Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
I’m sure we’ve all heard of The Purpose Driven Life. Well, in case you haven’t, it’s a book about finding God’s purpose for your life. There are a lot of other books out there that “help” us, Christians, find out what God’s purpose is for our lives. There are books about our gifts and books about our personalities. There are books about our learning styles and some about our lack of learning styles. Each of these books were written to help us discover what God’s purpose is for our lives.
I’m a singer/guitar player. I lead worship and I like to get loud. I love when I see smiling faces in the congregation and get pumped up by the enthusiastic response to the songs that I get to play. Is this God’s purpose for my life? Could be. But wait, I’m also a State Trooper. I get excited when I have the opportunity to help someone in trouble. I enjoy educating people about the importance of safe driving. I’m happy when I have the opportunity to positively impact someone’s life. Is this God’s purpose for my life?
What if I choose the wrong thing as what I believe to be God’s purpose for my life? Will things fall apart around me? Will He no longer cause things to work for good in my life because I’m not working according to His purpose? We get wrapped up in the idea that this verse is making reference to “fixing” the bad things that have happened to us that we fail to realize that maybe God is working everything good for us! It boils down to your opinion of God. Is He a Mr. Fix-it or is He a fixed-it-before-it-broke kind of God?
Interestingly enough, in this verse is the qualification clause “to them who are the called according to His purpose.” We don’t have the assurance that all things work together for good simply because we love God; we must be those who are called according to His purpose. There are a lot of people who “love god”. To some, god is a statue. To others, a tree. It’s easy to love god, but to be called according to His purpose, that’s a different story.
I made mention earlier of finding God’’s purpose for our lives. State Trooper, guitar player, singer, car salesman, restaurant manager, mom, dad, lawn mower, and dog groomer are not examples of God’s purposes for our lives. These are occupations; they’re jobs. They are things that we do with the gifts God has given us, but they are not His purpose.
A look into the Greek translation of this verse sheds some interesting light on the word “purpose.” The word is the Greek word “prothesis” which does, in fact, mean purpose. But it actually has two meanings, and purpose is the second. The first meaning has to do with something entirely different; it’s all about Jesus Christ! I know, it’s amazing, but it’s true!
The first definition has to do with the idea of setting forth something, placing it in view. Specifically, it references the showbread. The showbread was something that was required to be placed in the tabernacle of God (Exodus 25:30). The showbread was also a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
You see, the truth is that anyone can love God, but not all are the called according to His Purpose. What’s God’s Purpose for your life? Jesus Christ. We, those who are found to be in Christ, know that all things (not some; not a few) work together for good. Consider that God is working good right now for your life so that bad won’t happen, not so that bad will happen and God will make it good!
Once again, God makes the point that everything hinges on Jesus Christ. All things don’t work together for good because we love God. They work together for good because God loves us! It is according to His Son’s sacrifice that all things work for good. It is according to His Son’s righteousness that all things work for good. It is according to His Son’s grace that all things work for good!
AMEN!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Weapon malfunction?
Psalm 76:3
There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and sword of battle. Selah
I love when the Bible speaks of Jesus’ defeat of the Devil, even in Old Testament writings, in a past tense verb form. Not only does it lend credibility to God’s operations outside of time and omniscience, but it also gives great hope and confidence to the reader.
We live in such a sad world. Everyday the news broadcasts stories and images of death, sorrow, and destruction. We hear reports from the front lines of battle. We hear reports of violent protests in Egypt. We hear reports of disease and sickness. We hear reports of mothers executing their children. Its one bad news story followed immediately by another. Is it any wonder why we live in a society where people are begging to be put on medication to take away the pain? Do we need to ask why we live in a world where men and women desperately seek to mask reality behind drugs and mind-altering substances?
This brings me back to Jesus, back to what counts, back to my security. When I read the Bible, it’s not to look for solutions to my finances or how to better parent my child. No, when I read the Bible I’m seeking to find the Hope that is wrapped throughout the scriptures. I’m seeking to find Jesus, who is, was, and is to come. Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace, the Master Physician, the Healer, Redeemer, Savior, and Friend of sinners! I’m looking for His embrace, His words of encouragement, His security so that I can get through another day. I’m asking Him to tell me, like a father to a child, “It’s going to be all right. I’ll take care of things.”
The best part about seeking is that Jesus has already provided an answer for me to find (Matthew 7:7); it’s one of His promises! Nine times out of ten, when I’m shown something by the Spirit in the Bible, it isn’t some long passage with lots of symbolism and interpretation necessary. Instead it’s simple and straight to the point, just like Psalm 76:3.
No fanfare, no secret codes to figure out here; He broke the arrows and the bow, the shield and sword of battle. What does that mean? He broke the weapons of war that the enemy had to fight us with! Words like this give me the faith and confidence to stand tall and fully accept the promises, all the promises, of God. Why? Not because of me, but because of Jesus. He broke; He disarmed. At the cross, where sin was defeated, where the law was fulfilled, and where restoration took place, He did it!
Ephesians 6 tells us to take up the whole armor of God. Specifically, it refers to the shield of faith. That shield serves a purpose: to quench the fiery darts of the Devil (Ephesians 6:16). Interestingly enough, the word in Psalms translated “arrows” is the Hebrew word that means “fire-bolts”. The Devil is holding broken darts. It is faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross that quenches the fire. We aren’t actually holding up a shield and deflecting the arrows; we are standing firm in the confidence that Jesus Christ has already defeated our foe. We are strong in knowing that the Devil can’t even fire at us because all of his weapons are broken!
