, He is asked by the Sanhedrin to respond to “accusations” but He remains silent. However, Jesus does respond to this direct question from the Sanhedrin. Matthew Henry shares interesting insight regarding this amazing moment:

He asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is the Son of God? for, as Dr. Hammond observes, the Jews, when they named God, generally added, blessed for ever; and thence the Blessed is the title of God, a peculiar title, and applied to Christ, Rom. 9:5 . And for the proof of his being the Son of God, he binds them over to his second coming; "Ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power; that Son of man that now appears so mean and despicable, whom ye see and trample upon (Isa. 53:2, Isa. 53:3), you shall shortly see and tremble before.’’ Now, one would think that such a word as this which our Lord Jesus seems to have spoken with a grandeur and majesty not agreeable to his present appearance (for through the thickest cloud of his humiliation some rays of glory were still darted forth), should have startled the court, and at least, in the opinion of some of them, should have amounted to a demurrer, or arrest of judgment, and that they should have stayed process till they had considered further of it; when Paul at the bar reasoned of the judgment to come, the judge trembled, and adjourned the trial, Acts 24:25. But these chief priests were so miserably blinded with malice and rage, that, like the horse rushing into the battle, they mocked at fear, and were not affrighted, neither believed they that it was the sound of the trumpet, Job 39:22, Job 39:24.

Scriptures referenced by Henry:

Romans 9:5 - Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

Isaiah 53:2&3 - He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Acts 24:25 - As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

Job 39:22&24 - It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

Finish the Race and Complete the Task

Acts 20:22-24: And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Is that our focus as believers? Are we concerned only with finishing the race and completing the task that Jesus has given us? We know that in this world we are going to have trouble. Jesus assured us of this just as the Holy Spirit warned Paul. But we can rejoice! The work that is being done is that of helping people make the transition from eternal damnation to eternal life with God. And in this, we are compelled to rejoice, understanding that the hardship that’s associated with it is nothing compared to what is to come both for us and for those who believe. So I want to encourage us to focus on fulfilling our calling. Let’s do what the Lord has uniquely designed each of us to do.

God bless you as you pursue God, pursue your calling, and as people are drawn to Christ when you lift Him up and share the good news of God’s amazing grace.

Hebrews 12:1-3: Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.

Stay Focused

2 Corinthians 3:17&18 - The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom. All of us are looking with unveiled faces at the glory of the Lord as if we were looking in a mirror. We are being transformed into that same image from one degree of glory to the next degree of glory. This comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

It’s like looking in a mirror. When we look to Jesus, we begin to reflect Him. That’s awesome! Stay focused.

God is True and Faithful

Numbers 23:19 - God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Why do we waiver between two opinions? Is God not reliable…true…honest…faithful? He is! He is the only One we can depend on to always be reliable, true, honest, and faithful. This is who our God is! Our “baggage” may hider our ability to fully trust Him but we can make a conscious decision to resist those old messages, and to rely on God as He has revealed Himself. It takes courage but He is perfectly worth it and He gives us the strength and ability to do so. He deserves our trust and faith. And we are blessed as we rely on Him for all that we need in this life.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5&6)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Giving Thanks

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union. – Abraham Lincoln, 1863, excerpt from his “Thanksgiving Proclamation”

Abraham Lincoln wrote the Thanksgiving Proclamation while the U.S. colonies were engaged in the Civil war. In ancient times, King David wrote the following “Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” (Psalm 95:2-7a)

In the United States we will celebrate Thanksgiving on November 27. May we also, like Lincoln and David encouraged, actually be thankful and give thanks to God not only for the marvelous things He has done but just for who He is – the sovereign God. May we pray for those in peril and never forget His great mercy.

Sing Praises!

