This morning I was praying a bit about my future, as we have some changes coming our way. I am actually quite peaceful about it all, and apparently as a confirmation of my thinking, I felt the Lord direct me to the following verses - Philippians 4:4-9 NIV:
[4] "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. [6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
[8] "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things. [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
I was particularly grabbed by verse 6 - "Do not be anxious about anything". I am not a worrier, nor do I suffer from anxiety, but there is always a bit of fear of the unknown when transition occurs. As I look to the future, I have the opportunity to choose how I respond, and how I approach the unknowns, and I think this is partly what Paul is addressing in these verses. He says the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and I think that is so important to know, for that is where the battle of faith and belief is waged. Our minds are prone to unbelief, and our hearts can fade in affection if times become difficult.
Paul is calling us to put our minds into Christ's care, to begin to think like God thinks, to begin to see our situation from His perspective. As we do that, we will begin to experience His peace. This is the kind of peace that is only available to the one who has all power and all authority, controls everything and knows everything, and is outside of time, namely God. From His vantage point, there are no surprises, no mistakes, no problems or situations that are unsolvable, no defeat, no situation beyond His reach or power. As we allow this mindset, His thinking and perspective, to invade our little and limited minds, we will experience His peace, which we can't truly know, or which "transcends understanding". In that place, the enemy is unable to assail us with seeds of unbelief, fear or anxiety. Those things do not exist in God, and thus cannot be from God.
One of the first things we should learn to do (and I am telling myself this) is to reject anxious, fearful or thoughts of unbelief for they are from the enemy. James writes later that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us (James 4:7) and I know this is true. Our resisting the devil takes away any authority or right we might otherwise give him. It is our agreement with him that allows him to stay and affect us. Jesus has already defeated him (1 John 3:8), and any victory the enemy experiences in our lives is due to our aligning ourselves with him, even if that is unintentional. Since Christ has purchased us with His blood (Rev 5:9), and redeemed us, the enemy has no right to us. Our intentional turning ourselves to God, reminding ourselves of all the good God has done, of His immense blessings and of the incredible gift of grace, is resisting the lies and deceptions of the enemy. Choosing to rejoice in all circumstances is choosing to believe God's promises and perspective over our own thoughts and limited perspective.
Paul continues on and says then we should fill our minds with "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy". It is not enough to just constantly resist the enemy's lies and deceptions, but we want to backfill those areas that are prone to his attacks with goodness and truth. If our minds are full, and constantly reminded of God's goodness it is really hard for someone to convince us that God is otherwise. If we keep a long list of God's blessings, and are daily reminded of His grace and mercy, the enemy has nothing to grab hold of to convince us God is unloving, unmerciful, distracted or indifferent towards us.
I was just thinking that creating a personal litany (list) of all God's blessings, and interactions in our lives would be very helpful. I am reminded of some on the times in scripture where God's blessings and provisions were recounted, and I know that I need the same type of encouragement to remember. I am reminded of God's promises to His people in Jeremiah 29:11 NIV: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
So let us entrust ourselves to this God who loves us, who has purchased us with His own blood, who has given us His Holy Spirit, and grace as a down-payment, a guarantee of what is to come! Let us not lose faith, or grow weak in our belief, but let us recount God's great blessings in our lives. Let us guard our hearts and minds with His peace, as we learn to see things from His perspective.
Amen!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
"Grace is Glory Begun"
This morning I turned to the Psalms as I was in need of encouragement. I turned to one of my favorite Psalms and rested in these good verses for my heart - Psalm 84:2, 10-12 NIV:
[2] "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
[10] "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
[11] For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
[12] Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you."
I was just reflecting on these verses and letting my heart rest in the peace these words bring. I was reading Matthew Henry's commentary on verses 10-12 and was struck by his reflection on verse 11 (note: another translation has it as "the Lord gives grace and glory" NASB)
"The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace signifies both the good-will of God towards us and the good work of God in us; glory signifies both the honour which he now puts upon us, in giving us the adoption of sons, and that which he has prepared for us in the inheritance of sons. God will give them grace in this world as a preparation for glory, and glory in the other world as the perfection of grace; both are God's gift, his free gift. And as, on the one hand, wherever God gives grace he will give glory (for grace is glory begun, and is an earnest of it), so, on the other hand, he will give glory hereafter to none to whom he does not give grace now, or who receive his grace in vain. And if God will give grace and glory, which are the two great things that concur to make us happy in both worlds, we may be sure that no good thing will be withheld from those that walk uprightly."
I love the part where he says that "grace is glory begun, and is an earnest of it." We don't use the word earnest much, other than when buying houses, but the word means not just a pledge but a commitment with consequences in the modern use of it. Here is the definition of earnest (Webster's Dictionary):
1 : something of value given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain (deal)
2 : a token of what is to come : pledge
So often we just focus on the free gift that grace is, that it is unmerited favor, and that is true, but it is more than that. It is the down payment, the pledge of eternal glory, as Henry correctly comments. We are told by Paul something similar in his letter 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV:
[21] "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
In this verse the seal of ownership (earnest) is His grace which He has freely given to each of us. The guarantee of what is to come is speaking of the eternal life and glory we will experience in Heaven. God's gift of grace, which is of inestimable value (for it was purchased with Jesus' life and blood) is just the down payment, the earnest, a token of what is to come. If this is just a glimpse or token of what is to come, how incredible and awesome must eternity be?
When we purchased our house we put down earnest money of less than 1% (still a considerable amount) as a pledge to the owners of our intent to purchase their house. If grace is an earnest, and it relates at all to the final value of eternal life and glory in a similar way as our earnest payment did to the value of our house, than our eternal destiny is beyond comprehension, or even expression. We don't really have words to describe the value of the grace we have received in Christ Jesus, although we try. How much less will we be able to describe or understand this side of eternity, the reality experienced there?
So this morning I am encouraged to not just quickly read over the words of this Psalm, thinking how nice it is to receive grace and glory. I am encouraged to weigh the real value of the incredible gift Christ Jesus has extended to us through grace! I can't wait to see what is to come!
Amen!
[2] "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
[10] "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
[11] For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
[12] Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you."
I was just reflecting on these verses and letting my heart rest in the peace these words bring. I was reading Matthew Henry's commentary on verses 10-12 and was struck by his reflection on verse 11 (note: another translation has it as "the Lord gives grace and glory" NASB)
"The Lord will give grace and glory. Grace signifies both the good-will of God towards us and the good work of God in us; glory signifies both the honour which he now puts upon us, in giving us the adoption of sons, and that which he has prepared for us in the inheritance of sons. God will give them grace in this world as a preparation for glory, and glory in the other world as the perfection of grace; both are God's gift, his free gift. And as, on the one hand, wherever God gives grace he will give glory (for grace is glory begun, and is an earnest of it), so, on the other hand, he will give glory hereafter to none to whom he does not give grace now, or who receive his grace in vain. And if God will give grace and glory, which are the two great things that concur to make us happy in both worlds, we may be sure that no good thing will be withheld from those that walk uprightly."
I love the part where he says that "grace is glory begun, and is an earnest of it." We don't use the word earnest much, other than when buying houses, but the word means not just a pledge but a commitment with consequences in the modern use of it. Here is the definition of earnest (Webster's Dictionary):
1 : something of value given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain (deal)
2 : a token of what is to come : pledge
So often we just focus on the free gift that grace is, that it is unmerited favor, and that is true, but it is more than that. It is the down payment, the pledge of eternal glory, as Henry correctly comments. We are told by Paul something similar in his letter 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NIV:
[21] "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."
In this verse the seal of ownership (earnest) is His grace which He has freely given to each of us. The guarantee of what is to come is speaking of the eternal life and glory we will experience in Heaven. God's gift of grace, which is of inestimable value (for it was purchased with Jesus' life and blood) is just the down payment, the earnest, a token of what is to come. If this is just a glimpse or token of what is to come, how incredible and awesome must eternity be?
When we purchased our house we put down earnest money of less than 1% (still a considerable amount) as a pledge to the owners of our intent to purchase their house. If grace is an earnest, and it relates at all to the final value of eternal life and glory in a similar way as our earnest payment did to the value of our house, than our eternal destiny is beyond comprehension, or even expression. We don't really have words to describe the value of the grace we have received in Christ Jesus, although we try. How much less will we be able to describe or understand this side of eternity, the reality experienced there?
So this morning I am encouraged to not just quickly read over the words of this Psalm, thinking how nice it is to receive grace and glory. I am encouraged to weigh the real value of the incredible gift Christ Jesus has extended to us through grace! I can't wait to see what is to come!
Amen!
Monday, March 14, 2016
The Motivation of Our Work and Labor For God
This morning I felt like I should read from Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. In my effort to listen and be guided by the Lord, I usually ask Him where I should read form Scripture, and try to listen. As I have written before, I believe the Lord wants to engage me in conversation, and direct my thoughts and give me understanding. For Him to be able to do that there must be interaction, and communication. For me the simplest way seem to be to use His validated written word as the foundation and starting point for conversation. Thus, I ask Him to speak to me and direct me within His word to verses that become the basis of our conversation. I have found that the Lord desires to speak, and when He does speak, He uses several approaches. I will empty my mind of thought and wait for Him to speak to me there, often times I will hear a particular Book, chapter and verse (Within the Bible), other times I will hear numbers which can be verses or page numbers. Sometimes He will bring to mind a specific story from Scripture, or even a theme for me to research. The point of this all is that I learn to hear His voice and understand what it sounds like, and I learn to give Him proper Lordship in my life. So this morning I heard the number 997 and when I turned to page 997, this was 1 Thes. 1 & 2.
Now I am not convinced in my ability to hear perfectly, so sometimes I think I hear something and when I turn there, there is nothing that stirs my heart and soul. I believe God directs me to the specific verses He wants me to focus on by causing me to respond in my spirit. Often times certain words or a part of sentence will stand out to me and I will start to think about related ideas and begin to focus my thoughts. That is usually a very good indication that this is where the Lord wants me to speak to me. Anyway on those days or times when nothing resonates, I just continue to press into Him, asking for another verse or for Him to speak again.
This morning when I started reading page 997, the following verses caught my eye - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 NIV:
[2] "We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. [3] We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[4] For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake."
The particulars of what caught my eye this morning was Paul's comments about work and labor. I have spent much time lately thinking about works versus grace, and this particular set of verses fits into that theme. Paul identifies the proper motivation for works in our lives, namely faith and love. Faith is the precursor of grace, and love is the result of relationship. Paul, as he continues to write, makes it clear that they had already received the Gospel, and responded to it. They were in the Kingdom, as a part of the Body of Christ already. They were not working and laboring to earn their way into the Kingdom, nor were they trying to gain God's favor or earn righteousness. They were responding to God's grace and love, in kind. They had real hope in Jesus because they had a real relationship with Him. They understood the Gospel of grace and the Lord's desire for relationship.
As in any healthy relationship, we interact and respond to the one another. When my wife gives me a great present (whether large or small), I am stirred to respond to her, not because it is my duty but because my heart is filled with gratitude, and love. I desire to bring her joy in the same way she has brought me joy. I begin to think about those things that I could do, or purchase for her, that will bless her and let her know how much I love her and appreciate her in my life. This is not a requirement, nor is it an expectation, but rather a spontaneous response. My repsonse is motivated by love, within our relaitonship.
There are friends of my wife who see the gifts that I give her and commend our love for one another. In the same way, I believe Paul is commending the Thessalonians for their proper response to the Lord for the gifts He has given them. Paul lived and worked to spread the Gospel of Grace, not works, so we know he was not encouraging works or labor as some sort of duty or requirement to gain righteousness. In His letter to the Galatians, Paul said the following - "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”(Gal 2:21NIV).
Secondly, I am struck by the fact that God's choice of them was evident because of the way the gospel came to them, "in power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." I am reminded of the fact that the Gospel does elicit response. The fact that God loves you, has called You and pursued you should stir your spirit and soul. Our proclamation of the Gospel is meant to be accompanied by the moving and stirring of the Holy Spirit. We can be confident in our Gospel proclamation, knowing that as much as we want the people to hear and understand God's love for them, He wants this even more. He is at work in all of their lives, stirring them and calling them to Him, even before they ever hear the Gospel. Sometimes the fruit is immediately evident, other times the seed has been planted and the response will arise at a later date, but we can be confident the Holy Spirit is at work.
So this morning I am encouraged to press into the Lord, to experience His love and affection, His mercy and grace. I am encouraged by the stirring in my heart, soul and spirit as I hear of the Lord's love and affection for me. Finally, I am encouraged in my sharing of these truths with others, knowing that the Holy Spirit is already at work in their lives, for He has chosen them as well.
Amen!
Now I am not convinced in my ability to hear perfectly, so sometimes I think I hear something and when I turn there, there is nothing that stirs my heart and soul. I believe God directs me to the specific verses He wants me to focus on by causing me to respond in my spirit. Often times certain words or a part of sentence will stand out to me and I will start to think about related ideas and begin to focus my thoughts. That is usually a very good indication that this is where the Lord wants me to speak to me. Anyway on those days or times when nothing resonates, I just continue to press into Him, asking for another verse or for Him to speak again.
This morning when I started reading page 997, the following verses caught my eye - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 NIV:
[2] "We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. [3] We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
[4] For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, [5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake."
The particulars of what caught my eye this morning was Paul's comments about work and labor. I have spent much time lately thinking about works versus grace, and this particular set of verses fits into that theme. Paul identifies the proper motivation for works in our lives, namely faith and love. Faith is the precursor of grace, and love is the result of relationship. Paul, as he continues to write, makes it clear that they had already received the Gospel, and responded to it. They were in the Kingdom, as a part of the Body of Christ already. They were not working and laboring to earn their way into the Kingdom, nor were they trying to gain God's favor or earn righteousness. They were responding to God's grace and love, in kind. They had real hope in Jesus because they had a real relationship with Him. They understood the Gospel of grace and the Lord's desire for relationship.
As in any healthy relationship, we interact and respond to the one another. When my wife gives me a great present (whether large or small), I am stirred to respond to her, not because it is my duty but because my heart is filled with gratitude, and love. I desire to bring her joy in the same way she has brought me joy. I begin to think about those things that I could do, or purchase for her, that will bless her and let her know how much I love her and appreciate her in my life. This is not a requirement, nor is it an expectation, but rather a spontaneous response. My repsonse is motivated by love, within our relaitonship.