Friends, it is all too easy to get caught up in the mentality that everything out there in the world is falling to pieces and we’re going to get caught up in it. The truth, however, is this: we aren’t of this world (John 17:14-18). By the blood of Christ we have been redeemed, sanctified, and restored to the Father. All of the promises of the Bible are meant for us!
There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and sword of battle. Selah
I love when the Bible speaks of Jesus’ defeat of the Devil, even in Old Testament writings, in a past tense verb form. Not only does it lend credibility to God’s operations outside of time and omniscience, but it also gives great hope and confidence to the reader.
We live in such a sad world. Everyday the news broadcasts stories and images of death, sorrow, and destruction. We hear reports from the front lines of battle. We hear reports of violent protests in Egypt. We hear reports of disease and sickness. We hear reports of mothers executing their children. Its one bad news story followed immediately by another. Is it any wonder why we live in a society where people are begging to be put on medication to take away the pain? Do we need to ask why we live in a world where men and women desperately seek to mask reality behind drugs and mind-altering substances?
This brings me back to Jesus, back to what counts, back to my security. When I read the Bible, it’s not to look for solutions to my finances or how to better parent my child. No, when I read the Bible I’m seeking to find the Hope that is wrapped throughout the scriptures. I’m seeking to find Jesus, who is, was, and is to come. Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace, the Master Physician, the Healer, Redeemer, Savior, and Friend of sinners! I’m looking for His embrace, His words of encouragement, His security so that I can get through another day. I’m asking Him to tell me, like a father to a child, “It’s going to be all right. I’ll take care of things.”
The best part about seeking is that Jesus has already provided an answer for me to find (Matthew 7:7); it’s one of His promises! Nine times out of ten, when I’m shown something by the Spirit in the Bible, it isn’t some long passage with lots of symbolism and interpretation necessary. Instead it’s simple and straight to the point, just like Psalm 76:3.
No fanfare, no secret codes to figure out here; He broke the arrows and the bow, the shield and sword of battle. What does that mean? He broke the weapons of war that the enemy had to fight us with! Words like this give me the faith and confidence to stand tall and fully accept the promises, all the promises, of God. Why? Not because of me, but because of Jesus. He broke; He disarmed. At the cross, where sin was defeated, where the law was fulfilled, and where restoration took place, He did it!
Ephesians 6 tells us to take up the whole armor of God. Specifically, it refers to the shield of faith. That shield serves a purpose: to quench the fiery darts of the Devil (Ephesians 6:16). Interestingly enough, the word in Psalms translated “arrows” is the Hebrew word that means “fire-bolts”. The Devil is holding broken darts. It is faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross that quenches the fire. We aren’t actually holding up a shield and deflecting the arrows; we are standing firm in the confidence that Jesus Christ has already defeated our foe. We are strong in knowing that the Devil can’t even fire at us because all of his weapons are broken!
Friends, it is all too easy to get caught up in the mentality that everything out there in the world is falling to pieces and we’re going to get caught up in it. The truth, however, is this: we aren’t of this world (John 17:14-18). By the blood of Christ we have been redeemed, sanctified, and restored to the Father. All of the promises of the Bible are meant for us!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Ship wrecking? Who cares!
Acts 27:33-34
And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”
Everything that is written in the Bible is there because the Holy Spirit of God inspired it to be written there. There are no coincidences, no fluke occurrences, no pointless words. Everything is Holy Spirit inspired to educate the reader about one topic: Jesus Christ.
I know what you’re asking: where’s Jesus in this passage? I’ll answer that question by first telling you where and what He isn’t! He’s not the boat, the storm, or the crash. He’s not the beach on which the men were stranded. He’s not the chains on the prisoners, the lifeboat (skiff), or the centurion guard. Jesus isn’t to be found in any of the things we typically look for Him in, that is, in the midst of our troubles.
Therein lies a completely different, yet altogether as important topic: why are we always looking for Jesus in the bad things? Why aren’t we, who are purchased and redeemed through His blood, looking for Jesus in the good things? Instead we look to the storms of life, the shipwrecks of our walk, and the chains by which we are bound, trying to find the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. We look to the bad trying to find good when the truth is this: the Good, that is Jesus, is not associated with the bad! He is holy and apart from all bad things!
Anyway, I digress...
Paul, knowing full well what was about to happen to the ship, the crew, and the prisoners, decided it was time for them to eat. But in announcing “dinner” he did something that not all of us would have done under those conditions. Paul made it a point to declare how long it had been since they had eaten. “Today is the fourteenth day...” Why on earth did he say that? Paul goes on to make a very bold statement, telling the crew and prisoners to eat, for survival (some translations say “health,” translated from a word meaning deliverance or salvation). He punctuates this with “not a hair will fall from the head of any of you”. Basically, Paul is telling the men this: eat and live, be healthy, no harm.
After Paul makes these bold statements he takes bread, gives thanks to God, and eats with the men. Sound familiar? That’s because Jesus did it first (Luke 22:19)! The fourteen is what stuck out to me, though. You see, back in Exodus 12, God instituted the first Passover in Egypt before bringing His people out of bondage. They [the Hebrews] were in a storm of life, in bondage to an evil man, but God was about to save them. Their ship, called slavery, was about to crash and there was nothing they could do to stop it. God’s Passover, His salvation mission, would begin on the fourteenth day of the month (Exodus 12:6).
Paul had a spur of the moment Passover feast on a doomed vessel with both Jews and Gentiles alike (a New Testamentism). And do you know what happened? The Bible says they were all of good cheer and everyone on board was saved (Acts 27:36-37)! As the boat was torn apart by the wind and the waves, the men were of good cheer! That is the awesome nature of our God and our Savior Jesus Christ: salvation, blessings, and good cheer!
