"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (Matt. 13:44)
How important is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ to you? In this parable Jesus compares knowing God to a man who gave up everything else for that one treasure. I wonder sometimes how many people in the average church value knowing God through Jesus enough to exchange everything for that treasure.
John Piper in God is the Gospel asked a question about heaven and knowing Jesus. I am not going to quote him, but paraphrase his idea. If you could go to heaven and have all the stuff that you value, family, friends, leisure activity you enjoy, good food with no calories, and not have the bad, no sin, no pain, no suffering, no death; that is, you could enjoy heaven for eternity with all the good and not the bad, and yet not have Jesus, would you accept that? Do you truly love Jesus, or do you love the stuff that He does for you?
Is it about knowing God, or is it just not going to hell when we die? Do we truly love Jesus, or do we love the benefits of the Christian journey? Who or what do you love? We need to ask ourselves if we are willing to be like the man in this story and give everything for the joy of knowing God through Christ.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Pray Today
"Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervetnly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore fruit." (James 5:17-18)
James was the half brother of Jesus, and he had earned for himself the nickname "Camel Knees" because of the callouses on his knees from praying. And through him God declares, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16b). It is definitely an encouraging word that he gives us in this scripture that no less a prayer warrior than Elijah was a regular human being. He did not have some extra prayer power that is not available to every child of God.
Elijah was not born with extra "prayer chromosones". He was a man with a nature just like us. And if he accomplished all that he did with what he had available, what should we be able to accomplish with the resources available to us? Have you ever really wondered why we spend so little time doing what is the most powerful resource at our disposal?
It is amazing to me when we work in a Muslim context on mission how many followers of that faith come to us and request prayer in Jesus' name. They have seen God send rain in answer to prayer.
In a trip into the village in the summer of '08 the harvest was languishing. When our team arrived the first order of business was a prayer request for rain. And we prayed for rain, "in Jesus' name." And within hours God had sent over 5 inches of rain. Word went out throughout the surrounding region that the rain makers were in town. Quickly we had to explain that it was only by the name of Jesus. God got all the glory.
We have seen God answer so many prayers when they are offerred in the context of believing faith. Wells that had run dry have water. The sick are healed. God is always as near to us as prayer. Elijah prayed it would not rain, and it did not for 3 and 1/2 years. Then He prayed again and it rained. It is a story of faithfulness in prayer worth reading in I Kings 17-18. Read it all and let God speak to your heart. The same opportunity of prayer is available to you as it was to Elijah and James.
James was the half brother of Jesus, and he had earned for himself the nickname "Camel Knees" because of the callouses on his knees from praying. And through him God declares, "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16b). It is definitely an encouraging word that he gives us in this scripture that no less a prayer warrior than Elijah was a regular human being. He did not have some extra prayer power that is not available to every child of God.
Elijah was not born with extra "prayer chromosones". He was a man with a nature just like us. And if he accomplished all that he did with what he had available, what should we be able to accomplish with the resources available to us? Have you ever really wondered why we spend so little time doing what is the most powerful resource at our disposal?
It is amazing to me when we work in a Muslim context on mission how many followers of that faith come to us and request prayer in Jesus' name. They have seen God send rain in answer to prayer.
In a trip into the village in the summer of '08 the harvest was languishing. When our team arrived the first order of business was a prayer request for rain. And we prayed for rain, "in Jesus' name." And within hours God had sent over 5 inches of rain. Word went out throughout the surrounding region that the rain makers were in town. Quickly we had to explain that it was only by the name of Jesus. God got all the glory.
We have seen God answer so many prayers when they are offerred in the context of believing faith. Wells that had run dry have water. The sick are healed. God is always as near to us as prayer. Elijah prayed it would not rain, and it did not for 3 and 1/2 years. Then He prayed again and it rained. It is a story of faithfulness in prayer worth reading in I Kings 17-18. Read it all and let God speak to your heart. The same opportunity of prayer is available to you as it was to Elijah and James.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up." Isa. 6:1)
Uzziah had been one of the truly great kings of God's people. He had led them in a time of propserity and peace. Not only, that, however, Uzziah had been Isaiah's good friend. So when we read this verse of scripture, it is a time of great future uncertainty for Isaiah, as well as a time of personal grief. And the prophet says in that moment of difficulty, "I saw the Lord."
God is always right on time, everytime. I remember a verse that went something like this:
I walked a mile with pleasure,
She chattered all the way;
But I was none the wiser,
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with sorrow,
Not a word said she,
But O the things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.
Look at the result of this time of difficulty in Isaiah's life. "I saw the Lord." God visited with HIm and reminded him of something very important. The future hope of God's people did not rest in a political leader. Notice that when Isaiah saw the Lord, God was still seated on His throne. Uzziah's death did not take God by surprise. Nothing ever does.
Today, remember, whatever the difficulties of your life are, God is not suprised or even anxious. He is not wringing His hands in heaven saying, "I wasn't expecting this." He is still in control. Why don't you take a moment and thank Him that He can handle your situation, if you will trust Him.
Uzziah had been one of the truly great kings of God's people. He had led them in a time of propserity and peace. Not only, that, however, Uzziah had been Isaiah's good friend. So when we read this verse of scripture, it is a time of great future uncertainty for Isaiah, as well as a time of personal grief. And the prophet says in that moment of difficulty, "I saw the Lord."
God is always right on time, everytime. I remember a verse that went something like this:
I walked a mile with pleasure,
She chattered all the way;
But I was none the wiser,
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with sorrow,
Not a word said she,
But O the things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.
Look at the result of this time of difficulty in Isaiah's life. "I saw the Lord." God visited with HIm and reminded him of something very important. The future hope of God's people did not rest in a political leader. Notice that when Isaiah saw the Lord, God was still seated on His throne. Uzziah's death did not take God by surprise. Nothing ever does.
Today, remember, whatever the difficulties of your life are, God is not suprised or even anxious. He is not wringing His hands in heaven saying, "I wasn't expecting this." He is still in control. Why don't you take a moment and thank Him that He can handle your situation, if you will trust Him.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Finish Well
"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," (Heb. 12:1)
God's Word compares living the Christian life to running a race, a marathon, however, not a sprint. We know all too well that not everyone who begins the race ends well. Jesus once described the sowing of the seed of God's Word in a parable of a variety of soils. Some seed fell on the path that was hardened from travelers passing over it. The seed never penetrated that soil. Other seed fell on ground that was shallow with rocks just under the surface. It sprang up quickly but had no depth for its roots and soon died. Other fell on thorny ground, where it was eventually choked out by the cares of this world, He said. Some managed, however, to fall on good soil where it sprang up and bore fruit for the Kingdom.
Our mistake in the modern church is thinking we are the good soil. So let me just ask, how are you doing in running life's race? It is not so much how you start as how you finish that makes the difference. Consider a man named Demas. We first are introduced to him in Philemon 24 where Paul describes him as a fellow servant. The book of Colossians, written at a later day desribes him simply as Demas. No superlatives or accolades to accompany his mention. Once a fellow servant, a leader among believers, now just a part of the pack. The real tragedy of his life is mentioned when we get to 2 Timothy 4:10 where Paul informs us that Demas "in love with this present world, has deserted me."
How will you finish? You may have started with great joy and progressed through years of hard work in the Kingdom, but how will you finish? The race can be hard and long. Life often surprises us along the way. Will you finish well? Paul said that he finished the race, he fought a good fight. Will you be able to say that. Live so that when you face God, He will say, "Well done good and faithful servant."
God's Word compares living the Christian life to running a race, a marathon, however, not a sprint. We know all too well that not everyone who begins the race ends well. Jesus once described the sowing of the seed of God's Word in a parable of a variety of soils. Some seed fell on the path that was hardened from travelers passing over it. The seed never penetrated that soil. Other seed fell on ground that was shallow with rocks just under the surface. It sprang up quickly but had no depth for its roots and soon died. Other fell on thorny ground, where it was eventually choked out by the cares of this world, He said. Some managed, however, to fall on good soil where it sprang up and bore fruit for the Kingdom.
Our mistake in the modern church is thinking we are the good soil. So let me just ask, how are you doing in running life's race? It is not so much how you start as how you finish that makes the difference. Consider a man named Demas. We first are introduced to him in Philemon 24 where Paul describes him as a fellow servant. The book of Colossians, written at a later day desribes him simply as Demas. No superlatives or accolades to accompany his mention. Once a fellow servant, a leader among believers, now just a part of the pack. The real tragedy of his life is mentioned when we get to 2 Timothy 4:10 where Paul informs us that Demas "in love with this present world, has deserted me."
How will you finish? You may have started with great joy and progressed through years of hard work in the Kingdom, but how will you finish? The race can be hard and long. Life often surprises us along the way. Will you finish well? Paul said that he finished the race, he fought a good fight. Will you be able to say that. Live so that when you face God, He will say, "Well done good and faithful servant."
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Hot or Cold
"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." (Rev. 3:16)
These are the words of the Lord Jesus to the church in Laodicea. It had once been a church that was in love with Jesus. It had once been a white hot church. But now Jesus says they are lukewarm, and in fact nauseating to Him. The word spit is a modest translation of a word that literally means to vomit.
All my life I have read this to be a word to "lukewarm christians", but is it? Has there ever been a greater oxymoron than "lukewarm christians." A Christian, a genuine Christian, is one who has come to experience the incredible love of God through Jesus Christ. They have been given an incredible gift of the person of the Holy Spirit to live in their heart. They have been set free from the powers of the kingdom of darkness and become a child of the king. How can someone who truly knows God through Jesus Christ be lukewarm?
The counsel that Jesus gives to this church to buy "white garments to clothe your nakedness" and "salve to annoint your eyes so that you may see" are suggestive of salvation experiences. Could it be that the church in Laodicea was full of lukewarm religious people who have never been born again? Perhaps verse 20 is actually an evangelistic text after all. "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."