There are friends of my wife who see the gifts that I give her and commend our love for one another. In the same way, I believe Paul is commending the Thessalonians for their proper response to the Lord for the gifts He has given them. Paul lived and worked to spread the Gospel of Grace, not works, so we know he was not encouraging works or labor as some sort of duty or requirement to gain righteousness. In His letter to the Galatians, Paul said the following - "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”(Gal 2:21NIV).
Secondly, I am struck by the fact that God's choice of them was evident because of the way the gospel came to them, "in power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction." I am reminded of the fact that the Gospel does elicit response. The fact that God loves you, has called You and pursued you should stir your spirit and soul. Our proclamation of the Gospel is meant to be accompanied by the moving and stirring of the Holy Spirit. We can be confident in our Gospel proclamation, knowing that as much as we want the people to hear and understand God's love for them, He wants this even more. He is at work in all of their lives, stirring them and calling them to Him, even before they ever hear the Gospel. Sometimes the fruit is immediately evident, other times the seed has been planted and the response will arise at a later date, but we can be confident the Holy Spirit is at work.
So this morning I am encouraged to press into the Lord, to experience His love and affection, His mercy and grace. I am encouraged by the stirring in my heart, soul and spirit as I hear of the Lord's love and affection for me. Finally, I am encouraged in my sharing of these truths with others, knowing that the Holy Spirit is already at work in their lives, for He has chosen them as well.
Amen!
Sunday, March 13, 2016
He Came to Save Not to Judge
This morning I was continuing my reading of John's Gospel, and ran across these verses where Jesus is speaking about judgement, and where He says every word He spoke was directed by the Father - John 12:44-50 NIV:
[44] Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. [45] The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. [46] I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
[47] “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. [49] For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Both of the major themes in these few verses are so important. First Jesus says very clearly that He is representing the Father. If we see Him, we see the Father who sent Him. His words, His actions, His heart for the lost, downtrodden and sinners all represent the same in the Father. He continues on in verse 49, "For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken." This is why it is so important to study and meditate on the words Jesus spoke, for they came from the Father.
Secondly, Jesus addresses judgment. This is so important for the Church to understand, Jesus didn't come to judge the world, but to save the world! We are often so quick to take up a task that Jesus himself would not take up. He wasn't here to judge and condemn, which if we look at the verses above also means that this is exactly the approach the Father takes as well, for if we see Jesus, if we Hear His words, we are seeing and hearing the Father. This is the Father's heart, not to judge but to save!
It is interesting in this context that Jesus actually makes these two approaches opposites (at least in a literary form). I am saddened that so many experience the church, the Body of Christ, as judgmental, for this is clearly not the Father's heart. Our purpose and words should be focused on salvation not on judgment, just as Jesus' were.
Lord, please help us to correctly represent You, Your words and Your heart to all we meet.
Amen!
[44] Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. [45] The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. [46] I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
[47] “If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. [49] For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” [50] I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”
Both of the major themes in these few verses are so important. First Jesus says very clearly that He is representing the Father. If we see Him, we see the Father who sent Him. His words, His actions, His heart for the lost, downtrodden and sinners all represent the same in the Father. He continues on in verse 49, "For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken." This is why it is so important to study and meditate on the words Jesus spoke, for they came from the Father.
Secondly, Jesus addresses judgment. This is so important for the Church to understand, Jesus didn't come to judge the world, but to save the world! We are often so quick to take up a task that Jesus himself would not take up. He wasn't here to judge and condemn, which if we look at the verses above also means that this is exactly the approach the Father takes as well, for if we see Jesus, if we Hear His words, we are seeing and hearing the Father. This is the Father's heart, not to judge but to save!
It is interesting in this context that Jesus actually makes these two approaches opposites (at least in a literary form). I am saddened that so many experience the church, the Body of Christ, as judgmental, for this is clearly not the Father's heart. Our purpose and words should be focused on salvation not on judgment, just as Jesus' were.
Lord, please help us to correctly represent You, Your words and Your heart to all we meet.
Amen!
Friday, March 11, 2016
One Shepherd, One Flock, One Voice
This morning I am continuing to mine John's tenth chapter. Man, there is so much good in this one chapter. The verses I am reflecting on are the following - John 10:14-16 NIV:
[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."
Recently I was talking to friends about how the Lord directed me out of the Catholic Church, and this verse and the mindset of Christ were significant in that process. At the time I didn't have a fuller appreciation for the rest of the Body of Christ, and as a born-again, Spirit-filled Catholic, I thought I was experiencing the fullness of everything possible in Christ. I knew plenty of Christians from other denominations, but I always thought I was experiencing more than the rest and our expression was the fullest, most true expression of the Church.
When I felt like the Lord was moving us toward something different, I had some serious discussions with Him, explaining why this couldn't be right. I think it is quite funny in retrospect when I look back at times I thought I knew better than God. I am sure the Lord gets a kick out of it too. :-) Anyway so I was explaining to the Lord how He couldn't possibly want me to experience a lesser expression of His Body, when He politely interrupted me and asked me how I thought He saw the Body of Christ, the Church? This is one of the verses (verse 16 above) that ran through my mind, along with 1 Cor 12, and Paul's analogy of the Body. I had to answer that it was pretty clear that there was only one Body of Christ, one flock and thus one Church. The denominations were just parts of the one body. He went on to explain that I was putting lines of separation where He saw none and I needed to adjust my view to His. I wasn't leaving the Body of Christ or the Church, I was just moving within the Church to another part.
To be clear the two sheep pens Jesus is talking about were the Jews and the Gentiles, not the Catholics or Protestants, Pentecostals, Baptists or anyone else that think they are the true church (not trying to be mean here) and everyone else. At the time, Jesus has stated clearly that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24), and even though He did miracles for and ministered to others who were not Jewish, His focus, and His directions to the Apostles were to the Jews (Matt 10:6). We understand this even more through the Book of Acts, where Peter had to be supernaturally directed to minister to Gentiles, and was then called on the carpet for doing so by the rest of the Apostles (Acts 10 & 11). Clearly they hadn't fully grasped what Jesus meant when He issued the great commission - Matthew 28:19 NIV: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"... They did go to other nations, but were primarily if not wholly focused on spreading the Good News to the Jews that were in those Nations. Clearly, as revealed by God through Peter, He intended all nations to mean "All" nations including the Gentiles. So unless we have active Jewish heritage (I think that is what this means), we are part of the other sheep pen or the other nations.
So back to the verses, Jesus makes it very clear, "one flock and one shepherd" (Him). We are all part of the same flock!
The other part I really like here is that Jesus describes the relationship of knowing between the sheep and the shepherd, as just like He and the Father. Wow! Think of that as a relational comparison - we and Jesus can be like Jesus and the Father. Everything Jesus did and said was at the direction of the Father, and that same dynamic is available to us. That is just mind-blowing to me.
Additionally, He says we will listen to His voice - which means we can each discern His voice, know it and understand it. Some, through practice, have gotten better at hearing His voice, or maybe I should say better at listening to His voice, but all of His sheep can hear His voice and listen to it.
I was just thinking that listening is one of those things that you can practice at and get better. Not everyone is a good listener, and usually that is the result of a choice we make about what we give our attention to and focus on. With the proclivity of smart phones, we have the opportunity to become worse and worse at active listening and real conversations.
We can, however, choose to grow in our ability to listen to the Lord (Our Shepherd) as well. There are very few people that I know of, or that I know, that have a well developed ability to hear God and discern His voice right away. For almost everyone I have ever talked to, listening to God is something they learn, and choose to do. Almost every morning I spend time practicing my listening, learning to turn my attention to God, away from the distractions of the day, away from the news, Facebook or anything else that might distract me. I practice listening to His voice, following the thought lines He leads me down, thinking about the verses He leads me to read. There are times of enlightenment, and other times of just practicing. Sometimes I fall asleep, and those times I remember the enjoyment I used to get when one of my kids used to fall asleep while on my lap. Overall, I guess the point is that God has made us all able to listen to His voice and receive His direction and guidance, and that is a really good thing!
In summary, we are one flock, we have one shepherd, and we listen to His one voice!
Amen!
[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd."
Recently I was talking to friends about how the Lord directed me out of the Catholic Church, and this verse and the mindset of Christ were significant in that process. At the time I didn't have a fuller appreciation for the rest of the Body of Christ, and as a born-again, Spirit-filled Catholic, I thought I was experiencing the fullness of everything possible in Christ. I knew plenty of Christians from other denominations, but I always thought I was experiencing more than the rest and our expression was the fullest, most true expression of the Church.
When I felt like the Lord was moving us toward something different, I had some serious discussions with Him, explaining why this couldn't be right. I think it is quite funny in retrospect when I look back at times I thought I knew better than God. I am sure the Lord gets a kick out of it too. :-) Anyway so I was explaining to the Lord how He couldn't possibly want me to experience a lesser expression of His Body, when He politely interrupted me and asked me how I thought He saw the Body of Christ, the Church? This is one of the verses (verse 16 above) that ran through my mind, along with 1 Cor 12, and Paul's analogy of the Body. I had to answer that it was pretty clear that there was only one Body of Christ, one flock and thus one Church. The denominations were just parts of the one body. He went on to explain that I was putting lines of separation where He saw none and I needed to adjust my view to His. I wasn't leaving the Body of Christ or the Church, I was just moving within the Church to another part.
To be clear the two sheep pens Jesus is talking about were the Jews and the Gentiles, not the Catholics or Protestants, Pentecostals, Baptists or anyone else that think they are the true church (not trying to be mean here) and everyone else. At the time, Jesus has stated clearly that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 15:24), and even though He did miracles for and ministered to others who were not Jewish, His focus, and His directions to the Apostles were to the Jews (Matt 10:6). We understand this even more through the Book of Acts, where Peter had to be supernaturally directed to minister to Gentiles, and was then called on the carpet for doing so by the rest of the Apostles (Acts 10 & 11). Clearly they hadn't fully grasped what Jesus meant when He issued the great commission - Matthew 28:19 NIV: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"... They did go to other nations, but were primarily if not wholly focused on spreading the Good News to the Jews that were in those Nations. Clearly, as revealed by God through Peter, He intended all nations to mean "All" nations including the Gentiles. So unless we have active Jewish heritage (I think that is what this means), we are part of the other sheep pen or the other nations.
So back to the verses, Jesus makes it very clear, "one flock and one shepherd" (Him). We are all part of the same flock!
The other part I really like here is that Jesus describes the relationship of knowing between the sheep and the shepherd, as just like He and the Father. Wow! Think of that as a relational comparison - we and Jesus can be like Jesus and the Father. Everything Jesus did and said was at the direction of the Father, and that same dynamic is available to us. That is just mind-blowing to me.
Additionally, He says we will listen to His voice - which means we can each discern His voice, know it and understand it. Some, through practice, have gotten better at hearing His voice, or maybe I should say better at listening to His voice, but all of His sheep can hear His voice and listen to it.
I was just thinking that listening is one of those things that you can practice at and get better. Not everyone is a good listener, and usually that is the result of a choice we make about what we give our attention to and focus on. With the proclivity of smart phones, we have the opportunity to become worse and worse at active listening and real conversations.
We can, however, choose to grow in our ability to listen to the Lord (Our Shepherd) as well. There are very few people that I know of, or that I know, that have a well developed ability to hear God and discern His voice right away. For almost everyone I have ever talked to, listening to God is something they learn, and choose to do. Almost every morning I spend time practicing my listening, learning to turn my attention to God, away from the distractions of the day, away from the news, Facebook or anything else that might distract me. I practice listening to His voice, following the thought lines He leads me down, thinking about the verses He leads me to read. There are times of enlightenment, and other times of just practicing. Sometimes I fall asleep, and those times I remember the enjoyment I used to get when one of my kids used to fall asleep while on my lap. Overall, I guess the point is that God has made us all able to listen to His voice and receive His direction and guidance, and that is a really good thing!
In summary, we are one flock, we have one shepherd, and we listen to His one voice!
Amen!
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Problems With Expectations
This morning I was continuing to reflect on John's Gospel, tenth chapter. So often when I imagine Jesus, I imagine an excited crowd listening to His teaching, being amazed at the miracles and such. Jesus was here to represent His Father, and He did amazing things. What I find interesting is the people's inability to grasp who He really was, the very son of God. When read these passages it is always with knowledge of the truth already established in our hearts and minds, so the statements He makes do not sound so radical. However, the people of His time had no grid of reference to really grasp what He was saying. They had been waiting for hundreds of years for the Messiah, the Savior, the Anointed one prophesied to sit on David's throne. They had it in their mind that He would come as a King, a military ruler who would throw off the oppressive chains of Roman Rule, and re-establish God's Glorious Kingdom in the form of a nation (as they were under David) once again. They had no idea that the Messiah would actually be God's Son.
In the light of this, read the following verses - John 10:24-31 NIV:
[24] "The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
[25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,"...
Jesus' closing statement, "I and the Father are one" was almost earth shattering to the Jews. As a religion they highly esteemed God, not even wanting to say His name because of their awe and reverence of Him. They had tons of stories about God's miraculous intervention in the lives of their ancestors. They were afraid of God and in awe of His power. He was the Great God, capable of defeating great armies, and so much greater than all the gods of the Egyptians, Greeks and even the Romans. They weren't sure what He was really lilke, but they were also sure He was nothing like themselves.
Then Jesus shows up and does things that have only been done by the great Prophets, and even greater still. They were amazed at the works He was doing, but He wasn't confronting the Romans, wasn't trying to build political power or anything that would indicate He was the going to establish God's Kingdom on earth once again. He spoke about the Kingdom all the time, but rather than raise up political activists and supporters, He healed the sick and blessed the poor. He did what He could to stay out of the political arena, spending much of his time in Galilee, which was the back-country. Regardless of where He was he ha d a huge following and many of the people thought He was the Messiah.