God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. (Psalm 47:5-7)




Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry notes: We are here most earnestly pressed to praise God, and to sing his praises; so backward are we to this duty that we have need to be urged to it by precept upon precept, and line upon line; so we are here: Sing praises to God, and again, Sing praises, Sing praises to our King, and again, Sing praises. This intimates that it is a very necessary and excellent duty, that it is a duty we ought to be frequent and abundant in; we may sing praises again and again in the same words, and it is no vain repetition if it be done with new affections. Should not a people praise their God? Dan. 5:4 . Should not subjects praise their king? God is our God, our King, and therefore we must praise him; we must sing his praises, as those that are pleased with them and that are not ashamed of them. But here is a needful rule subjoined: Sing you praises with understanding, with Maschil. 1. "Intelligently; as those that do yourselves understand why and for what reasons you praise God and what is the meaning of the service.’’ This is the gospel-rule (1 Co. 14:15 ), to sing with the spirit and with the understanding also; it is only with the heart that we make melody to the Lord, Eph. 5:19 . It is not an acceptable service if it be not a reasonable service. 2. "Instructively, as those that desire to make others understand God’s glorious perfections, and to teach them to praise him.’’

Humilty is Trusting God

In scripture, humility means “to have a humble opinion of one’s self; a deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness, modesty or lowliness of mind.” Webster says humility is “freedom from pride and arrogance; the act of submission.” To be truly humble means we believe, trust, and obey God’s Word over what we think, feel, or desire.

I will remove all proud and arrogant people from among you. …Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord. (Zephaniah 3:11-12NLT)

Faith and trust are one and the same. Faith is trusting God. Everything-I mean everything-we receive from God comes through faith. Because of His incomprehensible love, He sent Jesus to die in our place and pay for our sins so that we could be restored to a right relationship with Him forever. That’s the Gospel in a nutshell-John 3:16. But in order to receive this priceless gift, we must believe what He says in His Word is true. That’s trust. It all boils down to trust.

To trust is to “place confidence in; to rely or rest the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice friendship, or sound principle of another person.” When we trust God, we take Him at His Word. Synonyms for trust include have faith in, believe, rely on, depend on, expect, hope, count on, and be sure about.

- John Bevere

Excerpts from Relentless

Never Forget

Our God is so precious. We should never forget to praise Him.

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5)

HOPE

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Faith and Good Deeds

James 2:14-26 (TLB)

Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,” and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. But someone may well argue, “You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.” Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too—so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith. Don’t you remember that even our father Abraham was declared good because of what he did when he was willing to obey God, even if it meant offering his son Isaac to die on the altar? You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to; his faith was made complete by what he did—by his actions, his good deeds. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say, that Abraham trusted God, and the Lord declared him good in God’s sight, and he was even called “the friend of God.” So you see, a man is saved by what he does, as well as by what he believes. Rahab, the prostitute, is another example of this. She was saved because of what she did when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it is not the kind that results in good deeds.

Reflections on Friendship

Just thinking today about how precious the relationships are that our Father brings into our lives – relationships He ordains for our growth in Him. Someone to be by our side. Someone who will hold us accountable to living a God-honoring life and fulfilling our calling. Someone who will be a confidant. Someone with whom we can share a loving, uplifting relationship. Someone with whom we can be honest and transparent. These are relationships to be nurtured and valued.

Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 27:17 - Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

A Simple Prayer

Father, we thank You today for Your grace and mercy, for Your provision, for Your protection, for wisdom, and for Your love. Thank You Father for all that You have planned for us. Thank You for guiding us and inspiring us, for speaking to us and for Your sweet care.

Father we lift up to You all those who do not know Your Son as Savior. We pray Father that they will learn of your unfailing love for them and come into a saving knowledge of Jesus the Christ. And Father, for those who are in intimate relationship with You, may we honor You with our conduct. May we submit ourselves to Your will. And may we love others as You have loved us – sacrificially and restoratively.

We praise You Father because You are worthy of praise! You are awesome.

With love and honor,

Your children

Another Sweet Word of Encouragement

Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here. You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God. And when Christ who is our real life comes back again, you will shine with him and share in all his glories. (Colossians 3:2-4)

A Powerful and Effective Faith

On Friday we looked specifically at the faith of Paul. Today let’s expand our view just a bit…

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:3-16)

The Immediate Obedience of Paul

Acts 16:9&10 – During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

There is much to be learned in this chapter but we will focus solely on these two verses. Paul was visited in a dream. It is understood that this was an angel and theologians believe that either by the man’s habits or dialect or because he said so, Paul believed he was a man from Macedonia. Even that is not today’s focus.