So today, let me ask you a question. Are you white hot crazy in love with Jesus, or are you absolutely cold and indifferent? Or perhaps today you would say, "I am lukewarm." Maybe it is time to do what Paul suggests in 2 Cor. 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith."
These are the words of the Lord Jesus to the church in Laodicea. It had once been a church that was in love with Jesus. It had once been a white hot church. But now Jesus says they are lukewarm, and in fact nauseating to Him. The word spit is a modest translation of a word that literally means to vomit.
All my life I have read this to be a word to "lukewarm christians", but is it? Has there ever been a greater oxymoron than "lukewarm christians." A Christian, a genuine Christian, is one who has come to experience the incredible love of God through Jesus Christ. They have been given an incredible gift of the person of the Holy Spirit to live in their heart. They have been set free from the powers of the kingdom of darkness and become a child of the king. How can someone who truly knows God through Jesus Christ be lukewarm?
The counsel that Jesus gives to this church to buy "white garments to clothe your nakedness" and "salve to annoint your eyes so that you may see" are suggestive of salvation experiences. Could it be that the church in Laodicea was full of lukewarm religious people who have never been born again? Perhaps verse 20 is actually an evangelistic text after all. "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."
So today, let me ask you a question. Are you white hot crazy in love with Jesus, or are you absolutely cold and indifferent? Or perhaps today you would say, "I am lukewarm." Maybe it is time to do what Paul suggests in 2 Cor. 13:5, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith."
Friday, April 24, 2009
Try Faith in God
"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Ps. 37:5)
We often talk about having faith in God, but do we really trust in Him? In this psalm, David says that God will act in our behalf. But notice when He does, when we commit ourselves to absolute dependency in Him through the proposition of faith.
The Bible talks about faith, and describes faith, and gives us many illustrations of faith, but it never really defines faith. A careful study of Hebrews 11 suggests that a working definition of faith might be something like, taking God at His word and then acting upon it. Romans 10: 17 lets us know that faith is built upon the word of God. It is resting in the truth that God has committed Himself to act upon.
We speak of having faith. Many times, however, we have a vague willingness to really trust God. We pray and say that we are trusting Him, but we really hold on to the issue that we are needing to exercise faith about just in case. Faith becomes real when we surrender absolutely to God and God alone. We become so committed to the trust in Him that if He does not act we have no other option and we are at risk.
Look again at the promise of this verse. "Commit your way to the Lord." That is the command. Surrender fully the matter at hand to God's care. Turn loose of it, completely. "Trust in Him." That is not simply a restatement of the first phrase. It is the assurance that the command here means depend absolutely on God alone. Look at the absoluteness of the promise. God will act. It does not say He might act, but He will act. When does God act? When you have surrendered completely to His sovereign control. Will He do what I want? He will do what is right and what is best.
We often talk about having faith in God, but do we really trust in Him? In this psalm, David says that God will act in our behalf. But notice when He does, when we commit ourselves to absolute dependency in Him through the proposition of faith.
The Bible talks about faith, and describes faith, and gives us many illustrations of faith, but it never really defines faith. A careful study of Hebrews 11 suggests that a working definition of faith might be something like, taking God at His word and then acting upon it. Romans 10: 17 lets us know that faith is built upon the word of God. It is resting in the truth that God has committed Himself to act upon.
We speak of having faith. Many times, however, we have a vague willingness to really trust God. We pray and say that we are trusting Him, but we really hold on to the issue that we are needing to exercise faith about just in case. Faith becomes real when we surrender absolutely to God and God alone. We become so committed to the trust in Him that if He does not act we have no other option and we are at risk.
Look again at the promise of this verse. "Commit your way to the Lord." That is the command. Surrender fully the matter at hand to God's care. Turn loose of it, completely. "Trust in Him." That is not simply a restatement of the first phrase. It is the assurance that the command here means depend absolutely on God alone. Look at the absoluteness of the promise. God will act. It does not say He might act, but He will act. When does God act? When you have surrendered completely to His sovereign control. Will He do what I want? He will do what is right and what is best.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Do You Really Trust Him?
"And Jesus sent out the twelve to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal. and He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money, and do not have two tunics. And whatever house ou enter, stay there, and from there depart." (Luke 9:2-3)
Have you ever really considered this passage before? Jesus is sending the twelve disciples out to preach the message of the Kingdom. There is nothing surprising about that, it is what He had called them to follow Him for. Look at the instructions that He gives them. "Do not take anything with you. Nothing."
Imagine for a moment your employer sending you out of town on business. He calls you into the office and says, "I need you to go out of town for a couple of weeks. Don't go home and pack. Don't take anything with you. When you get to the town that I am sending you, just stay with anyone that will take you in. Don't carry a change of clothes, not even clean underwear. And listen, don't take any money or credit cards with you. Don't worry about anything, I have prearranged for all of your needs to be cared for."
In our materialistic culture this whole concept is ludicrous and foreign to our way of thinking. Why did Jesus give the disciples this command? I believe that Jesus wanted the disciples to learn to trust Him completely. Jesus wanted the disciples to fully rely on God and not their own abilities to provide for themselves.
So let me ask you to be brutally honest with yourself. Do you trust God absolutely and completely? Are you living your life so dependent on God that if He does not come through, you are in big trouble? What if God asked you to do what He asked Abraham to do in Genesis? God said, "Abraham, come and follow me." "Ok, where are we going Lord?" "I will tell you when we get
there."
It is pretty easy to say, I believe God will take care of me. It is pretty easy to say I am fully dependent on God. So put yourself in the disciples sandals for a moment. Jesus says, "Go out and preach my Kingdom. Go, right now. Do not go home and pack. Do not take anything with you, not even some money." Now, not the Sunday School answer, but the truth. What would you do?
Have you ever really considered this passage before? Jesus is sending the twelve disciples out to preach the message of the Kingdom. There is nothing surprising about that, it is what He had called them to follow Him for. Look at the instructions that He gives them. "Do not take anything with you. Nothing."
Imagine for a moment your employer sending you out of town on business. He calls you into the office and says, "I need you to go out of town for a couple of weeks. Don't go home and pack. Don't take anything with you. When you get to the town that I am sending you, just stay with anyone that will take you in. Don't carry a change of clothes, not even clean underwear. And listen, don't take any money or credit cards with you. Don't worry about anything, I have prearranged for all of your needs to be cared for."
In our materialistic culture this whole concept is ludicrous and foreign to our way of thinking. Why did Jesus give the disciples this command? I believe that Jesus wanted the disciples to learn to trust Him completely. Jesus wanted the disciples to fully rely on God and not their own abilities to provide for themselves.
So let me ask you to be brutally honest with yourself. Do you trust God absolutely and completely? Are you living your life so dependent on God that if He does not come through, you are in big trouble? What if God asked you to do what He asked Abraham to do in Genesis? God said, "Abraham, come and follow me." "Ok, where are we going Lord?" "I will tell you when we get
there."
It is pretty easy to say, I believe God will take care of me. It is pretty easy to say I am fully dependent on God. So put yourself in the disciples sandals for a moment. Jesus says, "Go out and preach my Kingdom. Go, right now. Do not go home and pack. Do not take anything with you, not even some money." Now, not the Sunday School answer, but the truth. What would you do?
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What's the Point?
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." I Cor. 10:31
So have you ever considered life in very general terms and then just finally said, "What's the point?" Maybe you have wondered what your purpose in life is or even in frustration wondered is there any real point to my existence. Francis Chan said, "The point of your life is to point to Him." God did not create us because He needed us, or because He was lonely and could not bear to not have us. He created us for the very purpose of bringing Him honor and glory. God loves us because of who He is, not because He has to or needs to.God desires to have fellowship with us because He loves us.
So often we do not choose to love God or to honor God, when that is actually the greatest need in our lives. Because we were created to honor and glorify God, our greatest joy and satisfaction comes when we are engaging in that. Because God designed us to live in relationship with Him, we need to love God even though we often choose not to.
If you want to experience life at its fullest today, abandon yourself to loving God with all of your heart,soul, mind, and strength. If you want to understand the point of it all, choose today to spend every moment pointing to Him. Because that is not natural to us, we have to surrender ourselves to Him. We must come in honesty and say, "God, everything about me continues to love other things and I so often ignore You, the one for whom I have been created. But, I choose today to go against the current of the world and surrender to You. By Your Holy Spirit keep me focused on living for the purpose You created me for."
Don't miss the point. Spend your moments daily pointing to God. Live to glorify Him in all that you do.
So have you ever considered life in very general terms and then just finally said, "What's the point?" Maybe you have wondered what your purpose in life is or even in frustration wondered is there any real point to my existence. Francis Chan said, "The point of your life is to point to Him." God did not create us because He needed us, or because He was lonely and could not bear to not have us. He created us for the very purpose of bringing Him honor and glory. God loves us because of who He is, not because He has to or needs to.God desires to have fellowship with us because He loves us.
So often we do not choose to love God or to honor God, when that is actually the greatest need in our lives. Because we were created to honor and glorify God, our greatest joy and satisfaction comes when we are engaging in that. Because God designed us to live in relationship with Him, we need to love God even though we often choose not to.
If you want to experience life at its fullest today, abandon yourself to loving God with all of your heart,soul, mind, and strength. If you want to understand the point of it all, choose today to spend every moment pointing to Him. Because that is not natural to us, we have to surrender ourselves to Him. We must come in honesty and say, "God, everything about me continues to love other things and I so often ignore You, the one for whom I have been created. But, I choose today to go against the current of the world and surrender to You. By Your Holy Spirit keep me focused on living for the purpose You created me for."