Thus, the question that the Jews asked Him was very much on their minds. They were effectively waiting for Jesus to announce that He was the Messiah and they would jump in behind Him and overthrow the Roman's or something like that. They were expecting a leader, instead the got the Son of God, fully man and fully God. The response to pick up stones was the prescribed punishment for blasphemy under the Law (Lev. 24:14). Rather than sit down and understand what He was saying they immediately jumped to outrage. I think they were likely more upset that He wasn't the type of Messiah they wanted, so they figured they would kill Him and wait for one more suitable to come along. Wow.
This morning I am encouraged to listen closely to the Lord and let Him tell me who He is, rather than me jumping to conclusions, or judgment. He is exactly who He says He is, the very Son of God, one with the Father. I am also encouraged to not jump to conclusions about His plans in my life. I realize that having preconceived expectations of how God might look, act or direct me, can cause me to miss what He is actually saying.
Amen.
In the light of this, read the following verses - John 10:24-31 NIV:
[24] "The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
[25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
[31] Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,"...
Jesus' closing statement, "I and the Father are one" was almost earth shattering to the Jews. As a religion they highly esteemed God, not even wanting to say His name because of their awe and reverence of Him. They had tons of stories about God's miraculous intervention in the lives of their ancestors. They were afraid of God and in awe of His power. He was the Great God, capable of defeating great armies, and so much greater than all the gods of the Egyptians, Greeks and even the Romans. They weren't sure what He was really lilke, but they were also sure He was nothing like themselves.
Then Jesus shows up and does things that have only been done by the great Prophets, and even greater still. They were amazed at the works He was doing, but He wasn't confronting the Romans, wasn't trying to build political power or anything that would indicate He was the going to establish God's Kingdom on earth once again. He spoke about the Kingdom all the time, but rather than raise up political activists and supporters, He healed the sick and blessed the poor. He did what He could to stay out of the political arena, spending much of his time in Galilee, which was the back-country. Regardless of where He was he ha d a huge following and many of the people thought He was the Messiah.
Thus, the question that the Jews asked Him was very much on their minds. They were effectively waiting for Jesus to announce that He was the Messiah and they would jump in behind Him and overthrow the Roman's or something like that. They were expecting a leader, instead the got the Son of God, fully man and fully God. The response to pick up stones was the prescribed punishment for blasphemy under the Law (Lev. 24:14). Rather than sit down and understand what He was saying they immediately jumped to outrage. I think they were likely more upset that He wasn't the type of Messiah they wanted, so they figured they would kill Him and wait for one more suitable to come along. Wow.
This morning I am encouraged to listen closely to the Lord and let Him tell me who He is, rather than me jumping to conclusions, or judgment. He is exactly who He says He is, the very Son of God, one with the Father. I am also encouraged to not jump to conclusions about His plans in my life. I realize that having preconceived expectations of how God might look, act or direct me, can cause me to miss what He is actually saying.
Amen.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Listen, Follow, Be Known
This morning I am continuing my reading out of John's Gospel. These next few verses definitely fill me with hope.
John 10:27-30 NIV:
[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
If I ever doubt Christ's ability to save, these verses should settle my heart and mind.
Looking closely at what Jesus says, as sheep we are supposed to listen and follow Him. It is more than hearing, more than just listening, but actual following. I know there are many times in my life I hear His voice, but I don't take action and thus I am not following. I am reminded of people who have selective hearing (I am guilty of this as well) who only respond when they choose to hear. I am reminded of times I used to lay on the couch reading and my Mom would be asking me something, and I would just ignore her. I heard her voice but I never let it register and never got up off the couch. I knew her voice, but I didn't listen really and I certainly didn't follow her directives. (Sorry Mom).
I believe that Jesus is identifying the characteristics of those who will receive eternal life - those who listen and follow. To follow someone means to do what they are doing. We learned the game follow the leader as little children, and it really isn't any different as adults. If we say we are followers of Christ, then we should be doing what He is doing, He is the leader and we are His followers.
In addition, Jesus says that He knows them. The Greek word that is used here, as recorded by John is ginosko and it is defined as:
1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
a) to become known
2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
a) to understand
b) to know
3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
4) to become acquainted with, to know
We are not talking casual knowledge here, like just knowing someone's name. We are talking about a knowledge of what they think, feel, say and do. Jesus desires to know us in this way, and to be known in this way. The only way that In know to get to know someone else is through spending time with them. I can read what they wrote, listen to what they have said, and observe their actions, but there is nothing like spending time with them in conversation. the whole of that is how I define my prayer times.
So today, I am encouraged to listen AND follow, and to spend more and more time with You! I want to be identified as one of Your followers.
Amen!
John 10:27-30 NIV:
[27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
If I ever doubt Christ's ability to save, these verses should settle my heart and mind.
Looking closely at what Jesus says, as sheep we are supposed to listen and follow Him. It is more than hearing, more than just listening, but actual following. I know there are many times in my life I hear His voice, but I don't take action and thus I am not following. I am reminded of people who have selective hearing (I am guilty of this as well) who only respond when they choose to hear. I am reminded of times I used to lay on the couch reading and my Mom would be asking me something, and I would just ignore her. I heard her voice but I never let it register and never got up off the couch. I knew her voice, but I didn't listen really and I certainly didn't follow her directives. (Sorry Mom).
I believe that Jesus is identifying the characteristics of those who will receive eternal life - those who listen and follow. To follow someone means to do what they are doing. We learned the game follow the leader as little children, and it really isn't any different as adults. If we say we are followers of Christ, then we should be doing what He is doing, He is the leader and we are His followers.
In addition, Jesus says that He knows them. The Greek word that is used here, as recorded by John is ginosko and it is defined as:
1) to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel
a) to become known
2) to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
a) to understand
b) to know
3) Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse between a man and a woman
4) to become acquainted with, to know
We are not talking casual knowledge here, like just knowing someone's name. We are talking about a knowledge of what they think, feel, say and do. Jesus desires to know us in this way, and to be known in this way. The only way that In know to get to know someone else is through spending time with them. I can read what they wrote, listen to what they have said, and observe their actions, but there is nothing like spending time with them in conversation. the whole of that is how I define my prayer times.
So today, I am encouraged to listen AND follow, and to spend more and more time with You! I want to be identified as one of Your followers.
Amen!
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Testifying to the Truth
This morning I am reading out of John's Gospel. I am thinking about Jesus statement about Himself found in the following verse - John 18:37 NIV:
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Jesus is in the final stages of His life and here He sums up His life concisely. He was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. This is one of those statements that just needs to be unpacked, for it sounds simple, yet we know that Jesus' life was anything but simple.
I was just doing some research on the word truth, and it is used 102 times in the New Testament, and 42 of those times by John and is one of his key themes. In fact, the other Gospels hardly use the word, and in only in general descriptions of God's law or character. This idea of truth was expanded by Paul, as the majority of other uses in the New Testament are by him.
The Greek word translated truth is the word Aletheia, and is defined as follows:
1) what is true in any matter under consideration
a) truly, in truth, according to truth
b) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly
2) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
a) in the greatest latitude
b) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention
3) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians
Based on this definition, we understand that Jesus was likely speaking in the fullness of the word. He stated that He was the truth (John 14:6). He was revealing the truth of Heaven, for He came from there (John 6:51). He was calling us to embrace the truth, for it would set us free (John 8:32). He was representing the Father to us perfectly (Heb 1:3) and thus presenting us the Father truthfully. He called us to worship in truth (John 4:24). He calls us to represent the truth as His witnesses to the ends of the world (Acts 1:8).
In the original verse, Jesus said that He came to testify to the truth. The word translated testify is the Greek word Martureo, and it is defined as being a witness to something, bearing witness. It is also where the word martyr came from. Jesus was effectively bearing witness to the truth with His whole life. He has seen the Father, came from Heaven, and was now revealing (bearing witness) what he had seen and experienced. He was leading us all into this truth, and the truth would become the foundation of our faith (for He is the truth).
I was just thinking that there is a revelation of Truth, about Himself that He wants me to grasp this morning. I felt like I should read from John's tenth chapter. Here are some things Jesus says about Himself there - John 10:24-30, 34-38 NIV:
[24] The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
[25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works (miracles) I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
[34] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are “gods” ' ? [35] If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be set aside--- [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? [37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works (miracles), that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
In my paper Bible, an earlier NIV translation, rather than works, the word miracles is used in the previous verses. The actual Greek word is Ergon, and it is defined as the work or employment one is about, and ones accomplishments. For Jesus this would have included healing the sick, feeding the masses, casting out demons, healing the blind, the deaf, the leprous and raising the dead. His works, the miracles, were the signs that pointed to His being from God the Father, and were representative of the Father. This is part of the Truth, part of the revelation, part of His witness. In fact, when you look closely at what Jesus says here, the works themselves are the condition upon which people were to believe. He says in verse 37 - "Do not believe me unless I do the works of the Father."
Wow, that is a challenging statement, especially if we were to apply it to today's churches. The truth must be witnessed to, and we are those by which the truth must be presented. If the main proof of the truth of Jesus ministry are the "works" than we should be pressing into the Father to see Him work through us in similar ways. If we truly represent the Father, than our works would be similar to Jesus' works, for we are just continuing His witness, His testimony of the Father's character and nature.
Amen Lord, draw us into Your truth, that we might be Your witnesses!
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Jesus is in the final stages of His life and here He sums up His life concisely. He was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. This is one of those statements that just needs to be unpacked, for it sounds simple, yet we know that Jesus' life was anything but simple.
I was just doing some research on the word truth, and it is used 102 times in the New Testament, and 42 of those times by John and is one of his key themes. In fact, the other Gospels hardly use the word, and in only in general descriptions of God's law or character. This idea of truth was expanded by Paul, as the majority of other uses in the New Testament are by him.
The Greek word translated truth is the word Aletheia, and is defined as follows:
1) what is true in any matter under consideration
a) truly, in truth, according to truth
b) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly
2) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
a) in the greatest latitude
b) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention
3) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians
Based on this definition, we understand that Jesus was likely speaking in the fullness of the word. He stated that He was the truth (John 14:6). He was revealing the truth of Heaven, for He came from there (John 6:51). He was calling us to embrace the truth, for it would set us free (John 8:32). He was representing the Father to us perfectly (Heb 1:3) and thus presenting us the Father truthfully. He called us to worship in truth (John 4:24). He calls us to represent the truth as His witnesses to the ends of the world (Acts 1:8).
In the original verse, Jesus said that He came to testify to the truth. The word translated testify is the Greek word Martureo, and it is defined as being a witness to something, bearing witness. It is also where the word martyr came from. Jesus was effectively bearing witness to the truth with His whole life. He has seen the Father, came from Heaven, and was now revealing (bearing witness) what he had seen and experienced. He was leading us all into this truth, and the truth would become the foundation of our faith (for He is the truth).
I was just thinking that there is a revelation of Truth, about Himself that He wants me to grasp this morning. I felt like I should read from John's tenth chapter. Here are some things Jesus says about Himself there - John 10:24-30, 34-38 NIV:
[24] The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
[25] Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works (miracles) I do in my Father's name testify about me, [26] but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [28] I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [29] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. [30] I and the Father are one.”
[34] Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are “gods” ' ? [35] If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came---and Scripture cannot be set aside--- [36] what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? [37] Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. [38] But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works (miracles), that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
In my paper Bible, an earlier NIV translation, rather than works, the word miracles is used in the previous verses. The actual Greek word is Ergon, and it is defined as the work or employment one is about, and ones accomplishments. For Jesus this would have included healing the sick, feeding the masses, casting out demons, healing the blind, the deaf, the leprous and raising the dead. His works, the miracles, were the signs that pointed to His being from God the Father, and were representative of the Father. This is part of the Truth, part of the revelation, part of His witness. In fact, when you look closely at what Jesus says here, the works themselves are the condition upon which people were to believe. He says in verse 37 - "Do not believe me unless I do the works of the Father."
Wow, that is a challenging statement, especially if we were to apply it to today's churches. The truth must be witnessed to, and we are those by which the truth must be presented. If the main proof of the truth of Jesus ministry are the "works" than we should be pressing into the Father to see Him work through us in similar ways. If we truly represent the Father, than our works would be similar to Jesus' works, for we are just continuing His witness, His testimony of the Father's character and nature.
Amen Lord, draw us into Your truth, that we might be Your witnesses!
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Dealing With and Pressing Through Opposition
This morning I felt like I should read from the books of Nehemiah and Ezra, both of which have to do with the rebuilding of Jerusalem by the Jews. The part that seemed to be highlighted to me this morning was the resistance of opposition, and the resiliency of the Jews, and patience of God.
The books are from the same time frame and historians believe the book of Ezra is written first, which makes some sense, as He never speaks about the work being completed, while Nehemiah does. These books are basically the historical record of the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Jeremiah some 70+ years earlier (See Jer. 29), and they were political and religious perspectives, and the Book of Daniel was the prophetic perspective of the same basic events.
Anyway, the sections that I wanted to look at come from both books - Ezra 4 and Nehemiah 4.
Ezra 4:1-5, 24 NIV:
[1] "When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, [2] they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
[3] But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” [4] Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. [5] They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
[24] Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."
- and -
Nehemiah 4:1-2, 7-9, 13, 15-18 NIV:
[1] "When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, [2] and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble---burned as they are?”
[7] But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. [8] They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. [9] But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
[13] Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. [15] When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
[16] From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah [17] who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, [18] and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me."
The reason these gained my attention this morning was that each is a record of opposition to rebuilding God's city, its protective wall and its temple. What I found interesting was that in Ezra the opposition was able to halt the rebuilding, but in Nehemiah, that Jewish people responded by arming themselves and resisting the opposition. They took up arms, and helped each other. They recognized the enemy was going to try to stop them and they pressed forward.
Second, I was thinking about the timing of God and His patience. We so often think that everything is going to go smooth if God is behind something, as He clearly was in this case. However, the enemy does not take kindly to God expanding His Kingdom, so we must expect some resistance, and know that God has not withdrawn His favor when resistance is encountered. Sometimes it is a matter of His timing, as I was reading yesterday about Jesus going up tot the festival, other times God is opening doors, and expecting us to step through them and apply our lives to the efforts. God was not worried about whether the enemy was resisting, for His plan was going to succeed whether the building stalled for a few years or not. God is infinitely patient, and we must learn to rely on His word and direction to guide us, not our emotions or efforts.
