1 Samuel 30:24
For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”
There are times when the trials of this world can be too much. Heck, there are times when it seems as though just getting out of bed in the morning can be too much. Am I right? When times like these come our way we tend to feel bad because we’re tired. We’re not able to continue; we’re letting people down. And then, as if our own self-deprecation weren’t enough, there are people who will tell us things like, “Suck it up; you have to dig deeper!” That’s just not helpful.
This happens at home, at work, at school, and sadly, even at church. Instead of our friends, family, co-workers, and pastors seeing that we’re hurting and in need, they see us as “slacking off” or becoming lazy. We’re given new challenges and new goals as some sort of psychological way of revitalizing our spirits when the truth is, we just need rest.
David was a great leader. When he saw that 200 of his 600 men were completely worn out he didn’t challenge them with a new hurdle or obstacle. He didn’t call them to “step up to the plate”. He knew they were down; he knew they were weak. Instead of making them feel worse, he recognized what they needed, rest, and freely gave it to them. Even though he knew he would soon be going into battle with the Philistines, he allowed ⅓ of his army to stay behind with the supplies and rest.
When he returned with the spoils of war, David’s men were upset. They didn’t like the fact that he intended to give to the 200 men who didn’t fight (who were too weak to fight) the same reward as those who went down and did fight. But David knew that the 400 men hadn’t won the war. He knew that it was God who defeated the Philistines for them.
So how does this play into our lives today? When the trials of life come, when you’re just too tired to even get out of bed, it’s okay to rest. There shouldn’t be any guilt associated with resting. For one, Jesus came that we might have rest (Matthew 11:28), and two, there is no condemnation (guilt) for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). When we do rest, however, there are those around us who will still try to make us feel guilty for it.
Like David (or more appropriately, like Himself), Jesus recognizes when you’re worn out. He knows when you’re too tired. He wants you to stay in the camp and rest while He goes out to defeat your enemies for you. And, just like in 1 Samuel, those who are able to fight alongside Him and those who are just to darn tired to move will all receive an equal share in the spoils of war. His grace is more than enough for anyone, weak or strong. His mercies are new every day; He is faithful to His promises.
So if you’re fired up and ready for battle, get in there with the King and fight. But if you’re worn out and weary from the journey, chill out for a while and rest.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
This is who I am!
Song of Solomon 4:7
You are beautiful in every way, my true love. There is no blemish on you.
Song of Solomon 7:10
I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.
Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t feel good enough? Maybe it’s because you didn’t do what mom and dad asked, or maybe it’s because you didn’t achieve a personal goal. Perhaps your boss at work has made you feel inadequate. What if you committed a sin and now God is mad or disappointed with you?
All too often in today’s world, we let the trials and stresses of this life bring us down. We get caught up in the world view of ourselves, in our own view of ourselves, so that we forget who we are in Christ. We allow the devil to bring us out from under our umbrella of grace and lead us back behind the veil of the law. He deceives us into thinking that we need to be self-reflective in order to fix our problems or implied problems. He accuses us of our sins and shortcomings (Revelation 12:10) and attempts to manipulate our thoughts.
It is Satan who whispers in our ears, “You’re not good enough. See what you did today? God is going to be angry with you for that!” It is that lying snake in the grass who gives you thoughts like “I’m not smart enough. I’ll never be good enough. My parents won’t be proud of me.” When these thoughts arise, we need to do the exact opposite of what society would say: rather than becoming introspective and analyzing what we think of ourselves we need to become extrospective. Instead of looking at ourselves to see what we should fix, we need to look out at the cross and realize what has already been fixed.
When the devil comes to tempt us away from the foot of Mt. Calvary, the cross of Christ, and bring us back to the foot of Mt. Sinai (where the Law was given, the ministry of death! (2 Corinthians 3:7) we must counter his attack with the Word of God. When you feel like you’re worthless and not good enough, remember how Jesus Christ sees you, His bride: “beautiful in every way...there is no blemish on you.” When inadequacy rears its ugly head remember you are Christ’s “true love”.
Throw that in the face of the enemy and watch him cower and hide. There is no way for Satan or his minions to retaliate against the healing power of the Word of God and the restoration to perfection by the blood of Christ. So just remember, “Jesus sees me, His true love, as beautiful in every way. There is no blemish on me! I am my Beloved’s. Jesus’ desire is toward me. I am blessed, loved, and highly favored.”
You are beautiful in every way, my true love. There is no blemish on you.
Song of Solomon 7:10
I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.
Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t feel good enough? Maybe it’s because you didn’t do what mom and dad asked, or maybe it’s because you didn’t achieve a personal goal. Perhaps your boss at work has made you feel inadequate. What if you committed a sin and now God is mad or disappointed with you?
All too often in today’s world, we let the trials and stresses of this life bring us down. We get caught up in the world view of ourselves, in our own view of ourselves, so that we forget who we are in Christ. We allow the devil to bring us out from under our umbrella of grace and lead us back behind the veil of the law. He deceives us into thinking that we need to be self-reflective in order to fix our problems or implied problems. He accuses us of our sins and shortcomings (Revelation 12:10) and attempts to manipulate our thoughts.
It is Satan who whispers in our ears, “You’re not good enough. See what you did today? God is going to be angry with you for that!” It is that lying snake in the grass who gives you thoughts like “I’m not smart enough. I’ll never be good enough. My parents won’t be proud of me.” When these thoughts arise, we need to do the exact opposite of what society would say: rather than becoming introspective and analyzing what we think of ourselves we need to become extrospective. Instead of looking at ourselves to see what we should fix, we need to look out at the cross and realize what has already been fixed.
When the devil comes to tempt us away from the foot of Mt. Calvary, the cross of Christ, and bring us back to the foot of Mt. Sinai (where the Law was given, the ministry of death! (2 Corinthians 3:7) we must counter his attack with the Word of God. When you feel like you’re worthless and not good enough, remember how Jesus Christ sees you, His bride: “beautiful in every way...there is no blemish on you.” When inadequacy rears its ugly head remember you are Christ’s “true love”.
Throw that in the face of the enemy and watch him cower and hide. There is no way for Satan or his minions to retaliate against the healing power of the Word of God and the restoration to perfection by the blood of Christ. So just remember, “Jesus sees me, His true love, as beautiful in every way. There is no blemish on me! I am my Beloved’s. Jesus’ desire is toward me. I am blessed, loved, and highly favored.”
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Conditions?
Isaiah 1:19 (Darby)
If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Don’t be alarmed simply because you see the big “if” at the beginning of this verse! I know what you’re thinking: “God’s put a condition on how to get the blessings. See, Gary, all of this ‘It’s already yours’ preaching is wrong.” Well, to you who have had that thought I say, “You’re wrong!” Are you ready to find out why?
Here’s the deal with this “conditional offer” that God has put forth: the receiving of the blessing (in this case referred to as “the good of the land”) is entirely up to you. The condition that God has placed on your receiving His blessing is that you’re willing to accept it. Now, if that doesn’t spell out cross-style grace then we have an even more serious issue with which to contend.
Why is this so important? Because it takes away the stress of trying to be justified through our works in order to receive the abundance of life that Jesus came to bless us with. I know some people may say that the King James Version of the Bible reads “obedient” instead of “hearken”, but that translation implies work. Isn’t that the first thing you think of when you hear the word obedience? Doesn’t being obedient mean following the rules? That’s only a partial interpretation of the word used in the original Hebrew text and may simply be a bad translation.
The word translated in this verse for obedient (hearken in Darby’s translation) in Hebrew is ‘shama’ (pronounced sha-mah’) which means to hear, listen to, and obey. If you look up the word in Strong’s Concordance, the first 8 of 9 definitions have to do with hearing or listening. The ninth definition is the only one that has to do with obedience. This makes me ask the question: why was obedient chosen rather than listen or hear? (Save that for another day.)