Don't miss the point. Spend your moments daily pointing to God. Live to glorify Him in all that you do.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Trust God Completely
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths." (Prov. 3:5-6)
One of the questions that we do well to ask ourselves is, "Do I honestly believe that God is completely trustworthy?" We should ask that question before we entrust our soul to Him for eternity. Once we have made that decision, why is it so difficult for us to trust Him with every other aspect of our life.
The Word of God teaches us that God cannot lie. God is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same tomorrow. So listen to this: He always keeps His promises. Not sometimes, but always.Therefore, the multitude of promises in the Bible become keys for us to unlock God's favor in responding to our prayers.
I remember some years ago reading the biography of George Mueller, the great man of faith in Bristol, England. He once said, "To pray without an open Bible is presumption." He did not mean that we could not pray if we did not literally open up our Bible. He meant that we should pray God's Word, God's promises. Anything else is wishful thinking, maybe even vain speculation.
Psalm 37:7 says, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." We don't like waiting before God. It escapes our attention that when God promised Abraham a son, it took a year. We forget Moses was 80 years old when he saw the burning bush on the hillside and God called him. God's promises are certain, but we must wait.
In a day of fast food, and even instant grits we want what we want and we want it now. Someone wisely reminds us that God grows a mushroom overnight, but oak trees take years. Be still before God today. Do not trust your own abilities. Wait on God. He will make your paths straight.
One of the questions that we do well to ask ourselves is, "Do I honestly believe that God is completely trustworthy?" We should ask that question before we entrust our soul to Him for eternity. Once we have made that decision, why is it so difficult for us to trust Him with every other aspect of our life.
The Word of God teaches us that God cannot lie. God is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will be the same tomorrow. So listen to this: He always keeps His promises. Not sometimes, but always.Therefore, the multitude of promises in the Bible become keys for us to unlock God's favor in responding to our prayers.
I remember some years ago reading the biography of George Mueller, the great man of faith in Bristol, England. He once said, "To pray without an open Bible is presumption." He did not mean that we could not pray if we did not literally open up our Bible. He meant that we should pray God's Word, God's promises. Anything else is wishful thinking, maybe even vain speculation.
Psalm 37:7 says, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." We don't like waiting before God. It escapes our attention that when God promised Abraham a son, it took a year. We forget Moses was 80 years old when he saw the burning bush on the hillside and God called him. God's promises are certain, but we must wait.
In a day of fast food, and even instant grits we want what we want and we want it now. Someone wisely reminds us that God grows a mushroom overnight, but oak trees take years. Be still before God today. Do not trust your own abilities. Wait on God. He will make your paths straight.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Today. What to do?
"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24)
God gives to us each moment of each day as a trust of time. Just as He has invested in each one of us certain amounts of talent, and certain amounts of treasure, He has also given us today.
We have basically three choices of what we do with that time. We can waste it. We can spend it. Or, we can invest it. It is a trust from God of which we are stewards (managers).
I can remember as a small boy receiving an allowance. Usually after getting it, I would say,"Mom, can we go to the store." She would ask, "Is that money burning a hole in your pocket?" As a child, I did not yet understand my choices.
We can waste our time. We can spend it doing nothing, or very frivolously. I remember going to the state fair as a boy. We would walk by the booths where for a quarter you could try and win a prize. The odds were stacked against me, and usually that was a waste of my money. I can be just as careless with my time and just waste it.
We can spend our time. We can use the time doing something that gives us a return of pleasure and promise. If I buy a sandwich, my money is still gone, but my body received something to stave off hunger, and hopefully nourish me. In the same way, I can work during the day to earn a wage to support my family. I can spend my time.
I can also invest my time. If we place money in an interest bearing venture, we get our money back and more. If we sow seeds in a garden, we can produce a harvest of more than we had to begin.
When we use our time wisely, it becomes an investment. Worship of God, prayer, evangelism and missions are a couple of things that come to mind as an investment.
When our church goes to West Africa, and we plant a church that can reproduce itself, it is an investment. When we see the African believers sharing their faith in villages we have never been to, we are seeing the return on the investment.
Today, it is a gift from God to you. Will you waste it? Will you spend it? Or, will you invest it in something that has eternal results? It is really your choice.
God gives to us each moment of each day as a trust of time. Just as He has invested in each one of us certain amounts of talent, and certain amounts of treasure, He has also given us today.
We have basically three choices of what we do with that time. We can waste it. We can spend it. Or, we can invest it. It is a trust from God of which we are stewards (managers).
I can remember as a small boy receiving an allowance. Usually after getting it, I would say,"Mom, can we go to the store." She would ask, "Is that money burning a hole in your pocket?" As a child, I did not yet understand my choices.
We can waste our time. We can spend it doing nothing, or very frivolously. I remember going to the state fair as a boy. We would walk by the booths where for a quarter you could try and win a prize. The odds were stacked against me, and usually that was a waste of my money. I can be just as careless with my time and just waste it.
We can spend our time. We can use the time doing something that gives us a return of pleasure and promise. If I buy a sandwich, my money is still gone, but my body received something to stave off hunger, and hopefully nourish me. In the same way, I can work during the day to earn a wage to support my family. I can spend my time.
I can also invest my time. If we place money in an interest bearing venture, we get our money back and more. If we sow seeds in a garden, we can produce a harvest of more than we had to begin.
When we use our time wisely, it becomes an investment. Worship of God, prayer, evangelism and missions are a couple of things that come to mind as an investment.
When our church goes to West Africa, and we plant a church that can reproduce itself, it is an investment. When we see the African believers sharing their faith in villages we have never been to, we are seeing the return on the investment.
Today, it is a gift from God to you. Will you waste it? Will you spend it? Or, will you invest it in something that has eternal results? It is really your choice.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Just an Average Day
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding." (Job 38:4)
These are the words of God to Job after Job finally stops proclaiming his innocence. Like Job we are all so arrogant and puffed up with our own importance. Francis Chan says, "On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. On the average day we don't consider God very much. On the average day, we forget that our life truly is a vapor." (Crazy Love).
A week ago we celebrated Easter. As Christians looking back we consider it to be the greatest event in human history. Yet for most of the world the events of that weekend went unnoticed 2000 years ago. In Africa, in China, in North America, no one knew that the Messiah was being crucifed on a Roman cross on that Friday. In those places and most of the rest of the known world, no one knew that the tomb was empty on Sunday morning. It was an average day where for most people life was all about them.
Now a week after Easter, most of Christendom has gone back to business as usual. The truth is that for many of us we get up each day and act like life is mostly about us. We often rush into the day without thinking about God, much less stopping to worship Him and rejoice in the day He has given to us.
It will be much like any other average day when Jesus returns for His bride. It was pretty much an average day when Mary and Joseph stopped in Bethlehem and Jesus was born. It was pretty much any other average day when God called Abraham to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. It started like any other day when Moses saw the bush burning on the side of the mountain. It was just another day when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal.
What about today in your life? Is it just one more average day? Is it a day you will not think about God much, or is it a day you will surrender your life in full to Him? Could it be today, just an average day when Jesus returns? Could it be today, an average day, when God does something so spectacular in your life that you will never forget it? Today, an average day, or a special day because it is a gift from God?
These are the words of God to Job after Job finally stops proclaiming his innocence. Like Job we are all so arrogant and puffed up with our own importance. Francis Chan says, "On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. On the average day we don't consider God very much. On the average day, we forget that our life truly is a vapor." (Crazy Love).
A week ago we celebrated Easter. As Christians looking back we consider it to be the greatest event in human history. Yet for most of the world the events of that weekend went unnoticed 2000 years ago. In Africa, in China, in North America, no one knew that the Messiah was being crucifed on a Roman cross on that Friday. In those places and most of the rest of the known world, no one knew that the tomb was empty on Sunday morning. It was an average day where for most people life was all about them.
Now a week after Easter, most of Christendom has gone back to business as usual. The truth is that for many of us we get up each day and act like life is mostly about us. We often rush into the day without thinking about God, much less stopping to worship Him and rejoice in the day He has given to us.
It will be much like any other average day when Jesus returns for His bride. It was pretty much an average day when Mary and Joseph stopped in Bethlehem and Jesus was born. It was pretty much any other average day when God called Abraham to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice. It started like any other day when Moses saw the bush burning on the side of the mountain. It was just another day when Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal.
What about today in your life? Is it just one more average day? Is it a day you will not think about God much, or is it a day you will surrender your life in full to Him? Could it be today, just an average day when Jesus returns? Could it be today, an average day, when God does something so spectacular in your life that you will never forget it? Today, an average day, or a special day because it is a gift from God?
Friday, April 17, 2009
What's the Problem?
"How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (John 4:9)
I have just started reading a new book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. Right at the very beginning he says, "We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God." At the core of a statement like that is a realization that church, not Jesus, turns people off. And that is a not a new development. It was happening even when Jesus was walking the earth.
The group was very conservative. They were champions of the Word of God. They were extremely moral and faithful to the law. But they, said Jesus, had a habit of straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. They were the Pharisees, and they were about as religious as people can get. They stumbled over the fact that Jesus was always hanging around sinners. They were the church crowd of the scene that Jesus invaded.
In John 4, the character that Jesus encounters is a Samaritan woman who has come to draw water in the middle of the heat of the day. She comes at that time because she is a social outcast. She has been married five times and is now living with a man that is not her husband. During the New Testament times, Jews hated Samaritans, and men did not speak to women they did not know in public places. But Jesus crossed all of the barriers to show this woman compassion.
Francois Fenelon said, "To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid 'big" sins - is this passionate, wholeheared love for God?" (The Seeking Heart). As one believer to another, I can tell you if that is all there is, I don't want to be a part of the program. There is definitely so much more to being a follower of Christ. I believe when we learn to show the compassion of Christ to those in our world that society has turned away from, we will start attracting people back to church instead of giving them excuses not to believe in God.