Finally I was encouraged by the Jewish people's resolve and resilience. They had in their minds and hearts an understanding that they were about something bigger then just their little sections of the wall. They were embarking on something significant in the history of their people and the history of their nation. They were stirred in spirit, AND resolute in effort. They were aware that the building had stalled previously, but now they were engaged and working together and guarding each other. They did need leaders to guide them and encourage them, and the Lord provided them.
Another interesting thing was they worked as families. They were each responsible for a section of the wall, and they all worked together to build the wall. They prayed, worked and were prepared to defend themselves and one another. What a great picture of the Body of Christ.
I guess I am just encouraged this morning that when God does start to move, that He backs it with His word, His encouragement, people who are stirred and leaders to guide the whole process. Thank You Lord that You are faithful, patient and our provider!
The books are from the same time frame and historians believe the book of Ezra is written first, which makes some sense, as He never speaks about the work being completed, while Nehemiah does. These books are basically the historical record of the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Jeremiah some 70+ years earlier (See Jer. 29), and they were political and religious perspectives, and the Book of Daniel was the prophetic perspective of the same basic events.
Anyway, the sections that I wanted to look at come from both books - Ezra 4 and Nehemiah 4.
Ezra 4:1-5, 24 NIV:
[1] "When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, [2] they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
[3] But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” [4] Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. [5] They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
[24] Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."
- and -
Nehemiah 4:1-2, 7-9, 13, 15-18 NIV:
[1] "When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, [2] and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble---burned as they are?”
[7] But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. [8] They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. [9] But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
[13] Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. [15] When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
[16] From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah [17] who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, [18] and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me."
The reason these gained my attention this morning was that each is a record of opposition to rebuilding God's city, its protective wall and its temple. What I found interesting was that in Ezra the opposition was able to halt the rebuilding, but in Nehemiah, that Jewish people responded by arming themselves and resisting the opposition. They took up arms, and helped each other. They recognized the enemy was going to try to stop them and they pressed forward.
Second, I was thinking about the timing of God and His patience. We so often think that everything is going to go smooth if God is behind something, as He clearly was in this case. However, the enemy does not take kindly to God expanding His Kingdom, so we must expect some resistance, and know that God has not withdrawn His favor when resistance is encountered. Sometimes it is a matter of His timing, as I was reading yesterday about Jesus going up tot the festival, other times God is opening doors, and expecting us to step through them and apply our lives to the efforts. God was not worried about whether the enemy was resisting, for His plan was going to succeed whether the building stalled for a few years or not. God is infinitely patient, and we must learn to rely on His word and direction to guide us, not our emotions or efforts.
Finally I was encouraged by the Jewish people's resolve and resilience. They had in their minds and hearts an understanding that they were about something bigger then just their little sections of the wall. They were embarking on something significant in the history of their people and the history of their nation. They were stirred in spirit, AND resolute in effort. They were aware that the building had stalled previously, but now they were engaged and working together and guarding each other. They did need leaders to guide them and encourage them, and the Lord provided them.
Another interesting thing was they worked as families. They were each responsible for a section of the wall, and they all worked together to build the wall. They prayed, worked and were prepared to defend themselves and one another. What a great picture of the Body of Christ.
I guess I am just encouraged this morning that when God does start to move, that He backs it with His word, His encouragement, people who are stirred and leaders to guide the whole process. Thank You Lord that You are faithful, patient and our provider!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
When the Time Is Right He Comes!
This morning I felt like reading from John's Gospel. I am always encouraged when I read his Gospel, for it seems that Jesus is presented more personally by John. Anyway, this morning I am reading out of the seventh chapter - and thinking about the following verses - John 7:6-8, 14-18 NIV:
[6] Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. [7] The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. [8] You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
[14] Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. [15] The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
[16] "Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. [17] Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. [18] Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."
A few things caught my eye as I was reading these verses, first, Jesus even after He started His public ministry was aware of issues of the timing of His Father. He was very much in synch with the Father, and while we don't necessarily understand the reasoning, He knew that He wasn't supposed to go to the festival with His brothers, or at their bidding.
His comments about His brothers thought's is interesting - "For you any time will do." I think that this can help us in our understanding of God's timing. We, in our desire to see God move, are always wanting Him to move now! We think our ideas and thoughts are the way God thinks. We rationalize, thinking the timing is perfect, that God has such a perfect opportunity to move, especially if the crowd is large. As I write this, I am reminded of the beginnings of two of the largest outpourings of God in the last 200 years, and neither had their start in large group gathering. The Azusa street revival and the New Hebrides Outpouring were both initially started by God in small meetings, in humble gatherings.
For more on Azusa Street - follow this link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azusa_Street_Revival
For more on the New Hebrides Outpouring - follow this link: http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/revivals/hebrides.html
God has a plan, and if we will listen to His plan, and trust Him to guide us and are willing to wait for Him we will see Him glorified. Jesus in this instance, listened to His Father rather than to His brothers who represent to us normal human logic.
Secondly, Jesus understood that His teaching was confronting the spirit of the world, and the reaction would not be good. We should never be surprised by the negative reaction to Jesus, His teaching or His presence, for He experienced all of this while He was here on earth. He was the most loving, passionate, compassionate, grace filled person to ever walk the earth, and people rejected Him, thought poorly of Him, didn't understand Him and second guessed Him all the time. They didn't trust Him because He hadn't been taught, He hung out with sinners, He drank, He did not try to promote Himself. In other words He was too much like them! He preached radical things like loving each other, having mercy instead of judgment, the Kingdom of God present in their midst, etc. He was like them, but completely unlike them in so many other ways, all of which were good. The world though, doesn't want to be convicted, doesn't want to be reminded of their wrong ways. The world doesn't want to be held accountable for their actions, nor for their thoughts.
Finally Jesus says that they will know whether His teaching comes from the Father. I like to believe that in this verse He is pointing at the signs, miracles and healings. Later in John, Jesus makes a very clear statement - John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves." In other words, the proof of the origination of His teaching being from the Father is from the evidence of the works that accompany His teaching - the signs and wonders, healing and miracles. Jesus then makes one of the most encouraging statements in all of scripture - John 14:12 NIV: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." The key here is that these signs are supposed to serve the same purpose for us followers of God, they are to represent Him. We are not supposed to be speaking our words, but His, and when we do, He backs up the words with His authority to heal and cast out demons, and the like.
When God comes, in His timing, the world is convicted and confronted with Him. As happened in Azusa and the New Hebrides, His Glory shines out and people from all around will come and be changed. We want His presence, His words and His glory. Our reasoning, our thinking, our emotions, our working things up cannot be a substitute for Him.
Lord, we are waiting and praying for You to visit us, and while we don't know the timing, we trust that You do! Come and touch us and reveal Yourself to us and to this generation!
[6] Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. [7] The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. [8] You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”
[14] Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. [15] The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
[16] "Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. [17] Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. [18] Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."
A few things caught my eye as I was reading these verses, first, Jesus even after He started His public ministry was aware of issues of the timing of His Father. He was very much in synch with the Father, and while we don't necessarily understand the reasoning, He knew that He wasn't supposed to go to the festival with His brothers, or at their bidding.
His comments about His brothers thought's is interesting - "For you any time will do." I think that this can help us in our understanding of God's timing. We, in our desire to see God move, are always wanting Him to move now! We think our ideas and thoughts are the way God thinks. We rationalize, thinking the timing is perfect, that God has such a perfect opportunity to move, especially if the crowd is large. As I write this, I am reminded of the beginnings of two of the largest outpourings of God in the last 200 years, and neither had their start in large group gathering. The Azusa street revival and the New Hebrides Outpouring were both initially started by God in small meetings, in humble gatherings.
For more on Azusa Street - follow this link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azusa_Street_Revival
For more on the New Hebrides Outpouring - follow this link: http://www.revival-library.org/pensketches/revivals/hebrides.html
God has a plan, and if we will listen to His plan, and trust Him to guide us and are willing to wait for Him we will see Him glorified. Jesus in this instance, listened to His Father rather than to His brothers who represent to us normal human logic.
Secondly, Jesus understood that His teaching was confronting the spirit of the world, and the reaction would not be good. We should never be surprised by the negative reaction to Jesus, His teaching or His presence, for He experienced all of this while He was here on earth. He was the most loving, passionate, compassionate, grace filled person to ever walk the earth, and people rejected Him, thought poorly of Him, didn't understand Him and second guessed Him all the time. They didn't trust Him because He hadn't been taught, He hung out with sinners, He drank, He did not try to promote Himself. In other words He was too much like them! He preached radical things like loving each other, having mercy instead of judgment, the Kingdom of God present in their midst, etc. He was like them, but completely unlike them in so many other ways, all of which were good. The world though, doesn't want to be convicted, doesn't want to be reminded of their wrong ways. The world doesn't want to be held accountable for their actions, nor for their thoughts.
Finally Jesus says that they will know whether His teaching comes from the Father. I like to believe that in this verse He is pointing at the signs, miracles and healings. Later in John, Jesus makes a very clear statement - John 14:10-11 NIV: "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves." In other words, the proof of the origination of His teaching being from the Father is from the evidence of the works that accompany His teaching - the signs and wonders, healing and miracles. Jesus then makes one of the most encouraging statements in all of scripture - John 14:12 NIV: "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." The key here is that these signs are supposed to serve the same purpose for us followers of God, they are to represent Him. We are not supposed to be speaking our words, but His, and when we do, He backs up the words with His authority to heal and cast out demons, and the like.
When God comes, in His timing, the world is convicted and confronted with Him. As happened in Azusa and the New Hebrides, His Glory shines out and people from all around will come and be changed. We want His presence, His words and His glory. Our reasoning, our thinking, our emotions, our working things up cannot be a substitute for Him.
Lord, we are waiting and praying for You to visit us, and while we don't know the timing, we trust that You do! Come and touch us and reveal Yourself to us and to this generation!
Friday, March 4, 2016
Life is NOT Found In Possessions
This morning I didn't feel lead to read from any particular section of scripture, so just decided to read from Luke, as I love thinking about Jesus and His words. Here are the verses I am thinking about this morning - Luke 12:15, 29-34 NIV:
[15] "Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
[29] "And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. [30] For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. [31] But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
[32] “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. [34] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
I have been thinking for a while about down-sizing our home and life-style and this morning these verses were encouraging to me that this is a worthy pursuit. I love Jesus' words - "life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." Nothing could be truer, yet we pursue possessions.
It is an interesting thing, our desire for possessions. I think in some ways it is idolatrous, for we long for, and desire and think about our possessions so much. An abundance of possessions leads to an abundance of cares, and concerns. We make decisions about our life, based on our possessions. We desire things we can't afford, and thus we go into debt, just to have those things. We essentially enslave ourselves to earning payment for these things.
It seems to me that the Lord invites us into a different pursuit, that being the Kingdom of God. He says to seek first the Kingdom. The perspective here is that this is our first and foremost concern. He will provide that which we need, in other words we don't need to seek after those other things.
The second thing to note is that Jesus is guiding us toward an eternal mindset. We are so concerned with the here and now, and He says we should rather be concerned with eternity and heaven. He says that where our treasure is, there also will be our heart. So if we treasure our things more than other people, our hearts will be on our things. If our treasure is here on earth consisting of our possession, our heart will never consider eternity and heaven.
There is much good to be found in some of the simplify your life, minimalism, small house, and other social trends and ideas. This new move away from commercialism is definitely a positive movement, but it must be coupled with seeking the Kingdom as well. Relationship with the Lord should be our first concern, and then our brothers and sisters and our neighbors. The Kingdom consists of relationships, not things. Life is found in the Holy Spirit (John 6:63), the fountain of living water placed in each of us (John 7:38). As I think about this, our only way to encounter this fountain of living water, the Holy Spirit in each of us, is through relationships.
I am encouraged to really consider my life, my possessions and what is really important.
[15] "Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
[29] "And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. [30] For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. [31] But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."
[32] “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. [34] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
I have been thinking for a while about down-sizing our home and life-style and this morning these verses were encouraging to me that this is a worthy pursuit. I love Jesus' words - "life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." Nothing could be truer, yet we pursue possessions.
It is an interesting thing, our desire for possessions. I think in some ways it is idolatrous, for we long for, and desire and think about our possessions so much. An abundance of possessions leads to an abundance of cares, and concerns. We make decisions about our life, based on our possessions. We desire things we can't afford, and thus we go into debt, just to have those things. We essentially enslave ourselves to earning payment for these things.
It seems to me that the Lord invites us into a different pursuit, that being the Kingdom of God. He says to seek first the Kingdom. The perspective here is that this is our first and foremost concern. He will provide that which we need, in other words we don't need to seek after those other things.
The second thing to note is that Jesus is guiding us toward an eternal mindset. We are so concerned with the here and now, and He says we should rather be concerned with eternity and heaven. He says that where our treasure is, there also will be our heart. So if we treasure our things more than other people, our hearts will be on our things. If our treasure is here on earth consisting of our possession, our heart will never consider eternity and heaven.
There is much good to be found in some of the simplify your life, minimalism, small house, and other social trends and ideas. This new move away from commercialism is definitely a positive movement, but it must be coupled with seeking the Kingdom as well. Relationship with the Lord should be our first concern, and then our brothers and sisters and our neighbors. The Kingdom consists of relationships, not things. Life is found in the Holy Spirit (John 6:63), the fountain of living water placed in each of us (John 7:38). As I think about this, our only way to encounter this fountain of living water, the Holy Spirit in each of us, is through relationships.
I am encouraged to really consider my life, my possessions and what is really important.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Jesus Wept - His Response to Grief
This morning I felt like reading out of John's Gospel, and am thinking about the relationships of Mary and Martha with Jesus. Here are the specific verses - John 11:20-22, 28-35 NIV:
[20] "When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. [21] “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
[they have a bit of a conversation here which I did not include here]
[28] "After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” [29] When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. [30] Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. [31] When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
[32] When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
[34] “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
[35] Jesus wept."