The truth is simple: if you are willing to listen to, and hear the Word of God, Jesus Christ, then you SHALL eat the good of the land! Why do you think Christ said so many times, “He who has ears, let him hear...”? Your obedience to the word is simply believing that what Jesus said is truth. If you don’t believe that He fully satisfied the requirements of the law; that He came to serve, not be served; that He came to heal, sanctify, redeem, and forgive; then you are not being obedient to the word! But if you listen to what Jesus said, if you hear His message of salvation and abundance, and you believe it, then you have obeyed.
So I’ll ask the question: are you willing to have the abundance of life promised by Jesus and freely given to you by the grace of God? Or, would you rather live under the thumb of the law and base your blessings, your inheritance, on the works of your hands? I, for one, choose the first option. I believe!
If ye be willing and hearken, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Don’t be alarmed simply because you see the big “if” at the beginning of this verse! I know what you’re thinking: “God’s put a condition on how to get the blessings. See, Gary, all of this ‘It’s already yours’ preaching is wrong.” Well, to you who have had that thought I say, “You’re wrong!” Are you ready to find out why?
Here’s the deal with this “conditional offer” that God has put forth: the receiving of the blessing (in this case referred to as “the good of the land”) is entirely up to you. The condition that God has placed on your receiving His blessing is that you’re willing to accept it. Now, if that doesn’t spell out cross-style grace then we have an even more serious issue with which to contend.
Why is this so important? Because it takes away the stress of trying to be justified through our works in order to receive the abundance of life that Jesus came to bless us with. I know some people may say that the King James Version of the Bible reads “obedient” instead of “hearken”, but that translation implies work. Isn’t that the first thing you think of when you hear the word obedience? Doesn’t being obedient mean following the rules? That’s only a partial interpretation of the word used in the original Hebrew text and may simply be a bad translation.
The word translated in this verse for obedient (hearken in Darby’s translation) in Hebrew is ‘shama’ (pronounced sha-mah’) which means to hear, listen to, and obey. If you look up the word in Strong’s Concordance, the first 8 of 9 definitions have to do with hearing or listening. The ninth definition is the only one that has to do with obedience. This makes me ask the question: why was obedient chosen rather than listen or hear? (Save that for another day.)
The truth is simple: if you are willing to listen to, and hear the Word of God, Jesus Christ, then you SHALL eat the good of the land! Why do you think Christ said so many times, “He who has ears, let him hear...”? Your obedience to the word is simply believing that what Jesus said is truth. If you don’t believe that He fully satisfied the requirements of the law; that He came to serve, not be served; that He came to heal, sanctify, redeem, and forgive; then you are not being obedient to the word! But if you listen to what Jesus said, if you hear His message of salvation and abundance, and you believe it, then you have obeyed.
So I’ll ask the question: are you willing to have the abundance of life promised by Jesus and freely given to you by the grace of God? Or, would you rather live under the thumb of the law and base your blessings, your inheritance, on the works of your hands? I, for one, choose the first option. I believe!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Rest and receive.
Luke 10:42
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
This scripture clearly shows us that the choice is ours: either simply receive the blessings and rest that Christ has offered to us, or work to somehow impress the God who created the universe. (Wow, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty stupid!) Which decision will you make? More importantly, which decision will you stick with?
You see, in the case of Mary and Martha (interestingly enough, I’ve never heard it presented as “Martha and Mary”, even though Martha was mentioned first in the passage) both women began at the same place in their time with Christ. “[A]nd she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” (Luke 10:39) This verse tells us that Mary and Martha were both sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to what He had to say, but something happened to Martha.
Martha got distracted by work, work that she felt needed to be done in order to satisfy their guest. Work that probably consisted of preparing bread, cooking meat, and pouring wine. She got caught up in her need to serve the Christ and completely missed the point of His coming.
Mary, on the other hand, recognized why Jesus was there. She sat and listened to what He had to say. She soaked up all of His wisdom and rested by His feet. Surely she knew that dinner still had to be made, but she recognized that Christ was much more important than a simple dinner with friends.
How often today do we become Marthas at church instead of Marys? We’re told constantly to serve, serve, serve and give, give, give. I ask you, is that the message that Jesus brings? He said that Mary had chosen the one thing that was needed: rest. His rest. Martha started at a place of rest and left to work. Sometimes isn’t that what we do in our walk? We come to the cross and start under grace, at a place of rest, but then we get distracted and move out from under grace back to works. We forget that Jesus finished all things at the cross.
While Martha was off preparing a meal of bread, meat, and wine to satisfy their physical needs, Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus who is the Bread of Life, the Lamb of God, and His blood, the Wine of the New Covenant abundantly supplying her spiritual needs. We need to start recognizing this simple truth: our desire to be justified by our works is a flesh-oriented attitude. It is self-centered, not Jesus focused. Martha was upset because Mary wasn’t helping HER (Luke 10:40), not because she wasn’t serving Jesus! That’s what happens when we forget to rest, to receive the grace and justification offered by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
I’m not saying we need to stop serving and giving; I’m saying we need to stop making serving and giving our top priority! Resting and basking in the abundance of Grace found at the foot of the cross should be our main focus.
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
This scripture clearly shows us that the choice is ours: either simply receive the blessings and rest that Christ has offered to us, or work to somehow impress the God who created the universe. (Wow, when you put it that way, it sounds pretty stupid!) Which decision will you make? More importantly, which decision will you stick with?
You see, in the case of Mary and Martha (interestingly enough, I’ve never heard it presented as “Martha and Mary”, even though Martha was mentioned first in the passage) both women began at the same place in their time with Christ. “[A]nd she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” (Luke 10:39) This verse tells us that Mary and Martha were both sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to what He had to say, but something happened to Martha.
Martha got distracted by work, work that she felt needed to be done in order to satisfy their guest. Work that probably consisted of preparing bread, cooking meat, and pouring wine. She got caught up in her need to serve the Christ and completely missed the point of His coming.
Mary, on the other hand, recognized why Jesus was there. She sat and listened to what He had to say. She soaked up all of His wisdom and rested by His feet. Surely she knew that dinner still had to be made, but she recognized that Christ was much more important than a simple dinner with friends.
How often today do we become Marthas at church instead of Marys? We’re told constantly to serve, serve, serve and give, give, give. I ask you, is that the message that Jesus brings? He said that Mary had chosen the one thing that was needed: rest. His rest. Martha started at a place of rest and left to work. Sometimes isn’t that what we do in our walk? We come to the cross and start under grace, at a place of rest, but then we get distracted and move out from under grace back to works. We forget that Jesus finished all things at the cross.
While Martha was off preparing a meal of bread, meat, and wine to satisfy their physical needs, Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus who is the Bread of Life, the Lamb of God, and His blood, the Wine of the New Covenant abundantly supplying her spiritual needs. We need to start recognizing this simple truth: our desire to be justified by our works is a flesh-oriented attitude. It is self-centered, not Jesus focused. Martha was upset because Mary wasn’t helping HER (Luke 10:40), not because she wasn’t serving Jesus! That’s what happens when we forget to rest, to receive the grace and justification offered by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
I’m not saying we need to stop serving and giving; I’m saying we need to stop making serving and giving our top priority! Resting and basking in the abundance of Grace found at the foot of the cross should be our main focus.
Monday, June 20, 2011
All the King's men...and women.
1 Samuel 22:2
And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.
David had killed Goliath and was considered a hero among his people. They loved him and were ready to follow him. God had anointed him with power and strength and willed that he would become the king of Israel. This did not make the current king, Saul, very happy. Even Saul’s son, Jonathan, was willing to serve David as king.