Today, I urge you, don’t look for Christ in the shipwreck you’re enduring; His salvation is apart from your troubles. Not only that, but His forever grace will protect you from the waves, keep you from being dashed to bits on the rocks, and bring you the peace and good cheer of hope! Even if you can’t swim, He’ll provide a floatation device (Acts 27:44). He’s just that cool!
When going through the trials of life, let’s remember Jesus. Let’s pause, reflect on what we’ve been going through, give thanks to God for the Bread of Life, broken for us, eat, and be of good cheer. Our salvation has come. Life, health, and security are ahead through by power of God’s grace and total restoration through the cross of Jesus Christ!
And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.”
Everything that is written in the Bible is there because the Holy Spirit of God inspired it to be written there. There are no coincidences, no fluke occurrences, no pointless words. Everything is Holy Spirit inspired to educate the reader about one topic: Jesus Christ.
I know what you’re asking: where’s Jesus in this passage? I’ll answer that question by first telling you where and what He isn’t! He’s not the boat, the storm, or the crash. He’s not the beach on which the men were stranded. He’s not the chains on the prisoners, the lifeboat (skiff), or the centurion guard. Jesus isn’t to be found in any of the things we typically look for Him in, that is, in the midst of our troubles.
Therein lies a completely different, yet altogether as important topic: why are we always looking for Jesus in the bad things? Why aren’t we, who are purchased and redeemed through His blood, looking for Jesus in the good things? Instead we look to the storms of life, the shipwrecks of our walk, and the chains by which we are bound, trying to find the blessed hope of Jesus Christ. We look to the bad trying to find good when the truth is this: the Good, that is Jesus, is not associated with the bad! He is holy and apart from all bad things!
Anyway, I digress...
Paul, knowing full well what was about to happen to the ship, the crew, and the prisoners, decided it was time for them to eat. But in announcing “dinner” he did something that not all of us would have done under those conditions. Paul made it a point to declare how long it had been since they had eaten. “Today is the fourteenth day...” Why on earth did he say that? Paul goes on to make a very bold statement, telling the crew and prisoners to eat, for survival (some translations say “health,” translated from a word meaning deliverance or salvation). He punctuates this with “not a hair will fall from the head of any of you”. Basically, Paul is telling the men this: eat and live, be healthy, no harm.
After Paul makes these bold statements he takes bread, gives thanks to God, and eats with the men. Sound familiar? That’s because Jesus did it first (Luke 22:19)! The fourteen is what stuck out to me, though. You see, back in Exodus 12, God instituted the first Passover in Egypt before bringing His people out of bondage. They [the Hebrews] were in a storm of life, in bondage to an evil man, but God was about to save them. Their ship, called slavery, was about to crash and there was nothing they could do to stop it. God’s Passover, His salvation mission, would begin on the fourteenth day of the month (Exodus 12:6).
Paul had a spur of the moment Passover feast on a doomed vessel with both Jews and Gentiles alike (a New Testamentism). And do you know what happened? The Bible says they were all of good cheer and everyone on board was saved (Acts 27:36-37)! As the boat was torn apart by the wind and the waves, the men were of good cheer! That is the awesome nature of our God and our Savior Jesus Christ: salvation, blessings, and good cheer!
Today, I urge you, don’t look for Christ in the shipwreck you’re enduring; His salvation is apart from your troubles. Not only that, but His forever grace will protect you from the waves, keep you from being dashed to bits on the rocks, and bring you the peace and good cheer of hope! Even if you can’t swim, He’ll provide a floatation device (Acts 27:44). He’s just that cool!
When going through the trials of life, let’s remember Jesus. Let’s pause, reflect on what we’ve been going through, give thanks to God for the Bread of Life, broken for us, eat, and be of good cheer. Our salvation has come. Life, health, and security are ahead through by power of God’s grace and total restoration through the cross of Jesus Christ!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Idiom
Mark 16:18
“They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
That’s an idiom, an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. Say what?! It’s an expression like “Raining cats and dogs” or “Kick the bucket”. The meaning is implied but not literal based on the words used. There, that’s enough grammar for one day; now time for some scripture and Jesus!
Sometimes I get a little upset with God, not because He does things to make my life miserable but because He stands outside of time. I think that sometimes He forgets, or chooses not to remember, that I operate inside of time. Take, for instance, 5:00 a.m. During that time, I operate on a sleep schedule. I’m sleeping! God, however, thinks nothing of waking me up and saying, “Hey, this verse about holding snakes and drinking poison...you should look into that! There’s more to it.” So, guess what I did today?!?
Good guess; you’re right. I did some research into this verse and I learned some things that I’d like to share with you.
First of all, Jesus is in the middle of talking to His disciples when these words come out of His mouth, so this verse is most definitely for us to know of and understand, being that we are His disciples as well. The second thing that I learned is this: the word “serpents” used by Jesus in this verse is the same word that He used when rebuking the Pharisees. This was my first revelation: Christ was using an idiom!
When Christ rebuked the Pharisees He called them serpents and vipers (Matthew 23:33). He was making a connection between them and the Devil. He wasn’t calling them Devils, but rather showing how they operate like the Devil. They, the Pharisees, along with the Devil, used the Law as a way to condemn others; it was their way to bring guilt, shame, and regret into the lives of people.
Christ goes on to say that if we drink anything deadly it won’t hurt us. Why? Because He has already consumed, drank, partaken of, the entire cup of God’s wrath (Matthew 26:39). Christ bore our sins and drank of the cup of God’s wrath as He hung on the cross. He is telling us that even if we hear the teaching of the Law and the condemnation it brings into our lives (2 Corinthians 3:6), it will by no means kill us because we have been set free, through Him, of its curses and death. He already died our death for us!