As I was re-reading this story this morning, I was struck by the personal nature of the relationships Jesus had with each of the sisters. We know from the previous story of Mary at His feet, and Martha busying herself about the house (Luke 10: 38-42) that they were very different personalities, and that they likely related to Jesus differently. There have been plenty of commentaries written about their interaction, and Jesus' comments, but my one thought today is that regardless of our attitude or relationship, Jesus meets us where we are at and is comfortable with our position. In other words, He understands us all and will not require us to change the way we think and act to have a relationship with us.
So back to Martha and Mary - Martha goes out in pursuit of the Lord, while Mary just stays home, even though she knows that Jesus is coming. I find this interesting - Mary was the one (according to Luke) who wouldn't separate herself from the Lord, and yet when the opportunity to approach Him about her brother Lazarus comes, she stays home. I think this reflects on her deep sorrow and disappointment. She had this deep intimate relationship with the Lord, her brother gets deathly sick and she sends messengers to the Lord but He doesn't come in time to save her brother. I am pretty sure she felt completely let down in her faith in the Lord. She couldn't begin to understand how He would not hear her and respond to her request, coming immediately when she asked for help. I imagine in her mind and heart that was actually every bit as significant of a loss as her brother's death. I think she was despairing the loss of her brother and her relationship with Jesus.
I wonder how many of us have lost faith due to the death of a loved one? We cry out, we have all sorts of logic as to why the Lord should save our loved one, why they should continue living, all the good they were doing, and our incredible love, and yet they die - so we conclude that the Lord either doesn't love us or doesn't really listen to our prayers. The reality is that neither is an accurate perspective.
Martha, was more pragmatic, but still had a deep relationship with Jesus, so much so that she felt comfortable to leave her sister and family friends to go meet Jesus as soon as she heard He was coming. It seems to me that sometimes a dose of pragmatism is helpful in dealing with difficult situations. Martha lost no time in going to Jesus once again, knowing in her heart that He wasn't like anyone else. She probably figured that He was likely detained by something after their summons concerning Lazarus, but the fact that He was here now meant anything was possible. She was grieving but hopeful, and knew her relationship with Him allowed her to approach Him and speak with Him. Jesus was so gracious to her in His response, leading her gently to grow in her faith.
Getting back to Mary, Jesus is aware that she has not come to Him, and specifically invites her through her sister Martha. This is not about Him refusing to go to her, but really an invitation to re-enter relationship. She did go to Him, inspired and encouraged by the fact that He had asked about her, for this showed He still cared. She fell at His feet, and laid the accusation of her heart on Him. Instead of being angry at her words, Jesus was clearly moved and John describes His reaction. The Greek words used describe someone who is groaning outwardly, almost snorting and charging towards the foe (in this case death), and mourning deeply. He was clearly moved - and I believe He feels the same way about any of our losses. He is not cold and disconnected but rather very much impacted by our grief and sorrow, and empathetic towards our pain. I am reminded of the apparent fact that He had to stand by and watch His earthly father, Joseph, die and could not reveal himself yet. He understands grief, and personal loss. He understands our pain, our accusations, our sorrow, our anger, our rejection of belief, all the ugliness that pours out when we are grieving our loss. He shares our deep sense of sorrow for each of us is precious to Him. I believe He wept for Mary and Martha.
This morning I am reminded of the fact that Jesus loves me, understands me, and is gracious to me, in spite of my pain, sorrow, and grief. He meets me where I am, invites me back into relationship, and shares my pain. Lord thank You for Your amazing and comforting love and relationship.
[20] "When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. [21] “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
[they have a bit of a conversation here which I did not include here]
[28] "After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” [29] When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. [30] Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. [31] When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
[32] When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
[34] “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
[35] Jesus wept."
As I was re-reading this story this morning, I was struck by the personal nature of the relationships Jesus had with each of the sisters. We know from the previous story of Mary at His feet, and Martha busying herself about the house (Luke 10: 38-42) that they were very different personalities, and that they likely related to Jesus differently. There have been plenty of commentaries written about their interaction, and Jesus' comments, but my one thought today is that regardless of our attitude or relationship, Jesus meets us where we are at and is comfortable with our position. In other words, He understands us all and will not require us to change the way we think and act to have a relationship with us.
So back to Martha and Mary - Martha goes out in pursuit of the Lord, while Mary just stays home, even though she knows that Jesus is coming. I find this interesting - Mary was the one (according to Luke) who wouldn't separate herself from the Lord, and yet when the opportunity to approach Him about her brother Lazarus comes, she stays home. I think this reflects on her deep sorrow and disappointment. She had this deep intimate relationship with the Lord, her brother gets deathly sick and she sends messengers to the Lord but He doesn't come in time to save her brother. I am pretty sure she felt completely let down in her faith in the Lord. She couldn't begin to understand how He would not hear her and respond to her request, coming immediately when she asked for help. I imagine in her mind and heart that was actually every bit as significant of a loss as her brother's death. I think she was despairing the loss of her brother and her relationship with Jesus.
I wonder how many of us have lost faith due to the death of a loved one? We cry out, we have all sorts of logic as to why the Lord should save our loved one, why they should continue living, all the good they were doing, and our incredible love, and yet they die - so we conclude that the Lord either doesn't love us or doesn't really listen to our prayers. The reality is that neither is an accurate perspective.
Martha, was more pragmatic, but still had a deep relationship with Jesus, so much so that she felt comfortable to leave her sister and family friends to go meet Jesus as soon as she heard He was coming. It seems to me that sometimes a dose of pragmatism is helpful in dealing with difficult situations. Martha lost no time in going to Jesus once again, knowing in her heart that He wasn't like anyone else. She probably figured that He was likely detained by something after their summons concerning Lazarus, but the fact that He was here now meant anything was possible. She was grieving but hopeful, and knew her relationship with Him allowed her to approach Him and speak with Him. Jesus was so gracious to her in His response, leading her gently to grow in her faith.
Getting back to Mary, Jesus is aware that she has not come to Him, and specifically invites her through her sister Martha. This is not about Him refusing to go to her, but really an invitation to re-enter relationship. She did go to Him, inspired and encouraged by the fact that He had asked about her, for this showed He still cared. She fell at His feet, and laid the accusation of her heart on Him. Instead of being angry at her words, Jesus was clearly moved and John describes His reaction. The Greek words used describe someone who is groaning outwardly, almost snorting and charging towards the foe (in this case death), and mourning deeply. He was clearly moved - and I believe He feels the same way about any of our losses. He is not cold and disconnected but rather very much impacted by our grief and sorrow, and empathetic towards our pain. I am reminded of the apparent fact that He had to stand by and watch His earthly father, Joseph, die and could not reveal himself yet. He understands grief, and personal loss. He understands our pain, our accusations, our sorrow, our anger, our rejection of belief, all the ugliness that pours out when we are grieving our loss. He shares our deep sense of sorrow for each of us is precious to Him. I believe He wept for Mary and Martha.
This morning I am reminded of the fact that Jesus loves me, understands me, and is gracious to me, in spite of my pain, sorrow, and grief. He meets me where I am, invites me back into relationship, and shares my pain. Lord thank You for Your amazing and comforting love and relationship.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Refreshment in the Desert
This morning I felt like reading from the Psalms, as it has been a while since I meditated on one of them. I turned to one of my favorites Psalm 63:1-8 NIV:
[1] "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
[2] I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
[3] Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
[4] I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
[5] I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
[6] On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
[7] Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
[8] I cling to you; your right hand upholds me."
Wow, each line is so rich. David wrote this psalm when he was in the desert. I can just see him reflecting on his physical thirst, which quickly became a reflection on his real thirst for the loving embrace of God. I imagine the dry plodding walk of someone in the desert, trying to find water, needing to keep moving to find that which they seek. I imagine the growing need, the dry mouth, the whole body becomes aware of its need for water.
Those who journey through deserts often, have learned to recognize the signs of water, learned where to look, and learned how to conserve that which they have already. Those who live by fresh water seldom think about the need to conserve, or how to find the hidden water that will keep them alive. Those who have water delivered to their door, or poured for them when they thirst, have little knowledge of where the water comes from, and how precious it is, they take it for granted.
I know that in my life, the times in the desert (dryness in my relationship with the Lord) have made me so much more appreciative of times of refreshing. I have seen the power and glory of God exhibited in ways that are astounding, and I have walked through dry and weary times. The reflection on what God has done and what I have seen help me to push through the dry seasons, knowing that times of refreshing are coming.
If I look closely at David's reflection, it is two lines about his dryness, and seven lines about the richness and blessings of relationship with God. He does not associate God with his dryness, that is from the desert, God is full of life and refreshing. David, in spite of the dryness, continues to seek God. He does not get angry with God for being in the desert, He rather reflects on the wonder of his relationship, and is moved to praise and singing. It is like he is a sailor walking through the desert singing about his love for the sea. The one makes him treasure the other even more.
Finally, what we choose to think on, is our choice. In the midst of the desert I can choose to think about the sand and the dryness, or I can think about the wonders of refreshment, showers of grace and mercy, the goodness of the Lord. Our mood and our vision will be greatly affected by that which we think about and look at. The second perspective has a look of hope and expectation, the first leads to self-focus and misery.
This morning I am encouraged to remember, and wait in joyful anticipation for times of refreshing in the Lord. He is good! He is full of life! His love is better than life! I can and will choose to praise Him, to reflect on His love and mercy! I will cling to Him, because His hand holds me up!
Amen!
[1] "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
[2] I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
[3] Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
[4] I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
[5] I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
[6] On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
[7] Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
[8] I cling to you; your right hand upholds me."
Wow, each line is so rich. David wrote this psalm when he was in the desert. I can just see him reflecting on his physical thirst, which quickly became a reflection on his real thirst for the loving embrace of God. I imagine the dry plodding walk of someone in the desert, trying to find water, needing to keep moving to find that which they seek. I imagine the growing need, the dry mouth, the whole body becomes aware of its need for water.
Those who journey through deserts often, have learned to recognize the signs of water, learned where to look, and learned how to conserve that which they have already. Those who live by fresh water seldom think about the need to conserve, or how to find the hidden water that will keep them alive. Those who have water delivered to their door, or poured for them when they thirst, have little knowledge of where the water comes from, and how precious it is, they take it for granted.
I know that in my life, the times in the desert (dryness in my relationship with the Lord) have made me so much more appreciative of times of refreshing. I have seen the power and glory of God exhibited in ways that are astounding, and I have walked through dry and weary times. The reflection on what God has done and what I have seen help me to push through the dry seasons, knowing that times of refreshing are coming.
If I look closely at David's reflection, it is two lines about his dryness, and seven lines about the richness and blessings of relationship with God. He does not associate God with his dryness, that is from the desert, God is full of life and refreshing. David, in spite of the dryness, continues to seek God. He does not get angry with God for being in the desert, He rather reflects on the wonder of his relationship, and is moved to praise and singing. It is like he is a sailor walking through the desert singing about his love for the sea. The one makes him treasure the other even more.
Finally, what we choose to think on, is our choice. In the midst of the desert I can choose to think about the sand and the dryness, or I can think about the wonders of refreshment, showers of grace and mercy, the goodness of the Lord. Our mood and our vision will be greatly affected by that which we think about and look at. The second perspective has a look of hope and expectation, the first leads to self-focus and misery.
This morning I am encouraged to remember, and wait in joyful anticipation for times of refreshing in the Lord. He is good! He is full of life! His love is better than life! I can and will choose to praise Him, to reflect on His love and mercy! I will cling to Him, because His hand holds me up!
Amen!
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Mercy vs Sacrifice; Sinners vs Righteous
I am reading from Matthew's Gospel and resting in the ninth chapter. I love this story about Jesus, for it shows His and the Father's heart towards those who don't know Him - Matthew 9:9-13 NIV:
[9] "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
[12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The theme of these verses fits in well with my meditations of late on sin, self-righteousness and the Kingdom. If we look closely at the last sentence, we find a very interesting correlation that Jesus makes - mercy with sinners, righteous with sacrifice. He is welcoming the first pair and rejecting the second pair.
Again, we must put this in the context of comments towards the self-righteous Pharisees. He was trying to break them, and those who believed like them, out of their existing paradigm. He was communicating the heart of the Father and helping them to understand that the Father had a completely different approach then they thought.
Back to the last line - "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" and "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners". If I ask myself what does Jesus want? The answer is mercy and sinners. As I was thinking about this I realized that there is a certain cause and effect in play here as well. Sinners, who are called to relationship with the Lord, in spite of their sin, are very conscious of the mercy that has been extended to them. They recognize this mercy is not what they deserve, and they are grateful. When they encounter other sinners, rather than judging them in their sin, they introduce them to the one who has had mercy on them. They don't apply requirements for righteousness, for none were applied to them. If this is what Jesus wants, and who He came for, and who He came to call, then this is likely where He is, and where He wants us! In other words, if Jesus had an option He would rather hang out with sinners than with those who thought they were righteous, and He would want the same for us.
Following this thinking, Jesus (and thus His Father who He was representing) does not desire sacrifice and did not come to call the righteous. The original language is quite clear that this is exactly what Jesus said - sacrifice pertaining to the Law, and the sacrifices required to appease guilt, and righteous pertaining to the same - righteous within the context of the law. Again, we must look back at the message of righteousness through faith, not works as described by Paul in his letter to the Romans. Jesus is addressing the Pharisees who saw themselves as righteous and required others to fulfill the sacrifices of the law to attain their level of righteousness. Again, Jesus plainly is saying this is not what He or the Father desires.
So today my encouragement is to remember that He called me, extended mercy to me when I did not deserve it, and has given me His righteousness, not because of something I did, but because of His love and mercy. He desires this same attitude of me, to extend mercy and call sinners. Lastly, if He came to call sinners I am pretty sure that is where He is, and where He expects us to be. Personally I want to be where He is! Amen!
[9] "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
[10] While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. [11] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
[12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The theme of these verses fits in well with my meditations of late on sin, self-righteousness and the Kingdom. If we look closely at the last sentence, we find a very interesting correlation that Jesus makes - mercy with sinners, righteous with sacrifice. He is welcoming the first pair and rejecting the second pair.
Again, we must put this in the context of comments towards the self-righteous Pharisees. He was trying to break them, and those who believed like them, out of their existing paradigm. He was communicating the heart of the Father and helping them to understand that the Father had a completely different approach then they thought.