Today’s focus is on Paul’s trust and immediate obedience. Not a trust and obedience to Macedonian apparitions but of his God. Paul, and those with him, concluded that God had called them to preach the gospel to the Macedonians and they, without hesitation, got on the road.

Am I the only one who has hesitated, wondering if I was really hearing from God? Wondering if I heard right? Wondering if now was the time? Maybe trying to understand the logic behind the call? Examples like this, of an unwavering and bold faith, are great for us to see. We’ve read in the scriptures of those who have questioned God or straight-out disobeyed, but Paul serves as an example of what the scriptures encourage.

Prov 3:5&6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 119:165  - Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

Romans 12:11 - Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, directing us, helping us, revealing the truth to us. We have this advantage and can move forward as we “feel” led. We cannot allow ourselves to be stuck in fear, but we must trust and obey God. Listen and move. We immerse ourselves in the Word in order to help understand the nature of God and to learn His law. We allow ourselves to be led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we remain open to hear His direction, and we follow God’s call on our lives. Because the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

May we eagerly seek the Lord, His will, and His ways, and then follow His call.

God's Presence

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

These are the words of Moses. The author of the book of Hebrews also made reference to them. (see chapter 13, verse 5)

To know that our God will neither leave nor forsake us is a beautiful thing. As the children of Israel were very close to possessing the promised land of Canaan, these were the words the Lord had for them. But because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, these words are for us as well. He has not changed. As the children of God, we can be strong...have courage…be fearless. God is with us. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us.

The precious promise that our Father will never leave us means that He will never fail us, He is never slack or weak when it comes to all He says He will do. And He is never inactive in the life of the believer. This is very important to understand especially in times of challenge. As we see in the story of Job, although Job was under extreme persecution by the enemy, God was still in control and active in Job’s life – the enemy was not able to do anything that the Lord did not permit.  God has promised to be with us always.

The precious promise that our Father will never forsake us means that He will never relinquish control in our life story – His calling and those wonderful plans He has to prosper us and give us a future and a hope. He will never leave us destitute. He will never abandon us or loosen His hold on us.

The love of God is the impetus for these dear promises we see in His word – repeated, by the way, many times and in many ways. Having God present with us means that we get to experience the fullness of His revelation to us. All that the Lord wants us to experience, to understand, to express – is available to us as we walk in relationship with Him. And while we will not experience the true fullness of God until we are face to face with Him, the ways in which He reveals Himself to us on the earth, are quite amazing. He is awesome and it is humbling to understand that the sovereign Lord of the universe desires a loving relationship with each and every one of us. And even further, when we come into that relationship, He commits to be with us always and to never turn His back on us and leave us to fend for ourselves.

That’s beautiful.

Romans 8:38-39 - 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.

Psalm 139:7-10 - Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Matthew 1:23 - “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Jeremiah 15:20 - And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord.

John 14:23 - Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Isaiah 57:15 - For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Verse of the Day

This was Verse of the Day on one of my favorite sites. I had to share it!

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’

Job 37:5-6

Welcome Venezuela!!!!

Simply Christian Teaching is so excited to welcome blog readers in Venezuela!!! Please know that I pray for every reader on a nightly basis. My prayer is that you will have a wonderful time reading these Bible meditations and that you will grow in your relationship with the Lord. Or, if you do not yet have a relationship with Him, that this blog will spark your interest in Him.


If you have any questions, feel free to comment on the posts or email me directly. And if you like, you may also follow us on Facebook at Simply Christian. You can also see some brief teaching videos on our YouTube channel at Simply Christian YouTube. And if you find any of this to be useful, share it with your friends too! :-)


God bless you dear ones!!!

Grace

God’s grace is beautiful and wonderful. If it were not for God’s grace, we would be without hope. I believe that God’s grace, however, is best appreciated in the context of understanding the God Who is revealed to us through the Old Testament.