I have just started reading a new book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. Right at the very beginning he says, "We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God." At the core of a statement like that is a realization that church, not Jesus, turns people off. And that is a not a new development. It was happening even when Jesus was walking the earth.
The group was very conservative. They were champions of the Word of God. They were extremely moral and faithful to the law. But they, said Jesus, had a habit of straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. They were the Pharisees, and they were about as religious as people can get. They stumbled over the fact that Jesus was always hanging around sinners. They were the church crowd of the scene that Jesus invaded.
In John 4, the character that Jesus encounters is a Samaritan woman who has come to draw water in the middle of the heat of the day. She comes at that time because she is a social outcast. She has been married five times and is now living with a man that is not her husband. During the New Testament times, Jews hated Samaritans, and men did not speak to women they did not know in public places. But Jesus crossed all of the barriers to show this woman compassion.
Francois Fenelon said, "To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid 'big" sins - is this passionate, wholeheared love for God?" (The Seeking Heart). As one believer to another, I can tell you if that is all there is, I don't want to be a part of the program. There is definitely so much more to being a follower of Christ. I believe when we learn to show the compassion of Christ to those in our world that society has turned away from, we will start attracting people back to church instead of giving them excuses not to believe in God.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
How Important is Faith?
"And He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief." (Mark 6:5-6)
I have seen people who do not worship God through Jesus recognize the power in His name. I have seen the new believers in the village of West Africa practice a sincere and childlike faith that is willing to completely trust God. As a result I have seen God send rain in response to prayer in Jesus' name, and send water to a dry well, and send healing to one who is sick again and again.
I have also been in places like this scripture describes where people's hearts are cynical and unbelieving. I have seen people grow hardened and demonstrate an unwillingness to exercise faith that God will work. So how important is this matter of faith?
Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." The focus in the scripture is not on how much faith we have, but on what is the object of our faith. Chris Tomlin's song says, "How Great is our God." His lyrics express a statement of that fact, not a question about it. But let me transform it into a question. How great is the God that you worship and serve? Is He worthy of your confidence so that you might invest faith in Him? God chooses to respond to sincere faith that believes He will do what He has promised.
The "there" where Jesus could do no mighty work was Nazareth his home town. They had watched him grow up, and they knew his parents. No doubt they thought, "Hey, he is one of us. He is Mary's and Joseph's boy. He is just a regular guy." How can we expect him to do anything supernatural and miraculous. So suspicious were the home folks that Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household."
The small group that came to our hut in West Africa in October of 2008 wanted our team to pray for rain to complete their harvest season. They said they had gone to the religious leader of another world religion in their village and asked him to pray. He had told them, "I can pray for rain, but it may not come for a year or two. The Christians are in town, ask them to pray. God answers their prayers."I have seen people who do not worship God through Jesus recognize the power in His name. I have seen the new believers in the village of West Africa practice a sincere and childlike faith that is willing to completely trust God. As a result I have seen God send rain in response to prayer in Jesus' name, and send water to a dry well, and send healing to one who is sick again and again.
I have also been in places like this scripture describes where people's hearts are cynical and unbelieving. I have seen people grow hardened and demonstrate an unwillingness to exercise faith that God will work. So how important is this matter of faith?
Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." The focus in the scripture is not on how much faith we have, but on what is the object of our faith. Chris Tomlin's song says, "How Great is our God." His lyrics express a statement of that fact, not a question about it. But let me transform it into a question. How great is the God that you worship and serve? Is He worthy of your confidence so that you might invest faith in Him? God chooses to respond to sincere faith that believes He will do what He has promised.
Who is this man?
"What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?" (Matt. 8: 27)
At the beginning of Matthew 8 Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Then a Roman Centurion comes to Jesus in behalf of a servant at home who is paralyzed, and Jesus heals him without even going to the place where the man was bedridden. Shortly after that He heals Peter's mother-in-law who was sick with a fever, and then He delivered many from demons. Because a crowd was closing in on Him, He instructs the disciples to go over to the other side. As He is headed to the boat someone says, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replies, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Another individual says, "Lord, let me first go bury my father." and Jesus says, "Let the dead bury the dead." Then Jesus and His disciples get into a boat to cross to the other side. Jesus lays down and goes to sleep, and presently a storm comes up that is so severe it threatens to sink them. The disciples wake Jesus up and say, "Lord, save us, we are perishing." Jesus rebukes them for their smallness of faith, and then He rebukes the wind and the sea, and there was calm.
The disciples have now seen Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and rebuke the wind and the sea, and so they ask, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" In this chapter we see that Jesus exercises authority over disease, over demons, and over the weather. The only variable in this scripture that Jesus allows a freedom of choice to are the people. Some would suggest there are many stories here and we could divide them up. The common thread, however, in my mind is the question, "Who is this man, Jesus?" The wind and the sea obey Him. The demons obey Him. Sickness and disease obeys Him. The only question, the only variable is will we obey Him? Will we trust Him with our lives without the security of a roof over our head, and with the awareness that following Him takes a priority over burying a family member. Does this man Jesus have the right to make unqualified claims on my life? Who we decide He is will determine our respone to Him, I believe. Since He is God, I believe our appropriate response is to follow Him without question or reservation, no matter the cost.
At the beginning of Matthew 8 Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Then a Roman Centurion comes to Jesus in behalf of a servant at home who is paralyzed, and Jesus heals him without even going to the place where the man was bedridden. Shortly after that He heals Peter's mother-in-law who was sick with a fever, and then He delivered many from demons. Because a crowd was closing in on Him, He instructs the disciples to go over to the other side. As He is headed to the boat someone says, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replies, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Another individual says, "Lord, let me first go bury my father." and Jesus says, "Let the dead bury the dead." Then Jesus and His disciples get into a boat to cross to the other side. Jesus lays down and goes to sleep, and presently a storm comes up that is so severe it threatens to sink them. The disciples wake Jesus up and say, "Lord, save us, we are perishing." Jesus rebukes them for their smallness of faith, and then He rebukes the wind and the sea, and there was calm.
The disciples have now seen Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and rebuke the wind and the sea, and so they ask, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?" In this chapter we see that Jesus exercises authority over disease, over demons, and over the weather. The only variable in this scripture that Jesus allows a freedom of choice to are the people. Some would suggest there are many stories here and we could divide them up. The common thread, however, in my mind is the question, "Who is this man, Jesus?" The wind and the sea obey Him. The demons obey Him. Sickness and disease obeys Him. The only question, the only variable is will we obey Him? Will we trust Him with our lives without the security of a roof over our head, and with the awareness that following Him takes a priority over burying a family member. Does this man Jesus have the right to make unqualified claims on my life? Who we decide He is will determine our respone to Him, I believe. Since He is God, I believe our appropriate response is to follow Him without question or reservation, no matter the cost.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Normal Faith
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17)
I heard someone define faith as simply taking God at His word and acting on it. Stop and think for just a moment. God is completely outside of time. He is the Everlasting God, the Beginning and the End, and all that the Bible says of Him. Time is simply an accomodation for us. The past and the future are pretty much the same to God. God can see all of time like you and I look at a picture or a photograph. That means from God's perspective, past history and future prophecy are pretty much the same. They are all reality. Whatever God says will be, is.
So it is not particularly extraordinary to exercise faith, although it may be uncommon. Normal faith is taking God at His Word and living on the basis of that. Trusting that God is going to do exactly as He says that He will do. In that sense, Simon Peter did not so much walk on the water, as He walked on the platform of the Word of Christ, who said, "Come".
I once heard someone say, "Faith is believing something to be so, when it isn't so, in order for it to be so." I disagree. We cannot will something to happen just because we believe it hard enough.
That statement needs a qualifier. "Faith is believing something to be so, when it isn't so, in order for it to be so, when God has said it is so."
Faith is cultivated by living in the Word of God and then choosing to believe what God has said. God always keeps His promises, and He is always right on time, everytime. Believing God is normal faith, not extraordinary. It may not be average or common, but it is the normal reality for a believer walking with God.
I heard someone define faith as simply taking God at His word and acting on it. Stop and think for just a moment. God is completely outside of time. He is the Everlasting God, the Beginning and the End, and all that the Bible says of Him. Time is simply an accomodation for us. The past and the future are pretty much the same to God. God can see all of time like you and I look at a picture or a photograph. That means from God's perspective, past history and future prophecy are pretty much the same. They are all reality. Whatever God says will be, is.
So it is not particularly extraordinary to exercise faith, although it may be uncommon. Normal faith is taking God at His Word and living on the basis of that. Trusting that God is going to do exactly as He says that He will do. In that sense, Simon Peter did not so much walk on the water, as He walked on the platform of the Word of Christ, who said, "Come".
I once heard someone say, "Faith is believing something to be so, when it isn't so, in order for it to be so." I disagree. We cannot will something to happen just because we believe it hard enough.
That statement needs a qualifier. "Faith is believing something to be so, when it isn't so, in order for it to be so, when God has said it is so."
Faith is cultivated by living in the Word of God and then choosing to believe what God has said. God always keeps His promises, and He is always right on time, everytime. Believing God is normal faith, not extraordinary. It may not be average or common, but it is the normal reality for a believer walking with God.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Turning Blessings into Praise
"The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 21b)
The day started out like any other day. Just an ordinary day in the life of a man by the name of Job. But on this day all of his sons and daughters were gathered together and sharing a meal at the oldest son's home. Job had many livestock, donkeys, camels, and oxen being tended in the fields.
Suddenly a servant came into the room with Job and said an enemy has attacked and killed all the oxen and donkeys, and all your servants working with them. I escaped alone. Before he finished speaking, another servant came in and said another enemy has taken your camels and killed all the servants watching them. Shortly another servant came in and said a great wind has blown down your oldest son's house and killed all of your children. What an incredible day of sorrow it had become for Job.