Back to the last line - "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" and "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners". If I ask myself what does Jesus want? The answer is mercy and sinners. As I was thinking about this I realized that there is a certain cause and effect in play here as well. Sinners, who are called to relationship with the Lord, in spite of their sin, are very conscious of the mercy that has been extended to them. They recognize this mercy is not what they deserve, and they are grateful. When they encounter other sinners, rather than judging them in their sin, they introduce them to the one who has had mercy on them. They don't apply requirements for righteousness, for none were applied to them. If this is what Jesus wants, and who He came for, and who He came to call, then this is likely where He is, and where He wants us! In other words, if Jesus had an option He would rather hang out with sinners than with those who thought they were righteous, and He would want the same for us.
Following this thinking, Jesus (and thus His Father who He was representing) does not desire sacrifice and did not come to call the righteous. The original language is quite clear that this is exactly what Jesus said - sacrifice pertaining to the Law, and the sacrifices required to appease guilt, and righteous pertaining to the same - righteous within the context of the law. Again, we must look back at the message of righteousness through faith, not works as described by Paul in his letter to the Romans. Jesus is addressing the Pharisees who saw themselves as righteous and required others to fulfill the sacrifices of the law to attain their level of righteousness. Again, Jesus plainly is saying this is not what He or the Father desires.
So today my encouragement is to remember that He called me, extended mercy to me when I did not deserve it, and has given me His righteousness, not because of something I did, but because of His love and mercy. He desires this same attitude of me, to extend mercy and call sinners. Lastly, if He came to call sinners I am pretty sure that is where He is, and where He expects us to be. Personally I want to be where He is! Amen!
The Kingdom and Little Children
This morning I was continuing my reading of Luke's eighteenth chapter - Luke 18:15-17 NIV:
[15] "People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. [16] But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. [17] Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
I have always liked these verses, because they represent the way I think the Father is towards all of us. He welcomes us and desires us to come to Him.
This morning I thought I would dig into the original Greek, as there are two words that seem pretty significant "belongs" and "receive" both of which are describing the Kingdom of God. These are Jesus' words concerning the Kingdom, so it is important for us to understand them.
The first word translated 'belongs' is the Greek work Eimi and the definition is given as follows: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. Only a few times is this word translated 'belongs' in the scriptures, so this causes me to wonder about a fuller meaning. If we replaced belongs with the simple definition "is present" it significantly changes the way I read this verse. It would sound to me that little children have an awareness of the Kingdom, that us older people do not. I find from my experience that this is often true, that little children are more sensitive to the moving of God, and spiritual reality around them, although they sometimes don't have language to describe what they are sensing or feeling.
The second word here translated 'receive' is the Greek word dechomai and it is defined as follows:
1) to take with the hand
a) to take hold of, take up
2) to take up, receive
a) used of a place receiving one
b) to receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse intercourse or friendship
1. to receive hospitality
2. to receive into one's family to bring up or educate
c) of the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing
1. to receive favourably, give ear to, embrace, make one's own, approve, not to reject
d) to receive. i.e. to take upon one's self, sustain, bear, endure
3) to receive, get
a) to learn
When I look at this definition, I imagine a little child holding out there hand to receive a gift their Father is giving them. There is an expectation and joy in the place of receiving something good. I imagine the child grasping this gift in their hand, recognizing that it is their gift because the Father has given it to them. There is no thought of earning or working, only receiving and taking it in their hand too examine and enjoy. A child will often not comprehend the actual value of the item that had been received, and I believe that is in play here as well, for all of us are like children in our understanding of the true riches of the Kingdom of God.
Finally, the fact that the way we receive the kingdom is critical to our ability to enter into the Kingdom, should cause us to review our attitude and heart. I think for me this means that it is not complicated and it is related to our heart attitude. We don't earn it, we receive it! It's not out of the ordinary, it is part of our life. In the same way we receive it, we should give it away.
Lord, help us to welcome Your Kingdom! Help us to take hold of it and embrace it with all our life, for it is a gift from You!
[15] "People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. [16] But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. [17] Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
I have always liked these verses, because they represent the way I think the Father is towards all of us. He welcomes us and desires us to come to Him.
This morning I thought I would dig into the original Greek, as there are two words that seem pretty significant "belongs" and "receive" both of which are describing the Kingdom of God. These are Jesus' words concerning the Kingdom, so it is important for us to understand them.
The first word translated 'belongs' is the Greek work Eimi and the definition is given as follows: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. Only a few times is this word translated 'belongs' in the scriptures, so this causes me to wonder about a fuller meaning. If we replaced belongs with the simple definition "is present" it significantly changes the way I read this verse. It would sound to me that little children have an awareness of the Kingdom, that us older people do not. I find from my experience that this is often true, that little children are more sensitive to the moving of God, and spiritual reality around them, although they sometimes don't have language to describe what they are sensing or feeling.
The second word here translated 'receive' is the Greek word dechomai and it is defined as follows:
1) to take with the hand
a) to take hold of, take up
2) to take up, receive
a) used of a place receiving one
b) to receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse intercourse or friendship
1. to receive hospitality
2. to receive into one's family to bring up or educate
c) of the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing
1. to receive favourably, give ear to, embrace, make one's own, approve, not to reject
d) to receive. i.e. to take upon one's self, sustain, bear, endure
3) to receive, get
a) to learn
When I look at this definition, I imagine a little child holding out there hand to receive a gift their Father is giving them. There is an expectation and joy in the place of receiving something good. I imagine the child grasping this gift in their hand, recognizing that it is their gift because the Father has given it to them. There is no thought of earning or working, only receiving and taking it in their hand too examine and enjoy. A child will often not comprehend the actual value of the item that had been received, and I believe that is in play here as well, for all of us are like children in our understanding of the true riches of the Kingdom of God.
Finally, the fact that the way we receive the kingdom is critical to our ability to enter into the Kingdom, should cause us to review our attitude and heart. I think for me this means that it is not complicated and it is related to our heart attitude. We don't earn it, we receive it! It's not out of the ordinary, it is part of our life. In the same way we receive it, we should give it away.
Lord, help us to welcome Your Kingdom! Help us to take hold of it and embrace it with all our life, for it is a gift from You!
Saturday, February 20, 2016
There is NO Self-Righteousness
This morning I felt like I should read from Luke's Gospel. I turned to chapter 18 and after reading through the whole chapter the following passages grabbed my attention - Luke 18:9-14 NIV:
[9] "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people---robbers, evildoers, adulterers---or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
[13] “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
[14] “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
This is such an interesting story, for Jesus is addressing the Pharisees as well as the rest of the people who followed Him. The Pharisees were the ones that held themselves as righteous according to the law, they were the experts on God's word and had spent their lives pursuing this path of righteousness. These were the people that others looked up to, in regards to the religious purity, yet they were the people that Jesus confronted the most often, showing them how they were misunderstanding the purpose of the Law.
The Pharisees pursued external works as a way to righteousness, and Jesus is calling them to consider their hearts instead. Fasting and tithing, regular church attendance, etc. does not earn anyone righteousness. In fact these things can become a source of pride in our lives, as we judge others who don't do these things as worse than ourselves. The truth is that all of us are sinners, and have gone astray (Is. 53:6) and our only righteousness comes from Jesus (See Romans 1-5). There is NO self-righteouness. None of us is any better than anyone else in terms of righteousness on our own, it is only through our faith in Christ Jesus. If the gift is the same, how can we think of ourselves as better than others?
It is true that by the grace of God, and through our love for Him, that some of us have started to conform our lives to Him. Our calling is to be like Him, to become like Him, to represent Him to the world. Our lives become our witness and the people around us view our lives. We want our lives to point to Christ. Jesus was constantly pointing to His Father, constantly representing Him to the world, and we are called to do the same. This isn't a competition to see who can be the most righteous, the most pure, the most holy. Instead we called to relationship with the Lord, and invited to introduce others to Him.
So I am reminded today of my own sinfulness, my own need for righteousness through faith in Jesus, and I am so grateful that He has saved me. I want o walk humbly in the knowledge that it is all about Him, and I have just accepted the most fantastic gift ever given. It isn't something I earned, but rather it is the free gift of the Lord because of His love for me.
Amen.
[9] "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: [10] “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people---robbers, evildoers, adulterers---or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'
[13] “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
[14] “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
This is such an interesting story, for Jesus is addressing the Pharisees as well as the rest of the people who followed Him. The Pharisees were the ones that held themselves as righteous according to the law, they were the experts on God's word and had spent their lives pursuing this path of righteousness. These were the people that others looked up to, in regards to the religious purity, yet they were the people that Jesus confronted the most often, showing them how they were misunderstanding the purpose of the Law.
The Pharisees pursued external works as a way to righteousness, and Jesus is calling them to consider their hearts instead. Fasting and tithing, regular church attendance, etc. does not earn anyone righteousness. In fact these things can become a source of pride in our lives, as we judge others who don't do these things as worse than ourselves. The truth is that all of us are sinners, and have gone astray (Is. 53:6) and our only righteousness comes from Jesus (See Romans 1-5). There is NO self-righteouness. None of us is any better than anyone else in terms of righteousness on our own, it is only through our faith in Christ Jesus. If the gift is the same, how can we think of ourselves as better than others?
It is true that by the grace of God, and through our love for Him, that some of us have started to conform our lives to Him. Our calling is to be like Him, to become like Him, to represent Him to the world. Our lives become our witness and the people around us view our lives. We want our lives to point to Christ. Jesus was constantly pointing to His Father, constantly representing Him to the world, and we are called to do the same. This isn't a competition to see who can be the most righteous, the most pure, the most holy. Instead we called to relationship with the Lord, and invited to introduce others to Him.
So I am reminded today of my own sinfulness, my own need for righteousness through faith in Jesus, and I am so grateful that He has saved me. I want o walk humbly in the knowledge that it is all about Him, and I have just accepted the most fantastic gift ever given. It isn't something I earned, but rather it is the free gift of the Lord because of His love for me.
Amen.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Hatred and Spiritual Blindness
This morning I thought I would go back to where I left off in John's first letter. It was a while ago that I started working through his letter verse by verse, and I really enjoyed that study. So this morning I went back to where I left off. The following verses caught my eye - 1 John 2:9-11 NIV:
[9] "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. [10] Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. [11] But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them."
When I read these verses I was reminded of a common dream I have where I am driving somewhere and it starts getting darker and darker and I have no idea where I am going because the darkness is blinding me. It is a bit unsettling to see such a clear parallel in my dreams with John's letter here. It is interesting, as we were just talking last night about how the Lord speaks to us through our dreams. I had used this very dream as an example of my not knowing where I was going in the future, being blind to what is up ahead.
In these verses John is speaking specifically about fellow members of the Body of Christ, for the Greek word is adelphos, which denotes a fellow believer, whether man or woman. Hatred for a fellow brother or sister, a fellow member of the body of Christ, causes spiritual blindness according to John. Good Spiritual sight seems to me to be related to our understanding of God and His heart and purpose for ourselves and those around us, and spiritual darkness or blindness would be a lack of this understanding.
I can definitely see John's point, for if we are hating a fellow believer, we are rejecting one that the Lord has chosen and died to save. We are rejecting His perspective on their significance and membership in the Body of Christ. Secondly, the most significant characteristic of Christ is His love. He IS love, literally the word incarnate. Love is the greatest of gifts (1 Cor 13:13) and the most excellent way according to Paul. It is the single thing that is supposed to differentiate us as followers of Christ (John 13:35). It is the new commandment that Jesus gave us, that we should love one another (John 13:34). It is supposed to be the most significant characteristic of the Body of Christ, the church.
Thus, John can safely say that anyone that hates a fellow member of the Body of Christ is still in darkness, for they are not operating in the single most important charism of the church - love. I am sure one of the great disappointments the Lord has with His church today is the fact that the church is hardly distinguishable from the rest of the world. We seem to have lost our love and affection for one another, choosing instead to argue and fight over doctrinal differences, and scriptural interpretation. We compete with each other for members, we discourage inter-church and inter-denominational fellowship. We offer a thin hand of fellowship to our fellow brothers and sisters. We each think that our perspective is correct and give into spiritual pride as we judge all those who don't agree with us.
We are called to love one another, to be for each other, to have this love be so evident that world can easily identify that we are followers of Jesus. Let us pray for the spiritual blindness to be lifted that we can see where we are supposed to go, and what we are supposed to do. Let us lay down our judgments and mistrust of each other, let us set aside our hatred and disagreements and let us open our eyes to see one another the way the Lord sees us, as someone worth giving our very life for out of love.
Amen Lord, help me to see!
[9] "Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. [10] Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. [11] But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them."
When I read these verses I was reminded of a common dream I have where I am driving somewhere and it starts getting darker and darker and I have no idea where I am going because the darkness is blinding me. It is a bit unsettling to see such a clear parallel in my dreams with John's letter here. It is interesting, as we were just talking last night about how the Lord speaks to us through our dreams. I had used this very dream as an example of my not knowing where I was going in the future, being blind to what is up ahead.
In these verses John is speaking specifically about fellow members of the Body of Christ, for the Greek word is adelphos, which denotes a fellow believer, whether man or woman. Hatred for a fellow brother or sister, a fellow member of the body of Christ, causes spiritual blindness according to John. Good Spiritual sight seems to me to be related to our understanding of God and His heart and purpose for ourselves and those around us, and spiritual darkness or blindness would be a lack of this understanding.
I can definitely see John's point, for if we are hating a fellow believer, we are rejecting one that the Lord has chosen and died to save. We are rejecting His perspective on their significance and membership in the Body of Christ. Secondly, the most significant characteristic of Christ is His love. He IS love, literally the word incarnate. Love is the greatest of gifts (1 Cor 13:13) and the most excellent way according to Paul. It is the single thing that is supposed to differentiate us as followers of Christ (John 13:35). It is the new commandment that Jesus gave us, that we should love one another (John 13:34). It is supposed to be the most significant characteristic of the Body of Christ, the church.