He is the Creator of the universe. He is perfect and holy. He is the Giver of life. He has righteous requirements (as seen in the 10 commands): He, alone, expects to be our God, we are not to worship anyone besides Him or to flippantly speak His name, we are to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy, we are to honor our father and mother, to not be murderers or adulterous, and we are not to steal, to testify falsely, or to covet what our neighbor possesses. He judges the actions of mankind. He flooded the earth because of the corrupted hearts of man (saving only 8 persons)! We clearly see throughout the Old Testament that God is a God of justice and especially when we read the accounts of the prophets, we see that God means what He says, says what He means, and will accomplish what He declares.

Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ (Who is God) is the same yesterday and today and forever. This means that the same God who desired obedience from His children and who exacted judgment on those who were rebellious has not changed; He is still the same God. However, we are in a period of time that is referred to as the Church Age or the Dispensation of Grace. This is a time where the children of God are being allowed to grow in godliness. The Holy Spirit Who lives within can flourish and help us to grow in sanctification unto God. And the most significant thing about God’s dispensation of grace is the forgiveness of sins that is offered to us through Jesus’ death on the cross. We have the benefit of living in an age that is post-Pentecost and will end at Jesus’ return. And because of God’s grace and desire that no one should perish, He is giving all of mankind and “grace period” so to speak, to understand the truth and come to Him.

We currently live in an atmosphere of God’s unwarranted favor. The words of Christ, recorded in John 10:10: The thief’s [satan’s] purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life [a spiritual vitality] in all its fullness. The righteous and holy God that we serve, does not desire our ruin; He desires a fullness of life for us. Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Further on in Romans, we also learn that sin pays off with death. But God’s gift is eternal life given by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 CEV) This is God’s wonderful grace!

The question has been asked many times “If it wasn’t for God’s grace, where would I be?” I shudder to think of the answer.

Praise God for His grace. Don’t take it for granted. And may you be the blessed recipient of all that He desires for you, by His grace.

Thoughts on Our Free Will Which (at times) Seems to Contradict God’s Perfect Design

“How did the Dark Power go wrong? Here, no doubt, we ask a question to which human beings cannot give an answer with any certainty. A reasonable (and traditional) guess, based on our own experiences of going wrong, can, however, be offered. The moment you have a self at all, there is a possibility of putting yourself first-wanting to be the centre-wanting to be God, in fact. That was the sin of Satan: and that was the sin he taught the human race. Some people think the fall of man had something to do with sex, but that is a mistake. (The story in the Book of Genesis rather suggests that some corruption in our sexual nature followed the fall and was its result, not its cause.) What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’-could set up on their own as if they had created themselves-be their own masters-invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history – money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery – the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

The reason why it can never succeed is this. God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, of the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

- C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

Note: C.S. Lewis was not a theologian. He was a man of intellect, a Christian, a Christian writer, a Fellow and Tutor in English literature at Oxford University, and arguably, was most well-known for writing The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity. Simply Christian is not endorsing the details of Mr. Lewis’ perspective, but presenting an interesting perspective regarding this matter.

Jesus' Last Name?

Christ.

Christ is not Jesus’ last name. It may be confusing because we often see and hear Him referred to as Jesus Christ. It may be better understood (in English) as Jesus the Christ. Christ is an epithet of Jesus that means Messiah. Christ is the English version of the Greek word christos. The equivalent Hebrew term is messias, which in English, is Messiah. Both Christ and Messiah mean anointed or anointed one.  Jesus is the consecrated (set apart), anointed One. He is the Messiah.

Just some basic information we need to understand.

Just a Word of Love

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12)

Just a Word of Encouragement

But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us—is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.  (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

Amen!!!

The Resolve of the Called

Jeremiah 26:7-15 - So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.  And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.” Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard. Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you.  But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

Jeremiah, a prophet, faithfully spoke the words that the Lord gave to him. And in this instance, the people, the priests, the prophets, and the princes all were determined that Jeremiah should die. They were not happy with what Jeremiah had to say. But Jeremiah’s response was “Do what you want but should you take my life, know that innocent blood will be on your hands.” He was resolved to deliver the word of the Lord and when challenged, he would not back down.