And yet Job says, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." We all like it when the Lord gives, but we are not so fond of those moments when He takes away. The question is, how much do we really trust God. It is easy to overlook Him in the good times and to take every blessing that comes our way for granted. And, it is easy to blame God in the bad times and to be upset and angry. Do we believe that God is for us, as the Bible says, and that He loves us unconditionally?
There is a song among christian contemporary singers, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." It is a reflection of this passage. It says, "Every blessing He pours out, I'll turn back to praise." And it goes on to say, "When the darkness comes Lord, still I will say, 'Blessed be the name of the Lord." Can you determine today to praise God in the good times and in the bad times? Will you give Him the credit and the glory He deserves when He blesses your life? When things go bad, will you give Him honor and trust Him to lead you through the valley of the shadow of death?
The day started out like any other day. Just an ordinary day in the life of a man by the name of Job. But on this day all of his sons and daughters were gathered together and sharing a meal at the oldest son's home. Job had many livestock, donkeys, camels, and oxen being tended in the fields.
Suddenly a servant came into the room with Job and said an enemy has attacked and killed all the oxen and donkeys, and all your servants working with them. I escaped alone. Before he finished speaking, another servant came in and said another enemy has taken your camels and killed all the servants watching them. Shortly another servant came in and said a great wind has blown down your oldest son's house and killed all of your children. What an incredible day of sorrow it had become for Job.
And yet Job says, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." We all like it when the Lord gives, but we are not so fond of those moments when He takes away. The question is, how much do we really trust God. It is easy to overlook Him in the good times and to take every blessing that comes our way for granted. And, it is easy to blame God in the bad times and to be upset and angry. Do we believe that God is for us, as the Bible says, and that He loves us unconditionally?
There is a song among christian contemporary singers, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." It is a reflection of this passage. It says, "Every blessing He pours out, I'll turn back to praise." And it goes on to say, "When the darkness comes Lord, still I will say, 'Blessed be the name of the Lord." Can you determine today to praise God in the good times and in the bad times? Will you give Him the credit and the glory He deserves when He blesses your life? When things go bad, will you give Him honor and trust Him to lead you through the valley of the shadow of death?
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Does Prayer Work?
"Then Hezekiah turnes his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord." (2 Kings 20:2)
Hezekiah was king of Judah and by and large was a good king. One day the prophet Isaiah came before the king and told him that God had said Hezekiah would not recover from the illness that he had. "Set you house in order, for you shall die." That is the kind of news that wrecks your day.
It is in response to that bad news that Hezekiah turns to God in prayer. "Now O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." (2 Ki 20:3). And if you read that account, the Bible says that before Isaiah the prophet even got outside of the kings court, God stops him and says, "Turn back and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people. Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you." In fact, God promises to add 15 years on to Hezekiah's life.
God does not always answer our prayers with a "yes." In fact we should thank God that He loves us enough to say "No" when what we ask for is not in our best interest. But God does hear our prayers, and He does answer our prayers.
Too often, prayer for us is a last resort, when it truly ought to be our first resolve. Prayer is the most effective resource at our disposal. Genuine prayer ushers us into the presence of the One true and only living God through worship. Prayer that is heartfelt will enable us to realign our priorities with His. Prayer places us in humility to submit to the Father. I am not sure why God has chosen to hear and answer our prayers other than the fact that He loves us. God does what He does in our lives in response to our prayers.
Don't make it complicated. Prayer is simply a matter of talking with God anytime, anywhere, with the express purpose of doing His will. Let me encourage you to block out significant time each day to spend with your heavenly Father.
Hezekiah was king of Judah and by and large was a good king. One day the prophet Isaiah came before the king and told him that God had said Hezekiah would not recover from the illness that he had. "Set you house in order, for you shall die." That is the kind of news that wrecks your day.
It is in response to that bad news that Hezekiah turns to God in prayer. "Now O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." (2 Ki 20:3). And if you read that account, the Bible says that before Isaiah the prophet even got outside of the kings court, God stops him and says, "Turn back and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people. Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you." In fact, God promises to add 15 years on to Hezekiah's life.
God does not always answer our prayers with a "yes." In fact we should thank God that He loves us enough to say "No" when what we ask for is not in our best interest. But God does hear our prayers, and He does answer our prayers.
Too often, prayer for us is a last resort, when it truly ought to be our first resolve. Prayer is the most effective resource at our disposal. Genuine prayer ushers us into the presence of the One true and only living God through worship. Prayer that is heartfelt will enable us to realign our priorities with His. Prayer places us in humility to submit to the Father. I am not sure why God has chosen to hear and answer our prayers other than the fact that He loves us. God does what He does in our lives in response to our prayers.
Don't make it complicated. Prayer is simply a matter of talking with God anytime, anywhere, with the express purpose of doing His will. Let me encourage you to block out significant time each day to spend with your heavenly Father.
History or Hoax
"He appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, although some have fallen asleep." ( I Cor. 15:6)
I once heard Josh McDowell say, "The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the human race, or it is the most incredible event to occur in history." I was a history major in college at the time I heard him say that, and I though, "You know, that is true." All of the evidence on Sunday morning told the story of an empty tomb.
I love this passage from the pen of the apostle Paul. Paul was the most ardent opponent of Christianity until he personally encountered Jesus, after the Resurrection. Here is a man who was killing Christians, and yet who became the greatest missionary for Jesus Christ in history. And look what he says in this verse.
Jesus appeared to more than 500 witnesses all at one time. Then he said, "Most of whom are still alive." Did you ever ask, why did he say that? If only one person said, "I saw Jesus, risen from the dead," we could dismiss that person as some kind of fruitcake. But when 500 saw him and they are still alive, Paul is saying, "Go ask them yourself, don't take my word for it."
I cast my vote for history. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened. Ask me how I know.
I know because the Risen Savior lives in my heart. Happy Easter. He is alive. Celebrate the Good News today.
I once heard Josh McDowell say, "The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the human race, or it is the most incredible event to occur in history." I was a history major in college at the time I heard him say that, and I though, "You know, that is true." All of the evidence on Sunday morning told the story of an empty tomb.
I love this passage from the pen of the apostle Paul. Paul was the most ardent opponent of Christianity until he personally encountered Jesus, after the Resurrection. Here is a man who was killing Christians, and yet who became the greatest missionary for Jesus Christ in history. And look what he says in this verse.
Jesus appeared to more than 500 witnesses all at one time. Then he said, "Most of whom are still alive." Did you ever ask, why did he say that? If only one person said, "I saw Jesus, risen from the dead," we could dismiss that person as some kind of fruitcake. But when 500 saw him and they are still alive, Paul is saying, "Go ask them yourself, don't take my word for it."
I cast my vote for history. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened. Ask me how I know.
I know because the Risen Savior lives in my heart. Happy Easter. He is alive. Celebrate the Good News today.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Waiting
"On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." (Luke23:56b)
What was it like there the day after Jesus was crucified? What were the disciples doing? What was the Jewish Sanhedrin doing now? What was Pilate thinking? What must it have been like on Saturday? Jesus is dead, and He is buried.
I think that a strong case can be made that the disciples either had not heard, did not understand, simply had forgotten, or in the worse case did not believe, what Jesus had said about the Resurrection. Peter was likely in agony. All were in grief. It must have been an incredibly long day.
Ps. 37:7 says, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Being still and waiting on God is one of the harder things we are called on to do. God is always perfectly right on time. He is never early, and He is never late. But when Jesus is dead, and in the tomb, how hard must it be to wait. Of course, we know that Jesus rose from the tomb on Sunday. He is no longer dead, but alive forevermore.
Yet there are times in our lives when God is silent, and Jesus seems distant. Will you be still today, and wait on the Lord? The greatest escape in history happened on Sunday morning. But on Saturday, we must wait.
What was it like there the day after Jesus was crucified? What were the disciples doing? What was the Jewish Sanhedrin doing now? What was Pilate thinking? What must it have been like on Saturday? Jesus is dead, and He is buried.
I think that a strong case can be made that the disciples either had not heard, did not understand, simply had forgotten, or in the worse case did not believe, what Jesus had said about the Resurrection. Peter was likely in agony. All were in grief. It must have been an incredibly long day.
Ps. 37:7 says, "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Being still and waiting on God is one of the harder things we are called on to do. God is always perfectly right on time. He is never early, and He is never late. But when Jesus is dead, and in the tomb, how hard must it be to wait. Of course, we know that Jesus rose from the tomb on Sunday. He is no longer dead, but alive forevermore.
Yet there are times in our lives when God is silent, and Jesus seems distant. Will you be still today, and wait on the Lord? The greatest escape in history happened on Sunday morning. But on Saturday, we must wait.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Come As You Are
"So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them." (John 19:17-18)
A little over 2000 years ago, on a hill outside of Jerusalem, Jesus the Christ was crucified between two thieves. He died with those He came to save. He had often been accused by the religious folks of that day of associating with sinners. Looking on were all kinds of people. There were folks like His mom, and John the disciple who loved Him greatly. There were relgious folks that were smirking and glad that He was dieing. There were some who were curious. There were some like the Roman centurion who came to believe He was indeed the Christ.
This Sunday is one of those days that the crowds are bigger at church. Folks come visit their families and go to church because someone invites them. Some go because it seems like the right thing to do on a holiday. Some will come out of curiousity. Whatever the reason, you are welcome at our church.
We believe that there are no perfect people. We beleive that Jesus came into the world and died on the cross and rose from the dead for people just like you and me. We believe that it is OK to come and explore faith and ask questions. We believe that you don't have to get your life cleaned up and your act together in order to come. We believe you can come just like you are and seek to discover the Christ.
Today is Friday, and on a day like this nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus died on a cross. What makes His death different from 1000's of other Jewish men who died on Roman crosses is who He claimed to be and what the Bible says He did by dieing in our place. Because it is only Friday, seeing Him die there is hard and troubling. But as the old preacher once said, "It is Friday, but Sunday is coming." Jesus once said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except by me." (John 14:6) Sunday morning validates that claim. This Easter Sunday go to a place of worship where they believe Jesus is the Way, and go knowing that its OK to come just as you are.