Thus, John can safely say that anyone that hates a fellow member of the Body of Christ is still in darkness, for they are not operating in the single most important charism of the church - love. I am sure one of the great disappointments the Lord has with His church today is the fact that the church is hardly distinguishable from the rest of the world. We seem to have lost our love and affection for one another, choosing instead to argue and fight over doctrinal differences, and scriptural interpretation. We compete with each other for members, we discourage inter-church and inter-denominational fellowship. We offer a thin hand of fellowship to our fellow brothers and sisters. We each think that our perspective is correct and give into spiritual pride as we judge all those who don't agree with us.
We are called to love one another, to be for each other, to have this love be so evident that world can easily identify that we are followers of Jesus. Let us pray for the spiritual blindness to be lifted that we can see where we are supposed to go, and what we are supposed to do. Let us lay down our judgments and mistrust of each other, let us set aside our hatred and disagreements and let us open our eyes to see one another the way the Lord sees us, as someone worth giving our very life for out of love.
Amen Lord, help me to see!
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Duck Down So The Lord Can Swing
This morning I read through Peter's first letter to the church. It is so interesting when you read through one of the letters all in one sitting, you can get a much better sense of the man who wrote it, and His overall theme. I spend so much time in Paul's writings, it is nice to read another author. My quick synopsis of Peter is that he is more a man of faith than of logic, a man who has suffered and persevered, and seen God's hand caring for him through it all.
The two verses that stood out to me today we the following - 1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV:
[6] "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
As I read these verses, the part about casting all your anxiety on Him, is what resonated the strongest in my heart. I don't suffer from anxiety, but I have plenty to occupy my mind, and I think that qualifies as something I can unload into His caring hands. The original Greek could be translated as 'casting your cares on Him, because He cares for you' and that is more in line with my life. I have many cares that I am concerned with, and the point is simply that God has the same cares, because He cares for me. What an incredible thought - God cares for me, and because He does, He is willing to help me with my load.
A good example of what this is like is when I have a hard day at work, my sweetheart will take time to listen to me because she cares for me and loves me. My cares become her cares and vice versa. Peter is saying that our relationship with God can be exactly like that.
Secondly, his point about humbling ourselves under God's mighty hand is in recognition of God's capability and care. We don't need to prove our worth, don't need to yell to get His attention, don't need to try to do everything on our own, but rather can trust in His power and authority to lift us up, to give us strength, to give us His perspective. He really does care for us, and will not withhold His power from us.
As I was thinking about this the following imagery came to mind. It is like I am wading into a fistfight, and God is behind me and is obviously taller and has a longer reach. I can try to take on the opponent myself, or I can duck down and let the Lord swing at the opponent. In ducking down, I am bowing in front of His mighty hand(s) so that He can use them. If I stand in front of Him, I keep getting in the way. It might not be exactly what Peter was thinking about when He wrote these lines some many years ago, but that imagery really helps me!
So today I am encouraged to cast my cares upon Him, to duck down (humble myself) so He can work. I am encouraged to do this because He cares for me!
Amen!
The two verses that stood out to me today we the following - 1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV:
[6] "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. [7] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
As I read these verses, the part about casting all your anxiety on Him, is what resonated the strongest in my heart. I don't suffer from anxiety, but I have plenty to occupy my mind, and I think that qualifies as something I can unload into His caring hands. The original Greek could be translated as 'casting your cares on Him, because He cares for you' and that is more in line with my life. I have many cares that I am concerned with, and the point is simply that God has the same cares, because He cares for me. What an incredible thought - God cares for me, and because He does, He is willing to help me with my load.
A good example of what this is like is when I have a hard day at work, my sweetheart will take time to listen to me because she cares for me and loves me. My cares become her cares and vice versa. Peter is saying that our relationship with God can be exactly like that.
Secondly, his point about humbling ourselves under God's mighty hand is in recognition of God's capability and care. We don't need to prove our worth, don't need to yell to get His attention, don't need to try to do everything on our own, but rather can trust in His power and authority to lift us up, to give us strength, to give us His perspective. He really does care for us, and will not withhold His power from us.
As I was thinking about this the following imagery came to mind. It is like I am wading into a fistfight, and God is behind me and is obviously taller and has a longer reach. I can try to take on the opponent myself, or I can duck down and let the Lord swing at the opponent. In ducking down, I am bowing in front of His mighty hand(s) so that He can use them. If I stand in front of Him, I keep getting in the way. It might not be exactly what Peter was thinking about when He wrote these lines some many years ago, but that imagery really helps me!
So today I am encouraged to cast my cares upon Him, to duck down (humble myself) so He can work. I am encouraged to do this because He cares for me!
Amen!
Friday, February 12, 2016
Wages and Benefits
This morning I continue to chew on Paul's letter to the Romans. There is so much to digest and understand in this letter, I could probably spend a month every year just wading through it again and again, gaining more and more insight. Today, the verses I am thinking on are from Romans 6:22-23 NIV:
[22] "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves [bond-servants] of God, the benefit [fruit] you reap leads to holiness [sanctification and consecration], and the result is eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I added some alternative translations into the text, which for me is helpful in understanding Paul. In other words, Paul is saying that when we willingly choose to bind ourselves to Jesus, to serve His will, we reap the fruit of that decision. The fruit we experience here is related to becoming more like Him, set apart for God's purposes and uniting ourselves with Him. The ultimate fruit is eternal life, which Jesus (as quoted by John) equates with knowing God relationally, both here on earth and in eternity (John 17:3). What a great deal!
The second thing I noticed is found in the last line - the wages of sin and the gift of God. Paul is comparing the two life-choices, serving sin and serving God. In the first (sin) we receive payment (wages) for our choices and the ultimate effect is we forfeit our life (death). That sounds to me like I am actually paying out of my life (the wages for sin) every time I sin and the result is not good, for at the end I receive death. You could also say that everytime you sin, you receive payment in the form of a little bit of death being released into your life, with the final payment guaranteed. On the other side, if I choose to serve God, He gives me the gift of Eternal life, and I reap the fruit of relationship with Him. If I were to draw this up in an equation form it would look like this:
Our Choice Payment Received Final result
Serve sin a little bit of death death (not eternal life)
Serve God relationship with Him Eternal Life with Him
This seems so straight forward, yet many have become convinced that the opposite is true, that serving sin leads to excitement, adventure, fun, and fulfillment. I have heard people describe final judgement and hell as being like one giant party of booze, drugs, music and sex, while heaven is completely boring and filled with an angry God. The words of the Billy Joel song Only the Good Die Young describes this perspective pretty well - "I would rather laugh with the sinners than die with the saints." This is such a twisted perspective it could be considered delusional, yet it is quite common and widely accepted. Let us pray for an end to this delusion in our lives and lives of our young people!
This morning I am encouraged to recognize and enjoy the fruit (benefits) of my decision to follow the Lord, choosing to serve Him with my life. I am encouraged to think on the final benefit of this choice, eternal life with Him, who is the very definition of love!
[22] "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves [bond-servants] of God, the benefit [fruit] you reap leads to holiness [sanctification and consecration], and the result is eternal life. [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I added some alternative translations into the text, which for me is helpful in understanding Paul. In other words, Paul is saying that when we willingly choose to bind ourselves to Jesus, to serve His will, we reap the fruit of that decision. The fruit we experience here is related to becoming more like Him, set apart for God's purposes and uniting ourselves with Him. The ultimate fruit is eternal life, which Jesus (as quoted by John) equates with knowing God relationally, both here on earth and in eternity (John 17:3). What a great deal!
The second thing I noticed is found in the last line - the wages of sin and the gift of God. Paul is comparing the two life-choices, serving sin and serving God. In the first (sin) we receive payment (wages) for our choices and the ultimate effect is we forfeit our life (death). That sounds to me like I am actually paying out of my life (the wages for sin) every time I sin and the result is not good, for at the end I receive death. You could also say that everytime you sin, you receive payment in the form of a little bit of death being released into your life, with the final payment guaranteed. On the other side, if I choose to serve God, He gives me the gift of Eternal life, and I reap the fruit of relationship with Him. If I were to draw this up in an equation form it would look like this:
Our Choice Payment Received Final result
Serve sin a little bit of death death (not eternal life)
Serve God relationship with Him Eternal Life with Him
This seems so straight forward, yet many have become convinced that the opposite is true, that serving sin leads to excitement, adventure, fun, and fulfillment. I have heard people describe final judgement and hell as being like one giant party of booze, drugs, music and sex, while heaven is completely boring and filled with an angry God. The words of the Billy Joel song Only the Good Die Young describes this perspective pretty well - "I would rather laugh with the sinners than die with the saints." This is such a twisted perspective it could be considered delusional, yet it is quite common and widely accepted. Let us pray for an end to this delusion in our lives and lives of our young people!
This morning I am encouraged to recognize and enjoy the fruit (benefits) of my decision to follow the Lord, choosing to serve Him with my life. I am encouraged to think on the final benefit of this choice, eternal life with Him, who is the very definition of love!
Thursday, February 11, 2016
A Bond-Servant to Righteousness
This morning I am continuing my reading from Paul's letter to the Romans 6:16-18 NIV:
[16] "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey---whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. [18] You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
I was specifically focused on the word slave(s) in these verses. We normally understand the word slave to someone who is captive against their will, forced to serve someone or something completely against their will. However, the Greek word here is doulos and that term is more closely translated bond-servant. The key point is that it is not against the individuals will that they are in this position. One definition describes the bond-servant as "one who gives himself up to another's will". Reading verse 16 closely, it is apparent that Paul means exactly that as he describes the transaction as "you offer yourselves to someone as obedient bond-servants". In the remaining verses, we should understand that anytime the word slave is translated, it was actually the word Doulos, and should be understood as I just described, a willing bond-servant. For me this was important, as I could never see myself becoming a slave to righteousness, but can definitely see myself as a bond-servant of righteousness.
Secondly, Paul describes responsibility for sin as being our choice "you offer yourselves", and that is generally the correct understanding as far as I can tell. When we sin we are, of our own will, choosing to do something different than the will of God. We aren't forced to sin, and we bear responsibility for our sin. This is not a popular perspective these days of casting blame upon others. When something bad happens the first thing we tend to do, with our media leading the charge, is to ask who is to blame. From God's perspective the blame for our sin lies with us. There are the forces of the world, the flesh and the evil one, but we have free will, which is something that always brings back the responsibility for our actions onto our shoulders. We can be influenced by these other things, but at the heart of every sin is a choice we make. This is a huge theological topic and one that no one fully grasps, for it deals with the will of God, and His purposes which are things we can just vaguely understand, so I am just going to stop here, and say that I think Paul has it correct.
More important than any sin of mine is the salvation offered to me in Christ Jesus. Salvation and forgiveness, mercy and compassion are what I am choosing to embrace and think on. I am choosing now, of my free will, to make myself a bond-servant of God. I am choosing, and have been choosing daily for years, to give myself to His will, not mine. I am not perfect in this pursuit, but I am getting better every day, taking little steps in becoming more and more like Him. I choose to focus on the beauty of His grace and righteousness which wash over me. I choose to think on the wonders and majestic nature of God and His creation. I choose to try and represent Him to those I meet and those I have known for years. I choose to embrace my freedom from sin, purchased by Christ Jesus, and offer the rest of my life to Him, because I love Him. I have willing bound myself to Him, the King of Righteousness, for to know Him is eternal life (John 17:3).
Amen!
[16] "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey---whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? [17] But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. [18] You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
I was specifically focused on the word slave(s) in these verses. We normally understand the word slave to someone who is captive against their will, forced to serve someone or something completely against their will. However, the Greek word here is doulos and that term is more closely translated bond-servant. The key point is that it is not against the individuals will that they are in this position. One definition describes the bond-servant as "one who gives himself up to another's will". Reading verse 16 closely, it is apparent that Paul means exactly that as he describes the transaction as "you offer yourselves to someone as obedient bond-servants". In the remaining verses, we should understand that anytime the word slave is translated, it was actually the word Doulos, and should be understood as I just described, a willing bond-servant. For me this was important, as I could never see myself becoming a slave to righteousness, but can definitely see myself as a bond-servant of righteousness.
Secondly, Paul describes responsibility for sin as being our choice "you offer yourselves", and that is generally the correct understanding as far as I can tell. When we sin we are, of our own will, choosing to do something different than the will of God. We aren't forced to sin, and we bear responsibility for our sin. This is not a popular perspective these days of casting blame upon others. When something bad happens the first thing we tend to do, with our media leading the charge, is to ask who is to blame. From God's perspective the blame for our sin lies with us. There are the forces of the world, the flesh and the evil one, but we have free will, which is something that always brings back the responsibility for our actions onto our shoulders. We can be influenced by these other things, but at the heart of every sin is a choice we make. This is a huge theological topic and one that no one fully grasps, for it deals with the will of God, and His purposes which are things we can just vaguely understand, so I am just going to stop here, and say that I think Paul has it correct.
More important than any sin of mine is the salvation offered to me in Christ Jesus. Salvation and forgiveness, mercy and compassion are what I am choosing to embrace and think on. I am choosing now, of my free will, to make myself a bond-servant of God. I am choosing, and have been choosing daily for years, to give myself to His will, not mine. I am not perfect in this pursuit, but I am getting better every day, taking little steps in becoming more and more like Him. I choose to focus on the beauty of His grace and righteousness which wash over me. I choose to think on the wonders and majestic nature of God and His creation. I choose to try and represent Him to those I meet and those I have known for years. I choose to embrace my freedom from sin, purchased by Christ Jesus, and offer the rest of my life to Him, because I love Him. I have willing bound myself to Him, the King of Righteousness, for to know Him is eternal life (John 17:3).
Amen!
Sunday, February 7, 2016
In Christ, I Have Authority Over My Mind
Recently the Lord has given me some great insight and encouragement in the area of my thought life. This may not be something you struggle with, but for the last 40 plus years it has been a regular struggle, battle, and annoyance in my life. What I am talking about is the access to my thoughts that the enemy had and his ability to plant thoughts in my mind.