Saul, being outraged, was on a mission to find and kill David. How could this boy, this shepherd, come in and take over his kingdom? Not only was he after David, but he also wanted to hunt down and kill anyone who had helped or associated with him. David’s men were scared. They didn’t know what to do, but they trusted David and continued to follow him.
The Bible tells us that everyone in distress or in debt, and everyone discontented, went to David, and he became their captain, or leader. Does this remind you of another Leader? I’m talking about Jesus here, folks!
Christ came on the scene in this world as our King. He conquered our taunting enemy, our Goliath, death. He upset the current kingdom of Satan when He defeated his champion (John 12:31 refers to the Devil as “...the ruler of this world...”). And, just like David, He’s gone away for a while before His imminent return to establish his perfect Kingdom!
(One point I would like to clarify: Jesus has not gone away in fear of the current ruler of this world, but rather to prepare a place for us. His work is finished; He is the King. I’m just making a connection between David and Jesus.)
All throughout the New Testament Jesus calls for the broken, the needy, the distressed, those in debt, and the discontented to be brought to Him. Not only does He want them to come to Him, but they want to be with Him. We are to be like the 400 men who went with David. Are you in debt? Are you in distress? Are you discontented? Then run to Jesus. He is your King. He is your Refuge and Strength. He is your Comforter, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Savior, Friend, Inheritance; He is Everything!
Though they were hiding in caves, these men were with the king. God had already made the arrangements and the time was coming when He would set David above all Israel. Friends, though we may be hiding in caves, we are with the King. God has already raised Christ up and set Him on the Throne of Glory in Heaven. We are His loyal subjects and as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:14)! We are free from fear, from bondage, from death, from the clutches of the ruler of this world. We are in Christ Jesus, heirs to His kingdom and the riches of His glory!
And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.
David had killed Goliath and was considered a hero among his people. They loved him and were ready to follow him. God had anointed him with power and strength and willed that he would become the king of Israel. This did not make the current king, Saul, very happy. Even Saul’s son, Jonathan, was willing to serve David as king.
Saul, being outraged, was on a mission to find and kill David. How could this boy, this shepherd, come in and take over his kingdom? Not only was he after David, but he also wanted to hunt down and kill anyone who had helped or associated with him. David’s men were scared. They didn’t know what to do, but they trusted David and continued to follow him.
The Bible tells us that everyone in distress or in debt, and everyone discontented, went to David, and he became their captain, or leader. Does this remind you of another Leader? I’m talking about Jesus here, folks!
Christ came on the scene in this world as our King. He conquered our taunting enemy, our Goliath, death. He upset the current kingdom of Satan when He defeated his champion (John 12:31 refers to the Devil as “...the ruler of this world...”). And, just like David, He’s gone away for a while before His imminent return to establish his perfect Kingdom!
(One point I would like to clarify: Jesus has not gone away in fear of the current ruler of this world, but rather to prepare a place for us. His work is finished; He is the King. I’m just making a connection between David and Jesus.)
All throughout the New Testament Jesus calls for the broken, the needy, the distressed, those in debt, and the discontented to be brought to Him. Not only does He want them to come to Him, but they want to be with Him. We are to be like the 400 men who went with David. Are you in debt? Are you in distress? Are you discontented? Then run to Jesus. He is your King. He is your Refuge and Strength. He is your Comforter, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Savior, Friend, Inheritance; He is Everything!
Though they were hiding in caves, these men were with the king. God had already made the arrangements and the time was coming when He would set David above all Israel. Friends, though we may be hiding in caves, we are with the King. God has already raised Christ up and set Him on the Throne of Glory in Heaven. We are His loyal subjects and as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:14)! We are free from fear, from bondage, from death, from the clutches of the ruler of this world. We are in Christ Jesus, heirs to His kingdom and the riches of His glory!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Back Slider?
Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
When a brother or sister in Christ falls into a pattern of sin, we generally immediately turn to an attitude of correction with that individual. Allow me to explain. Imagine a brother who has become consumed with an extramarital affair. Obviously, this is not acceptable behavior for a follower of Christ. We would classify such behavior as ‘sin’.
Unfortunately, when something like this happens we take it upon ourselves to correct this person’s lifestyle through the use of scripture as a beating stick. It’s not necessarily wrong to point out the fact that adultery is against God’s rules (specifically the 7th Commandment), but what effect, if any, does it have on this particular brother? In some cases it could cause a change in behavior; in other cases it can drive the person further into the relationship.
Pointing out the flaw usually brings about a spirit of guilt, regret, unworthiness, and condemnation. How is that going to ever bring about healing and restoration? As a Christian, this person should already know “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...” (Romans 8:1), and if they don’t, they need to be reminded! It is not our responsibility to convict (in a spiritual sense) someone of their sin, but to restore someone caught in sin. (Remember the job of conviction is the Holy Spirit’s, not ours--John 16:8.)
Restoring an individual caught in sin is completely different from correcting a person caught in sin. In order to restore, we who have been restored must remember what restoration is and how we received it. We have been restored to a righteous relationship with God through the blood of Christ. How did we become restored? By hearing the Word: Jesus Christ and His grace. If that is how our restoration came about, wouldn’t it be safe to say that that is also how the restoration of a fellow believer who backslid will also come about?
This verse tells us, specifically, to consider ourselves, lest we too should become tempted or backslide. We need to consider that our restoration came about through the work of Christ on the cross. It was brought to us by the grace of the Lamb, not through the conviction of, or our fulfillment of, the Law. If we forget or overlook that truth, we are subject to a reliance on our own self-righteousness, which we know is worthless (Isaiah 64:6). We will become like the Pharisees.
Friends, restoring a brother or sister in Christ is the same as bringing the lost to Christ. Restoration is not accomplished with spiritual scourgings or Biblical beatings; it is only accomplished through the clear cut teaching of Christ crucified, forgiveness of sins, and grace for all. By reminding our back-slider of God’s Grace through the cross, we are reminding ourselves as well. The result is a two-fold blessing: one, the restoration of a believer; two, the reinforcement of your own faith!
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
When a brother or sister in Christ falls into a pattern of sin, we generally immediately turn to an attitude of correction with that individual. Allow me to explain. Imagine a brother who has become consumed with an extramarital affair. Obviously, this is not acceptable behavior for a follower of Christ. We would classify such behavior as ‘sin’.
Unfortunately, when something like this happens we take it upon ourselves to correct this person’s lifestyle through the use of scripture as a beating stick. It’s not necessarily wrong to point out the fact that adultery is against God’s rules (specifically the 7th Commandment), but what effect, if any, does it have on this particular brother? In some cases it could cause a change in behavior; in other cases it can drive the person further into the relationship.
Pointing out the flaw usually brings about a spirit of guilt, regret, unworthiness, and condemnation. How is that going to ever bring about healing and restoration? As a Christian, this person should already know “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...” (Romans 8:1), and if they don’t, they need to be reminded! It is not our responsibility to convict (in a spiritual sense) someone of their sin, but to restore someone caught in sin. (Remember the job of conviction is the Holy Spirit’s, not ours--John 16:8.)
Restoring an individual caught in sin is completely different from correcting a person caught in sin. In order to restore, we who have been restored must remember what restoration is and how we received it. We have been restored to a righteous relationship with God through the blood of Christ. How did we become restored? By hearing the Word: Jesus Christ and His grace. If that is how our restoration came about, wouldn’t it be safe to say that that is also how the restoration of a fellow believer who backslid will also come about?
This verse tells us, specifically, to consider ourselves, lest we too should become tempted or backslide. We need to consider that our restoration came about through the work of Christ on the cross. It was brought to us by the grace of the Lamb, not through the conviction of, or our fulfillment of, the Law. If we forget or overlook that truth, we are subject to a reliance on our own self-righteousness, which we know is worthless (Isaiah 64:6). We will become like the Pharisees.