A little over 2000 years ago, on a hill outside of Jerusalem, Jesus the Christ was crucified between two thieves. He died with those He came to save. He had often been accused by the religious folks of that day of associating with sinners. Looking on were all kinds of people. There were folks like His mom, and John the disciple who loved Him greatly. There were relgious folks that were smirking and glad that He was dieing. There were some who were curious. There were some like the Roman centurion who came to believe He was indeed the Christ.
This Sunday is one of those days that the crowds are bigger at church. Folks come visit their families and go to church because someone invites them. Some go because it seems like the right thing to do on a holiday. Some will come out of curiousity. Whatever the reason, you are welcome at our church.
We believe that there are no perfect people. We beleive that Jesus came into the world and died on the cross and rose from the dead for people just like you and me. We believe that it is OK to come and explore faith and ask questions. We believe that you don't have to get your life cleaned up and your act together in order to come. We believe you can come just like you are and seek to discover the Christ.
Today is Friday, and on a day like this nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus died on a cross. What makes His death different from 1000's of other Jewish men who died on Roman crosses is who He claimed to be and what the Bible says He did by dieing in our place. Because it is only Friday, seeing Him die there is hard and troubling. But as the old preacher once said, "It is Friday, but Sunday is coming." Jesus once said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except by me." (John 14:6) Sunday morning validates that claim. This Easter Sunday go to a place of worship where they believe Jesus is the Way, and go knowing that its OK to come just as you are.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Maundy Thursday
"So you are Simnon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas. (which means Peter)".
John 1:42
Around the world today churches are celebrating what is often called Maundy Thursday. It is a celebration of the day that Jesus and the disciples gathered in an upper room to share what we have since labeled the Last Supper. In actuality, Jesus and the disciples gathered to share in the observance of the Passover Meal that commemorated the night that the death angel had passed over the homes of their ancestors in Egypt because of the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts. A significant part of Maundy Thursday ties to the act of washing the disciples' feet in a show of servanthood.
It was an amazing night as Jesus took the bread and the cup and said from now on these will symbolize my body broken for you and my blood spilled out in your behalf, signifying the cross.
It was also an agonizing night where they gathered in Gethsemane and Jesus struggled in prayer while the disciples slept. Before the evening was complete Judas had betrayed the Lord, and SImon Peter had denied Him three times.
As I think about Peter that night, I am reminded of the first encounter he had with Jesus. Andrew had been listening to John the Baptist, when Jesus walked up and the Baptizer said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Andrew engaged Jesus in conversation and was soon convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. He hurried and found his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at Simon and said, "You are Simon, but you will be Peter." That is the way Jesus is. He sees us not only as we are, but as what we can be under His transforming power.
Jesus looks at you like that today. He knows who and what you are. But He also sees all of the potential locked up inside of you and which He can release if you will surrender to Him. Today, why not let Jesus have His way in your life? He can make you more than you ever dreamed possible.
John 1:42
Around the world today churches are celebrating what is often called Maundy Thursday. It is a celebration of the day that Jesus and the disciples gathered in an upper room to share what we have since labeled the Last Supper. In actuality, Jesus and the disciples gathered to share in the observance of the Passover Meal that commemorated the night that the death angel had passed over the homes of their ancestors in Egypt because of the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts. A significant part of Maundy Thursday ties to the act of washing the disciples' feet in a show of servanthood.
It was an amazing night as Jesus took the bread and the cup and said from now on these will symbolize my body broken for you and my blood spilled out in your behalf, signifying the cross.
It was also an agonizing night where they gathered in Gethsemane and Jesus struggled in prayer while the disciples slept. Before the evening was complete Judas had betrayed the Lord, and SImon Peter had denied Him three times.
As I think about Peter that night, I am reminded of the first encounter he had with Jesus. Andrew had been listening to John the Baptist, when Jesus walked up and the Baptizer said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." Andrew engaged Jesus in conversation and was soon convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. He hurried and found his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at Simon and said, "You are Simon, but you will be Peter." That is the way Jesus is. He sees us not only as we are, but as what we can be under His transforming power.
Jesus looks at you like that today. He knows who and what you are. But He also sees all of the potential locked up inside of you and which He can release if you will surrender to Him. Today, why not let Jesus have His way in your life? He can make you more than you ever dreamed possible.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
When You are Ready to Follow Jesus
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me."
(Luke 9:23)
Have you ever come to the end of your rope, proverbially speaking? Have you come to a place where you have exhausted every option, and tried everything you can think to do. When you run out of options and you run out of a sense that you can fix it, you are probably at the place where God can use you.
God is not so interested in our abilities. He is God, after all. He created all of this universe, the billions of galaxies and stars, and all that this universe contains without our help. He doesn't need us. We are dispensible. So it is not a matter of whether I am able or not, because the truth, is, "I can't." The Scripture tells us, however, that God is able. God is able to do more than we are able to imagine or even ask. (Eph. 3:20). And He is able to do all that He does without ever straining or struggling, and He doesn't even break out in a sweat.
What God is interested in is not our abilitilies, but rather our availability. And when we are willing to die to self, and to surrender ourselves to Him, then He can and will use us. Then we are truly ready to follow Jesus. Why not lift your hands in surrender to Him through Jesus today? I heard someone say it this way, "I can't; God never said you could. He will, He always said He would." Trust Him with your life. Wait on Him, He can handle it.
(Luke 9:23)
Have you ever come to the end of your rope, proverbially speaking? Have you come to a place where you have exhausted every option, and tried everything you can think to do. When you run out of options and you run out of a sense that you can fix it, you are probably at the place where God can use you.
God is not so interested in our abilities. He is God, after all. He created all of this universe, the billions of galaxies and stars, and all that this universe contains without our help. He doesn't need us. We are dispensible. So it is not a matter of whether I am able or not, because the truth, is, "I can't." The Scripture tells us, however, that God is able. God is able to do more than we are able to imagine or even ask. (Eph. 3:20). And He is able to do all that He does without ever straining or struggling, and He doesn't even break out in a sweat.
What God is interested in is not our abilitilies, but rather our availability. And when we are willing to die to self, and to surrender ourselves to Him, then He can and will use us. Then we are truly ready to follow Jesus. Why not lift your hands in surrender to Him through Jesus today? I heard someone say it this way, "I can't; God never said you could. He will, He always said He would." Trust Him with your life. Wait on Him, He can handle it.
Born to Die
"But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed." (Isa. 53:5)
As early as the garden of Eden when God prepared to punish sin by dispatching Adam and Eve from paradise there is prophecy of the coming Savior. Here in Isaiah's account, hundreds of years before Jesus is born, God tells of the sacrificial death of Christ for the sins of mankind. When Mary and Joseph took Jesus as a small boy for presentation in the temple, Simeon had foretold of the suffering Mary would endure because Jesus would die.
He was literally born to die in the place of lost mankind. It is an incredible account, this story of God. The Word of God says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son."
(John 3:16). When you read the Gospel accounts it is easy to say, "Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross." It is easy to say, "Religious leaders turned Jesus over to be crucified." But ultimately, we must be faced with the reality that Jesus gave His life willingly.
"Though he was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross." (Phil. 2:6-8)
Even while He was on the cross we remember that He could have called for help from God and the scripture says God would have sent legions of angels to rescue Him. But He came to die in our place and to bear the penalty of our shame, our guilt, our sin. Passion week tells of amazing love that our God would bear our punishment that we might have new life in Christ. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6). Thank you Jesus, for taking my place.
As early as the garden of Eden when God prepared to punish sin by dispatching Adam and Eve from paradise there is prophecy of the coming Savior. Here in Isaiah's account, hundreds of years before Jesus is born, God tells of the sacrificial death of Christ for the sins of mankind. When Mary and Joseph took Jesus as a small boy for presentation in the temple, Simeon had foretold of the suffering Mary would endure because Jesus would die.
He was literally born to die in the place of lost mankind. It is an incredible account, this story of God. The Word of God says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son."
(John 3:16). When you read the Gospel accounts it is easy to say, "Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross." It is easy to say, "Religious leaders turned Jesus over to be crucified." But ultimately, we must be faced with the reality that Jesus gave His life willingly.
"Though he was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross." (Phil. 2:6-8)
Even while He was on the cross we remember that He could have called for help from God and the scripture says God would have sent legions of angels to rescue Him. But He came to die in our place and to bear the penalty of our shame, our guilt, our sin. Passion week tells of amazing love that our God would bear our punishment that we might have new life in Christ. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - every one - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6). Thank you Jesus, for taking my place.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
God's Story
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures." (I Cor. 15:3-4)
The Bible is God’s Story. It is made up of a collection of 66 books, which reflect a wide variety of genres: history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters and apocalyptic just to name a few.
Amazingly, these 66 books were written by 40 different authors who also came from a variety of backgrounds: Shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others. Most of these authors never knew each other. In fact these 66 books were written over a period of 1500 years. They were written in 3 different languages; the ancient languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, and they were written on 3 different continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe.
This collection of books all share a common storyline, the creation, the fall, and redemption of God’s people. They share a common theme – God’s universal love for all of humanity; and a common message –salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to following God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And incredibly, these 66 books contain no historical errors or contradictions.
Now, God’s story begins with Creation, and in the book of Revelation we see that it ends with a new heaven and a new earth. Sin is destroyed, satan is punished. All of God’s redeemed are with Him forever. But in the center, the spiritual center of God’s entire Story is the Gospel message. And that is what Easter is all about. God's Story is unlike any other story, and this week we focus our attention of the heart and core of the store. It is the wonderful Gospel message.