You may not be real familiar with this if you do not regularly monitor your thoughts and their point of origination, but it something that the Lord has made me increasingly aware of in my life. As I have paid attention to my thoughts, I have recognized that some do not originate from me. Some, and I find this number increasing, are clearly from the Lord, and others are clearly not from the Lord (most likely originating from dark spiritual entities). For years I have just assumed that this was part of the struggle that we as Christians learned to deal with, and that we learned how to walk victoriously, rejecting the thoughts from the enemy. However, I also found myself regularly listening to the thoughts and agreeing in some ways with their accusations against God, against others, and always drawing my eyes away from God. I have grown increasingly frustrated with this particular struggle, believing that as a mature Christian I should see more victory in my life in this area.
The other day I was thinking about this situation and I asked the Lord why the enemy has access to my thoughts. I felt like the Lord responded, "because you allow him to have access." He then pointed to my belief that this was just a normal part of a Christian's life, and said that this was the access point the enemy used, as I was allowing him in because I didn't realize it could be any different. I just assumed that because he (the enemy) was a spiritual entity I had no way to stop him.
The Lord then took me through a quick litany of scriptures and showed how He had defeated the enemy completely and had all authority and power (Matt 28:18), and how I was now a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), hidden in Him (Col 3:3) and had authority to drive out the enemy (Mark 3:15). The enemy has no authority in His kingdom, and I am in His Kingdom!
I have heard Graham Cooke and Bill Johnson both talk about how the enemy only has power in our lives in areas where we allow him, where we are in agreement, and this finally made sense to me in this area. My thought and belief that it was a normal part of Christian life, was the very point of access for him, where I was unwittingly in agreement with him.
The Lord's point was very simple, in Him, I have authority over my mind. I can shut the door on the enemy, and any other source, and they don't have any right of access. As His follower, I have authority over the enemy, and I just need to walk in that authority. I am a new creation, I no longer have to allow what was present in the 'old man', access to the 'new man'.
As I was thinking about this an analogy popped into my head - that of buying a house. When we buy a new house, part of the contract is NOT that we allow the old owner access to the house whenever he wants. When we purchase the house, all the keys are handed over and it is now our house, and we have authority and power over who we allow into that house. In the same way when we experience salvation in Christ, we become a new creation in Him, casting away the old. The old no longer has any right or access, unless we grant it. Paul talks quite a bit about this subject in a more thorough way in Romans 6-8.
Upon realizing this truth in my life, I quickly repented (changed the way I am thinking) and shut that door. Since that time, I have noticed a complete freedom from the accusing and lying, self-focused thoughts that don't originate with me. I still have my own selfishness, but those thoughts are not the same as what I was struggling with before.
I share this in the hopes that some of you might recognize a similar situation in your lives, and discover truth that will set you free from the lies and accusations of the enemy, especially in the area of your thoughts.
Peace, Sam
You may not be real familiar with this if you do not regularly monitor your thoughts and their point of origination, but it something that the Lord has made me increasingly aware of in my life. As I have paid attention to my thoughts, I have recognized that some do not originate from me. Some, and I find this number increasing, are clearly from the Lord, and others are clearly not from the Lord (most likely originating from dark spiritual entities). For years I have just assumed that this was part of the struggle that we as Christians learned to deal with, and that we learned how to walk victoriously, rejecting the thoughts from the enemy. However, I also found myself regularly listening to the thoughts and agreeing in some ways with their accusations against God, against others, and always drawing my eyes away from God. I have grown increasingly frustrated with this particular struggle, believing that as a mature Christian I should see more victory in my life in this area.
The other day I was thinking about this situation and I asked the Lord why the enemy has access to my thoughts. I felt like the Lord responded, "because you allow him to have access." He then pointed to my belief that this was just a normal part of a Christian's life, and said that this was the access point the enemy used, as I was allowing him in because I didn't realize it could be any different. I just assumed that because he (the enemy) was a spiritual entity I had no way to stop him.
The Lord then took me through a quick litany of scriptures and showed how He had defeated the enemy completely and had all authority and power (Matt 28:18), and how I was now a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), hidden in Him (Col 3:3) and had authority to drive out the enemy (Mark 3:15). The enemy has no authority in His kingdom, and I am in His Kingdom!
I have heard Graham Cooke and Bill Johnson both talk about how the enemy only has power in our lives in areas where we allow him, where we are in agreement, and this finally made sense to me in this area. My thought and belief that it was a normal part of Christian life, was the very point of access for him, where I was unwittingly in agreement with him.
The Lord's point was very simple, in Him, I have authority over my mind. I can shut the door on the enemy, and any other source, and they don't have any right of access. As His follower, I have authority over the enemy, and I just need to walk in that authority. I am a new creation, I no longer have to allow what was present in the 'old man', access to the 'new man'.
As I was thinking about this an analogy popped into my head - that of buying a house. When we buy a new house, part of the contract is NOT that we allow the old owner access to the house whenever he wants. When we purchase the house, all the keys are handed over and it is now our house, and we have authority and power over who we allow into that house. In the same way when we experience salvation in Christ, we become a new creation in Him, casting away the old. The old no longer has any right or access, unless we grant it. Paul talks quite a bit about this subject in a more thorough way in Romans 6-8.
Upon realizing this truth in my life, I quickly repented (changed the way I am thinking) and shut that door. Since that time, I have noticed a complete freedom from the accusing and lying, self-focused thoughts that don't originate with me. I still have my own selfishness, but those thoughts are not the same as what I was struggling with before.
I share this in the hopes that some of you might recognize a similar situation in your lives, and discover truth that will set you free from the lies and accusations of the enemy, especially in the area of your thoughts.
Peace, Sam
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Asking for the Whole Meal
This morning I am reading where I left off yesterday in Mark's Gospel. This story is a great example of Jesus signalling that salvation was available to all people, not just the Jews. Here is the story - Mark 7:24-30 NIV:
[24] "Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. [25] In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. [26] The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
[27] “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”
[28] “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”
[29] Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
[30] She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone."
I have always been intrigued by this interchange between Jesus and this woman. She is clearly not a Jew, but is described as a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. The area of Tyre and Sidon was where a significant Mediterranean port existed, and this area, though now ruled by Rome had a long history of Hellenistic influence. To be Greek meant you were raised with the standard Greek pantheon of gods.
So we have here a women, not of the Jewish faith, not believing in God as we know Him, who comes to Jesus because she heard He could heal. Tyre is in the north of Israel, and a little more than 30 miles from the Sea of Galilee, and Capernaum where Jesus set up His base of ministry. Jesus was apparently visiting Tyre to take a break, as He did not want people to know where He was staying. However, people in all of Israel were talking about Jesus, and someone must have seen Him, recognized that He was in town, and news got out traveling through the neighborhood lines of communication. No marketing campaign was necessary for Jesus ministry, it was the people who witnessed His miracles that were His messengers.
This woman was willing to cross faith boundaries to find relief for her daughter, who was possessed by an unclean or foul spirit. She knew the basics of authority and power; when you wanted to cast out something that was unwanted, you had to find someone with the authority, power and knowledge to do so. When we are sick, most of us go to a licensed and educated doctor to be treated, because we know they have the authority, power and knowledge to help us. She had heard stories about Jesus and recognized that He had something others did not, and was willing to seek Him out to see if He could help. Basically she was bearing witness to the Kingdom of God that Jesus had been proclaiming and demonstrating. She heard the stories and recognized that this man Jesus was demonstrating the kind of authority and power she needed.
People in great need will do extraordinary things to seek for help. She tracked Him down and threw herself at His feet, begging for His help. His response seems a bit mean initially, but I believe that His heart was already moved by her desperation. Anyway, I believe He was looking for faith, something the Father would have already planted in her to cause her to even seek Jesus out in the first place. Jesus had been given a task and that was to preach the Kingdom to the remnants of the chosen people, the Jews, and he gave similar clear instructions to His disciples when He sent them out (Matt 10:5-6). Yet here, He sees that the Father is already spreading a wider net of faith, and she clearly has it. She was willing to settle for crumbs, as referenced in their conversation, but the Lord never just gives crumbs, His invitation is always to His full banquet.
I wonder how many of us think this way about the Lord, that we are just hoping for crumbs, knowing that anything is better than nothing? We have this idea that we can't ask for the whole meal, the whole blessing, thinking we have disqualified ourselves in some way. We think the best we can hope for is some small pittance of God. Jesus demonstrates the truth of the matter here and heals her daughter. He heals the daughter of someone who has never belonged to the "right" church, who didn't know the Law, who wasn't pursuing righteousness, who wasn't descended from Abraham, and who likely worshipped idols. Salvation is available to all of us, no less the righteous or the sinner. His love is for all people, and He holds nothing back from one or the other. If God is willing to heal the daughter of someone who is clearly not one of His people, how could we ever think He wouldn't open wide the doors to those who know Him and love Him. I never gave my son less than I gave some stranger who asked me for something.
Finally, Jesus has authority over all things, over every situation! So let us be encouraged today that His love (all His love), authority (all His authority), and power (all His power) is available to us. We don't need to beg for scraps, for He loves us all equally, whether we know Him or not, whether we have just heard about Him or whether we have walked with Him for years. He desires for us to experience the reality of the His Kingdom, demonstrated in our lives.
Amen Lord! I am asking for the whole meal, not just crumbs, because that is what You desire to give me!
[24] "Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. [25] In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. [26] The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
[27] “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.”
[28] “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”
[29] Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
[30] She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone."
I have always been intrigued by this interchange between Jesus and this woman. She is clearly not a Jew, but is described as a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. The area of Tyre and Sidon was where a significant Mediterranean port existed, and this area, though now ruled by Rome had a long history of Hellenistic influence. To be Greek meant you were raised with the standard Greek pantheon of gods.
So we have here a women, not of the Jewish faith, not believing in God as we know Him, who comes to Jesus because she heard He could heal. Tyre is in the north of Israel, and a little more than 30 miles from the Sea of Galilee, and Capernaum where Jesus set up His base of ministry. Jesus was apparently visiting Tyre to take a break, as He did not want people to know where He was staying. However, people in all of Israel were talking about Jesus, and someone must have seen Him, recognized that He was in town, and news got out traveling through the neighborhood lines of communication. No marketing campaign was necessary for Jesus ministry, it was the people who witnessed His miracles that were His messengers.
This woman was willing to cross faith boundaries to find relief for her daughter, who was possessed by an unclean or foul spirit. She knew the basics of authority and power; when you wanted to cast out something that was unwanted, you had to find someone with the authority, power and knowledge to do so. When we are sick, most of us go to a licensed and educated doctor to be treated, because we know they have the authority, power and knowledge to help us. She had heard stories about Jesus and recognized that He had something others did not, and was willing to seek Him out to see if He could help. Basically she was bearing witness to the Kingdom of God that Jesus had been proclaiming and demonstrating. She heard the stories and recognized that this man Jesus was demonstrating the kind of authority and power she needed.
People in great need will do extraordinary things to seek for help. She tracked Him down and threw herself at His feet, begging for His help. His response seems a bit mean initially, but I believe that His heart was already moved by her desperation. Anyway, I believe He was looking for faith, something the Father would have already planted in her to cause her to even seek Jesus out in the first place. Jesus had been given a task and that was to preach the Kingdom to the remnants of the chosen people, the Jews, and he gave similar clear instructions to His disciples when He sent them out (Matt 10:5-6). Yet here, He sees that the Father is already spreading a wider net of faith, and she clearly has it. She was willing to settle for crumbs, as referenced in their conversation, but the Lord never just gives crumbs, His invitation is always to His full banquet.
I wonder how many of us think this way about the Lord, that we are just hoping for crumbs, knowing that anything is better than nothing? We have this idea that we can't ask for the whole meal, the whole blessing, thinking we have disqualified ourselves in some way. We think the best we can hope for is some small pittance of God. Jesus demonstrates the truth of the matter here and heals her daughter. He heals the daughter of someone who has never belonged to the "right" church, who didn't know the Law, who wasn't pursuing righteousness, who wasn't descended from Abraham, and who likely worshipped idols. Salvation is available to all of us, no less the righteous or the sinner. His love is for all people, and He holds nothing back from one or the other. If God is willing to heal the daughter of someone who is clearly not one of His people, how could we ever think He wouldn't open wide the doors to those who know Him and love Him. I never gave my son less than I gave some stranger who asked me for something.
Finally, Jesus has authority over all things, over every situation! So let us be encouraged today that His love (all His love), authority (all His authority), and power (all His power) is available to us. We don't need to beg for scraps, for He loves us all equally, whether we know Him or not, whether we have just heard about Him or whether we have walked with Him for years. He desires for us to experience the reality of the His Kingdom, demonstrated in our lives.
Amen Lord! I am asking for the whole meal, not just crumbs, because that is what You desire to give me!
Monday, February 1, 2016
Eyes on Him
This morning I felt like reading from Paul's letter to the Galatians 5:13-16, 22-25 NIV:
[13] "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. [16] So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
As I was reading these verses this morning, I was conscious of how 'other' focused we are called to be. Paul encourages us to fight against indulging our own flesh by serving one another, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. In walking by the Spirit, as being led by the Holy Spirit, we are focused on the direction of the Spirit, rather than our flesh. I think I have said this before, but I am definitely aware of the fact that pretty much all my sins originate from a selfish perspective. When my eyes are fixed on myself, it is very hard to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, and it is very hard to love my neighbor.
My prayer this morning is that I might consistently turn my eyes away from my own flesh and turn towards the Lord. As I learn to walk more fully in His ways, my life will be filled with more of the fruit of that pursuit. Who doesn't want more love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control in their life? I know that I do! Lord help me to be more focused on You, in step with You Holy Spirit!
[13] "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. [14] For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [15] If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. [16] So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
[22] "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."
As I was reading these verses this morning, I was conscious of how 'other' focused we are called to be. Paul encourages us to fight against indulging our own flesh by serving one another, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. In walking by the Spirit, as being led by the Holy Spirit, we are focused on the direction of the Spirit, rather than our flesh. I think I have said this before, but I am definitely aware of the fact that pretty much all my sins originate from a selfish perspective. When my eyes are fixed on myself, it is very hard to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, and it is very hard to love my neighbor.
My prayer this morning is that I might consistently turn my eyes away from my own flesh and turn towards the Lord. As I learn to walk more fully in His ways, my life will be filled with more of the fruit of that pursuit. Who doesn't want more love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control in their life? I know that I do! Lord help me to be more focused on You, in step with You Holy Spirit!
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