In North America, it is not common to be threatened with death for speaking God’s truth. In some other countries, this is more common place. But if you, like me, live in an environment of relative religious freedom, sometimes a laissez-faire attitude can develop. We can lack an urgency and a firm resolve to stand for the truth, to speak the truth, and to share the truth. Without challenge, our faith can be weak. My prayer, both for me and for you, is that we would stand firm on the truth, that we would freely and joyfully speak the truth, and that our hearts would love our neighbors enough to share the life-giving truth with them, and like Paul, that we would resolve “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way.” (Romans 1:16)

Care For Your Pastor

1 Timothy 5:17&18 - The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.  For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”

Paul’s words to Timothy (a faithful servant and pastor) were instructing Timothy on how the pastors in the church were to be regarded. They were worthy of double honor, they were not to be limited as they did their work, but to be provided for. This analogy would not have been lost on the believers of Paul and Timothy’s time. It would have been a very clear picture. The idea of muzzling an ox while treading out the grain was that the ox, if not muzzled, would be allowed to eat while working - but if given food in this way, would work even more. Another way to see it is that the more they were provided for, the more they were able to work.

The pastors of that time and today, are to be honored. They are to be cared for. Our pastors are in the unique position of ministering to others but not (typically) being ministered to. And as we saw a couple of days ago, to whom much is given, much more is required. Our pastors have been given the charge of caring for the people who are under their teaching – to teach accurately and to lead the people in righteousness. Further, we see some very clear requirements for pastors: 1. A pastor must be devoted to his wife; one-woman man (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:2). A pastor must love his wife exclusively with his mind, will and emotions and not just his body. 2. A pastor’s children must be in submission, though not perfect (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:4-5). 3. A pastor is a faithful steward (Titus 1:7) He is a steward, a manager of God’s resources and Jesus’ flock. He takes responsibility, but not ownership. 4. A pastor must be humble - not arrogant (Titus 1:7) 5. A pastor must be gentle - not quick-tempered (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3) 6. A pastor must be sober - not a drunkard (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3) This is not just overindulgence in alcohol but is idiomatic for any behavior that fuels addictive responses. 7. A pastor must be peaceful - not violent (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3) A pastor is prone to inflict violence through his words. He is to be a peacemaker. 8. A pastor must have financial integrity - not greedy for gain (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3; 1 Peter 5:3) 9. A pastor must be hospitable (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2) 10. A pastor must be a lover of good (Titus 1:8) 11. A pastor must be self-controlled (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2) 12. A pastor must be upright (Titus 1:8) 13. A pastor must be holy (Titus 1:8) 14. A pastor must be able to teach (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim 3:2)  15. A pastor must be spiritually mature (1 Tim 3:6) 16. A pastor must be respectable (1 Tim 3:7) 17. A pastor must be an example to the flock (1 Peter 5:3)¹

Because of all that is required of pastors – all that is given to them – much is required of them and they are to be honored. I’d like to encourage us all to pray for our pastors. They face so much in their own personal lives but also need to minister to their congregants. It’s a heavy charge. And don’t forget your pastor’s spouse! Cook a meal for your pastor’s family. Maybe you could offer to watch the children one evening so that they may have a “date night”. Care for your pastor. They are charged with the responsibility of caring for our souls, they deserve honor.

 

1. http://www.acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/biblical-qualifications-of-a-pastor/

Trust

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5&6

In December of last year we talked about resolving to trust the Lord. In March we revisited the idea. Today we will do so again.

Trust.  Whew! As I sit here in the midst of a very challenging season of life, I am very aware of the importance of trust.

Trusting in God allows me to have hope in the midst of tragedy. Trusting in God helps me to expect great things! Trusting in God lets me know that what is happening right now is no surprise to Him and He is working on my behalf. Trusting God helps to inform my perspective and attitude toward my current circumstances and the resources God has used to bring these circumstances about. Because I see this trying season as something that is working for my good, it helps me not to hold resentment toward the agents of this season – those who have contributed to stresses, pain, or pressure. I can see this season as one in which the Father can move on my behalf to help me grow. A time where I am being allowed to grow in godliness, to purge the ugliness, and to learn how to gracefully nurture the spiritual fruit of longsuffering as I’m being given the opportunity to trust God for a considerable length of time while not seeing the evidence of His promises.