This verse means so much more than playing with rattlesnakes and drinking arsenic juice (He doesn’t want you to do that!). It’s Christ telling us that we, His disciples, will uproot and carry off the teachers of doctrines of condemnation. He’s telling us that even though we’ve heard the message of the Pharisees and felt the pressure of the Devil’s cunning use of God’s perfect law, there is no death sentence for us; we are made alive through His death. He’s giving us the power and the authority to heal the sick, not through our works or perfection, but through His!
Christ has imparted to us, through His death and resurrection, power and authority to proclaim His gospel of Grace. He has perfectly sanctified us from the death sentence of the Law by drinking, to the last drop, the cup of God’s wrath. He has empowered us to lay hands on the sick, hurting, broken, and weak and promised that they will recover! Praise, honor, and glory to Jesus Christ!
“They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
That’s an idiom, an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. Say what?! It’s an expression like “Raining cats and dogs” or “Kick the bucket”. The meaning is implied but not literal based on the words used. There, that’s enough grammar for one day; now time for some scripture and Jesus!
Sometimes I get a little upset with God, not because He does things to make my life miserable but because He stands outside of time. I think that sometimes He forgets, or chooses not to remember, that I operate inside of time. Take, for instance, 5:00 a.m. During that time, I operate on a sleep schedule. I’m sleeping! God, however, thinks nothing of waking me up and saying, “Hey, this verse about holding snakes and drinking poison...you should look into that! There’s more to it.” So, guess what I did today?!?
Good guess; you’re right. I did some research into this verse and I learned some things that I’d like to share with you.
First of all, Jesus is in the middle of talking to His disciples when these words come out of His mouth, so this verse is most definitely for us to know of and understand, being that we are His disciples as well. The second thing that I learned is this: the word “serpents” used by Jesus in this verse is the same word that He used when rebuking the Pharisees. This was my first revelation: Christ was using an idiom!
When Christ rebuked the Pharisees He called them serpents and vipers (Matthew 23:33). He was making a connection between them and the Devil. He wasn’t calling them Devils, but rather showing how they operate like the Devil. They, the Pharisees, along with the Devil, used the Law as a way to condemn others; it was their way to bring guilt, shame, and regret into the lives of people.
Christ goes on to say that if we drink anything deadly it won’t hurt us. Why? Because He has already consumed, drank, partaken of, the entire cup of God’s wrath (Matthew 26:39). Christ bore our sins and drank of the cup of God’s wrath as He hung on the cross. He is telling us that even if we hear the teaching of the Law and the condemnation it brings into our lives (2 Corinthians 3:6), it will by no means kill us because we have been set free, through Him, of its curses and death. He already died our death for us!
This verse means so much more than playing with rattlesnakes and drinking arsenic juice (He doesn’t want you to do that!). It’s Christ telling us that we, His disciples, will uproot and carry off the teachers of doctrines of condemnation. He’s telling us that even though we’ve heard the message of the Pharisees and felt the pressure of the Devil’s cunning use of God’s perfect law, there is no death sentence for us; we are made alive through His death. He’s giving us the power and the authority to heal the sick, not through our works or perfection, but through His!
Christ has imparted to us, through His death and resurrection, power and authority to proclaim His gospel of Grace. He has perfectly sanctified us from the death sentence of the Law by drinking, to the last drop, the cup of God’s wrath. He has empowered us to lay hands on the sick, hurting, broken, and weak and promised that they will recover! Praise, honor, and glory to Jesus Christ!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Adulterer, murderer, RIGHTEOUS!
Psalms 71:21
Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest -- Thou comfortest me.
Of all the things we talk about in David’s life, his adulterous relationship, his plot to murder, all of his sinful ways, we seem to overlook this one thing: his confidence in God’s righteous salvation. As I’ve read through the Psalms I’ve learned that David’s security in his relationship with God never came from his prayers for forgiveness, his sacrifices on the altar, or his bruised knees. Those things were all responses to David’s heart knowledge that through God’s righteousness, not his own, he would be saved.
I find this very interesting because David was born and reigned during a time of Law, before the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, yet somehow he had a confidence in, and knowledge of, God’s grace. How could this be? Considering the fact that David lived in a pre-Christ world, how could he possibly know about grace? Moreover, how could he possibly come to the strong and unbreakable relationship he had with God despite all of the wicked things that he did, knowing full well that he violated God’s perfect Law?
The answer to these questions is a lot easier than you may think. What made David the man he was, what gave him the confidence in his status with God, was his constant self-reminding attitude that everything he was and was to become was done because of God’s righteousness, not his own. He understood that God still loved him and wasn’t holding a grudge. David was a pre-Christ Christian!
How often does he speak of God’s righteousness? Well, I count five times in Psalm 71 alone (NKJV). David mentioned God’s righteousness (“Your righteousness”) in 21% of the verses in this one Psalm alone. If you include phrases like “Your Salvation, Your faithfulness, my rock, hope, refuge...” that brings the total up even higher. David had a right understanding of who God was and how He was restoring him, and he determined to proclaim it every chance he had.
How much greater an understanding of salvation should we have than David? He was a man who understood that everything that he had ever done was washed clean, not by works, prayers, deeds, or sacrifices, but by God’s righteousness and His righteousness alone. We who live today have the knowledge and the testimony of the New Testament Word of Truth that Jesus Christ became our sin and imparted His righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). We should be able to walk confidently, speak boldly, and proclaim unashamedly that we are righteous because He [Jesus] has made us righteous.
Because David had the confidence that it was God’s righteousness working in his life, he also had the confidence to speak bold promises and blessings into his life. David continually, because of his assurance in standing with God, made “You shall” statements about what God was going to do and was doing in his life. It wasn’t arrogance and it wasn’t pride that allowed David to boldly speak blessings into his life. It was his confident expectation of good and salvation that allowed him to say what he said.