Friends, restoring a brother or sister in Christ is the same as bringing the lost to Christ. Restoration is not accomplished with spiritual scourgings or Biblical beatings; it is only accomplished through the clear cut teaching of Christ crucified, forgiveness of sins, and grace for all. By reminding our back-slider of God’s Grace through the cross, we are reminding ourselves as well. The result is a two-fold blessing: one, the restoration of a believer; two, the reinforcement of your own faith!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
No ticket?
Galatians 3:24 (Young’s)
so that the law became our child-conductor -- to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous,
I know for a fact that everyone reading this has seen a train pass by at some point in time. Some of us may have even had the opportunity to ride on a train. (Yes, this includes the MBTA and NY Subway system.) For the most part, however, we only see the outsides of trains. We see big cars being pulled down the track by strong engines. And sometimes we are delayed at the crossing for extended periods of time.
There are lots of jobs to be had in the railroad industry, not the least of which is conductor. There are all different types of conductors in the railroad industry. There are yard conductors, responsible for maintaining the trains in the yard. There are road service conductors, in charge of scheduled stops, routes to be taken, and knowledge of the cargo on board. And, of course, there are the traditional rail conductors, the ones who take the tickets and collect the money.
The point with all of these conductors is that they have strict orders; they serve a very distinct purpose in maintaining the rail system. If the yard conductor says, “This train can’t leave,” then guess what? That train doesn’t leave. If the rail conductor finds someone without a ticket, well, I’m sure you know what happens.
Perhaps that is why Paul referred to the law, that is, the Ten Commandments (I know this because 2 Corinthians 3:7 refers to the law as “...the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones...”) as our child-conductor. The law is a list of rules that must be followed in order to attain righteousness. Its point is not, and never will be, to make a person righteous; its point is to show a person their unrighteousness and point him to the cross.
Once you come to the cross and claim Christ’s sacrifice as your redemption, professing faith in His fulfillment of the law, there is no longer a need to be persuaded or directed by the law. Faith in Christ declares you, me, and anyone else who chooses to believe, righteous. That is what makes grace so amazing.
Our conductor, the law, required a ticket (a fee) to pay for the seat. It did its job fully in showing us we did not have the funds to cover the cost. Thankfully, Christ, our redeemer, did have the reserves in His account to pay the tab. He purchased the ticket and gave us a seat. As a result, we are no longer in fear of the conductor, but can rest in glory with Christ.
so that the law became our child-conductor -- to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous,
I know for a fact that everyone reading this has seen a train pass by at some point in time. Some of us may have even had the opportunity to ride on a train. (Yes, this includes the MBTA and NY Subway system.) For the most part, however, we only see the outsides of trains. We see big cars being pulled down the track by strong engines. And sometimes we are delayed at the crossing for extended periods of time.
There are lots of jobs to be had in the railroad industry, not the least of which is conductor. There are all different types of conductors in the railroad industry. There are yard conductors, responsible for maintaining the trains in the yard. There are road service conductors, in charge of scheduled stops, routes to be taken, and knowledge of the cargo on board. And, of course, there are the traditional rail conductors, the ones who take the tickets and collect the money.
The point with all of these conductors is that they have strict orders; they serve a very distinct purpose in maintaining the rail system. If the yard conductor says, “This train can’t leave,” then guess what? That train doesn’t leave. If the rail conductor finds someone without a ticket, well, I’m sure you know what happens.
Perhaps that is why Paul referred to the law, that is, the Ten Commandments (I know this because 2 Corinthians 3:7 refers to the law as “...the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones...”) as our child-conductor. The law is a list of rules that must be followed in order to attain righteousness. Its point is not, and never will be, to make a person righteous; its point is to show a person their unrighteousness and point him to the cross.
Once you come to the cross and claim Christ’s sacrifice as your redemption, professing faith in His fulfillment of the law, there is no longer a need to be persuaded or directed by the law. Faith in Christ declares you, me, and anyone else who chooses to believe, righteous. That is what makes grace so amazing.
Our conductor, the law, required a ticket (a fee) to pay for the seat. It did its job fully in showing us we did not have the funds to cover the cost. Thankfully, Christ, our redeemer, did have the reserves in His account to pay the tab. He purchased the ticket and gave us a seat. As a result, we are no longer in fear of the conductor, but can rest in glory with Christ.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Floods
Genesis 7:18
The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
It must have been terribly frightening being Noah, or any member of his family, for that matter, during the time of the flood. Just think about it: first, no one had ever seen it rain before, so that must have been frightening in and of itself. Second, they were on a giant boat laden with all sorts of wild animals (some of which could kill and eat a person). Third, outside was a raging storm of unheard-of destruction where people were dying. That sounds scary to me.
As the storm raged on outside, the waters rose up to cover even the highest mountain peaks of the entire earth. In the water were corpses of people and animals along with disease and debris from homes that had been destroyed. The flood water was not a safe place to be. It was full of death and destruction.
The Bible is a true and historically accurate document. This flood actually took place. People died, the earth was covered with water, and only Noah, his family, and the animals that they took on board were spared. It’s true that God got mad at humanity for being sinful and evil. It’s true that the story of Noah’s Ark can teach us a lot about behavior and consequences, but I believe there is more.
This story holds a message of hope and security for the believer. Yes, for the believer, that is, the person who has placed his or her faith in the cross of Christ and rests on His sacrifice. Noah and his family are a representation of true Christians today. The Ark is a symbol of our security through Jesus Christ. The flood waters are an example of all that is happening in the world around us today.
Death, destruction, disease, poverty, gangs, hate, confusion, lust, pornography, lies; all the flood waters of this day and age. The world is still full of corruption and mankind is drowning in his own refuse. But we Christians are secure in the Ark. We are above the turmoil. Though the waters prevail and greatly increase on the earth, the Ark (Jesus Christ and all that is in Him) moves about on the surface.
We are secured in Christ Jesus. He, being our Ark, is our protection from the raging flood outside. The debris, the refuse, the death and destruction can’t get to us; it can’t penetrate the walls of His grace. We may have moments of insecurity when we stumble and fall, but the grace that keeps the flood from coming in is the same grace that keeps us from falling out!
Christians, we need to accept how good we have it. We are blessed, loved, and highly favored. It’s time to believe and trust that we are protected, secured, and completely covered by the grace of Jesus Christ. His grace is greater than the flood. He has lifted us up. We can rest securely in the comfort of His salvation.
The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters.
It must have been terribly frightening being Noah, or any member of his family, for that matter, during the time of the flood. Just think about it: first, no one had ever seen it rain before, so that must have been frightening in and of itself. Second, they were on a giant boat laden with all sorts of wild animals (some of which could kill and eat a person). Third, outside was a raging storm of unheard-of destruction where people were dying. That sounds scary to me.
As the storm raged on outside, the waters rose up to cover even the highest mountain peaks of the entire earth. In the water were corpses of people and animals along with disease and debris from homes that had been destroyed. The flood water was not a safe place to be. It was full of death and destruction.
The Bible is a true and historically accurate document. This flood actually took place. People died, the earth was covered with water, and only Noah, his family, and the animals that they took on board were spared. It’s true that God got mad at humanity for being sinful and evil. It’s true that the story of Noah’s Ark can teach us a lot about behavior and consequences, but I believe there is more.
This story holds a message of hope and security for the believer. Yes, for the believer, that is, the person who has placed his or her faith in the cross of Christ and rests on His sacrifice. Noah and his family are a representation of true Christians today. The Ark is a symbol of our security through Jesus Christ. The flood waters are an example of all that is happening in the world around us today.