Some of you know well about that! I have heard from and know women who have prayed for their husband to come to Christ for over 10 years! And now they rejoice because God gave them what they prayed for – what He desired. But they had to be persistent, knowing that God is to be trusted, but waiting on His timing. Faithful in prayer. Trusting.

So how are you doing? How’s your trust been this year? Don’t give up even if you’ve been waiting a while to see the promises of God come to pass. He’s trust worthy.

Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced. - Romans 10:11

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required

Luke 12:47&48 - The servant who knows what his master wants him to do, but does not get himself ready and do it, will be punished with a heavy whipping. But the servant who does not know what his master wants, and yet does something for which he deserves a whipping, will be punished with a light whipping. Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given.



At verse 42 in the 12^th chapter of Luke, we see Jesus teaching regarding a master who temporarily leaves home and places a servant in charge. He says that the servant does well to carry out his duties honorably, not knowing when his master will return. Jesus says that the servant that knows what he was supposed to be doing but is found neglecting his duties will be punished severely. Other servants, however, should they err unknowingly, will be punished lightly. Bible scholars believe Jesus, in this discourse, was alluding to Levitical law found in the 5^th chapter regarding sins committed in ignorance as well as law found in the 15^th chapter of the book of Numbers regarding the commission of intentional (presumptuous) sin. While both are punishable, there is a distinction in the punishment that each receives.

He that commits sin in ignorance, because of carelessness or neglect will receive a lighter punishment. Interestingly, we see Jesus on the cross asking the Father to forgive those who crucified Him because “they do not know what they do”. Jesus was indicating that they were ignorant, their eyes were not open, they were not making an informed observation of the circumstances and acting in full knowledge – they did not perceive what they truly were doing.

He that willingly and brazenly commits a sin – well aware of the wrong but intent on it – he will receive sharp punishment. His knowledge of what is right aggravates the sin.

Jesus goes on to reveal that to whom much is given, much will be required. The Living Bible translation, I believe, does a good job of making this verse 48 concept clear: “Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater.” The servant to whom much is given – the one whom God blesses greatly - carries a greater responsibility. This man is expected to be a wise and faithful steward of all the Lord has placed under his authority. With great blessing comes great responsibility. We often pray for great blessing but may neglect to truly understand the duty that comes with it.

Father, as we receive from You, may we respond with appreciation and a sober understanding of our responsibility.

Lead us Not Into Temptation

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)



This is part of the “model prayer” that Jesus taught to His disciples. The idea of being “lead” into temptation presented a problem for me because it seemed cruel that the God would actually lead us into temptation and in James 1:13 we read “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;” So further research was needed. What I found was very interesting.

In the Greek, this term “temptation” is an enticement and provocation to sin. Pretty basic, right? But there is also an association with deep or open sea – an indication of the level of overwhelm that occurs when we are given to temptation. There is a disastrous depth to temptation that is to be avoided. It is likened to being in the depths of the open sea, without hope of rescue.

Our first line of defense is to ask the Father for His mercy - to ask that He not leave us to our own devices, leaving us susceptible to give in to the sinful desires that rise up in us. You see, temptation arises from what is within us. James 1:14 says “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” It is not that we are helpless against the pressures from the world; it is that the desires that are within us, if we give in to them, can move us to indulge in the sins that meet that desire. Practical examples: we are not all drawn to gambling, we are not all given to excessive drinking, we are not all given to gluttony or physical abuse. But if the sinful desires reside within us and we are not subjecting ourselves to the authority of God by the power of His Holy Spirit, we can be drawn away and enticed by these things.

May you be encouraged, challenged, and motivated by these words:

1 Corinthians 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Romans 12:2 - 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.

Galatians 5:16 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Psalm 119:11 - I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Ephesians 6:10-13 -  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.