Today, because of the righteousness of Christ that has been given to us through the cross, we also have the right to the same hope that David had. We have the confident expectation of good and salvation that can only be found in the risen Savior. We have the knowledge that God is providing, and will continue to provide, blessings in our lives. We have the peace that our sins are washed away, never remembered (past, present, and future), not because of our good works, but because of Christ’s perfect work! We have the right, through Christ, to proclaim good in our lives, to receive the blessings of the kingdom, being joint heirs with the King (Romans 8:17)! We have the right to health, prosperity, and good because Christ is all of those things and as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17)!
Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest -- Thou comfortest me.
Of all the things we talk about in David’s life, his adulterous relationship, his plot to murder, all of his sinful ways, we seem to overlook this one thing: his confidence in God’s righteous salvation. As I’ve read through the Psalms I’ve learned that David’s security in his relationship with God never came from his prayers for forgiveness, his sacrifices on the altar, or his bruised knees. Those things were all responses to David’s heart knowledge that through God’s righteousness, not his own, he would be saved.
I find this very interesting because David was born and reigned during a time of Law, before the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, yet somehow he had a confidence in, and knowledge of, God’s grace. How could this be? Considering the fact that David lived in a pre-Christ world, how could he possibly know about grace? Moreover, how could he possibly come to the strong and unbreakable relationship he had with God despite all of the wicked things that he did, knowing full well that he violated God’s perfect Law?
The answer to these questions is a lot easier than you may think. What made David the man he was, what gave him the confidence in his status with God, was his constant self-reminding attitude that everything he was and was to become was done because of God’s righteousness, not his own. He understood that God still loved him and wasn’t holding a grudge. David was a pre-Christ Christian!
How often does he speak of God’s righteousness? Well, I count five times in Psalm 71 alone (NKJV). David mentioned God’s righteousness (“Your righteousness”) in 21% of the verses in this one Psalm alone. If you include phrases like “Your Salvation, Your faithfulness, my rock, hope, refuge...” that brings the total up even higher. David had a right understanding of who God was and how He was restoring him, and he determined to proclaim it every chance he had.
How much greater an understanding of salvation should we have than David? He was a man who understood that everything that he had ever done was washed clean, not by works, prayers, deeds, or sacrifices, but by God’s righteousness and His righteousness alone. We who live today have the knowledge and the testimony of the New Testament Word of Truth that Jesus Christ became our sin and imparted His righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). We should be able to walk confidently, speak boldly, and proclaim unashamedly that we are righteous because He [Jesus] has made us righteous.
Because David had the confidence that it was God’s righteousness working in his life, he also had the confidence to speak bold promises and blessings into his life. David continually, because of his assurance in standing with God, made “You shall” statements about what God was going to do and was doing in his life. It wasn’t arrogance and it wasn’t pride that allowed David to boldly speak blessings into his life. It was his confident expectation of good and salvation that allowed him to say what he said.
Today, because of the righteousness of Christ that has been given to us through the cross, we also have the right to the same hope that David had. We have the confident expectation of good and salvation that can only be found in the risen Savior. We have the knowledge that God is providing, and will continue to provide, blessings in our lives. We have the peace that our sins are washed away, never remembered (past, present, and future), not because of our good works, but because of Christ’s perfect work! We have the right, through Christ, to proclaim good in our lives, to receive the blessings of the kingdom, being joint heirs with the King (Romans 8:17)! We have the right to health, prosperity, and good because Christ is all of those things and as He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17)!
Friday, November 18, 2011
A King's work.
2 Chronicles 26:14
Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones.
When was the last time you saw the President of the United States preparing the gear for a battalion of Marines before shipping them off to the battlefield? At most there are about 1200 soldiers in a battalion. That is about .4% (roughly 1/2 of 1%) of the 310,100 (2 Chronicles 26:12-13) soldiers that Uzziah was outfitting for war. So to simplify, Uzziah had quite a task ahead of him.
When I think about all the work, time, and energy that Uzziah invested in the safety and security of his men, I cannot help but think about what God has done for all of us through Jesus Christ. It’s awesome to me that God would choose to use Uzziah, the king, to prepare the supplies for the army. A noteworthy fact is this: the Bible doesn’t tell us that Uzziah ordered his skilled laborers to prepare the shields and spears and helmets. The Bible clearly states that Uzziah prepared all of those things.
The work, time, and personal sacrifice that Uzziah put into preparing the gear and protection for his army is only a shadow example of what Christ has done for us. Christ, being the King of kings, took it upon Himself to prepare our armor for us. He went to the cross bearing our sickness and disease in His body and He suffered our death in the midst of thieves. He gave us His righteousness, His forgiveness, His perfection, and His status with God and stood in our place. It is only through His suffering, death, and resurrection that we are able to possess the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-16).
Christ, like Uzziah, never asked His skilled laborers (referred to as disciples) to do the work for Him. In fact, He told them not to act, but to allow Him to do everything (Matthew 26:52) leading up to and including His crucifixion. He didn’t allow them to partake in the suffering that He was about to endure, but sheltered them from it. In the case of Peter, He used his own human nature to protect him and keep him from interfering with God’s work.
What an amazing King we have in Jesus Christ! One who is so loving, caring, and grace-filled that He would choose to do all of the work, to make all of the preparations, so that we could be fully covered when it comes time to do battle. All of His power, all of His might was focused into preparing our armor so that we are clothed with His righteousness and our heads are protected by His salvation.
Uzziah, whose name means “God is mighty”, prepared for his army all that they needed for battle to survive the war. Jesus, who is the mighty God, prepared the armor, fought the battle, and won the war so that we don’t just survive, but so that we can have life, abundantly (John 10:10).
Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones.
When was the last time you saw the President of the United States preparing the gear for a battalion of Marines before shipping them off to the battlefield? At most there are about 1200 soldiers in a battalion. That is about .4% (roughly 1/2 of 1%) of the 310,100 (2 Chronicles 26:12-13) soldiers that Uzziah was outfitting for war. So to simplify, Uzziah had quite a task ahead of him.
When I think about all the work, time, and energy that Uzziah invested in the safety and security of his men, I cannot help but think about what God has done for all of us through Jesus Christ. It’s awesome to me that God would choose to use Uzziah, the king, to prepare the supplies for the army. A noteworthy fact is this: the Bible doesn’t tell us that Uzziah ordered his skilled laborers to prepare the shields and spears and helmets. The Bible clearly states that Uzziah prepared all of those things.
The work, time, and personal sacrifice that Uzziah put into preparing the gear and protection for his army is only a shadow example of what Christ has done for us. Christ, being the King of kings, took it upon Himself to prepare our armor for us. He went to the cross bearing our sickness and disease in His body and He suffered our death in the midst of thieves. He gave us His righteousness, His forgiveness, His perfection, and His status with God and stood in our place. It is only through His suffering, death, and resurrection that we are able to possess the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-16).
Christ, like Uzziah, never asked His skilled laborers (referred to as disciples) to do the work for Him. In fact, He told them not to act, but to allow Him to do everything (Matthew 26:52) leading up to and including His crucifixion. He didn’t allow them to partake in the suffering that He was about to endure, but sheltered them from it. In the case of Peter, He used his own human nature to protect him and keep him from interfering with God’s work.
What an amazing King we have in Jesus Christ! One who is so loving, caring, and grace-filled that He would choose to do all of the work, to make all of the preparations, so that we could be fully covered when it comes time to do battle. All of His power, all of His might was focused into preparing our armor so that we are clothed with His righteousness and our heads are protected by His salvation.
Uzziah, whose name means “God is mighty”, prepared for his army all that they needed for battle to survive the war. Jesus, who is the mighty God, prepared the armor, fought the battle, and won the war so that we don’t just survive, but so that we can have life, abundantly (John 10:10).
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Beating a dead horse?
2 Chronicles 20:17
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you...
“You’re beating a dead horse.” This is probably an expression that needs to be uttered more often in our sanctuaries. I know, I know, that sounds a little bit harsh, but I believe it’s true. Think about it: how many of you have heard that we’re in a battle with the Devil; we’re in a constant struggle? How many times have you heard that we’re at war with the powers of darkness? While these may be true statements, what is our place in the battle and are we actually “doing” what God wants us to do? He is, after all, our commander in chief. What is it that God has for us to do in this battle against the powers of darkness? Let’s find out!
All too often we try to throw ourselves out there on the front lines of spiritual warfare, as if to say to God, “We are brave; we will fight!” In actuality, all this serves to do is get us in trouble. The battle belongs to the Lord, not to us. If it was God’s desire for us to fight against the powers of the Devil and his armies, He would not have given up Jesus. Unfortunately, when we fail to recognize this, we put ourselves outside of the protection of Jesus’ finished work and into enemy territory.
Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) because the battle is spiritual, but he doesn’t tell us to fight. We are told to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel shoes, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation. But why? What are we to do next? Pray and watch (Ephesians 6:18)!
Are we to believe that these mighty men of valor in 2 Chronicles showed up that morning in their underwear? Certainly not! They came out ready to fight, in full armor. But they were told to stand fast and see how God would do for them what they were prepared to do for Him. God didn’t want or need their help; He was going to win the battle for them.
We have a greater blessing than they did. Those men showed up in their own armor; we are standing firm in the King’s armor. It’s God’s righteousness that protects our hearts. It is His Sword that hangs on our side. We have put on Jesus Christ as our armor! The battle isn’t ours to go in and fight; it’s ours to stand by and watch, secure in our knowledge of Jesus Christ and His victory at the cross.
We aren’t called to put on the armor of God so that we can do battle with the Devil. Jesus already fought and won that war. We put on the armor of God to remind ourselves of who we are and what have in Jesus Christ. When we are secure in our understanding that His word is truth (John 17:17), and His righteousness ours (2 Corinthians 5:21); when we stand in His grace (Romans 5:2) and let our faith in Him be a shield (Ephesians 2:8); when we allow His Word to be our sword (Hebrews 4:12); and when we are sure in our minds of our salvation (Luke 1:77), then are we able to stand, watch, and fully accept that Jesus Christ has finished the fight for us! We will see His salvation, His grace, working in our lives and with our lives.
We aren’t called to actually fight a defeated foe. God, who lives outside of time, has already seen the Devil’s end. He’s already had that fight, and He’s already won that war. Let’s not beat a dead horse; let’s proclaim the victory of Jesus!
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you...
“You’re beating a dead horse.” This is probably an expression that needs to be uttered more often in our sanctuaries. I know, I know, that sounds a little bit harsh, but I believe it’s true. Think about it: how many of you have heard that we’re in a battle with the Devil; we’re in a constant struggle? How many times have you heard that we’re at war with the powers of darkness? While these may be true statements, what is our place in the battle and are we actually “doing” what God wants us to do? He is, after all, our commander in chief. What is it that God has for us to do in this battle against the powers of darkness? Let’s find out!
All too often we try to throw ourselves out there on the front lines of spiritual warfare, as if to say to God, “We are brave; we will fight!” In actuality, all this serves to do is get us in trouble. The battle belongs to the Lord, not to us. If it was God’s desire for us to fight against the powers of the Devil and his armies, He would not have given up Jesus. Unfortunately, when we fail to recognize this, we put ourselves outside of the protection of Jesus’ finished work and into enemy territory.
Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11) because the battle is spiritual, but he doesn’t tell us to fight. We are told to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel shoes, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation. But why? What are we to do next? Pray and watch (Ephesians 6:18)!
Are we to believe that these mighty men of valor in 2 Chronicles showed up that morning in their underwear? Certainly not! They came out ready to fight, in full armor. But they were told to stand fast and see how God would do for them what they were prepared to do for Him. God didn’t want or need their help; He was going to win the battle for them.
We have a greater blessing than they did. Those men showed up in their own armor; we are standing firm in the King’s armor. It’s God’s righteousness that protects our hearts. It is His Sword that hangs on our side. We have put on Jesus Christ as our armor! The battle isn’t ours to go in and fight; it’s ours to stand by and watch, secure in our knowledge of Jesus Christ and His victory at the cross.
We aren’t called to put on the armor of God so that we can do battle with the Devil. Jesus already fought and won that war. We put on the armor of God to remind ourselves of who we are and what have in Jesus Christ. When we are secure in our understanding that His word is truth (John 17:17), and His righteousness ours (2 Corinthians 5:21); when we stand in His grace (Romans 5:2) and let our faith in Him be a shield (Ephesians 2:8); when we allow His Word to be our sword (Hebrews 4:12); and when we are sure in our minds of our salvation (Luke 1:77), then are we able to stand, watch, and fully accept that Jesus Christ has finished the fight for us! We will see His salvation, His grace, working in our lives and with our lives.
We aren’t called to actually fight a defeated foe. God, who lives outside of time, has already seen the Devil’s end. He’s already had that fight, and He’s already won that war. Let’s not beat a dead horse; let’s proclaim the victory of Jesus!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Shall
Psalm 51:12-13
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.
Our understanding of our status with God is directly related to our effectiveness as ministers of Christ to a lost world. It isn’t until we realize that we have a right standing with God, through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that our ministry to others will produce successful returns.
Sometimes I think that Psalms would have been more appropriately titled “The Life and Times of David, a real screw-up!” But through his mistakes and constant conversations with God, we are able to learn how a right understanding in a relationship can both grow that relationship and produce positive results in the lives of others.
David made a ton of mistakes in his lifetime, but was sure of one thing: God loved Him and was continually forgiving and restoring him. Even though David lived during the time of the Law, he was a child of grace (Acts 7:45-46). Knowing that he [David] found favor in God’s sight enabled him to continue to prosper and minister to generations to come through Psalms and his testimony.
This scripture is just another example of David’s understanding of how he stood before God. He starts out by asking God to restore him to the joy of salvation. When is the last time we did this: asked God to restore us to that feeling of initial salvation? Remembering, and more importantly knowing, you are saved is crucial to moving forward in your life. David goes on to say, “hold me up, God, with Your generous spirit.” This is another critical point in his understanding: God is the one who lifts us up; it is His spirit that gives strength and joy. More than that, David acknowledges that God is generous with His giving, with His joy, and with His salvation!
After making this bold request that God first restore his joy and second hold him up in that joy, David then makes an interesting statement. It’s almost as though he has an epiphany in the middle of his prayer. After realizing that God will restore him and God will hold him up, David then turns his attention to the lost! He proclaims to God that he will teach the sinners the ways of God and they shall be converted. David isn’t concerned with a maybe here; he goes with shall!
What of God’s ways is David planning to teach? I can only assume by the scripture that David is planning on teaching sinners that God continually restores and saves. I imagine that David intended to proclaim how it is God’s generous Spirit, His nature, to forgive and to redeem. I think David planned to tell the people how incredibly loving and understanding and helpful and merciful and kind God was. I don’t think that David planned on expounding on the Ten Commandments or the 613 ceremonial laws of the time!
We who have found redemption in Calvary’s cross are the Davids of our day. We need to remind ourselves, daily (minute by minute in some cases), of our continual restoration and the joy that we have as a result of the salvation found in Jesus Christ. When we are sure of that simple truth, as David was, we can teach others the ways of God. We can teach them about Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection, His promise, and His salvation. When we do that, teach Jesus, they shall be converted.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.
Our understanding of our status with God is directly related to our effectiveness as ministers of Christ to a lost world. It isn’t until we realize that we have a right standing with God, through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that our ministry to others will produce successful returns.
Sometimes I think that Psalms would have been more appropriately titled “The Life and Times of David, a real screw-up!” But through his mistakes and constant conversations with God, we are able to learn how a right understanding in a relationship can both grow that relationship and produce positive results in the lives of others.
David made a ton of mistakes in his lifetime, but was sure of one thing: God loved Him and was continually forgiving and restoring him. Even though David lived during the time of the Law, he was a child of grace (Acts 7:45-46). Knowing that he [David] found favor in God’s sight enabled him to continue to prosper and minister to generations to come through Psalms and his testimony.
This scripture is just another example of David’s understanding of how he stood before God. He starts out by asking God to restore him to the joy of salvation. When is the last time we did this: asked God to restore us to that feeling of initial salvation? Remembering, and more importantly knowing, you are saved is crucial to moving forward in your life. David goes on to say, “hold me up, God, with Your generous spirit.” This is another critical point in his understanding: God is the one who lifts us up; it is His spirit that gives strength and joy. More than that, David acknowledges that God is generous with His giving, with His joy, and with His salvation!
After making this bold request that God first restore his joy and second hold him up in that joy, David then makes an interesting statement. It’s almost as though he has an epiphany in the middle of his prayer. After realizing that God will restore him and God will hold him up, David then turns his attention to the lost! He proclaims to God that he will teach the sinners the ways of God and they shall be converted. David isn’t concerned with a maybe here; he goes with shall!