Death, destruction, disease, poverty, gangs, hate, confusion, lust, pornography, lies; all the flood waters of this day and age. The world is still full of corruption and mankind is drowning in his own refuse. But we Christians are secure in the Ark. We are above the turmoil. Though the waters prevail and greatly increase on the earth, the Ark (Jesus Christ and all that is in Him) moves about on the surface.
We are secured in Christ Jesus. He, being our Ark, is our protection from the raging flood outside. The debris, the refuse, the death and destruction can’t get to us; it can’t penetrate the walls of His grace. We may have moments of insecurity when we stumble and fall, but the grace that keeps the flood from coming in is the same grace that keeps us from falling out!
Christians, we need to accept how good we have it. We are blessed, loved, and highly favored. It’s time to believe and trust that we are protected, secured, and completely covered by the grace of Jesus Christ. His grace is greater than the flood. He has lifted us up. We can rest securely in the comfort of His salvation.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Measuring.
Mark 4:24-25
Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Be careful when you read the Bible; you just may learn something! How many times have you heard these verses? Once, twice, three hundred times? Think now, what was the context in which you heard them? Was it a forgiveness sermon? Or was it a giving sermon? Those are pretty much the only two times I’ve ever heard these scriptures used. It’s usually “how you forgive is how God will forgive” or “if you’re generous with your giving, God will be generous with His giving”.
Same old, same old, right? Do good, get good: do bad, get bad. That’s the law of life. It’s what you’re supposed to believe. That’s exactly what Jesus was trying to teach when He said these words. His entire message revolved around what you could do to earn God’s blessing or curses. Seriously, folks, isn’t that the gospel?
Obviously, I’m being extremely sarcastic here. That’s not at all what Jesus’ message was. I realized while reading these verses today that whenever they are used in church there are five little words omitted (or overlooked). Those words are “Take heed what you hear.” These words are of great importance as they pertain to the rest of the verse. The subject of the passage is the measure by which you hear, not give or forgive. If you choose to hear only a little bit of Jesus, then you will only be given a little bit of Jesus. But if you choose to inundate your ears with Jesus, then you will be overwhelmed by His presence and influence on your life.
Sadly, Jesus warns of the bleak outlook for those who choose to ignore what they have heard. These are the ones who do not have, and even what little they do have will be taken away. What do they not have? They have heard but not listened. Because they have chosen to ignore His speaking in their lives (either through a friend, neighbor, or some other form of evangelism), they will lose their lives.
How do I know this? Because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life...” Since He is life, then a rejection of Him means that life will be taken away. For those of us who have heard, who have accepted, more will be given. More what? More grace, abundance, healing, prosperity, favor; more life. But for those who have not, the grace that they have had will be taken away. The prosperity they enjoyed will vanish. The life that they had will end in death. (Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
So what are we to do? As Christians we have opportunities on a daily basis to speak Jesus into the ears of those who surround us. We haven’t been commissioned to tell them how to fix their lives, correct their deviant behaviors, or raise their children. We have been commissioned to bring the Good News, that is, Jesus. (Matthew 28:19)
So, take heed what you hear! And, once you do, share what you hear with others who need to hear the same thing. Marvel as the grace, favor, and abundant life are given to you as promised, more and more and more!
Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Be careful when you read the Bible; you just may learn something! How many times have you heard these verses? Once, twice, three hundred times? Think now, what was the context in which you heard them? Was it a forgiveness sermon? Or was it a giving sermon? Those are pretty much the only two times I’ve ever heard these scriptures used. It’s usually “how you forgive is how God will forgive” or “if you’re generous with your giving, God will be generous with His giving”.
Same old, same old, right? Do good, get good: do bad, get bad. That’s the law of life. It’s what you’re supposed to believe. That’s exactly what Jesus was trying to teach when He said these words. His entire message revolved around what you could do to earn God’s blessing or curses. Seriously, folks, isn’t that the gospel?
Obviously, I’m being extremely sarcastic here. That’s not at all what Jesus’ message was. I realized while reading these verses today that whenever they are used in church there are five little words omitted (or overlooked). Those words are “Take heed what you hear.” These words are of great importance as they pertain to the rest of the verse. The subject of the passage is the measure by which you hear, not give or forgive. If you choose to hear only a little bit of Jesus, then you will only be given a little bit of Jesus. But if you choose to inundate your ears with Jesus, then you will be overwhelmed by His presence and influence on your life.
Sadly, Jesus warns of the bleak outlook for those who choose to ignore what they have heard. These are the ones who do not have, and even what little they do have will be taken away. What do they not have? They have heard but not listened. Because they have chosen to ignore His speaking in their lives (either through a friend, neighbor, or some other form of evangelism), they will lose their lives.
How do I know this? Because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life...” Since He is life, then a rejection of Him means that life will be taken away. For those of us who have heard, who have accepted, more will be given. More what? More grace, abundance, healing, prosperity, favor; more life. But for those who have not, the grace that they have had will be taken away. The prosperity they enjoyed will vanish. The life that they had will end in death. (Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
So what are we to do? As Christians we have opportunities on a daily basis to speak Jesus into the ears of those who surround us. We haven’t been commissioned to tell them how to fix their lives, correct their deviant behaviors, or raise their children. We have been commissioned to bring the Good News, that is, Jesus. (Matthew 28:19)
So, take heed what you hear! And, once you do, share what you hear with others who need to hear the same thing. Marvel as the grace, favor, and abundant life are given to you as promised, more and more and more!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Faithful?
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
This might very well be one of the most manipulated and misused scriptures in the entire Bible. I hear this verse almost daily from the “sow your seed” preachers on TCT. I think it’s because the verse has a form of the word ‘reward’ in it that these preachers use it to manipulate thousands of people into giving money to support their ministry, but it is a gross misuse of God’s word!
First, allow me to clarify that giving to a ministry is not bad. If you have been led in the past to give to a particular ministry or organization, not out of guilt but out of love, that is a good thing. The Bible clearly tells us that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) BUT (and that’s a big but) God does not reward us solely for our “faith gifts, love offerings, or sacrificial giving”. Yes, there are blessings (sometimes) for giving of this kind, but that’s not what we’re talking about here in Hebrews.
Now that that is out of the way, let’s truly examine what this scripture is telling us. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” This statement follows a passage about Noah, Abel, and Enoch who were all rewarded for their faith. Then it’s followed by a portion of scripture about Abraham, another man greatly rewarded for his faith. But what was their reward? Riches, power, wealth, health, righteousness, and prosperity? I think we could better sum that up with the phrase “abundant life”. Their reward for great faith was abundance of life. (Don’t send me emails, I know Abel was murdered by Cain, but Abel was called righteous because of his faith.)
They received this reward not because of their works, sacrifices, or deeds, but because they believed that God was who He said He was and would do what He said He was going to do. They diligently sought God, heard what He said, and acted on His voice. So how do we grow in faith? Is it by giving out of a sense of guilt to the ministry with its smarmy pastors touting huge bank accounts because they “sowed a seed of faith”? Do we grow in faith by blindly making risky moves with some thinking that “God will cause all things to work for good!”? (This is an interesting thought in itself and merits its own discussion for another day...table this one for now!)
To answer my own questions: no, we don’t grow by blindly making risky moves or sowing our guilt seeds. We grow in faith just as the Bible tells us to, by hearing the Word of God, Jesus. (Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”) John 1:1 tells us “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Faith comes by hearing over and over and over and over and over (and over...and over...) the name of Jesus and the salvation and redemption offered through Him. Just like Noah, Enoch, Abel, and Abraham, through our faith God will reward us with righteousness and abundance of life. Why? Because in hearing the name of Jesus and His grace over and over again we are seeking Him!
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting my reward. I’m righteous because He made me that way (2 Corinthians 5:21), and I’ll receive abundance of life because that’s what He came to give me (John 10:10) and I’ll continue to seek Him all the days of my life!