The Bible is God’s Story. It is made up of a collection of 66 books, which reflect a wide variety of genres: history, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, letters and apocalyptic just to name a few.
Amazingly, these 66 books were written by 40 different authors who also came from a variety of backgrounds: Shepherds, fishermen, doctors, kings, prophets, and others. Most of these authors never knew each other. In fact these 66 books were written over a period of 1500 years. They were written in 3 different languages; the ancient languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, and they were written on 3 different continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe.
This collection of books all share a common storyline, the creation, the fall, and redemption of God’s people. They share a common theme – God’s universal love for all of humanity; and a common message –salvation is available to all who repent of their sins and commit to following God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And incredibly, these 66 books contain no historical errors or contradictions.
Now, God’s story begins with Creation, and in the book of Revelation we see that it ends with a new heaven and a new earth. Sin is destroyed, satan is punished. All of God’s redeemed are with Him forever. But in the center, the spiritual center of God’s entire Story is the Gospel message. And that is what Easter is all about. God's Story is unlike any other story, and this week we focus our attention of the heart and core of the store. It is the wonderful Gospel message.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Scandalous Grace
"What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)
These two verses contain some of the most marvelous truths in all the Word of God. Notice first of all that God is for us. Let that soak in for a bit. The God who created all of this incredible universe is for us. And because that is true, the apostle Paul asks, "Who can be against us?" We know that we have an enemy, the devil, who is against us. We know that the world system is against us. So what can he possibly mean by that question. Consider this. Nothing and no-one is a significant competitor to God. No one can successfully be against us. You and God constitute a majority in any situation.
Another way to think of this possibility is to ask yourself, if God is on my side, what does it really matter who is against me? There is nothing in all of the created order that is close to competing with God for power and authority. God is for us.
Then when we come to verse 32, we have what may be one of the greatest prayer promises in all of the Bible. It is an argument from the greater to the lesser. God has already given us His Son to be our Savior, by allowing Him to bear our guilt and shame on a cross. Nothing that we ever ask for in prayer is of greater value than the gift He has already given. Since God has already given us the costliest gift, we can come with confidence with our prayers each day.
There is no resource on earth available to us with as much potential for good as that of prayer. When you come in prayer to your heavenly Father, remember these two truths. First, God is for you. He is on your side. Secondly, nothing you ask is as costly as the gift God has already given. Paul began, "What shall we say to these things?" These things leave us speechless. God is so good. He longs to bless us so much. Open yourself up to Him today.
Amazing Love
"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
There is no adequate word to describe how much God loves us. The amazing thing is that His love for us has absolutely nothing to do with our merit. We do not deserve His love and we can never earn His love. He loves us because of who He is. I John 4:8 says, "God is love." It is His nature and essence. He is love.
The amazing truth is that there is absolutely nothing we can do to cause God to love us any more than He already does. And there is absolutely nothing we can ever do to cause Him to love us any less. He loves us because it is His nature to love. The Word of God says that He demonstrated that to us by the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Chapter 8 of the book of Romans is one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible. It begins with the truth that there is presently "No Condemnation" for anyone who is "in Christ." The chapter then ends with "No Separation." The incredible reality is that no matter what difficulties you may be presently facing in your life, they cannot separate you from God's love. Whatever you are dealing with today, remember this, God loves you incredibly beyond your ability to measure.
God created you for His purpose. And even though you have often sinned and failed in your life to live up to His creative expectations, God has never given up on you, and He never will. He continually loves you. As Rick Warren says, "God is not mad at you, He is mad about you." As you face today and this week, remind yourself over and over, "God loves me."
There is no adequate word to describe how much God loves us. The amazing thing is that His love for us has absolutely nothing to do with our merit. We do not deserve His love and we can never earn His love. He loves us because of who He is. I John 4:8 says, "God is love." It is His nature and essence. He is love.
The amazing truth is that there is absolutely nothing we can do to cause God to love us any more than He already does. And there is absolutely nothing we can ever do to cause Him to love us any less. He loves us because it is His nature to love. The Word of God says that He demonstrated that to us by the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Chapter 8 of the book of Romans is one of my favorite chapters in all the Bible. It begins with the truth that there is presently "No Condemnation" for anyone who is "in Christ." The chapter then ends with "No Separation." The incredible reality is that no matter what difficulties you may be presently facing in your life, they cannot separate you from God's love. Whatever you are dealing with today, remember this, God loves you incredibly beyond your ability to measure.
God created you for His purpose. And even though you have often sinned and failed in your life to live up to His creative expectations, God has never given up on you, and He never will. He continually loves you. As Rick Warren says, "God is not mad at you, He is mad about you." As you face today and this week, remind yourself over and over, "God loves me."
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Giving People What They Need Most
As the African believers gathered shortly after our arrival, we were preparing to teach from God's Word. But as we typically do, we asked how things had been going since we were there last. A guest from another village asked this question: If two believers live side by side, and one is doing well, and the other is not, is the one doing well responsible to help the other believer.
James says, "If a brother or sister is in need and one of you says, 'Go in peace' without giving them what is need, what good is that?" (James 2:16). So while the answer is obviously we are responsible to help those in need, what is not always obvious is what constitutes real help. There is an old adage that says if someone is hungry and you give him a fish, he eats one meal, but if you teach him to fish, he can eat for the rest of his life.
On the way into the temple Peter and John met a man lame from birth. He was seated there begging, and Peter said, "We don't have any silver or gold, but we will give you what we do have." This story is found in Acts 3. Peter said, "In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk." And the Bible says that the man stood up and began to walk, and he began to leap and to worship God. If Peter had given him money, he would have continued to beg for the rest of his life. Peter gave him what he really needed.
In the same way, you and I must seek the face of God when presented with need and ask, what are we to do? How do we really help? The greatest thing we can do for anyone is to introduce them to the living God who can meet every need they have. Sometimes God will tell us to give food, or sometimes to give other physical assistance. Always, we should help meet their deepest spiritual needs. The greatest gift that we can offer anyone is the Gospel. Keep sharing the truth until all have heard.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
No Perfect People Allowed
Jesus once said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matt. 9:12-13).
Jesus said that to the Pharisees who were complaining that He and his disciples were associating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus was always attracting some of the most notorious of sinners. So when he overheard the complaints of the "church crowd" that day, He said that the reason He had come into the world was to call sinners to Himself.
At our church, we have borrowed a statement from someone else that says, "No Perfect People Allowed." In fact, I say this, "If you are perfect, you have permission to miss church for the rest of your life. After all, if you hang out with us at church, we might mess you up. We are a bunch of sinners."
Today is celebrated in much of the Christian world as palm sunday. It is the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem triumphantly on the back of a donkey and the people cried hosanna and laid palm branches along the way.But in only a few days many of them would join the "church crowd" and crucify Jesus. It is the "church crowd" that always seems to give Jesus all the trouble.
Life is so much more enjoyable when we come to the place that we realize we are not OK, but that Jesus loves us anyway. When we admit that we are sick with sin, Jesus can begin to change us. I am glad that God called me, and never gave up on me. I need the great physician to daily heal my sin sick soul.
The church that Jesus creates is not the same as the "church crowd". The fellowship of those who love Jesus is essential to those who genuinely want to follow Christ. We encourage and build one another up. It is the group who want to pretend to be religious, but have no real interest in Jesus that I am calling the "church crowd".
There are no perfect people, only those who think they don't need any help. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8) It is that group that thinks they are OK that create all the difficulty for Jesus still today. They get in the way of the sinners who Jesus came to help by blocking their view of Him. God's word says, "Humble yourselves before the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." (I Peter. 5:6, ESV).
Jesus said that to the Pharisees who were complaining that He and his disciples were associating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus was always attracting some of the most notorious of sinners. So when he overheard the complaints of the "church crowd" that day, He said that the reason He had come into the world was to call sinners to Himself.
At our church, we have borrowed a statement from someone else that says, "No Perfect People Allowed." In fact, I say this, "If you are perfect, you have permission to miss church for the rest of your life. After all, if you hang out with us at church, we might mess you up. We are a bunch of sinners."
Today is celebrated in much of the Christian world as palm sunday. It is the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem triumphantly on the back of a donkey and the people cried hosanna and laid palm branches along the way.But in only a few days many of them would join the "church crowd" and crucify Jesus. It is the "church crowd" that always seems to give Jesus all the trouble.
Life is so much more enjoyable when we come to the place that we realize we are not OK, but that Jesus loves us anyway. When we admit that we are sick with sin, Jesus can begin to change us. I am glad that God called me, and never gave up on me. I need the great physician to daily heal my sin sick soul.
The church that Jesus creates is not the same as the "church crowd". The fellowship of those who love Jesus is essential to those who genuinely want to follow Christ. We encourage and build one another up. It is the group who want to pretend to be religious, but have no real interest in Jesus that I am calling the "church crowd".
There are no perfect people, only those who think they don't need any help. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8) It is that group that thinks they are OK that create all the difficulty for Jesus still today. They get in the way of the sinners who Jesus came to help by blocking their view of Him. God's word says, "Humble yourselves before the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." (I Peter. 5:6, ESV).
Please Tell Us
"How will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14, ESV)
Our mission teams had driven the road through N village all year long on the way to the village where we were partnering to work. It was rainy season, and mid August. We had one vehicle, and the first part of our team was setting up camp while the 4 wheel drive landcruiser had returned to the city for the rest of our group. On their way back they got stuck in the mud right outside N village. It was almost dark, and they were unable to free the truck after the heavy rain.
The villagers came out and invited them to spend the night. All of these team members were on their first trip to Africa. After a night of rest, the village chief said to our team, "We watched your truck drive by our village all year long. We knew that you had Good News, but you never stopped and told us. We prayed that you would stop and tell us. God got you stuck so we could know."