What of God’s ways is David planning to teach? I can only assume by the scripture that David is planning on teaching sinners that God continually restores and saves. I imagine that David intended to proclaim how it is God’s generous Spirit, His nature, to forgive and to redeem. I think David planned to tell the people how incredibly loving and understanding and helpful and merciful and kind God was. I don’t think that David planned on expounding on the Ten Commandments or the 613 ceremonial laws of the time!
We who have found redemption in Calvary’s cross are the Davids of our day. We need to remind ourselves, daily (minute by minute in some cases), of our continual restoration and the joy that we have as a result of the salvation found in Jesus Christ. When we are sure of that simple truth, as David was, we can teach others the ways of God. We can teach them about Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection, His promise, and His salvation. When we do that, teach Jesus, they shall be converted.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Broken
Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
I find that sometimes reading scripture is a game. It’s not a game like Jeopardy (though some may argue otherwise) but more like a game of hide and seek. I’ve found over the past year or so that God likes to hide little secrets in little phrases and in little words throughout Bible. Sometimes it’s not even so much that they are hidden, but that we (I) tend to just gloss over them.
Look at the following brain teaser and count the number of Fs in the sentence. Only read the sentence once; do not return to count again. Note your answer.
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
If you answered 3, you’re wrong! There are 6 Fs in that sentence. There are three hidden in the repeating word “of”. The point is that our brains are so used to tuning out and overlooking little words like “of” when we read that it’s almost as if they don’t exist. This brings me right back to the passage above, sometimes we overlook the little words like “of”. When we do that there’s a chance we’ll miss the point of the scripture.
This Psalm tells us, “The sacrifices of God are...”, it does not say “to” God. I think sometimes we skim over words as we read the Bible and tend to misread it as the latter. There’s an implied idea that God desires your broken heart and your crushed spirit when you assume “to” and don’t read “of”. The fact is that the verse states it is God’s sacrifice that is a broken, crushed spirit. It is His contrite (Hebrew word “dakah” for crushed) heart (Hebrew word “Leb” for midst or center) that He won’t despise.
Literally what this verse is saying is this: the sacrifices of God are His broken spirit: His crushed center He will not despise. The Bible clearly tells us that our works are like dirty rags in God’s eyes (Isaiah 64:6). I can only assume that even our sacrifices to Him, however well-intentioned, would be viewed the same way. But His own sacrifice to Himself? He can’t argue with that!
On the night before He was crucified, Christ went to the garden and prayed, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death...” (Mark 14:34). His spirit was broken; He was ready to die. Christ’s body was under so much pressure because of what He was about to do that He literally sweat blood (Luke 22:44). He was crushed, both in physically and spiritually. Finally, after they had nailed Him to a cross the next day, He exclaimed “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!” (Matthew 27:46).
Christ became the broken spirit and contrite heart that God will not despise. He, being the center of all that God has done (John 1:2), the very heart of God Himself, became a crushed spirit on our behalf. He became the sacrifice of God to God so that those of us who are in Him can know God. We are in Christ, and as God cannot despise His sacrifice, neither can He despise those who are in the sacrifice.
Rejoice in the broken heart of the risen Savior, for He is the Sacrifice of God!
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
I find that sometimes reading scripture is a game. It’s not a game like Jeopardy (though some may argue otherwise) but more like a game of hide and seek. I’ve found over the past year or so that God likes to hide little secrets in little phrases and in little words throughout Bible. Sometimes it’s not even so much that they are hidden, but that we (I) tend to just gloss over them.
Look at the following brain teaser and count the number of Fs in the sentence. Only read the sentence once; do not return to count again. Note your answer.
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
If you answered 3, you’re wrong! There are 6 Fs in that sentence. There are three hidden in the repeating word “of”. The point is that our brains are so used to tuning out and overlooking little words like “of” when we read that it’s almost as if they don’t exist. This brings me right back to the passage above, sometimes we overlook the little words like “of”. When we do that there’s a chance we’ll miss the point of the scripture.
This Psalm tells us, “The sacrifices of God are...”, it does not say “to” God. I think sometimes we skim over words as we read the Bible and tend to misread it as the latter. There’s an implied idea that God desires your broken heart and your crushed spirit when you assume “to” and don’t read “of”. The fact is that the verse states it is God’s sacrifice that is a broken, crushed spirit. It is His contrite (Hebrew word “dakah” for crushed) heart (Hebrew word “Leb” for midst or center) that He won’t despise.
Literally what this verse is saying is this: the sacrifices of God are His broken spirit: His crushed center He will not despise. The Bible clearly tells us that our works are like dirty rags in God’s eyes (Isaiah 64:6). I can only assume that even our sacrifices to Him, however well-intentioned, would be viewed the same way. But His own sacrifice to Himself? He can’t argue with that!
On the night before He was crucified, Christ went to the garden and prayed, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death...” (Mark 14:34). His spirit was broken; He was ready to die. Christ’s body was under so much pressure because of what He was about to do that He literally sweat blood (Luke 22:44). He was crushed, both in physically and spiritually. Finally, after they had nailed Him to a cross the next day, He exclaimed “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me!” (Matthew 27:46).
Christ became the broken spirit and contrite heart that God will not despise. He, being the center of all that God has done (John 1:2), the very heart of God Himself, became a crushed spirit on our behalf. He became the sacrifice of God to God so that those of us who are in Him can know God. We are in Christ, and as God cannot despise His sacrifice, neither can He despise those who are in the sacrifice.
Rejoice in the broken heart of the risen Savior, for He is the Sacrifice of God!
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