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
This might very well be one of the most manipulated and misused scriptures in the entire Bible. I hear this verse almost daily from the “sow your seed” preachers on TCT. I think it’s because the verse has a form of the word ‘reward’ in it that these preachers use it to manipulate thousands of people into giving money to support their ministry, but it is a gross misuse of God’s word!
First, allow me to clarify that giving to a ministry is not bad. If you have been led in the past to give to a particular ministry or organization, not out of guilt but out of love, that is a good thing. The Bible clearly tells us that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) BUT (and that’s a big but) God does not reward us solely for our “faith gifts, love offerings, or sacrificial giving”. Yes, there are blessings (sometimes) for giving of this kind, but that’s not what we’re talking about here in Hebrews.
Now that that is out of the way, let’s truly examine what this scripture is telling us. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” This statement follows a passage about Noah, Abel, and Enoch who were all rewarded for their faith. Then it’s followed by a portion of scripture about Abraham, another man greatly rewarded for his faith. But what was their reward? Riches, power, wealth, health, righteousness, and prosperity? I think we could better sum that up with the phrase “abundant life”. Their reward for great faith was abundance of life. (Don’t send me emails, I know Abel was murdered by Cain, but Abel was called righteous because of his faith.)
They received this reward not because of their works, sacrifices, or deeds, but because they believed that God was who He said He was and would do what He said He was going to do. They diligently sought God, heard what He said, and acted on His voice. So how do we grow in faith? Is it by giving out of a sense of guilt to the ministry with its smarmy pastors touting huge bank accounts because they “sowed a seed of faith”? Do we grow in faith by blindly making risky moves with some thinking that “God will cause all things to work for good!”? (This is an interesting thought in itself and merits its own discussion for another day...table this one for now!)
To answer my own questions: no, we don’t grow by blindly making risky moves or sowing our guilt seeds. We grow in faith just as the Bible tells us to, by hearing the Word of God, Jesus. (Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”) John 1:1 tells us “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Faith comes by hearing over and over and over and over and over (and over...and over...) the name of Jesus and the salvation and redemption offered through Him. Just like Noah, Enoch, Abel, and Abraham, through our faith God will reward us with righteousness and abundance of life. Why? Because in hearing the name of Jesus and His grace over and over again we are seeking Him!
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting my reward. I’m righteous because He made me that way (2 Corinthians 5:21), and I’ll receive abundance of life because that’s what He came to give me (John 10:10) and I’ll continue to seek Him all the days of my life!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Beloved
Matthew 3:17
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Have you ever considered these words and how important they were to Jesus? Well, not only were they crucially important to Him, but also to us as believers in Christ. When Jesus walked on the earth, prior to His death and resurrection, He was both 100% man and 100% God. What that meant was not only would He have the feelings and emotions of God, but also those of a man. So this message from the Father was of great importance to Him as a man.
We’ve all heard it before on radio programs, television, and even from the pulpit; it’s important for dads to speak good things to their children. When they do good things, tell them. By doing this, you will help build self-confidence, strength of character, and good morals as your child grows. But is that what God the Father was doing here? Was He telling Jesus how pleased He was with Him because He had done such great and wonderful things?
The answer is no. When Jesus got baptized He had not yet begun His ministry here on earth. He hadn’t called any of the disciples to serve with Him yet. He hadn’t cleansed a leper. He had yet to cleanse the Temple, heal the blind, make the lame walk, give the deaf ears, restore the dead to life, heal the sick, or change water into wine. Nope, Jesus was just Jesus at this point in His life, a man who needed to hear that His dad was pleased with Him.
But I believe that God chose to do this, not only for the sake of the Son, but for the benefit of the believers. I believe that this was God’s grace being shown to all mankind, that while Jesus had yet to do anything for God, God was pleased with Him and called Him “beloved”. This is freeing news!
We live in a world so wrapped up in accomplishments, a society based around determining someone’s worth or significance based on what they have done. We have churches that espouse this same doctrine, that doing brings about the love of God and His blessings, and that doing is what gains approval in the eyes of God. But that’s false. It is only in our accomplishment of nothing that God is given all of the glory. Grace thrives in a world that has done nothing to earn favor. That’s the point!
God has demonstrated His grace for us in telling His Son that He is beloved, and that He is well pleased with Him, while He, the Son, had as yet done NOTHING! Friends, this is what we must grab onto for the abundant life promised by Christ: that we are in Christ, and in the Beloved we are the beloved, and as the beloved the Father is well pleased with us, regardless of what we have done or haven’t done.
The Father’s love for you and me does not rest in the works of our hands, the greatness of our ministry, or the sins of our past, but rather in the fullness of His Son and the glory of His righteousness. It’s not about doing anything, but realizing that everything is done!
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Have you ever considered these words and how important they were to Jesus? Well, not only were they crucially important to Him, but also to us as believers in Christ. When Jesus walked on the earth, prior to His death and resurrection, He was both 100% man and 100% God. What that meant was not only would He have the feelings and emotions of God, but also those of a man. So this message from the Father was of great importance to Him as a man.
We’ve all heard it before on radio programs, television, and even from the pulpit; it’s important for dads to speak good things to their children. When they do good things, tell them. By doing this, you will help build self-confidence, strength of character, and good morals as your child grows. But is that what God the Father was doing here? Was He telling Jesus how pleased He was with Him because He had done such great and wonderful things?
The answer is no. When Jesus got baptized He had not yet begun His ministry here on earth. He hadn’t called any of the disciples to serve with Him yet. He hadn’t cleansed a leper. He had yet to cleanse the Temple, heal the blind, make the lame walk, give the deaf ears, restore the dead to life, heal the sick, or change water into wine. Nope, Jesus was just Jesus at this point in His life, a man who needed to hear that His dad was pleased with Him.
But I believe that God chose to do this, not only for the sake of the Son, but for the benefit of the believers. I believe that this was God’s grace being shown to all mankind, that while Jesus had yet to do anything for God, God was pleased with Him and called Him “beloved”. This is freeing news!
We live in a world so wrapped up in accomplishments, a society based around determining someone’s worth or significance based on what they have done. We have churches that espouse this same doctrine, that doing brings about the love of God and His blessings, and that doing is what gains approval in the eyes of God. But that’s false. It is only in our accomplishment of nothing that God is given all of the glory. Grace thrives in a world that has done nothing to earn favor. That’s the point!
God has demonstrated His grace for us in telling His Son that He is beloved, and that He is well pleased with Him, while He, the Son, had as yet done NOTHING! Friends, this is what we must grab onto for the abundant life promised by Christ: that we are in Christ, and in the Beloved we are the beloved, and as the beloved the Father is well pleased with us, regardless of what we have done or haven’t done.
The Father’s love for you and me does not rest in the works of our hands, the greatness of our ministry, or the sins of our past, but rather in the fullness of His Son and the glory of His righteousness. It’s not about doing anything, but realizing that everything is done!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Investments.
Isaiah 55:2
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
We all have it, tons of stuff. Computers, cars, televisions, bikes, musical instruments, top of the line ovens, a new house, pretty grass, need I say more? We’re told by the world to invest in our future. So we do. We have 401k’s, Roth IRA’s, and college funds for the kids, as a protection and establishment for their future and ours. But what does God say about all of that?
Perhaps you’re reading this right now and thinking, “He’s gone off the deep end! Does he really think that we shouldn’t invest in our future? Does he think we shouldn’t invest in our children’s future?” Allow me to answer your questions with a resounding NO! That is not at all what I think. I believe in planning ahead, in hoping that tomorrow will come, but I believe that we (Christians) have gotten too caught up in that race with the rest of the world and have forgotten about what is truly important.
God, through Isaiah, has given us insight into His plan. He asked the question, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?” Though they’re written in the book of Isaiah, they are the words of God, so we have to consider that there is a message He is sending us.