For the last two and a half years, as our church has partnered with our denomination's mission board in West Africa we have discovered people in many villages who are longing to hear the Good News that is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Like this village chief, their hearts are crying out, "Please tell us." People like that are in Africa and China. They are in Mexico and India, and on all the continents of the earth. They are in the cities of the United States, and the rural areas as well. They comprise multitudes of languages and people groups.
The word translated "preaching" in this scripture literally means "announcing." Who will announce the message of Jesus Christ to every person in the world? I have noticed that in every village we go into in West Africa they have a very popular cola drink. How is it that drink can be there and we have not carried the greatest message ever given? Today, if you will listen carefully you will hear the cries of the untold masses, "Please tell us."
Friday, April 3, 2009
Overflowing Joy
Read I John 1:4-2:2
Someone has said that "Happiness depends on Happenings." In fact, I heard it this way, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen to happen, then I am happy." On the other hand, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen not to happen, then I am not happy." There is no doubt that for many people the circumstances of their lives determine the level of their happiness.
Joy is different. According to I John, joy is a result of living in fellowship with God through Jesus. John was something of an expert on fellowship with Jesus, and he writes in v. 4 that his purpose is that we might experience real joy. He tells us that it is based on knowing that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him. Then he tells us that we can experience joy through fellowship with God by walking in the light. What he means is living honestly before God. Obeying His Word on a daily basis, and when we fail honestly confessing our sins with a repentant heart.
When each of my children were born I was there in the labor room. Each time one of these children breathed their first breath we entered into a marvelous relationship. Every person who has received Jesus Christ as their Savior entered into a marvelous relationship with God. They became God's child. That relationship can never end.
Fellowship is the enjoyment of relationship. While my children can never stop being my children, we do get out of fellowship from time to time. We can never cease to be God's child once we have become a follower of Jesus Christ. But we can get out of fellowship with Him when we sin. We can try to hide it or deny it, which doesn't allow for us to live in joy. Or we can confess our sins to God and experience His cleansing and renewal, and our lives will overflow with joy.
Someone has said that "Happiness depends on Happenings." In fact, I heard it this way, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen to happen, then I am happy." On the other hand, "If all the happenings that I happen to hope will happen, happen not to happen, then I am not happy." There is no doubt that for many people the circumstances of their lives determine the level of their happiness.
Joy is different. According to I John, joy is a result of living in fellowship with God through Jesus. John was something of an expert on fellowship with Jesus, and he writes in v. 4 that his purpose is that we might experience real joy. He tells us that it is based on knowing that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him. Then he tells us that we can experience joy through fellowship with God by walking in the light. What he means is living honestly before God. Obeying His Word on a daily basis, and when we fail honestly confessing our sins with a repentant heart.
When each of my children were born I was there in the labor room. Each time one of these children breathed their first breath we entered into a marvelous relationship. Every person who has received Jesus Christ as their Savior entered into a marvelous relationship with God. They became God's child. That relationship can never end.
Fellowship is the enjoyment of relationship. While my children can never stop being my children, we do get out of fellowship from time to time. We can never cease to be God's child once we have become a follower of Jesus Christ. But we can get out of fellowship with Him when we sin. We can try to hide it or deny it, which doesn't allow for us to live in joy. Or we can confess our sins to God and experience His cleansing and renewal, and our lives will overflow with joy.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
He Included You
On the first Easter morning, some of the women went out to visit the tomb of Jesus to annoint the body with aromatic spices. When they arrived the stone in front of the tomb had already been rolled away and someone was sitting inside (an angel), who told them Jesus had been raised. Then he said, "Jesus wants you to go tell the disciples, AND PETER, that He will meet them in Galilee." (Mark 16:7). Have you ever wondered why He said "and Peter?"
Consider that on Friday night when Jesus was arrested our attention was pointed at two men who sinned greatly against Jesus. Of course, we all remember that Judas was the one who had betrayed his friend for 30 pieces of silver. At the end of the evening, he was filled with remorse and went and hanged himself.
Peter, on the other hand, denied Jesus publicly three different times. He had been warned by Jesus in the upper room during the Passover Meal, he had slept during an agonizing prayer meeting in Gethsemane, and then he had followed at a distance as Jesus was led away. When he was presented the opportunity to witness for Jesus, instead he had denied him, not once, but three times. The evening for him had ended with him weeping bitterly and running out into the night.
I cannot help but suspect that Peter was like many of us. He felt such intense shame and guilt that he thought Jesus was finished with Him. He must have thought, "God will never forgive me."Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wondered if the promises of the Bible are for everyone else but you? I have felt that way.
So on the morning of the Resurrection Jesus wanted Peter to know that he was included in the invitation. And if you read the story in John 21, you know that Jesus later fully restored Peter to a wonderful ministry for God's Kingdom. I cannot help but believe that Jesus would be absolutely delighted for us to take Peter's name out of that verse and slide ours in its place.
The psalmist said, "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."(Ps. 32:1). Someone will surely say, "But that does not include me. My sin is too great, or it is too much." The promise of God's Word is this, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7). God has made perfect provision to deal with all sin. What Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross satisfies God completely, and it included all sin.
The key, however, is found in the first part of I John 1:7. There God's Word says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." In order to receive cleansing from our sin so that we can live in God's forgiveness, we must walk in the light. So what does that mean?
It means for a person who has never placed their faith and trust in Christ, they must personally receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. (John 1:12). It means for the person that is already a follower of Jesus Christ, they must be honest and sincere in the acknowledgement of their sins to God. (I John 1:9). We must turn from sin, and turn with full hope and faith to the Lord Jesus. Like the song I grew up singing in church, "Jesus paid it all."
Consider that on Friday night when Jesus was arrested our attention was pointed at two men who sinned greatly against Jesus. Of course, we all remember that Judas was the one who had betrayed his friend for 30 pieces of silver. At the end of the evening, he was filled with remorse and went and hanged himself.
Peter, on the other hand, denied Jesus publicly three different times. He had been warned by Jesus in the upper room during the Passover Meal, he had slept during an agonizing prayer meeting in Gethsemane, and then he had followed at a distance as Jesus was led away. When he was presented the opportunity to witness for Jesus, instead he had denied him, not once, but three times. The evening for him had ended with him weeping bitterly and running out into the night.
I cannot help but suspect that Peter was like many of us. He felt such intense shame and guilt that he thought Jesus was finished with Him. He must have thought, "God will never forgive me."Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wondered if the promises of the Bible are for everyone else but you? I have felt that way.
So on the morning of the Resurrection Jesus wanted Peter to know that he was included in the invitation. And if you read the story in John 21, you know that Jesus later fully restored Peter to a wonderful ministry for God's Kingdom. I cannot help but believe that Jesus would be absolutely delighted for us to take Peter's name out of that verse and slide ours in its place.
The psalmist said, "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."(Ps. 32:1). Someone will surely say, "But that does not include me. My sin is too great, or it is too much." The promise of God's Word is this, "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7). God has made perfect provision to deal with all sin. What Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross satisfies God completely, and it included all sin.
The key, however, is found in the first part of I John 1:7. There God's Word says, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." In order to receive cleansing from our sin so that we can live in God's forgiveness, we must walk in the light. So what does that mean?
It means for a person who has never placed their faith and trust in Christ, they must personally receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. (John 1:12). It means for the person that is already a follower of Jesus Christ, they must be honest and sincere in the acknowledgement of their sins to God. (I John 1:9). We must turn from sin, and turn with full hope and faith to the Lord Jesus. Like the song I grew up singing in church, "Jesus paid it all."
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Stuck on You
God says through the prophet Jeremiah, "My people have commited two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13). It is important, I think, to notice that God reminds us that He is the fountain of living waters. He has created us and fashioned us in such a way that the nourishment that satisfies us at the deepest level of our existence is Him. He has created us to relate to and enjoy intimate fellowship with Himself.
The problem for most, God says, is that we have forsaken Him. We have turned away from God, who is the one who can bring us the greatest joy and satisfaction in our lives. In forsaking God, we have found our lives to be missing something and we have gone looking for something else to satisfy the thirsting of our spiritual appetite. God says we have dug wells that are broken and will not hold water. We have attempted to fill the emptiness with all kinds of substitutes, pleasure, food, power,activities, drugs, alcohol, pornography, and multitudes of other things. Ultimately, while they may bring a moment's pleasure, they can not satisfy the emptiness in our lives that results when we leave God out.
It is interesting in this passage in Jeremiah that vs. 11 implies that not even unbelievers change their gods. As God wrote these words it would apply to Israel. God's chosen people were forsaking their God, not the other nations. The result, according to v. 14 is that Israel has become enslaved to their sins. In seeking a modern application, is it not an acknowledgement of the power of habits and behaviors to enslave us? As we look upon a society that acknowledges physical addictions, and psychological dependencies, have we overlooked the reality of spiritual slavery to sin?
When we habitually leave God out of our lives and turn instead to other "gods", whatever they might be, do we not become a slave to that behavior? I Thes. 5:23 says, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (ESV). God's Word acknowledges that we are three dimensional. We have a physical, a soulish, and a spiritual dimension. We can develop physical and psychological dependencies on a behavior or a substance. But we can also become enslaved to a behavior spiritually. In that sense it is a very real spiritual addiction.
If we return to God we can find the spiritual refreshment that we truly desire. Jesus said in John 7:37, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." (ESV). Notice that there are no prerequisites placed on coming to Jesus except to be thirsty. "Whoever" includes anyone and everyone. All you have to do is be thirsty. That is the beginning place, to acknowledge the need.
The same Jesus who said that, also said, "Whoever the Son sets free, is free indeed." (John 8:36). There is hope and there is help for anyone who is willing to come to God through the Lord Jesus. You can find the spiritual satisfaction that we all long for at the deepest level of our lives, and if you have become enslaved, or addicted, you can find freedom. May God bless you as You look to Him.
For help, email me at bradbessent@msn.com
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