All of the stuff that we have acquired here on earth is simply that: stuff. Cars, boats, TVs, and computers; they’re not going with us to the grave. I know it’s cliche, but it’s true. Does God want us to have all of those things? Sure! But God does not want us putting the effort into obtaining them? No! He wants the stuff of this world to be the icing on the cake of His riches. He wants us investing our hearts, minds, body, and soul into what is the best, and that is His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) (Just a little Greek here: hunger is peinao, meaning suffer want or be needy. Thirst in this scripture is dipsao, meaning those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened.) By now I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.
Listen carefully to God; He’s telling you what to invest in: His Word! An “all in” attitude towards knowing and embracing the love and fullness of Jesus Christ will yield an abundance. It will yield satisfaction for both the soul and the body. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4)
Allow God, through the magnificence of His grace, to supply you with the abundant life that He has promised (John 10:10). Your working, your toiling, and your worrying about the future is no longer your problem. All of those things were nailed to the cross along with your sin, shame, and guilt. God’s desire now is for you to satisfy your soul with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Let His grace supply you with both your physical and spiritual needs!
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
We all have it, tons of stuff. Computers, cars, televisions, bikes, musical instruments, top of the line ovens, a new house, pretty grass, need I say more? We’re told by the world to invest in our future. So we do. We have 401k’s, Roth IRA’s, and college funds for the kids, as a protection and establishment for their future and ours. But what does God say about all of that?
Perhaps you’re reading this right now and thinking, “He’s gone off the deep end! Does he really think that we shouldn’t invest in our future? Does he think we shouldn’t invest in our children’s future?” Allow me to answer your questions with a resounding NO! That is not at all what I think. I believe in planning ahead, in hoping that tomorrow will come, but I believe that we (Christians) have gotten too caught up in that race with the rest of the world and have forgotten about what is truly important.
God, through Isaiah, has given us insight into His plan. He asked the question, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?” Though they’re written in the book of Isaiah, they are the words of God, so we have to consider that there is a message He is sending us.
All of the stuff that we have acquired here on earth is simply that: stuff. Cars, boats, TVs, and computers; they’re not going with us to the grave. I know it’s cliche, but it’s true. Does God want us to have all of those things? Sure! But God does not want us putting the effort into obtaining them? No! He wants the stuff of this world to be the icing on the cake of His riches. He wants us investing our hearts, minds, body, and soul into what is the best, and that is His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) (Just a little Greek here: hunger is peinao, meaning suffer want or be needy. Thirst in this scripture is dipsao, meaning those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened.) By now I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.
Listen carefully to God; He’s telling you what to invest in: His Word! An “all in” attitude towards knowing and embracing the love and fullness of Jesus Christ will yield an abundance. It will yield satisfaction for both the soul and the body. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4)
Allow God, through the magnificence of His grace, to supply you with the abundant life that He has promised (John 10:10). Your working, your toiling, and your worrying about the future is no longer your problem. All of those things were nailed to the cross along with your sin, shame, and guilt. God’s desire now is for you to satisfy your soul with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Let His grace supply you with both your physical and spiritual needs!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Get it right!
John 8:11
She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
“You’ve got to get right with God!” We’ve all heard it before, right? Probably some of us have even uttered these very words to someone throughout our lives. But are they accurate? Do you really have to “get right with God” in order to be saved?
I guess to answer that question we have to first have an understanding of what it would look like “getting right” with God. In order to “get right” we, the people, would have to fully obey the Ten Commandments. That means, just as Jesus stated, no looking at someone in a lustful way. No thinking, even for a moment, that perhaps this month the tithe check would be better spent on a new oven. No leaving out parts of the story, even though they had no real bearing on the outcome. Can you do that? Can anyone? I’m assuming you’re answer is “NO”, but if it isn’t, you’re a liar and can’t get right with God anyway. Ha!
So is it right for any Christian to ever say, “You’ve got to get right with God!”? I say, no. Because I say no, I would like to draw your attention to the story of Jesus and the woman caught in the act of adultery. (If you don’t like this story, pick any other time in the Bible that Jesus heals someone, or forgives sins.) I’m using this story to illustrate my point, which is simply this: you don’t have to get right with God before you are forgiven, loved, and embraced by Him.
This woman never asked Jesus for forgiveness. She was brought before Him, GUILTY, caught in the act of adultery, and thrown at His feet by her accusers. The Law was spoken by the Pharisees and condemned her according to her actions. Jesus, Himself, declared that the Law was right in condemning her to death, and He pronounced a death sentence, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Jesus declared, through His response, that her actions were deserving of death according to the law, but He limited the executioners to those who were without sin.
When everyone was gone, and it was only Christ and the woman, He looked at her and told her He wasn’t condemning her. He sent her off, free, to sin no more. So I ask, when during this account did she “get right with God”? She never asked for forgiveness; she never offered an explanation for her actions. She simply got up and walked away free to sin no more.
Friends, this is what we need to be telling our friends and family, neighbors and enemies: not that they need to “get right with God”, but that God has gotten everything right with them! Through the blood of Christ, God reconciled the sins of the world to Himself, and preemptively forgave mankind. (2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”) We didn’t have to ask for forgiveness; He gave it to us. That is what makes Grace so beautiful. It’s not about “getting right with God”; it’s about realizing you’ve already been made right with God through the once and for all sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
“You’ve got to get right with God!” We’ve all heard it before, right? Probably some of us have even uttered these very words to someone throughout our lives. But are they accurate? Do you really have to “get right with God” in order to be saved?
I guess to answer that question we have to first have an understanding of what it would look like “getting right” with God. In order to “get right” we, the people, would have to fully obey the Ten Commandments. That means, just as Jesus stated, no looking at someone in a lustful way. No thinking, even for a moment, that perhaps this month the tithe check would be better spent on a new oven. No leaving out parts of the story, even though they had no real bearing on the outcome. Can you do that? Can anyone? I’m assuming you’re answer is “NO”, but if it isn’t, you’re a liar and can’t get right with God anyway. Ha!
So is it right for any Christian to ever say, “You’ve got to get right with God!”? I say, no. Because I say no, I would like to draw your attention to the story of Jesus and the woman caught in the act of adultery. (If you don’t like this story, pick any other time in the Bible that Jesus heals someone, or forgives sins.) I’m using this story to illustrate my point, which is simply this: you don’t have to get right with God before you are forgiven, loved, and embraced by Him.
This woman never asked Jesus for forgiveness. She was brought before Him, GUILTY, caught in the act of adultery, and thrown at His feet by her accusers. The Law was spoken by the Pharisees and condemned her according to her actions. Jesus, Himself, declared that the Law was right in condemning her to death, and He pronounced a death sentence, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Jesus declared, through His response, that her actions were deserving of death according to the law, but He limited the executioners to those who were without sin.
When everyone was gone, and it was only Christ and the woman, He looked at her and told her He wasn’t condemning her. He sent her off, free, to sin no more. So I ask, when during this account did she “get right with God”? She never asked for forgiveness; she never offered an explanation for her actions. She simply got up and walked away free to sin no more.
Friends, this is what we need to be telling our friends and family, neighbors and enemies: not that they need to “get right with God”, but that God has gotten everything right with them! Through the blood of Christ, God reconciled the sins of the world to Himself, and preemptively forgave mankind. (2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”) We didn’t have to ask for forgiveness; He gave it to us. That is what makes Grace so beautiful. It’s not about “getting right with God”; it’s about realizing you’ve already been made right with God through the once and for all sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Surely.
Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Good old Psalm 23; it never lets me down. It’s just so full of encouraging words, beautiful metaphors, and the promises of God. How could anyone read these 6 little verses and not feel good about the God of the Bible, our everlasting Savior?
I thought about this verse the other day after hearing a local pastor preach on the radio how he no longer sins. I believe his words were (and I’m paraphrasing here), “...I don’t drink, smoke, look at pornography, or gamble...so don’t use me as your excuse to sin, because I don’t sin...” As I heard him (yelling) into the microphone I thought to myself, “What a delusional fool!”
The sad truth is that there are a lot of Christians out there who feel the same way this man does: that because they don’t drink or gamble or look at porn on the internet, they are no longer sinners. The reality is that we are all still sinners; from the greatest of sins to the least of them, sinning is sinning in the eyes of a just and holy God. It doesn’t matter what you don’t do anymore (or have never done), but what you have done in the past and will do in the future. Maybe you didn’t literally kill your neighbor for ruining your garden, but you thought about it! Maybe you didn’t have an affair with the aerobics instructor, but you sure did look at her for a good long while. The point is that no one is free from sin, but rather, through Christ we are free from the curse that sin brings.
That, my dear friends, is why both goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. God’s goodness shall follow me all of my days because I am blessed, loved, and highly favored in His eyes. I am made perfect under the sanctifying blood of Jesus Christ. But His mercy shall follow me because I’m still human and am subject to my still human nature. I will sin. Regardless of what my spirit wants to do, my flesh will win from time to time. This isn’t a worldly perspective of Christianity, but rather a Biblical understanding of my life made new! (Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.)
So, God’s goodness shall follow us around all the days of our lives. Wherever we go, God’s goodness will follow us there. His blessings, His favor, and His love, cannot be removed. Likewise, His mercy is following us as well. When we stumble, His mercy is there to break the fall. When we sin, His mercy is there to restore our righteousness.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Good old Psalm 23; it never lets me down. It’s just so full of encouraging words, beautiful metaphors, and the promises of God. How could anyone read these 6 little verses and not feel good about the God of the Bible, our everlasting Savior?
I thought about this verse the other day after hearing a local pastor preach on the radio how he no longer sins. I believe his words were (and I’m paraphrasing here), “...I don’t drink, smoke, look at pornography, or gamble...so don’t use me as your excuse to sin, because I don’t sin...” As I heard him (yelling) into the microphone I thought to myself, “What a delusional fool!”
The sad truth is that there are a lot of Christians out there who feel the same way this man does: that because they don’t drink or gamble or look at porn on the internet, they are no longer sinners. The reality is that we are all still sinners; from the greatest of sins to the least of them, sinning is sinning in the eyes of a just and holy God. It doesn’t matter what you don’t do anymore (or have never done), but what you have done in the past and will do in the future. Maybe you didn’t literally kill your neighbor for ruining your garden, but you thought about it! Maybe you didn’t have an affair with the aerobics instructor, but you sure did look at her for a good long while. The point is that no one is free from sin, but rather, through Christ we are free from the curse that sin brings.
That, my dear friends, is why both goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. God’s goodness shall follow me all of my days because I am blessed, loved, and highly favored in His eyes. I am made perfect under the sanctifying blood of Jesus Christ. But His mercy shall follow me because I’m still human and am subject to my still human nature. I will sin. Regardless of what my spirit wants to do, my flesh will win from time to time. This isn’t a worldly perspective of Christianity, but rather a Biblical understanding of my life made new! (Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.)
So, God’s goodness shall follow us around all the days of our lives. Wherever we go, God’s goodness will follow us there. His blessings, His favor, and His love, cannot be removed. Likewise, His mercy is following us as well. When we stumble, His mercy is there to break the fall. When we sin, His mercy is there to restore our righteousness.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Same as it ever was?
Ecclesiastes 1:10 (NKJV)
Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
As our world continues to advance in technology we continually hear about new innovations. The iPad, iPod, Droid, Blackberry, and countless others are just some of what our society continually touts as new and revolutionary, but really, are they?
No matter what kind of technology you cram into the microchips inside a cellular phone, it’s still just a phone. To us, Alexander Graham Bell’s phone, invented in 1876, is now considered “ancient”. At the time it was created, however, it seemed like something new. But really, it wasn’t anything more than a modified way of communicating through speech, which, incidentally, hasn’t changed since the beginning of time! Sound or gesture comes from the body to relay a message. The phone is just a modification of that simple, and natural, event.
Computers can be traced back in the same manner. Computers trace back to 1936, when Konrad Zues invented the Z1, and they’ve evolved all the way through to today’s high tech market. But, like our phone, the computer is nothing more than a glorified writing tool or adding machine. Again, since ancient times mankind has been writing things down and computing equations to both communicate and teach others. So when you get down to it, the computer is just a fancy pencil!
Oh, poor Solomon. He was depressed, down and out. He’d had everything: wisdom, knowledge, wealth, women (lots of women); but in the end he was lacking something. So he wrote and asked the question, “Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’?” Because he had no hope, he saw no change. Everything was just has it had always been and would always remain.
But, there is awesome, incredible, inspiring, uplifting, hopeful news. Jesus Christ has answered Solomon’s question. He has brought grace to a world that was trapped under law. He has renewed life, restored relationships, conquered death, and satisfied the Father. That’s all new stuff that hadn’t been done by anyone before, and can’t, and won’t, ever need to be done by anyone again! Christ has made all things new (Revelation 21:5), and given us the hope that Solomon couldn’t fathom.
Because of His sacrifice all things are made new. You are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He has restored your relationship with God Almighty. Your sin can no longer separate you from the blessings and abundance that God has in store for you because the Blood of Christ has satisfied the perfect Law of the Father. Rejoice! For if Solomon, the man of great wisdom, the wealthiest man ever to walk the face of the earth, had even half of the inheritance that we do through the cross, he would never have written Ecclesiastes.
Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
As our world continues to advance in technology we continually hear about new innovations. The iPad, iPod, Droid, Blackberry, and countless others are just some of what our society continually touts as new and revolutionary, but really, are they?
No matter what kind of technology you cram into the microchips inside a cellular phone, it’s still just a phone. To us, Alexander Graham Bell’s phone, invented in 1876, is now considered “ancient”. At the time it was created, however, it seemed like something new. But really, it wasn’t anything more than a modified way of communicating through speech, which, incidentally, hasn’t changed since the beginning of time! Sound or gesture comes from the body to relay a message. The phone is just a modification of that simple, and natural, event.
Computers can be traced back in the same manner. Computers trace back to 1936, when Konrad Zues invented the Z1, and they’ve evolved all the way through to today’s high tech market. But, like our phone, the computer is nothing more than a glorified writing tool or adding machine. Again, since ancient times mankind has been writing things down and computing equations to both communicate and teach others. So when you get down to it, the computer is just a fancy pencil!
Oh, poor Solomon. He was depressed, down and out. He’d had everything: wisdom, knowledge, wealth, women (lots of women); but in the end he was lacking something. So he wrote and asked the question, “Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’?” Because he had no hope, he saw no change. Everything was just has it had always been and would always remain.
But, there is awesome, incredible, inspiring, uplifting, hopeful news. Jesus Christ has answered Solomon’s question. He has brought grace to a world that was trapped under law. He has renewed life, restored relationships, conquered death, and satisfied the Father. That’s all new stuff that hadn’t been done by anyone before, and can’t, and won’t, ever need to be done by anyone again! Christ has made all things new (Revelation 21:5), and given us the hope that Solomon couldn’t fathom.
Because of His sacrifice all things are made new. You are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He has restored your relationship with God Almighty. Your sin can no longer separate you from the blessings and abundance that God has in store for you because the Blood of Christ has satisfied the perfect Law of the Father. Rejoice! For if Solomon, the man of great wisdom, the wealthiest man ever to walk the face of the earth, had even half of the inheritance that we do through the cross, he would never have written Ecclesiastes.
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